This is http://www.essayz.com/a9611071.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %REFOCUS MEDITATE PRAY PRIORITY DIALOGUE EXCLUSIVE+961107 %ENEMIES DISTRACTION CONFUSION ABSENCE PRESENCE 961107 When we and our communities are disintegrating---we and our communities need to slow down and seek to refocus our priorities. Our priorities may be conscious or unconscious, articulated or tacit, public or private, serene or compulsive, honest or dishonest, cynical or idealistic, clear or confused, apparent or obscure, ancient or new, creative or destructive, integrative or disintegrative, inclusive or exclusive. We cannot refocus in wise ways: In the presence of: In the absence of: Exclusivities which block honesty. Open/honest dialogue Enemies of refocusing. Conflict resolution Distractions away from refocusing True security Confusion Balanced vulnerability Collusions and addictions Balanced power Alienative preoccupations Love Celebrated conflicts Hope Arrogance Trust Self-righteousness Justice Compulsions Mercy Condemnations Humility To refocus we may need to recognize alienative priorities which, are operative in ways which are not evident yet---name them, describe them, talk about them and discern how to transcend them. Yet, we need to avoid being focused exclusively in negative ways upon what is disintegrative. We need to shift our attention towards integrative priorities in order that we not get stuck focusing upon how disintegrative priorities block our way. To transcend what blocks our way, we must at some time shift our attention away from what blocks our way; towards alternative ways of focusing in new ways upon integrative priorities. On the other hand, if we keep being blocked in our efforts to refocus our priorities--- we may need to look to seek what is continuing to block our way in unrecognized ways by priorities which we may not yet have recognized, named, described, or talked about as being disintegrative. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================