Layer 408 . . . Winter Solstice, Julian Assange, John Pilger, Education, Spiritual Intelligence, Affluenza, Inequality, and Zen

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It's the Winter Solstice, and a lunar eclipse. We couldn't see the eclipsed moon this morning, which seemed to be the actual point, really.

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Julian Assange

Speaking on Radio 4 this morning Mr Assange said,

"Capable, generous people don't create victims; they try to prevent people becoming victims."

Very well said, Mr A.

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John Pilger has been working hard to support Julian Assange. His new website is here:

http://www.johnpilger.com/

The documentary he produced for television recently is still available here on the itv.com  website:

http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=198443

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/presspacks/johnpilgerthewaryoudontsee/default.html 

Here are some key facts from the programme:

The killing of civilians is a war crime.

In WorldWar 1 just 10% of deaths were civilians.
In World War 2 they were 50%.
In Vietnam they were 80%
In Iraq they were 90%

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This video, on the Guardian website, is well worth watching:

Jody McIntyre: 'What the government are trying to do is to widen the gap between the rich and the poor'

Activist Jody McIntyre on inequality, political process, and the student demonstrations

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/video/2010/dec/20/jody-mcintyre-student-protest

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Thinking about inequality, Christmas, and Taoist philosophy, I had another look at Layer 74, which focuses on values, affluenza, and education. In particular it suggests we all buy and read Oliver James's book, 'Affluenza'. Will Self said this about it:

“Oliver James is our foremost chronicler of what ails us. Affluenza should be mandatory reading for everyone, but especially those in politics, business and the media who are intent on upping our society’s dosage of toxic affluence”.

Ideal for Christmas presents.


http://oxzen.blogspot.com/2008/09/layer-74-be-strong-education-and.html

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Thinking about Assange's statement, above, and the true spirit of Christmas, I think it might be worth thinking again about this passage from Layer 148:

http://oxzen.blogspot.com/2009/04/layer-148-phoenix-hall-tokyo-spiritual.html

I’ve reached the conclusion that in true Zen style it might be easier to describe what spiritual intelligence and enlightenment are NOT, rather than describe what they ARE.

They’re the absence of malice, spite, viciousness, violence, anger and hatred. The absence of racism, sexism, snobbery, elitism and other forms of prejudice and self-aggrandisement.

It’s the absence of greed, envy, jealousy, pettiness and unpleasantness. It’s the absence of exploitation, abuse and other forms of immoral behaviour.

Some of these things can be attributed to a lack of social and emotional intelligences, but through the grace of spiritual intelligence we see the need to work on our current levels of these other intelligences in order to raise them higher.

Through spiritual intelligence we aspire to make ourselves and our world a better place. We aspire to raise levels of wellbeing and enlightenment in ourselves, and crucially to assist in raising them for others, since in order to live well ourselves we need others to also live well.

As the story says, it was impossible for Siddartha to find contentment and happiness when he was aware of the sufferings of others. Through doing what we can to assist others to overcome ignorance, want and suffering we enjoy happiness and wellbeing ourselves as a kind of by-product.

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And let's keep in mind this is where we're all heading, hopefully:

http://oxzen.blogspot.com/2008/04/layer-20-fully-evolved-humans.html
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