Portals.....Chapter 2
This brings to mind the big question I often ask. Should I attract my destiny or actively pursue it? Does the anticipation of what lies through the portal or down the road surpass the actuality? Maybe the spot I'm in is the place to be. It's the dilemma of expectation. These possibilities do seem to arouse our desire for decision making every time we encounter them. The body primes itself, the mind weighs and balances. Doors and roads. Stay or go? To be or not to be.
posted by jm at 2:19 PM
37 Comments:
Should I attract my destiny or actively pursue it?
Yes, that does seem to be the big question, doesn't it? My answer is that I do both. They are not mutually exclusive. I put out there what I want, and I do this very actively, using a system of daily affirmations and Tarot cards. Then I follow all leads as they arise. Occasionally I think this is a waste of energy, because the "right" path often opens up in a totally unexpected way. But when you actively pursue what you want, you put out an intention that is very powerful. This helps attract and channel the energies that you need to manifest your desire into reality.
Reminds me of the joke about the woman caught in a flood. As the waters pour into her living room, the police stop by in a boat and ask whether she wants a ride to safety. "No," she says, "God will save me." The waters rise higher and higher, and pretty soon she's on the top floor. Some neighbors rowing past see her at the window and offer her a place in their boat. "No," she says," God will save me." A few hours later, the water is still rising, and she's on the roof, clinging to the chimney for dear life. A helicopter sweeps overhead, and the rescue squad offers to throw her down a ladder. "No," she yells back, "God will save me." As the water rises over her head and she's being carried away on the current, she cries out to God, "I believed in you, I had faith. Why didn't you save me?" God replies, "I sent you two boats and a helicopter, what more do you want?"
Does the anticipation of what lies through the portal or down the road surpass the actuality?
Sure, if you expect to be dramatically carried up into heaven on a cloud by Jesus in person instead of being rescued by your next-door neighbor in an ordinary boat with ten other people.
Yes. I think we do what fits the situation, although I it seems that there is a different combination in each person by nature. I've seen some people stay in a spot and others will come to them all the time. Then I've seen those who target what they want and go after it consistently.
Venus is attraction, Mars propulsion as far as I know.
Then I follow all leads as they arise.
This is a tricky one. picking and choosing or following.
Such abstract questions! :-)
I find that if I want things to stay the same, I can stay in one spot, so to speak, and things keep coming along. If I want a change, I initiate it in some way. Just speaking for myself now, probably if I do both attracting and pushing, as appropriate, I'll get further than if I only do one or the other.
From creative work, I know that it can be helpful to get the left brain hemisphere, logical work done first. (Such as collect data or materials.) Then let the right brain hemisphere play with it. And then there is another level where both hemispheres work together in harmony with amplified power.
If I'm truly in a place of uncertainty, then I think the best thing to do is to take a step in any direction. That might move me to a place that I like or don't like, but it provides a point of reference. And then keep stepping until I get to an advantageous position. Whether that's attracting or pushing is maybe situational.
Taking a small step or action, even if a symbolic one, sends a signal that one's intent is to manifest, and commits the energy.
If the question is whether to want change to the status quo, that's a different question than how to manifest something. Sometimes more information is desirable.
Sometimes I try pausing, and then watching to see which way I go. I don't have to decide consciously through a rational process. An impulse will come along, and I follow it to see what it wants to show me. It's like using a dowsing rod or a pendulum. The body/mind leans toward events that have some association with one's thoughts and desires.
This can be a very concrete exercise in a media rich area, like when I'm deciding which city street or bookstore aisle to walk down. There have been times, for example, where I seriously asked for information in a meditation, and then I'm guided to things that speak directly to my interest.
The intuitive aspects of the self can sense things that the rational aspects can't, and aren't meant to cope with.
We don't really make our decisions entirely rationally. People who through brain injury lose the ability to have strong feelings/emotions have trouble with simple decisions. They can spend all evening analyzing all the possibilities and implications to the nth degree of going out to dinner somewhere.
