July: A Month for Soul-Searching

(NOTE: Refreshed English is used in this site. See Glossary for more on RE.)

OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUÉ FROM THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE
FREESTANDING EVOLUTIONIST HAVEN OF JUSTICEA

Greetings from Justicea!

July is a Month for Personal Reflection in Justicea. Halfway through the year, in the North Hemisphere where our island nation is located, the strong summer sun and warm breezes seem to call out to us, suggesting it a good time to slow down, relax, and reflect on where we are and where we’re going in our life’s journey. For those living in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s July’s colder winter winds that whisper hints to come indoors, repose, and engage in some thoughtful stocktaking.  

Three “P” Soul-Searching

Traditionally, we Justiceans engage in Three “P” Soul-Searching in July, an exercise in which we ask ourselves the following three questions pertaining to our person, our purpose, and our place:

• Person:
  Am I on track in terms of my personal growth and maturity?
  (i.e., Am I becoming the kind of person I want to be?);

• Purpose:
  Am I on track in terms of my life’s work?
  (Am I engaged in work that I find enjoyable and fulfilling, and that benefits my community in some way?); and

• Place:
  Am I where I want to be—literally—in regards to my physical location?

Answering these questions privately and honestly gives us a good idea of where we are in terms of our relationship to ourselves, to those who surround us, and to our very surroundings. Our candid responses confirm in which aspect or aspects of our lives we are currently content and alert us to where our present dissatisfaction or dissatisfactions lie. With this self-knowledge, we can map out the changes we wish to put into motion as we move forward into the next half of the year.

A Question for All: “Am I on Track in Terms of…”

It’s noteworthy that the wording of the first two questions begins with “Am I on track in terms of…” This phrasing remains the same for all Justiceans participating in the exercise, including senior citizens. This is because Justiceans hold our Elders in high esteem and view life as an ever-changing process that we all participate in to our last breath. Therefore, our potential for growth—to become more enlightened and gain maturity—continues throughout our lifetime. Along with our potential for continued growth, the possibility of our contributing productively to Society remains in our advanced years so long as we retain sufficient mental capacity and at least one basic physical capability, such as speech, hand writing, or sign language, that allows us to continue to communicate intelligibly with others.

Our Purpose:  What Qualifies?

When it comes to the consideration of our “work” and “purpose,” it is important to note how Justiceans judge success in this aspect of life.  Success is not measured by making a lot of money or by gaining an impressive job title.—If one does and derives pleasure from it, applause! Applause!  However, in Justicea, we are considered successful if we do any work that makes us feel happy and fulfilled, and that we share to the benefit our community in some way, even if we don’t receive any monetary compensation for it. “Benefitting our community” can be as simple as permitting others to take pleasure in viewing our work.  

Think, for a moment, of how many people there must be around the world who, in their heart-of-hearts, consider themselves artists, for example, yet who dare not profess it aloud for fear of being ridiculed simply because they do no receive financial remuneration for their creations. The fact that they may produce beautiful paintings, write stirring poetry, compose moving music—or, yes, produce thought-provoking blog posts—that others enjoy is not enough to have their endeavors considered their work nor qualify as their life’s purpose, no matter how passionate and diligent they are about doing what they do. Such is not the case in Justicea! Anyone whose creations are shared with and appreciated by others has the right to call the act of producing them their “work” and an expression of their life’s “purpose.”

Additional Benefits of Three “P” Soul-Searching

Answering the Three “P” Soul-Searching questions for ourselves not only guides us in assessing our current situation and provides us with direction in planning our future. Considering them can often also bring back memories from our early years that we may not have thought about for a long time. They can remind us of how we came to be the person we are today and how we came to be in the place in which we now find ourselves. Some memories are bound to be happy and others sad, yet it is the sum total of our experiences that makes us ourselves.

I invite you to try to do some Three “P” Soul-Searching. If you do, I hope you find it to be an eye-opening and clarifying experience for you as we Justiceans find it for ourselves!

Until next time…

Peace & Siblinghood,

Justion Fairfield,
Minister of Cultural Affairs, FEH Justicea