Those who want war are instruments of ill omen.
-- Tao Te Ching, trans. Thomas Cleary
I went to the Cirque du Soleil's "Love" performance of The Beatles' music last week and was struck by the sheer fun of it all.
The costumes and acrobatics are as stunning as you'd expect, of course. But what defies expectations is the feeling of the show itself, which reflects back to us a time when the Left took the Right utterly by surprise and, for a short while, ran rampant like tiny nimble mammals between the hulking legs of slow-witted dinosaurs.
It is a celebration, in other words, of a time when the pendulum of the Culture War swung in the other direction. The audience, spectacularly multi-cultural, loved the show -- as much for reminding them that reality doesn't have to be oppressive, I suspect, as for the skill and art of the entertainers.
Since I am old enough to remember those days half a century past, I hope I am old enough to have gained some perspective on the whole matter of culture, history and the future.
My worldview is grounded in ideas that sprouted in ancient China at least 4,000 years ago, particularly those pertaining to the way that change occurs. Based on their observations of nature -- and the way human beings internalize nature to make it part of their collective psyche -- the ancient Taoists conceived of the world as created and maintained by the interaction of two complementary forces, Yin and Yang. Like the two poles of a magnet, or like the shaded and sunny sides of a mountain, they were not conceived as independent or mutually exclusive. Yin and Yang, when not disturbed, sought a harmonious balance that benefited the whole.
And because these twin forces were observed at work in human nature as much as nature itself, they became the primary way to describe how individuals and societies change over time. In this sense, Yin was associated with the moon and Yang with the sun, and then, through further associations, Yin came to symbolize the feminine half of the world and Yang the masculine half. This kind of symbolization proved astute, since it carried down to the individual level, where each person, regardless of gender, was seen to possess a feminine half and a masculine half to their psyche. Somewhere between the great cosmological Yin and Yang making up the whole of the universe and the unique Yin and Yang making up the whole of each individual, there lies civilization itself -- a unified whole whose social changes are driven by the relationship between its Yin and Yang halves.
The closer I look at our nation here in North America at the beginning of the 21st century, the more I am struck by the polarization taking root and threatening to tear us apart. The feminine and masculine halves of our society are settling into antagonistic mindsets that could take generations to reconcile. It is resulting in a culture war that is spilling over our borders and impacting the rest of civilization.
When one half attempts to dominate the other, polarization sets in, the natural balance between necessary alternatives is disrupted and the will to turn back from a downward spiral of self-destruction becomes harder and harder to sustain.
The Yin half of our society today is found in the Left, whose concerns for the collective welfare manifest in the Progressive agenda advocating social change in the arenas of health care reform, a social services safety net for the poor and disenfranchised, environmental protection and equal rights for all citizens, to name a few. In this sense, Progressives represent the feminine half of our culture, whose priorities are justice and humaneness.
The Yang half of our society today is found on the Right, whose concerns for the collective welfare manifest in the Conservative agenda advocating social restoration of cultural stability, national homogeneity, global supremacy and governance by Judeo-Christian values, to name a few. In this sense, Conservatives represent the masculine half of our culture, whose priorities are national sovereignty and wealth preservation.
It is easy for Progressives to view the Right as paranoid warmongers who side with dictators and multi-national corporations to maintain an obsolete world of national borders, when the thrust of history and technology is rushing us toward a single world of social and environmental harmony. It is just as easy for Conservatives to view the Left as deluded idealists willing to destroy the soul of America with socialism and abdicate the destiny of America to lead the world into an era of universal progress.
This kind of stereotyping has led to a deep divide of distrust and disdain that cannot be bridged without mutual respect based on a widespread recognition of equal importance.
One yin and one yang make a tao.
-- I Ching, or Book of Changes
Tao is the union of Yin and Yang. It is the Way of wholeness and the well-being of the whole. It defies definition or description because its unchanging principal is constant change. It is an underlying harmony that, like water, simply benefits everything it touches. It is translated as The Way, implying the single road all of creation travels together from a common origin toward a common destination.
Right and Left are going to have to recognize the importance of the role each plays in the well-being of the whole. If we do not accept one another and join in conversation where multiple points of view are respected and given due consideration, then we are doomed to a disastrous culture war that both sides will inevitably lose because they couldn't stop trying to win every minor battle.
This is more than simply a matter of compromise. If the Right doesn't recognize the value in social diversity and authentic compassion, then it risks becoming a police state occupying its own nation. If the Left doesn't recognize the value in consolidating power in a time of historical transition, then it risks falling into the kind of social anarchy and rampant criminality that have recently befallen other nations.
