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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\tSyrene Ethics<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWe understand \u201cwhat is most deeply\u00a0right<\/em>\u201d to include a pattern of Integrity, Honor, Hospitality, and Reciprocity based not on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality, but instead upon the\u00a0common worth<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0all<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0humanity, as dictated by the principle of\u00a0heart-knowledge<\/em>. We define\u00a0heart-knowledge<\/em>\u00a0as the inborn capability of understanding and acting in accordance with\u00a0common decency<\/em>: the quality or state of being kind, fair, honest, and good. Therefore, as practitioners of Syrenity, we ask of all our actions:<\/p>- Is this kind?<\/li>
- Is this fair\/equitable?<\/li>
- Is this honest?<\/li>
- Is this for the greater good?<\/li><\/ul>
\u201cTo be a witch is to be heart-wise\u201d, but it is what we\u00a0do<\/em>\u00a0with that state-of-being that matters in practice and in the world. The ultimate entire point of establishing heart-knowledge<\/em> is to come to understand ourself within the mundane world as well as the Otherworlds\u00a0in relationship<\/em>. If all that we do is learn this information and then\u00a0internalize<\/em>\u00a0it, the only thing with which we wind up\u00a0in relationship<\/em>\u00a0is\u00a0ourselves<\/em>, and too many people in our world have a profound relationship with the self already! Everything cannot point solely\u00a0inward<\/em>; when this becomes the case, it leads to things such as entitlement and pomposity.<\/p>So how, exactly, does one put this sort of wisdom into practice? How does one actively live out\u00a0heart-knowledge<\/em>? One must begin from the zero-point: that state of\u00a0un-narrowness<\/em>\u00a0into which we are\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0initially born which is free, giving, open, strong, unlimited, accepting, broad, generous, liberal, tolerant, unconfined, unrestricted, and wide, rather than narrowness, which is a\u00a0learned behavior<\/em>\u00a0which seeks to oppress, distress, and brings anguish. Living from that un-narrow zero-point builds in us an open and mindful awareness that is free from anxiety or judgment. Rather than asking of a given situation \u201cwhat should I do?\u201d or even \u201cwhat should I think?\u201d, it instead asks solely \u201cwhat is this in its totality?\u201d. The \u201cindividualized totality\u201d of that situation then necessarily reaches its branches outward into the interconnected totality of the Universe. From this vantage point of microcosm within macrocosm, we become more able to see the\u00a0potentialities<\/em>\u00a0of a situation, rather than turning our vision backwards and internalizing, via preconceived notions which attempt to predict a defined outcome that can\u2019t\u00a0actually<\/em>\u00a0be predicted. That usual sort of internalized view is where\u00a0assumptions<\/em>\u00a0are born, and assumptions rarely serve us well. They lead to confusion and misunderstanding; maybe even outright fights.<\/p>We practice this heart-knowledge<\/em> through living our lives in a \u201cheart-wisdom-way\u201d. This might best be understood as living life in a way that is \u201ccommonsensical\u201d: balanced, ethical, compassionate, and useful (symbiotic). Those are the principles of the\u00a0Heart-Way’s<\/em> operation as well as its processes: acting through those principles, the\u00a0Heart-Way<\/em> creates gradual change that leads toward particular results, which are synonymous with balance, ethics, compassion, and symbiosis. When taken together, all of this defines for us the primary function of the Heart-Way<\/em>, which is to radiate balance, decency, and compassion out into the world, while further promoting symbiosis (its \u201cuse\u201d). Therefore, as practitioners of Syrenity:<\/p>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>We practice Integrity.<\/strong><\/h2>Integrity<\/strong>\u00a0is understood to encompass\u00a0Honesty<\/strong>,\u00a0Equity<\/strong>, and\u00a0Deeds<\/strong>\u00a0and is defined as: \u201cthe quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness; the state of being whole and undivided; the condition of being unified, unimpaired, or sound; internal consistency or lack of corruption.\u201d Integrity maintains\u00a0balance<\/em>: true balance isn\u2019t as basic as \u201cone thing or another\u201d. Instead, it is about the\u00a0flow<\/em>\u00a0of all things,\u00a0at the same time<\/em>. Every entity\u00a0impacts<\/em>\u00a0every other entity in the Universe, precisely as in a natural ecosystem. We slowly come to understand that every distinct biome is simply a microcosm of the greater macrocosm, and that we must find our own place within that \u201cmap\u201d. Once we realize that place, it then becomes a matter of personal\u00a0integrity<\/em>\u00a0(honesty, equity, deeds) to behave in ways which do not negatively effect the Universe which ever-surrounds us.<\/p>- Honesty:<\/strong>\u00a0The basic principle of honesty is to be fair and straightforward in conduct; it implies a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way. It implies trustworthiness, incorruptibility, and a strict adherence to one\u2019s word.
