How about a LIFE centred self assessment tax return?

Today is the deadline in the UK for self-assessment income tax forms. All over the country stressed out people are filling forms to account for last tax year’s financial activities and what they owe to Her Majesty’s government.

I hereby propose a new type of annual Life-Centred Self Assessment.

The Life Path and the Money Path

I run workshops about creating an entirely new money story for the 21st century. In the workshop we describe the Money Path and the Life Path. The Money Path is everything we do around getting, earning, saving, investing, spending, giving, asking for, and also ignoring … Money. If we are not careful, we spend our lives focused on the Money Path with the strange idea that once we get that sorted we will then get to do what we really want in Life.

The Money Path arises from an Industrial-Linear mindset, arising strongly in the last hundred years, and existing for a few hundred years before then. It seems very real. But really is just a way of thinking we made up and keep sticking to.

The Life Path operates on a different logic. Life itself has self-organised with coherence, creativity and intelligence for around 4.8 billion years. For most of that time money was not an issue, yet Life continued doing its thing.

The Life Path logic is NOT against money. Money is not considered a problem. ?But the Life Path logic draws our attention to a deeper wisdom, in the world and also in us and between us. It invites us to use money (+ numbers) in support of LIFE, rather than the other way around. It is a logic based on trusting and following a deeper calling of our souls; our Selves. We hear that deeper call whenever we pause, stay silent and listen well. Also, when we are touched, inspired, and passionate in response to the world.

Many ecological, social and political problems arise when collectively humans place the Money Path at the centre of things, and hope that Life will somehow work around that. In fact, much Life is being destroyed through such a logic.

Many mental health problems, meaningless work, personal frustration and the stifling of the soul arise when individually we put Money Path at the centre and believe Life will somehow work around that. Many Lives are diminished and impoverished when this happens.

Our times call for us – individually and collectively, confidently to place Life at the very centre of things, and create systems, structures, routines and roles that serve that.

So, would you like to try a new Life Centred Self Assessment form?

Of course you would.

I declare today Life Centred Self-assessment day.

Self here means Carl Jung’s Self – the ultimate, wise, whole, integrated nature of your true being.

The assessment is a kind, gentle and humorous one. It supports more LIFE – greater system health, wholeness, vitality, creativity, flow and relationship.

The assessment form is below and much more cheerful than the HMRC forms. It is very short and will not take you long.?

YOUR VERY OWN (LIFE CENTRED) SELF ASSESSMENT RETURN:

Question 1. When, where and why did you experience most LIFE* last year?

-> When, where and why did you feel most aligned with your own deeper Life Path?

-> When, where and why did you feel most connected to the Life Path of others?

-> When, where and why did you feel most in service of Human Life globally?

-> When, where and why did you feel most in service of Life on our Planet??

(*see above for definition of Life. Though you already know it really in your bones.)

SELF-ASSESSMENT:

The current Life Centred Self Assessment rate is 20% (I just made that up).

Therefore, please reflect for a while on your answers to question 1.

What themes or patterns do you discern?

Who and what truly brings you LIFE?

What helps your LIFE support LIFE beyond you?

You are hereby formally requested this year to do 20% (at least) more of those things that bring you and others LIFE?

SIGNATURE:

If you’d like to, you could sign an official commitment (in the comments below if you like).

“I … [state your name] … this year will do at least 20% more of the things that bring me, those I love, others I am connected to, and the more-than-human world more LIFE”.

If official commitments are not really your thing, you can also go and speak quietly to your favourite tree, river or bird, and promise them instead. They are all fully trained and will be pleased to hear from you.

Thank you for completing your Life Centred Self-Assessment return. I wish you a happy year.

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