I propose that one useful definition of personal growth and transformation for an individual is her/his perception of family (defined here as the expansion of personal boundaries) to include more of the living beings that surround us. The philosophical concept is to expand our understanding of family, which starts with our immediate family, to include more and more... and to eventually (by pushing the boundaries way out) include all people, all animals, all plants and the entire integrated living system that is our planet.
Personal transformation is the first step in global change and expanding the definition of family to include what currently feels like "other" is a workable basis to approach this transformation. For most of us "other" includes other cultures, other sexual preferences, other skin color, animals, trees, etc. So the question is: "How can we add these things to our family?" I propose that the understanding of interconnectedness that results from an expanded perception of family is a necessary first step to deal with the global issues of our time, and that this is an important spiritual theme: connecting to the sacredness of the entire community of life around us.
This expansion of personal boundaries, expansion of family, is a call to a greater purpose beginning with personal transformation and, hopefully, resulting in social and planetary change. We will not get sustainable change and global transformation without change of consciousness, expansion of awareness, and sensitivity to the environment. The sacred is everywhere around us, but we won't recognize it unless we include it in our family.
We have been given a gift: the privilege to celebrate life-- but not at the expense of any part of this community of life. I'm suggesting as a moral imperative that we celebrate life and family in harmony with out surroundings. The challenge is... can our perspective of family be global? And global necessarily includes our backyard.
Please send questions or comments to suscon@well.com