Benefits of Respect and Tolerance for the Way of the Universe

• Respect and Tolerance for the way of the Universe — sustain life.
• Respect and Tolerance for the way of the Universe — advocates for peace and freedom.
• Respect and Tolerance for the way of the Universe — teaches acceptance and discourages judgment.
• Respect and Tolerance for the way of the Universe — pursues altruism and love.
• Respect and Tolerance for the way of the Universe — tries to unite rather than separate people based on the commonality of humankind.

Acts of Respect and Tolerance for the Way of the Universe in Everyday Life

• The Bible — Leviticus 19:18 "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD."
• International Day of Tolerance — An annual observation declared by UNESCO in 1995 to generate awareness of the harms of intolerance throughout the world.
• The Pontanima Choir from Sarajevo — formed less than a year after the end of the Bosnian war. The name means "spiritual bridge," and its aim is to use music to heal ethnic and religious divisions by inviting people of all faiths to join its ranks.
• "Breaking the Ice", a group of Israeli and Palestinians at sea in Antarctica. The team works together as they sail on rough seas, walk for days across ice and scale a previously unclimbed mountain, all to show how the Israelis and Palestinians can live and work together in peace.
• Positive Parenting — Encourage Positive Imagination. One of the best ways to teach respect and tolerance for others is to have them 'walk a mile in their shoes.' Employ role-playing games in which you help your children ‘put on' the shoes of others so they get a chance to walk around and gain a better understanding of people who may not be like them.

Methods for Achieving Respect and Tolerance for the Way of the Universe:

• Practice putting God and Others First — Despite how it feels, WE do not have all the answers. Sometimes, we do not even understand the questions. Do not be afraid to rely on something outside our own self-will to guide us.
• Life Readings — Pick a person a month, someone that you have heard of but would not likely befriend, and learn as much as you can about him/her life. Knowledge is power, and can yield tremendous understanding and insight.
• Volunteer — It doesn't have to be much, maybe just an hour or two a month – but do something for someone else purely for the experience of being of service to a person you don't know.
• Meditation and Prayer — By assuring a quiet, safe place within ourselves, we can find peace and serenity which we can then learn to channel from within us out toward others.
• Evaluate and Re-evaluate Emotions — Learn to overcome fear and look within to find the root of what causes intolerance. It is very likely to be fear-based. Work to overcome your fear and you will be able to practice tolerance more often.

Golden Mean

Quotes for Respect and Tolerance for the Way of the Universe

If you have some respect for people as they are, you can be more effective in helping them to become better than they are.

- John W. Gardner -

The truth which has made us free will in the end make us glad also. Every outcry against the oppression of some people by other people, or against what is morally hideous is the affirmation of the principle that a human being as such is not to be violated. A human being is not to be handled as a tool but is to be respected and revered.

- Felix Adler -

If one doesn't respect oneself one can have neither love nor respect for others.

- Ayn Rand -

Without tolerance, our world turns into hell.

- Friedrich Durenmatt -

We need to promote greater tolerance and understanding among the peoples of the world. Nothing can be more dangerous to our efforts to build peace and development than a world divided along religious, ethnic or cultural lines. In each nation, and among all nations, we must work to promote unity based on our shared humanity.

- Kofi Annon -

Recommended Reading

Hey, Little Ant — by Phillip M. Hoose

A great little book – maybe one of the best around – that teaches tolerance to children through the conversation between a little boy who is about to squish and kill an ant that is annoying him, and the ant. An excellent tool about universality and everybody's right to exist.

Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom — By Rick Hanson

A thorough journey into the mind and the soul of each individual awaits the reader of this book. An amazing tool with the guidance of Rick Hanson, on finding out who and why we are and how to reach the depths of what we wish to become.