| If there are no stock solutions to problems, and one | | | | in our own life) would make some sense.So where |
| chooses to evaluate their | | | | does this leave us, when trying to maximise our |
| life through reflecting on experiences in order to find | | | | learning, and seek |
| the learning | | | | to work and live beyond, balanced, or synthesised |
| contained within, rather than adopting a system of | | | | with regards to polarities?There is another layer to the |
| beliefs devised by others, then | | | | etymology of the words to be explored, back to |
| just how can one know that the way they are acting | | | | the Indo-European roots of the words. |
| is 'ok' in the bigger | | | | Ethics is traced back to the Greek word ethos, |
| picture.For several years now I have struggled to | | | | meaning "character". |
| accept concepts of ethics | | | | It is further traced back to the Indo-European root |
| and morality. The problem has arisen while seeking to | | | | s(w)e-. |
| find ways beyond | | | | There are some curious and interesting words |
| duality, and think outside of polarities. It has therefore | | | | stemming from this, following on |
| become very difficult | | | | from the definition: |
| to just label things with moral tags of good or evil, | | | | Pronoun of the third person and reflexive (referring |
| rightor wrong.For me, the concepts of morals and | | | | back to the subject of |
| ethics have become almost dirty words. I | | | | the sentence); further appearing in various forms |
| suppose it is the way many people claim to be | | | | referring to the social group |
| morally or ethically superior, or | | | | as an entity, "(we our-)selves." |
| have figured the "correct way" that we should all act | | | | It is outside the scope of this essay to explore that |
| and live.It has become fairly normal for me to act more | | | | fully, however it is |
| intuitively. If something feels | | | | worth noting the concept of "the social group as an |
| right, and I'm fairly certain I'm coming from a centred | | | | entity" and |
| and balanced place | | | | the esoteric concept of an egregore or group |
| within myself, then it is okay for me to act or be | | | | mind.What catches my attention is some of the |
| involved in an experience. | | | | derivatives: self, gossip, suicide, |
| Initially this was a struggle. It took time to get a sense | | | | secret, sober, sullen, ethic, and idiot. It is of particular |
| of feelings and | | | | note that self |
| emotions, and then to accept it was okay to act on a | | | | is of a similar root, as it is really an ethic or morality of |
| feeling without having | | | | Self conduct that |
| reverted to analysing it against a predefined set of | | | | makes sense to me. As a group or society thing, it still |
| standards (my own, my | | | | feels best to me if it |
| cultures, or those of another belief system).On a | | | | is a group of willing Selves, who choose to be |
| deeply esoteric level, it can said that we can never act | | | | together, free of obligation, |
| wrong. | | | | conducting their affairs in a way that recognises their |
| As we draw to ourselves situations and people with | | | | own Self as sacred.The word moral is traced back to |
| whom we have experiences | | | | the Latin word moralis, from mos, |
| with, we are also drawn to others to fulfil their learning | | | | or mor-, meaning "custom". This in itself is traced back |
| needs. Jung pointed | | | | to the Indo-European root me-1meaning "Expressing |
| out that "the psychological rule says that when an | | | | certain qualities of mind.". If we consider |
| inner situation is | | | | that the mind in recent years has become exclusively |
| not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate. That | | | | considered the intellect, |
| is to say, when the | | | | then it is easy to see the parallels in the polarities |
| individual remains undivided and does not become | | | | existent within the |
| conscious of his inner | | | | intellect, and the polarisation of morals, being |
| contradictions, the world must perforce act out the | | | | considered rights and wrongs. |
| conflict and be torn into | | | | Morals it seems to me are a construct of |
| opposite halves." | | | | intellectualising life, rather than |
| This makes thing somewhat difficult from a moral | | | | living it.Recently, when trying to explain to someone |
| standpoint. However, if we | | | | about my belief that life isn't |
| are acting consciously, we can play a far more active | | | | as black and white as many people think, and magic |
| and aware role in these | | | | specifically is something |
| situations, and we will learn from all our interactions, | | | | beyond (or seeking to go beyond) polarities, and |
| the good and the bad, | | | | transcend the lower disruptive |
| positive and negative.Someone acting from a black | | | | and conflicting interplay we experience in the physical, |
| magic perspective may be seeking out power | | | | it occurred to me that |
| over others, however they are locked within a polarity, | | | | there are two concepts I can and do work with. I feel |
