Solving Problems~Resolving Self

Day after day, year after year, the same problems exist. Centuries of existence are behind us – the problems of the past are the problems of the present. Mankind looks to ideals such as “World Peace” and sets out to create it. Lot’s of people write about it, talk about it, most people want it. But we don’t have it. We’ve had periods of peace at different times in different places that lasted, as long as they lasted, until things dissolved once again into conflict. One must wonder – why?

We believe that there are those who don’t share the common ideal of peace. How many are non-peace? Out of these how many would choose chaos? Total chaos? Most of the aggressors are after peace. They’re just after peace for themselves or their countries. The us and them mind set is front and center. They make war, they destroy the other in their path, but they don’t want that conflict in their own land or their own homes. As sideways as men can get they still have the ideal of harmony. It’s just more localized. Death to you – peace and prosperity for me. For this type the lines between we and the rest of mankind is clear. Their thinking is founded in separateness.

What do the rest of us do in response to the raging separatist? Essentially we try to fence them in. Fence them off. Separate them. Our answer to the problem is the problem. We have only used the problem in our attempt to solve it. How long will this resolution stand? What does history tell us? Basically – nothing happened, nothing changed. We don’t have a solution because we don’t understand the problem. Who is in favor of order? The kind of order where things run smoothly and efficiently. Who would like to see this? Is this a kind of peace? Wouldn’t that be peaceful? Don’t most of us want to create a system where people get their needs met, nobody is starving, freezing, being abused? Is this what most wars are fought for? To carve out a place where – others – can’t get at you and interfere with the order, happiness, peace? Isn’t this why people fight?

At the most personal level we all would like to make a peaceful place for ourselves. We think that world peace is a good idea. We are willing to do our part. We believe it’s possible and that one day we might see it. We most likely believe that there is a “them” that is working against it. Working against us. “We want peace, they don’t”. What is peace? “We just want to live in peace….that’s all we ask” . “That’s all we’re saying!!” What is peace? There is a group of people who are working like mad to end the lives of the majority of the population on this planet. They want what you want. They want peace, sustainability. To them you and I are standing in the way. They’re right. The people they want to kill, on the other hand, see them as the problem. They’re right too. The problem is “us and them”. The resulting conflict is a problem that – stems from conflict. We are conflict. People, the self, the personality, identity, ego, the thinking is the problem. We have problems because we are the problem. We have conflict because that’s what we are. We can’t have peace because we are not peace.

We cannot create peace from conflict. Daisies cannot make roses. Thinking is the problem. It’s great for making birdhouses and bridges and all the other stuff we use and enjoy. But for now – that’s it. Whatever we make in the way of “ideals” like peace – won’t last. It can’t last because it wasn’t made from a peaceful source. Only peace makes peace. As much as we’d like to believe all people are equal, that we’re all one, we don’t really think that. We think in separateness. The personality we build is put together with fragments of facts, beliefs, untruths and imagination. We have a fragmented identity. We are not one in our thinking. We might accept a one family concept. But families are made of parts. How about a world community? The idea of a community is fragmented. The separate people come together to make a thing. Any of these things result in lasting peace, harmony and good times? Not for long. From the start the people in these things are at work all the time – making laws and rules to keep the tentative peace. Peace has to be kept by law. We have peace officers. To deal with “them”. The “them” we are trying to “make” conform are in turn sure that we are the problem. Once again, they’re right. Us and them in conflict – pointing fingers and making accusations “If it wasn’t for you….” they’re all right on the money. Both sides are 100% right – but neither side knows why.

No one really gets it. A few people have understood and dealt with the self “conflict” to some degree. I understand it, barely. I understand that I am violence. I understand that my “self” my “identity” was made from ideas. My “I” has the idea that they are the problem. It wrestles with the idea that “they” should be exterminated – so that “we” can live in peace. I understand this inner conflict enough to write this. I have made no real significant progress in dealing with it. The realization is only the start. The beginning of something different. A chance for a different thinking. It is the coming to grips with this “what is” that makes change possible. Unless “we” get here, get to this point of realization and acceptance, we will simply continue to repeat the past. We will live from conflict to conflict until we kill each other or ourselves. Those that are left will create more conflict.

We can’t even get away from our inner conflict enough to give an idea a non-violent name. We fight to end cancer. We have a war on drugs, homelessness, hunger. How much less time, energy and resources would be used feeding people rather than fighting to end hunger? When you think about it – it really is not sane behavior. We hate crime. We hate crime because we are hate. We hate conflict – but we are conflict. We see hate, suffering and loss. It’s what we are – and we don’t like it. We are so incapable of resolving our conflicts that we make up stories of some “other” (another separateness idea) that will resolve it for us. Of course even in our best stories the resolution will be accomplished through “separation”. Chaff from wheat” good from evil”, ” The righteous from the heathen”. We just can’t get out of it.

Until we deal with conflict in ourselves it will continue to manifest itself in the world. The inner conflict won’t end as long as we fight to end it. We can’t end it by setting up another conflict. This is where I must end. I can’t write any more because this is where I am. I do have the concept (kinda) of – not – fighting the inner battle. It’s something to do with acceptance. That’s all I can say for now. But even this – this ending the struggle – is easier. Not fighting to become something different will no longer drain energy that might be used to accomplish something worthwhile. We’ll see what happens.