- Treat everyone with honesty and fairness, including yourself, and always strive to be a person of your word.<\/li>
- Never lie or break your word.<\/li>
- Keep your promises.<\/li>
- Be guileless.<\/li>
- Never shirk your responsibilities nor make excuses for not meeting them; instead, prove yourself worthy to the tasks set forth.<\/li>
- Always pay your debts.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/div>
- Equity:<\/strong>\u00a0Equity is \u201cthe quality of being fair and impartial\u201d; in other words, it is\u00a0fair-mindedness<\/strong><\/em>. Rather than treating everyone exactly the same way (equality), equity demands that we practice\u00a0empathy<\/strong>, in an attempt to give people what they need to be successful, which may be quite different from person to person and case to case. Some people may require a little more of us; others may require a bit less. To truly practice equity, we must necessarily start from a place of equality, recognizing that like us, that other person is human, regardless of race, sex, gender, etc. From that place, we may more easily practice the empathy required to practice true equity, and provide what is needed. At our first interaction with a person, we should expect the same in return.
- Treat everyone with fairness, including yourself.<\/li>
- Never practice prejudice nor bigotry by labeling or mistreating others.<\/li>
- Do not allow others to participate in such acts of prejudice or bigotry.<\/li>
- Treat everyone with equity, and expect the same.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/div>
- Deeds:\u00a0<\/strong>Deeds are the outward sign of\u00a0Integrity<\/strong>. They are evidence of a person\u2019s\u00a0character<\/strong>.
- Realize that the best of one\u2019s abilities is all that anyone can offer, and be not only grateful for those areas in which you may excel, but also gracious with them, offering those abilities and talents as gifts to others in the world.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>
\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>We practice Honor.<\/strong><\/h2>Honor<\/strong>\u00a0is understood to include\u00a0Courage<\/strong>,\u00a0Justice<\/strong>, and\u00a0Wisdom<\/strong>. Traditionally, it is defined as: \u201chigh respect; great esteem; adherence to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct; to fulfill an obligation or keep an oath or agreement.\u201d In the modern world, ethics tend to be framed within a highly dichotomous paradigm: justice vs. injustice, right vs. wrong, good vs. evil. Yet a dualistic worldview phrases these things instead as justice\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0injustice, right\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>wrong, good\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>evil, and understands that one quality genuinely cannot exist without the other. Does this mean that we should not seek to vanquish or otherwise eradicate injustice, wrong, and evil? Of course not! Instead, it means that rather than adopting a constant \u201cfighting stance\u201d against such things, which only serves to promote further balance-destroying dichotomy, we must work to\u00a0honor<\/em>\u00a0the maintenance of\u00a0balance<\/em>. Only as we maintain heart-knowledge<\/em>, refusing to give in to anger and remaining \u201cheart-strong\u201d (courage<\/em>) instead, can\u00a0justice<\/em>, right, and good be furthered in the world in a positive, useful (symbiotic) way.<\/div>\u00a0<\/div>- Courage:<\/strong>\u00a0Courage is a bit more than simple bravery; it is\u00a0self-control<\/em>. The word \u201ccourage\u201d is borrowed from Old French\u00a0corage<\/em>; French\u00a0courage<\/em>. If you know anything about the French language or about Latin, you may readily see that the word \u201ccor\u201d or \u201ccour\u201d is the root of this word: \u201ccor\u201d or \u201ccour\u201d means \u201cheart\u201d. Ultimately, courage is about having \u201cstrength of heart<\/strong>\u201c, which means also having\u00a0self-control<\/strong>.
