Well here we are in an election year. That’s ALL I have to say about that. Wasn’t that a relief? Someone who is NOT going to tell you how to vote, ask who you will vote for, or what “party” you support. I don’t know how you feel but the word party always meant something fun to me! Election years seem to take the joy out of everyone’s sails. Here is something I want you all to remember…vote the way YOU want to. Don’t be swayed by even one single person. Not Merri and I. Not your spiritual leaders. Not Mom and Dad. Listen to the voice inside and only the voice inside. That is the ONLY place you will ever find the complete truth about anything. (We have said it before but it is well worth saying again!) 

Ok, I lied because I just told you how to vote. But the beauty of it is I told you to vote for yourself (no, don’t put your name on the ballet unless you feel you’re the right person for the job), just vote how you want to. I wouldn’t recommend not voting. Because well, not voting is apathetic and apathy doesn’t help anyone, and it also gives you zero rights later on to complain about who is in office.  

And here is the big secret that no one talks about during an election year; if you vote with your conscience, it will be ok! Things go awry often when we listen outside of ourselves. For those who consult any Holy book to decide what you should do, remember this; there is one fact that is clear; before there was an Old Testament, New Testament, Koran, Torah, Talmud, Veda, Tipitaka, or any other scripture written by men whether Divinely inspired or not, there was first and foremost the conscience. The conscience or “knowledge within” is your God speaking to you.  (This is not my opinion but is told to us in more that one Holy book and has been said by more than one Spiritual leader.)

I think that some people get confused between conscience and conscientiousness. Conscience is defined, by dictionaries, as the sense of moral goodness or blameworthiness of one’s own conduct, intentions, or character together with a feeling of obligation to do right. How do we know what is right? Listen within. Now conscientiousness is defined as conformity to what one considers to be correct, right, or morally good. How do we find conformity? Only by  looking outside of ourselves. The voice within is truly a part of ourselves; whereas, conformity is becoming that which is not necessarily ourselves. 

For myself there is just one law that seems to come from “the Divine’s voice within”. That law is to love one another. That isn’t much different from the words we are all familiar with, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” As I write there is turmoil going on surrounding a movie that is making headlines because it made fun of a religious prophet. When some people of that religion saw this, they rioted, which led to deaths. Ask yourselves this; did either side listen to the God within before acting? My opinion would be no. And just because one doesn’t listen within does not give someone else permission not to listen either. An eye for an eye never came from within anyone, if they were truly listening. 

Think deeply before checking those boxes. Vote to not hurt another, especially if it is something you are being told to do from outside of your own conscience. Vote with your conscience as it is your soul speaking. And no matter who is elected, whether a school board member or President of the United States, remember that the day after the elections, you can wake up, still be who you are, listen within, and make the changes that need making.  Perhaps you could be the leader others are waiting for! 

By the way…No matter what your Holidays are or how you celebrate…Peace to you and to us all this year and beyond! 

Til next time,  
Joan