A time where we broke free from our enslavement to seconds, minutes, hours, days and all was one. All was the past, present, and future: the created and uncreated.

What is it that we see in the fleeting moments in which we so keenly put our hope, and dreams; our life? Of that which makes us who we are, we shrewdly look to what was, what should have been and the embers left from the hopes of what could be. All our sweat we use to keep the fire alive, to gather wood, to feed a dying flame.

With our hopes and dreams of grandeur in what once was we have forgotten what is: The Dawn of the Golden Sun.

“We cross our bridges when we come to them, and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered.”

Maintaining a good outlook, and acting in one’s community is one way of adding to the health of one’s spirit. In the streets, on TV, radio and myriad other places the jarring dissonance, and backbiting of , whether through low self image or otherwise, individuals is as plain as the nose on your face —they’re seemingly all in the game to sway others to their side, religion, way of thinking, or stag party. Their efforts beg the question as to how serious they are. It’s progressively more infrequent that one sees a group of people working together. Not to detest conflict, as it is needed and essential, but sometimes it is useless. Serving as an emulsifier for an endless battle of bickering, and accomplishment, it’s not rare that one sees what could have been a great endeavor elicit atrophy. This consequence can be traced to many causes, among them as a corollary to the use of the ego in ways divergent to a motivic force. So, you can bicker aimlessly for eternity, or you can find some middle ground with those Christians across the street, or those pop-loving’ scenesters next-door and do something which transcends the self and adds to the whole: it is in this way that veritable hope and faith is born. In doing so, you’re adding not to your own individualistic world, or friend group, but to the whole.

Helping neighbors, cleaning up the streets, planting trees, leading, or putting together readings of quality works or art at community libraries and centers, and encouraging abstract thought among those around you are examples of this. You’ve a choice to either satisfy that itch, and entertain your desires or take out your sword, join others, and be the apple of their eyes—you won’t be heard working alone—and work to inculcate healthy, perennial values in yourself, family, spirituality, and community. By doing this, you will add to the whole and create a stronger bond both with those around you, and this world.

]]> http://www.continuity.us/idealism/2009/coexistence/feed/ 1 http://www.continuity.us/idealism/2009/updating/ http://www.continuity.us/idealism/2009/updating/#comments Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:25:01 +0000 Wood http://www.continuity.us/idealism/?p=6 Half the ‘civilized’ world is raving about a “Britans got talent”contestant (similar to American idol)  named Susan Boyle, this article is not about her, or even about the TV show. I’m simply using this viral story to paint a picture of how skewed humanities self image and our perception of others has become. Here is the video if you haven’t seen it, it should give the points I will try to make a little context.

A older woman, dressed relatively normal, is immediately dismissed and laughed at by most people based on her looks or dress, until the crowd hears she can actually sing. I can’t help but wonder if some people in that crowd, if even for a moment, thought about how stupid it all was. Young women grow up idolizing pop celebrities from shows like American idol, but why? What have most of these people done that is worthy of praise? They were born with a certain facial structure and their bodies were proportioned a certain way which pleases our western culture.

Style, fashion, looks, and almost every other human attribute continue to change throughout time. Will we ever transcend these illusions? I’m not trying to say that an obese man or women should be looked at in the same manner as a healthy human, in fact you’re justified in avoiding people like that, they are unhealthy, unmotivated, and unintelligent. However, basing your perception of others off images and illusions on the TV can lead to being delusional about what beauty really is. It’s not a commercialized product, it’s life working in unison. Do not make the mistake of choosing friends or spouses based on an ever changing illusion. Health and intelligence are two measurable characteristics that nature has chosen as worthy, above all, these should be sought after.