A difficulty in discriminating between our conditioned disempowering conscience and our true empowering conscience, is that what is seemingly right for one particular culture may be viewed as wrong by another. For example, one culture may choose to receive payment from the person accused of causing the death of a family member as appropriate compensation, but this custom of accepting ‘blood money’ could be considered immoral by another culture. Because of different cultural views, therefore, it is important to differentiate between morality and conscience.
Very simply, where morality is relative, always different and always changing, conscience is absolute and never changes. Morality can be both subjective and objective. Take the example of cheating another person, objectively accepted as wrong by Mankind, but too often subjectively acceptable between people of different classes, education and even countries.
Conditioned conscience comes from an association of ideas. Such an association can cause us to act in a particular way in order for us to feel comfortable about what we do. Although there may indeed exist, or have existed, those rare individuals who actually appear to be without conscience and do what they do for the sake of evil, the purpose of the conscience is to direct for the good. A person acting from conscience may cause destruction in the misguided belief that they are doing so in the interests of good, and this in itself illustrates the havoc a conditioned conscience can cause. Although history records various atrocities perpetrated by seemingly remorseless individuals, it also records that, without exception, what they unconscionably strove to create eventually crumbled.
External morality is different everywhere, as exemplified in the maxim, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ For inner morality you must be able to do; that is do what you know to be true in the very depths of your heart. When developed to its stronger and deeper state, your true conscience becomes a powerful guiding tool of discrimination and direction.
People will always claim that if it weren’t for your conscience, you’d probably do everything you want to do right away. In educating our conscience, however, we are able to align what we do with what we are. It also helps us to recognise that there are universal principles, independent of us, allowing us to understand the futility of trying to become a law unto ourselves.
Keys to Releasing Conscience Power
Dealing with those who do not appear to have a conscience can often create a rationale for not heeding our own. The truth is that as long as your conscience is your friend, you never have to worry about your enemies. However, the thought of responding differently from an habitual fear-based reaction may appear so frightening that it is almost mum. aginable to us.
Could we really confront our boss or client? Could we really tell the truth or say what we think, even if it meant that the outcome was not the most financially desirable? Could we really live true to our conscience, even if it meant being fired or impeding our advancement? Could we really trust that we would be peacefully guided towards our next job, contract or opportunity, instead of remaining in a compromising situation or fearfully grasping at whatever becomes available to us? Whatever fears we feel corner us, it is not until we confront them that we will stop feeling compromised in a way that literally drains our energy and potential.
In harnessing our conscience we will be clearly guided towards balanced growth and development. There are three specific keys which when practised will release the power of true conscience, allowing it to become the ally and trusted advisor it is intended to be.
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