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Category Archives: Ethics and personal responsibility
“Our Earth relies on balance in which every being has a role to play and exists only through the existence of another being, a subtle, fragile harmony that is easily shattered.”
~Quote from the movie “HOME”
The stunning Mongolian singer and artist Byambajargal Gombodorj, whose song opens the movie and sets the mood for the entire movie…she is amazing… Here is an excerpt and amazing highlight of the movie, the link shared in the link prior to this for the movie “HOME”
Just finished watching this. I’m a bit sad to say I had not seen it before. How many of you have seen it already? If not, I highly recommend it to you. It’s been 5 years since this move has been released…. what has changed? ‘HOME’
“1) In all that you do be honest and fair. Always consider how your actions will affect your family, your Clan, and your standing among those Dragons who call you friend. If what you are doing will not bring honor or justice, or improve the world around you by even the smallest measure don’t do it. It is your duty always to ensure that no dishonor or shame comes to those dependent upon you because of your words or actions.
2) Take credit for, and accept the consequences of, all of your own actions, be it for good or ill. Everyone makes mistakes. Shame only comes in not owning up to them. And when you do make an honest mistake, forgive yourself as you would forgive others.
3) Accept no blame for that which you did not do without a very good reason such as saving an innocent from harm. Accepting undue blame to save the “honor” of another is not a good reason, for if they *had* any honor worth saving they would accept the consequences of their own actions rather than trying to pass it on to you.
4) Give your word only after great consideration as to how it may affect your duty to your Gods, your family and Clan. And when you do give your word you are honor bound to keep it. Should you knowingly or deliberately fail to do so, your honor is diminished until you make amends.
5) Do not engage in idle gossip or speculation about the affairs or actions of others. Never reveal the secrets entrusted to you by family, Clan, or friend lightly. To do otherwise shows you to be an untrustworthy person and seriously lacking in honor. The old adage “Loose lips sink ships” applies in all areas of life. The spreading of unsubstantiated rumor brings dishonor upon you and shame to your family, your Clan, and your Dragon friends.
The only exception to keeping a secret is when doing so would endanger an innocent, bring unjustified dishonor to another, bring shame to family or Clan, allow a criminal to go unpunished, or seriously violate the laws of the land. In this matter let common sense prevail.
6) What is yours is yours. Let no one take from you by force or con you out of that which is legally and rightfully yours. But also respect the property of others. Take nothing you are not entitled to or which has been given to you freely and with an open heart.
7) If someone who has wronged you, your family, or Clan comes before you in genuine repentance forgive them with out reservation. However, you have no obligation to forgive those who have wronged you yet made no attempt at restitution. Remember, while holding stubbornly to old, useless anger does you no good, neither does forgiving those who have not earned it. Forgiveness is a gift freely given yet still must be earned. It is not something that can be demanded of you, nor an “obligation” you must submit to in order to “move on.”
If you cannot honestly forgive then don’t… But also don’t let old angers fester in your heart. Instead release them to the Universe that they may be cleansed and dissipated. This does not mean you forgive the offender, it simply means that you to choose no longer let them have any power over you in any form.
8) Never neglect your family or Clan. Have the fierceness of a Dragon in their defense if and when necessary, and always be certain they are provided for before starting any new endeavor or taking any risk.
9) Always remember that having a cool head and calm mind is a virtue. The ability to keep your head when all around you are losing theirs is a benefit that will serve you well in all aspects of life.
10) Remember that you are a representative of your family, your Clan and your Dragon friends. You physical appearance and demeanor should reflect that. Show pride in yourself, your appearance, and your position in the Clan without being arrogant. Always strive to do your best everything you do. Be generous with self-praise (without bragging) and self-forgiveness when warranted.
11) When you gain power or authority, use it carefully and with wisdom. Remember that both power and authority grow with experience, and as a member of the Draconic Tradition you should exercise both with care, dignity and humility. No matter how wise you think you are, or how powerful, if you abuse what has given you there will come a time when the universe may decide to take it back.
12) Do not give your friendship or your allegiance frivolously or without careful consideration. Not all those who seek to be friends with you are worthy of that honor. A false friend can be more dangerous than the most bitter enemy. Make sure those whom you call “friend” are trustworthy and honorable.
13) Unless the lives and safety of your family or Clan are in jeopardy always obey the “laws of the land.” To do otherwise without true justification brings dishonor to you, your family, and your Clan and shames you before your gods.
14) Remember that dignity, a gracious manner and a good sense of humor are traits to be admired and cultivated.
15) Always be prepared for whatever the Future may bring. Life with all of its joys, sorrows and secrets is to be embraced and experienced to the fullest, for this is how one gains wisdom, knowledge and experience. When your time in this Life is done, return to your Gods with joy. Stand before Them with pride for a life lived with honor, and wait with a glad heart until your time of rebirth comes once again.”