We don't really make our decisions entirely rationally.
A friend/teacher told us once that most people make decisions based on about 2% rational thought & 98% unconscious, emotionally driven, unacknowledged needs. And from what I've observed both in myself & others, that may not be too far off.
Pat, I like your combination approach. I've done a lot w/affirmations over the years too. One thing about paying attention to Uranus transits, is that can help sharpen your focus on what's out there, and hopefully recognize an opportunity for what it is. Sorting out the motivation behind an intention is where I have to be extra careful.
probably if I do both attracting and pushing, as appropriate, I'll get further than if I only do one or the other.
Probably wise.
If I'm truly in a place of uncertainty, then I think the best thing to do is to take a step in any direction
I think maybe the oppostie here. The fine art of notdoing, which we aren't encouraged to learn, of course. I saw my friend, who was trying to extricate herself from her relationship, do this for a long time, and although she suffered, when the time came it was a clean, complete break. She was conscious during the process too and allowed herself to guided by the wait. Didn't squirm too much.
If the question is whether to want change to the status quo, that's a different question than how to manifest something. Sometimes more information is desirable.
This is true. And the reasons for wanting change deserve careful attention. The timing as well. To wait for the clear signal that the task is done.
We don't really make our decisions entirely rationally. People who through brain injury lose the ability to have strong feelings/emotions have trouble with simple decisions.
98%. Large figure here.
Sorting out the motivation behind an intention is where I have to be extra careful.
Rarely done, I think. Really good excercise.
Speaking of decisions. In a quirky moment, I lost all my bookmarks. A couple years of favorite places, a lot of political sites. I had stopped going to them, but this blank white space where they used to be appearing suddenly was shocking. I realized immediately the benefit, though, and that I meant business. So both my rational and intuitive got together on this, but part of my irrational is unsettled still. An insecurity and emptiness. Habit, I guess after years of seeing them always in the corner of my eye. A place to hook my fear.
I almost caved in when the latest torture legislation came on stage and this was the real test. Do I want torture or do I want pleasure? I guess my 98% told me! That's when the blank appeared.
The more I think about it the more interesting it gets. I'm obviously moving in an entirely new direction yet I'm still rooted to my spot. The final cut was not a conscious move yet the leadup was.
I would day this has something to do with Saturn opposite Neptune and the dissolving of structures, and the timing. It's happening on my natal Saturn right now.
The Neptune is the blindness where my list of directions used to be. So my map elludes me at the moment as I wait for the new one. Or create it. Back to do or notdo.
"I think maybe the oppostie here. The fine art of notdoing, which we aren't encouraged to learn, of course."
That makes sense to me, too, if there is the luxury of time and if there is more growing/processing to be done where one already is.
But to remove uncertainty, I meant that I personally would make simple moves. It's not meant to be an irrevocable decision of any sort. The move could be -- and I have done this -- to somehow get enough information to realize that I should wait. Or not, as the case may be.
luxury of time
Aha! So many consider this a luxury. Something for special occasions. I consider it one of the greatest things in life. The perception of plenty of time. I find it a necessity.
This is where I get out of synch with the world. People so often are racing to the next moment, not at my speed.
The other day a friend of mine saw me and came to sit and talk. The way she sat, I knew she was committing herself to time with me. I was astounded since it so rarely happens. It also communicated a thousand messages about her feeling for me. When we give people time, we give them a lot.
Doing and not doing each have their time and place.
Maybe another choice is to create consciously or to create unconsciously.
create consciously or to create unconsciously.
How would these be done? Creating unconsciously would seem to fall in the notdoing column.
My stint with a corporation was one of the worst experiences of my life. They don't have enough labor so the lower managers have too many tasks for the time. I think this is one of the most horrifying of their policies as the will and confidence of people are broken being pitted against time relentlessly in a losing battle. Eating is smashed in a compressed slot in all of this which makes it worse.