Knowing the Male,
But staying with the Female,
One becomes the humble Valley of the World.
-- Tao Te Ching, trans. Chang Chung-Yuan
For the ancient Taoists, the Valley is the symbol of abundance shared by all; it is where rivers run and food grows and cities flourish. The above quote implies that by holding the strength of the Yang masculine half in reserve while enacting the universal goodwill of the Yin feminine half, we can make of ourselves a benevolent nation devoid of high-handed arrogance.
It will take more than simply tolerating one another, however. We are going to have to appreciate one another, recognizing that resources have to be channeled according to circumstances, not ideology. And we are going to have to filter out the divisive rantings of extremists on both sides, keeping in mind that we all share the common goal of national well-being. To paraphrase the Tao Te Ching, "Those who want culture war are instruments of ill omen."
Something more profound than a truce will have to be declared between Yin and Yang in the culture war, for this is not, after all, a real war in which there can ever be a victor -- it is a marriage from which there can be no divorce.
We are going to have to see each other as having the best of motives with complementary priorities. We are going to have to quite thinking in issues and stands and begin trusting one another to fulfill our respective roles. We are going to have to stop blaming one another for past betrayals and begin moving forward together. We are going to have to stop listening to the vicious in-laws in politics, commerce, religion and the media sniping from the sidelines to keep this power struggle alive. And we are going to have to shake off this mood of oppression and make this nation fun again.
We are, in a word, going to have to fall in love with one another all over again.
I am deeply gratified that "The Toltec I Ching" has been selected a Silver Winner of the 2010 Nautilus Book Awards. My deepest gratitude extends to my co-author, Martha Ramirez-Oropeza and our enlightened publishers, Larson Publications.
"The Toltec I Ching," by Martha Ramirez-Oropeza and William Douglas Horden has just been released by Larson Publications. It recasts the I Ching in the symbology of the Native Americans of ancient Mexico and includes original illustrations interpreting each of the hexagrams. Its subtitle, "64 Keys to Inspired Action in the New World," hints at its focus on the ethics of the emerging world culture.
Click here to go to the main site to see sample chapters, reviews and the link to Larson Publications for ordering the book.
Alex Becker: Conservatives Push Unity and Show Cracks at CPAC
Michael B. Keegan: The Battle Over the Smithsonian and the Right's New Culture Wars
Thank you, it gave my inner self a big smile today.
I am reminded of when I explain to my fellow liberals of why I support the 2nd Amendment (it is, after all, a Civil Right) and when I express my loathing for plutocratic libertarianism to conservatives.
T.'.
Many thanks for an illuminated comment.
There are of course strong parallels in the ancient traditions of Asia, Asia Minor, and the Middle East. Particularly as regards the emanations of being out of nonbeing.
How we express our unconditional acceptance of the perfection of creation even as we attend to the misperceptions of our own nature is a matter of both personal and collective evolution. In this sense, "the political" could be thought of as the lowest of the emanations within that evolution. As such, of course, it is the most material and least responsive to intent. The kind of centered neutrality that you offer as a counter-balance helps offset wider swings in the pendulum of extremes and makes for a more harmonious whole.
Despite what so many tell us, there are many worse things than getting along with those who disagree with us.
Thanks for your light touch.
All the Best,
William
I don't mean to deviate but what I'm posting does comes under living in the USA.
Do you realize the second amendment is about the military securing the nation which includes the individuals securing their territory? It made the taking of territories other than the original 13 states unconstitutional? It made any war the US has fought outside of our territories unconstitutional? It makes having our military scattered all over the earth and nave entering foreign ports, except doing emergencies, unconstitutional? And lastly it gives the people the "civil right" to protect their personal property from governmental unannounced and violent intrusions. It Does.
Meanwhile, amendment 10 gives the people the authority to do whatever the constitution allows which isn't being done by the Federal government nor states and makes everything we deem unconstitutional required to be rectified by the government.
Elijah
These are issues that I do not feel prepared to comment on, especially in light of the present context. But I welcome any of your thoughts, especially if they aim to bring us all closer together. Certainly the relevance of the Constitution is a subject more folks are discussing these days.
Thanks for your thought-provoking contributions!
All the Best,
William
The right can't accept how much they have achieved, if you can call it that, they exist in an alternate reality, it's as if the last 30 years never happened and we have to continue to move further to the right or we're at risk of becoming a communist state. We live in a world where all facts that contradict the latest propaganda airing on Fox News are dismissed as 'liberal bias'. They're insane really.
