So where to start? Well, as I often do, let me borrow words from a crazy man that I hold in very high esteem, one Tom Robbins: "What is politics, after all, but the compulsion to preside over property and make other people's decisions for them? Liberty, the very opposite of ownership and control, cannot, then, result from political action, either at the polls or the barricades, but rather evolves out of attitude." (from Skinny legs and All).

Just to stir the pot a little more, I believe that the stunting of individual freedom through organisation extends to all areas - community/societal, religious, business and sports. In all of these areas I think it applies from big to small because the application of structure goes hand in hand with dogma and rules which leads to misinterpretation and takes us further away from the original essence of whatever it was that we decided to organise. There was a time when Christianity would have been considered a fringe or new age practice but now, 2000 years later, we have hundreds of manifestations, derivatives and organisations, many of which (in their approach and action) bear little resemblance to the original teachings of Christ.

Ooh - I have the sense that I have strayed into dangerous ground now but, because South Africa has a modern constitution (through a democratic process) - which guarantees my freedom of thought and speech, I feel comfortable - so, back to politics. Perhaps the previous sentence could be read to undermine my own logic, which would make me silly to leave it in - it doesn't, because critical to my support of anarchy are two beliefs which I will now share: I believe that we are all connected - "We appear on Earth as separate beings with diverse destinies; but as each separate raindrop is a part of the sea, so we are all a part of the Ocean of Awareness, the Body of God" (Dan Millman) and secondly I believe that karma (cause and effect) takes care of justice over time - in a way that humans could never manage/imagine with their political parties, laws, systems and courts. The first belief questions how we can possibly pretend to organise a way to control others when we are a collective and the second questions why we would bother when accountability is built in.

If, for a second, you accepted my reality as expressed by Carl Jung in the following passage: "That I feed the hungry, forgive an insult, and love my enemy - these are great virtues. But what if I should discover that the poorest of beggars and the most impudent of offenders are all within me, and that I stand in need of the alms of my own kindness; that I myself am the enemy that must be loved - what then?", how would that change your approach to 'wrong and right'?

I don't believe we are ever in a position to cast judgement over other's actions (although we invariably do) because we have no understanding what their circumstances are, their upbringing, their (learned) moral code, their view of the future, mental state, physical state, etc, etc. Also very often people act no differently to how we would in the same situation but because we are not, we judge and this is our understanding of morality?

The choices we make today shape our reality tomorrow and all of these choices (conscious or otherwise) have consequences. Having chosen not to vote - I forsake not only my right to participate in the democratic process but also the opportunity to let my voice be heard, to chose a party as closely aligned with my thinking (fat chance) or to register a protest by spoiling my vote - I should also not criticise the outcome, the ramifications and the next four years of rule and opposition.

Perhaps, given that we only have e.g. 100 units of energy in a given period, my effort would be better utilised in a winnable or at least influensable area - but I cannot accept that any person or persons have the right to determine laws for me, nor do I think that there is a "Right or Wrong" (there is no single reality, only different perceptions) and finally, I am comfortable that whatever I do will have causes and consequences that are fair and just according to my motives and intent, so too for all of us.

We need to accept who we are - fallible creatures with strengths and weaknesses, and act with integrity to our own truth, not what someone else says our truth should be. Integrity means to be integrated - so that our actions are authentic and consistent - fuelled by our highest intentions. As Martin Luther said: "Love God and do as you please." (I suspect he might have been a closet anarchist).

In yoga as we passage through physical awareness into mental awareness and possibly begin to encounter and question matters spiritual, I encourage you to look no further than within, to begin to discover the Gospel according to you. Perhaps you acknowledge or even agree with my view, or maybe it irritates or angers you - that's fine - the purpose of provocation is to elicit a response. As we do in the practice of asana and pranayama we challenge the body and mind to see how it will react, inevitably learning in every interaction. Remember too that these are personal musings, not intended to reflect Moksha's view (although let's not forget that Moksha means liberation, so the pursuit thereof is at the top of all our minds.) - for more lunacy you can check my website at www.chrisloker.com
Enjoy the remaining holidays (27th April and 1st May - Moksha will be closed on both days) and see you at yoga!

With love
Chris

"Listen to your feelings. Listen to your Highest thoughts. Listen to your experience. Whenever any one of these differ from what you've been told by your teachers, or read in your books, forget the words. Words are the least reliable purveyor of the Truth."
~ ND Walsch