Re: hope as a barrier to enlightenment ? - Judy

[Guest guest]

Dear Judy,

Your post brought up some thoughts. You said:

" If one is living in perfect freedom, perhaps no emotion would ever

arise. I don't know about that, since I don't live there. "

I don't know about that either! :-)

Judy said:

" I am not talking about hope as hoping for something, or that the sun

will come out tomorrow. Not at all. I am talking about hope as what i

wrote earlier -- that thing which motivates human beings to take

another step. Human beings, not totally enlightened beings. "

The above statement disagrees with some of my basic beliefs, such as:

that there are beings that are not " totally enlightened beings " ,

except for their story that they are not. And you said: " that thing

which motivates human beings to take another step " . That thing that

motivates human beings is fear. As I have heard say many

times, " she has no motivation at all " and that " all motivation is

fear " .

In my opinion, " hope " can only be " fear based " and it is used by the

mind to keep us unaware of who or what we really are. I understand

that you do not see " hope " the same as I do and that is just fine and

dandy.

For myself, if I experience hope arising in my awareness, it may not

cause me feelings of stress immediately and I may not inquire into it

right away; however, if I hold that belief long enough, I find that

it brings (as says) disappointment. I can hope that my cat

will learn to bark but the truth is that all hope is " hopeless "

because it requires a future which does not exist.

Love, Steve D.

I mean, why

do the work at all? Because of this thought that you can discover

something about yourself, find happiness, peace, -- and here on this

site -- connect with others, have more understanding, maybe have

someone add to your understanding. I say all of this is based upon

hope. I say that the only pain is when my expectations don't get met

and I don't let go and then I am bitter and sad and angry.

>

> >

> > I see hope as a thief that steals your attention away from how

> > beautiful everything already is.

> >

> > Hope presupposes that things could get better, that " The sun will

> > come out tomorrow " and that something is wrong with the here and

now.

> > One thing that repeats frequently is the she is a " Women

with

> > no future " . What does that mean?

> > I think it means that if she died right now then everything is

> > perfect.  nothing could be added.  She walks in a state where

> > everything is complete and perfect.  Nothing needs to be changed

> > because nothing is wrong.  Why would you need hope if nothing

needs

> > changing?  It can't get any better than being truely free.

> >

> > Despite you truely beautiful poetic prose in homage of hope. Hope

> > has a future orientation and negates the present. Taking one away

> > from reality and what is.  Failure is an inherent component of

> > hope.  If things really needed to be changed, you would just

change

> > them.  Not indulge in fantasy or wishful thinking. 

> >

> > There is a word that is worthy of all the qualities in your post,

> > but it is not 'hope', for hope has a darker side that takes us

away

> > from reality.

> >

> > I hope you find what you are looking for.

> >

> > Chris

> >

> > > Here is how I see hope.

> > >

> > > On this earth we must act. (Everyone does until they don't).

> > >

> > > I see HOPE as innocent arising within the heart.

> > >

> > > So I am subtracting any sense of fear or worry from hope.

> > >

> > > Just pure innocent hope put there by god (as I perceive God).

> > >

> > > So I would say:

> > >

> > > Hope is a vital, expansive part of life. Without hope, life

> > becomes

> > > dry. There is a difference, however, between hope and

expectation.

> > > Expectation thinks, nearly insists, that something must happen

and

> > > experiences a big let down that can lead to depression and

> > resentment

> > > when it does not happen according to plan. Expectation carries

> > > suitcases containing demands, attachments, and lots of ego.

Hope

> > > travels light, with no baggage.

> > >      

> > > Hope is a light shining in your heart. Hope says, " Yes! I will

> > plant

> > > the tree! " Hope holds a vision of apples already growing on the

> > tree.

> > > Then, expectation jumps in. Expectation crowds out the

innocent,

> > > expansive energy of hope. Hope can let go. Expectation can only

> > grab.

> > > Hope holds a vision put there by God. Expectation takes hold of

> > that

> > > vision and calls it " mine. "

> > >

> > > .....works for me

> > > xxx000

> > > Judy

> > >

> > >