The culture war has no legitimacy. It's nothing but a continuation of the Southern Strategy and like the racism of a half century ago, on most issues there is only right and wrong. The culture war is nothing more than a political tool created by conservatives to push a flawed economic agenda that hurts the majority of American workers. Without it, they lose. We're up against a cult that's controlled by a corporate agenda, not some yin/yang force of nature.
Thanks for the well-reasoned and passionate comment. I appreciate your perspective and sense of history.
What you are describing, and the way you are describing it, is what I am calling the culture war.
If there is a better name we can all agree on to call it, I am all for bringing it to others' attention.
Again, thanks for this and your other thoughtful contributions to the discussion.
All the Best,
William
I don't see this as a natural force of nature and evolution, I see it as a society's toxic prejudice that should be argued against with facts and reason and never accepted on any level. We should stand ground as conservatives do, people respond to strength of conviction even if they're not in total agreement, it's one of the reasons conservatives do so well politically.
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.” MLKr
If true, then how does one get inside this paradox, and understand that 'you are me' ?
the political application of spirituality, indeed.
i do not say there is a "solution" to the paradox of the One and the Many that you draw our attention to, since it is, after all, a paradox. but if you are interested, i have treated aspects of it here: http://www.thetolteciching.com/blog/the-oracle-and-the-war-against-fate/
appreciatively,
william
Thanks, I'll take a look. I'm not suggesting that you have a solution to this paradox (!), but rather to point this paradox out and wonder how we might come to know it better.
I've thought more on this whole topic. I think of politics a lot, and of spirituality too. I'm very distressed by the animosity we see today in this country. I identify with the political left, and don't agree with the thinking and behavior of those on the right - though I don't dislike those on the right as people. I just don't like their ideas. I'm glad to have at least made this distinction between the person and their ideas. It helps me to consider this whole thing more objectively.
Much of what I think we need to do in order to go forward together, left and right, is to examine the nature of ideas, what they are, and why we like so much to identify with them, as I still do myself. Maybe if we understood the matter of self-identification with this or that, we might make some headway.
Genesis 2:24 suggest both Adam and Eve both are to become 1 flesh [whole] man after leaving parents. The operation wasn't a fact but a dream he had after sleeping upon seeing the birds and animals living in groups and mating. It interprets the yin of one and yang of another is required to remain dormant to permit man to live in group but he didn't seek the voice for an interpretation but called her woman meaning "woven from man."
We see in both hetero and homosexuals some Yen and others Yang, suggesting both are in each genders. What 2:24 is saying leave the teachings that boys are not to have certain characteristics and girls not the opposite ones but they are to be integrated within each for them to become man meaning "mind with comprehending all things abilities."
Therefore, it's paradoxical because we do not reason with what we see around us daily.
thank you so much for your contribution, Elijah!
i'm enjoying the way you open the conversation up into new arenas.
wm
Yes, yes, and yes: victory over war. the enemy, as has long been known by wise men and women of all times and all cultures, is not outside our own skin. we must conquer our fear that there isn't enough. spiritual practices and self-discipline have political consequences because (as you allude) were we to spend all we are spending in Iraq and Afghanistan here on our own nation-building, we could effect our citizens' well-being substantially.
may your intentions for positive change take root and blossom.
always a pleasure to read your thinking—
All the Best,
William
But the most intriguing part of I ching is the use of the eight trigrams. In ancient record it is said that one of the millitary adviser during the Three Kingdoms could even calculate the weather by the use of the eight triagrams to their advantage. It is said that the original manuscript was messed up by one of the ruler to prevent others from getting their hands onto it and use it to their advantage.
So what we have now is a messed up copy of the original.
agreed in full. the trigrams are the secret of really understanding the cycle of change initiated by the relationship of yin and yang. i have several lengthy articles on the subject at: http://www.thetolteciching.com/blog/category/a-new-i-ching/. there are comment sections there if you'd be interested in discussing the matter further.
a privilege to talk with you about matters so dear to my heart.
william
To an extent, I agree that this US political 'conservative / progressive' application is good to a point, but may not entirely describe the opposing conditions and conflict that we see.
Sometimes one condition is not in the same field as the other - sometimes one is greater in scope and understanding, while the other is less so.
thank you for setting out your ideas forth like this. i hope you will overlook any inadequacies in the article and find something in its intention worthwhile. as they are wont to say in certain circles, "Don't focus on my finger, look at the moon." the article can only be a finger pointing at the moon and not the real object of our attention, which i would hope centers around our shared belief that we need to "de-polarize" ourselves and establish a more constructive dialog among all.
