PERSPECTIVES: UNCONDITIONAL LOVE IN POLITICS: Or Have You Hugged a Republican/Democrat Today?

Published: Thu, 10/06/16

 
PERSPECTIVES
Newsletter of Shepherd Hoodwin and Summerjoy Press​​​​​​​
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NEW BOOK!

Why We're Attracted

A month before one of the most vitriolic elections in U.S. history, those of us on a spiritual path are probably thinking about how we can uplift the discussion.

Is unconditional love in politics an oxymoron? Thus far, it’s been a rare commodity if it’s ever been there. This book explores what we can do about it, as well as why both right and left have useful parts to play in our evolution, the factors that influence a person’s tilt to the right or left, and what unconditional love might look like in this sphere. One chapter explores how Michael teachings traits such as role, soul age, and attitudes can influence where one stands on the left/right spectrum. The chapter "Resist Not Evil" goes into how our chief obstacles cause us to do harm and how we can release them.

​​​​​​​It's about 83 pages (23,000 words) and is $4.99. You can purchase Unconditional Love in Politics​​​​​​​ here. I always welcome feedback and much appreciate reviews on Amazon for all my books.

At this time, Unconditional Love in Politics is only available on Kindle. You don't need a Kindle device to read Kindle books. There are free apps available for virtually every computer, phone, and tablet. Eventually, there will be print versions available of all my books. In the meantime, if you would rather not read on a device, email me and I'll send you a PDF that you can print.

 An excerpt, "Yin/Yang," is below.



 
 
WEST COAST MICHAEL GATHERING​
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C.J. Liu

There are gatherings of Michael students in Virginia each spring and Northern California each fall. The next one is Nov. 3-6 at the IONS EarthRise Center in Petaluma, California, about an hour north of San Francisco.​​​​​​​


These events combine joyful socializing with a variety of presentations, in gorgeous settings with great food and wonderful people. It's a terrific way connect with spiritual community and is appropriate for those who are new to the teachings as well as for advanced students.

I'll be doing a few presentations including a workshop on recognizing roles through photographs.

In addition to the site above, there's a Facebook group you can find by searching "West Coast Michael Gathering."
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YIN/YANG

Excerpt from

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE IN POLITICS

Or Have You Hugged a Republican/Democrat Today?


By Shepherd Hoodwin


It’s easy to believe that if all people held views similar to our own, the world would be a better place. Certainly the extremes and distortions grabbing the headlines are not helpful. But even in a more evolved world, there would still be those who are naturally more conservative and those who are naturally more progressive, not necessarily in a negative way. The range reflects normal variations in human temperament.

The yin/yang symbol (above) illustrates the relationship between any true opposites, such as feminine/masculine. The black dot in the white portion shows the feminine at the core of the masculine, and the white dot, the masculine at the core of the feminine.

The site Personal Tao defines yin/yang as “two halves that together complete wholeness. Yin and yang are also the starting point for change. When something is whole, by definition it is unchanging and complete. So when you split something into two halves — yin/yang — it upsets the equilibrium of wholeness. This starts both halves chasing after each other as they seek a new balance with each other.”

The political left and right are not separate entities but two aspects of one whole seeking a new balance to bring change. Seeing them in a circle demonstrates their interdependent relationship, how they swirl into and anchor one another, and how one cannot exist without the other. Progressivism can be expansive without flying away because conservatism anchors it; conservatism can be stable without stagnating because progressivism challenges it to grow. Each is relative to the other. Conservatism is like the roots of a plant; progressivism is like the foliage.

As humanity has evolved, many views once embraced by conservatives (such as the validity of slavery and monarchy) have mostly fallen by the wayside, and once-liberal views are now mainstream or conservative (such as support for representative government). Progressives are the gas pedal and conservatives are the brakes. To take a journey, we need the gas pedal far more often than the brakes, but without brakes, we’d be in trouble.

As progressives and conservatives seek balance with each other, a new order is formed. When they conflict, working against each other, it is like using the gas and brake pedals at the same time, making for a jerky ride. Another analogy is our right and left legs working against one other. How much better it is when they complement — then we can move forward.

We can also see yin/yang in the brain’s left and right hemispheres. Some people are more right-brained, some are more left-brained, and some are balanced. However, all people can benefit from better integrating their right and left brains, allowing for a free exchange of information between them so that the brain as a whole can function more effectively. The political left and right can also benefit from integration. Extremes result when one side tries to function without being balanced by the other; they exclude a large part of reality. Extremes distort; the path of evolution is one of integrating opposites, which reduces extremes.

Paradoxically, opposite extremes are similar to each other, and the yin/yang symbol shows why. In politics, fascism is the extreme right and communism is the extreme left. They are archenemies, but both are oppressive in their totalitarianism. As the yin/yang diagram illustrates, the extreme left moves toward the right, and vice versa, so that far-left radicals sometimes adopt the tactics of the far right, and vice versa.

Similarly, the extreme masculine (the “tail” of the white half of the yin/yang symbol) moves into the feminine (the black half). If a person tries to move away from the feminine by becoming hypermasculine, he tends to meet the feminine again on the other side. For instance, highly aggressive men sometimes become highly submissive in the bedroom in an effort to balance themselves and find relief from their extremity. A majority of male crossdressers are heterosexual, and many are macho in their usual persona. Extreme feminists sometimes adopt a masculine persona. People into BDSM (bondage and discipline, sadomasochism) often switch roles. Bullies sometimes become crybabies when they go off the deep end, and victims sometimes commit violence when they can’t take it anymore.

The yin/yang symbol represents the whole. To be whole individually, we need to honor both sides within us. Collectively, we need the best of both the right and left to be whole and to move forward constructively. The truth is a collection of all individual truths, assembled in proper proportion; we need everyone’s truths to make up the truth.

In our house-divided state, both right and left, especially toward the extremes, tend to paper over or leave out important facts that don’t support their arguments — neither side is whole. There’s often an unwillingness to grant the other any points, to give credit where it is due. If we’re open-minded and value truth and fact over doctrine and partisanship, we can find genuine points of agreement with those in other camps and come closer to assembling a true and complete picture.

Although many people identify as being progressive, moderate, or conservative, when you question them about specific policies, their views often aren’t what you’d expect. People are complicated, and it can be simplistic to classify people’s political perspectives as being either right or left. Like other stereotypes, the generality of progressive/conservative works part of the time, but especially those who think expansively aren’t likely to have such easily classified views. Left/right seen in a linear way looks like either/or, differing only by extremity, but as a yin/yang relationship, it looks less cut-and-dried — every point within the circle has a different, complex view and relationship to the whole. Much “us vs. them” conflict could be neutralized if we switched from a linear to a holistic paradigm.

I try to approach each issue thoughtfully, weighing the facts. Although most of my views fit within the progressive framework, some of them concerning personal freedom might be considered radical or libertarian (for example, I don’t believe in drug laws, the draft, or compulsory jury duty), although in general, Libertarians are right-wing and often vote Republican. I can also agree in my own way with some basic Republican tenets such as leaner government that is fiscally responsible and more efficient. (All those who are for inefficient, wasteful, and spendthrift government, raise your hands!)

Understanding why people are the way they are can often help the cause of unconditional love, so let’s explore some metaphysical and psychological factors affecting political orientation.

 


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