Aquarian Goodwill In Action

Good Will is a potent key value in the age of Aquarius. Well, that’s great, but what exactly does that mean?

The concept of Good Will, while easy to talk about, can sometimes seem elusive to identify in action.

Personally, I tend to think of Good Will in the following ways:

·       A motivating principle, which is the good, that creates action

·       Giving encouragement, excitement and energy that can be used to accomplish good 

·       Acting from a place of the highest good for the one/group/being I am relating with; this can be inclusive of self

As people who want to make the world a better place, it’s useful to acknowledge and identify acts of Good Will that can serve as inspiration for each of us. Sure, there are grand acts, that are potentially global in scale, but it’s at the community level where Good Will builds, and stacks goodness on top of itself.

Let’s take a look at a few examples of Good Will in Action.

Recycling or Upcycling

Recycling can be viewed as a motivating principle that does good. Here in Madison, WI we have simple recycling examples that go beyond cans and cardboard:

·       When a household no longer needs to use an item that is very functional, one simply put it out on the curb. In addition to neighbors walking by there are people who drive around in the mornings looking for materials that they can upcycle. These items stay out of landfills and create a good healthy flow through the system.

·       Hippie Christmas, takes this to the next level at that magical time of the year when all leases downtown at the University of WI Madison are up and start anew. The students will place their old furniture out of the curb, that they no longer want for others to make use of. This cuts down on the cost of living for others, which is good.

·       There is of course, literally Good Will Industries.

The Good in these examples is clear, the Will stands behind, drives and initiates the action of Recycling or Upcycling.

Giving Encouragement to Accomplish Good

·       One simple example of this is to encourage someone to exercise for physical fitness and health. The other day when I was out on a run, a random jogger put his hand in the air and said “High Five.” That simple act of motivation is Good Will in action, the Good is the encouragement, the Will is the transfer of energy to keep moving for health.

·       My friend, Henry Sanders, runs Madison365, a news outlet for communities of color that encourages emerging leaders. In addition to serving as a leader himself in our community, Henry recently launched a new series where he shares his Faith with his readers. It is an act of Good Will when leaders leverage their platforms to inspire others for more good.

·       Public speeches that motivate people to do good is also an expression of Good Will. Strong orators, with positive messages, can instill the Will, or motivation to act through their words. If you are a good speaker and you have a topic for good, that you believe in, find your audience and speak the good words.

Acting from a Place of the Highest Good

When we consciously think about how we can be do-gooders, that is an act of Good-Will. One might ask themselves, “What is the highest good that I can do through my days?” One key to answering this question, is that the answers must be practical. Here are a few practical examples:

·       My son is a baseball player and when he was younger he joined a local recreational T-Ball team. The rec league was coordinated by a gent named Mike. Mike organizes and manages the league as a service to the community, offering the kiddos a fun safe way to pass time. Mike expresses Good Will by serving his community in this manner.

·       Prayer can be another practical way to begin to express Good Will in action. Historically speaking prayer has expressed the Good. What’s needed for the Will element – is action. A simple Good Will prayer, with action might be “May all in my community have enough food to eat.” A lovely prayer, invoked by countless on a regular basis. Turning this into Good Will in action would include a monthly donation to a food bank. A Willful expression of being the Good you want to see in the world.

·       Let’s expand this simple prayer concept to – a church. What if each individual church, had a single Good Will mission for their community? For example, St. John's Lutheran Church will be knocking down their church to make way for affordable housing with a sanctuary in the middle. Their Good Will mission is to house God’s people in their community and they are upcycling the space they own. What could more focused examples of this do for our communities?

These are a handful of examples of Good Will in Action in the Age of Aquarius. Where do you see Good Will opportunities in your life? Can you capture that energy and put it into action?

By act of Will may we all do what we can for Good!