Self-Righteous, Righteous, and Beyond
A manifesto of righteous poetic rage:
‘You are shaking the hive. Prepare for the swarm.’
—Margaret Anna Alice, Letter to a Tyrant
A manifesto of righteous religious conscience:
‘I call upon rulers, political and religious leaders, intellectuals and all people of good will, inviting them to unite in an Alliance that launches an anti-globalist manifesto, refuting point-by-point the errors and deviations of the dystopia of the New World Order and proposing concrete alternatives for a political program inspired by the common good, the moral principles of Christianity, traditional values, the protection of life and the natural family, the protection of business and work, the promotion of education and research, and respect for Creation.’ — Archbishop Viganò: Global Appeal for Anti-Globalist Alliance Against the New World Order
The difference between the terms “righteous” and “self-righteous” is revealing. Where the plain word is identified with moral virtue, the compound reeks of virtue-signaling. Where “righteous” is truly moral, in service to others, self-righteous is self-serving, smug, and more concerned with status than truth.
It’s a fine line, if you believe you’re one but perceived as the other. And the more righteous one is, the more the demeaning perception “self-righteous” will grow among those who think you’re wrong and they’re right (and righteous).
Ultimately it’s a secondary issue, albeit an important one. Appearance counts, and personality matters when discussing public issues. But being right—on the right side of reality—is the main thing. It’s not about the messenger, but the message. That goes for one’s own motivation as a truth-teller, as well as the integrity of a civil debate. Yet in this human drama where “the medium is the message,” we are simultaneously the medium. If we speak truth to power, our power must be of the truth itself, and not of personal aggrandizement or reward.
Too often, in the muck and slander of politics (and especially today’s toxic censorship and cancel culture), the righteous will be crucified however stalwart and morally upright they are. If their record is spotless, the smear can simply be invented, or attached via a tenuous chain of association. We’ve seen such a campaign relentlessly carried out not only in the usual manner in politics, but now against every dissenting voice in medicine, science, education, and more. Where any shred of truth is uttered, the witch-hunting fake factcheckers are sure to follow.
The moral is: don’t fret too much over self-righteous, in yourself or others. Just be righteous. And demand it certainly of anyone who deigns to tell us what we can and cannot do.
‘We know what the next step is, each of us. It is letting go of grudges. It is letting go of self-righteousness. It is standing in reverence for each other. We might takes sides, but we don’t source our identity from it, because our true identity draws from a deeper spring. All are welcome to drink of it.’ —Charles Eisenstein, The Human Family
The deeper problem, even with well-meaning righteousness, is that it’s polarizing. It sets up the irresolvable conflict between right and wrong, good and evil. Taking sides, each party believes it holds truth and righteousness, and the other side is evil, speaking lies.
On the path of righteousness, there is no shortage of enemies to target and labels to apply. Take your pick: the CIA, Satan, Globalists, ETs, Archons, Psychopaths, Alpha white males, Predators, Parasites, the CCP, the Vatican, the US military, the Deep State, the WEF, Bill Gates, the Queen, the Committee of 300, the Bilderbergers, Zionists, the Mossad, Islam, Capitalism, Soros, Fascism, Communism, the Jesuits, Black Rock & Vanguard, Agenda 21…
The sheer proliferation of such negativities is a clue that the fight is infinite and eternal, a product of our own projecting Shadow into “real life.” Righteous or not, do we spend the rest of our days tracing spider webs, strand upon strand, into deeper caves of darkness? What is darker than absence of light?
From there, we can open our eyes to rays of light. Beyond self-righteousness, we can let righteousness go too, because it’s only another projection of self. Letting go of plots and stories, protagonists and antagonists, heroes and villains, we can open to joy and wonder, creativity, insight, clarity, inspiration, spontaneous enthusiasm. Invoking what oracle card maker Rudy Hexter* calls The Golden Compass, we take direction from the heart’s wisdom to strengthen the evolutionary will of the planet—not with the polarizing paradigm of righteousness, but with innocence, receptivity, illumination, clear vision, and creative potential.
[*Note: Rudy recently suffered a life-threatening injury; here’s how you can help.]
Power vs. Force
‘The universe holds its breath as we choose, instant by instant, which pathway to follow; for the universe, the very essence of life itself, is highly conscious. Every act, thought, and choice adds to a permanent mosaic; our decisions ripple through the universe of consciousness to affect the lives of all.’ —David R. Hawkins, Power vs. Force
The Evolution of the Soul
We think we live by forces we control, but in fact we are governed by power from unrevealed sources, power over which we have no control. —David R. Hawkins, Power vs. Force
The realm of human drama is ruled by the struggle between competing emotions. The competition is driven by different personalities and agendas, between groups, between individuals, and within the psychic landscape of a given character (including our own). In addition to our personal, social, and political motivations, both conscious and unconscious, there are deeper forces at work (or play), fueling the progress of human evolution, which is to say, of the evolution of the soul.
