How we govern ourselves is intricately woven into the fabric of what we think, our beliefs about right or wrong, and what is possible in our reality.
I’m reminded of these things because in the United States, we recently had a holiday: July 4. On this day the nation celebrates the anniversary of its independence from British rule in 1776. The Declaration of Independence was written and signed, and its ideas changed everything. It talked about the equality of all, and that each person had the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
These are high ideals, yet history tells us that the men who wrote those words did not live up to them in their private lives. Some of the men owned slaves, and none of them saw women as equal under the law.
We need more than just values written on paper. We need to live and breathe them every day. The independence we should be celebrating is not historical but a living awareness of what it means to be compassionate vs. cruel. To let go of the need to dominate or control others, and embrace a new way of being where each person can find their way home. To throw off the shackles of greed and expediency and live centered, balanced and in tune.
So wherever you live, under whatever system of government, look to the values you most want to be present in your daily life. Remember that politics is one of the five branches of philosophy, and you have a choice in how you choose to live. Listen to your body and to that still small voice inside that knows what is true. Find your voice and use it carefully. Each day can be your independence day.