Intellect and Consciousness

Intellect is but a tool
in the hands
of the consciousness
that uses it

History is replete
with examples
of very intelligent
criminals and aggressors

We celebrate intellect
without regard
for its impact
in our world

We worship intellect
without attention
to its potential
for harm

Now I am not even
speaking of
the glaringly obvious
transgressions

Now I am speaking
of errors of omission
rather than
commission

Apparently intellect
does not always
care to
examine itself;
its motives
and its agendas

Apparently intellect
is too afraid
to encounter
its own limitations
too smug
to conceive
of their possibility

There is no dearth
of intellect
on our great planet
right now

Yet we have not
solved the most basic
of our problems
with any consistency

Sure things have changed
here and there
Sure we can
ascend to great heights
then descend to
great depths
Sure we have eradicated
one disease here
only to find another there
Sure we have stalled
poverty here
while transferring it there
Sure we have abolished
slavery here
while introducing bondage there!

The greatest Intellect
can still come
from tribal consciousness
that seeks
to maximize the interests
of one group
without any regard
for another

The greatest intellect
can still miss
the indelible connection
between each group
and each one

Our planet
at this time
stands testimony
to our tribal consciousness

Clearly I am not
speaking only
of tribes of yore
but modern ones;
tribes that come together
around an idea
a cause, a purpose
an interest, a mission
tribes that come together
as one group
while putting themselves
outside another

For a while
it works
as tribes transcend
personal egos
to care for another
within their tribe

For a while
it works
as tribal consciousness
evolves from
individual ego consciousness
as a step
towards the more inclusive

But we have
too much uncomfortable
evidence now
that its days are done
for us individually
and collectively

And yet
tribal consciousness
cannot exit
tribal consciousness
on its own;
it does not have
so much power

Something larger
must intervene
to break us out
of our orbital looping;
Something beyond
our limited selves
something I call Grace

As it does with
individual ego consciousness
so it does with
tribal consciousness
Grace takes us beyond
an obsolete paradigm
and opens us
to something new

We can join
the movement of Grace
We can choose
to be opened
to its wisdom
inside us

We can join
the movement of Grace
We can choose
to see clearly
to examine deeply
what is still
unseen and un-examined
within us

We can join
the movement of Grace
and allow it
to guide our intellect
and coax it
out of its
self-imposed captivity

We can join
the movement of Grace
and say yes
not to change
here and there
but transformation
that leaves
nothing and no-one out