Can Atheists Do Triadic Meditation?
Triadic Meditation is the practice of Triadic Philosophy. While it is not the philosophy itself, it uses its central principles as a daily means of enabling practical consequences to result.
There are two elements of Triadic Meditation.
Triadic Meditation proper uses the triad Reality, Ethics, Aesthetics to arrive at expressions and actions based on tolerance, helpfulness and democracy. There is nothing in this that should pose a problem for anyone seeking a way of being with no religious element.
The second element of Triadic Meditation may be called a forgiveness protocol. It is centered on a prayer. It acknowledges a need for forgiveness and offers forgiveness to all others.
Here is my mildly altered version of the Lord’s Prayer. It can be used or not as one wishes. The only thing that requires use are the lines about forgiveness. Or a similar affirmation of reciprocal forgiveness.
The center two lines of the prayer seem to me necessary to Triadic Meditation.
Forgive the wrongs that we have done
As we forgive those who do wrong
The idea of universal forgiveness has rarely been advocated or practiced.
It should be. It works.
It works treating offenders. It works in South Africa. It works in therapy. It works wherever it is actually practiced.
It is a means of modifying our bellicose tendencies and acknowledging not only the wrongs we do but the wrongs we as an entire human family all over the world have done. All. ISIS. Cops. Me out on the street.
Only if we acknowledge our fallibility, can we receive a flow of forgiveness coming back.
Is this religion? I say no.
It is a law of living.
It is true for every soul on the planet.
And it produces measurable results.
Has it been adequately tested? NO. But it will be as we become advocates for a more serious approach to the reduction of harm.
That approach will require universal attention to and assent to the suggestions below.
To the question whether an atheist can be a Triadic Philosopher my answer is, there is nothing in it that contradicts the premises of atheism. Its values are those of a universal ethic capable of moving the world to nonviolence, basic income, free access to the whole planet and the establishment of democracy everywhere. That is not the objective of a religion but the aspiration of all.
