"Apres moi, le deluge"
Loose translation: After I've left, chaos will reign.
Really? Wow, what power! :-)
From this article:
"In my heart of hearts I consider that many pompous expressions, though execrable, pass for true among the human race and are frequently repeated by the people, as for example: “Let them hate me, so long as they fear me.”
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Cindy Lora-Renard
The Disappearance Of The Universe author's Gary Renard's wife Cindy, interviewed.
Check out her song Summer And Smoke on iTunes (long preview!), it's dang good. For real.
Here are the full songs of some.
Check out her song Summer And Smoke on iTunes (long preview!), it's dang good. For real.
Here are the full songs of some.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Reciprocity
I just heard that anthropologists are fond of reminding us that reciprocity is essential to gift-giving. You have to give something back, in other words.
You know, I don't think so.
In the ego's world, it's essential. In the free world, has no relevance at all.
A friend of mine (Hi Carsten) once said something very wise, on the subject of help, not gifts, but surely related:
"If you have to somebody back when they have helped you, then it's not help, then it's just business."
Exactly.
In the wonderful movie As Good As It Gets, the Helen Hunt character, who has gotten very big help from the Jack Nicholson character, asks him after he asks for a big favor: "are you saying accepting your help obligates me?" And he says: "I don't think there's any other way of seeing it."
I'm sure he doesn't. And the character, brilliantly played by Nicholson, is a highly neurotic person and deep in the ego's world, although he has love (and literary talent) which is clearly working its way out.
You know, I don't think so.
In the ego's world, it's essential. In the free world, has no relevance at all.
A friend of mine (Hi Carsten) once said something very wise, on the subject of help, not gifts, but surely related:
"If you have to somebody back when they have helped you, then it's not help, then it's just business."
Exactly.
In the wonderful movie As Good As It Gets, the Helen Hunt character, who has gotten very big help from the Jack Nicholson character, asks him after he asks for a big favor: "are you saying accepting your help obligates me?" And he says: "I don't think there's any other way of seeing it."
I'm sure he doesn't. And the character, brilliantly played by Nicholson, is a highly neurotic person and deep in the ego's world, although he has love (and literary talent) which is clearly working its way out.
Friday, December 17, 2010
The Roads to God
They say there are thousands of roads to god. And I believe it.
I think though that a couple of the most important ones are:
Re Observation: the ego and the evils of life persist mainly because we can't face them. A major part of most good therapies and philosophies is look directly at things and see them as they are. Just observe them, and without judgment. (This can take a while to achieve though for many subjects.)
Advanced forgiveness is a big subject, but has much to do with Letting Go of things, especially negative emotions, and things one is attached to for better or worse.
Any communication, in the broadest sense of the word (including perception) is a gradual breaking of the belief in separation. Each little communication heals the separation a little bit. This is basically what the universe was made for, it's a big Communication Machine.
Especially when one is getting closer to Awakening, one might get perceptions of Oneness. Of Unity. Often associated with white light. These perceptions sometimes can be helped along by envisioning Oneness on purpose.
I believe this is a great accelerator of the awakening process, but it is also very disturbing to the Ego, which believes falsely that it (you) *is* separated from Oneness (God), and that it has to remain so, because daddy is soooo p***d off. The depth and intensity of the Fear that the idea of contact with Oneness engenders is incredible, it defies any description.
That's why it takes such a long time.
I think though that a couple of the most important ones are:
- Observation
- Advanced forgiveness
- Communication
- Envisioning Oneness
Re Observation: the ego and the evils of life persist mainly because we can't face them. A major part of most good therapies and philosophies is look directly at things and see them as they are. Just observe them, and without judgment. (This can take a while to achieve though for many subjects.)
Advanced forgiveness is a big subject, but has much to do with Letting Go of things, especially negative emotions, and things one is attached to for better or worse.
Any communication, in the broadest sense of the word (including perception) is a gradual breaking of the belief in separation. Each little communication heals the separation a little bit. This is basically what the universe was made for, it's a big Communication Machine.
Especially when one is getting closer to Awakening, one might get perceptions of Oneness. Of Unity. Often associated with white light. These perceptions sometimes can be helped along by envisioning Oneness on purpose.
