3bob Posted February 23, 2016 How many times has "somebody up there" been looking out for you and saved your ass? (or at least mitigated the damage) 2 times, 20 times? 200 times? more than you will ever know? It's safe for me to say more than I'll ever know. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karl Posted February 23, 2016 (edited) Never. One thing I've learned is to plan for the unlikely as well as the possible. That way you can train to cope with 99.9% of things that come your way. The 0.1% you can't do anything about so no need to worry. Riding a motorcycle at high speeds on public roads is one of the most dangerous activities anyone can undertake. I've had several close shaves, but each one was avoided by proper training; looking far enough ahead, scanning, observation, road positioning, speed, machine control, good machine mechanicals. I also rock climbed, potholed, mountain biked and paraglide for many years without incident just by taking the proper precautions, training for the inevitable and keeping a high degree of awareness at all times. Whenever I have broken the rules, the results were always sufficient for me to learn from the mistake and improve the margin for error. The only thing 'up there' that watches over me is that big mass of grey goo in between my ears. I don't leave it to anyone or anything else. Edited February 23, 2016 by Karl 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chang Posted February 23, 2016 If we were to believe in the concept of a Guardian Angel then it would be logical to believe in its opposite as well - a spirit hell-bent on ill-will towards us. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted February 23, 2016 I've experienced those to Chang, they go by the term demon and their basic state towards humans is malice . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted February 23, 2016 Yeah, there was somebody up there but he wasn't being careful and fell off the freakin' ladder. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted February 24, 2016 (edited) Definitely had my ass saved before. Also seem to have had lessons that I've needed to learn, in which my ass isn't quite destroyed, but it seems to be...perhaps even in those times I've been saved, but not from some pain. Edited February 24, 2016 by Aetherous 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted February 24, 2016 (edited) I have a distinct belief that I am that higher power, just as you are that higher power, when I realized this, I spent less time blaming someone else for my problems, just like I spent less time thinking someone else saved me, when more often than not it was just being very fortuitous. Really it's kind of selfish to think like this, what do we say about those people who weren't so fortunate, "someone wasn't looking out for them?" Edited February 26, 2016 by Aaron 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted February 25, 2016 no one is a higher power unto themselves...for themselves, by themselves and of themselves - unless one is mistakenly touting their ego as supreme and source. I'd witness that not a breath is taken or a heart beat completed and all that follows without the "higher power" or first power and its purity of action giving impetus and support Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chang Posted February 25, 2016 Perhaps we should ponder why we deem ourselves of such importance that a Guardian Angel or Demon would take the least bit of interest in us. Consider this for a moment. We are born alone, we die alone and we are very much on our own in the time spent between the two events. You may not enjoy the thought but it would seem the most likely to be true. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silent Answers Posted February 25, 2016 Never. One thing I've learned is to plan for the unlikely as well as the possible. That way you can train to cope with 99.9% of things that come your way. The 0.1% you can't do anything about so no need to worry. Riding a motorcycle at high speeds on public roads is one of the most dangerous activities anyone can undertake. I've had several close shaves, but each one was avoided by proper training; looking far enough ahead, scanning, observation, road positioning, speed, machine control, good machine mechanicals. I also rock climbed, potholed, mountain biked and paraglide for many years without incident just by taking the proper precautions, training for the inevitable and keeping a high degree of awareness at all times. Whenever I have broken the rules, the results were always sufficient for me to learn from the mistake and improve the margin for error. The only thing 'up there' that watches over me is that big mass of grey goo in between my ears. I don't leave it to anyone or anything else. You'd make a great Vulcan ;P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karl Posted February 25, 2016 You'd make a great Vulcan ;P I don't think Vulcans approve of dangerous sports do they ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted February 25, 2016 (edited) guardian angels take interest because that is part of their job or dharma, demons do so for feeding upon us. such is obvious as hell if we have had even a little experience on the other side... as for being alone - so it may seem at times - but not true if we look beyond the insides of our own shells Edited February 25, 2016 by 3bob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted February 26, 2016 no one is a higher power unto themselves...for themselves, by themselves and of themselves - unless one is mistakenly touting their ego as supreme and source. I'd witness that not a breath is taken or a heart beat completed and all that follows without the "higher power" or first power and its purity of action giving impetus and support We are the universe and the universe is us. We are the higher power we search for. When we stop searching and start looking at ourselves, we can begin to understand this and then stop hoping the universe looks out for us, and instead look out for the universe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted February 26, 2016 granted all beings have a microcosmic or miniature blueprint of the macrocosm deep within... and it is through an inter-connection and web of that which we all move in and have being (via a deeper power than our ego constructs) thus in realization of that we know Spirit supports us for that is its nature - which we also are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karl Posted February 26, 2016 We are the universe and the universe is us. We are the higher power we search for. When we stop searching and start looking at ourselves, we can begin to understand this and then stop hoping the universe looks out for us, and instead look out for the universe. We are part of the universe, not the universe itself. The universe exists, we exist, we are conscious of ourselves and the universe in which we are both included and self identified. We cannot look out for the universe, we can only look out for ourselves. The universe is and we are only part of that. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites