Spiritual Snobbery: the Dark Side of Lightworkers

[giovonni]

Via my friend Deon ~ A very promising up and coming modern businesswoman ...

http://images.elephantjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Screen-Shot-2015-05-05-at-2.48.50-PM.png

"Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates:

"At the first gate, ask yourself “Is is true?”

At the second gate ask, “Is it necessary?”

At the third gate ask, “Is it kind?”

~ Rumi

"I recently found myself removed from a Facebook group I had joined that describes itself as “a loving community of spiritual lightworkers intended for sharing spiritual growth, support, information, resources and other helpful tips and tools.”

I believed I participated accordingly by “Liking” others’ posts and sharing helpful resources to support fellow members, such as articles I published with elephant journal and free worldwide distant healing events I offer monthly. I thus figured the removal was an error and requested to join again, but the request was surprisingly denied.

Unsure of what led to this, I contacted the administrators asking if they could share what happened. A few days later I received a reply from one of the two explaining that while she herself didn’t remove me, only admins are allowed to post events. This confused and disappointed me on several levels. First, as there were no community guidelines beyond the group description, I wondered how loving it was to abruptly remove an unsuspecting member who unintentionally broke an unwritten rule. Second, as a community aiming to foster support and the sharing of resources, I wondered how reserving the exclusive the right to post free healing events served the over 10,000 members. And finally, I wondered how kind it was to essentially ban the sensitive healer types the group is meant to serve.

While this isn’t a particularly drastic example, it did get me thinking of other experiences of snubbing in the “spiritual community.”

There was the raw-vegan yoga student who asked me if I was vegetarian and stopped attending my classes—which he had claimed were really helping his back issues—after I replied I wasn’t.

There was the popular yoga studio owner who stated that if I was interested in practicing “real yoga” (instead of attending classes at a local gym with some of the most grounded, loving and inspiring teachers I have had), that I should join his studio instead.

There was the cosmetician at my first and only visit to a Sephora shop whom I had simply asked about a tinted moisturizer for my yoga teacher training in Thailand. Instead of suggesting a product, she took it upon herself to lecture me what yoga is and isn’t about: It’s not about having clear skin, you shouldn’t care how you look, you shouldn’t try to impress others, you need to let go of your ego and just let your skin detox and breathe for once. It wasn’t even so much what she said, but the highly condescending tone she used that took me aback.

My clients, students and friends have expressed similar observations and disappointments in the spiritual community. A friend who started taking yoga classes sadly expressed that after months of trying to befriend fellow students she felt a camaraderie with given their mutual love of yoga, that her efforts were never reciprocated because she perhaps just wasn’t “hippie” enough for them to fit in.

Interestingly, my own inner spiritual snob came out when I met such “hippies” during yoga teacher training. The training was set on a secluded Thai beach with several yoga, meditation and detox retreat centers, as well as the only bars on the island that sold drugs and held night-long raves. At the time, immersed in reading sacred teachings, in awe of the natural beauty all around me and high on the love within my group, I couldn’t understand how or why these “bohemians” could meditate, do beach yoga and sing kirtans (call-and-response devotional chanting), while simultaneously smoking marijuana, doing hard drugs, raving all night, drinking and screaming in the ocean at sunrise and comparing who had sex with more strangers at the party.

Thankfully, I was able to realize what my real problem was: I somehow thought it was my place to look down on them for their “unspiritual” behavior, which in the very moment I did, disconnected me from my own spirit.

While getting on the “spiritual path” can be completely transformational and open us to profound healing, wisdom and miracles, the tools and teachings we practice—no matter what tradition or trend they follow—usually share the same ultimate aim: inner peace and the perfection of love. But when we get so caught up in what we are practicing rather than why, we can slip into the temptation to judge rather than discern, condemn rather than love and exclude rather than accept.

Even with the best of intentions, it’s all too easy to identify with being a “lightworker” and succumb to darkness.

We may guise a condescending remark by ending it with “Namaste” or “love and light.”

We may gossip about someone and say we are simply “honoring our truth.”

We may say things like, “I am not religious, I am spiritual” in an attempt to disassociate ourselves from what we might perceive as the dogmatic and judgmental nature of organized religion, and yet turn around and exhibit the same exclusivity and rigidity that we think have risen above of.

We may share our love for animals while inwardly calling a meat-eater a murderer.

We may gracefully flow into the most physically advanced yoga pose and yet find those bending their knees in forward fold just not good at or committed enough to yoga.

We may think of ourselves as old souls with many incarnations and then deem someone we think isn’t as evolved as us a “new soul” who clearly has not lived many lives.

We may begin our mornings with a loving-kindness meditation and then resent our “totally unconscious” corporate employer the rest of the day.

These are just some examples of how we may be more attached to the idea of being spiritual rather than practicing the universal spiritual values of love, acceptance, compassion, peace and oneness. The thing to remind ourselves of in these dark moments is that everyone is spiritual because everyone has a spirit. We are all seekers whether we know it or not. We are all lightworkers because the spark of the Divine shines within each of us.

To keep myself in check and monitor any spiritual pretentiousness that creeps up in me, I have developed a three-step process that helps me stay centered in my spirit rather than caught up in my spirituality:

1. Observe Consciously

One of the greatest gifts of spiritual teachings and practices is to help us become aware of our natural human reactions and emotions. We may not be able to control our inner reactions, but if we can catch ourselves as soon as thoughts like, “They are so (fill in the blank)!” come up, we become a witness to our reactions rather than bound by them or identified with them.

