The Ubuntu Philosophy is One of Unity

Recently I was at a memorial service where they incorporated into thier opening greeting a wonderful African view. This view was introduced as Ubuntu. The Ubuntu philosophy is one of unity. The way they descibed Ubuntu in relation to this memorial service was that when one person feels pain, everyone feels that same pain.

It was explained that in some parts of the world, typically African tribes, when a person is greeted with a "hello, how are you", that person will reply, "we are well". It is this WE that best describes Ubuntu.
It is interesting how parts of this same world have moved so far away from this concept of oneness.

How is it that so many cultures agree that unity is the key, yet typically function through an "I" philosophy? How did we get so far off track? Is it as simple, yet complex, as the ego? Is it our wants and desires that cloud our judgements? Better question is, does the obtaining of these wants and desires insulate us from fear, giving us a false sense of control? Could it be that this "I" philosophy merely stems from our fears of losing control? If we could all live the following quote, would we not be better off as a culture, a nation, a world?

"A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or oppressed" ~ Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Ubuntu, oneness, unity, whatever you choose to call it, may seem easy enough but look once again at the description above, is it easy? When all around us we see selfishness, cowardness, filth, oppression, racism, ignorance, how can it be easy? It takes strength to stand up against what is beside each and every one of us.

I'll end this blog with an analogy that is fitting to Ubuntu. ‎"A single straw of a broom can be broken easily, but the straws together are not easily broken" ~ Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee

I choose to be one of the many straws on this global broom of unity.

Namaste