HOW AUTHENTIC AM I? WELL, YOU BE THE JUDGE!

I worked on this piece several months ago when something (I honestly can't remember what) was bothering me.  I came across it in my draft file this morning and thought "what the heck".  On review, I have scored myself on an authentic scale of 1 to 10 and am not too surprised with the results.

Being authentic has become somewhat of a catchphrase for people, but what does it mean? What is it to be authentic as a person?

Authentic is something that is real or genuine. It is easy to create a completely fake or misleading life on social media and carry that over to your actual life with people who do not know you intimately. Being authentic means that not only do you not present a false face to the world, but you are comfortable and happy with yourself as you are. 

Being authentic means having the courage to be yourself regardless of what people will think about you or what they will say behind your back. Authentic people are easily spotted by their traits, their actions and the way that they interact with the wider world.

From research and some soul-searching, here are what I found to be 10 traits of truly authentic people.

1. THEY ARE SELF-REFLECTIVE

They spend time looking at themselves and really trying to understand who and what they are, what they want out of life and what kind of person they want to be along the journey. They study their mistakes without obsessing over them and try to use those experiences as a springboard to being a better person.  *Personal rating: 8

2. THEY ARE NOT JUDGMENTAL

Because they look at themselves and their mistakes on a regular basis, they do not judge others for theirs. They understand that mistakes are to be learning experiences and are a valuable tool for growth and change. They take others as they are regardless of color, orientation, national origin, religion or anything else. *Personal rating: 9

3. THEY LIVE IN THE PRESENT

They do not dwell on their past, their regrets or mistakes. Likewise, they do not spend all day fantasizing about the future either. They live in the present and they take things day by day. Someone who is authentic understands that everyone changes and that life is a day by day struggle to make the most of our short lives here on earth. *Personal rating (a tough one for me because of a contradiction): 7

4. THEY ARE FOCUSED ON THE LONG-TERM

While they live in the present, they have a plan for the future. They are focused on long term goals and not on the short term gains they could make by lying to, cheating on or stealing from others. They invest their time for long term benefits and do not follow the mercurial crowd of trend chasers. They know who they are and what they want and so make a plan to achieve that in a reasonable amount of time. *Personal rating (another tough one): 6

5. THEY HAVE CHARACTER

They value their character, or their honor to put it another way, more than they value making a fast buck. They will do what they said they will do and when they said they will do it. They are dependable and honest. You can count on someone who is authentic because they hold themselves accountable for their actions. *Personal rating: 10

6. THEY LISTEN

If they are talking with you, it is because they want to hear what you have to say. Otherwise, they would not waste their time. You can tell because they are not just waiting to reply with their own thoughts or opinions but are actually trying to digest what you are telling them. They pay attention to the little things you say because they are trying to understand what you are telling them. *Personal rating: 9

7. THEY ARE CONSISTENT

Because the authentic person spends time reflecting on their own actions and hold themselves accountable for their actions, they are much more emotionally consistent. They know what they want already. They know who and what they are. They are on the path they have set for themselves and so do not chase ephemeral things like wealth or status. They are grounded in the here and now while they make their way into the future they have planned for themselves. There is no flip-flopping or indecision because they have already decided where they want to be in life. *Personal rating: 6

8. THEY ARE HONEST

Because they are honest with themselves about what they want out of life and who they want to be, the authentic person has little choice but to be completely honest with everyone. They don’t hold back. They call them like they see them. They are open and honest about their opinions and thoughts. They see no need to deceive others about their intentions because they are not insecure about themselves or in competition with them. The only thing that drives them to excel is themselves. *Personal rating: 9

9. THEY RESPECT THEMSELVES

Because they are honest with themselves and spend time in self-reflection and value their character, they respect themselves. Many of the things that they do revolve around making sure they can still respect themselves afterward. They won’t compromise their beliefs because they wouldn’t be able to look at themselves in the mirror the next day. They respect themselves and hold themselves accountable for their actions which gives them integrity and strength of character, which they value more than money. *Personal rating: 10

10. THEY ARE COURAGEOUS

They have the courage to be themselves and to be true to their ideals even when those things are not popular. They have the courage of their convictions and the strength to stick to their guns even when the whole world is trying to shout them down and bend them to their will. They do not succumb to societal pressure and instead march to their own drumbeat. Authentic people stand out because they refuse to conform to what others think they should be doing. They have the courage to be the unique individual that they are. Personal rating: 10

So out of a possible 100 points, I score myself an 84 on the authentic scale.  Sounds about right for a guy like me.  Not too much that I can do about it now anyway.

