© Janet Hastings | Dreamstime.com
My poor sister! She must have heard at least once a week when were were growing up, “Come on now! You are older than her. You know better!” When we’d get into a fight, she got held to the higher standard because she was eight years older than me and she should have more self control. Not that I never got in trouble for my behavior but as the elder sibling more was expected of her. There was probably a reason one of my nicknames was “the brat.”
Lately I’ve been hearing that refrain “you know better” from the connection to that higher voice inside me. As I’ve stepped deeper and deeper into my personal spiritual and shamanic journey, I realize that everything we do, say or even think has energetic consequences. I need to hold myself to a higher level of integrity than I ever have in my life. I’m not claiming to have this down—far from it—but the universe is letting me know more and more quickly when I’m out of alignment.
A week ago a friend and I were driving back from a weekend workshop in Sedona. We had a seven hour car ride each way to chat. At one point, I became aware that for the last ten minutes the conversation had been pretty judgmental about an organization that we both actually valued quite deeply. We were pointing out the things we didn’t like that were going on in the organization and criticizing some of its leaders. I felt a wave of dark energy flowing over me as I realized that all organizations are simply made up of people who are human and that my “bitching” wasn’t helping anything. I felt compelled to say “I think we need to stop this conversation. If I was off-track would I want people to talk behind my back or hold me in love so that I can find my way?” My friend and both agreed that the conversation had to shift and we imagined changing the energy and sending love to the people and the organization. I got home and I blew the energy of the organization into a stone that sits on my altar and when I sit down to meditate, I imagine sending love to all involved. It feels so more aligned with who I want to be than the judgment and criticism. And if the time comes where I feel I need to speak up about my concerns, I know that doing that from this place of love and honoring will be so much more powerful than that place of judgment.
Also this past week I was fortunate enough to read Dan Pearce’s Single Dad Laughing’s beautiful post entitled, I’m Christian Unless Your Gay and his follow-up post about the comments he has received. I encourage you to go read Dan’s posts in their entirety. I had to catch myself again as I read the few comments, full of misquotations of scripture used to justify a position of hate against homosexuals. Immediately I started to call those people names like “hater” and “ignorant.” Nothing as bad at the vitriol that was coming from those people but they were judgmental names nonetheless. I certainly wasn’t saying, “Forgive them they know not what they do.” If Jesus could say that prayer while being crucified, shouldn’t be able to say it when I’m doing something as simple as reading a blog post? While I’m not a practicing Catholic anymore, those teachings still ring pretty true for me. On the upside, I was heartened because Dan’s post reminded lots of people that they do know better and touched many lives. Most of the comments made my heart sing for humanity.
My ego feels much like my sister probably felt, when I’d hit her and Mom would tell her she couldn’t hit me back because she was older and knew better. It mumbles and grumbles about “those mean and clueless people!” And spirit whispers in my heart, “You know better. You know that love is the answer.” I take a deep breath and imagine the people who wrote such hateful posts being flooded with love that whatever is hurting within them feels the love energy flowing through them. I do it because I know it is the only appropriate response at this moment, I can’t argue them away from their position. I hope when one day, I’m not at my best and I’m being cranky and judgmental, someone will return the favor!
Humanity is entering a critical time period where many of us know the world has to shift to a paradigm where love and respect for all human beings is the baseline of our society. We can’t wait till others do it. It isn’t always easy and we can resent that our “younger siblings” don’t get it but that doesn’t excuse us from not stepping up now when the world needs us. It isn’t that we are perfect. We may not be able to see the whole picture. But when we know better, we can do better and I think it is time for those of us who are hearing those whispers to step forward and follow them. At least I know it is for me!
Are you hearing that gentle Voice of spirit whispering “You know better?” Are you getting more immediate energetic feedback from the universe when you are out of alignment? How’s it working for you?
