Stone Circles

Playing with boundaries

Nynke July 7th, 2006

Traditionally, people make distinctions on maps by drawing lines (By the way, those lines do not appear at the declared “borders” on Earth). Drawing lines on maps creates separate states and countries.

Julius Ceasar who couldn’t be bothered learning about the different tribes and cultures living North of his realm (he kept moving lines in his conquering and assimilation spree until his karma returned to him and he got murdered) called those peoples “the Kelts” without making further distinctions between Angelen, Saxons, Picts, … The Northern tribes themselves didn’t consider such a “togetherness” as Kelts, but thought of themselves in terms of local communities of people, with virtual cultural boundaries. And they were in each other’s hair regularly on a small scale. The Roman threat had them work together on occasion though. Having a common enemy seems to have that effect on human people.

And several religions added to the distinctions made by declaring different races.

What if we were to perceive differences made between “nations” and “races” as essential boundary conditions for growth?

And what if migration is essential for turning spirals around?

I don’t mean physical migration, even though that could be included. I mean spiritual migration. What I mean by that?

Journeys of the mind
Passionate emotional adventures
Aesthetical explorations
Shopping in each others cultural practices
…

I believe that diversity between clusters of sorts can create innovations that have made and can make migration and growth of the human mind possible, if we perceive other nations, other communities, other people not our enemies, but instead as gifts to learn from.

Of course, that requires a non-judgemental attitude and not taking things personal.

I do not expect everybody to be able to do that (yet). For that takes letting go of control, stepping in the flow, and “doing the right thing” no matter what others do.