I'm about as authentic as I can get.  So live with it folks! 

CMA: Advancing Quality of Life and Quality of Care for Seniors

Okay fellow seniors, here's a news report that you are not apt to read in tomorrow's local newspapers.  It is information very important to all of us.

This afternoon (Oct. 26) the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) made a "seniors care" presentation to the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. The committee has been studying the need for a national seniors care strategy following a motion introduced by Nickel Belt Member of Parliament (MP) Marc Serré earlier this year.

The CMA’s submission, Advancing Quality of Life and Quality of Care for Seniors, outlines 15 recommendations for how seniors can remain active and engaged citizens of our communities.

This is an important milestone in the work of Demand A Plan and the much-maligned federal government is at least to be commended for acting on the pressing needs of Canada’s seniors. More than 52,000 Canadians like me have lent their support to the CMA’s efforts by becoming supporters, and together we’ve sent over 100,000 letters to local MPs.

Canadians are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. The number of seniors expected to need help or care in the next 30 years will double, placing an unprecedented challenge on Canada’s health care system. That we face this challenge speaks to the immense success story that is modern medicine, but it doesn’t in any way minimize the task ahead.

Publicly funded health care was created about 50 years ago when Canada’s population was just over 20 million and the average life expectancy was 71. Today, our population is over 36 million and the average life expectancy is 10 years longer. People 85 and older make up the fastest growing age group in our country, and the growth in the number of centenarians is also expected to continue.

"The Canadian Medical Association is pleased that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities is studying ways Canada can respond to these challenges," said CMA President Dr. Laurent Marcoux in presenting the 15 comprehensive recommendations that "would help our seniors remain active, contributing citizens of their communities while improving the quality of their lives."

These range from increasing capital investment in residential care infrastructure, to enhancing assistance for caregivers, to improving the senior-friendliness of our neighbourhoods. "The task faced by this committee, indeed the task faced by all of Canada, is daunting. That said, it is manageable and great advances can be made on behalf of seniors. By doing so, we will ultimately deliver both health and financial benefits to all Canadians," Dr. Marcoux added.

Here are the recommendation:

RECOMMENDATION 1: the federal government include capital investment in residential care infrastructure, including retrofit and renovation, as part of its commitment to invest in social infrastructure.

RECOMMENDATION 2: the federal government take steps to provide adequate income support for older Canadians, as well as education and protection from financial abuse. Improving the overall quality of life and well-being for seniors Improving how we support and care for Canada’s growing seniors population has been a priority for CMA over the past several years.

RECOMMENDATION 3: the federal government provide targeted funding to support the development of a pan-Canadian seniors strategy to address the needs of the aging population. Improving assistance for home care and Canada’s caregivers.

RECOMMENDATION 4: governments work with the health and social services sectors, and with private insurers, to develop a framework for the funding and delivery of accessible and sustainable home care and long-term care services. Family and friend caregivers are an extremely important part of the health care system.

RECOMMENDATION 5: the federal government and other stakeholders work together to develop and implement a pan-Canadian caregiver strategy, and expand the support programs currently offered to informal caregivers.

RECOMMENDATION 6: the federal government improve awareness of the new Canada Caregiver Credit and amend it to make it a refundable tax credit for caregivers. The federal government’s recent commitment to provide $6 billion over 10 years to the provinces and territories for home care, including support for caregivers, is a welcome step toward improving opportunities for seniors to remain in their homes.

RECOMMENDATION 7: the federal government develop explicit operating principles for the home care funding that has been negotiated with the provinces and territories to recognize funding for caregivers and respite care as eligible areas of investment. The federal government’s recent funding investments in home care and mental health recognize the importance of these aspects of the health care system. They also signal that Canada has under-invested in home and community-based care to date.

RECOMMENDATION 8: the federal government convene an all-party parliamentary international study that includes stakeholders to examine the approaches taken to mitigate the inappropriate use of acute care for elderly persons and provide support for caregivers.

RECOMMENDATION 9: governments at all levels support programs to promote physical activity, nutrition, injury prevention, and mental health among older Canadians. For seniors who have multiple chronic diseases or disabilities, care needs can be complex, and they may vary greatly from one person to another and involve many health care providers. Complex care needs demand a flexible and responsive health system.

RECOMMENDATION 10: governments and other stakeholders work together to develop and implement models of integrated, interdisciplinary health service delivery for older Canadians. Every senior should have the opportunity to have a family physician or to be part of a family practice that serves as a medical home. This provides a central hub for the timely provision and coordination of the comprehensive menu of health and medical services.

RECOMMENDATION 11: governments continue efforts to ensure that older Canadians have access to a family physician, supported by specialized geriatric services as appropriate. Prescription drugs represent the fastest-growing item in the health budget and the second-largest category of health expenditure.

RECOMMENDATION 12: governments and other stakeholders work together to develop and implement a pan-Canadian pharmaceutical strategy that addresses both comprehensive coverage of essential medicines for all Canadians, and programs to encourage optimal prescribing and drug therapy. Optimal care and support for older Canadians also depends on identifying, adapting, and implementing best practices in the care of seniors.

RECOMMENDATION 13: governments and other stakeholders support ongoing research to identify best practices in the care of seniors, and monitor the impact of various interventions on health outcomes and costs.

RECOMMENDATION 14: governments at all levels and other partners give older Canadians access to opportunities for meaningful employment if they desire. The physical environment, including the built environment, can help to promote seniors’ independence and successful, healthy aging. The World Health Organization defines an “age-friendly environment” as one that fosters health and well-being and the participation of people as they age.

RECOMMENDATION 15: governments and communities take the needs of older Canadians into account when designing buildings, walkways, transportation systems, and other aspects of the built environment.

The Canadian Medical Association is the national voice of Canadian physicians. Founded in 1867, the CMA’s mission is empowering and caring for patients, and its vision is a vibrant profession and a healthy population. On behalf of its more than 85,000 members and the Canadian public, the CMA performs a wide variety of functions. Key functions include advocating for health promotion and disease/injury prevention policies and strategies, advocating for access to quality health care, facilitating change within the medical profession, and providing leadership and guidance to physicians to help them influence, manage and adapt to changes in health care delivery.

The CMA is a voluntary professional organization representing the majority of Canada’s physicians and comprising 12 provincial and territorial divisions and over 60 national medical organizations.

As a seniors depending heavily on the services of our health care system, Rosanne and I greatly appreciate that the CMA has spoken on our behalf.  Somebody had to do it!

Pray that the government not only continues to listen, but ultimately acts on the recommendations of front line health care providers.

THERE IS FUTILITY IN "CAN'T WIN" RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL DEBATES:

In retrospect, I am absolutely convinced that I was a much happier person when I was not influenced by politics and religion. In fact, for the first naive third of my 79-plus years, I flatly refused to become involved in conversations relating to either subject…And that is an unusual concession coming from someone who eventually became a newspaper editorial writer and in later years, an appropriately-designated lay pastor.

Life plays funny tricks on us and we do indeed experience twists and turns at various stages of our journey to senility. There was a time when I did not think that I had anything of significance to say and when I eventually did discover my voice, I found that by and large no one really listened. The world that I lived in had become confrontational, complicated by stubbornly-held opinions and biases.

Generally, today we beg to differ with just about everything and we do not hesitate to vent our spleens, regardless of who we offend -- even our friends. In ignorance we become over-night experts. In obscurity, we feel safe to become very bold on worldly issues. In a way, I guess, it is symptomatic of frustration in a society struggling to find a common voice at an agenda-driven-time in our history.

I struggle to balance the onset of age-related cynicism with a sensitive, non-biased, common sense rationalization of the crazy world in which we now find ourselves. There is reason in all things -- some times we just have to make an effort to find it and adjust our thinking accordingly, especially in this day and age.  Otherwise, we ere when jumping to conclusions!