Shared by Moro
Art title: ‘ The Day of the Dragon’ by artist: kokodriliscus @ http://kokodriliscus.deviantart.com/art/The-Day-of-the-Dragon-273419243
“Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many of those that walk an alternative path know one version that carries two different names. For others, make it your own “Bible”, “Book of the Sacred”, “Holy Book”, or whatever you want to call it, Those of us with a history, again in an alternative path of paganism and witchcraft, we often call it a Grimoire or “Book of Shadows” but for me, personally, it can also be a book about your life and personal spiritual journey. This can include life lesson, knowledge, what you feel your life’s purpose is, ethics, personal responsibility (ies), ethics from personal experience, everyday experiences, things for reflection, meditation (s), poetry, personal fiction, quotes, inspiration, your spiritual journey, self improvement, teaching and as many forms of wisdom in your life that you create and also find inspirational…. what ever you want. It’s your book. Its your “Bible”. ❤
What will you call yours? What will you put in yours?
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American Transcendentalist poet, philosopher and essayist during the 19th century. One of his best-known essays is “Self-Reliance.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson was born on May 25, 1803, in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1821, he took over as director of his brother’s school for girls. In 1823, he wrote the poem “Good-Bye.” In 1832, he became a Transcendentalist, leading to the later essays “Self-Reliance” and “The American Scholar.” Emerson continued to write and lecture into the late 1870s. He died on April 27, 1882, in Concord, Massachusetts.” (1)
The “Cherokee legend of the two wolves, myth or fact? The possible damage from FB and other media sources not checking out their information or quotes…
FB memes, blogs and more quotes… without researching on knowing already, being on a meme, FB or on a blog, does that make it true? Does it take away from the story ideal they are trying to share? Not really, but it depends on the meme or source and agenda. Can or do these types of Memes and constantly reinforce ignorance by passing on unsubstantiated “bits of wisdom” ( often taking it for themselves, marking it and never giving credit to the original artist even) cause any harm or damage? In some ways, yes. We look stupid every time we believe something like this. I recently saw a really funny meme on FB that used Einstein as a quote source… .the meme was funny, point made..but Einstein never said that.
This is a humorous but also serious blog from a Native American (labeling him and his people in this way as if they are an object to be idealized and I do think he addresses that point) http://apihtawikosisan.com/2012/02/check-the-tag-on-that-indian-story/
“Wow, I’m just shivering with all that good Indian wisdom flowing through me now. Give me a moment.
Okay. I’m better now.”
..and I laughed here and at the dialogue between the two wolves he has uploaded from this blog.
He also goes on to share this regarding all cultures being both appreciated, idealized and objectified:
“This kind of thing is harmful
These misattributed stories aren’t going to pick us up and throw us down a flight of stairs, but they do perpetuate ignorance about our cultures. Cultures. Plural.
Not only do they confuse non-natives about our beliefs and our actual oral traditions, they confuse some natives too. There are many disconnected native peoples who, for a variety of reasons, have not been raised in their cultures. It is not an easy task to reconnect, and a lot of people start by trying to find as much information as they can about the nation they come from.
It can be exciting and empowering at first to encounter a story like this, if it’s supposedly from your (generalized) nation. But I could analyse this story all day to point out how Christian and western influences run all the way through it, and how these principles contradict and overshadow indigenous ways of knowing. Let’s just sum it up more quickly though, and call it what it is: colonialism.
And please. It does not matter if this sort of thing is done to or by other cultures too. The “they did it first” argument doesn’t get my kids anywhere either.
The replacement of real indigenous stories with Christian-influenced, western moral tales is colonialism, no matter how you dress it up in feathers and moccasins. It silences the real voices of native peoples by presenting listeners and readers with something safe and familiar. And because of the wider access non-natives have to sources of media, these kinds of fake stories are literally drowning us out.”
So, all in all… Wisdom, yes… Native American? Nope…no matter what FB and other blogs says. It’s actually a Christian-style/derived parable from Minister and Evangilist Billy Graham in 1978. (info also from http://apihtawikosisan.com/2012/02/check-the-tag-on-that-indian-story/ )
The various forms this story takes all over the internet from random sources that popped up during my general google search and all said it was “Cherokee proverb/wisdom/legend”:
(See the link at the end of this blog entry for the rest)
“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.”It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf will win?”
You might heard the story ends like this: The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
In the Cherokee world, however, the story ends this way:
The old Cherokee simply replied, “If you feed them right, they both win.” and the story goes on:…”
“One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all”
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed“.
I happen to know the artist that creates these images and she kindly lets all people have access and use to her works, which she must have done here but is originally from “Mystic Magic” on FB by Dreamweaver.
Many of us also know this one, which has been all over FB for a long time now:
A there is a youtube video on it even:
Shared by Moro
The opening artwork is stunning, despite it too buys into the falsehood of the source: Art title ” Two Wolves Saying’ by artist: IrvingGFM @http://irvinggfm.deviantart.com/art/Two-Wolves-Saying-330891051
“I’m so glad you asked. The basic rule is: Do as you will, as long as it harms no one.
