HOW TO SPIRITUALIZE YOUR HOME -- Living by the Golden Rule
GOLD
Why do we love gold so much? It is highly valued throughout the world, and has been so honored for many centuries. In our economy we once had the "gold standard," meaning we would print money only in the amount of gold we had as a nation. People often refer to the "gold standard" in any business and profession as the best of the best. Some people think of gold as precipitated sunlight, able to carry light and joy to its owners and its wearers. The color of yellow-gold is often associated with spiritual wisdom.
THE GOLDEN RULE
The Golden Rule is likewise valued greatly. It has been expressed in very similar terms for thousands of years. It is a simple statement of ethics that guides the behavior of people throughout the world. We find it in the scriptures of every major world religion both in the West and in the East, and even in early classical writings.
Below you will find a survey of the part this simple but profound teaching plays in all of the world's religions. You will also find a song you can teach your children to celebrate the Golden Rule.
THE GOLDEN RULE
Do unto others as you
would have others do unto you.
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This is a statement of compassion for others that leads to action that is good for others and good for us; it is enlightened self-interest. The Golden Rule provides us with a simple rule of behavior that urges us to be compassionate to others so that life will be compassionate back to us.
We find the Golden Rule as a centerpiece of Christianity.
The Golden Rule
Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you,
do ye even so unto them.
Jesus Christ
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The Golden Rule is likewise centerpiece of Judaism.
The Golden Rule
What is hateful to you,
do not to your fellow man.
This is the law:
all the
rest is commentary.
Talmud, Shabbat 31a.
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Plato taught the Golden Rule in ancient Greece, four centuries before the birth of Christ.
May I do unto others
as I would that
they
should do unto me.
Plato,
Fourth Century B.C.
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From ancient Egypt we find what may be the oldest recorded version of the Golden Rule.
Do for one who may do
for you, that you may
cause him thus to do.
The Tale of the
Eloquent Peasant
1970 to 1640 BC |
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In the teachings of Islam we find the Golden Rule.
Not one of you is a believer
until he loves for his brother
what he loves for  himself.
40 Hadith of an-Nawawi 13 |
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In the teachings of Buddha we find the Golden Rule.
Hurt not others with
that which pains thyself.
Buddha, Fifth century B.C
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In the ancient teachings of Hinduism we find the Golden Rule.
Do naught to others
which
if done to thee
would cause thee pain.
One should not behave
towards others in a way
which is disagreeable
to oneself. This is the
essence of morality.
All other activities are
due to selfish desire.
Mahabharata
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We find the Golden Rule in the traditions of Confucius.
Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence.
Mencius VII.A.4
Tsekung asked, "Is there one word that can serve as a principle of conduct for  life?"
Confucius replied,
"It is the word shu-reciprocity:
Do not do to others
what you do not want
them to do to you."
Analects of Confucius 15:23
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The Golden Rule is beautifully stated in the Shinto religion.
The heart of the person
before
you is a mirror.
See there your own form. |
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The Golden Rule is found in Taoist scriptures.
Regard your neighbor's
gain as your own gain
and your neighbor's loss
as your own loss.
T'ai Shang Kan Ying P'ien
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We find the Golden Rule in Jainism.
A man should wander about treating all creatures as
he himself would be treated.
Sutrakritanga 1.11.33 |
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We find the Golden Rule in Sikhism.
Treat others as thou wouldst be treated by thyself.
Adi Grandth 16th Century A.D. |
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We also find the Golden Rule in Zoroastrianism.
Do not unto others all that which is not well for oneself.
Zoroaster, Fifth Century, B.C. |
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We find the Golden Rule in Native American lore.
All things are our relatives;
what we do to everything,
we do to ourselves.
All is really One.
Black Elk
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This simple but powerful teaching clearly permeates the religious and spiritual teachings of the world, often being considered the most concise and general principle of ethical behavior.
In the Lord's Prayer, we recite words which evoke the same feeling:
Forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us. |
What goes around comes around
We often hear people say, "What goes around comes around." Many have an intuitive understanding of what the Old Testament prophet, Obadiah taught: "As thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee," and what Paul said to the Galatians 6:7: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap." If we do kindness to others, eventually it will return to us. Shakespeare wrote about this universal cycle of return in 1605 or 1606 in King Lear, Act 5, Scene 3 when he said:
The wheel is come full circle.
William Shakespeare
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The Golden Rule and the law of karma
We find in these clear statements of the way to live life the idea that what we give to life comes back to us. Perhaps the earliest formation of this principle comes from Hinduism, 3,500 years ago. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica,
"Hinduism began in India about 1500 BC ... According to the doctrine of karma, [every act or deed] of good conduct brings a pleasant and happy result and creates a tendency toward similar good acts, while bad conduct brings an evil result and creates a tendency toward repeated evil actions. This  furnishes the basic context for the moral life of the individual."
Application to life
As we see the powerful correspondences between the sacred teachings of all religions, may we heed the words of Nicholas and Helena Roerich in their 1929 volume, Agni Yoga.
Compare the stream of the Teachings of life which have been given to humanity. Each, without affecting the preceding, discloses new gates of knowledge ... Therefore they should be studied not for the sake of familiarity, but for application to life.
Teaching the golden rule to children: My Golden Gloves
This song has two parts. First there is a simple finger play, followed by a song you can march to.
Begin by inviting children to put on their golden gloves each day. Our Golden Gloves help us remember always to be loving and kind.
My Golden Gloves
Begin by pulling the gloves on, one finger at a time as you say:
I
Do
Unto
Others
As I
Would
Have them
Do
Unto
Me
Pretend there are two little buttons at the wrist level
of each glove and you turn them as you say:
For
God
Is
Love
Cross your hands over your heart and say:
And I am love!
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To conclude, you can sing the song, set to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Children love to march as they sing this song. Marching is always fun and very balancing for children.
I Do Unto Others
I do unto others as I would have them do to me,
I do unto others as I would have them do to me,
I do unto others as I would have them do to me,
And I always do it first! (Repeat 3 times)
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