Freedom, love the new democracy in Indonesia<\/p>\n
By Tishy Bruce<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Freedom is one of those words used frequently
\nwithout much understanding of its connotations.<\/p>\n
Freedom and love are, in many ways, interchangeable words.
\nFreedom and love are a by-product of integrity. Integrity is the
\nability to live your life honestly and with a sense of wholeness
\nwithin yourself--both qualities that stem from self-love.<\/p>\n
Self-love means allowing individuals (you) to be unique - to
\nexpress your own way of being. Countries are made up of
\nindividuals.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is undergoing a change from being a country filled
\nwith fear to becoming a country where freedom is allowed: where
\nself-expression is being allowed. This is a process which is
\nhappening throughout the world. Because it is new it is scary
\nand, because it is new, it requires commitment. It requires
\npractice.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and its people are crying out for politicians and
\nbusinessmen and their fellow man to live with integrity.
\nIndonesia is tired of double standards; it is tired of dishonesty
\nand manipulation in its many guises. It is too tired to be
\ntolerant of anything but a return to self-respect, honesty, and
\ndecency.<\/p>\n
However, although these \"ideals\" seem like basic rights, in
\norder for them to be attained or achieved, an ability to see the
\noverview and an ability to understand the process of change to
\nthose ideals is necessary.<\/p>\n
It is also necessary to see all the different guises of the
\ncurrent situation that are the root causes of the present
\ndifficulty, and to examine what those ideals actually mean.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur has the ability to steer Indonesia to succeed in its
\nquest, but it may be hard for Indonesia to see through the chaos
\nof the moment to see where he is doing things right.<\/p>\n
The recent article published in The Jakarta Post (Insight: by
\nSoedjati Djiwandono on May 11) was, I feel, excellent. That
\narticle stated that the reason Gus Dur is so committed to, for
\nexample, allowing communism is because allowing people to choose
\nis part of democracy. It recommended looking at a lot of rules
\nand regulations that hamper choice: choice of schooling, religion
\netc. I agree.<\/p>\n
Like adolescence<\/p>\n
This is a fledgling democracy. It can be likened to
\nadolescence, a time for parents to let their children gradually
\nspread their wings in the knowledge that they eventually need to
\nchoose their own way.<\/p>\n
If one restricts access to knowledge that is not giving your
\nadolescent freedom of choice. You, as a parent, should trust in
\nthe inherent ability of your own child to choose -- to know --
\nwhat is right or wrong.<\/p>\n
Like adolescents, you are always there for them (you support
\nthem, care for them when they are ill, etc.). You give them a
\ngood background education.<\/p>\n
However, you know that your child must follow their own path.
\nNot your path. Their path. It may be different. It may be new.
\nPart of love and part of your responsibility as a parent is to
\nallow your child to learn from the experience of trying out
\ndifferent things and allowing them to make their own decisions on
\nwhat is right for them within the limits of acceptable behavior
\n(which are basic societal rules such as \"do not kill\", \"do not
\nsteal\" etc., but not any particular religious credo).<\/p>\n
The freedom that parents allow their children during
\nadolescence generates some fear. Will your child be OK? Are you
\nallowing too much or too little freedom? What levels of freedom
\ndo you allow?<\/p>\n
Freedom - democracy - is a new path. Old paths are much easier
\nto follow. They \"feel\" right. They are easy to walk along. They
\nare well worn. They are understood. You've been walking them for
\nso long you no longer question them. You no longer know any
\ndifferent.<\/p>\n
Walking a new path requires commitment: the road is not
\nsmooth. It is easy to fall back into the old path. It is actually
\nsometimes quite difficult to even see the new path as you may
\nhave to hack it through undergrowth or well-established plants
\nand trees.<\/p>\n
You will be inexperienced at seeing the new path until it is
\nfinished and the undergrowth is cleared. The \"undergrowth\"
\nincludes fears based on a never-questioning attitude (caused by
\npassive\/rote learning and caste systems), past legislation, old
\nhabits, KKN (corruption, collusion, nepotism), etc.<\/p>\n
Freedom like love - requires a commitment to the whole concept
\nof freedom\/love. Freedom is a skill that requires practice.
\nFreedom requires caring and compassion. It demands tolerance. We
\nlove - we allow freedom - in order to produce a feeling of
\nsecurity, pleasure, a reduced fear of loss, a state of knowing
\nwhat freedom and love is.<\/p>\n
Stay balanced<\/p>\n
This millennium year is a year signaling the start of changes.
\nAs individuals you can make changes easier if you stay balanced
\nand learn to cooperate with the forces of change.<\/p>\n
Staying balanced is much easier if you learn to see the entire
\nsituation. The world is looking at Indonesia to see how it
\nhandles the changes happening now as the Far East is a pivotal
\narea for world economics and power.<\/p>\n
Just like the rest of the world and all its peoples, Indonesia
\nis having to look at its qualities and discern what is good, what
\nis bad; what is honest, what is not; what is best in the longer
\nterm, what is not, etc. This is called learning to become an
\nemotional, mental, and spiritual adult.<\/p>\n
Freedom (and love) are empowering. Adulthood does not begin at
\nsome magical age. It does not begin when we have children. It
\nbegins when one becomes wise.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is moving into adulthood. It needs to keep its
\nenergy levels high to ride through the learning experiences in
\nthe easiest way possible.<\/p>\n
As an individual living in Indonesia you effect this country.
\nYou effect it with your energy. As a loving adult, it is your
\nresponsibility to keep your energy beneficial for you and for
\nthis country, and, indeed, this world.<\/p>\n
As an individual you create best when you feel good about
\nyourself. Inside. You cannot feel good about yourself if you are
\nnot honest with yourself.<\/p>\n
Being honest needs awareness. You need to be aware of what
\nreduces your energy levels. Struggle, fear and feeling unloved
\nall reduce your energy. Not taking advantage of \"coincidences\"
\n(such as chance meetings that could prove beneficial, chance
\nremarks that could help you, and not using your intuition
\n(i.e.not trusting yourself) all reduce your energy.<\/p>\n
One way to keep your energy level high is to maintain a deep
\nawareness that YOU are doing the best you can and, in order to do
\nthe best you can, you need to be free from fear - of any sort.<\/p>\n
You need to be aware of what creates fear and you need to feel
\nGod inside you. Feeling God inside you is possible when you know
\nthat God is in everything around you and that you are part of
\nGod. Meditate. Pray. Remind yourself of the beauty around you.
\nUnderstand the overview; stay balanced. Look to the real cause of
\nfear: it is lack of self-respect and lack of love.<\/p>\n
Every breath that you take is the Breath of Life. Be aware
\nthat when breathing in, you breathe in the goodness of God; and
\nin breathing out you can release the goodness of you to the rest
\nof the world.<\/p>\n
Every step you take, every movement you make, every thought
\nyou have has an effect on the macro-consciousness of this entire
\nplanet and the entire Cosmos, so be a master of your fears by
\nmaking sure that you don't live in a fear-based world.<\/p>\n
Freedom to love, to choose, to express to BE promotes
\ncreativity, clarity, enthusiasm, hope and expectation. All of
\nthese emotions make you feel wonderful, majestic and happy. Be
\nfree.<\/p>\n
The writer is a spiritual healer and counselor.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/freedom-love-the-new-democracy-in-indonesia-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }