Golden Rule Meditation Exercises

3.8   Becoming a global citizen

Materials required

• Scarboro Missions Golden Rule Poster. To view or order poster, click here.
• A listing of the 13 expressions of the Golden Rule. To access this listing, click here. To avoid printing all five available languages, select only the language you need.

Steps:

1. 1. Prepare yourself
      Prepare yourself for meditation by any means that you find to be effective. You may want to consider Appendix 4: Tips for preparing for meditation and reflection.

1. 1. The Golden Rule
      In a slow and reflective fashion, read the 13 versions of the Golden Rule. Take as much as you need with these writings.
   2. A golden image
      Spend time gazing upon the Golden Rule Poster as an image. Allow it to speak to you. Study the visual elements of the poster – its overall design, its various shapes, lines, colours. Consider how these various elements relate to one another. Reflect on the symbolic meaning of the poster image, particularly from the perspective of international community and global citizenship.
   3. A global human community
      On the poster, note that:
      • the globe – the earth – our world – resides at the very centre.
      • the words, “The Golden Rule”, are superimposed on the globe.
      • lines (or rays) flow out from the globe to the outer edges of the poster and beyond (or, from another perspective, the lines flow from the outer edges inwards toward the globe).
      • on the globe at the centre, the lines of longitude and latitude connect the various continents to one another in one single global human community.
      • there are no lines dividing the various continents into nations.
      • the poster can be conceived as a wheel with numerous spokes going out from the central hub which is the globe.
      • the symbols of the various religions are gathered in a circle of circles – the circle is the most universal of religious symbols and represents unity and interconnectedness – in the circle, “everything is connected and everything is one”.
   4. Read and reflect
      Spend a few minutes reading and reflecting on the article entitled “The Golden Rule and the Global Ethic”The Global Ethic is an international effort to develop a set of universal moral principles that calls upon the wisdom of the world’s many cultures, religions and secular philosophies. Because the Golden Rule is found in so many religions and cultures, it is a key moral ingredient in the development of a Global Ethic.Take as much time as you need reflecting on this article.

1. Making connections
   Turn again to the Golden Rule poster. As you continue to gaze upon the poster image, what connections can you make between the Global Ethic, the Golden Rule and the design of the poster? Does the poster inspire or challenge you to become a truly global citizen? Jot down your thoughts.
2. Record your thoughts
   Spend some time gathering any insights or reflections that came to you during this exercise. Jot down your thoughts in a journal or on paper. To deepen your reflection, consider one or more of the following questions:
   • What was it like for me to do this reflection?
   • At what points during this meditation was I moved? Inspired? Challenged?
   • What questions or issues have been raised for me?
   • What new insights have I gained?
   • What did I learn about myself?
   • As a result of this meditation, what aspect of my life might I consider changing?
   • As a result of this meditation, I feel moved to……
   • What did I learn about the Golden Rule?
   • What did I learn about the world we live in? About the Global Ethic? About global citizenship?
3. A group experience
   For instructions on how to adapt this meditation for a group experience, see Appendix 3: Application to a group experience.