I believe this is a great accelerator of the awakening process, but it is also very disturbing to the Ego, which believes falsely that it (you) *is* separated from Oneness (God), and that it has to remain so, because daddy is soooo p***d off. The depth and intensity of the Fear that the idea of contact with Oneness engenders is incredible, it defies any description.
That's why it takes such a long time.
Friday, December 10, 2010
humble truth
Such is the irresistible nature of truth that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
-- Thomas Paine
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
No opinions
Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinions at all.
-- Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
People tend to play a bit fast and loose with the "nothing is more ... than" expressions, but apart from that, he has a point.
Now the question is, is this apathy/ignorance, or enlightenment?
The bottom mirrors the top in many things.
-- Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
People tend to play a bit fast and loose with the "nothing is more ... than" expressions, but apart from that, he has a point.
Now the question is, is this apathy/ignorance, or enlightenment?
The bottom mirrors the top in many things.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
You get what you want
Another favorite:
A Course In Miracles, Lesson 339
I will receive whatever I request.
No one desires pain. But he can think that pain is pleasure. No one would avoid his happiness. But he can think that joy is painful, threatening and dangerous. Everyone will receive what he requests. But he can be confused indeed about the things he wants...
No one desires pain. But he can think that pain is pleasure. No one would avoid his happiness. But he can think that joy is painful, threatening and dangerous. Everyone will receive what he requests. But he can be confused indeed about the things he wants...
Thursday, December 2, 2010
How to make goals
A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory.
-- Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha
Now this is very true. But don't forget one thing: Almost all the goals are goals in the Ego's world. The dream world. And they won't make you happy.
And further, the ability to doubt is essential to rising above the beliefs which keeps us trapped in this material world. People who never doubt anything may become emperors, but they don't meet god/Source.
-- Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha
Now this is very true. But don't forget one thing: Almost all the goals are goals in the Ego's world. The dream world. And they won't make you happy.
And further, the ability to doubt is essential to rising above the beliefs which keeps us trapped in this material world. People who never doubt anything may become emperors, but they don't meet god/Source.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
We all have impact
The first paragraph is from Gary Renard's newsletter:
Right. Think of how many people may think about something you said or did, without you being aware of them thinking about it. And then add to this, like the Course says, "Communication is not limited to the small range of channels the world recognizes" (M-25.2:2). In fact, personally I believe that by far most communication is outside human perception.
What it adds up to is, like Steve Jobs expressed it, "a ding in the Universe" which is far larger than we may know.
- Eolake
HUGH PRATHER, 1938 - 2010
Over seven years ago I did my first radio interview. At that time The Disappearance of the Universe had only been out about six months, and I had just conducted my first Workshop in Boston two weeks before. The interview was on Wisdom Radio, and the guy interviewing me was Hugh Prather. Hugh had written a famous book called Notes to Myself in 1970, and it had sold millions. I managed to make it through the interview, with a big assist from the Holy Spirit, and then after that Hugh and I had a few moments to chat. I asked him if he could give me any helpful hints about going out and speaking to a crowd, which he had done thousands of times. He simply said, "Don't make it about you. Make it about them. You want them to have the information and experience that you have to offer. Forget you're even there. Make it about them getting the communication. If you forget about yourself and focus on the message then you'll be fine." That piece of advice proved to be very helpful to me at the time. I never got to meet Hugh in person, but I'm grateful to him for taking the time to be kind to me and give me advice. We all touch so many lives, and sometimes we have more of an effect on them than we realize. Hugh made his transition two weeks ago, but communication never passes away. Thanks, Hugh.
Over seven years ago I did my first radio interview. At that time The Disappearance of the Universe had only been out about six months, and I had just conducted my first Workshop in Boston two weeks before. The interview was on Wisdom Radio, and the guy interviewing me was Hugh Prather. Hugh had written a famous book called Notes to Myself in 1970, and it had sold millions. I managed to make it through the interview, with a big assist from the Holy Spirit, and then after that Hugh and I had a few moments to chat. I asked him if he could give me any helpful hints about going out and speaking to a crowd, which he had done thousands of times. He simply said, "Don't make it about you. Make it about them. You want them to have the information and experience that you have to offer. Forget you're even there. Make it about them getting the communication. If you forget about yourself and focus on the message then you'll be fine." That piece of advice proved to be very helpful to me at the time. I never got to meet Hugh in person, but I'm grateful to him for taking the time to be kind to me and give me advice. We all touch so many lives, and sometimes we have more of an effect on them than we realize. Hugh made his transition two weeks ago, but communication never passes away. Thanks, Hugh.
