Revisiting the Past: My Ethics

As I've mentioned in my previous posts on Ethics, Honor, Justice, and Arete, being an ideal human being means that one is:

• Emotionally mature
• Self-aware - living a conscious life, making active choices, taking responsibility for Self
• Well educated - a broad base of knowledge including but not limited to: other cultures and world history, with an emphasis on lifetime learning
• Consistent at putting ethical system in practice
• Possesses a continually evolving system of ethics

My goal is to be an ideal human. Back in my heavy martial arts years, I wanted to be the ideal warrior. This consisted of a range of warrior skills plus a good education in history, strategy, philosophy, art, and music. My focus has changed, but it's not so different. I just train in different disciplines now. No fighting now; instead, I practice Yoga (my own Pagan Yoga system that I'm designing). I hone my teaching skills. Music, always music. Healing work. I think I've posted about it before, how I can't be a physical warrior any longer; instead, you could say I'm a spiritual warrior, working to raise the vibration of the world, one person at a time.

But back to Ethics. As a person who walks the warrior way, even the spiritual version thereof, living an honorable life is central to my identity. It is the light that shows me the way. It is, at times, what shapes my path. I could tell many a story about how my insistence upon the ethical choice has cost me money, relationships or what have you. Other times, it's what has cemented a relationship or gained me a business ally. And I'm totally fine with that.

So in keeping with my philosophy, here begins an examination of my list of values and ethical principles. It's time for a periodic update!

1. Arete - Excellence above all is still the most important thing to me. Keep this one!
2. Courtesy - the first of the virtues from my old tae kwon do dojang. Still important.
3. Integrity - the first of the virtues from my old tae kwon do dojang. Still important.
4. Perseverance - from my old tae kwon do dojang. Still important.
5. Self-Control - from my old tae kwon do dojang. Still important.
6. Indomitable Spirit - from my old tae kwon do dojang. Still important.
7. Honor - unchanged, truly.
8. Lifelong Learning - hasn't always been on the list, but is what I've always done.
9. Creativity - we all have it! Continue to practice and it will strengthen.
10. Play/humor - don't take yourself or this world or anything else too seriously. "It's sacred, not serious" - adorable hippie child 
11. Reverence - for every step, every breath, every living thing, always.
12. Shibumi - the essence of what is, pure simplicity
13. Tolerance - essential to harmonious living with other beings. It means that you acknowledge the plurality of our world.
14. Stewardship of the Earth - new - I suppose this was so intrinsic that I never listed it before. But it must be said - take care of our home.
15. Respect the autonomy of all beings. - new - also intrinsic to my belief system is the acknowledgement that all beings have agency and that must be respected.

As it turns out, not a lot has changed. There's been a bit of evolution and perhaps a bit more clarity in my thinking about my beliefs. I'm happy to say that they have accreted throughout my life, and I value all of these incremental additions. I may not always embody them at every moment. I may fail, like everyone does. Ego, petty annoyances, and other such temporary conditions may supersede my principles. But still, I strive. And to be quite honest, I mostly succeed. I can look myself in the mirror. My relationships are good, and I have a place in the community. These are signs of success, in my book - and an ethical life!

What are Ethics?

The Pagan Experience - This month the focus is on ETHICS… As a member of the human species we are faced with choices everyday. The responses we make are most often guided by our definition of values, standards and what we consider to be just and ethical behavior.

Add the complexity of walking a spiritual path and he topic of Ethics becomes one that reaches deeply into the fabric of who we wish to be and who we believe ourselves to be. So, use this month’s writing to share, listen and explore your ethical landscape…

Ethics is a timely topic in my life. The Universe has its inscrutable sense of humor, as always...and its timing is impeccable. But what are ethics? I've written here about honor, about justice, and about arete, but not specifically about ethics. As a philosophy major and a person committed to living an honorable life, this topic is near and dear to my heart.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, ethics are defined as:

"Moral principles that govern a person’s or group’s behavior."

