December 4: Day 157

STONE TEN CONTINUED
 
Harmonize: I look for the harmony in all spiritual belief systems and seek to add my voice to the music of the Earth. I seek peace with myself and with all people.
 
Instruction: Let go of prejudices.

Prejudices do not serve us or the greater good. We are not born with prejudices, but we learn them as we grow. The child knows no prejudice and considers all people as important and equal. It is unfortunate that we come to believe that people are not the same, not equal, and that we believe we are better or worse, greater or lesser than someone else. We are equal. We share the same planet, breathe the same air, and are born, live, and die just as everyone else does. What we think we own doesn’t matter. What we think we know doesn’t matter. Who we think we are doesn’t matter. Love matters. Kindness matters. Grace and forgiveness matter.

In Stone Ten, we consider the concept of finding the harmony within all spiritual belief systems, but this will never happen until we let go of our prejudices. Just as each individual person is different, so, too, do religious beliefs differ. There is always the temptation for us to believe we have found the truth and then want to share our truth with everyone else so that our truth and theirs is the same, but it doesn’t work that way. As we receive new information, we often reevaluate our beliefs and often modify our thinking to incorporate our updated perspectives. Because each person views life differently, our truth is skewed to our way of thinking .It doesn’t always resonate with someone else, because their way of thinking is formed by the life events they experienced that we were not privy to.

We can’t lead them down the path we are walking, because it is our path, not theirs, and though we may share a little bit of our journeys together, ultimately, we each have to follow the way intended for us. When we think everyone should be as we are, then we are opening the door to prejudices. As I write these words, I find that I no longer want to attend a church affiliated with the one I was raised in, but for me to judge that organization would be wrong. My negative judgment would set up prejudices within myself, and through word, deed, or attitude, I might convey that prejudice to another. I choose, instead, to see the good in that organization, to love those who are involved with it, and to look for the good — the harmony — that is there for me to see as long as I am open to it.

Today’s Assignment is to examine your beliefs for prejudices you might carry. Some of these prejudices may have been formed at an early age by beliefs your parents passed on to you. Do they serve you or hinder you? Are they helpful in making your world better? Do they bring peace, joy, and happiness to your life, or are they divisive and harmful? Prejudices can disrupt our ability to see the harmony in our world and block the music of the earth.