Re: Re: THE PAINFUL LOOK WITHIN

[Guest guest]

well done, Greg.

Namaste,

phoebe

[Guest guest]

On Tue, 11 Sep 2001 22:02:44 +0200, JUNG-FIRE wrote:

> > American are so unconscious its pathetic.

> *Dear Malcolm - A s a non-American, I can assure you that Americans are

> no more or less unconscious than anyone else, yourself or myself

included.

> Kindly (and whether you're American or not) keep all sweeping rascist

> generalisations off this list. Thank you.

> The only sure enemy is the one behind one's own nose.

> A touch of love and compassion might fit the situation better, don't you

think?

>

> m

Mike,

Thank you for this corrective. It is hurtful to be called a name, even if

there is some truth in it - and, frankly, I think there is. But, proper

time, proper place, proper method. Right now seems to be a time for healing

and compassion and reflection - a licking of our considerable psychological

wounds.

I agree with Malcolm to an extent. Americans are notoriously naive, often

displaying unabashed fidelity to our idealistic values of freedom and

democracy. But even as I write these words, I can (like all of you) think

of times in our nation's history when we have betrayed these very ideals,

often to our own peril. As Gwynne's message on Terrorism points out with

such eloquence and clairvoyance, this tragic event - indeed like Pearl

Harbor - hides a lesson of a larger nature that we may see only with the

passage of time. And undoubtedly our world has changed forever yesterday,

our naivety shattered in a new way and ominous way. Now, I truly worry about

the ability of our leaders to react in a measured, effective way that hold

true to our deepest spiritual values now competing with our natural

instincts for justice and vengence. The latter motive will surely only

deepen the problem, if pursued indescriminately. The Old Testament instinct

of eye for eye and tooth for tooth doesn't work in the 21st century. We now

called upon to bear the cross of the tension of opposites INDIVIDUALLY, as

we strive to do so nationally and internationally. This unparalleled event

of death and destruction will test us in new ways, in a new era. These are

probably the opening skirmishes in a large, bloody, long war against the

evil within. We can either succumb to the never-ending war of mutual

projections or hang on tight to the polar opposites now tugging at us.

I was discussing this idea of " consciousness " with a dear friend this

morning by phone. She basically agreed with Malcolm's sentiment - we ARE

UNCONCONSCIOUS to a very alarming degree. But does that mean we should

yield to the natural instincts that propel us to rightious revenge as some

here would argue? Or does it give us the opporunity - each of us

individually - to examine the shadow within ourselves? As the wisest among

us often says, when we hate someone, there are two possibilities: 1) they

are holding up a mirror to our face, showing us our worst shadow elements,

for which we can be be grateful (very hard indeed) or 2) they are truly

evil, in which case we can pity them, for Karma will have its way in the

end. Individually, I can only deal with my own stuff - so that is where I

choose to focus most of my energies.

My inclination at this time is that the event is truly evil in intent, in

its motive and in execution. But the horrendous act in NY and Washington

also challenges me to look at the shadow within. When I examine my own

shadow terrorist, and I find that I do have one, I can relate to the

arrogance and greed of unbridled capitalism, even wearing its " nice "

clothing of democratic, constitutional, freedom (our present day myth). Its

hauty excesses are as black and evil as yesterday's reactions are to those

who do not enjoy its fruits. And our nation's recent policy changes have

signalled to the world that we embrace different values than we have in

recent years. The signals that America are sending out are very troubling to

me at the deepest levels, because they evoke the worst reactions from the

oppressed in the world. Yesterday seems to be a manifestation of that pent

up feeling and response - bloody and irrational as it seems to civilized

people. And it seems to me that we dare not turn away from the lessons of

yesterday, no matter how painful. The old fool has warned us many times

that whenever the unconscious is brought to consciousness, it is always a

defeat for the ego. And we, as a nation, are now enduring the inevidable

tensions of holding onto these two opposites within our national psyche at

present. It is painful indeed. Let's hope that some good can result from

the experience.

Here is an excerpt from the Dalia Lama's address at this spring's World Day

of Planetary Consciousness that I think we would be wise to heed at this

historic moment:

" In the world at present, there is not much concern for humane values: there

is too much dependence on money and power. If human society loses value of

justice, the value of compassion, the value of honesty, we will face greater

difficulties in the future. Some people may think that these sorts of

ethical attitudes are not much needed in the areas of businiss or politics.

I strongly disagree. The quality of our actions depends on our

motivation....

The last century was marred by conflict and war. Let us take steps to

ensure that this new century will be characterized instead by non-violence

and dialogue, the preconditions of peaceful co-existence. It is natural that

in any human society there will be differences and conflicts, but we have to

develop confidence that dialogue and other peaceful methods are a valid

alternative to violence in all our relations. If we take the differences

between us as grounds for fighting and argument, there will be no end to it.

All of us will be weakened and diminished. "

Agape,

Greg

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[Guest guest]

Mike wrote:

Americans (as a 'job-lot'), however, are no more guilty of being taken in by

what seems to be 'consensus reality' than any other mutual-help group on

this planet...

Rajiv:

Mike, I’ve been looking for an ontological basis for the first-world,

second-world, third-world pseudo-partitions.

Of course, if these are pseudo-partitions then there can be no ontological

basis. But what if there is an ontological basis for this pseudo-phenomenon

itself?

More precisely in reference to your post, I have consistently noted the

existence of this “consensus reality” among Americans. This is the spirit of

democracy misconstrued (of course), or a literal interpretation of it,

whereby the government “of the people, by the people and for the people” is

a HEADLESS or decapitated government.

The painful look within. This is what I appeal to all Americans to do. This

is the thrust of my argument throughout my postings.

Regards

Rajiv