| where they will be | | | | comfortable with the word appropriatewhen |
| acting out fate to the individuals who are | | | | considering if it is right or wrong to do something. I also |
| unconsciously drawn into this | | | | feel |
| dance or interplay. All involved become actors, or | | | | comfortable if the action I take is done with respect |
| perhaps if totally unaware of | | | | for both myself and |
| the forces at play they are more aptly mannequins, | | | | all other beings concerned.The etymology of |
| controlled by unconscious | | | | appropriate traces back to the Latin appropriare |
| energies and currents. So to judge a situation as black | | | | meaning "to make one's own", from the Latin ad- and |
| evil or white/goodmeans also to be analysing it by | | | | proprius, |
| polarities.So where does that leave us?The American | | | | meaning "own". This gives a sense of ownership to |
| Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth | | | | an action, |
| Edition | | | | that it was undertaken purposefully and consciously, in |
| gives three definitions for the word ethics as: | | | | the understanding that I |
| Ethics (noun) | | | | am acting in the way I feel is right for this |
| 1. a. A set of principles of right conduct.b. A theory or | | | | situation.Respect traces back to the Latin word |
| a system of moral values: "An ethic of service is at | | | | respectus, from re- |
| war | | | | and specere meaning "to look at". This in turn stems |
| with a craving for gain" (Gregg Easterbrook).2. ethics | | | | from the Indo-European root spek- meaning "to |
| (used with a sing. verb) The study of the general | | | | observe", |
| nature of morals | | | | with it's oldest form said to mean "becoming". If we |
| and of the specific moral choices to be made by a | | | | are |
| person; moral philosophy.3. ethics (used with a sing. or | | | | centred within our Self, we are indeed conscious |
| pl. verb) The rules or standards governing | | | | observers of both the inner and |
| the conduct of a person or the members of a | | | | outer world. Observing can be done without |
| profession: medical ethics. | | | | judgement. If we combine the |
| So basically ethics relates to morals, rules, and | | | | observation and becoming aspects, then we could |
| standards governing "right | | | | say that acting with respect to |
| conduct". So what about morals? The definitions given | | | | others is an observation that each being is becoming |
| are as follows:Moral (adjective) | | | | (or growing, evolving) in |
| 1. Of or concerned with the judgment of the | | | | it's own unique way, and that we are mindful of |
| goodness or badness of human | | | | this.So here then is an intellectualised outline of acting |
| action and character: moral scrutiny; a moral | | | | on a feeling - as I own |
| quandary.2. Teaching or exhibiting goodness or | | | | my feelings (they are mine, as I am feeling them), I |
| correctness of character and behavior: | | | | also take ownership of my |
| a moral lesson.3. Conforming to standards of what is | | | | actions, which are undertaken by my Self with |
| right or just in behavior; virtuous: a | | | | respect to others. The outcomes of |
| moral life.4. Arising from conscience or the sense of | | | | these actions entail a learning, both for myself, and |
| right and wrong: a moral | | | | also for whomever I |
| obligation.5. Having psychological rather than physical | | | | interact with - should each of us choose to learn from |
| or tangible effects: a moral | | | | the events and |
| victory; moral support.6. Based on strong likelihood or | | | | experiences. Outcomes may be positive or negative if |
| firm conviction, rather than on the actual | | | | viewed in a polarised |
| evidence: a moral certainty. | | | | manner, however if free of this judgements then the |
| Moral (noun)1. The lesson or principle contained in or | | | | actions have occurred in the |
| taught by a fable, a story, or an | | | | present time (the Now) guided by feelings, and owned |
| event.2. A concisely expressed precept or general | | | | by me, the actor |
| truth; a maxim.3. morals Rules or habits of conduct, | | | | (outer) and observer (inner), and whatever has |
| especially of sexual conduct, | | | | happened has happened. Because I |
| with reference to standards of right and wrong: a | | | | have taken ownership of my actions, and acted |
| person of loose morals; a | | | | respectfully, based on how I felt |
| decline in the public morals. | | | | was appropriate at the time, I cannot act 'wrong' (or |
| To me, there are a lot of loaded words in those | | | | for that matter 'right') - |
| definitions; Judgement, | | | | I can just act, observe, learn, and grow.So perhaps I |
| moral lessons, conformity, obligation, habits, and | | | | do have an ethic that I live by at this stage in my life. It |
| the good old polarities right and wrong. As a noun, a | | | | could be summed up as "Appropriate actions |
| morality | | | | undertaken |
| based on finding the lesson or principle contained with | | | | respectfully. |
| an event (ie. experience | | | | |