"Aha! So many consider this a luxury. Something for special occasions."
Ha ha! It's not an absolute term for me. I mean if a decision is pressing or not, in some way. Some decisions are. (Or if decisions are equal, then who cares.)
I can choose to avoid choice -- but that is still making a choice, so I can't really get away from choosing.
I read a story the other day about decision making. The gist was that if we don't decide what we want, then eventually the choice may be made for us. Sometimes the results are to a person's liking, and sometimes there is regret. I would just be clear about what I really want, or work on figuring that out, even if I don't want to actually do anything about it just yet.
We could go on speaking abstractly, but generally, I know that decisions/approaches that are right in one situation can be wrong for another. So one has to be sensitive to the specific reality in front of one.
To do or not do? Well, I would wonder what are the specifics.
"This is where I get out of synch with the world. People so often are racing to the next moment, not at my speed."
I don't mind them as much as I used to. I'm inclined to think that both hares and tortoises have their place in the scheme of things. It depends on one's goals.
"When we give people time, we give them a lot."
I absolutely agree. That's being fully present in the here and now.
"My stint with a corporation was one of the worst experiences of my life.
I have had both pleasant and unpleasant experiences in the work area.
"Eating is smashed in a compressed slot in all of this which makes it worse."
Oh, I worked in a place like that. It was run by an older woman. We had half an hour of break time, and in that time, I ran to the bank, ran to the salad buffet, chowed down in ten minutes, then ran back to the office. The boss told me that I should save money and bring sandwiches everyday. I didn't like sandwiches; I liked the everchanging variety available at the salad buffet. I particularly liked eating by the small waterfall in the park next to the salad buffet place.
I can't say if this applies to anyone else. I talked to a counselor about a specific incident once, and questioned my direction. She simply said that she felt that I oughtn't to use a specific bad experience as a basis for a decision about working in an entire field.
I had mixed feelings about one company where I worked. However, I met my best friend there, and for that I will be forever grateful. It's a funny thing.
I guess we each have to weigh in our hearts what we have to gain or to lose.
If it's a potentially life changing decision, I pay attention what my heart tells me. If the heart energy feels clear and flowing, then that's a good sign. If it's sticky or congested, then to me that's a warning.
"How would these be done? Creating unconsciously would seem to fall in the notdoing column."
Hmm...I guess for me, I like to be really, vividly present. Radiate. From the outside, I may appear active or appear inactive, but I guess I wouldn't call that unconscious.
People so often are racing to the next moment, not at my speed."
I don't mind them as much as I used to.
Good approach. I thought I was getting with it, but that unusal moment with my friend reminded me of the lost art.
I got to thinking and realized that I HAVE worked for corporate restaurants with no problem. Thanks for reminding me. It's what I was doing at the other one that was the problem.
Very good.
As a matter of fact, one corporate eating establishment just popped back into my mind as a possibility for my music. I think I'll "pursue" it!
Oh, I dug up the funny story. It's from a book, The 360-Degree Leader, which I saw in the bookstore during the past week. The anecdote caught my eye when I opened the book to browse it.
Without A Leader, Decisions Are Delayed
When he was young, a kind aunt took him to have a pair of shoes custom made. The shoemaker asked him if he wanted his shoes to have square toes or round toes, but Reagan couldn't seem to make up his mind.
"Come back in a day or two and let me know what you decide," the shoemaker told him. But Reagan didn't go back. When the man saw him on the street and again asked him what kind of shoes he wanted, Reagan said, "I haven't made up my mind yet."
"Very well," the man responded. "Your shoes will be ready tomorrow."
When Reagan went to pick them up, he discovered that the toe of one shoe was round and the other was square. Reagan later said, "Looking at those shoes taught me a lesson. If you don't make your own decisions, somebody else makes them for you."
Not all good decisions makers are leaders, but all good leaders are decision makers. Often it takes a leader to make decisions -- and if not to make them, then to help others make them more quickly.
