“When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.”  – Joseph Campbell

Whether we jump in to save a drowning bear or grab someone from flinging themselves in front of a speeding train, the same instinct is at work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5V8Ydg2ywI

It is in those moments where there is no time to think that we are acting from a deep knowledge that there is no ‘other’:

We are them. They are us.

I think there are two views of the world. It’s either an OK Corral view that declares you’re with me OR against me. This is the world seen from a position of scarcity. These people look out from their fear-based perspective and declare there is never enough and we need to view each other as the enemy.

But.

If we view the world from a position of abundance we will see the world as you AND me. We will realize that all life is us and we are all life. This is not a Pollyanna view. In fact, it can be quite a hard path.

With this perspective we have to recognize that within the full range of human expression, we are all capable of the best, and conversely, the worst. Remember that ol’ nugget? –  “We have seen the enemy and he is us.”

Looking at the world in this way places a responsibility, not only on us to take care of each other, but to take care of ourselves. It also forces us to truly see our own dark imperfections; those same nasty traits that we’d much rather pin on everyone else. And then…wait for it…even knowing those deeply bitter truths, we still have to love ourselves, and each other.

Abundance/Love is infinite. If I love you and you and you and you (!) I will not run out of love. Like those good ol’ loaves and fishes, it just keeps on comin’.

This notion of ‘enough’ was summed up in something I recently saw on a Vancouver delivery truck,  “We do not have a hunger problem. We have a distribution problem.”  There is enough of everything, it is a matter of sharing.

Love is not some namby-pamby cuddly emotion. It is fierce and strong. Think of a mama bear and her cub. Love is not a passive pushover. Just because I love someone does not mean I allow them to dump all over me. If I did that I would be fulfilling only half of the equation. First and foremost I have to love myself. And if I love myself, I will not let anyone hurt me any more than I would let them hurt someone  ‘outside’ of me.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

I just realized that today has been a rather Biblical-based-blog, so just to make sure I keep it balanced, I’ll leave you with this one.

“He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.” – Lao Tzu