Right. Think of how many people may think about something you said or did, without you being aware of them thinking about it. And then add to this, like the Course says, "Communication is not limited to the small range of channels the world recognizes" (M-25.2:2). In fact, personally I believe that by far most communication is outside human perception.
What it adds up to is, like Steve Jobs expressed it, "a ding in the Universe" which is far larger than we may know.
- Eolake
Celebrate!
This is funny, just received this joke:
===
"Just look at this body," boasted the fit old man to the group of young people. "Every morning I do fifty push-ups and thirty sit-ups and walk two miles. I'm fit as a fiddle! And you know why? Because I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't stay up late, AND I don't chase women!"
He smiled, his eye gleaming.
"And tomorrow, I celebrate my 95th birthday!"
"Oh, really?" said one sarcastic youngster. "How?”
===
It’s funny because Saturday I was feeling particularly good, and I remembered Pursah had said that J says when you have nothing to forgive, don’t chase it up, instead celebrate the fact… And I had the same problem: how!? I don’t drink or party.
How do you celebrate when earthly "pleasures" no longer are interesting to you?
I looked up celebrate, and found out one definition is "to make known publicly; proclaim”. So I wrote about thankfulness.
Note that I don't think there is anything sinful or destructive about any of those things, it's just that they don't interest me very much, never did much, and do less and less.
(I used to say: "I don't smoke, drink, or chase cars".)
===
"Just look at this body," boasted the fit old man to the group of young people. "Every morning I do fifty push-ups and thirty sit-ups and walk two miles. I'm fit as a fiddle! And you know why? Because I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't stay up late, AND I don't chase women!"
He smiled, his eye gleaming.
"And tomorrow, I celebrate my 95th birthday!"
"Oh, really?" said one sarcastic youngster. "How?”
===
It’s funny because Saturday I was feeling particularly good, and I remembered Pursah had said that J says when you have nothing to forgive, don’t chase it up, instead celebrate the fact… And I had the same problem: how!? I don’t drink or party.
How do you celebrate when earthly "pleasures" no longer are interesting to you?
I looked up celebrate, and found out one definition is "to make known publicly; proclaim”. So I wrote about thankfulness.
Note that I don't think there is anything sinful or destructive about any of those things, it's just that they don't interest me very much, never did much, and do less and less.
(I used to say: "I don't smoke, drink, or chase cars".)
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Meditation
I often have to say "I'm meditating", despite never have had a minute's study in formal meditation, I have no clue what it is.
But then when I look up the word:
meditation - 3 dictionary results
med·i·ta·tion
[med-i-tey-shuhn]
–noun
1.
the act of meditating.
2.
continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation.
3.
transcendental meditation.
4.
devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection.
It really is a very, very wide field indeed. Especially definition two, which I find very useful indeed. Contemplation. Look at things. Observe things.
But then when I look up the word:
meditation - 3 dictionary results
med·i·ta·tion
[med-i-tey-shuhn]
–noun
1.
the act of meditating.
2.
continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation.
3.
transcendental meditation.
4.
devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection.
It really is a very, very wide field indeed. Especially definition two, which I find very useful indeed. Contemplation. Look at things. Observe things.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
ACIM lesson 325
Lesson 325
All things I think I see reflect ideas.
This is salvation's keynote: What I see reflects a process in my mind, which starts with my idea of what I want. From there, the mind makes up an image of the thing the mind desires, judges valuable, and therefore seeks to find. These images are then projected outward, looked upon, esteemed as real and guarded as one's own. From insane wishes comes an insane world. From judgment comes a world condemned. And from forgiving thoughts a gentle world comes forth, with mercy for the holy Son of God, to offer him a kindly home where he can rest a while before he journeys on, and help his brothers walk ahead with him, and find the way to Heaven and to God.
