Featuring a discussion moderated by Tom Coates
“Tao to Earth – Remembering and Reclaiming Your True Identity.”
Our December 13 program will feature a discussion led by Tom Coates aimed at exploring some of the many layers of the concept of identity, of who and what we are, and the multitude of ways in which expanding our concepts of identity will expand our horizons, open us to new opportunities and give greater meaning to our lives, while limiting and restricting those concepts will have exactly the opposite effect.
We all have traits or characteristics by which we seek to identify ourselves or others. These commonly include such factors as species (humanoid, reptilian, avian, insectisoid, aquatic, etc.), age/life stage (infant, young, old, middle aged, etc.), racial (caucasian, mongoloid, negroid, etc.), physical (height, weight, eye color, hair color, skin color, etc.), sexual (female, male, hermaphroditic, transgender, etc.), familial/tribal/ethnic (family, lineage, tribe, clan, ethnic group, etc.).
In addition, they include factors such as linguistic (English, French, Chinese, Swahili, etc.), political, nationalistic, geographic, ideological (American, Canadian, liberal, conservative, capitalist/communist, etc.), religious and philosophical beliefs/belief systems and affiliations (Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, etc.).
Then, there are factors including the following: socio-economic (rich/poor, haves/have-nots, royalty, nobility, aristocracy, peasants, untouchables, slaves, etc.), vocational, educational (unskilled laborers, tradesman, geeks, professionals, scientists, bankers, etc.), behavioral (smokers, nonsmokers, drinkers, teetotalers, meat eaters, vegetarians, etc.), and others.
As our culture encourages, we most often identify ourselves and others through a combination of factors like these. The key element of every identifying factor is that it separates us (or any other to whom we apply it) from those who do not have or share it while simultaneously connecting us with those who do.
This is our present identity paradigm, but its reach, though compelling, is superficial, and fails to provide us significant insight or understanding about who and what we truly are at the deeper levels of our being.
The goal of this program will be to penetrate beyond those outer layers and to discover, awaken, connect with and integrate our Authentic Self, the true identity that lies hidden within each of us. As always, Tom promises that some secrets known only to a few will be revealed.