I have discussed honor, which is essentially a system of personal decision making based on ethics and obligation. I have discussed justice, which is a system of applying ethics to governance. I have discussed excellence (arete), which is a tangentially related concept. Possibly one could argue that the good and true nature of actions containing arete are inherently ethical. But maybe not. Ethics are not only virtuous in and of themselves, but also in how they impact others.

In keeping with my post about justice, I think that ethical principles grow and change as we evolve as human beings. That means that study is important. We must understand ourselves, not only as individuals, but also in relation to our place in the world. We must understand something of world history, of other cultures, of ideas broader than what we may have been taught by our biological families and birth religions.

A broad knowledge base matters if you want to be a well-developed human being. It's easy to simply believe what you were told, and many people do. This unfortunately often leads to provincial, us vs. them systems of thought. Which is a big part of the reason why the US has problems, but that's a separate post. Suffice it to say that considering the highest good of all is a good filter to use when evaluating ethical principles, and knowledge is essential to that process.

So then. Ethics are moral principles, the foundational concepts that guide our behavior. Ethics are the things we consider to be right as opposed to wrong. Ethics are the values that we hold. But what is a value?

Back to the Oxford Dictionary:

"(values) A person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life."

Now we're getting to the root of things. Morality is a discussion that involves both ethics and values. The things that we think are right as well as the things that we think are important. Both of these things, ethics and values, guide our behavior in life. Both are relational - they are important in evaluating actions that relate to others. I propose that values also include concepts that are not relational. There are qualities that help us to be good human beings that are also just for us, or that support us in ways that then allow us to have good relationships. But that too is a separate post.

You could say that ethics and values added together are what make an ideal human. Oh, but what, what is ideal?

Back to the Oxford Dictionary:

"A standard of perfection; a principle to be aimed at."

So you could say that ethics are principles that guide us in our goal of becoming ideal human beings.

That's a useful definition, but it's important here to note that human beings are already perfect. We are learning creatures. We are experiments, if you will, experiencers of this cosmic dance we call life. Some say our purpose here is to learn. Perhaps that's true, but it's learning with no test at the end. There is no goal, not really. We are perfectly imperfect. No matter what we do, we are performing our purpose, which I propose is simply to exist and experience. The ideal human being is one that grows and changes throughout its life.

Me being me, I also think that we ought to be good to each other along the way. But on a universal level, we need all kinds of experiences to grow, even the painful ones. Even the awful ones. That means somebody has to volunteer to be the villain, at least some of the time. If we were all perfect paragons of love and light, what would ever happen? Change, growth, and evolution are impossible in a state of perfect bliss. Chaos, negativity, disruption, destruction, and randomness are essential to a growing and evolving Universe. But I digress.

What does all this mean to us as Pagans? Obviously, I don't speak for everyone, but I post this here as a sort of impetus to deeper thought. What law do you live by? Are there built-in rules of ethical behavior in your belief system? Do you follow them as is, or do you add in values of your own? What are they based on? Have they changed over time? Do they still fit you now, at this time in your journey?

If you follow the Wiccan Rede, there is an awful lot of room for interpretation. What and who does "do no harm" apply to? How far do you take it? Does it apply to every situation? What do you do in situations where harm is not at issue? What qualities are important to you? I propose that a set of ethical principles and values is helpful in addition to the Rede. In my next post, I'll discuss my own ethical system.

Justice: A Pagan Perspective

What is justice in a faith with no central authority? We have no one Book to live by. We have no Pope, no hierarchy of clergy. If justice comes from divine command, how do we Pagans hear that command? How do we decide as a group what is just? DO we decide as a group?

Earlier, I wrote about honor. Part of honor is considering what is just in a particular situation. Before we can act honorably, we have to first understand the concept of justice, then learn how to apply it in our lives.

The problem with justice is that historically, conceptions of justice have differed widely through time and by culture. So even as a so-called cardinal virtue, it is hard to pin down. At various times, conceptions of justice have been based upon divine command, natural law, brute force, desirable consequences, and occasionally, by consensus.

The dictionary doesn't have much to say about justice, defining it as "the quality of being just, impartial, or fair". Thanks, Websters! Several more sources talk about a court system. The majority of definitions are recursive; they have the word "just" or "justice" in them.

