The word honor in the Greek means to highly value, to esteem, or to ascribe worth. On the other hand, dishonor describes a state of lost honor or value. In the West, we have dishonored many races as well as Native Americans and African Americans. Dishonor extends to the past inquisition of women, denial of the Divine Feminine in spirituality, and the destruction of the ecology of planet Earth.
Honor involves yourself, all others and all earth kingdoms. In order to honor our self, we must give the body what it needs in order to be healthy. Emotional dishonor includes the denial of joy, i.e., working long hours at a job we hate or continuing living in an abusive relationship. When we learn to honor our self, we will leave these types of situations. Dishonoring also includes suppression or repression of our emotions and lack of awareness of the needs of our inner child.
Perhaps, as we evolve towards honoring the well-being of our physical bodies and emotional states, we may achieve greater longevity.
Honoring others allows each person the choice of their own life path and spiritual journey. On a psychological level, we then embrace the parallel parts of ourselves that these people mirror within us.
Sometimes in order to honor oneself and allow another their own journey requires a parting of paths for continued personal growth.
Honor requires allowing all others their sovereign journey. If one clings to others in the group or to the group leader, real honor cannot occur until each is whole enough unto oneself to have transcended co-dependence. This requires developing the ability to say “No” and knowing when to say “Yes” to go beyond our personal resistances.
Strengthening sovereignty (completeness and connection to all life) and practicing co-creation within ourselves, we disable dishonor by others. Also increasing the power of our inner core light helps. “Stand in the core light of the Logos (God Self) as instruments of honor.”
In my experience, a major lesson that challenges most people upon the spiritual path of awakening at this time involves giving up the belief in a savior or that some “Spiritual Teacher” knows more than we do. Spiritual teachers, who have influence and power over groups and yet still persist in controlling and acting arrogant towards their students, demonstrate dishonor. I believe that if the “Teacher” embodied honor and unity the ego “I” would be nonexistent. The Dalai Lama, for example, honors everyone. No separation exists as honor gives as well as receives the other.
Dishonoring persists when a spiritual teacher takes over the center of the group and imposes their personal will as God’s will. Another form of dishonor occurs when spiritual teachers take a student’s gift as their own rather than co-creating together.
The Divine comes through our gifts as we offer them in service for the benefit of others. As a group, we can surrender ourselves up in honor to be a vessel of God’s creation.
Maybe we can learn from our Native American brothers and honor the sacred in all life. This includes the honoring of the sacred within ourselves. I believe we all carried the divine spark of God within, which only requires conscious awakening. Of course, honoring the sacred means recognizing the unity rather than separateness in other people, the beauty in minerals, plants, animals, and respect for the Earth.
We can choose to do our part to awaken, take care of our bodies, and emotions, and embody honor. As each of us embodies honor, we emerge anew as one humanity. We each become the saviors of the human race.
Michael David Lawrience, as a holistic health practitioner for over 35 years, assists in releasing physical & emotional pain gently, improving your emotional health. He also coaches teens, strengthening their self esteem. As a writer for over 15 years, Michael creates articles about personal development.