Cultivating Ethics - We Can Be Good

Driving to yoga today I heard two news items that disturbed me.  The first was an interview with the president of a Wall Street investment company. He was commenting on the economic mess and particularly AIG.  He said its human nature to steal, to lie and to conceal.  In other words when no one is watching the rules don’t count.  The other story was about the increase in violent gangs in Mexico.  In the town of Juarez on the border drug gangs have taken over.  The gangs became powerful because the young males of this town had no opportunity so they turned to the testosterone fueled violence and brutality of gangs.  Without gangs these young men had no future.

It’s seems whether it’s Wall Street or the dirty streets of a poor Mexican town the rules don’t count.  Both found opportunity and exploited it.  So I have to wonder can we really be good?  Is it our truest nature to seek the honorable path and stick to it despite difficulties?

 Mahatma Gandhi said, “Nonviolence is not a garment to be put off and on at will. Its seat is in the heart and it must be an inseparable part of our being.”

Only the strongest and most disciplined person can hope to achieve the status of Gandhi’s teachings even so without the teaching there is no hope of walking this noble path.    Gandhi’s wisdom reminds us to recognize how connected we all are in this small tenuous world.  Unconditional love and compassion are stronger than ignorance and prejudice, stronger than even hatred.

In order for our children to discover this truth they must first witness it, they must be in an environment that seeks this way of respect and peace.  There is no peaceful oasis in our modern day world so it must be created.  Every classroom teacher can make a commitment to create this place in his or her classroom.  Every school can adopt a mission statement that seeks this more disciplined way. 

In order for children to learn to deal with anger, jealousy, or other negative emotions they must understand the possibility of a nonviolent spirit.  The first place to get a grip on this is to understand simple anger.  There are five steps to mindful anger management. 

The five R’s:

1. Recognizing – Noticing the familiar stimulus that pushes your hot buttons and triggers the harsh response.  By first noticing it means the ego has not yet seized on it and reacted to it.
2. Recollecting – Remember the downside of anger and also the upside of practicing patience.  The mantra is “this too shall pass.”
3. Refraining and Restraining – Hold back your habitual negative reaction and try to see the situation through another person’s eyes.  The most difficult person or situation can become your greatest teacher, your greatest opportunity.
4. Relinquishing – Give up you conditioned reactivity and let go of these impulsive urges and choose a more intelligent response.  Just accept that anger arises and instead of acting on these urges feel them without acting. 
5. Reconditioning and Responding - Let go of these unhealthy patterns and intentionally chose more desirable kind ways to respond. This is most difficult because sometimes it appears you are too passive doing nothing.  But it means you are responding with equanimity, becoming wiser and more compassionate.

This kind of holistic character education is possible but it requires a dedicated effort in order for it to be effective.   To paraphrase Gandhi when you begin to transform yourself you transform the world.

Every teacher can become this vehicle of transformation. 

Creative World Connection daily messages are one way to help you acquire this habit.  Any school interested in becoming a subscriber may contact me by email (see contact tab) and I will tailor a plan for your school population.