If we can stop hurling taunts and insults at one another, perhaps we can stop trying to turn every issue into another maneuver for political advantage—just quieting down that kind of distrust might engender the political will to collaborate on real problem-solving.
thank you again for the thoughtful comment.
all the best,
william
I myself have a tendancy to view the right-wing advocates as being wrong-headed, and their views inferior to mine. That in itself causes me to be suspicious of my own thinking - and I recognize the 'me', and the matter of self separation which I work towards eliminating.
A stepping down of the animosity, and fair-mindedness is truly needed as you say, so thank you again for your commentary, and I will think more about it.
there is a lot of new research in the past 30 years that has resulted in many translators with greater awareness of the subtleties of classical Chinese and greater sensitivity to cultural world views. the authors i quote in the article above are quite good, as is Harold Roth's "Original Tao."
nonetheless, the quote you give here is probably as good as we need to have: "celebrating victory in battle is rejoicing in the killing of brothers." there are other instances in taoist texts referring tothis same concept, that victory in war is a cause for grieving. wisdom, regardless of culture, often goes against what we have come to expect in our day-to-day experience, doesn't it?
thank you so much for this heartful comment.
All the Best,
William
Appreciate your view. Plenty of room for multiple perspectives. Lots of facets to the one diamond. I disagree one one iota, of course, that materialism is rampant across the entire political spectrum and that that is an issue for us to address. At this time, however, I am trying to focus on our common strengths, rather than any perceived shortcomings. A positive collective identity, rooted in our real strengths, would, I believe, give us the momentum to address our weaknesses more effectively.
Your self-discipline shines through your words. I bow respectfully to that.
All the Best,
William
Mistyped a sentence above. It should have read: I disagree NOT one iota, of course, that materialism is rampant across the entire political spectrum and that that is an issue for us to address.
Note to self: proof read before hitting send button.
Wm
Oh! Great Goddess and Great Spirit for they are all part of CHI, thank you for guiding me thus far on my life's journey.
Guide me this day spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically that I may be in tune with thee and learn the lessons thou has to teach me that I may know the interconnection of all things in thy seamless web of life where everything belongs and nothing is lost and becoming, transformation, regeneration, mutation, evolution and change are the way of all things.
Oh! Great Goddess and Great Spirit for they are all part of CHI, let me always be aware that the web that connects each to me weaves its tapestry throughout my being uniting me with all for separateness is an illusion for all are one.
And let me always rest content in the arms of the unfolding universe and always be aware that we are all prisoners of preconditioning and only through self discipline, meditation and self cultivation can we break free of those prisons so we may find our spiritual path and grow in enlightenment and spirituality.
thank you for this wonderful and heartfelt prayer.
may it be so.
all the best,
william
Because yang is about initiating change and yin is about being present for what currently exists, on a philosophical level, it's actually more accurate to say that working for change is more yang, and holding space for the past is more yin.
Of course, a person who is in a balanced state is able to access whichever qualities are useful in the moment. On a political level, this translates to a willingness to take sweeping and decisive action when that is appropriate; and to simply stop and wait when that is appropriate. A person who has achieved oneness with the Tao is able to draw on both yin and yang qualities with ease - naturally and effortlessly doing the right thing, in the right way, in the right moment, to achieve the maximum result. (Sometimes, of course, the right thing is nothing.)
What we are need are more people in politics who are closer to this state of balance, who more fully value and understand both the yin and yang aspects of themselves. If the people in our country were more balanced overall, we would be able to move beyond partisan politics to explore constructive solutions together.
Thank you for the kindness of your attention.
This sentence of yours, "What we are need are more people in politics who are closer to this state of balance, who more fully value and understand both the yin and yang aspects of themselves," rings so true, Shannon. May we all work for a more harmonious balance of our own two halves every day! Clearly that is where great social change is coming from.
All the Best,
William
As we all know life is change and change is inevitable. The bogus war being fought is exactly that - bogus - fake. It is already over and both sides have lost! Life in the USA has changed and that is what upheavals are all about - change - forced change when we refuse to do what is right, be it for ourselves or the planet.
Either way it is change or die (to the old way). There is no going back, ever. Like you, James Hillman beautifully expresses those thoughts in his interview http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pythia-peay/america-and-the-shift-in-_b_822913.html
The "great" USA doesn't feel great anymore and that recognition is fuelling the gut-wrenching fear which is fostering the awfulness we are witnessing on all fronts in American life today.
The thing is, the rest of the world is on the next burner. We are all headed in the same direction and feeling this flux of change, and like us individuals, it's either swim in the direction of the current or... that is what this flailing is about.
Excellent article William and welcome back!
Catherine
Wonderful to hear your voice again.
I agree completely with you about the James Hillman article. He is an icon. I've admired his wisdom for years and Pythia's interview of him is so rewarding.