2. Accept Compassionately

Once we realize we have slipped into judgement and made ourselves better than or superior to another, instead of condemning ourselves for condemning, we can practice compassion for our own humanness. We can take a deep breath, process our feelings and welcome what we might learn about ourselves.

3. Respond Lovingly

Now that are aware of whatever has come up for us, we can go beyond accepting our human reactions and transcending them by asking one simple question: “What would love do?” The moment we ask this, we bypass our ideas and ideologies and get right to the heart and soul—where all spiritual paths are trying to lead us anyways and yet getting there does not require any specific path at all.

Sometimes the heart will tell us to accept, connect, invite, open and include, and sometimes it may tell us to walk away, speak up, draw a boundary, discern and be firm. But no matter what the heart says, it will always do it from, for and with love.

Whatever spiritual path we follow, how we treat others along the way says nothing about them but only defines us. So the next time we are about to say “Namaste” to someone, let us be mindful of whether we are truly intending to honor and connect with their inner light, or simply trying to outshine them with ours. We can then take a step back, reconnect with our hearts and speak and act from our spirit rather than our spirituality.

Because the world doesn’t need our lightworker lifestyles. It needs, more than anything, our kindness and love."

~

Author: Syma Kharal

Editor: Caroline Beaton

source (http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/05/spiritual-snobbery-the-dark-side-of-lightworkers/)

[giovonni]

going around ...

We are all works in progress - Human beings trying to become human.

[Savannah]

I_iyHnGHQaI

I'm not sure if I added this video correctly, but it's Mark Passeo's excellent analysis of the new Age meme and it's implications and motivations. One aspect of it is the use of meditation and Yoga. In essence he is saying those practices while beneficial are distorted and used to keep people focused on them selves and away from taking any real action in the world. The New Age meme, like the Hippie meme (see Weird Science in the Canyon, by David McGowan) are filled with paradoxes, like the one you point out, because it is not based on universal truths, but spun out by Government Intel operatives to manipulate the masses. The New Age meme is social engineering, using the same old manipulations wrapped in new paper; that some people are better than other people. In our society they teach, advertise, those with money, a certain skin color, an education or beauty are better. With the New Age meme it's what level of density one is from, what color their aura is, how spiritually evolved they are. As you noted these people are making judgments based on Yoga and food choices. They are doing just what the spin doctors want. Focus on the individual and not the structure, because if we did we would tare it down in a day.

[ThePythonicCow]

I wasn't going to post this little treasure that I found earlier today, but it fits rather well with the topic of this thread.

Snordster is perhaps the finest dramatic reader of essays and articles that I know of. He doesn't do many such productions, but when he does, they are delightful gems. Do give a listen. It's just four minutes long. He speaks in favor of finding a balanced awareness of both the light and the dark within one.

yA0lKHpaBxg
The Youtube description is accurate:

Your shadow is your biggest teacher and ally and yet you enjoy kicking it in the guts as it lies on the floor with you yelling furiously through tears of desperation: "Love and light! Love and light! ****ing love and light!!” Screaming and scrunching your eyes shut trying to demolish your demonic self, like it can be destroyed by the sheer willpower of pretending you are a "figure of light".
... a delightful piece.

[sandy]

Hi Paul,

Well that was pretty crass, crude, and funny but then sooooooo TRUE............Love it..... thanks for changing your mind and posting it. :thumbsup:

[DeDukshyn]

I wasn't going to post this little treasure that I found earlier today, but it fits rather well with the topic of this thread.
...

REAL spirituality ... is practical, almost mechanical, and a ****-tONNE of hard work. There's no magic words ... period.

[Lifebringer]

It's possible the "new agers"(label for truth seekers) simply feel free enough to teach or awaken others. They don't have all the answers but like here or any other thing/place or space, when you outgrow you move on, eh? So how do you out-grow getting to know your true self?:waving::flower:

[greybeard]

New Age may be the staring point for many and thus the spiritual ego develops.
However any starting point is better than no starting point.

They talk of One-ness, with great authority, without a clue what it actually means.
Its not being one with a creator or anything separate.
Its about not becoming powerful or having spiritual gifts.
Not about bangles and beads
Not about being superior.
Not about being special.
Ultimately its "One without a second" that is non-duality

Chris

[Bill Ryan]

I wasn't going to post this little treasure that I found earlier today, but it fits rather well with the topic of this thread.

Snordster is perhaps the finest dramatic reader of essays and articles that I know of. He doesn't do many such productions, but when he does, they are delightful gems. Do give a listen. It's just four minutes long. He speaks in favor of finding a balanced awareness of both the light and the dark within one.

yA0lKHpaBxg
The Youtube description is accurate:

Your shadow is your biggest teacher and ally and yet you enjoy kicking it in the guts as it lies on the floor with you yelling furiously through tears of desperation: "Love and light! Love and light! ****ing love and light!!” Screaming and scrunching your eyes shut trying to demolish your demonic self, like it can be destroyed by the sheer willpower of pretending you are a "figure of light".
... a delightful piece.

:bump:

This is quite something else. :)

[Savannah]

I was going to change the vid but realized it was correct, just ignore this post. Sorry folks

[21g]

This guy, Tobias Lars, has a, err, interesting take on love and light and the
the all to human snobbery that got go with it. Viewer discretion advised ( its a bit sweary ).


v=j67h5Vm9e4E

[Baby Steps]

Truly spiritual people would not ever engage in any judgement or snobbery

Really the subject(s) is like a hobby, and there is always the temptation to judge, most people do it. I catch myself doing it. and it is BS. For that person with no interest in Spirituality but devotes their left to being a vet- is that any less spiritual? It is LIFE and that is what we are here to participate in.

