Self-respect, empowerment important for all
I missed hearing these two words in the Just Society presentations at the Cowichan Community Centre on March 28: “Honour” (Love) and “Respect”, (especially “Self-Respect”).
In 1948, at the age of 17, I joined the Royal Canadian Navy (Reserve) and was introduced to nicotine and alcohol. Nicotine was available at ten cents for a pack of 20 cigarettes, and alcohol was available at ten cents for a glass of beer.
Many years later, when my wife and four children kicked me out of their family, I became suicidal and was committed to the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in Toronto. I don’t know how long I was there, but I eventually learned how to make them believe that I was cured.
One afternoon in Cole’s bookstore, I came across a book, The Magic of Findhorn, about a green and spiritual community in Northern Scotland. I planned to take my three weeks’ vacation at the Findhorn community and, on my first evening there, I learned that their objective was not to cure me, but to empower me. I was empowered to create my own reality, filled with love and respect for all living entities (especially myself). This outlook has brought me much joy and happiness during the past 40 years.
My experiences have indicated to me that all living entities, including plants and animals, have the ability to sense the exchanges of, and respond to, the non-verbal attitudes, emotions and intentions of other living entities. I believe that it is very important to be aware of such non-verbal exchanges. The green-thumb gardener and the horse whisperer are examples of such awareness. They are empowering, not curing, other beings.
Robert Radford
Duncan