Following the archetypal stages of the seven chakras of the human energy system (aligned on the kundalini channel of the spine), we can simplify the stages of personal and collective evolution, with a sequence that typifies many a drama enacted on stage or screen, or perhaps in the theatre of our dreams. It might even be considered an itinerary to enlightenment.
Lust
Driven, obsessed, insatiable. The reptile slithers home here, with no apology. It’s the way of the world, in raw fecundity.
Jealousy
Possessed: it’s all about the other. Desire, blame. The end and beginning of all suffering. Drama’s nourishment; intrigue’s pantry.
Conspiracy
Talking heads… on what they hope is a secure channel. But nothing in this hairy horde of ape-brained primates is safe from chatter.
Compassion
Heart rises, swells, forgives, gives peace. Heart connects, though hands and heads divide. Heart heals mercifully, loves all, unconditional.
Expression
All the welter of life’s charmed tragedy swirls in this blender, poured on a canvas of old ship sails, stitched together with intent: because.
Conscience
A higher power calls, is heard. It pulls us closer. We tow behind a raft of worries, unfathomable dreams. Releasing, we lift our wings to flight.
Soul
Not this form; not that. A reward without reckoning, a sentence fulfilled. This time, for good. This time, leaving nothing out. All that is, all in.
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Now available in one volume, Nowick Gray’s collected essays from The New Agora, 2019-21.
Metapolitical: Practicing Our Human Future, by Nowick Gray
Facing an accelerating war on humanity, we break free of the narrative box of the old paradigm, and reject hierarchical power, for the sake of our sovereign human future.
Nowick Gray’s fiction and creative nonfiction crosses genre boundaries and bends categories, with unconventional characters on the margins of society, exploring the heart of nature and authentic human being (see NowickGray.com). Nowick is a regular contributor to The New Agora and also offers perspectives and resources for alternative culture and African drumming. He helps other writers as a freelance copyeditor at HyperEdits.com.
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image credits:
(feature) shaman: Ricardo Chargingbear
memes: Kim Usbourne
normal: Jim Quinn
Schwab: WEF
villains: Mike Whitney/Kim Usbourne
bank: facebook
frame: Nowick Gray
power/force: David Hawkins
chakras: Nowick Gray
life: Nowick Gray
Meanwhile, standing watch, between the highway and the houses, is a thin margin of trees. No more than two or three wide, modest size, with sparse underbrush. They make no comment as I pass, on foot. Or I cannot hear them over the swish of tires, the hum of wires.
… a Jewish person took offense to the comparison, and then the silliness began.
me: “What a great example of gaslighting as a strategy to further divide victims of oppression. None have a monopoly on virtuous victimhood. The solution is not for marginalized subgroups to attack each other, but to find solidarity and mutual support in fighting all the forms of oppression against humanity.”
As polite Canadians and privileged Americans we are not used to the burden of social activism. We’d prefer to play by the rules, as we were instructed from day one of our school-regimented and media-indoctrinated youth. With government overreach tearing apart the tissue of our everyday lives, however, and meanwhile legislatures on hold and the legal system overwhelmed, we are left with no recourse but the proverbial torches and pitchforks. Here are a few exmples of grassroots action and personal courage in speaking out against tyranny:
The trees grow and bulge, pregnant with possibility. They hold utter silence. They abide the roar of a distant jet, tarnishing the soundscape of literal tweets. Yes, what a concept. Living birdflesh, now on a wash of tires on the road. The green light redeems. The palette satisfies. The insect undertones enlighten. Oxygen pervades the ineffable air. We need to know this. The wisdom of the native elders, seven generations before conquest. Before Vikings, Romans, Mongols, Huns. Not to go back there, but to find out and remember what we can give to the seven generations to come.
“And so begins the epic conflict; a tale as old as civilization itself. There are two types of people in this world: Those that want to control others, and those that want to be left alone…. At this point it is going to be us, or them. They will not stop their pursuit of dominion and we will not comply, so we are at an impasse. Our two tribes cannot coexist within the same society, maybe not even the same planet.
Playing or working with others, ideally we get to choose, among whom we can grow in respect and develop trust. Or such groups choose themselves, organically. Musical group or community, even a family we’re born to, requires that mutuality, ongoing. The roots of love and common trunk hold widening branches in one living tree.
Walking in nature, down a long trail or a country road, thoughts take the pace of the whole organism, who you are, in the sovereign moment. Thought by thought follows step by step… or you can pick up the pace, even try to outrun them. Thoughts will follow, but for a while you’re in the lead, running free.