Your insights about the state of the US in regards to the direction other countries are taking is spot-on. We really need to pull ourselves together so that we can establish authentic relationships with the rest of the peoples of the world and make the most meaningful contribution to the global democracy that is emerging. All cultures are created equal. We won't need leaders in the near future as much as a world of enlightened peers. Change is not always comfortable but it is inevitable. We have the choice to embrace it and attune ourselves to it and adapt to it while it is still just emerging. In that spirit, I reiterate my belief that we are going to weather the coming times of change best if we rekindle our affection for one another.
Again, it's wonderful to hear your thoughts on these matters.
I look forward to sharing many more such exchanges.
You are such a vibrant and vital presence here!
All the Best,
William
I woke up early this morning and saw the crescent moon still shining in the early morning light. The thought occurred to me that the crescent moon is the symbol of Islam, while Christianity is generally represented by solar-zodiac cross symbol. I attempted to analogize the sun-moon/light-dark comparison of the two religions to that of the yin-yang relationship but admittedly I found the comparison to be somewhat lacking, even after attempting to add an Isaac-Ishmael sibling rivalry element.
It also reminds me somewhat of the parable of the two men who were lifelong bitter rivals, spending their lifetimes scheming against and wishing ill upon the other.
Eventually the day came when one of the two died. Upon hearing of his rival's death, the surviving rival wept inconsolably. In losing his rival he had lost the defining element of his life.
Thanks for this thoughtful and thought-provoking comment. I agree that working by analogy does not always seem to produce the most precise analysis—but it is nearly always a better way to capture the spirit of what we are looking into. Nature, and especially the grandeur of the night sky, provide us with so many of our archetypal symbols, do they not?
Your story of the rivals is a great one. A good teaching story. May we awaken to the importance of those we call rivals while they still live. May we make peace before it is too late.
All the Best,
William
Yin is and Yang are broad paths, their joining point is the narrow and what Genesis 2:24 meant when saying "a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." The feminine or masculine natures, in both genders, reigns over the other and for each gender to become man [mind able to comprehend all things] the two natures must integrate into the whole of each gender.
That's what has to happen in every nation, integrate Yin and Yang by eliminating parties and all politicians have benefiting the nation their first priority. With that mentality nations will prosper as peace without wars reigns supreme. To achieve that, a man, as defined above, must lead government without allowing either attribute to step out of the narrow joining point. In the US it requires ensuring everything is being done according to the Constitution and "anything to contrary notwithstanding."
What that require is objectivity and respect for differences while seeking understand of them, rather than judging them according to one's own preferences.
Well spoken, Elijah—
We may approach the same goal from two different roads but we recognize that we are going in the same direction—
We may use different words to describe the same dream but we recognize that we share the same longings and hopes—
Your comment here reflects perfectly the model of democracy: mutual goodwill.
Heartfelt thanks for your lovely words and intentions.
All the Best,
William
I'm working on getting that very type of democracy in place here, have a petition in place for that very purpose http://www.change.org/petitions/eliminate-capitalistic-military-regime?share_id=GzSVfJDUOH&pe=ws looking to get 100,000 signatures if it takes that many to achieve it.
Thank you, William, for your encouragement, they come few and few between.
Peace and Joy,
Elijah
I believe, for the past 1000 years or so, the world has been slowly overrun by the masculine aspect of the Tao. Now, the imbalance is coming to a head. We are seeing the results on a daily basis now. It would be comical if it weren't so sad and sorry. I'm afraid the imbalance is so great now, that we have lost sight of where balance is. The tipping point is here and I'm also afraid that humanity will not be able to correct this imbalance on our own. We'll need help from nature to bring this beast down. That, I won't get into.
My hope is that this beast will be brought down, one way or another, and, that post-mortem, we will have the wisdom to always keep in mind, balance. I think the I-ching and it's daughter, the Tao Te Ching (through it's endless interpretations), will be the perfect guidelines (provided we understand how to apply the wisdom to current circumstances....that is the hard part!) for us to move us in the right direction.
Is your book on any e-readers? I am going to read it anyhow.
Agreed on all counts. A look at history shows pendulum swings in the pursuit of power, where there are no "sides" that can fruitfully dominate one another. The question of "sides" is one of perception and, in today's marketplace of ideas, provocations that can be sold.
Nature is still the great teacher. Soil, rain, and sunlight still nurture every seed: we are going to have to allow ourselves that open acceptance of one another again....
The Toltec I Ching isn't an e-book. When you see how it's organized and used, you'll see why. Please let me know what you think of it. There's a website to go to, of course.
All The Best,
William