I do find that this 'hobby' is beneficial. Looking at the shadow, one can embrace the philosophy of it, and marvel at Jung's theories. Beyond that it is a PRACTICAL TOOL. Every darkside feeling is a teacher, and it is a technique available to us to use for what it is there for. WHAT IS BOTHERING ME? WHY? WHAT ATTACHMENT NO LONGER SERVES ME? WAS I SELFISH, OR AFFLICTING MY FEARS ON OTHERS? SHOULD I MAKE AMENDS? HOW DO I WISH TO MODIFY MY BEHAVIOUR IN FUTURE? ARE MY FEAR 'CHINKS' BEING INVADED BY CLING-ONS? DO I WISH TO THANK THE CLING-ONS FOR SHOWING ME THE PART NEEDING HEALING?

Running away into the light won't teach those lessons.

The process of life gives these lessons of growth without having to focus on Spirituality.

I must say that over the years I have rarely encountered more perfidy amongst groups of people professing to be spiritual.People get fearful & competitive.
Dropping the judgement really helps to see the magic & perfection in EVERYONE!
God bless

[giovonni]

This guy, Tobias Lars, has a, err, interesting take on love and light and the
the all to human snobbery that got go with it. Viewer discretion advised ( its a bit sweary ).


v=j67h5Vm9e4E

here's the link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j67h5Vm9e4E

[Eva2]

Thank you - I thought this was brilliant! Very tempted to forward this to the love and light crew I spent time with a few months ago - this is so fitting for them - ha! In response to Paul's video.

[LindyLou22]

This woman's problem is about respecting a facebook group. It has nothing to do with her spirituality. She might as well be in a kite-flying group.

On facebook, there's a huge difference between mentioning that you sponsor events and using a group to promote your own events.

This person is all about self-promotion, not spirituality. But any chance to say something derogatory about spirituality is good for some people.

[giovonni]

I've never had a closed thread ...

Could be this one ... :pray:






Edit from Bill: Nope! :sun: See my post #22 (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?87703-Spiritual-Snobbery-the-Dark-Side-of-Lightworkers&p=1031939&viewfull=1#post1031939), where I explained I'd moved a bunch of posts to where I think they more properly belong, here: All Things Vegan! (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?83021-All-Things-Vegan-)

[Mu2143]

If it looks worldly instead of spiritually then I would get out of it ,because I know that I can't fix my self only my higher self that knows oneness can fix me.
That Means the let go of control Not that much control , but enough that you would not try to follow any diet without asking this to your higher self what to do.

Its all about getting to hear your higher self and what you need to do instead of what you want to do, because ends up in disappointments in the end.
Does who are not walking the spiritual path do not sense that something is wrong ad all , does who do will get the feeling oho this does not look and feel good lets get out of here.

The key is get to hear your higher self better for guidance and being to much busy all day and work a 9 to 5 job is not going to help you with that.
Its all breaking free from the prison that has been build around us ...... it does not mean you sit still all day and do nothing or join a yoga class everything is designed to trap people.
to keep you busy and think about your self ..... (the health trap is one of them and it will get you in to fear and you will defended it).
My health comes from above not from this world .... Good works will help but not all work is ......... we are not worker bees .....

[Anchor]

Paul, that video is freaking awesome.

This thread is quite close to the idea of spiritual materialism.

They both deal with situations where new age seekers imagine or delude themselves to have acquired some kind of artefacts of achievement, worn like a badge! (Hence material).

I can stick my leg behind my neck and don't eat meat, therefore I have gained spiritual "rank".

If that is your deal, then surely it is obvious that you are progressing in a hierarchical fashion - superiors and inferiors - this is a service to self trait, not a service to others trait.

It is not material, it is immaterial.

To me spiritual snobbery, or spiritual materialism is a trap of delusion. A pretty obvious one when you have seen yourself in it a few times - I know I have :)

[Akasha]

Paul, that video is freaking awesome.

This thread is quite close to the idea of spiritual materialism.

They both deal with situations where new age seekers imagine or delude themselves to have acquired some kind of artefacts of achievement, worn like a badge! (Hence material).

I can stick my leg behind my neck and don't eat meat, therefore I have gained spiritual "rank".

If that is your deal, then surely it is obvious that you are progressing in a hierarchical fashion - superiors and inferiors - this is a service to self trait, not a service to others trait.

It is not material, it is immaterial.

To me spiritual snobbery, or spiritual materialism is a trap of delusion. A pretty obvious one when you have seen yourself in it a few times - I know I have :)

I agree 100% with forgetting about badges and poses. In the context of the golden rule, they are, to coin your word whilst utilizing it's other meaning, immaterial.

However, it's difficult, impossible even (for me at least) to forget about diet in the context of the golden rule.

Of course the golden rule is also immaterial, but will it adopt the first definition or the second?

[greybeard]

Dr David Hawkins said that endeavouring to be a Saint is an entirely different path from that of Enlightenment.

In a way the path of enlightenment is not about personal "good doing" or even doing--its more about the "me" (ego) getting out of the way and letting Divinity work through the form, with out the obstacles of concepts conditioning and agenda.
There is no pay value, reward system, associated with what is happening--its just potential realising it self to a greater or lesser degree
.
I may be responsible, up to a point, for the effort but the end results are not mine.
No claim to being special or the opposite--definitely no spiritual snobbery.

Good to see you Anchor

Chris

[AriG]

I wasn't going to post this little treasure that I found earlier today, but it fits rather well with the topic of this thread.