I was privately amused by the next bit that caught my eye.
There are three different kinds of attitudes when it comes to enlisting people to help fulfill a vision. The first one says, "We're going to do this with or without you." The second says, "We sure would like you to help us do this." The third says, "We can't do this without you." You can guess which one inspires and motivates people to participate and give their best.
"I think I'll "pursue" it!"
Maybe it's been busy sending out those attraction vibes to you.
Well, just enjoy whatever you're doing! :-)
As well as your not doing!
"I guess my 98% told me! That's when the blank appeared."
Could be! Maybe it's a good approach for you, if it's benefiting you.
I hardly ever lose anything like that. It's a frightening thing, but I probably have bookmarks going back at least a decade, sorted by category into folders. They're way older than my computer.
Well, just enjoy whatever you're doing! :-)
Excellent advice!
Real terror entered my life when after ten years of programming my drum machines, I saved it to disk and when I put it back into the machine it was jibberish.
I fell to my knees. A feeling almost impossible to describe. I searched through my disks and found one that got them back in and I will never ever ever forget the experience.
This terror they're waving around is child's play.
Now I'm counting on the batteries to charge themselves and keep my patterns. And also the protective force that has always surrounded my music. I learned about it that day. And also about man and machine. No person has ever made me feel what that machine did.
I don't really worry about losing what's important, so I'm not as diligent about saving things. The disappearing bookmarks are liberating. Not at all important sites.
As my mother would say in her Hungarian accent:
no vay.
We can't do this without you.
One of the greatest leadership skills is bringing out the feeling of significance in others. That's why I never took our government leaders seriously as such. They don't inspire the people, thank god.
Fascinating discussion here! I concur with Pat on the attraction of things you desire by announcing your intentions. Intention is all. When I settle on something that interests me, I am amazed (still!) by how quickly it tends to come to me.
But the Koran says, paraphrased, "If you take a step towards Allah, Allah takes two steps toward you."
I rarely think anymore in terms of individual deities, but I recognize in this statement the addressing of the cosmic power that is the universe around us. More and more I think that we are fledgling deities learning to use the raw, endless power of the universe for creation, as well as destruction.
"The human experience has been a fear-based series of events and lifetimes. Everyone ends up dying. When we do not know who we are, that is very frightening…and we have all forgotten. Some have called it collective unconsciousness or created amnesia. That’s why the leaders can hold up the mirror of terror and generate the fear they desire. It’s easy—except among those who are starting to remember, a number that is increasing exponentially, by the way."
Taken from a collection of articles found here.
"This terror they're waving around is child's play. ...And also the protective force that has always surrounded my music."
LOL! Everyone has some area which they hold sacrosanct. I've heard the idea that no matter what else is going on in a person's life, there is usually some area so vital to the personality that it somehow stays untouched above the fray.
My computers are my livelihood at present. I'm used to doing everything on them in a pretty considered way. It ends up being more efficient for me when I know where everything is and how it got there.
"One of the greatest leadership skills is bringing out the feeling of significance in others. That's why I never took our government leaders seriously as such. They don't inspire the people, thank god."
Yeah. They're not true solar leaders, not life giving.
Today, I wonder if to attract things is really activity on another level. In the West with its external focus, people think the active force is male. In the East, the spiritual dynamic is felt to be the inverse of the physical: the feminine energy is active and acts on masculine elements. Symbolically, Shiva cooly meditates, Shakti is the moving life force stirring activity.
I'm reminded of an old acquaintance who once told me that she'd gone to a spiritual retreat because she was strongly attracted by the energy of the spiritual leader, a woman from India she'd heard give a talk before.
She was an experienced meditator, but she said that when she came back, she was in a mode different to her usual one for a while. She said, "I could be over here. Or I could be sitting over there." She waved nonchalantly at the window. She could stay or go, take it or leave it. It was all good. Eventually, it faded back to normal.
