Renewing ourselves for the New Year

[thelerner]

I thought Manitou brought up some good points when she stated:

Funny how nobody ever wants to talk about cleaning up one's energy or history. Too much work, maybe? An admission that we're needing a little inner work? This is just never talked about on this forum. I've brought this up from time to time and folks pass over it like it's just not there.

 

As far as i can see (and having worked the 12 steps for 31 years) the inner 'work' of trying to find my own character defects (although I know there are some who will challenge the word 'defects') is the singularly most important part of attaining any clarity at all. It's by wringing ourselves out andd tring our best to remove those characteristics that impede vision - selfishnesses, arrogances, mean-spiritedness, the urge to undermine another to gain stature for self ---there are so many subtle things we do to separate ourselves from Others - generally because we need to feel elevated because down deep inside we know we're deficient.

 

Although this flies in the face of the Taoist concept of 'All That Is' is just fine as it is, this is true as well. But when our minds and heart are motivated to remove impediments to joining up with the Oneness, the only way to do this is to inspect our inner selves. Maybe all the folks on this forum have already done this, and it's so basic to them that it's not even worth mentioning. But I sort of think lots of folks on this forum haven't done any self-examination at all.

 

We come to knowledge, it seems, by first assuming it's gotten through the brain. We read, we listen, and once we compile a little knowledge the darn Ego kicks in and we become legends in our own minds. Once we see ourselves as a teacher of sorts, more often than not the mind shuts to receiving knowledge from another. this is my natural state; my Ego will sit up on its high chair and think it's running the show and how very blessed the world is to have my wisdom in it. I wish I could say otherwise, but I can't really. But what I can do is see that for what it is, merely Ego, and take the steps necessary to sidestep it, to tame it, to put it in its place. However, I do need it to keep from driving into oncoming traffic.

 

As we all have on this forum, I've read accounts of master after master who has only gotten to their place in life by a combination of the outer search and the inner search. They must work in concert, apparently. What a nearly impossible set-up this is for us! It's a real Catch-22, this path to the full monty. apparently it's all in the Balance between Knowing and Humility (which is what we are capable of obtaining if the inner work is done).

 

I just don't see how humility is reached without self-realization, which is only gotten by going within. And without humility, we have nothing but hot air.

There's a lot of meat here. She makes good points. Maybe we concentrate too much on learning and not enough on self correction. We become increasingly lobsided.

I admire Rawn Bardon's method in IIH (Initiation Into Hermetics) because one of the early exercises in creating two lists <he calls them mirrors> one for our best the other for our worst traits <then its organized elementally>. Very interesting psychological approach. But the first step to knowledge is knowing oneself, warts and all. So we can see where our actions and thoughts are coming from and head them off. Otherwise even if we act without thought, we may be coming from the same old patterns that had in the beginning.

 

I read most of Castenada's early books. I think there's some good exercises in them but don't buy into the whole system. It's the only system that goes into cleaning up one's history. An interesting concept.

Edited December 28, 2012 by thelerner

[suninmyeyes]

Self correction/prefer to call it -- fine tunning , knowing what makes me me -- is fundamental and can be done through physical/energetic practises , through mind only or combination. If omitted and not being thrutful or dealt with there will be confusion, not understanding, strange syndroms , maybe even illnesses.

It is painful process and not for everyone , it actually may be more pleasent not to even go there ever. However if we do we should prepare for anything , live on the edge , being able to say: whatever at any point in life in a face of any situation whilst being able to act accordingly with full awerness.

I am also suprised how little people discuss these things on TTB , not even in context of practise.

 

I read most of Castenada's early books. I think there's some good exercises in them but don't buy into the whole system. It's the only system that goes into cleaning up one's history. An interesting concept.

There are some yogic practises (yogic mind practises that is) that require disciples to do so. I know of someone whose practises was to remeber ALL the people he has ever met in his over 45 year old life , remeber what kind of connection he had with them, meditate on it and pray for their wellbeing few times over again.

[thelerner]

I enjoy listening to Dharma speeches, ie on right living, thinking etc., but thats really not the same as 'Self-Correction'. There's a guided meditation I use called Evening Inventory Meditation (free podcast from Meditation Station) where you review your day, but again that's not necessarily getting 'in' very deep.

 

In the realm of Know Thyself, what do you recommend?

[adept]

By the way Michael, manitou is a woman.

[Birch]

Personally, I'm waiting till Spring for the relevant cleaning:-)

Why haven't I mentioned much relative to my own process of self-observation, atonement etc? Because it's extremely personal. I'm pretty sure my faults are glaring in the sunshine for all to see. Additional 'misadaptations' found root and stock over the top of a learned self-reproach. What behaviours were taken up to appease, escape, resolve eventually became their own misadptations but because some are rewarded, it was not always apparent which were qualities and which were not. Further, each quality bears defect within it. I'd spill my guts but I don't think it would help anyone:-)

[skydog]

Is this like trauma release stuff. EFT matrix reimprinting, Yuen method, the healing codes, dream yoga too...