Snordster is perhaps the finest dramatic reader of essays and articles that I know of. He doesn't do many such productions, but when he does, they are delightful gems. Do give a listen. It's just four minutes long. He speaks in favor of finding a balanced awareness of both the light and the dark within one.

yA0lKHpaBxg
The Youtube description is accurate:

Your shadow is your biggest teacher and ally and yet you enjoy kicking it in the guts as it lies on the floor with you yelling furiously through tears of desperation: "Love and light! Love and light! ****ing love and light!!” Screaming and scrunching your eyes shut trying to demolish your demonic self, like it can be destroyed by the sheer willpower of pretending you are a "figure of light".
... a delightful piece.

:bump:

This is quite something else. :)

Wow. Hilarious! yet, true. I too find myself feeling put off by the "light beings" with all of their faked ascentionism? (not a word, I know). Usually, it is just a "cover" for a darker agenda. Thanks Paul and Thanks Bill for bumping! We should allow ourselves to experience the full spectrum of emotion, not just that which is sanctioned by the new agers. Funny word, new age. Isn't always the new age? Sort of like 'modern'. Well, that which is modern right now, might be yesterday's antiquated news. Humans. LOL. Happy Holidays All! (or should I say, may the blessings of Gaia awaken your inner god/goddess With love and light and (blah blah blah))

[Bill Ryan]

.
Dear All,

I've just moved quite a collection of posts here, basically focused on meat-eating and vegan issues, to this thread, started by Akasha back in June:

All Things Vegan! (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?83021-All-Things-Vegan-)

I do think that's the much more appropriate (and original) place for that discussion. It's 100% valid, and interesting, and absolutely belongs on the forum, but I wanted to make sure that the general points about Lightworkers made in this particular thread weren't somehow swamped and lost.

Do please let me/us know if anyone feels I've made any errors in moving any particular post. (I also deleted a couple of posts that were stated by the authors to be no longer relevant, and were now 'empty'... I trust that that, too, was okay.)

My appreciation to all who've been contributing here.

:focus:

[Chester]

Paul, that video is freaking awesome.

This thread is quite close to the idea of spiritual materialism.

They both deal with situations where new age seekers imagine or delude themselves to have acquired some kind of artefacts of achievement, worn like a badge! (Hence material).

I can stick my leg behind my neck and don't eat meat, therefore I have gained spiritual "rank".

If that is your deal, then surely it is obvious that you are progressing in a hierarchical fashion - superiors and inferiors - this is a service to self trait, not a service to others trait.

It is not material, it is immaterial.

To me spiritual snobbery, or spiritual materialism is a trap of delusion. A pretty obvious one when you have seen yourself in it a few times - I know I have :)

I agree 100% with forgetting about badges and poses. In the context of the golden rule, they are, to coin your word whilst utilizing it's other meaning, immaterial.

However, it's difficult, impossible even (for me at least) to forget about diet in the context of the golden rule.

Of course the golden rule is also immaterial, but will it adopt the first definition or the second?

In a physical (and spiritual) universe that appears to me to be primarily dominated by the following:

The chasers and the chased and the saviors of the chased

The consumers and the consumed and the saviors of the consumed

The dark ones and the victims of the dark ones and the light bringers who save the victims

(and I could go on with the different metaphors that point to the same thing) -

... Then when might I see that taking on any of these roles feeds (and strengthens) the others?

Now again... and I emphasize I am only speaking for myself - a self that knows even a post like this also indeed feeds at least one of these three (monsters?), why would I then even make this post? In fact, I have asked myself why make any post ever?

The answer that comes through is based on my desire to live (which includes "to do") which if I did not live (and thus sometimes "do), I might be bored and I do not like being bored.

So is there a point to this? It does appear there is an underlying dynamic (the above demonstrated three way "love fest") most of us on Earth at this time play a role in perpetuating. My question (to myself) is... is there an alternative?

I like to believe there is yet I know that even making this post plays the savior role - attempting "to save" the reader (and perhaps myself) from this three way dynamic!

Anyways, I really appreciated this thread so far and I understand why it was chopped up and parts taken to the other thread as I saw the matters as quite distinct and stood on their own.


(Who asked my opinion? Oooops I cannot escape one of the manifestations of shadow Arrrggghhhh!).

[AriG]

.
Dear All,

I've just moved quite a collection of posts here, basically focused on meat-eating and vegan issues, to this thread, started by Akasha back in June:

All Things Vegan! (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?83021-All-Things-Vegan-)

I do think that's the much more appropriate (and original) place for that discussion. It's 100% valid, and interesting, and absolutely belongs on the forum, but I wanted to make sure that the general points about Lightworkers made in this particular thread weren't somehow swamped and lost.

Do please let me/us know if anyone feels I've made any errors in moving any particular post. (I also deleted a couple of posts that were stated by the authors to be no longer relevant, and were now 'empty'... I trust that that, too, was okay.)

My appreciation to all who've been contributing here.

:focus:

Just want to add one thing (my dark side made me do it) Take amino acids! You cannot survive without them, vegans.

[Akasha]

.
Dear All,

I've just moved quite a collection of posts here, basically focused on meat-eating and vegan issues, to this thread, started by Akasha back in June:

All Things Vegan! (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?83021-All-Things-Vegan-)

I do think that's the much more appropriate (and original) place for that discussion. It's 100% valid, and interesting, and absolutely belongs on the forum, but I wanted to make sure that the general points about Lightworkers made in this particular thread weren't somehow swamped and lost.