- Be strong of heart: control your anger<\/li>
- Never harm the innocent, the outcast, or the good; never tolerate those who do.<\/li>
- Never strike out purely from a place of anger, violence or hatred.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/b><\/div>
- Wisdom:<\/strong>\u00a0In our modern world, we tend to associate Wisdom with \u201cknowing things\u201d; with knowledge. It both is and is not that, at the same time. The person with the \u201cright kind\u201d of wisdom feels no need to\u00a0brag\u00a0<\/em>about it. And what is that \u201cright kind\u201d of wisdom? Heart-knowledge<\/em>. Essentially: what one knows\u00a0in<\/em>\u00a0the heart<\/strong>.
- Knowledge is power: be ever-learning, but also eager to share and teach what you yourself know.<\/li>
- Never assume that you already \u201cknow everything\u201d, or otherwise behave like a \u201cknow-it-all\u201d, because you don\u2019t!<\/li>
- Be aware of the world around you, and\u00a0never forget<\/em>\u00a0that you are intrinsically\u00a0connected<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0All<\/em>\u00a0of it.<\/li>
- Be willing to accept your own flaws, and also to accept change.<\/li>
- Never seek a stagnant life, and be a force for change in the stagnant lives of others.<\/li>
- Strive for good always, and celebrate not only the best of your abilities, but the best of others\u2019 as well.<\/li>
- Realize that the best of one\u2019s abilities is all that anyone can offer, and be not only grateful for those areas in which you may excel, but also gracious with them, offering those abilities and talents as gifts to others in the world.<\/li>
- Never behave in a \u201cholier-than-thou\u201d manner, and realize that if you do it will come back on you in equal measure. To behave in such a manner is to destine oneself to shame.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/b><\/div>
- Justice:\u00a0<\/strong>The most concise definition of Justice would be \u201cdoing what is best for the good of all, as dictated by\u00a0heart-knowledge<\/em>\u201c. In other words, it is actively seeking to\u00a0do good<\/strong>: to use our voice and our actions to defend and uphold the innocent, the outcast, and the good\u00a0with kindness<\/strong>\u00a0as often as possible, yet\u00a0with ferocity<\/strong>\u00a0when necessary.<\/em>\u00a0Focusing constantly on the negative (injustice, wrong, evil), as with constant \u201ccalling out\u201d of a perceived or even actual injustice, wrong, or evil, only serves to\u00a0feed<\/em>\u00a0those things: when we do that, we think and operate with the mind, rather than the heart, giving in to our anger, no matter how righteous that anger may be. Instead, we should seek to be\u00a0proactive<\/em>: in the face of injustice, wrong, or evil, find ways to support and\/or aid those who have been oppressed, and then focus on those things;\u00a0feed<\/em>\u00a0those things by doing and promoting them. This keeps us thinking and operating with the heart and helps us channel our righteous anger into action which restores ethical balance and furthers symbiosis.
