Respect

As Andrew has been saying, "The cards are being shuffled". The world has gone a little topsy turvy, hasn't it? So much has changed, so much is still changing; and what do humans dislike the most? Change. Most people do their very best to avoid any type of change, even positive change. This pandemic is a beautiful, ironic reckoning in many ways, especially in regards to creating an environment in which change is simply unavoidable.

Change creates fear. Fear creates stress. Stress and fear cut off our connection to Spirit. There are a lot of people who are afraid, stressed, and disconnected right now; and you've likely felt yourself slipping into a lower state of consciousness during this time. All this stress, fear, and disconnection has lead to a surge in unconscious herd mentality.

Anger. Judgment. Blame. Delusion. Panic. Separatism. Diminishment. Mockery.... generally ugly human qualities are abound.

Due to this ever so exciting behavior, a lot of people are feeling disrespected; but are we all clear on what respect is?

Just like love, respect has some purely perceptional definitions attached to it. For instance, lust is not love, adoration is not love, only love is love; but people have perceptions and expectations on how love "should" look. People have perceptions and expectations on how respect "should" look. "Should's" and "Should not's" are about as real as Santa Claus, everyone. It's best to not live in a world of "should's" and "should not's", because that world is not real.

Respect itself deserves representation without mincing words, and I am not going to. The level of disrespect being shown by the human collective (leaders included) is swiftly reaching critical mass, and the possible future karmic reaction is looking fairly dire; but, lucky for us, the future doesn't exist. We can take steps to avoid negative karmic reactions. We're magical like that. Change starts from within, change starts with the individual; and you can positively influence the collective by exuding your light.

Cassandra often says that "life is a game of opposites", so in discussing what respect IS, let's first look at what it is NOT.

Agreeing with someone is not respect. Disagreeing with someone is not disrespect.

Not speaking your mind to someone is not respect. Speaking your mind to someone is not disrespect.

Diminishing yourself is not respect. Maintaining confidence in one's ideals is not disrespect.

Hiding who you are so as not to offend people isn't respect. Proudly being who you are even though it does offend people isn't disrespect.

Liking someone is not respect. Disliking someone is not disrespect.

Respect is not something to be given to only certain people (elders, leaders, authorities), respect is for everyone.

In listening and observation, I have noticed that people seem to believe disagreements, opinions, confidence, and free will are all forms of disrespect; and this belief is causing a lot of disharmony.

Some people say that respect is not gifted, it is earned; and I used to agree, but I don't anymore. Every human deserves love and respect, and every human is capable of giving love and respect to everyone. Love is a universal law, and universal lesson. It is every person's purpose to learn the giving and receiving of love... in every life.

If one looks at the definition of respect: a deep admiration of someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements; and due regards for the feelings, wishes, and traditions of others ... It really doesn't seem very hard to show respect.

I can find deep admiration for anyone's qualities. Everyone has admirable qualities. Just having the courage to reincarnate during 2020 is an admirable quality, really. Gold stars for everyone alive!

I can politely regard the feelings, wishes, and traditions of others; but this element of respect is where most people get stuck. For the record, in permanent honest ink, I couldn't always politely regard the feelings, wishes, and traditions of others. There were certain feelings, wishes, and traditions that triggered the ever-loving hell out of me for a very long time; but I learned to dissolve those triggers in a journey towards releasing my judgment of others. This journey wasn't easy- there were potholes, flat tires, rain storms, and a few collisions; but I wouldn't trade that journey for anything, because it cleared out SO much disharmony, and made space for peace. Give peace a chance.

Why do we get so stuck giving due regards to others' feelings, wishes, and traditions? Because we are taught to be afraid. We are taught to think like victims. We are taught to believe that there are "teams", and the team we're on is the best. We are taught we have to defeat the other teams to win. We are taught winning is everything. We are taught lies, and we carry on believing them, blinding ourselves to truth.

Of course there must be boundaries, laws, and limits with regards to what feelings, wishes, and traditions are allowed. It's not mindful to allow someone who feels they should be able to kill people to run amok. It's not beneficial to allow someone who wishes to harass others to carry on treating people cruelly. It's inhumane to allow certain traditions to perpetuate, such as sacrifices. Boundaries must be created to avoid danger. With that said, people have begun reacting to certain people's basic feelings as if they are as inhumane as murder and harassment- like someone not liking who you voted for... let it go.

I want to offer you a challenge: Set the intention to be respectful to everyone, work towards dissolving your judgment of others, and practice non-interference (not intentionally causing or trying to cause someone to do something they otherwise would not have.)

You can find something to admire in anyone, and you can give due regards to others' feelings, wishes, and traditions.

For instance:

You can give due regards to black people feeling fed up with being mistreated; and you can admire their courage to speak out.

You can give due regards to small business owners who feel frustrated their business was destroyed in riots, and you can admire their pleads for their livelihood to be protected.

You can give due regards to someone's feelings about masks, shut downs, and anything else- their feelings are not yours, their feelings do not have to be like yours.

You can give due regards to someone who felt it was best to vote for someone you did not.

You can admire something in someone you do not like.

You can be respectful towards disrespectful people.

No if's, and's, or but's.

You can dissolve judgment, and make space for peace.