Do you often find yourself at the corner of Knowing the Right Thing to Do and Doing the Right Thing? The hardest part is doing the right thing.
“Right actions in the future are the best apologies for past wrong actions. “ Tyron Edwards – Theologian
Do the Right Thing!
The concluding chapter of my book, Dump the Neanderthal; Choose your Prime Mate, is the same as the title of this newsletter. The final message of the book underscores the need to listen to the “inner voice” that I believe resides within all of us. Our discussion of the eleventh step of AA will follow the concepts delineated in that chapter. The 11th step of AA is as follows:
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Examining step 11, the concepts of prayer and meditation invite analysis. When some of us consider prayer, a literal recitation of a learned message to God comes to mind. Catholics repeat a Hail Mary many times during a rosary. Other Christians narrate the Lord’s Prayer. And so on. The repeating of these elegant messages is comforting to many. But for others, the concept of prayer follows a more informal pattern of “talking to God” in a personal and subjective way. Clearly, there is no correct way to pray.
The concept of meditation actually appears to reverse the process of communication with a higher power. While prayer seems to send a message, meditation invites the individual to listen and receive the voice of right thinking. Whether my readers take a traditional view of the deity or, as the 11th step suggests, a more independent notion of a higher power, both speak to receiving constructive information from a source that is outside the individual’s normal train of thought.
Whatever the perceived exact source, the 11th step invites us to listen and “do the right thing.” There are other religious views that characterize or label the source of distorted or self-defeating thinking as “ego.” According to this belief, either fear or envy lead us to think short term and make ill-advised decisions that inevitably lead to guilt and remorse. Conversely, the inner voice of right- thinking leads us to a balanced and totally honest direction.
When we are silent, either via the process of meditation or by simply taking a quiet moment away from the noise of life, the inner voice of reason and truth can come through. If we are open to its message, it can drown out the voice of egotistical or fearful distortions of thought. Whether we appreciate the voice or chaff at its insistence on honesty and insight, it is always there. It will point us toward the right direction. You can count on it! But you must put yourself into a place, mentally and physically, where it can be heard. And this will only take a few moments of non-distracted time.
Homework: In the past, I have invited my readers to look into a literal mirror for a full minute to “get in touch” with who we really are. Some found it a little intimidating! A less challenging task this week will be to simply put yourself into a solitary and quiet environment where distractions will not present themselves. No cell phone. No TV. No computer.
Get comfortable, relax and listen to your inner voice. Then act accordingly.
“Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest!” – Mark Twain
#Making it happen!