- Use your voice and your actions to defend and uphold the innocent, the outcast, and the good.<\/li>
- Do not keep your silence when wrong has been done; call it out\u00a0once<\/em>, and then find ways to\u00a0right<\/em>\u00a0the imbalance\/injustice.<\/li>
- Always strive to be the voice of those who may not have voices of their own.<\/li>
- Never seek to silence the voices of those who some might perceive as weak.<\/li>
- Never tolerate those who actively mistreat or are violent or hurtful to others.<\/li>
- Defend\u00a0balance<\/em>\u00a0and the\u00a0interconnectivity of ALL things and people<\/em>\u00a0with thricefold ferocity when necessary<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>
\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>We practice Hospitality.<\/strong><\/h2>Hospitality<\/strong>\u00a0is understood to include\u00a0Love<\/strong>,\u00a0Compassion<\/strong>, and\u00a0Blessings<\/strong>; it is\u00a0active compassion<\/em>, with much in common with the Buddhist ideal of\u00a0Maitri<\/em>\u00a0(loving-kindness; benevolence). It is an\u00a0active interest<\/em>\u00a0in the welfare of all others with personhood which, in a deeply animistic worldview such as this one, actively includes Everything and Everyone. Basic hospitality requires us to genuinely\u00a0care<\/em>\u00a0about interconnection as well as Everything and Everyone which\/who is\/are interconnected. We must\u00a0reside<\/em>\u00a0within dualism with our full hearts. These cannot just be concepts to which we pay lip-service (mind-active); these must be concepts that we act\u00a0within<\/em>\u00a0as well as upon (heart-active). That is the only way to ultimately restore full symbiosis. \u201cLove\u201d is a term which is much maligned in our modern world; it is a concept which we really need to re-embrace and reclaim. Real love\u00a0cares<\/em>; it resides within dualism with its full heart. Real love\u00a0blesses<\/em>: it protects and provides; it invokes\u00a0Divine<\/em>\u00a0caring, thereby uniting\u00a0all<\/em> worlds, and not just this one. Within that union, the Heart-Way<\/em>\u00a0becomes ultimately useful by promoting and sustaining symbiosis.<\/p>- Love:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cTo love\u201d means \u201cto have a strong affection arising out of a sense of kinship\u201d, yes, but that isn\u2019t\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0it means. It also means \u201cunselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another, usually based out of\u00a0respect<\/strong>\u201c.
- Give respect until proven that such is unworthy. Behave accordingly, with unselfish loyalty and benevolent concern for the good of the other.<\/li>
- Never behave from a place of selfishness.<\/li>
- Always strive to improve the lives of others.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/b><\/div>
- Compassion:\u00a0<\/strong>Compassion is \u201csympathetic consciousness of another\u2019s distress, coupled with the desire to alleviate it\u201d. According to the principle of\u00a0heart-knowledge<\/em>, it is, in fact, the most basic element of being\u00a0human<\/em>. Our hearts are\u00a0born caring<\/em>, and if we remain\u00a0truly wise<\/em>, then they\u00a0stay<\/em>\u00a0that way!
- Always treat guests and strangers as you would hope to be treated.<\/li>
- Be ever ready to offer help to others as you would likewise hope to be helped.<\/li>
- Always strive to alleviate suffering, rather than bring it.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/div>
- Blessings:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThings which are conducive to happiness or beneficent welfare\u201d. The\u00a0direct opposite<\/strong>\u00a0of\u00a0evil<\/strong>,\u00a0misfortune<\/strong>, and\u00a0harm<\/strong>.