Sound simple? Not entirely. There are certainly self-centered reasons to go along with “harm none” – as witches, we believe that our actions will come back to us. If you put a curse on someone, you are likely to face some negative consequences down the road. Beyond the effects of individual karma, we also believe in the interconnectedness of all beings, in which harm done to one is harm done to all.
At the same time, it is impossible to live without harming anyone. For one thing, we all eat beings (plants or animals) that had to die in order to feed us. For another, sometimes doing magick to help yourself (e.g. get a job) will inadvertently harm someone else (who therefore doesn’t get the job). We cannot avoid these contradictions; we have to face them squarely and accept the consequences of our actions.
Essentially, magickal ethics are no different than regular ethics. Would you beat someone up if they made you angry? No? Then don’t curse them to make them suffer pain. Would you try to bribe a prospective employer to get a job? No? Then don’t work magick on someone else to make them hire you. Would you try to make yourself look more attractive to an employer by wearing appropriate clothing to the interview and acting the way you think they want to see you? Sure you would. So there’s no reason not to work magick on yourself to attract a job….”
The following set of thirteen principles was adopted by the Council of American Witches, in April, 1974.
— We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.
— We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
— We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called supernatural, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
— We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity ~ as masculine and feminine ~ and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive to each other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
— We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological, worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc. ~ and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
— We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
— We see religion, magick, and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it ~a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft.
— Calling oneself “Witch” does not make a Witch – but neither does heredity itself, not the collecting of titles, degrees, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
— We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.
— Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be “the only way”, and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
— As American {Or World-Wide!} Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
— We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as Satan or the Devil, as defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the sufferings of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
— We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being….”
(I did not write this article in any way. I simply enjoy sharing pearls of wisdom and beauty from different sources into one source for many to enjoy. If inspired to from there, go to the original sources to discover more!)
“Life offers us the opportunity to become a Spiritual Warrior. A warrior is one who bravely goes into those dark areas within themselves to ferret out the Truth of their being.
It takes great courage, stamina and endurance to
become a Spiritual Warrior.
The path is narrow, the terrain rough and rocky.
You will walk alone: through the dark caves,
up those steep climbs and through the dense thick forest.
You will meet your dark side. The faces of fear, deceit, and
sadness all await your arrival
No one can take this journey but you.
There comes a time, in each of our lives,
when we are given the choice to follow this path.
Should we decide to embark on this journey,
we can never turn back…. Our lives are changed forever
On this journey, there are many different places we can
choose to slip into and hide. But the path goes on.
The Spiritual Warrior stays the course, wounded at times,
exhausted and out of energy. Many times, the Warrior will
struggle back to their feet to take only a few steps before
falling again.
Rested, they forge on,
continuing the treacherous path.
The journey continues. The Spiritual Warrior
stays the course. Weakened, but never broken.
One day, the battle, loneliness and desperate fights are over.
The sun breaks through the clouds; the birds begin to sing
their sweet melodies. There is a change in the energy.
A deep change within the self.
The warrior has fought the courageous fight.
The battle of the dark night of the soul is won.
New energy now fills the Warrior.
A new path is now laid before them.
A gentler path filled with the inner-knowing
of one who has personal empowerment.
With their personal battle won, they are filled with joy.
A new awareness that they are one with the Spirit beams
as they go forth to show others the way.
They are not permitted to walk the path for others.
They can only love, guide and be a living example
of the Truth of their being.”
(I did not write this article in any way. I simply enjoy sharing pearls of wisdom and beauty from different sources into one source for many to enjoy. If inspired to from there, go to the original sources to discover more!)
“Before you know what kindness really is you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and
purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you every where
like a shadow or a friend.”
“by Naomi Shihab Nye (born March 12, 1952) is a poet, songwriter, and novelist. She was born to a Palestinian father and American mother. Although she regards herself as a “wandering poet”, she refers to San Antonio as her home. She visited her grandmother in Palestine when she was 14, which gave her a whole new perspective on poetry) Poem from “Words Under the Words””
Posted in Quotes/Poetry in Riverbank of Truth
The Inner Journey
“To be a witch is to love and be loved.
To be a witch is to know everything, and nothing at all.
To be a witch is to move amongst the stars while staying on earth.
To be a witch is to change the world around you, and yourself.
To be a witch is to share and give, while receiving all the while.
To be a witch is to dance and sing, and hold hands with the universe.
To be a witch is to honor the gods, and yourself.
To be a witch is to Be Magick, not just perform it.
To be a witch is to be honorable, or nothing at all.
To be a witch is to accept others who are not.
To be a witch is to know what you feel is right and good.
To be a witch is to harm none.
To be a witch is to know the ways of old.
To be a witch is to see beyond the barriers.
To be a witch is to follow the moon.
To be a witch is to be one with the gods.
To be a witch is to study and to learn.
To be a witch is to be the teacher and the student.
To be a witch is to acknowledge the truth.
To be a witch is to live with the earth, not just on it.
To be a witch is to be truly free!”
Shamanic Dreams of a Pagan Earth 