There probably isn’t a person you know who doesn’t long for an ideal world where everyone can agree and cooperate in peace, with respect for each other and a true sense of accomplishment in all they do. So when we learn about something like the Lemurian Philosophy and what’s being done by Lemurian students at Gateway, excitement mounts and we think “this is it!” And it is. Still, Lemurians are human, independent-thinking people, with habits of thought and action that don’t instantly mesh with others.
What we have is a common goal, a common guidebook, and a desire to blend with all who share that goal to build a better world. That takes some working on ourselves as we try our best to reach that point. It isn’t always smooth sailing but it’s worth the effort, as our recent workbench project reminds us.
When the time came to abandon our old Lemurian Crafts shop and move into our new Main Shop, there was space for something new. Someone suggested building a workbench of our own design to suit the needs of the Crafts items we manufacture. Great idea! Sounds pretty simple, right?
One worker offered some design possibilities, others looked through woodworking magazines for ideas and came together on a plan that met our needs. By the time the wood was ready we had finalized our plan, divided into teams and worked out a rotation so each would spend time working with the others on this project. Everyone wanted this workbench, we set up a good schedule and we thought it should be a breeze to put together. But our first two sessions didn’t go too well. This was a new kind of project for many of us.
We were like a group of musicians who hadn’t practiced together, all playing off key and each with a different song!
We realized some working on ourselves would be needed before we could start on the bench. Someone suggested sitting down to talk. Another admitted it was hard to visualize what we were trying to build. So the team leaders went over the plans and answered questions, bringing comments like “Now I get it!” As we all talked about what we hoped to do, camaraderie grew. It’s fascinating to really listen to each other, focus on how to compromise and pull our seemingly disparate ideas into a cohesive plan. Instead of a power struggle, it’s a respectful meeting of minds.
Before long we were laughing and kidding. Each of us eagerly took one part and started to do what we could with it. We began shaping and integrating the individual pieces. When one had questions, he’d ask; when another had a suggestion, she spoke up. When a problem came up, we all stopped to study it and offer ideas.
When the day came to assemble our bench, it was all hands on deck! The result is a joy to behold and brought a sense of fulfillment that words can’t adequately describe. That void in our shop was filled with something far more special than even our custom made workbench. And to this day, every time we walk into the shop and see it we feel that true Lemurian spirit that comes of working on ourselves.