- The well-being of the Universal community demands that we seek first to bless, rather than to curse.<\/li>
- Protect the balance of the Universal community by protecting those most in need: the oppressed, the distressed, those in anguish, and those who have been unjustly maligned as \u201cundesirable\u201d by an overly dichotomous and compartmentalized world.<\/li>
- Provide for those most in need in the Universal community, as you would wish yourself to be provided for.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/div>
We practice Reciprocity.<\/strong><\/h2>In human action, symbiosis takes shape as\u00a0Reciprocity<\/strong>\u00a0(which demands\u00a0Loyalty<\/strong>, and promotes\u00a0Peace<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Acceptance<\/strong>). As beings seeking to reclaim\u00a0relationship<\/em>\u00a0with the world and Worlds around us, this automatically implies the need to build\u00a0friendship<\/em>\u00a0via\u00a0familiarity<\/em>\u00a0with the other-than-human beings which surround us, and also with the very human ones. Reciprocity is therefore the\u00a0keynote<\/strong>\u00a0of Syrene practice. It is traditionally defined as: \u201cthe quality or state of being mutually dependent, or of engaging in mutual action or influence; a mutual exchange of privileges; a recognition of one entity of the validity of the licenses or privileges granted by another entity; a situation or relationship in which two entities agree to do something similar for each other, to allow each other to have the same rights, etc.\u201d As symbiosis-in-action, it is the reason why we perform offerings.<\/p>The interconnectedness of a shamanic worldview demands that actions be repaid with equal and only sometimes opposite reactions, in a form of intrinsic reciprocity which demands the\u00a0utter removal of\u00a0any<\/em>\u00a0\u201c-ism thinking processes\u201d<\/strong>, whether that be racism, genderism (inclusive of exclusionary attitudes towards the entirety of the LGBTQ+ spectrum), ableism,\u00a0or\u00a0anything<\/em>\u00a0else<\/strong>\u00a0which actively promotes hate and exclusion of any race, ethnic group, culture, or even religion.\u00a0Reciprocity<\/strong>\u00a0means helping when you\u2019ve been helped, and it doesn\u2019t just mean help the person who helped you, it means to pass that help along: \u201claughter with laughing takes hold of a house\u201d. It\u2019s supposed to be a brand of reciprocity that is\u00a0contagious<\/em>. When we have been gifted abundantly by the Gods, we \u201cpay it forward\u201d, by sharing our own gifts with the world.<\/p>- Loyalty:<\/strong>\u00a0Loyalty demands that we honor, protect, maintain, and provide for those who are\u00a0connected<\/em>\u00a0to us. Within a deeply animistic worldview, this ultimately means Everyone and Everything, beginning with those who are closest to us in\u00a0familiarity<\/em>. These are the people who have proven, again and again, that they are bound by precisely the parameters of Loyalty I am about to discuss below. We strive to be that friend, loved one, or family member that those to whom we are loyal\u00a0know<\/em>\u00a0they can come to in their times of need. We make certain that they know we can always be trusted and depended upon. The ultimate theme of \u201cproviding for\u201d is ultimately: \u201cno one gets left behind\u201d, very much in sync with the Hawaiian ideal of\u00a0Ohana<\/strong><\/em>.
- True friendship is a bond as strong as blood, and the family we choose is as important and sacred as the family into which we are born.<\/li>
- The Gods are a part of that chosen family.<\/li>
- Always honor and protect other persons, especially those who are closest to you in familiarity and members of the Invisible Population (including the Gods).<\/li>
- Never leave those who are closest to you in familiarity, the Gods, or the Invisible Population behind or in need.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/b><\/div>
- Peace:\u00a0<\/strong>In this context, Peace is defined as \u201cfreedom from disturbance; tranquility; a state of community and order within a given community; freedom from oppressive or disquieting thoughts or emotions; harmony in personal relationships.\u201d It is understood within Syrenity that living in a constant state of\u00a0Reciprocity<\/strong>\u00a0guarantees all of these things in a person\u2019s life.
- Live gift for gift and from gratitude to gratitude, rather than tit for tat.<\/li>
- Seek to align and ally, rather than to maintain discord.<\/li>
- Educate when and where necessary, but\u00a0never<\/em>\u00a0do so with the intent or need of having the last word.<\/li>
- Seek to prove a friend; recognize and respect those who behave likewise; otherwise, walk on and shine on!<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/div>
- Acceptance:\u00a0<\/strong>Within Syrenity, Acceptance is understood as \u201cacknowledgment and recognition of the shared status of interconnection\u201d which is directly brought about via living in a state of\u00a0Reciprocity<\/strong>.
