How many times have we all heard not to judge a book by it's cover? Yet how many times do we witness others or even ourselves passing judgements on other people based on the color of their skin, where they live, the language they speak, their faith, economic caste, sexual orientation, etc?

My hand made pipe that I made this morning

What really matters is our actions, not the physical characteristics of the vessel or where it grew up on Mother Earth. It takes no effort at all to use stereotypes to assume that an individual will act a specific way based on social perceptions of a group. However, it takes a great deal more effort to bypass the stereotypes and really get to know the other individual's spirit despite the social perceptions of the majority. How many of us are able and willing to do that type of work? How many of us are capable of seeing past our own bias and the other individuals vessel in order to peering deep into the soul? How many of us are willing to make an intimate spiritual connection with another being?

I experience a great deal of pain as I witness stereotypes and ignorance being used as weapons against one another. I look for people who are able and willing to overcome great pain, adversity and hardships to explore those intimate spiritual, emotional and mental connections. It is those people, who have gone through hell and back, that are capable of expressing the most beautiful love there is. It is those people who choose to be blind to the temptations of the physical and can peer deeply into the spirit of another being, whether or not they have two legs, four, wings or none.

I see people claim to be peaceful yet they are in the middle of a war. Peace has nothing to do with our vessel and everything to do with spirit.

Violence, greed and lust are all blind as they are temptations to distract and test us on the path we are here to walk. I am not perfect as I continue to work on my own journey. I know what I need to work on and I fall down at times only to get back up. I work hard to forgive those who violate spirit and I stand between them and their victims. It does not matter if they wield physical or virtual swords, they still draw spiritual blood. Words are mightier than the sword and we must use extreme caution when we use them. Violent ideas are not overcome through violence but rather sharing new ideas to make the violence obsolete. We end war not through conflict, but by building our communities so that they are strong, vibrant, healthy and able to confront with peace.

We are all sentenced to solitary confinement inside our own skins, for life. - Tennessee Williams

If we want to be free, the keys are found in our compassion, empathy, peace, freedom, joy and love. We will not get out of this alive unless we surrender to spirit and live life under a new paradigm. That requires a leap of faith as the path is counter to how we have been raised or what we witness in the world around us. We have indeed isolated ourselves to the point where we are in solitary confinement. But life does not have to be that way.

I see too much anger, hatred, judgements and violence directed towards others. Confront inappropriate behaviour, action and inaction peacefully. But do so when you are a witness, not through hearsay.

Tonight I will do a smudge and prayer for those that are fleeing war, confronting disease, healing past wounds and walking the spiritual path!

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