Dear David,
Your meditations (on the stairway to Heaven) are much like a poetic plea for tolerance, to which I certainly agree. At the heart of your faith is an absolute faith that God is good. Again I heartily agree.

Your urging called to mind the famous quip about Richard Nixon, 'Now there's a man out of touch with his body!' If as you say we shouldn't urge people to change the course they're already on, how do we overturn racial segregation in the South (the great accomplishment of the Sixties), how do we suggest to people to get in touch with their bodies? Will they if we tell them how good it feels? First, I suppose we have to gain their trust. How do we do that? That's my only perplexity!

All the best,
John

Thanks for you kind and perceptive remarks, I will attempt to answer your questions,

If as you say we shouldn't urge people to change the course they're already on, how do we overturn racial segregation in the South (the great accomplishment of the Sixties),

All individuals justify their behavior as good or at least the best course of action that is available to them. Evil does not recognize itself as evil but as good and right. When both sides of an argument or position see themselves as good and right and the other as evil, misguided or wrong, both sides resist the other to the end.

Your question has within it, the assumption that proper behavior must be enforced and is more desirable than realization, enlightenment or merger with God.
You live in a city, (Florence, Italy) that is overrun with tourists from all over the world, why? 500 years ago, a small group of sensitive souls, made the celebration of beauty, design and the arts, the primary enjoyment in their lives. They had the means to pay for them and caused the minds of the more conscious people, to devote themselves to the creation and celebration of beauty. Their creations continue to inspire the world 500 years later. They inspire us to raise our minds above conflicts, above right and wrong and cause us to contemlpate the infinite that is accessible through divine form, structure and beauty.

Inspiration is what causes man to change, not struggle and conflict. Sure there is a winner in conflict and the victor is able to impose his will on the conquered, but that is not the type of change that allows for a redemption of our consciousness, to the realms of the divine, that brings all true joy. In short, you lead by example. You show how life can be when harmony is chosen, when beauty is chosen, when grace and compassion are chosen. When excelence is choses. It only took a small group, to change a city, that changed an era of history, that makes us wonder 500 years later, why is the entire world not like this?

It begins with one person, choosing excellence and perfection. Then enjoying the rewards of his creations which inspire those around him to similarly to strive for the exceptional.

Those who embrace conflict have plenty to play their game with.
Are we not better off contemplating the state of mind that facilitated Michelangelo's works and what he connected with?
There will always be evil to fight and wrongs to be righted. but who is to judge of which they are and what is the most important thing to fight? There are opposing views to every position and only the victor gets to write the history of the triumph over the evil of the conqered.
So do you fight evil or celebrate the divine, that is occasionally manifest in life?
Celebrate? Then, find out how you can connect with and contribute to, the realization of the divine. Which is the only thing that will end all conflicts, by the inspiration, and the harmony that is absolutely compelling to everyone in divine perfection.

how do we suggest to people to get in touch with their bodies? Will they if we tell them how good it feels? First, I suppose we have to gain their trust. How do we do that? That's my only perplexity!

I have wondered the same thing for myself, as I have resisted the body for decades and found that the body when ignored, becomes a barrier to, connection with the divine. For the body is the filter through which we perceive reality. So for me to accomplish my goal of merger with the divine, I have to follow the instructions that the divine gives, when asked or stay at my current level of consciousness.
It may sound egotistical, but again example is the best way to inspire and I for my path must now confront what is required to perfect the body, to the point that the body itsself is a living inspiration. That path is the death of the ego and the desire and allowance of God to use the body as a temple and vehicle for the expression of the divine in the realm of the physical.

It is difficult for me to stay grounded in reality when I contemplate these things as the divine is always ready to welcome the sincere seeker. However, I have been fully involved in right wrong, good, evil positions myself and the transition back to my normal reality is often quite painful and so I have been deleting my connections with those who want to fight about anything, so that my normal reality is closer to what I experience in meditation.

Having abused my body for so long, if I am successful in making the transition to relative perfection, my example may be inspiring enough to be used as an example of how to get in touch with your body. Others will only trust by seeing the results of change that they admire. Which is how you gain their trust by showing verifiable, dramatic results.


Regards,

Immanuall

I had never given the subject of segregation and forced integration any thought before
and I had some more comments as I considered the subject.
thanks for your indulgence.

Why do birds of a feather, flock together?
They share a similar reality,
They hold similar values,
They are comfortable with each other.
They protect each other.
They are at home with each other, because they are the same.
Have you noticed the beauty of the flight of a flock of birds, flying as one in unison?

Integration happens naturally when the parties have:
shared values
shared ideals
shared morality
and shared ideology.

When two or more groups of people are sharing the same space,
With widely divergent and firmly held views,
You end up with the middle east.
They should be separated or they will kill each other.
Even though each group is beautiful,
has high ideals
loves their family, friends and community.
They hate each other to the death.

In this instance the proper thing to do is to
allow each group to separate from the others and congregate
with those that they feel comfortable with.

Each group should be allowed to self govern, on their own land, according to their own values, without interference.
Do this and most conflicts will end.
You do not fight and kill those that you agree with, that you feel are the same as you.
Individuals could freely migrate between any group or society as long as they respect and obey the rules of the society that they choose to live in.


The relative success of each philosophy would soon be apparent. With the groups granting the greatest freedom to their members, achieving the greatest success.
The other, less successful groups with freedom to choose badly, without suppression.
Will then change for the better, in imitation of the more successful groups.
or not as they choose. Some may choose degradation, or other poor choices. But they must be allowed to.
Free choice and free association, is the point with absence of control from other groups.
Free people naturally choose to be good, to improve their lives to the best of their ability and knowledge.

God does not struggle, fight, and exert control over others and neither should his people, if they desire to be like unto God.
More freedom, results in more success for all.

Regards,

Immanuall