An open letter from New Horizons Founder and Executive Director, Anastasia Rosen-Jones
Dear Readers,
This is a critical time for American citizens and those, beyond our shores, who are impacted by us.
So here I am this morning, wanting from the deepest place inside of me to tell whomever will listen that, as a survivor of the Watergate era, one of the most important things I learned, as one of my many lessons from Watergate, is that now, more than ever --
“American citizens must turn to their neighbors and co-workers, family and friends with the intention of building bridges to overcome whatever separates.
At times like this we desperately need one another and the unity among citizens, especially in times of turmoil, for which our country has generally stood.”Richard Nixon, as our president, did not drive a wedge, between neighbors, friends or family, or at least not a very big one. And not for very long. It was a different time and different game rules seem to have interrupted his time of coercion.
Yet, as American citizens, those of us who lived through Watergate became increasingly aware, through the ordeal of it, how lying and corruption can harm our country. Among other things, lying and corruption can separate us. And, both independently and together, they interfere with necessary problem solving on many fronts.
For example, how can we truly solve our immigration problems, without being reliably fact-based?
Yet, can there be times when, at least the lying part of this pair, might be the better way?
We will look at the many facets of this issue in the future. Scholars have been debating the question for ages. But for now, let us simply stick to the social and political aspects, as we are living them out now, in our country.
I don't necessarily believe that our current president is the reason for the rampant alienation, from one another, running, presently, throughout our country.
However lies, the obstructing of truth being uncovered and reality dealt with, no matter who interferes with it, whatever it is, do keep us apart.
So here it is!
The United States of America is possibly less united now than at any other time since the Civil War of the 1850s.
In fact, in some ways we are in the midst of a civil war right now!
This is why, at this time, it is imperative that we take the initiative to put the lessons to good use that have been learned from the Watergate era, especially the cost to us all of lying and corruption in government.
Among these lessons is that while lying and corruption do not work well in relationships, as a rule, they can wreak total and complete havoc on an entire country, such as is happening now, when embedded in the very nature of an administration.
Carl Bernstein, the seasoned journalist, who was one of the team of Woodward and Bernstein, uncovering the sordid details of Watergate, tells us to "follow the money" to get to the core of the crises we are facing, now, under the current administration.
Instinctively, many of today’s journalists, being of the media field and having been schooled by Woodward and Bernstein, directly or otherwise, also know to look for the lies and relentlessly keep exposing them.
This is what journalists -- and -- investigators such as Robert Mueller can and are doing.
What needs to be done, now, however, is not something we should solely rely on these people to shoulder.
You, too, can help the effort to re-stabilize our country by taking up the task of “being” – and – therefore, also role modeling, and doing everything you can to bring truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth into your daily lives, beginning right now!
If this is already an active, day-by-day conscious principle of yours, do it even more than before by looking for additional opportunities to bring honest dialogue into your life in areas where you might not have done so previously.
This is something you can do, with no outlay of money that, in the long run, will help us all. All you need to accomplish this is just, simply, yourself -- and -- your own best intentions to be the peace you desire.
This will help you begin to offset the craziness enveloping the American people, the "hysteria" Bob Woodward has been speaking of, the hysteria gripping many in this chaotic, frightening era we are now living through.
(If how great results can come of this simple, direct effort, truth telling, is not yet clear to you and it may not be, I will bring you more and more details to make my point in days to come.)
For example, after the presidential election of 2016, I began making a deliberate effort to reach out to people who I thought might have voted differently from myself, an Independent, and inquire of them how they decided on their voting choices.
At first some people seemed to resist my query, being a bit defensive. But after I persisted and showed sincerity and good faith in trying to learn what was important to them, it was amazing how many people opened up and shared things with me they acknowledged having been fearful to share before.
This is not quite the same as breaking through the barriers created by out and out deceptions. However it does illustrate what bridge building looks like which is an important part of what we need to be after establishing.
Consider, again, the messages of Gandhi and Ben Franklin and Jesus I recently reminded readers about several days ago. Then, reflect on where you think lying and truthfulness fit into their words of wisdom, if they are not yet self-evident.
