In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation – Tradition of the Great Law of The Iroquois
Recently I wrote about books which were to be chewed and digested. I woke up early this morning still chewing on something I read weeks ago. At the risk of flouting the rule about talking with my mouth full, let me elaborate. The seventh generation rule formed part of the oral tradition of the Haudenosaunee. We know them better as the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy formed many years ago in what is now Western New York.
Lately I have been pondering how we make decisions in our culture. Many of us consider only ourselves and then take into account the next seven seconds rather than seven generations. In my immediate family the seventh generation would be my great, great, great, great, great grandchildren. It’s hard for me to imagine. During my lifetime I have known only five generations from my grandparents to my grandchildren.
If we were to follow the tradition of the Great Law, we would consider the effect of our decisions on descendants whom we will never meet. What do our lives have to do with theirs? Our children and grandchildren will inherit the consequences of our decisions for better or for worse. Their children and grandchildren will inherit the results of the stories and example we leave for them.
Each of us started life as a single cell with a complex genetic makeup inherited from our ancestors. We also inherit values, customs, beliefs and prejudices. So why be concerned about it?
Jered Diamond wrote about civilizations throughout history whose collective decisions left them with only archaeological traces and no descendants. Lester Brown, in his book Plan B 2.0 paints a graphic picture of trends in our current world community. If we continue life as usual we might well make the earth unfit for human habitation. Maybe we won’t have any seventh generation descendants.
Our decisions and actions affect those we love and those they will love. They will have to live with what we leave for them. How would we feel if our ancestors had used up all the earth’s resources and left us with just a pile of sand and toxic water?
Some people scoff at environmentalists as devotees of Chicken Little, flapping around worrying about the sky falling. Others tilt at windmills and other experiments in search of sustainable ways to preserve our environment while meeting our survival needs.
Fortunately voices of concern continue to speak for the earth, our home. Many of us are beginning to act responsibly and slowly shifting toward sustainable use of our resources. We still have choices but unless we act responsibly, our options may soon become severely limited.
Life Lab Lessons
*Do your actions consider the next seven seconds or seven generations?
*How important will the next seven seconds be from tomorrow’s perspective?
*What are you willing to give back to your earth?
*What do you wish to leave for those who follow you?
*How do you want to be remembered?