The Water Gate of Possibilities for Living Intelligence

I am staying at a friends place. I had a look through the DVD’s and found Robert Redford, the title was All The President’s Men. I didn’t realise the DVD I pulled out was about Watergate.

I recall years ago when I was on radio, I recorded an interview with John Dean who was the former Counsel to Richard Nixon. In my innocence at the time I didn’t realise who I was really talking to or indeed the depth of the Watergate matter. It just seems I was in the right place at the right time. John Dean had published a book Worse than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush. So it appears John Dean turned his life around by speaking truth about secrecy.

What was interesting about this experience was that I asked if I could record his public lecture, as I was on community radio. I was told no with no reason. It seemed strange to me given the topic. I was not lost on the irony of the Nixon years being filled with secrecy, restriction of information, surveillance and keeping the public in the dark. So I listened. Then after his speech I asked if I could interview him. He was tired and complained that he should have let me record at the lecture.

The beautiful irony about this is that I was recording to share John Dean’s knowledge with people, as part of a democracy and in a spirit of openness with no agenda. I was not a journalist, I was a community radio person and much of my work was simply recording out of interest, following a feeling or raising awareness about others in our world. I had no hunger for a story. I also was unpaid, so it is a service to peace in the world, to hopefully create a more positive place and learn from our mistakes.

The surveillance going on during the Nixon years and later Bush years was all about getting the fuel (as they say) or information to stem opposition or those deemed ‘the enemy’ or to watch ‘potential threats’. The idea is to use the information to control the agenda, to win. In the case of the Nixon years the cover up was to hide covert operations. That was a revelation to me, I didn’t know that.

There was a line in the film which resonated with me…

“The most powerful man in the United States is President Nixon. You’ve heard of him? Charles Colson is special counsel to the President. There’s a cartoon on his wall. The caption reads, “When you’ve got ’em by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow.”

I see that statement as fundamental and the underlying philosophy to secrecy. In my world, and I have to say as a clown, the whole modus operandi is different, for me it is to touch the heart and the mind will follow, all are free to choose. In truth, I don’t care if the mind follows or not. This reflects the differences in consciousness. One is control the other is conscience (aware). I would never want to control anyone to force them into silence or to think in my way, my love would desire their freedom. This is the root of democracy. I could easily find love for the intelligence community, I’ve met a few who I deeply admired, there have been very bright good people doing their jobs, some with high ideals. However, I would ask this community to help the greater community and uphold and respect their right to life, freedom of expression and happiness, even if they didn’t agree. It is okay to have differing views that is where creative/innovative ideas come from. Makes life fun.

Democracy, as enshrined by the symbol of the Statue of Liberty, which I really love, is the real image of democracy standing silently there in New York, surrounded by water. Water symbolises the feeling aspect of our higher nature. I love the scales held for balance which are not a gate to open or close, the scales are held by a woman (symbol of the feminine) which is justice, fairness and kindness. Together we can find the balance and it need not be a competition or simplistic notions of the ‘good guy versus the bad guy’. As Gandhi said ‘I’m simply going to prove to Hindus here and Muslims there that the only devils in the world are those running around in our own hearts.’ and Byron Katie stated ‘all war should be on paper’ but not as intelligence gathering, more questioning our own thinking for truth.

Here is an example of the Work, just imagine if we all do it! Question the negative belief e.g. xyz doesn’t listen to me. Ask yourself:

1. Is it true?
2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?
3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
4. Who would you be without the thought?

THEN

Turn the thought around

a) to the self. ( I don’t listen to myself about …)
b) to the other. ( I don’t listen to Paul about …)
c) to the opposite. ( Paul does listen to me about …)

Then find at least three specific, genuine examples of how
each turnaround is true for you in this situation.

This takes us to clarity. As I have taught, ‘I could be wrong’, it is intelligent to think this, as it opens my mind to explore other options. I am not fixed on certain ideas, they are open to challenge as I am not seeking to be right, I am looking for inner truth. You never fail, you always are successive. If you think you are right, you become blind to possibilities.

