Sunday, April 13, 2008

Grotto Bay Sunsets and "... allowing the goodness to emerge."

In winter, and sometimes in summer when there are clouds, we have spectacular sunsets here.












Brenda's Aunt Sylvia came to visit. We were a little worried about how it would go--we have Nunus and Sylvia is a little afraid of dogs, there's no traffic noise, it's an unfamiliar place ...



We need not have worried! Nunus and Sylvia became instant friends. We thought at first that if it did not work out we could take her back the next day. It was so good we decided to take her back a day later! She enjoyed it. She loved being here. Nunus too--Sylvia just ignored the rule about "Don't feed the dog when we're at the table!"







Here's an afterthought, a final thought about ice trays. I'm getting questions from some who read the text about the ice trays. This is the last time I'm writing about ice trays, or maybe it isn't. The idea is that we try hard to live our lives better, do the right things and so on. But what matters is the underlying attitudes and beliefs that shape our actions. I found some words written by Eckhart Toller that says it very nicely: "Fear, greed, and the desire for power are the psychological motivating forces not only behind warfare and violence between nations, tribes, religions, and ideologies, but also the cause of incessant conflict in personal relationships. They bring about a distortion in your perception of other people and yourself. Through them, you misinterpret every situation, leading to misguided action designed to rid you of fear and satisfy your need for more, a bottomless hole that can never be filled.


"It is important to realize, however, that fear, greed, and the desire for power are not the dysfunction that we are speaking of, but are themselves created by the dysfunction, which is a deep-seated collective delusion that lies within the mind of each human being. A number of spiritual teachings tell us to let go of fear and desire. But those spiritual practices are usually unsuccessful. They haven't gone to the root of the dysfunction. Fear, greed, and desire for power are not the ultimate causal factors. Trying to become a good or better human being sounds like a commendable and high-minded thing to do, yet it is an endeavor you cannot ultimately succeed in unless there is a shift in consciousness. This is because it is still part of the same dysfunction a more subtle and rarified form of self-enhancement, of desire for more and a strengthening of one's conceptual identity, one's self-image. You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you, and allowing that goodness to emerge. But it can only emerge if something fundamental changes in your state of consciousness.


"The history of Communism, originally inspired by noble ideals, clearly illustrates what happens when people attempt to change external reality-create a new earth--without any prior change in their inner reality, their state of consciousness. They make plans without taking into account the blueprint for dysfunction that every human being carries within: the ego."



I like his phrases: "inner reality" and "state of consciousness." I'll paste what's the key sentence for me alongside those already on my mirror: "You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you, and allowing that goodness to emerge."


Tuesday, April 8, 2008

More "Ice Trays"

Since my last post I've been asked several times, "The ice trays sounds great, but what does it actually mean?" I admit, it's a little vague. So, I'll write some more.

"Having faith in someone commits a part of our energy to that person; having faith in an idea commits part of our energy to that idea; having faith in a fear commits part of our energy to that fear." This is from Caroline Myss.

Our energy commitments, physical and mental and spiritual, have consequences. Just like, when you commit physical energy to get up out of a chair has the consequence of going from sitting to standing, so too do your mental energy commitments have consequences. We become woven into the consequences of all of our energy commitments. And this, me woven into the consequences of my energy commitments, is what we call "my life."

If I have a strong belief in my laziness, does it not make sense that I will probably be lazy? I have a fear of abandonment. I’m certain that if I devote energy to this fear, I will end up lonely.

This is why I keep telling myself, avoid thoughts and words that support ideas you know are not in your best interests. They help strengthen your faith and therefore your energy commitment to doing what you should rather not do. "My Inner Child is rebelling against doing what I know I must do," and "I procrastinate," strengthen your faith in these ideas and increase the energy you commit towards not doing your job.

A rebellious Inner Child, easily distracted, striving to perfection, procrastination, these are the ice trays of your life that give you ice cubes with a shape you don’t want, an under-achievement shape. Don’t concern yourself with why you have these attitudes; even analyzing them devotes energy towards them. If you don’t like the shape of your ice cubes, chuck out the trays and get new ones. Don’t fuss about how come you have the ones currently in your freezer. Just get new ones. How about a fun-loving Inner Child that enjoys working and delivering? How about 90% is good enough in 100% of cases? How about do it now, and then I have more time to do the really fun things?