"GOING BACK" IS NOT ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA

I often find myself relating to the writings of Rev. Bob Johnston. as if he and I went to the same "old school". The retired Saugeen Shores minister this week talked about his decision not to attend homecoming festivities on the campus of the University of Debuque several years ago. Here is what he shared:

"While I cannot live in the past, I can choose to let my memories of those long ago years be uncontaminated by the reality of the passing of time. In other words, when I close my eyes in a quiet moment of recollection, I can once again find myself back in 1959. All my teammates are still fit, young athletes, proudly wearing the Spartan blue and white uniform. We can run six miles and finish strong. My girlfriends remain Prairie-fresh beautiful, pony tails bouncing and Pepsodent white smiles radiant. My profs are dynamic and idealistic conveyors of truth. Eisenhower is President!

Rev. Bob

"Were I to return to my campus in 2013, nothing would be the same: My teammates, those still alive, would be old men much like me, now content to climb six steps, not run six miles, without puffing. Those “young women” would now carry the added wrinkles, sags and grey hair of long life. My profs are all dead and a man named Trump is President!

"I know the counter-arguments: I would be accused of being superficial, my long ago friends are still the same good people despite inevitable superficial changes in packaging, I could relive the good old days of athletic success with teammates while we mildly exaggerate to one another about post-university life achievements. I suppose I could flirt harmlessly with the widowed grandmothers as we exchange photos of our grandkids. We could all studiously avoid talking politics. Above all, by revisiting my old campus, I might even reawaken half-forgotten memories of good times when I was single and carefree, not yet having to shoulder major life responsibilities."

Bob concludes that he has no regrets over his decision. Sometimes cherished past memories, like precious old photos, are more valuable when left un-retouched.

I completely concur with his sentiments...Those are the very same reasons I choose to avoid "going back" to my old hometown of Dresden these days. Likewise St. Thomas, Simcoe, Prince Albert (Sask.) and Brampton where I left a lot of myself behind during my working career.

Memories, good and bad, are better left in the past. They are the markers of the journey through life. It is necessary to know where we come from because only then can we know where we are going. But why attempt to revisit what was? -- and in the process risk spoiling what is!

Come to think of it, who cares anyway. I can literally count on one hand (with at least three fingers left over) the times that I have been invited back -- anywhere, and by anyone.

...And no one has used up more ink on nostalgic reflections than me. Rev. Bob at least has the satisfaction of being asked to go back and there is something to be said for that.

SAUGEEN SHORES WOMAN A CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT MENTOR

With this post I continue to champion local citizens who generally fly under the radar in serving the community and country in which they live.

This week, Victoria Serda of Saugeen Shores has joined former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore's non-profit Climate Reality Project as a mentor at its three-day training event in Pittsburgh, October 17-19. This afternoon, Serda was scheduled to join the “Climate Reality Leaders: Who We Are” panel with Gore and three other mentors to share her experience in front of the 1,300-plus new trainees from around the world.

VICTORIA SERDA

Since being a teenager growing up in Owen Sound, Ontario, she has encouraged rural action on climate change as a public speaker and grassroots organizer, later as an organic farmer, then as an elected Municipal Councilor in Saugeen Shores.  Serda holds a Bachelor Degree in Independent Studies from the University of Waterloo and she has a long-standing interest and passion for community service and environmental protection.

She also has the honour of being one of the first 20 Canadian Climate Leaders trained by Al Gore and, in 2007, along with her then 11-year-old daughter Corrina, they presented over 90 times to more than 25,000 people across Ontario. After having run millions in programs with indigenous and settler governments, non-profits and companies, she now has her own consulting corporation, StepFour, that specializes in implementing community dreams.

Serda’s mentor group will include 25 people from around the world, including leaders from Sweden, Israel, Italy, Norway, Finland, Morocco, Albania, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Hungary and the United States.

Their life experiences include being a student, professor, business owner, sustainability consultant, a food industry processor, farm researcher, lawyer, doctor and a father and daughter team.

As a mentor in the panel discussion, she will be asked questions by Gore about her own experience, to help the new trainees understand how to tell their stories, connect, and empower their audiences.

“This personal training from Al Gore and many experts in science, communication and community organizing will change over 1300 people’s lives, just as it did for me back in 2007,” Serda said. "They will join over 11,000 people already empowered to be effective local Climate Leaders around the world.”

