Hot Seat - AC

[Guest guest]

Dear Adithya,

I am not sure if I know how my message " clarified " anything for you.

#I love that you understand that you are " not sure " . I agree with

you, who knows if anything is ever clarified?

I see that perhaps it is a very popular theme in 's school

to just call everything a " story " and ...then, consider it " done " or

maybe, even congratulate ourselves on being

very " spiritual " , " awakened " and " enlightened " !

#For me, it is considered to be Done when it no longer creates stress

or pain or anxiety. And, I personally do not relate this to

being " very " spiritual " , " awakened " and " enlightened " ! " Of course, I

can not speak for others.

I find such " theme " a superficial, surface level " coating " that in

many situations, can be (ab)used as a means of " evasion " .

#Yes, I agree, it can be used this way.

I find this theme very flawed and limited because I see that

many so-called " stories " have quite a solid basis in " reality " ,

as well as in " logic " and " reason " !

Whereas, many other stories have very little or no basis in reality

and are not supported by evidence.

#This appears to be where our " world views " differ. I find that for

me, the stories that appear to have a solid basis in reality simply

have not been understood yet.

I find the stories based on practical reality and reasons a useful

tool of human living. In this context, I see " labeling " everything

as " stories " as an incomplete point of view that tends to miss many

crucial distinctions.

# " crucial distinctions " ?? Crucial to what?

I think this approach can quickly become disabling, ignorant and

evasive!

#Yes, I believe this can be so.

From a practical point of view, as supported by evidence and as

documented in the company documents - Boss indeed has power to take

away or give a job! I see it more as an " acceptance " of reasonable

facts and simple practical awareness of practical reality.

# " Boss indeed has power to take away or give a job! " If this belief

ever feels stressful or frightening, then I would ask myself, " Boss

indeed has power to take away or give a job and That Means What? In

other words, there must be some underlying belief that " I need this

job " or something to that effect that could be inquired.

To me, dismissing it simply by calling EVERYTHING a " story "

appears like an ignorant, evasive or superficial act.

#My understanding of doing The Work is not to simply dismiss a belief

but to come to some level of understanding about the belief. If all

we do is dismiss the belief, we are merely attempting to bury the

negative feelings around it and I know that this will never work.

For me, It is not so much whether or not something is true, but " how

does that make me feel when I believe it is true? "

In my view, a mouse has a good enough practical reason to remain

aware of the dangers posed by a cat. I think labeling such " factual "

things as " stories " is perhaps neither necessary nor useful. But, it

can indeed serve as an effective " evasive " tactics on lines of an

ostrich burying its head in sand - if that's what is desired!

#One of my favorite Byron quotes is " As long as we believe that

Life is higher than Death, we will continue to live in fear! " I

personally do not believe that how a mouse responds to the presence

of a cat, is a good example for me to live by.

" In the message that I wrote, I was trying to explore and wonder on

how natural order of *things* affect our inner state! In my

observation, they seem to affect a lot... " By " natural order " I mean

something on the lines of " food chain " that I studied in my biology

class - like deer eats grass and lion eats the deer.

#Yes, your meaning seems to be clear here. Again, these type of

beliefs are generally accepted to be " facts " but for me, are merely

more stories. But, if you still don't see any " natural order " then,

perhaps, we see [or say] things very differently than each other.

#Yes, we do see things differently. What you call " natural order " is

to me just another story.

In my world, I would find a deer being aware of the dangers posed by

a lion - reasonable and maybe, even practical and " useful " .

#I understand what you are saying. If I came upon a lion in the

wild, I would likely respond just like the deer does. But, if i

later found that this response caused me to suffer, I would inquire

into my beliefs around the lion and my fears attached to it.

I notice that I often find out that:

- I really don't know. Most of the times, I can only have a " guess " .

#Sounds just like me, at the bottom line, " I do not know anything,

for sure. " And at this time, I feel no need to know anything for

sure. I used to believe that I knew some things for sure, but under

inquirey, I found that it was merely my own arrogance.

I am not sure that all feelings are caused by thoughts or ...that all

thoughts are caused by feelings! I don't what a newborn learns

first - " thinking " or " feeling " ! I don't if animals are more capable

of - " feeling " or " thinking " ! I really don't know and last time I

watched Discovery Channel - I was told even scientists are not really

sure in this regard!

#Scientists are sure of something until the facts change. That is

the way of this world (story).

My apologies if I was too rude, too blunt or too unpleasant.

#Dear AC, Apology accepted and I did not find anything you said to be

rude, blunt or unpleasant. I found your words enjoyable to read.

With warm regards,

ac.

Same back to you, Steve D.