The synonyms are more illuminating: fairness, justness, fair play, fair-mindedness, equity, evenhandedness, impartiality, objectivity, neutrality, disinterestedness, honesty, righteousness, morals, morality (source: Google).

There are a couple of common themes among all this diversity: consideration of the needs of the group and basic morals.

Here's where I think Contemporary Paganism* can shine: we are encouraged to look within and know ourselves. When we do this, and truly confront our issues, examine our biases and learn about other people, other cultures, and gain a reasonable perspective of the world's history and humanity's place in it...justice is something you feel.

Forming a personal sense of justice can thus be said to consist of:

• Self-study
• Sorting out personal baggage
• Broad knowledge of peoples and culture
• Understanding of history & the role of humanity in it

What I'm proposing, essentially, is that any mature, reasonably self-aware person with a basic education ought to be able to feel what is right and what is wrong.

Contemporary Paganism also facilitates direct experience. In my humble opinion, it's hard to harbor too many crazy beliefs, or to stomach injustice, when one has directly communed with or experienced the Divine.

I'm not a big fan of divine command as a system of morality, because that implies specific information that has been written down, interpreted, re-interpreted ad infinitum and crystallized into dogma. And let's be real: when we talk about divine command as a system of thought, we are generally referring to some form of Judeo-Christianity**.

No offense meant, truly: but some of those ideas are real stinkers. There is no way I will ever agree with a system that devalues half of the population due to gender, another chunk for their sexual orientation, followers of every other religion, and possibly others due to ethnic background.

Having said that, most religions do have in common a loving, creative deity and/or divine force. Certainly, my experience supports this viewpoint. And being in tune with that force is to value things like harmony, equality, fairness...wait a minute. We're back to synonyms for justice again.

Lastly, Contemporary Paganism is in itself a model for justice as a means to serve the needs of a group. Our population is incredibly diverse. Most of us are minorities in some way, whether it be our lifestyle, sexual orientation, gender identity or just by virtue of being followers of a non-mainstream religious path. We believe in magic. We live in harmony with the Earth. We tend to be, well, a bit colorful. As a result, our community is extremely tolerant. No matter how fringe-y, no matter how strange, we’re all part of the circle in the Pagan community.

Self-study, self-awareness, a healthy perspective on the world and other cultures, tolerance, direct experience - these are things that Contemporary Paganism can add to the conversation about justice.

But what is our common ground of morality? The Rede is common – “so long as it harms none, do as you will”. The Threefold Law or Universal Law of Attraction is another widespread idea – that which you put out returns to you, often magnified. The Asatru path puts a lot of value on honor, keeping one’s oaths and family. Druids get philosophical about morality, questioning and considering what amounts to a way of balance, much like the Middle Way of Buddhism.

Think about it. What do you consider just? What is right? What is wrong? Do you think it’s all relative? How should we go about deciding what justice means as the Pagan community?

I propose that we come together. At conferences, at workshops, at rituals, at Pagan Pride Days, on your blogs and in forums. Let’s talk about it. Over coffee, tea or green smoothies, let’s hash it out.

Recently, I read a moving book by Starhawk – The Fifth Sacred Thing. She’s created a society that is so very beautiful a vision. It's a dream of what could be...a society in which the needs of the Earth, including the land and waters, animals and plants, is taken into account along with the needs of human beings. A society in which all races, cultures and religions are honored. Just go read it.

Check in with your heart. Go to the quiet, still place within and listen. In there, we know what is right and what is wrong. Feel it.





*Buddhism, gnosticism, hermeticism and other such paths as well
**And we in this context would be philosophical academics, most likely.

Honor

Honor is an often misunderstood and sometimes misused concept with a mixed reputation. Historically, those who claimed to live honorably have used their power for both good and evil. The Arthurian legends tell of medieval knights whose entire lives were dedicated to honor. They used their martial prowress and personal virtues to protect others and uphold justice. Renaissance era knights inspired by Arthurian codes of conduct also perpetuated horrific crimes during the Crusades. Samurai are another tradition of fiercely honorable warriors devoted to their ideals. When their aristocratic masters were just, this was a beautiful and effective thing. If not, not so much. On the more brutal end of the spectrum, there are also so-called "honor killings" of innocent female children in places like Yemen.