Gandhi stated --
“We do best to begin by carving out territories or zones of peace in our personal relations where violence and deceit won’t be used.”Benjamin Franklin stressed --
"We must all hang together or most assuredly we will all hang separately"?And in the Bible, in the Gospel of Mark 3:25, Jesus states --
"And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand."These values, incorporating integrity and truth telling, are ideals that people everywhere generally strive to uphold, as they are fundamental aspects of community, unity and peace.
Why not now?
Have you ever heard the philosophy that “The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth will set you free?”
Does this not make sense to you, even moderately?
Learn to live this TRUTH, with increasing commitment and involvement, every day, in both small and large ways.
Truth, deepest truths, spoken to others open up dialogue and conversations that help YOU build resilience in yourself and strengthens bonds with others, a crucial element for getting through these tough times.
I am doing more of my own truth-telling, in refined ways, since I began, in September, to revitalize New Horizons Truth Or Dare GAME. When I took up that project, in September, I was incredibly stressed.
I had found myself feeling inordinately mistreated by the lack of truthfulness and accountability I had experienced from some of the members of the ITAA (International Transactional Analysis Association), especially their Ethics Committee (EC), in their handling of the Ethics Complaint I had made.
At the worst points in this ordeal, I was actually hungering, almost to the point of feeling as if I were starving, to be back in a space, with people I knew I could count on to hold similar values and corresponding practices, regarding truthfulness, as myself.
New Horizons Truth Squad was it!
I believed I was strong in the area of being consciously truthful before, but I am even more so now.
I pride myself on my transparency, but there is always room to improve!
Now, because I am getting regular practice, as I had been doing at an earlier time (1976 -- 2oo2), in doing this with others, New Horizons Truth Squad Members, who are similarly committed to absolute truth telling in compassionate, diplomatic ways, I am speaking with more specifics than I might be otherwise.
I am slowing down with my communicating, too. And, in ways that are feeling particularly good, I am sharing extra bits and pieces of information about me, these days. I had been holding back things, for no particular reason. Now I am more forthcoming.
If you read my Anastasia The Storyteller blogs you might even notice subtle differences in my blog writings since the New Year. That is when I began to notice the changes in me. Now, in retrospect I can see the beginnings of this change, going back to September when we played New Horizons first “new” Truth Or Dare GAME.
Write me, if you notice, care to comment on how you see me changing, or would like to share your experiences with me. My email is --
MountainWomanRJ@aol.com
Even the best of us can get a bit sloppy, these days, with our truth-telling of the whole truth and nothing but the truth communications. Especially when so many demands pull at us, prompt us to shortcut what we say, sometimes we can cross a line in to non-truths.
Remember the time you told a co-worker or friend, “I was just going to return your call,” when in actuality you had forgotten all about that call from him/her?
Did you realize, then, that you were actually telling a lie?
A vision of mine that I have been speaking of more and more, recently, is my prophecy, however it can be accounted for.
It has guided my life to this moment where I am energetically, along with the New Horizons Board Of Directors, intent on creating an active Truth-telling Movement. So here I am now, coming forth from something that is a dream of mine.
You, too, possibly have dreams of improving the world in which you live. Truth and integrity are likely a part of those dreams.
Anne Frank spoke of that yearning when she stated –
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait another moment before starting to improve the worldTruth-telling, enhanced in small and large ways can help raise your daily living up a notch to better help the world improve. It is truly doing that to my life.
I’ve been at it, consciously, as well as making a point to teach it, in refined ways, for over forty-five years. Thus I know, for sure, that I need this as a part of my best living!
You need truth telling, too, as a part of your regular diet, so as not to allow the craziness enveloping us to pull you down into its SWAMP. The SWAMP is dirty and crazy making.
Truth and clarity, conversely, ground us in reality, the place from which we are most likely to create and sustain healthy living.
Need to enhance your truth-telling skill development?
New Horizons Truth Or Dare GAME is the place to learn, grow and transform the darkness of non-truth-telling into light!
Find out how you can play. You can do this by writing me at the address above.
Also, I, Anastasia, The Super Sleuth, am available to personally guide you, your group or organization in reaching your next highest attainment level in this area, on the way to awe, the best possible destination for a human.
Check us out!
No comments:
Post a Comment