 

Im not sure how relevant this is...sometimes I think its amazing, sometimes I think it adds to the ego..If im being honest.

Edited December 27, 2012 by sinansencer

[johndoe2012]

.

Edited August 18, 2013 by chris d

[suninmyeyes]

lerner -- to answer you,

For me it is -- just loving no matter what. Keeping it as a top priority , as a guidance and the way.

 

Making sure what is my main orientation deep, deep inside of me. What is it really? Is there grudges? Psychological dams? Why? What is there that is knotted up?

What expectations are there? Can I let go of them? Even the ones that are REALLY fucking unfair? The ones that are just bottom of unfairness and corruption, seemingly bringing unfortune to my being every time over and over again? Can I let go of those too? Can I stop misreading the sign that fears give me ? Or do I fear what is (or not) there?

Do I want to spin in the same loop over and over again?

In daily interactions -- what is the motivation, what place does it stem from, does it promote wellbeing for all? Or?

 

These are fears at varying degrees that are created by circumstances and we take as granted that they are natural and this is how it should be and we hold them and feed them, until they consume us.

No -- I will love not giving any space for those weeds to flower.

Edited December 27, 2012 by suninmyeyes

[GrandmasterP]

Personally, I'm waiting till Spring for the relevant cleaning:-)

Why haven't I mentioned much relative to my own process of self-observation, atonement etc? Because it's extremely personal. I'm pretty sure my faults are glaring in the sunshine for all to see. Additional 'misadaptations' found root and stock over the top of a learned self-reproach. What behaviours were taken up to appease, escape, resolve eventually became their own misadptations but because some are rewarded, it was not always apparent which were qualities and which were not. Further, each quality bears defect within it. I'd spill my guts but I don't think it would help anyone:-)

.......

New Year resolutions tend not to be kept because, north of the equator; they are made at just about the worst time in the year for anyone to plan for change.

Round about Easter (call it what you want) is your best bet for making new beginnings that last.

[JustARandomPanda]

Let's see...

 

My program of self-correction for 2013

 

 

1. work on going for 40 consecutive days of meditation with no breaks

2. work on one-pointed concentration on my breath

3. work up to five minutes of zhan zhuong

4. work on bringing more neutrality into my life and responses to circumstances or people

5. work on being accepting with the way things are in my life - good or bad

6. get a daily planner and every day list that day's specific vices or any atypical virtues and work on diminishing the former and increasing the latter

7. work on diminishing my opinions on everything (gets in the way of acceptance of others and of being satisfied with what the tao already gives me)

8. learn a skill that's physical oriented vs. artsy or mental.

 

 

I think that's a decent start.

[thelerner]

Let's see...

 

My program of self-correction for 2013

3. work up to five minutes of zhan zhuong

What made 15 minutes of zhan zhuong much easier for me was listening to Rawn Clarks Archaeous series while standing up. Its a guided meditation which 'stack's the elements. Your feet to hips are earth, waist & stomach are water, chest region air etc., I find that the 15 minutes go by with my hardly noticing them and feeling much stronger then doing it without.

 

free at abardoncompanion.com Its not meant as a zhan zhang practice but works very well for it.

Edited December 29, 2012 by thelerner

[RiverSnake]

Yeah....Bardon's Black and White Mirror exercise is really great.I have completed it 2 times myself. When you do them years apart it's interesting to note how some negative traits have completely dissolved by themselves through cultivation and others still linger on.......it really can show how much you have changed when comparing your old and new mirrors......very insightful stuff

 

For this New Years I was going to fast for 3 days but decided against it because I might pass out at work....just gonna fast for 1 day to cleanse for the new year.

 

-My 2 cents, Peace

[manitou]

Hi lerner - I just noticed your signature, where you're 'getting closer to fine without going too crazy' - how succinctly put! If you remember, don Juan used to say that a shaman walks a very narrow line between sanity and insanity. Boy, do I ever relate to that. How many of us here can say the same? We pick ourselves clean with the inner work, at the same time we're extending our left brain out with Learning from others. What a tightrope to walk! How often I feel on the very edge of sanity - but for some reason, this seems to be my comfort zone these days. Of course, the only thing that makes me say that is my apparent comparison to others that I assume are 'normal', whatever that means.

 

I remain incredulous that the Christian faith, which is a remnant within me, has no real vehicle for getting to 'Know Thyself', as Jesus is reputed to have said. Without Knowing thyself, all of this stuff is just left brained puff; it's getting the outer knowledge without actually putting the garment on. It's by being impeccable with ourself and getting to Know Ourself that our outer garment can be shed and the real garment put on. I understand that Catholicism has the 'confession' aspect to it, but does it ever go any further than just the confession? Is there a method for further delving into self so that this loop of error can be eliminated? If there is, I haven't heard of it.