Do please let me/us know if anyone feels I've made any errors in moving any particular post. (I also deleted a couple of posts that were stated by the authors to be no longer relevant, and were now 'empty'... I trust that that, too, was okay.)

My appreciation to all who've been contributing here.

:focus:

Good move, Bill.

I should have redirected my comments to that thread straight away, but my dark side convinced me that the vegan references in the OP justified a response in this thread and then all hell broke loose (as usual). Apologies for the trolling everybody, especially you Giovonni.

[Bill Ryan]

.
Kristin has drawn my attention to this, as absolutely belonging in this discussion. She originally posted it on this thread, 4 years ago:

A Call to Look Deeply into Our Collective Perception (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?36911-A-Call-to-Look-Deeply-into-Our-Collective-Perception)

She wrote:



I have had a long journey. One of the most important things that I have learned and continue to learn is to question my own perception. Today a friend sent me this video. It is truly a gift. It has been a long time since I've seen something which so beautifully orchestrated the challenges that I have had in myself and that face us now as a species.

This video is not all love and light. It is based on Truth. It is Real. True consciousness can not be achieved without action. I challenge all of you to look deeply within while watching this video. To recognize the parts of ourselves that are uncomfortable. To even get angry and challenge the paradigm it represents. I challenge all of us to see our limits and to acknowledge where we are not awake.

I hope that many of you watch this. Those that already have perhaps will be smiling to see it posted here. Let us all understand what Love is and accept the truth that is around us so that we can be of the universe and not just in it.

The video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrAgb1-UKQ8) she referenced has been removed from YouTube almost everywhere, but it can still be found here:

http://archive.org/details/LoveRealityAndTimeOfTransition

Here's the raw (downloadable) link to the video — highly recommended:

http://video2.disclose.tv/19/61/Love_Reality_and_the_Time_of_Transition_196131_mobile_360p.mp4

[Akasha]

A Ken Wilbur quote from the above documentary:


Real compassion kicks butt and takes names and is not pleasant on certain days. If you are not ready for this FIRE, then find a new-age, sweetness and light, perpetually smiling teacher and learn to relabel your ego with spiritual sounding terms. But stay away from those who practice real compassion because they will fry your ass, my friend.

[Flash]

Precisely, that quote is absolutely right.

Be ready Akasha. Real compassion, real heart opening, It litterally burns!! (yes, i is half friendly intended sarcastic when addressing you, Akasha, but the quote is quite true)



A Ken Wilbur quote from the above documentary:


Real compassion kicks butt and takes names and is not pleasant on certain days. If you are not ready for this FIRE, then find a new-age, sweetness and light, perpetually smiling teacher and learn to relabel your ego with spiritual sounding terms. But stay away from those who practice real compassion because they will fry your ass, my friend.

[Akasha]

Precisely, that quote is absolutely right.

Be ready Akasha. Real compassion, real heart opening, It litterally burns!! (yes, i is half friendly intended sarcastic when addressing you, Akasha, but the quote is quite true)



A Ken Wilbur quote from the above documentary:


Real compassion kicks butt and takes names and is not pleasant on certain days. If you are not ready for this FIRE, then find a new-age, sweetness and light, perpetually smiling teacher and learn to relabel your ego with spiritual sounding terms. But stay away from those who practice real compassion because they will fry your ass, my friend.

I got well and truly frazzled decades ago.

[Flash]

Good' I am happy you did.

Ready for another ride?



Precisely, that quote is absolutely right.

Be ready Akasha. Real compassion, real heart opening, It litterally burns!! (yes, i is half friendly intended sarcastic when addressing you, Akasha, but the quote is quite true)



A Ken Wilbur quote from the above documentary:


Real compassion kicks butt and takes names and is not pleasant on certain days. If you are not ready for this FIRE, then find a new-age, sweetness and light, perpetually smiling teacher and learn to relabel your ego with spiritual sounding terms. But stay away from those who practice real compassion because they will fry your ass, my friend.

I got well and truly frazzled decades ago.

[Akasha]

Good' I am happy you did.

Ready for another ride?



Precisely, that quote is absolutely right.

Be ready Akasha. Real compassion, real heart opening, It litterally burns!! (yes, i is half friendly intended sarcastic when addressing you, Akasha, but the quote is quite true)



A Ken Wilbur quote from the above documentary:


Real compassion kicks butt and takes names and is not pleasant on certain days. If you are not ready for this FIRE, then find a new-age, sweetness and light, perpetually smiling teacher and learn to relabel your ego with spiritual sounding terms. But stay away from those who practice real compassion because they will fry your ass, my friend.

I got well and truly frazzled decades ago.

Why do you ask?

[Mike]

When i'm feeling low or depressed, I actually want to see something dark, something disturbing...something highly odd or bizarre. Something REAL. If its a movie, perhaps a little redemption at the end, but even more importantly, something real and true.

Love n light can be a form of escapism. Ive found that escapism doesnt work...its merely a short term band aid. On the contrary, to be even more engaged seems to be the answer, regardless of how dark or deep those emotional crevaces are. To be honest with oneself and to not avoid or disregard certain thoughts n feelings...

On the flip side of that coin, wallowing in darkness or overindulging in it is also a form of escapism. Most people know when theyre doing one or the other..

[bettye198]

So very very true and thank you for saying that. New Age snobbery came out of an agenda that dismisses and elevates itself as the truth and the way. No different than evangelical messages. Thankfully I learned the path of that when encouraged by mentors with a distorted bent twisted sense of self that ultimately took them down. I was embroiled in pride and while young then, I had the chance to step away through life's circumstances and look painfully at the big picture. And of course, age has its advantages, blessed with wisdom.

