CONSCIOUSNESS: Lies are destructive. Lies are a cover for anything we want to hide. And, when we try to hide behind Lies, we actually betray ourselves. The Star Wars stories portray this principle simply and effectively. So, we shall shamelessly borrow. And we shall see how easy it is to embrace The Dark Side.
It’s easy to justify a ”small lie.” Perhaps we want to ”buff up” our résumé with false but impressive information. Or, we use a 20 year old photo on a dating site. Then there’s the recipe that we pass off as our own, the borrowed Prada bag we call our own, the stolen money we throw around to impress. Maybe we copy an impressive paper online for a college class and pass it off as our own. Every day lies chip away at our consciousness. Little Lies pave the way for bigger, more dangerous deceptions. It’s like sticking our toe in The Dark Side, testing, pulling the toe back. The next time we put our foot in. No immediate consequences? We go a little further each time. If we think there will not eventually be accountability, that we won’t ”get caught,” then we are no student of history, or ethics. And there will be no growth in consciousness. WECOME TO THE DARK SIDE!
In the Dark Side, we find lots of company. Lies, Lies and more Lies. And we find that there is no room for The Light, for empathy, accountability or growth. What that means is that we are ”lost,” our consciousness caves in on itself. The Dark Side looks appealing to some. Their heroes are the equivalent of the real life Darth Vader: wealth, power, charisma, and usually a high public profile. And, they LIE constantly. They will do anything to hold on to power, or grab more power. The real danger is when they believe their own Lies.
We are watching Putin power grab in Ukraine. It seems Mr. Putin did not get the memo that Ukraine is a sovereign country; a democracy. Once upon a time Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union, against their will. Putin wants it back; Ukraine does not. So, Putin invades…of course. The surprise: the courage and character of the Ukrainian president and the people. This is an example of a cagey, experienced KGB officer accustomed to bullying (the KGB form of governing) who is operating on a low level of consciousness vs the Ukraine and its president, Zelinsky, consciously awakened through their collective struggle to defend themselves.
But here we are examining consciousness. Do not mistake intelligence or education for consciousness. Some of the smartest people, the highly educated will be found in the ranks of the ”unconscious.” Examples include Rhodes scholars Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley. With all their education, they both LIE constantly with selfish, stupid motives. They play to the cagey, but not particularly intelligent, Trump. He is the poster-boy for low, ugly unconsciousness. Here we find greed and jealousy, deception and revenge. And always, always LIES.
Unconscious behavior includes: Anger, bullying, lying, especially manipulative lying & behavior, repression & suppression, controlling others or allowing yourself to be controlled – GIVING YOUR POWER AWAY – blindly following what others say, changing your opinions as your manipulators command, playing the victim. Childish behavior.
Conscious behavior: Open to others, kindness, understanding, embraces learning, EMPATHY, compassion, using your mind to form your own opinions, holding leaders accountable for their behavior, owning your power, helping others when possible. Knowing that we are all in this together and always lending a hand to those in need of help, regardless of ideology. Being a ”grown-up.”
The good news: Consciousness can be learned, developed. The key is you must want to grow. We will cover ways to develop consciousness in the coming posts.
“THERE CAN BE NO RESTORATION WITHOUT CONSENT.”