I am not sure where I gave you the idea that I thought there is only one way to respond to experience, in fact, I sited two in the post of responding to conflict, and referred to a host of other challenges. We have, in any given moment, myriad responses possible. What I am suggesting is that if I am perceiving opposition or conflict, I know I am perceiving based on the limits of my ego, and so take the time (an instant really) to recover those aspects of self - according to the Banks model they would be Mind and Consciousness - to bring to the moment in my response, allowing the non dual view of experience. Here, I think, response is also formulated according to circumstance of experience and state of being. But ultimately, any number of possibilities can occur.
This does not mean we disregard ego, rather, include all aspects with it. Value, I think, is a function of ego. Just as important (valuable) as any other aspect. I have my dark nights. All humans do. They are reconciled within me, again, by including and sustaining all aspects of being in the moment. They usually crop up when ego entertains any fear, keeping my mind trapped in duality. I can remember my first as a teenager, it lasted many months. Luckily, these days, they don't last long. On Aug 28, 4:20 am, ashok tewari <[email protected]> wrote: > This is in continuity with Molly's post : > > " ... allows me to meet challenge in experience without conflict." > > Conflict, as in something that opposes, isn't it ? If yes, I see that as > unavoidable, unless you are someone without any values of your own, which > you feel committed to uphold within the space you call your own - mind, > body, house, garden, family, friend, office, society, country, humanity, > etc. > > Depending upon the value and severity of danger, one just has to deal with > it : oppose and fight physically or behaviourally, smile, pass by, run away, > or stoop to conquer ... there is an entire range. You seem to suggesting, > actually recommending, that there is just one ... that serves you well. > > Conflict, as in yourself to yourself, is another matter. Even that is > unavoidable, unless you are Buddha or thick as a brick ! Smiles are hardly > effective in this domain, ma'am. > > " If I find myself perceiving conflict, I know I am viewing my experience > from the vantage point of ego (dual), and make the internal adjustments to > regain my integrity (include aspects of self excluded by the ego viewpoint.) > This can often be done and related to someone else without a word, more of a > smile with > direct eye contact and expression of peace that immediately allows calm to > prevail. Words with a calm voice can also resolve more that thoughts or > intellect." > > See above, and judge if you would still like to make these statements ! > > > > On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 1:43 AM, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > I was wondering, Molly, if you are responding to my post because I > > mentioned the "wench" at the market and you inadvertently replied to > > vam's or you did reply to vam's post. Either way vam seems to have > > grasped my point and both agree on the individual efforting. I tossed > > in a little lighthearted frivolity just to ease the seriousness of it; > > some threads of late have been somber. > > > On Aug 27, 11:18 am, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I think you have the point here, vam, that any change would be within > > > us, how we experience mind, consciousness and thought. I would not > > > presume to tell anyone in my daily experience how to conduct this > > > within themselves unless it came up in conversation. But I do hold > > > the Sydney Banks model up here as a pretty good one, on how I conduct > > > myself in the moment to achieve clarity of experience. I like the > > > simplicity of it. > > > > I don't encounter the wench at the store so all I can say is that I > > > see my own direct experience as a reflection of the mind, > > > consciousness and thought within me, and find it within myself to be > > > fully present with each other. This allows me to meet challenge in > > > experience without conflict. If I find myself perceiving conflict, I > > > know I am viewing my experience from the vantage point of ego (dual), > > > and make the internal adjustments to regain my integrity (include > > > aspects of self excluded by the ego viewpoint.) This can often be > > > done and related to someone else without a word, more of a smile with > > > direct eye contact and expression of peace that immediately allows > > > calm to prevail. Words with a calm voice can also resolve more that > > > thoughts or intellect. > > > > That is not to say that I have not been called to reclaim my warrior > > > aspect, rise to the current adversarial tone before toning the > > > experience back to a peaceful one. But even this, for me, is done as > > > an expression of the one as the only relation to other, eliminating > > > any right or wrong in the situation. > > > > My life has taken may twists and turns that I would never have > > > guessed. People I love get sick and die and have trouble and I feel > > > it all with them, these are the challenges of being fully human. I > > > accept all arms of Shiva the creator/destroyer, and that acceptance > > > has become easier as I age in this life. > > > > On Aug 27, 12:54 am, ashok tewari <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I'd go along with your skepticism, Slip, as being more desirable of us > > than > > > > easy - to - dwell day - dreams that seem mere pollyannaish, and perhaps > > > > achieve nothing on the ground ! > > > > > What I do believe that a better hold on our emotions, emotions charged > > mind, > > > > and the resulting emotions - led willfulness of the ego, would > > certainly be > > > > more self - empowering to us. The consequent sense of balance and poise > > > > would cause clearer thoughts, truer perspectives, rise of abiding > > values > > > > system and better critical thinking ability, and the skill to choose > > more > > > > solutions - oriented behaviour all the time. > > > > > Anyone who does not have such hold on himself is not likely to have a > > > > peaceful mind and unhurried discriminating faculty, to contribute much > > good > > > > to his environment. > > > > > On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 7:37 AM, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > "If humans lived even a little more > > > > > often in this last state of mind, the impact on world peace, from a > > > > > personal to a global level, would be significant" - MB > > > > > > I don't know that I could concur with such notion, many throughout > > > > > history have lived within enlightened states of mind and still chaos > > > > > ensued, maybe I need a little more elaboration on what you consider > > > > > the "state of mind"; is it like mind alternative, cj's cannabis, om's > > > > > delusion or gruff's world of reality?. Basically any peaceful state > > > > > of mind could lead to global peace when adopted by the entire > > populous > > > > > of planet earth but then there wouldn't be much left to free thought > > > > > and free will; we might as well be like animals that operate on > > > > > instinct. > > > > > Personally I don't think the idea is to waste any more time than > > > > > necessary in this place because my notion is that there is another > > > > > place more suitable for those of peaceful demeanor; I guess that is > > > > > the core idea of heaven and hell. Trying to turn planet earth into a > > > > > peaceful utopia is like trying to separate the water from the feces > > in > > > > > a septic tank with a fork. It is not about "here" and that is why it > > > > > goes "only the good die young" because they are ready to move on to > > > > > wherever; possibly to a parallel universe, another plane of existence > > > > > or remain in some pleasant dreamscape; it really doesn't matter to me > > > > > at all because, as you know, I'm just a voyeur and don't give a damn > > > > > if the whole place implodes. Hey, I'm not a real gynecologist but I"m > > > > > willing to take a look. ;-) > > > > > > "When humans understand that a thought is just a thought, just a > > > > > creation from formless energy, the iron grip the ego can have on us > > > > > begins to lessen." - MB > > > > > > Very assumptive here Molly, creation from formless energy, iron grip > > > > > and lessening on the basis of simply understanding. > > > > > We have yet to even scratch the surface of what thought is and what > > > > > can manifest from it. Perhaps life itself and all awareness is > > > > > resultant of thought, whether from a collective human thought or from > > > > > some external, spiritual or supreme consciousness. Nothing is > > > > > formless, everything can have some degree of form even if we are > > > > > unaware of it's form. I've never seen any angels but I guess they > > > > > have some kind of form if you believe they exist. I've experience > > > > > apparitions of dead people and as you know within the dream realm > > I've > > > > > encountered numerous souls beyond this world. Again I have to say > > that > > > > > life is beyond "here", beyond what we know, what we see, what we > > > > > experience and what we expect. > > > > > > "So, our personal answer is to share with people these simple > > > > > principles that govern their states of mind. Because, beneath it all, > > > > > all humans are already wise, good, generous, kind and even > > > > > enlightened." - MB > > > > > > Really? Do we just go out and tell people their state of mind is > > > > > skewed? Do you know the wench that works at the market where I shop? > > > > > I would like you to share the simple principles her and hope you > > don't > > > > > get your nose bit off. I'm sure beneath it all she is wise, good and > > > > > generous but on top of the beneath the woman is totally beast. > > > > > > However, I have to give you credit for your dream fantasy excursion. > > > > > > Now you do have some good points there Molly but don't we all when it > > > > > comes down to ............"If Only People Would..(blurb) life would > > be > > > > > perfect. Basically that means............If there weren't so many > > > > > assholes in the world wouldn't it be a great place to live? > > > > > > You Betcha! > > > > > > I dare you to knock that off my shoulder (old commercial). Kiss me > > > > > first to lesson the shock. > > > > > > On Aug 26, 8:56 am, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Mind: All human beings share in being a part of, and connected to > > > > > > Mind, the universal Life energy and source of intelligence beyond > > the > > > > > > brain. Because of Mind, we share in an endless flow of wisdom—each > > of > > > > > > us equally capable of being wise. > > > > > > > Consciousness: All human beings share in the principle or fact of > > > > > > Consciousness. We experience life. We also experience life from > > > > > > different levels of consciousness—from truncated and fear-based, > > angry > > > > > > and insecure “levels” to grounded, secure, safe, wise and even > > > > > > enlightened states (Buddha Mind, Christ Consciousness, the “Father > > > > > > within,” the Kingdom of Heaven.) If humans lived even a little more > > > > > > often in this last state of mind, the impact on world peace, from a > > > > > > personal to a global level, would be significant. > > > > > > > The principle of Thought, as a universal function, guides humans > > > > > > either toward or away from non-violence, love and > > ... > > read more »