- Understand that there are imbalances in the world, yet remain focused on promoting balance.<\/li>
- Be content with what you have; celebrate the small blessings of life.<\/li>
- Answer even the smallest blessing with gratitude and live in that grateful state.<\/li>
- Acknowledge, recognize, accept, and respect all other human beings as members of one extended family; seek ever to teach this diversified yet balanced interconnection to others.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\u00a0<\/div>\u00a0<\/div>\u00a0<\/div>\u00a0<\/div>\u00a0<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
We understand \u201cwhat is most deeply\u00a0right<\/em>\u201d to include a pattern of Integrity, Honor, Hospitality, and Reciprocity based not on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality, but instead upon the\u00a0common worth<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0all<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0humanity, as dictated by the principle of\u00a0heart-knowledge<\/em>. We define\u00a0heart-knowledge<\/em>\u00a0as the inborn capability of understanding and acting in accordance with\u00a0common decency<\/em>: the quality or state of being kind, fair, honest, and good. Therefore, as practitioners of Syrenity, we ask of all our actions:<\/p> \u201cTo be a witch is to be heart-wise\u201d, but it is what we\u00a0do<\/em>\u00a0with that state-of-being that matters in practice and in the world. The ultimate entire point of establishing heart-knowledge<\/em> is to come to understand ourself within the mundane world as well as the Otherworlds\u00a0in relationship<\/em>. If all that we do is learn this information and then\u00a0internalize<\/em>\u00a0it, the only thing with which we wind up\u00a0in relationship<\/em>\u00a0is\u00a0ourselves<\/em>, and too many people in our world have a profound relationship with the self already! Everything cannot point solely\u00a0inward<\/em>; when this becomes the case, it leads to things such as entitlement and pomposity.<\/p> So how, exactly, does one put this sort of wisdom into practice? How does one actively live out\u00a0heart-knowledge<\/em>? One must begin from the zero-point: that state of\u00a0un-narrowness<\/em>\u00a0into which we are\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0initially born which is free, giving, open, strong, unlimited, accepting, broad, generous, liberal, tolerant, unconfined, unrestricted, and wide, rather than narrowness, which is a\u00a0learned behavior<\/em>\u00a0which seeks to oppress, distress, and brings anguish. Living from that un-narrow zero-point builds in us an open and mindful awareness that is free from anxiety or judgment. Rather than asking of a given situation \u201cwhat should I do?\u201d or even \u201cwhat should I think?\u201d, it instead asks solely \u201cwhat is this in its totality?\u201d. The \u201cindividualized totality\u201d of that situation then necessarily reaches its branches outward into the interconnected totality of the Universe. From this vantage point of microcosm within macrocosm, we become more able to see the\u00a0potentialities<\/em>\u00a0of a situation, rather than turning our vision backwards and internalizing, via preconceived notions which attempt to predict a defined outcome that can\u2019t\u00a0actually<\/em>\u00a0be predicted. That usual sort of internalized view is where\u00a0assumptions<\/em>\u00a0are born, and assumptions rarely serve us well. They lead to confusion and misunderstanding; maybe even outright fights.<\/p> We practice this heart-knowledge<\/em> through living our lives in a \u201cheart-wisdom-way\u201d. This might best be understood as living life in a way that is \u201ccommonsensical\u201d: balanced, ethical, compassionate, and useful (symbiotic). Those are the principles of the\u00a0Heart-Way’s<\/em> operation as well as its processes: acting through those principles, the\u00a0Heart-Way<\/em> creates gradual change that leads toward particular results, which are synonymous with balance, ethics, compassion, and symbiosis. When taken together, all of this defines for us the primary function of the Heart-Way<\/em>, which is to radiate balance, decency, and compassion out into the world, while further promoting symbiosis (its \u201cuse\u201d). Therefore, as practitioners of Syrenity:<\/p> Integrity<\/strong>\u00a0is understood to encompass\u00a0Honesty<\/strong>,\u00a0Equity<\/strong>, and\u00a0Deeds<\/strong>\u00a0and is defined as: \u201cthe quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness; the state of being whole and undivided; the condition of being unified, unimpaired, or sound; internal consistency or lack of corruption.