(In audio by Gene Bogart.)
All things I think I see reflect ideas.
This is salvation's keynote: What I see reflects a process in my mind, which starts with my idea of what I want. From there, the mind makes up an image of the thing the mind desires, judges valuable, and therefore seeks to find. These images are then projected outward, looked upon, esteemed as real and guarded as one's own. From insane wishes comes an insane world. From judgment comes a world condemned. And from forgiving thoughts a gentle world comes forth, with mercy for the holy Son of God, to offer him a kindly home where he can rest a while before he journeys on, and help his brothers walk ahead with him, and find the way to Heaven and to God.
(In audio by Gene Bogart.)
Friday, November 19, 2010
About patience
I never quite understood why A Course In Miracles and The Disappearance Of The Universe stress the need for Patience. Sometimes I have trouble being patient, and I realize I'd feel better if I had more, but I didn't see how it helped the process of waking up.
But today I realized that for many people, if they don't have the patience for a long task, they give up. Go and do something else.
Since I am driven, and driven hard, this was never an option for me, so I didn't see it.
But I really want want awakening, a trillion times more than I want anything else. It's so intense that it's normally suppressed for me.
"When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere." -- Francois de La Rochefoucauld
But today I realized that for many people, if they don't have the patience for a long task, they give up. Go and do something else.
Since I am driven, and driven hard, this was never an option for me, so I didn't see it.
But I really want want awakening, a trillion times more than I want anything else. It's so intense that it's normally suppressed for me.
"When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere." -- Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The end of logic
Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end of it.
- Spock, Star Trek 6
I think it's cool to put this line in the mouth of a character who is famous for basing everything on Logic. If one is a big believer in logic, it's not an easy thing to learn otherwise.
- Spock, Star Trek 6
I think it's cool to put this line in the mouth of a character who is famous for basing everything on Logic. If one is a big believer in logic, it's not an easy thing to learn otherwise.
Monday, November 8, 2010
What is the last judgment?
Part of A Course In Miracles Workbook Instruction 10, What is the Last Judgment?
Christ's Second Coming gives the Son of God this gift: to hear the Voice for God proclaim that what is false is false, and what is true has never changed. And this the judgment is in which perception ends. At first you see a world that has accepted this as true, projected from a now corrected mind. And with this holy sight, perception gives a silent blessing and then disappears, its goal accomplished and its mission done.
The final judgment on the world contains no condemnation. For it sees the world as totally forgiven, without sin and wholly purposeless. Without a cause, and now without a function in Christ's sight, it merely slips away to nothingness. There it was born, and there it ends as well. And all the figures in the dream in which the world began go with it. Bodies now are useless, and will therefore fade away, because the Son of God is limitless.
You who believed that God's Last Judgment would condemn the world to hell along with you, accept this holy truth: God's Judgment is the gift of the Correction He bestowed on all your errors, freeing you from them, and all effects they ever seemed to have.
Christ's Second Coming gives the Son of God this gift: to hear the Voice for God proclaim that what is false is false, and what is true has never changed. And this the judgment is in which perception ends. At first you see a world that has accepted this as true, projected from a now corrected mind. And with this holy sight, perception gives a silent blessing and then disappears, its goal accomplished and its mission done.
The final judgment on the world contains no condemnation. For it sees the world as totally forgiven, without sin and wholly purposeless. Without a cause, and now without a function in Christ's sight, it merely slips away to nothingness. There it was born, and there it ends as well. And all the figures in the dream in which the world began go with it. Bodies now are useless, and will therefore fade away, because the Son of God is limitless.
You who believed that God's Last Judgment would condemn the world to hell along with you, accept this holy truth: God's Judgment is the gift of the Correction He bestowed on all your errors, freeing you from them, and all effects they ever seemed to have.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
A tourist in your world
The camera makes everyone a tourist in other people's reality, and eventually in one's own.
-- Susan Sontag
Interesting.
I think she means this is a bad thing. But I don't think so.
Be passersby.
Or:
Be a tourist in your own reality.
