The Golden Rule......#andtheclause

The Golden Rule is universal.....spanning other cultures and religions....the wording slightly different....and it is one of the most important things to do right?? Treat others as you want to be treated.....simple....and it is a good rule of thumb, always.....choosing the light and the higher path in the dark places of our lives, or seeking to spread life by treating others well.....not allowing ourselves to get pulled into low places.....tit for tat if you will....but I have the learned the inherent clause within the Golden Rule.....doing that and implementing it in your life will not always have it returned to you....just because you treat others in the ways you want to be treated, doesn't mean they will treat you that way too....not by a long shot....and I think I naively believed that that was true.....either consciously or subconsciously......that if I gave the things I wanted to others they would be returned to me.....and I do not mean I was giving them with the desire to get....not at all....I was giving stuff that felt genuine to me....was coming from the places in me that wanted to make others happy....deriving joy and pleasure from that...but it occurred to me recently that the "clause" may have tripped me up....thinking that if I did, they would too....and that just isn't true.....and I think my flawed relationship with my ex teaches me even more of that. Not participating in his lead when it comes to the relationship we have, or don't have as co parents....choosing to still show up as me as often as I can.....not treating him as he treats me.....and I have learned that over and over in this chapter....that regardless of how you show up for some people, they won't do the same....so it got me thinking more deeply about it.....because on the surface it feels trite to say....fluffy, but lacking substance, because we have all heard it so often that the meaning is perhaps not as effective as it really should be......because let us imagine for a moment, if EVERYBODY actually did this....the power found there would be amazing right??:) And perhaps that is where it originated from....feeling like a collective of humans could benefit from such a simple, yet profound way of living......a religious, faith, and culture based directive that spans all beliefs and cultures.....a human thing.....not a Christian thing....or a Hindu thing......or anything in between.....a human thing......And I spent this weekend on my own, doing a lot of writing and doing the things I needed, my kiddos were with their dad, and this occurred to me....expecting others to treat you as you treat them is a trap when it comes to this Golden Rule business......your treatment of them speaks about you, and theirs about them.....so while karmically and energetically I believe there is some truth in that.....the more good you put out there the more it is returned.....I have also experienced plenty of that:) The Golden Rule is about you......period.....about the good treatment you extend......whether a person is worthy of it or not.....or whether they return it to you, that is neither here nor there.....it is ALWAYS worth treating somebody else as you want to be treated, whether they are treating you well or not.....I will always believe that.....

so here it is in many forms......all worthy and worthwhile:) It is a great barometer I think for how well we are living our lives? Are we following it?? No matter what another is doing?? Monday morning musing:) Enjoy the day:)

Christianity: "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets,"  

Islam: "None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself,"  

Judaism: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow." 

Buddhism: "Hurt not others with what pains yourself."

Hinduism: "This is the sum of duty: do not to to others what would cause pain if done to you." 

Confucianism: "Do not do to others what you would not like yourself." 

Jainism: "One should treat all creatures in the world as one would like to be treated."

Zoroastrianism: "Do not do unto others whatever is injurious to yourself."

Taoism: "Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain and your neighbor's loss as your own loss."

Sikhism: "I am a stranger to no one, and no one is a stranger to me. Indeed, I am a friend to all. "