This points out an essential conflict with perceptions of honor. There are actually two concepts involved: honor and face.

Face is what many people mistake for honor. Face is about social standing and how one is ranked in the pecking order of the community. It is about what other people think of one's actions and reactions. The Yemeni father who killed his 15 year old daughter was far more concerned with face than he was with honor. He was worried about his daughter's reputation, and how that reflected on him. In this tribe's twisted way of thinking, he would "lose honor" if his daughter was even accused of being involved in anything improper before marriage. As if her alleged action could grant or revoke any of his honor.

Honor is about who you are and how you live your life. Honor cannot be taken from or granted to you. You must earn it. Every day, with every choice you make. What others think of your choices is not all that important, in the grand scheme of things. But what you yourself think of your choices is very important. Being authentic is powerful - each choice must resonate with rightness to your soul, to your innermost being.

To determine honorable action in any given situation, you must:

1. Weigh the situation for justice.
2. Determine your obligation.
3. Formulate appropriate action.

To put it another way, honor is also about living up to a code of ethics, or living in alignment with personal values.

I think that especially as Pagans, whether we walk the warrior way or not, it's important to have a good sense for what your underlying values are and to live with honor. We are, after all, working magic, which is a big responsibility. Some of us, like myself, follow the Rede: 'and it harm none, do as you will'. That's pretty wide open. Not harming another doesn't always cover every situation. And what about those who don't live by the Rede? What code or ideal do you believe in?

My point goes back to the theme of cultural creation that I have been discussing lately on this blog. We're a relatively new (old) faith. We have the opportunity and duty to make it something wondrous and life-ehancing. But really, we can do anything. There is no central authority or ancient text. We are responsible for our actions. We and we alone.

Taking inventory of our beliefs and values is the first step. What do you believe? Where did that belief come from, and does it still serve you? Is it in the highest good of all? 

Step two is to examine those beliefs and then make any needed adjustments. Perhaps your old beliefs were part of a lower level of understanding, or were reactions to trauma that you experienced. Perhaps they are remnants of the faith in which you were raised, or simply common to your community. Inherited beliefs can be a beautiful thing, anchoring us with deep roots. But even these must be examined in the light of day with open eyes.

When tweaking values or beliefs, it's always a good idea to see if your beliefs support positive interaction in your family and community. Maybe you value acceptance - that's a belief that protects and nourishes you as well as others. Equality, tolerance, respect for all living things...all of these types of values are life-ehancing and supportive.

It's also a good idea to revisit values regularly. We all have obligations in life, appropriate to our age and abilities. No ageism intended here, merely pointing out that our role in life changes with age. As our roles change, the values that support our ability to meet our obligations will therefore need to continue to evolve and grow as well. 

After you've inventoried, examined and perhaps adjusted, it's time to act. Keep your code of honor handy, and refer to it when situations come up. Remember the guidelines of honor: justice, obligation and appropriate action. Breathe and just act! 

Protip: Honor is action, not dillydally, delay and inaction. Refusing to make a choice is, in itself, a choice.

Honor has been my path for many years. I have walked the warrior way for most of my life. I can remember being in kindergarten and already, protecting others was just part of the day's work for me. Official bee stomper, bully confronter and authority defier....that's me, always looking out for an underdog, or for a friend. I don't recall it ever seeming strange; it was just something I did. 

Later when I began to train in martial arts, I learned the values of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit. In studying Yoga, I learned the Yamas and Niyamas, with such values as contentment (santosha) and non-violence (ahimsa). Throughout my life I studied philosophy, history and world religion, with all of its codes of conduct, philosophies, rules, manifestos, guidelines and laws. 

Years and years of service to the community through mentorship, teaching, training, studying and volunteer work have taught me something very simple about honor. I'm not capable of living any other way. When I look in the mirror, I have to be able to meet my own eye. To like the person I see there. To know that I've done the best I could. To know that I have walked with honor.