The Labyrinth’s Prayer

Our Labyrinth, which is on earth
Elliptic is your name

Your hospitality come

Your turning be done 

on earth

As it is in the universe.

Give us this day our contemplation.

And forgive us our missteps

As we forgive others their missteps against us.

And lead us not into apathy

But deliver us from hasty judgement.

For yours is the journey

The purpose and the story

For ever and ever.

Ah women

And men.

(Infinite Power, Ekstasis 2016)

David Brooks, Abbie Hoffman & Culture

The meritocratic establishment, who overtook the Protestant values of America before the 60's ...  "created an economy that benefits itself and leaves everybody else out. It led America into war in Iraq and sent the working class off to fight it. It has developed its own brand of cultural snobbery. Its media, film and music industries make members of the working class feel invisible and disrespected." David Brooks, The Abbie Hoffman of the Right: Donald Trump, The New York Times.

How do we connect these different cultures in a way that enables people to talk to one another so we can learn how and where to move forward? How do we include all views in a way that makes sense? Does it need to make sense?

Feeding Big Man

Once upon a time, there was a village near the river

like other villages, but in this village was a man - taller

than everyone else. Jolly and bright, an optimist who

could build huts, plough fields, catch fish too.

With each passing day the man grew more confident

and villagers  more adoring and complacent

forgetting their skills they focused on worship

invested in hope, their eyes looking up.

So in awe of Big Man they planned how and when

to feed, wash and clothe him,  elected chairmen

who instructed the villagers of their duty
to keep Big Man strong and beefy.

Soon got so big he couldn't leave his house

stuck behind the door, fearful chairmen marched

up and down the streets in a solemn search for

answers now that folk were retired, poor

keeping Big Man in style and manner to which

he'd become accustomed, his appetite large and rich

too big for his humble home, he demanded more

– a castle or a mansion, while the villagers bore

the cost with their labour, health, and their virgin

daughters, crushed under weight of his lust, his sin

but what could they do? It was tradition, his right

until a child crept with courage to the castle at night

to speak with Big Man, to plead and to show him

how poor the villagers were, their lives so grim

her last feint hope for reason and compassion

and he wept, overcome with guilt he thanked the maiden

promised to create a village based on fairness, equality

and when the girl ran home to tell her kin they were happy

but the chairmen were outraged and charged that girl

with treason, called her wicked, wanton and evil

to go above her station, above their counsel, to enter

the sacred castle of  Big Man, so they banished her

they will save the village,  bring them wealth

stealing from neighbours with arrows, with stealth.

Forgetting their hunger they painted their faces

thumping their chests they mounted wild horses

charging the commons, the forests, the rivers

killing their innocent neighbourly sleepers

no blood was enough to fill up this story

no more was the Big Man the object of glory

filled with ambition the warriors planned

campaigns everywhere, let peace be damned

Big Man and chairmen were sacked and replaced

with new gods, their history censored, erased

forgetting their skills as fishers and builders

as lovers and fathers, as farmers and brothers

and so dear reader don't look for an ending

this tale of a village breaking and bending

there is never an end to the battles and wars

as long as the mind gets stuck on the scores

of winners and losers and what is worth saving.

The Begat of Gratitude

cover painting by Paul Grignon

To those who gave birth to my ancestors

who told me stories of the world

who showed me how to love it.

To all those who by accident and brief encounter

brought me to some truth I did not want to know.

To those who, not knowing my name

helped when I needed help

and who received mine when they needed it.

To those who by commitment of their will

have learned to write, sing, dance or paint

the message we most need to learn.

To all those who have the courage to put their skill

on the public stage to serve

as doctor, lawyer, minister, teacher, publisher,

scientist or social worker.

To those whose names I may never learn

who clean the office, drive the bus, do the laundry

pick the fruit and stack the shelves.

To those who have listened to another 

when they needed to be heard.

To all who embrace their vulnerability

and who enter into compassion.

For you are the names and the faces

of my gratitude.

(from Infinite Power, Ekstasis 2016)

Ground it firmly in reality.

This is the fifth action.

The reality is yours to own. You are the owner of your life and your truth. You are free to express your beliefs but not to dictate or control the response you receive.

