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Good morning. At the final moment, the politicians on Capitol Hill managed to do what most of us expected - they cobbled together a deal to resolve America’s debt-ceiling crisis and government shutdown – at least for the time being. Raising national debt to around 17 trillion isn’t necessarily something to celebrate, but the alternative to yesterday’s deal would have been unimaginable – more hardship for government employees and pointless damage to the world economy. The whole episode is a salutary reminder of how sticking to our guns can cause chaos. In this case, neither side has the specific intention to inflict suffering on the American people; and each would claim that they were trying to do the best for the country. But, conviction, egos and political maneuvering are a bad formula for resolving disagreements. I remember advice from my own spiritual teacher that, in any institution, there will inevitably be disagreements about what should be done. If both sides disagree and stick to their positions, he said, then nothing can happen, Better, if one of you concedes a little and agrees a course of action – then, at least some good can be achieved. This advice didn’t mean abandoning crucial principles or allowing wrongful actions. It’s about lubricating the wheels of an organisation with an attitude of compromise and cooperation. In Washington, the emphasis was on what divided the two sides. And, it took peering over the cliff-edge to forge a joint resolution. But, cooperation involves being aware of what unites us. Just before my teacher passed away, he offered another guiding principle to ensure the continuation of the mission he had spent a lifetime building up: He said: your love for me will be shown by how well you cooperate together after I depart. I think this statement has wider significance. Perhaps, the love we feel for our parents should be demonstrated in how we cooperate as a family; or our love for our country shown by how we care for all its citizens. The Bhagavad-gita would like us to think even more broadly. It states “panditah sama-darshanah” - that a wise and gentle soul sees beyond their own needs and aspirations; even beyond those of their families, communities and nations – and sees all life as one spiritual family. It suggests that our love for God is revealed by how well we cooperate as one human race – not just for our own benefit, but for the welfare of all living beings. The New York Times claims that last night’s deal was initiated by a bipartisan group of women Senators who rejected the brinkmanship and face-saving motives of their colleagues. If so, I reckon they deserve most of the credit for bringing the American government back to its senses.