Banner KennethENorton.com - Photo by Kenneth E. Norton

Click image to be directed to the most recent episode and for the List of the Scent of Light episodes in the Archive

(Photo by Kenneth E. Norton)

Scent of Light Episode

by Ken Norton

Integrity

Original Broadcast November 24, 2019

Mp3 Player

The audio file above is the spoken word recording without background music provided to Radio KOWS 92.5 FM broadcast of the Scent of Light episode for insert into the Radio Spotlight Magazine with host Andre Marc.

Transcript

In this episode on the Scent of Light I will speak on Integrity.

These last weeks in November have been filled with public hearings of the impeachment inquiry broadcast over the media. The stakes are high for the president, his supporters, his accusers, the witnesses, and the nation. The scenes of witnesses confronted with or providing facts and the discernment of truth reminds me of a Shakespearean or moral drama. I recognize mythic characters and lessons as each day's interrogations unfold and details are filled in of violations of our national Constitution and ethical standards. I heard the Chairman of the Intelligence Committee exhort the participants to measure what is said with the Constitution and one's conscience.

This conscience that is called to the fore here is always at play. Each of the people whose names were brought up during the hearings has had to deal with their conscience as the events were unfolding. But conscience is only one of the inner voices or desires, and often it is ignored; and with lack of practice listening for its guidance it becomes undetectable amidst the roar of riches and power and privileged pleasure.

Conscience is what makes personal integrity and social integrity possible. When we trust someone, we are trusting that they are capable and they keep agreements. We trust there is conscience involved when decisions are being made to achieve the agreed goal. The government public hearings shine the light on the importance of agreements and responsibility in fulfilling official duties for which people were appointed or elected.

We heard Witnesses report of a system of diplomacy working when done by protocols respecting constitutional powers of the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of the government. We heard witnesses also share instances of disregard for constitutional norms, which caused alarms to go off in people's minds, prompting some to seek legal counsel advice or to report it as was their duty in the office of trust they held. National integrity to our Constitution was at stake. And personally each has a relationship to their conscience, that “still small voice" that becomes louder as behaviors are noticed that conflict with cherished soul values.

We can see from these last couple of weeks how a conscience conflict can suddenly come up. We each need to be vigilant in practicing our visits to the inner stillness, so we can better discern those protestations of conscience and act in alignment with it. It does take courage to stand up to evil, however the more familiar you become with the power of conscience in guidance on a healing path, the more trusting you will become in your conscience self, your True Self.

Younger folks can learn from elders who have mastered this trust in conscience, as the elders recount their stories. Choose such mentors carefully. Ask for signs to help with this, and you will be led with synchronicity. I know that I was helped by finding an elder 50 years older than me who was glad to share his lessons learned from failings and victories as regards being true to one's Self, a person of integrity. It does not have to be as large a difference in age. For me and my circumstances and for my mentor it was good fit. It did not make me perfect but allowed me to forgive myself with my failings that come to my attention and thereby strengthen my relationship to my conscience and grow into my True Self.

We are fortunate to have such an ethical drama displayed on this national issue of impeachment, for there is much to learn about our own conscience speaking to our integrity as we observe our reactions to the revelations and ensuing remedy.

This is Ken Norton on the Scent Of Light. You can contact me via Ken at KennethENorton.com and I would be glad to hear from you. The Scent of Light episodes are archived on the web at kennethenorton.com. Thanks for listening.

About the Author and Producer

Ken Norton earned his master's degree in Materials Science from Stanford University as the Vietnam War was ending. During that time Ken served as the personal assistant to a poet/sociologist Dr. William Hermanns as he prepared his writings for publication, exposing Ken to not only the sciences but also the humanities and comparative religion for making conscious and conscionable choices.

Ken is a regular contributor to Radio Spotlight Magazine with his episodes on the Scent of Light.