[sigma6]

My take on "spirituality" - is to be found within your own consciousness of your own consciousness... thus anything can trigger an awakening... I believe I have experienced "cosmic consciousness" fleetingly on more than one occasion, under various circumstances and moments of heightened awareness (independent confirmation if you will...) Which leads me to believe there are certain ideas that are critical, to be pursued, contemplated, embraced and ultimately externalized into everyday practice... basically truth and "love" (in the west)... or more accurately "compassion" (in the east)... (since love is such a generic term, and often confused with sex, self interest, narcissism, etc) If you cannot understand, appreciate and embrace these two necessities of consciousness, then you have no foundation...

The quality of your state of consciousness affects perception, i.e. the context of your ability to 'logically compute' what you observe whether consciously or otherwise. In practical terms it meant wrestling with a number of logical incongruities for decades until I started to understand there are no conflicting ideas in reality, only limited perceptions... (and this doesn't mean accepting dualism or relativity of truth... you have to pick a side... as a finite sentient being you must find an absolute point of reference. A beginning point of the establishment of a logical system, an axiom of logic... why? because our mind seems to be designed to do just this thing... (conceptualize) Thus this is a critical decision that can have dire consequences on your destiny...) It implies things like trying to understand "good and evil" the relationship between the two, why they even exist, and so on... (endless contemplation...)

Consider the difference between joining a secret society on the basis of making a commitment to an organization you know nothing directly about, with no other promise, except great power (materialism) vs accepting an offer based on the promise of pursuit of truth as the highest good... (can you see the logical fallacy of one over the other? can you see how the seeds of your own destruction will be planted before you even start?) In practice the two may appear similar, especially the way they may be presented... but like in Aristotle and Socrates' time, it is the choice between "Sophistry" (self service) and "Pure Philosophy" (seeking truth for it's own sake, which technically will lead to higher principles... like compassion, oneness of universe, etc)... The self service seeker will have a greater chance of "tripping" over that which he is seeking... (ironic tragedy) ...aka karma

Right now it would appear "deception" and "evil" are more powerful than the principle of "compassion" and "truth"... There has always been a mass of weak minded, fearful and cowardly seekers (of personal gain) that have flocked to its cause... but according to an even more ancient wisdom, this was well understood, true wisdom is not an immediate granting to every living soul (consciousness)...

Ever since seeking out alternative hidden meanings and history of the Bible as opposed to just studying the book itself in a literal fashion, my starting point was challenging this first seeming insurmountable "book of mysterious incongruities" Who knew that would take decades (still ongoing...) or that it was even possible (now that requires a degree of faith...) but since I figured I should have something of a head start (some context) it made more sense than trying to run away from it... i.e. repression or denial... which are no nos (violation of first two principles) therefore I dove headlong into it... on my own personal odyssey. So far it appears the book itself is a kind of "Alice through the looking glass device"... it leads to so many other things which then lead back to it with renewed understanding (decoding?) but that is a whole other story...

Another thing is resigning yourself to whatever the path of truth reveals to you... as the highest principle over everything else (sacrifice, dedication to the first branch off of principle #1, as everything subsumes under that)... It is this "resignation" (release? letting go?) or commitment that can really open up your perception, to me this is the beginning of true 'science', truth, awareness, seeing without judging, with the understanding your perception is still coming from a limited point of existence... learning to "compensate" or "understand" (and ultimately transcend?) the "natural bias" of who you are... a vulnerable being, a physical, mortal being. Consciousness, in the form of human existence on the physical plane requires the development of truth and logic as practical utilities (of the mind)... The rest is follow your nose... what is that saying?... "There is truth in beauty..." now there's a hint if I ever saw one... and so the journey begins (or continues...) and in this regard... thus each of us in their own way (on good paths and bad... or should I say wide and narrow?) ... we are all sojourners...

[Savannah]

Thanks Bill that video was fantastic. It pulled together many of the concepts in a succinct and logical fashion. While the focus of the video was on the New Age they briefly made reference to some of the other memes in this country such as racial inequality and the Truth Movement. No one would question the necessity or correctness of the Civil Rights Movement , and I won’t waste any ones time illuminating that, it is the hidden agenda that we also need to see. As George Carlin stated it’s about giving people a crumb, an illusion of freedom or the ability to make a difference in the world. Very little, maybe nothing happens without the control system sanctioning it. Each meme is by its nature a deception and as we all know it works better when wrapped around some essential truths (humans should be treated as equals). This video nicely pulled apart some of the truths from the distortions. The New Age mem has many distortions but the ultimate aim is making people passive and self-focused on objectives that will not result in self or social growth. They also shed light on Truth Movement meme and our ability to fall into the trap of disinformation if we don’t understand our selves and develop our intellect and look through a narrow lens.

Most of my posts have been about social engineering and I think it’s because that’s what I see on Avalon. We are starting threads about different subjects but in essence they are all on interconnected themes. We are highlighting aspects of the control system for each of us to see. We are pointing out what we think are lies or deceptions and we are sharing how those experiences or revelations have had a personal impact on us. As the video noted this process of coming together helps strengthen our discernment and opens us to new ideas.