 

The inner work seem to be the thing that promotes 'realization'. Realization seems to be something that is an internal dynamic, not gained from the outside, but from the inner wisdom. When our inner experiences align with a pure truth, this realization process can be felt as an Aha! So that's what that means! It's an inner 'proof' to ourselves that confirms perhaps something we've read or studied. It's a physical connection to the truth that can be sensed, and it's often accompanied by a small laugh because it's so obvious after it's been realized, you can't believe you didn't see it before. Like...duh.

[JustARandomPanda]

I remain incredulous that the Christian faith, which is a remnant within me, has no real vehicle for getting to 'Know Thyself', as Jesus is reputed to have said. Without Knowing thyself, all of this stuff is just left brained puff; it's getting the outer knowledge without actually putting the garment on. It's by being impeccable with ourself and getting to Know Ourself that our outer garment can be shed and the real garment put on. I understand that Catholicism has the 'confession' aspect to it, but does it ever go any further than just the confession? Is there a method for further delving into self so that this loop of error can be eliminated? If there is, I haven't heard of it.

 

There is indeed a method in Catholicism for going deeper but most lay Catholics are unaware of them these days. The primary method was centering prayer (ie focusing on the solar plexus chakra) while reciting Ave Maria (Hail Mary) or the Lord's Prayer with a rosary (aka mala) over and over until the mind quieted down and inner awareness opened up.

 

You can see a page explaining how lay Catholics (and monks and nuns) used to do it at this web page.

 

In the Greek Orthodox Church there's meditation practice called hesychasm. Catholicism had these things too.

 

This kind of meditation is seldom done by lay Catholics anymore. I suspect only the most devoted know about and bother with it anymore. My mom is a Catholic and except for going to church 3 out of 4 sundays per month you'd never ever know she was "Catholic". In short, I consider her and most other "religious" people like her to be "religious" in name only. It's just a traditional activity she sets aside for a few hours most Sundays but from what I've observed has zero effect on the rest of her life. She doesn't even bother to read the Bible. Her actual, daily behavior is secular.

 

I do know she is rather upset I regularly study Taoist, Confucian, Sufi and Buddhist texts. She has lectured me in the past about how much she strongly dislikes me getting involved in those "weird" (her words) religions and thinks they're harming me.

 

If only she knew the things I practice from those "weird" religions are right there under her very nose in her own religion! They're the same practices just using different names. But the intent was and is still the same. But since nobody in her church actually DOES them (from what I can tell) nor teaches them she thinks I'm engaging in weirdness.

 

The inner work seem to be the thing that promotes 'realization'. Realization seems to be something that is an internal dynamic, not gained from the outside, but from the inner wisdom. When our inner experiences align with a pure truth, this realization process can be felt as an Aha! So that's what that means! It's an inner 'proof' to ourselves that confirms perhaps something we've read or studied. It's a physical connection to the truth that can be sensed, and it's often accompanied by a small laugh because it's so obvious after it's been realized, you can't believe you didn't see it before. Like...duh.

 

What you just mentioned is exactly why I'm going on that 2013 'renewal' program. I spend too much time in my head and not enough in my heart and just let things be simply as they are. I don't think my studying those old texts is a bad thing...just incomplete. Next up is to actually put what they teach into daily practice.

[Jetsun]

I remain incredulous that the Christian faith, which is a remnant within me, has no real vehicle for getting to 'Know Thyself', as Jesus is reputed to have said. Without Knowing thyself, all of this stuff is just left brained puff; it's getting the outer knowledge without actually putting the garment on. It's by being impeccable with ourself and getting to Know Ourself that our outer garment can be shed and the real garment put on. I understand that Catholicism has the 'confession' aspect to it, but does it ever go any further than just the confession? Is there a method for further delving into self so that this loop of error can be eliminated? If there is, I haven't heard of it.

 

There are the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises which includes things like self reviews, self observation and various spiritual meditations and contemplations. I have not done them but I have heard positive things about them.

[thelerner]

I remain incredulous that the Christian faith, which is a remnant within me, has no real vehicle for getting to 'Know Thyself', as Jesus is reputed to have said. Without Knowing thyself, all of this stuff is just left brained puff

I think most religions, certainly all the old ones have traditions in their mystic wings dealing with 'Know Thyself'. They may not be main stream, but they exist, created by wise men and sometimes if your born into a religion you may have a predilection for its mystical tradition even if you rebel against its main stream dogma.

For Catholicism I expect RainbowV and Jetsun came up with good sources.

[manitou]

I think most religions, certainly all the old ones have traditions in their mystic wings dealing with 'Know Thyself'. They may not be main stream, but they exist, created by wise men and sometimes if your born into a religion you may have a predilection for its mystical tradition even if you rebel against its main stream dogma.

For Catholicism I expect RainbowV and Jetsun came up with good sources.

 

Oh yes - the mystic wings are a different story altogether! Writings reflecting the shamanic view of the Essenes, for example - and I'm currently doing a re-read of the Nag Hammadi Gospels and the mysticism in there is wonderful. Plus the emphasis on knowing yourself as god, per se.