July/August 1998
Articles on the theme "Pride & Prejudice"
Prejudice Can Kill
by Patrick Plaskett
Why is some pride good and some not
so good. What is the connection between pride and prejudice.
Loving Authority
by Barbara Bedingfield
Teaching children to become selfless individuals, having a sense of gratitude,
and able to show care and consideration for others.
The Same Only Different
by Bob Gonzalez
Of astral travel, contact with the
departed and the interpretation of dream symbols.
Random Acts of Kindness
by Rev. Pat Cross
Discarding human attitudes and recovering
our oneness with God and each other.
The Magic of Differences
by Judith Sherven PhD and James Sniechowski PhD
Maybe it is not what we have in common
but the differences that really make a relationship.
A Threat To Survival
by Cydné Su Battreall
A battle with cancer. How pride and
prejudice can get in the way of making rational decisions.
Forgiveness and Compassion
by David Simon
A discussion of the origins of pride
and prejudice, and the nurturing of their opposite attitudes: forgiveness
and compassion.
No Room for Pride or Prejudice
by Dr. Audrey Craft Davis
On the importance of being able to
stand alone as an individual, so that one can enjoy a relationship free
of pride or prejudice.
Unlimited Vision
by JoAnne Gregory
Freeing ourselves from the limitations
of restricted points of view to create a reality of our choice.
Personal Pride and Legal Prejudice
by Constance Felos
Dreams of the good life, earthly dreams,
bad dreams, possible dreams and the ultimate dream.
Too Much!
by David Findlay
How going to extremes leads to the
negative aspects pride and prejudice. Underlying roles and identities.
Other Feature Articles
Natural Health Q&A
by Elizabeth Fenton and Renee Gillombardo
The psychological and physical benefits
of walking, plus other factors that affect our mental health.
What is . . . Hypnosis
by Alvin Bartz PhD
What hypnosis is and what it isn't.
The benefits of hypnosis. Some common misconceptions.
Unlimited Vision
by JoAnne Gregory
In Jane Austen's novel Pride & Prejudice there is much discussion by her characters of the concepts from which the title is derived. The characters are largely concerned with manipulation of each other's perception in order to gain a more favorable social status, marry a richer man, have a more secure lifestyle, assure good standing for their offspring and so forth. The dramatic volumes resulting from her characterization of misunderstood feelings and poorly represented intentions have kept her readers enchanted for nearly two centuries. This being the case, it might be reasonable to assume that we can all identify with the need to represent ourselves accurately in order to understand one another and, in turn, have ourselves understood.
Misinterpretation is an enduring problem. We are all subject to our limited sensory perception. What could be viewed as vanity by one may be seen as a certain dignity by someone else. Since we are restricted by our individuality, true appreciation of another's point of view or emotional needs can only be achieved by embracing another's perspective.
The challenge is, of course, that we each see things so differently. Yet we tend to assume that everyone else is seeing things the same way that we do, or, worse, that anyone who doesn't see things in the same way is wrong. Pride and prejudice in action.
Getting out of limited vision is a required subject on the road to enlightenment. The "Seth" books published in the early 1970's were probably the first to broach the topic of the multi-dimensional personality. It seemed like such a phenomenal concept twenty-five years ago. Yet now, most people take for granted that reincarnation is a strong possibility. Aliens and UFO's are regular subjects for conjecture. It's not a big leap in thought to inter-dimensional reality. It would seem that consciousness has come a long way in a relatively short time.
But pride and prejudice are still with us and we all continue to struggle with the microcosmic events of everyday life. As long as there is human life on earth there will be challenges to meet and growth to pursue as well as creative expression to unfold. Remaining mindful that the only real authority each of us has is over our own attitudes and reactions to people and situations can be a challenge in itself.
There are many allegories that illustrate this. Here's one of my favorites:
A man had been traveling for quite some time when he came to a gate that marked the entrance of a village in the valley below. The man asked the gatekeeper, "What kind of a town is this?" The gatekeeper replied, "What kind of town did you come from?" The man said, "It was just awful. There was so much struggle. People were angry all the time. There was no peace. I couldn't wait to leave." The gatekeeper responded, "That's exactly what you'll find in this town." The man kept going and passed the town by. Another man approached the gatekeeper after having journeyed a very long way and asked, "What kind of a town is this?" Again, the gatekeeper questioned, "What kind of town did you come from?" The second man answered, "It was a wonderful place, full of joy and loving people. I truly enjoyed my time there. I just felt that it was time to move on." The gatekeeper said, "That's exactly the way that you will find this town." The man passed through the gate and began his new life in a state of joyfulness.
Creating our reality minute by minute means that we have the option to regard life from any point of view we choose. The ability to move freely in our creative existence has much to do with attitude, integrity and purity of intention. Surrendering prejudice (that which keeps us from fairly knowing one another) and pride (that which glorifies the ego and serves to separate us from each other) are essential ingredients in the creative process.
As we develop our spiritual selves we begin to see with new vision. A larger perspective begins to take hold and we can move out of the limited perspective of "I and mine" and into the larger "I AM" consciousness. The grand vision of the New Age begins to unfold and we begin to flourish as individuals instead of getting caught in a one-sided way of viewing our reality. Getting out of limited perception is a slow process, but then so is evolution. It's indeed an exciting stop on the road to Oneness.
JoAnne Gregory is the founder of the Celestial Research Company, dedicated to excellence in astrological research. She is a Minister of Spiritual Science, a Certified Intuitive Counselor and a Reiki Master. Odessa, Florida. (813) 920-2631. E-mail: Calder9@aol.com