07.30.06

a life lived whole

Posted in formation, leadership, learning at 9:31 am by len

Parker Palmer writes,

“The divided life comes in many and varied forms. To cite just a few examples, it is the life we lead when:

”? We refuse to invest ourselves in our work,
diminishing its quality and distancing ourselves from those it is meant to serve
”? We make our living at jobs that violate our basic values, even when survival does not absolutely demand it
”? We remain in settings or relationships that steadily kill off our spirit
”? We harbor secrets to achieve personal gain at the expense of other people
”? We hide our beliefs from those who disagree with us to avoid conflict, challenge, and change
”? We conceal our true identities for fear of being criticized, shunned, or attacked

“My knowledge of the divided life comes first from personal experience. A “still, small voice”? speaks the truth about me, my work, or the world. I hear it and yet act as if I did not. I withhold a personal gift that might serve a good end or commit myself to a project that I do not really believe in. I keep silent on an issue I should address or actively break faith with one of my own convictions. I deny my inner darkness, giving it more power over me, or I project it onto other people, creating “enemies”? where none exist.

” How shall we understand the pathology of the divided life? If we approach it as a problem to be solved by “raising the ethical bar”?”?exhorting each other to jump higher and meting out tougher penalties to those who fall short”?we may feel more virtuous for a while, but we will not address the problem at its source.

“The divided life, at bottom, is not a failure of ethics; it is a failure of human wholeness. ..”

Read MORE..

Permalink