We Are All Related.

In a culture of tov (goodness) one seeks good relations with all of life. A good culture fosters good relations with all of life. Indigenous Americans say Aho Mitakuye Oyasin, a Lakota phrase meaning to all my relations. Lakota in English means friend.

When we accept the truth that we are all one family of brothers and sisters, then we are all in relation to each other. We are not just related to each other but we are related to all of life. We all share the same air, same water and the same soil of Mother Earth. Scientifically we know this wisdom to be true through the study of DNA and energy, we are all related and connected. The interconnectedness of all life is a gift from the Creator God, Great Spirit, the source of all life.

In a culture of tov we all stand in a circle because no one is greater, but together we are a greater sum than our parts. A culture of goodness is based on trust. Trust is the invisible glue that binds people together. Without trust, there can be no genuine relations. To trust someone is to believe in that person in ways that make the world safe. In fear-based power culture, trust breaks down and makes life as siblings nearly impossible. Untrusting relations lead to the manifestation of cliques and special interest groups that are not aligned with promoting goodness for the entire community.

As people, we do not live in isolation; we live in tribes. As a tribe, we are living in a relationship with each other. Relationships are all about belonging. We all belong, and we all want to belong. Everyone wants to feel valued. At the heart of a people-first culture will always be a commitment to include others.

In the New and Old Testament the words siblings, brothers, and sisters are more commonly mentioned than the word church. A Tov culture considers every brother and sister - not by social status, ethnic statues, or gendered status - but as family. The essence of family is relationships, and the foundation of our relations with a culture of goodness is that we are united as children of God, eternal and everlasting.

In a Tov culture, we are to honor one another as human beings, as souls on a life mission, because we know who we are and to whom we belong. We cultivate our spiritual practice to eliminate fear from our lives so that we can see the goodness within us, around us, and in us. To create a culture of goodness, we must resist whatever does not treat people as siblings.