Who are you when no-one is watching?

One is the horrifying case of Gisèle Pelicot. Her courage is immense.

The realisation that there are seventy plus men from all walks of life who are aroused by sexually assaulting a woman whom they knew to be drugged. The site her ex-husband used to find these men was called Without her Knowledge.

As a friend said to me recently, what did these men get out of this?

What does it mean that so many men within a thirty k radius of this small French village were drawn to participate in these activities?

And the other reason?

Most of us have a need to belong. This desire to be part of a group can lead us into abandoning our deeper sense of values and morality. Worse still, it can result in the abuse and oppression of others who are not part of our Group. They become The Other whose very existence is a threat to our sense of safety and security.

This leaves us open to manipulation. Our anger and fears are easily harnessed by forces for their own ends.

So how do we stay true to our deepest values in times of great pressure and temptation?

This is how I want to centre my work in my inner world but also in the ‘outer’ world.

Since I do not really see a boundary between these two.

If I am harbouring anger and resentment, I am at the mercy of the tides of war and aggression.

And if I live in fear I am unable to speak out, not only for myself, but for others, human and more than human.

So my journey is to shine a light on that which is hidden. To embrace all that I am in all complexity and all beauty.

And in the world, not to turn away from witnessing the cruelty, manipulation and destruction.

For it all requires witnessing. With witnessing comes wisdom. We are released from the need to hide.

We can expand our hearts.

And sometimes it is damn hard work.

Now the sun is shining and outside my window a magpie is breaking a twig off the tree. Flying off with it. There is a nest being built somewhere.