The truth is there is no enemy, we create the opposition in our own minds and project it out. The other may do the same, so if security is to be upheld and violence to be stopped, then it would be wise to question the truth of thinking. I am doing it in my own life, it is so compelling to believe another is doing something to you. I totally understand resistance to this idea, but I have learned it is in the non resistence that life flows, hence the water in my poem (below). It is a different way of seeing which is needed in the times we are in, if we are to live happily together.

The whole philosophy is a paradigm shift where we all come together around values and principles which indeed is the guiding light held up by the Statue of Liberty. You cannot say you believe in this if you don’t live it. Liberty is freedom, and freedom is not anti government or revolution, it is simply happiness, it is freedom from negativity, what is left, the feeling only love is real. We can be working together not for self interests that are sinking the planet but in support of the Earth Charter for the greater good of humanity and natural support systems, indeed for the future of children. They are the ones we are all working for.

Like John Dean one can choose to hold the light of truth, it frees you from guilt (that is what freedom means – clear conscience). The torch of life, liberty and happiness was the lantern a wise America held out to world which was the foundation to its prosperity built on values. When the values were eroded in ways which are well known now, the State is weakened and the Statue of Liberty is seen as tarnished by the world. The Chinese would say ‘lost face’. There was nothing wrong with trade and economic activity to efficiently distribute resources but when it became an extention of power for the few and interferred in the life, liberty and happiness of others, this was the beginning of the fall. Some people lost their way. But they can find it again.

Perhaps with Obama and other good people there is hope still. Those who carry the torch will need the support of the intelligence community to assist in shining that light of justice with balance and in accordance with international law. There is no greater time than now to speak up and clear the past, to face issues that have been left unresolved with a willingness for peace. It is a great time to focus on the future. The US held up the noble idea of being a light of freedom, it is important to live it. I ask please consider the freedom of others. This applies to many other nations as well. There are choices. All can make wise agreements.

Here is a poem I felt inspired to write in reflection on Watergate.

WATER GATE

Water …
Flows around all barriers,
Hugs and contours,
Meanders, windes, carves,
Water resists no thing,
Giving life to the earth
Shaping the earth,
In her image,
Through space and time.

The gate…
Has gate keepers,
Who open or close the gate,
Information flows,
Where focus goes,
For information is power,
Influence is elite,
For there are chinese whispers,
Biometric surveillance posts,
For the old bush telegraph,
Connected people remotely,
Today webs catch hosts,
For these are the posts 24/7.

So what was the water?
Was it leaks or flows?
Fear held the gate closed,
Conscience was the rose that knows,
Truth waters the rose,
Life gently opens the petals to receive light,
For good information is not fuel it is the butterfly,
And it flies for all to see,
Everyone wants to see good triumph as first cause,
As there were many shadows on the walls,
Some appear as scary figures,
Ghosts in the machine,
Who do not wish to be seen,
Who are seen to be,
When power as control is the name of the game,
Anyone out of line,
Is the enemy.

We are watering the gate,
As the rose blooms from centuries of sleep,
The perfume is intoxicating,
As the valentine in your sweet heart,
An offering of love as the answer you seek,
For this is living intelligence that weeps,
For it is not about just doing your job,
You are choosing the world you create through every action,
For there are no enemies only friends waiting,
The snake is indeed a rope,
For when you are lost you are found,
And the rope will pull you in from the cold,
For the flood gates are ready to open,
And this is the water gate that is pre-sent,
For this is not a water closet,
It is a dam wall breaking,
As foundations were not strong,
Freedom of information is released naturally,
The shadow has ceased dancing,
For it was never real,
And control is a misnomer,
For to stop one starts another,
For we are each free in every moment,
As we watch with fascination,
A new over the horizon radar,
Bring in a renewable world view,
A new earth rise.

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Mohandas Gandhi

“Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong”

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