What is The Climate Reality Project Canada?

The Climate Reality Project Canada (Climate Reality Canada) is a charity organization that serves as the Canadian component of a global movement.  Climate Reality Canada motivates Canadians to become active participants in solving the climate crisis by:

-- Training a diverse range of citizens from numerous geographic regions and walks of life, who will then communicate to the public about the urgency and impact of climate change.

-- Engaging the public through presentations, news media and individual conversations as well as non-partisan grassroots advocacy so that Canadians will make informed choices about public policy matters related to climate change.

-- Promoting personal, local, domestic and international initiatives to solve the climate crisis.

Originally named The Climate Project Canada, the organization was created in May 2007 with the objective of educating Canadians about the science and impact of climate change as well as solutions to address it. Based on the model of The Climate Project founded by Nobel Laureate Al Gore, the primary means of disseminating this information is through trained Climate Leaders like Serda from all demographics, regions, sectors and backgrounds. Leaders originally presented adapted versions of a slide show as featured in the widely viewed documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," which made the compelling case that global warming is real, man-made, and its effects will be cataclysmic if we don’t act now.

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO RAISE AN IMMIGRANT FAMILY

Members of welcoming committee help immigrant family get settled in their new home.

Many commendable humanitarian programs are carried out in small communities across Canada with little, or no, fanfare.  That's just the Canadian way!

A case in point is Saugeen Shores where the second newcomer family arrived this past weekend.

The two parents and four children had a long, exhausting journey from Tanzania to South Africa, and then all the way to Toronto, but they showed up at Pearson International Airport wearing big smiles and their Sunday best. Upon arriving in Port Elgin, a welcoming committe drove the family past their rental house (which they’ll move into on November 1st) and they clapped excitedly. They were also thrilled to see the school that the youngsters will attend.

For now, they will stay in temporary accommodations and begin the long process of integrating into the Lake Huron community and learning English. They speak only a few basic words, no French, only Swahili.

Many local residents have kindly expressed a desire to donate household goods and clothing to the family. Just as an example, here is a list of specific items needed at this time.

– Bathroom supply kit (toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, deodorant, sanitary pads, dental floss, washcloth, etc.)

– First aid kit

– Minor medications kit (Tylenol, Gravol, etc.)

– Grocery carrier or wagon (for making trips on foot to Walmart) – Toys for kids (baseball gloves, soccer ball, Frisbee, colouring books and craft supplies)

– Clothing & footwear (running shoes and winter boots) for specific ages: 12-year-old girl, 9-yr-old boy, 7-yr-old girl, 4-yr-old boy, 2 parents (both are slight and small). At this point, they need everything

-- Pants, skirts, shirts, undershirts, etc.

The parents will be subsequently enrolled in English classes at the ESL school in Owen Sound. Classes run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the week, Monday to Friday, and volunteer drivers will be recruited.  All volunteers of course, are required to complete a vulnerable sector background check, as is required of anyone working with refugees under Canadian law.

The family of six comes from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and has been residing in Tanzania. It has been two years since The Saugeen Shores Refugee Fund began a campaign to sponsor a family from Syria. That first family arrived in January 2016. This will be the group’s second and final sponsorship, made possible by donations from the community, Bruce Power, and local service groups.

“We decided to expand our criteria for sponsorship to other parts of the world, not just the Middle East. There are so many refugee crises happening all over, and the conflict in East Africa has been ongoing for many years,” says Katherine Martinko, SSRF coordinator.

SSRF works together with Mennonite Central Committee to make the sponsorship happen. Financial support is provided to the family for one year, with half the funds coming from fund-raised money and the other half provided by the federal government.

As they say: "It takes a community...!"  Perhaps more accurately in this case -- a country.

Happy faces of welcoming committee.

COME TO FIND OUT, I HAVE BEEN A RELUCTANT EVOLUTIONARY

For the purpose of a brief exercise, think about a time when you really wanted to change something, whether it was your lifestyle, your behavior, or to be just a bit more conscious about the world: what and where you buy, what you choose to eat, how you give back to society. Truthfully, often we hesitate, or don't act at all; sometimes, we make a good start, only to find our enthusiasm and motivation fade after a few weeks. We go back to old behaviors.