If you call out to a stranger "Merry Christmas" and they say they don't celebrate Christmas, you can feel offended or hurt, but it doesn't mean you are being criticized for celebrating Christmas.  It doesn't mean that everyone should be Christian so you don't have to feel bad for not knowing that other people might not share your experiences.

Also if you live in a country that worships and celebrates consumerism you can feel annoyed because that is not what Christmas means to you. You are free to not participate in the shopping orgy and you can even mention that to one who does, but this doesn't mean you are being forced to give up your religious beliefs.

If you live in North America and you have a high standard of living because you are white, male and able-bodied and you have worked hard, you might resent others for pointing out their experiences of discrimination but it doesn't mean they are making you feel guilty. It doesn't mean that there is no prejudice just because you have not experienced it.

In reality everyone suffers. Everyone has been hurt by someone and something. Many have suffered trauma and can't always keep that pain inside.

We all experience the world differently. There are no guarantees that life will be easy. Many know this already because they have lost their home, their family, their tribe, and must endure life in a place where they are not understood, not welcomed.

Justice and injustice are experienced locally. The power you have is limited to what you can do. It always comes back to this. No matter what  theories say about your worth and your future, no matter how privileged a small group of people may be, or the system that elevates or oppresses you, no matter how corrupt the world is - all you have, is what you can do.

This includes the way you think, the words you say, the beliefs you preach, the plans you make, the songs you sing and the people you love ... this is all you have. But it is a lot and the human drama is one that will continue until it dies.

Kindness helps.

Create the story to resonate with deep needs and desires

This is number three of the five actions: 

Once upon a time there was an old woman.  She had a home, a family, good friends, considerate neighbours, clean air and water. She had nutritious food. 

There were trees, birds, insects and small animals around her. 

She was well and happy most of the time, but when she wasn't she could see a doctor. If she felt threatened or insecure there were police officers and lawyers. 

To stimulate her interests there were art groups, there was theatre and there was music, shared interest groups for conversation.

As wonderful as all this was, it wasn't enough.  She wanted more. She wanted conversations on how to deal with emergencies, how to protect the shores and mountains from pollution, how to address climate change. She wanted to learn how to be an effective socially responsible citizen. She wanted to defend nature against greed and careless abuse.

She wanted to love and be loved. She wanted truth and beauty. And she wanted to do whatever she could to support all sentient beings to have what they need to live a long and healthy life.

She lived once she was born and died when her life was over.

Appeal to as many people as possible, crossing traditional political lines

This is number 2 of the five actions.

I have grandchildren. Actually I do not "have" them. They have come into the world, and they are young and vulnerable to so many things.  What I want is for them is to express the fully human and to explore their unique gifts in a society where life is revered and creativity enjoyed.

To that end I will give to the world what it has given me - an opportunity to thrive. My politics wants all life to thrive as much as possible.

My politics arises out of nature within my self and within the world. I want to applaud and encourage whatever expresses nourishment, whatever is good, inspiring, and supportive of good health.

I don't want an ideology for this - I just want to live it.

I trust the next generation will strive to learn and live to the best of their ability in a world that is beyond my imagination. I want to witness the development of the creative human spirit.

Fire fighters, medical professionals, political leaders, military personnel, economic experts, religious leaders, have enriched my life and I anticipate they will enrich the lives of my grandchildren.

So labels such as White, Christian, Left Wing, Socialist, do not define me or my friends and family.  My needs are based on being part of the human family that is dependant on a clean planet with clean air and water.

Here is what I am not:  a gender, a race, a religion, or a job description.

Budgets, taxes, education, health - are ways to support life not to create units of the GDP.  Hierarchy is about organizing energy for the benefit of all, not to create measures of worth between organized classes.

My ancestors came from Africa just like everyone else.  Their DNA still lives and breathes in my DNA. They are still with me - I don't need to label them or identify them.  What matters is the covenant I have with all life on this planet to nurture  the physical, spiritual and mental health of us all.

What can we imagine for the future? What would we like to see happen?

What makes you afraid and what makes you hopeful? What do you need to be engaged with others?

This is basis of my political duty.