posted June 09, 2007 11:51 PM         

Goodness

Goodness is pure, impersonal giving and receiving. The experience of goodness is an experience of being in alignment with what is. We are therefore able to experience it when we are aligned with reality or truth.

We can say that nobody is just good. Goodness is a choice that can be made through development of consciousness. But we can say that everyone is sacred. Sacredness is essential to our existence. It implies that we are all one, we are all a part of the oneness of being.

When we refer to ‘essential goodness’ we are really talking about our consciousness of the fact that we and others are sacred beings.

The essential goodness of life is recognized when there is an awareness that God, or Goodness, or Essential Divinity is omnipresent. This recognition of Spirit is at first perceived to be the cause of all that we perceive as good versus that which we perceive as bad or evil which we attribute to the devil or to the personality or to human nature. Eventually, we see that both positive and negative are indeed good since both are aspects of the One which, in its very nature causes both destruction and construction.

This Oneness or Unity is what is meant by sacredness. It implies the presence of the opposites in perfect harmony, each doing what is needed to contribute to the whole. It is our judgement of a situation that makes things positive or negative for us. Our inability to see the bigger picture beyond the surface appearance, to see the meaning and purpose in all events, contributes to our judgments of good and bad.

The destructive can be seen as instructive (providing the opportunity to learn) and the constructive is seen as serving. That which we might label as destructive is invariably a result of our ignorance. Therefore its presence indicates that we have to learn something. That which is constructive arises out of our knowing and loving, and therefore makes a supportive contribution which we call service.

The destructive arises from personality limitations while the constructive is invariably a soul expression that can occur because of some personality learning that has previously taken place.

Destructive means removing structure – i.e., a structure that no longer is needed. We can learn from something when we are ready to remove the ignorance involved by changing beliefs, ideas and attitudes.

Instructive means to put a structure inside, or create an inner structure. This works well when destruction occurs, for the soul becomes active within, giving another frame or structure of reference – reference to the Universal or Spirit.

Constructive means building, or structuring, together, as we do in service. Everyone thus benefits. The highest morality is always constructive.

When we do not recognize a universal sacredness, then there is no unity or equality that must be respected as a basis of morality. We are left with the inequality of duality where the opposites are seen to fight each other for dominance.

On the other hand, when there is a recognized sacredness, duality is seen as a necessary tension to enhance, complete and empower the whole of which the duality is a part. This we see, for example, in a healthy relationship between two people who respect each other as equals. Their differences enrich the relationship.

We learn to embrace pain which often accompanies destruction as a necessary condition of life, but begin to experience joy and fulfillment along side or within that pain. Previously we experienced only one of those opposites. In soul life we can experience the pain of the personality with its attachments and necessity of letting go along with the joy of the presence of Spirit within ourselves.

The goodness of life can be seen as existing within ourselves and within others when our mutual sacredness is accepted as the underlying reality.

When essential goodness is recognized, it is the soul within that recognizes itself in the other. It is the soul which reveals need, just as the personality reveals desire. We stand before the other, the situation, and allow the soul to reveal what is needed by the person or situation. It is essential goodness which is magnetic and draws to it the appropriate response from the soul of the other.

There is an urge within ourselves to share the goodness that exists within us, for it is in the nature of goodness to give itself. Goodness brings the will to focus on what must be done – will to good and will to action for common good. Goodness is what prompts us to give from the heart, to be kind and generous, even to the point of sacrifice.

We may previously have put a lot of energy into getting and taking. Awakening to inherent Goodness, we have the urge to give. We become instruments or channels for the universal Law of Abundance.

The energy of Spirit is always one of giving. That is what creation is about. In order to serve we must give of ourselves. Giving is our purposeful contribution to life. We give by using our talents and gifts, and by sharing our gifts of the Spirit which are our soul attributes and qualities.

Exercises:

1. How might you increase your experiences of Goodness?

2. List your talents and gifts that you could use in service? Become aware of the need around you and how you can use your talents and gifts to be of service.

3. What are your soul attributes and qualities that you want to express and share?

By Soul Journey!!!!