Enlightenment and evolution.

There's a lot that plays into our struggle to change, transition and transform. To start off, our brains love a good (and a bad) habit. It just has to be a habit for our brains to want to keep doing it. Secondly, we have in our DNA the struggles of the agricultural age, and the early industrial age. We thought progress was something that would free us, make life easier. We're not so willing to give any of that up, even if it really hasn't freed us at all; even if it means making a more sustainable world for future generations.

From my perspective, after decades of earnest spiritual seeking, I find myself falling into a pattern of settling for a transformation far less profound or complete than the one I aimed for when I started. Is it that—as some ancient eastern traditions tell us—enlightenment is such a lofty goal that we should not expect to experience any radical transformation in one lifetime? Should we instead see our current incarnation as but one of millions of baby steps toward that supreme goal?

Or is it, as many contemporary teachers are fond of saying, that any attempt to change ourselves is in fact misguided—that we should simply “accept what is,” “call off the search,” and realize that ordinary life in all of its neurotic frailty is enough?

With all due respect to those of differing opinion, perhaps there is another possibility.

Could it just be that the reason some of us find ourselves in a spiritual standstill is the fact that our spiritual path is just too small. In a word, it’s still about us—our own fulfillment, our own happiness, even our own enlightenment. It’s not that we’re selfish people. Indeed, most spiritual seekers are among the most selfless people on the planet.

The problem is that we’ve all been steeped in a contemporary spiritual subculture that sees the entire purpose of following a spiritual path as personal. It tells us that the reason for working on spiritual growth is so that we can live happier, more fulfilled, more peaceful lives.  And, as long as our own happiness is all we’re seeking, we’ll never awaken the depth of spiritual passion and conviction required to propel us into genuine evolution beyond ego.

That conviction only arises when we realize that the spiritual path is not about us, but rather is about participating in something far greater than ourselves. Imagine for a moment that the fate of the entire human race rested on your shoulders alone--that humanity’s evolution out of brute self-interest depended entirely on your willingness to transform your consciousness, to rise above your smallness, to evolve beyond your negative conditioning, and become an exemplar of humanity’s highest potential for the world.

Imagine too that, for you, evolving beyond ego became an evolutionary imperative.  Would you approach your path any differently? Would the energy you brought to your spiritual practice intensify? Would the quality of awareness and care with which you approached your interactions with others become more profound?

Would you find yourself reaching with inner muscles you didn’t even know you had to actually stay awake to the depth you’ve tasted in your most profound spiritual moments?...If you knew it all rested on you, would you have any choice but to change?

The Indian sage Ramana Maharshi once said that the spiritual seeker must want liberation like a drowning person wants air.  But the painful truth is that even when we recognize that we are drowning spiritually, most of us don’t care enough to struggle to keep our heads above water.

The challenges of authentic spiritual growth and transformation are so great that most of us will choose to continue suffering in our smallness, rather than feel the pain of allowing that smallness to die forever.  But how many of us would stay there if we realized that it wasn’t only our own suffering we were perpetuating, but the suffering of the entire human race?

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “That’s a nice thought experiment. Sure, it makes me realize I could be more earnest on my path, but what does it really have to do with me? I’m no megalomaniac. I know that my growth and evolution alone isn’t enough to liberate the human race.”

Consider, however, that modern science has in recent decades been verifying what the ancient traditions intuited long ago: that, in both tangible and mysterious ways, we are all interconnected. Any one of us can have a profound effect on the whole. Add to that the reality that we are evolving beings living in an evolving universe—that we are all part of a grand, cosmic evolutionary process—and the question of our obligation to the whole starts to cut close to the bone.

To reframe my earlier question: What if we realized that the entire human endeavor, the evolution of consciousness itself, depended on our willingness to evolve our own consciousness?  Would it affect the choices we make every day if we knew that in a very real sense, those choices were either contributing to the evolution of the whole—or holding it back?

At this time when it seems that our very future depends on our willingness to evolve as a species, would you have any choice but to act in alignment with the greatest evolutionary good? The point I’m trying to make is that when we take a closer look at what spiritual work and growth is actually for, it quickly becomes clear that the path of awakening is not primarily about freeing ourselves from suffering and securing our own happiness.