I find myself now not only trying to unravel the memes but trying to figure out how to unravel the Matrix. All those who have unraveled the New Age meme note the need for ACTION. Action may be in different forms , but if the action is changing the self it ultimately must result in changing the system. I have spent my whole life trying to wake up and that has been beneficial but I’m now 59 and I don’t think I have done much to change the Matrix. They have many tactics to keep us from taking action, fear is primary. The idea of being targeted, socially disenfranchised, the loss of my license to practice and support myself, and ultimately being killed are just few. Although this video and Mark Passeo’s video gave us some direction, I’m still stuck on this point of how to take action. The video quted MLK

“And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because ones conscience tell one what is right”

This is a difficult introspective journey with many traps that I have felt compelled to travel and I have tried to walk away many times but come back ever time. Should I take political action or is that a meme, what they want so they can label me a terrorists, who was radicalized by the internet and take down the truthers and start a new meme of some kind. Round and round I go.

[enfoldedblue]

My Partner was once at a meditation retreat with a Buddhist monk. At one point some of the participants got up to go outside to have a smoke. As they made their way to the back of the room, many of remaining participants looked at each other with knowing looks of smug superiority. "Smoking ... how un-evolved," the looks said. The monk cleared his throat and the audience looked towards him like they expected to be applauded for their state of 'superior evolution'. Instead the monk said, "We all know that smoking is not good for our health," the audience looked on expectantly.... "but how many of us are aware that even more damaging than the smoking of tobacco is the smoking of bad thoughts."

Also here is an excerpt from my book Jump Into the Blue where I realized how my initial approach of judging and condemning people for their dietary choices was counter productive
Earlier in the week I had gone with Gabe to the cafe where I used to work. He had ordered a Panini with Italian sausage, while I ordered one with roast vegies. Apparently his sandwich was incredibly delicious. At one point he offered it to me to try. While I personally wouldn’t choose to buy meat, I allowed myself to indulge fully and freely, without judgement, in the moment that was being presented. It was indeed delicious, and I savoured the flavours. Later, at home, when I was reading and writing in one of my notebooks, I came across the dream that I had recorded in the summer. In the dream I had been with Gabe when he handed me a peperoni sandwich. The feelings that that sandwich had brought up in me were disgust and anger. Reading that passage made me realise how much I had changed.

My new position of increased detachment and flexibility meant that I could allow everyone and everything around me to unfold naturally; I didn’t need to try to control, change, or judge situations. Before this awakening I had felt such anger and contempt for people who supported the cruelty of the meat industry. I had hoped that, through sharing my truth, I could make people feel guilty enough to change their behaviour. Now, having access to deeper levels, I could see the futility of this approach. My restrictive, judgemental and guilt-inducing attitude only added to the collective negative energy, which, at an underlying level, ultimately fed back into, and supported, the very things I wanted to eradicate.

[Hym]

Both the love and lighters and the equally full-of-itself storyline that your inner darkness must be faced, even if you do not have any darkness, are just one play in one theater, a theater wherein you are given writing credits but you're not the writer or the producer. Hegelian bull**** and very simple to see, but it must be worth a talk here because those of us not aligned with the darkness know that it is like anything else that humans construct. These are those things they think that they create to feel balanced and are then guided to do so because the marketed theme of love and light is so transparently ineffective in doing the things that it pretends to do. Who the F taught you to meditate or sit still? How can it be called meditation and not j.k'n off when you project something into it? If you don't naturally see all you do during this time, without your critical programming, you are not meditating. The definition of your darkness is another lie you have been taught to use to hold yourself down, and damn ya'll are good at it.

Snordster's works are dialectic, one side of the same piece of ----.The cussing just makes it a comedy piece to me and I like his delivery and his comedy, but Monty it isn't. Yes, it effectively exposes what many see in the illusory world, sold as new age, yet only to fall prey to some imagined darkness his "alternative" narrative demands. It is a common practice in media these days, just a little deeper. Hey, if you all believe you're full of crap and feel so f'n guilty about it, and have not made amends, then I'd say the same crap they say at AA meetings.....You're an evil-inclined race and ya'll are doomed m.f.'ers waiting for the imaginary saviour, lost inside of you somewhere and now not inside some religion or defined path. You just transferred responsibility for your reality, AGAIN....Sometimes I wonder if you listen to yourselves talk and evaluate yourself with the same clarity I often see here. It must work for some , but it's just another time consuming activity taking up your energy.

You create the world you wish to create and no matter where you start, at the moment you take up the activity of allowing your thoughts to create themselves, beyond the intense, multi-faceted programming of your controllers, you make a difference that is real. You can play with the rabid, violent kitty for as long as you like, but you'd be ignorant not to know your time is being stolen from you and your soul is being victimized, again. Only humans could do this s^#@ to themselves as masterfully as they do.

I can see this lack of guilt on my part, and thus my inability to be taken in by this lame square dance, as a result of taking responsibility at a very early age. I made mistakes, a few like others have made, but I took them on as quick as I could speak up and act to repair them. Human guilt steals your vitality. And, unbelievably, people believe that they are responsible for things they have no part in. Stop that crap, and live your lives the way YOU choose, not the dialect chosen by others who never gave a damn.
My active prayer is that you listen to your heart and to that infinite gateway it opens.....

[sigma6]

My Partner was once at a meditation retreat with a Buddhist monk. At one point some of the participants got up to go outside to have a smoke. As they made their way to the back of the room, many of remaining participants looked at each other with knowing looks of smug superiority. "Smoking ... how un-evolved," the looks said. The monk cleared his throat and the audience looked towards him like they expected to be applauded for their state of 'superior evolution'. Instead the monk said, "We all know that smoking is not good for our health," the audience looked on expectantly.... "but how many of us are aware that even more damaging than the smoking of tobacco is the smoking of bad thoughts."