\u201d Integrity maintains\u00a0balance<\/em>: true balance isn\u2019t as basic as \u201cone thing or another\u201d. Instead, it is about the\u00a0flow<\/em>\u00a0of all things,\u00a0at the same time<\/em>. Every entity\u00a0impacts<\/em>\u00a0every other entity in the Universe, precisely as in a natural ecosystem. We slowly come to understand that every distinct biome is simply a microcosm of the greater macrocosm, and that we must find our own place within that \u201cmap\u201d. Once we realize that place, it then becomes a matter of personal\u00a0integrity<\/em>\u00a0(honesty, equity, deeds) to behave in ways which do not negatively effect the Universe which ever-surrounds us.<\/p> Hospitality<\/strong>\u00a0is understood to include\u00a0Love<\/strong>,\u00a0Compassion<\/strong>, and\u00a0Blessings<\/strong>; it is\u00a0active compassion<\/em>, with much in common with the Buddhist ideal of\u00a0Maitri<\/em>\u00a0(loving-kindness; benevolence). It is an\u00a0active interest<\/em>\u00a0in the welfare of all others with personhood which, in a deeply animistic worldview such as this one, actively includes Everything and Everyone. Basic hospitality requires us to genuinely\u00a0care<\/em>\u00a0about interconnection as well as Everything and Everyone which\/who is\/are interconnected. We must\u00a0reside<\/em>\u00a0within dualism with our full hearts. These cannot just be concepts to which we pay lip-service (mind-active); these must be concepts that we act\u00a0within<\/em>\u00a0as well as upon (heart-active). That is the only way to ultimately restore full symbiosis. \u201cLove\u201d is a term which is much maligned in our modern world; it is a concept which we really need to re-embrace and reclaim. Real love\u00a0cares<\/em>; it resides within dualism with its full heart. Real love\u00a0blesses<\/em>: it protects and provides; it invokes\u00a0Divine<\/em>\u00a0caring, thereby uniting\u00a0all<\/em> worlds, and not just this one. Within that union, the Heart-Way<\/em>\u00a0becomes ultimately useful by promoting and sustaining symbiosis.<\/p> In human action, symbiosis takes shape as\u00a0Reciprocity<\/strong>\u00a0(which demands\u00a0Loyalty<\/strong>, and promotes\u00a0Peace<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Acceptance<\/strong>). As beings seeking to reclaim\u00a0relationship<\/em>\u00a0with the world and Worlds around us, this automatically implies the need to build\u00a0friendship<\/em>\u00a0via\u00a0familiarity<\/em>\u00a0with the other-than-human beings which surround us, and also with the very human ones. Reciprocity is therefore the\u00a0keynote<\/strong>\u00a0of Syrene practice. It is traditionally defined as: \u201cthe quality or state of being mutually dependent, or of engaging in mutual action or influence; a mutual exchange of privileges; a recognition of one entity of the validity of the licenses or privileges granted by another entity; a situation or relationship in which two entities agree to do something similar for each other, to allow each other to have the same rights, etc.\u201d As symbiosis-in-action, it is the reason why we perform offerings.<\/p> The interconnectedness of a shamanic worldview demands that actions be repaid with equal and only sometimes opposite reactions, in a form of intrinsic reciprocity which demands the\u00a0utter removal of\u00a0any<\/em>\u00a0\u201c-ism thinking processes\u201d<\/strong>, whether that be racism, genderism (inclusive of exclusionary attitudes towards the entirety of the LGBTQ+ spectrum), ableism,\u00a0or\u00a0anything<\/em>\u00a0else<\/strong>\u00a0which actively promotes hate and exclusion of any race, ethnic group, culture, or even religion.\u00a0Reciprocity<\/strong>\u00a0means helping when you\u2019ve been helped, and it doesn\u2019t just mean help the person who helped you, it means to pass that help along: \u201claughter with laughing takes hold of a house\u201d. It\u2019s supposed to be a brand of reciprocity that is\u00a0contagious<\/em>. When we have been gifted abundantly by the Gods, we \u201cpay it forward\u201d, by sharing our own gifts with the world.<\/p>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>
We practice Integrity.<\/strong><\/h2>
\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>
We practice Honor.<\/strong><\/h2>
\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>
We practice Hospitality.<\/strong><\/h2>
We practice Reciprocity.<\/strong><\/h2>
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