Sure, that’s a nice by-product. But, as long as that’s all we’re seeking, we probably won’t get very far.

Where the spiritual path really begins to get interesting is when we recognize that transforming ourselves in the deepest possible way is in fact an evolutionary imperative, with profound consequences far beyond ourselves.  If we begin to embrace the fact that our lives are not simply our own to do with as we please—that in everything we do, we are in fact accountable to the Whole—something truly miraculous begins to happen.

Faced with the palpable responsibility to evolve for a greater good, it just may be possible to find that we suddenly have access to a seemingly infinite source of energy, intention, passion and courage to confront whatever challenges present themselves on our path. What’s more, all of the personal issues and problems—all of the fears and doubts and resistances that once seemed so insurmountable—may well begin to seem a lot less significant.

Why? Because our attention is now captivated by something much bigger than ourselves. This is the power of context. We see our individual concerns, the worries we fret over day to day, from a different vantage point. Held up against this larger picture and greater purpose, those concerns suddenly seem very small indeed.

Realizing “it’s not all about me,” and ignited by a noble calling to participate in the grand adventure of conscious evolution, there is a very real possibility that we could find that we no longer even want to waste a moment of our precious life energy on those worries. And in this freedom from self-concern, before long we actually discover that the deep inner peace and joy we were seeking all along has become the very ground we are walking on.

Stay tuned.  You will be hearing more about the emerging field of evolutionary spirituality. The younger generation should definitely be alerted to it.

ABOUT THE (MIS)USE OF TERMINOLOGY IN POLITICAL RHETORIC

I believe in "democratic" government.  I am "conservative" by nature and "liberal" with my time, energy and limited resources. Apart from politics, I think that the majority of us share similar personal virtues and no single one of those philosophical qualities completely defines us.

It is pertinent to note here that I have never aligned with a particular political party, choosing instead to vote for candidates on the basis of character and qualifications.  In the end, I accept the will of the majority and allow for the fact that there is no perfect government, just as there is no perfect politician.

The reason I mention the above is that I have increasingly heard those same terms spewed out in a political context, and not in a complimentary way.  In the United States, ‘liberal’ is often used as an epithet. To some degree, the terms ‘neo-liberal’ or ‘social conservative’ or ‘socialist’ are also used as negative descriptors in Canada.

Certain acquaintances in the USA, for instance, are extremely vocal in condemning "bleeding heart liberals" for everything that is wrong with their country.  A closer look at American politics reveals that historically liberalism has been associated with the Democratic Party while the Republican Party is influenced by conservative principles.

Part of the problem with the word ‘liberal’ is it’s used differently across time, and across countries. In Canada, the word mostly means a supporter of the Liberal Party, or someone in the political middle. In the United States, it means a strong social progressive, and in some circles can mean a socialist or a communist. In Europe it’s associated with internationalism and free migration. In Australia, in the words of Australian Liberal Party leader Malcolm Turnbull, it means the primacy of “freedom, the individual, and the market.”  (That last one, the Australian definition, is probably closest to what political scientists consider a classical liberal view.)

The concepts of liberalism, both classical and modern, are political philosophies and ideologies not specific political affiliations, and these concepts, among others, influence parties across the Canadian spectrum.

To my mind it is not particularly helpful to use philosophical terminology as a pejorative, or to try and sum up a person’s character or values with a snippy line about liberals, conservatives, socialists, or anarchists.

I worry that sometimes we throw out terminology as weapons and rhetorical jabs when aggressively expressing political views. Understand that behind all of the different perspectives and ideologies, there’s some claim to justice there. And even if I disagree in large measure with much of what’s being said, there is some truth that is being expressed. There’s something good in it. As good as it is to be engaged in politics and to really care about what’s happening, it’s also good to step back sometimes and to understand that when we use terms like conservative, liberal, progressive, socialist, they’re all reflecting a certain claim to justice, and there’s probably something in each of those that we can agree with.

If we could only understand that behind all the terms we throw around to describe people, there is a rich intellectual history, we could have more respectful and constructive political debate.