"Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you" -Martha Beck
Breaking The Rules: Not What You Think
The prompt I selected this week for MamaKat's Writer's Workshop, {5. Read the following quote and respond: "Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you" } comes from a quote in an article, 20 Questions That Could Change Your Life, by Martha Beck, a contributing editor for O Magazine. It is #17 and the rest of it is below.
I think it becomes pretty clear when we look at the 20 questions that Martha's point is that we must step forward and honor the spring flowing from our hearts - our heart's calling. To keep the rules within us, we must act; regardless of the socio-cultural mores that hold us back. Many of us grew up in cultures that had very specified roles for men and women. These roles were often followed by rules of conduct, lines each member was not allowed to cross, expectations for each gender, and penalties for those who dared speak truth to their own power.
These codified rules meant that many of us, men and women, I dare say more women, never dared to meet our inner diva; to claim our fullest power because we were always being guided by restrictions masquerading as propriety. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a doctor; to heal people of their pain and suffering. While I was not exactly discouraged, there was no big rush to support that dream. The dream that seemed to be encouraged was that of teacher, or historian; perfectly legitimate fields but not what I imagined.
Now don't get me wrong, but I wasn't speaking of traditional medicine either. The word healer had deeper meaning to me as a child and I knew it had more to do with healing inner pain than physical wounds. As I matured, I learned to honor what was expected of me but soon found myself turning more and more to paths of healing; be it through words, music or other non-traditional methods. Yet, anther ancient voice would always intervene... "Seek the professions, go mainstream, be mainstream and then ... hold back."
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Breaking The Rules: Not What You Think
The prompt I selected this week for MamaKat's Writer's Workshop, {5. Read the following quote and respond: "Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you" } comes from a quote in an article, 20 Questions That Could Change Your Life, by Martha Beck, a contributing editor for O Magazine. It is #17 and the rest of it is below.
17. Where should I break the rules?
If everyone kept all the rules, we'd still be practicing cherished traditions like child marriage, slavery, and public hangings. The way humans become humane is by assessing from the heart, rather than the rule book, where the justice of a situation lies. Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you.
I think it becomes pretty clear when we look at the 20 questions that Martha's point is that we must step forward and honor the spring flowing from our hearts - our heart's calling. To keep the rules within us, we must act; regardless of the socio-cultural mores that hold us back. Many of us grew up in cultures that had very specified roles for men and women. These roles were often followed by rules of conduct, lines each member was not allowed to cross, expectations for each gender, and penalties for those who dared speak truth to their own power.
These codified rules meant that many of us, men and women, I dare say more women, never dared to meet our inner diva; to claim our fullest power because we were always being guided by restrictions masquerading as propriety. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a doctor; to heal people of their pain and suffering. While I was not exactly discouraged, there was no big rush to support that dream. The dream that seemed to be encouraged was that of teacher, or historian; perfectly legitimate fields but not what I imagined.
Now don't get me wrong, but I wasn't speaking of traditional medicine either. The word healer had deeper meaning to me as a child and I knew it had more to do with healing inner pain than physical wounds. As I matured, I learned to honor what was expected of me but soon found myself turning more and more to paths of healing; be it through words, music or other non-traditional methods. Yet, anther ancient voice would always intervene... "Seek the professions, go mainstream, be mainstream and then ... hold back."
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