... I think those say just the same.
I've always loved photographing, and I suspect that one of the effects of it is just that it makes you an observer instead of a participant. Again, most people would feel this is bad, but this is just the ego and the dream protecting itself. You stay trapped in the dream so long as you're participating in the drama. When you start observing instead, you're on the way out.
-- Susan Sontag
Interesting.
I think she means this is a bad thing. But I don't think so.
Be passersby.
Or:
Be a tourist in your own reality.
... I think those say just the same.
I've always loved photographing, and I suspect that one of the effects of it is just that it makes you an observer instead of a participant. Again, most people would feel this is bad, but this is just the ego and the dream protecting itself. You stay trapped in the dream so long as you're participating in the drama. When you start observing instead, you're on the way out.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Perception is a mirror
"Perception is a mirror, not a fact."
- A Course In Miracles, Workbook lesson 304
That has to be one of the most important things one can learn.
- A Course In Miracles, Workbook lesson 304
That has to be one of the most important things one can learn.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Teaching
"It is hard to fill a cup which is already full."
- Avatar
Ain't dat de truth? The best defence ignorance have is ignorance of ignorance. If you think you already know a lot, you are not looking for more learning, particularly not that which does not fit in with what you "know".
- Avatar
Ain't dat de truth? The best defence ignorance have is ignorance of ignorance. If you think you already know a lot, you are not looking for more learning, particularly not that which does not fit in with what you "know".
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Money guilt
Most people have troubles or Guilt issues around money or giving. And many students of A Course In Miracles look for the answer there. But once again, the course is not concerned with behavior, only thought. (Because behavior in a non-existent world does not matter.)
Like Ken Wapnick says:
The specific behavior of giving or not giving is of no concern to the Holy Spirit. His agenda is only the content of the mind that has the power to choose to remember or forget its identity as mind. The crossroads in every situation consists in one road that leads to the guilt of the ego's thinking, and one that leads to the peace of the Holy Spirit. Whether you give or don't give, the ego's road is paved with the guilt that originates in the mind that chose the ego, not from the act of giving or withholding a hand-out. Likewise, choosing the Holy Spirit brings peace whether you give or not.
This is from the answer to question 1034 in the fabulous FACIM Outreach service. With the Course itself, with this service, and with The Disappearance Of The Universe, you have everything you need for your way out!
By the way, in case this invaluable web site should ever disappeare, a massive (5.5MB) PDF file has been made of the whole thing to secure the knowledge for the ages!
(The lines are long in the PDF. A good way to read it is with a reader which can re-flow the lines, such as GoodReader on the iPad.) (iPad is anyway a great way to read the Course and D.U. too. See my eReader site.)
Like Ken Wapnick says:
The specific behavior of giving or not giving is of no concern to the Holy Spirit. His agenda is only the content of the mind that has the power to choose to remember or forget its identity as mind. The crossroads in every situation consists in one road that leads to the guilt of the ego's thinking, and one that leads to the peace of the Holy Spirit. Whether you give or don't give, the ego's road is paved with the guilt that originates in the mind that chose the ego, not from the act of giving or withholding a hand-out. Likewise, choosing the Holy Spirit brings peace whether you give or not.
This is from the answer to question 1034 in the fabulous FACIM Outreach service. With the Course itself, with this service, and with The Disappearance Of The Universe, you have everything you need for your way out!
By the way, in case this invaluable web site should ever disappeare, a massive (5.5MB) PDF file has been made of the whole thing to secure the knowledge for the ages!
(The lines are long in the PDF. A good way to read it is with a reader which can re-flow the lines, such as GoodReader on the iPad.) (iPad is anyway a great way to read the Course and D.U. too. See my eReader site.)
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Temple of the mind
Every man is the builder of a temple called his body.
-- Henry David Thoreau
I think the Temple of the Mind is more important. And when you have built a really good one, you open it at the top to connect to the Temple Above. And you open it more and more as you learn. In the end, the temples are One.
-- Henry David Thoreau
I think the Temple of the Mind is more important. And when you have built a really good one, you open it at the top to connect to the Temple Above. And you open it more and more as you learn. In the end, the temples are One.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
