I’m with Elvis Costello, at least when it comes to wondering what ever happened to the idea we should be living in peace. I really don’t know how much it was likely to catch on, but it seemed the be on the lips and minds of an awful lot of folks when I was young.
I suppose to a large degree that movement was co-opted into conforming to the needs of controlled opposition. But not everyone forget what openness and acceptance of others tasted like, and they never bought into the agenda. They never bought into the idea the world could only be a better place if everyone was on the same sheet of music. They never bought into the mythology of materialism and concrete results.
I recall a few genuine hippies saying each of us has to find our own peace, or we can’t offer peace to anyone else. However much they were misguided on some things, they were true mystics in that sense. Like everything else in this world, the majority of those participating were just buying into the fashion and trappings, not the philosophy. They said the words and sang the songs, but never really believed in giving folks room to explore their own inner space. If you don’t find it within, no one can bring it to you.
So much I agree with and teach, in part with my exploration of Christian Mysticism. The Three Pillars part could easily be seen in the title of this post. If you are committed to truth, you’ll have peace. If you are empathetic, you’ll have love for others. If you aren’t entangled, aren’t focused on measurable results, you’ll understand when others have trouble meeting anyone’s expectations.
When you embrace these things, you become a part of the one biggest threat to human governments everywhere. People who are truly free inside can’t be enslaved on the outside. What’s so funny about that?