Also here is an excerpt from my book Jump Into the Blue where I realized how my initial approach of judging and condemning people for their dietary choices was counter productive
Earlier in the week I had gone with Gabe to the cafe where I used to work. He had ordered a Panini with Italian sausage, while I ordered one with roast vegies. Apparently his sandwich was incredibly delicious. At one point he offered it to me to try. While I personally wouldn’t choose to buy meat, I allowed myself to indulge fully and freely, without judgement, in the moment that was being presented. It was indeed delicious, and I savoured the flavours. Later, at home, when I was reading and writing in one of my notebooks, I came across the dream that I had recorded in the summer. In the dream I had been with Gabe when he handed me a peperoni sandwich. The feelings that that sandwich had brought up in me were disgust and anger. Reading that passage made me realise how much I had changed.

My new position of increased detachment and flexibility meant that I could allow everyone and everything around me to unfold naturally; I didn’t need to try to control, change, or judge situations. Before this awakening I had felt such anger and contempt for people who supported the cruelty of the meat industry. I had hoped that, through sharing my truth, I could make people feel guilty enough to change their behaviour. Now, having access to deeper levels, I could see the futility of this approach. My restrictive, judgemental and guilt-inducing attitude only added to the collective negative energy, which, at an underlying level, ultimately fed back into, and supported, the very things I wanted to eradicate.


enfolded - you have just compelled me to pick up your book again, I lost track of it during a 'mad rush'... have to get back and finish it! (I know, slap my wrist!... :o

but that passage, just piqued my original interest... that sharing spirit... ; -) ...and I still think one experience shared can truly affect others... I wouldn't give that up so easy... your experience shared is affecting and changing other lives already, I know... somewhere, in some way... no matter what the measure, tangible, what's amazing to me when I see people change (for the better or worse) how they tend to deny their previous state of being (pre-change...persona) it's human nature, but it sure makes it hard sometimes to appreciate just how much they actually changed... Lol

[sigma6]

Both the love and lighters and the equally full-of-itself storyline that your inner darkness must be faced, even if you do not have any darkness, are just one play in one theater, a theater wherein you are given writing credits but you're not the writer or the producer. Hegelian bull**** and very simple to see, but it must be worth a talk here because those of us not aligned with the darkness know that it is like anything else that humans construct. These are those things they think that they create to feel balanced and are then guided to do so because the marketed theme of love and light is so transparently ineffective in doing the things that it pretends to do. Who the F taught you to meditate or sit still? How can it be called meditation and not j.k'n off when you project something into it? If you don't naturally see all you do during this time, without your critical programming, you are not meditating. The definition of your darkness is another lie you have been taught to use to hold yourself down, and damn ya'll are good at it.

Snordster's works are dialectic, one side of the same piece of ----.The cussing just makes it a comedy piece to me and I like his delivery and his comedy, but Monty it isn't. Yes, it effectively exposes what many see in the illusory world, sold as new age, yet only to fall prey to some imagined darkness his "alternative" narrative demands. It is a common practice in media these days, just a little deeper. Hey, if you all believe you're full of crap and feel so f'n guilty about it, and have not made amends, then I'd say the same crap they say at AA meetings.....You're an evil-inclined race and ya'll are doomed m.f.'ers waiting for the imaginary saviour, lost inside of you somewhere and now not inside some religion or defined path. You just transferred responsibility for your reality, AGAIN....Sometimes I wonder if you listen to yourselves talk and evaluate yourself with the same clarity I often see here. It must work for some , but it's just another time consuming activity taking up your energy.

You create the world you wish to create and no matter where you start, at the moment you take up the activity of allowing your thoughts to create themselves, beyond the intense, multi-faceted programming of your controllers, you make a difference that is real. You can play with the rabid, violent kitty for as long as you like, but you'd be ignorant not to know your time is being stolen from you and your soul is being victimized, again. Only humans could do this s^#@ to themselves as masterfully as they do.

I can see this lack of guilt on my part, and thus my inability to be taken in by this lame square dance, as a result of taking responsibility at a very early age. I made mistakes, a few like others have made, but I took them on as quick as I could speak up and act to repair them. Human guilt steals your vitality. And, unbelievably, people believe that they are responsible for things they have no part in. Stop that crap, and live your lives the way YOU choose, not the dialect chosen by others who never gave a damn.
My active prayer is that you listen to your heart and to that infinite gateway it opens.....

Hegelianism was taken over by the "elite/illuminati" just like evolutionary theory... (Darwin sure wouldn't be pushing this today...) i.e they were ideas that were quietly taken over, then stealthily enlisted and transformed into tools of social manipulation. They took and used Hegelianism because it suits their purpose, not because of it's philosophical value... Hegel's philosophy was a perfect example of "sophistry", it was controversial even in its day, and was severely and decisively critiqued by Kierkegaard, who is the philosopher that has been described through the ages and traditionally described as a "giant" in philosophy... however the same was not true for Hegel. It's still in use as social manipulation tool today... a variant of dualism, or dialectic, petrified into the US government system... a social manipulation... machiavellian... used by the elite, as a system of counterbalancing forces (+1-1=0) inertia, neutralization... equilibrium... what better way to conquer and divide (and neutralize) A raison d'être for the elite, the perfect cover, and already packaged in an (indefensible) "philosophical package!...

...So you are right to assume that Hegelianism is bull*** ... I would quite agree... a total scam imo... and I'm sure the people who champion it the most (the controllers, bureaucrats, SS members/University members...follow the money) are even more aware of this as well... it's dangerous, because it is so ambiguous, and is by definition, diabolical... is what it is... one has to question Hegel's intentions in the worse best scenario and his state of mind at the least ... ( hehe ; )