I wonder what the energy dynamic was.
More and more I think that we are fledgling deities learning to use the raw, endless power of the universe for creation, as well as destruction.
Beautifully put.
The human experience has been a fear-based series of events and lifetimes. Everyone ends up dying..
This of course is it. Our perception of a bad end. Probably entirely wrong. From what I've seen of death it could be the experience we are waitng for. The experience of a lifetime.:) I think the ecstasy of release is the reward for living.
The fear is alwys our own as is the suffering. We cry for ourselves and fear things in our personal lives, but unable to confront and change them, we hook them on an outside source, usually some authority.
I wonder if to attract things is really activity on another level.
Very good question. I've often thought it might relate to confidence. Not jumping for the bone but cooly and centeredly waiting till the bone is delivered at the feet.
I could be over here. Or I could be sitting over there." She waved nonchalantly at the window. She could stay or go, take it or leave it. It was all good. Eventually, it faded back to normal.
A certain contentment with the self, and a true wisdom in understanding that it all works or doesn't work. Take your pick. There really is nowhere to go. It's more of the same. Freedom from the linear. More of the circle.
I've had this in an overwhelming experience like she did several times in my life. Once I just sat down in the middle of the road I was walking on and looked at the horizon with full realization of what, I really didn't know.
I still get it all the time in brief moments, and I treasure this feeling.
Achievement is a multifaceted dilemma. What really motivates us to change potential into kinetic? For whom do we prove ourselves over and over but rarely get the acknowledement that hits the spot. Even hurt ourselves repeatedly to get this recognition that elludes us. Try too hard.
The energy that encouraged your friend to take it or leave it was I think a knowing of the underlying sameness of experience. It's our imprint, so we can take it or leave it. Make anything work if we choose.
Fascinating discussion here!
I agree. I've noticed when discourse really gets good it automatically falls into a rhythm and a call and response like music. The topic stays there because it is loved.
So much talk is like combat and people expect others to REALLY not be listening. So they talk too fast and it gets fragmented and unrelated, making it that much harder to follow.
But sometimes the subject supercedes. I love these moments.
And it all comes back to time and listening. If we give people enough time to say what they want, they would probably say it better. They seem to fear getting cut off so they try to stuff too much in the statement.
It's confidence. Confidence in the self and the belief that people will get it. If they don't, that's perfectly all right.
Confidence in the self and time given to the speaker feeling that what they express is significant.
Good teachers can do this.
"I've often thought it might relate to confidence. Not jumping for the bone but cooly and centeredly waiting till the bone is delivered at the feet."
That's like a very tai chi chuan approach to sparring/combat. Once the other person commits to a move, he can't easily change direction; then he is at the master's mercy. The best tai chi masters anticipate through fine, subtle senses what is about to happen. I heard of one teacher who always made his move second, but always arrived in a countering position in time to baffle his student who moved much quicker.
Tai chi chuan is one of the internal martial arts, as opposed to external. I'm curious about ba gua, which is like a hybrid of internal and external approaches. Sometimes standing still isn't the best strategy if the current position is disadvantageous.
Sometimes standing still isn't the best strategy if the current position is disadvantageous.
Of course. But efficiency would say that one reserves movement for these times. And by staying, energy is consolidated.
For me, I'd like to stay put when I know that a situation is not for me yet I feel the urge to go check and verify. Not necessary.
Once the other person commits to a move, he can't easily change direction; then he is at the master's mercy.
Good way of putting it. It's just like pressing a piano key. All the possibility, but once the finger commits to movement, the direction is established.
I also find that acceleration done for myself and my own desires is entirely different than moving in terms of others.
"Of course. But efficiency would say that one reserves movement for these times. And by staying, energy is consolidated."
Yeah, it depends on the situation. It wouldn't be very efficient, though, for me to expend energy attracting things that are never going to come my way unless I commit myself to some action.
Whether we think we're attracting or otherwise, we have to put some kind of energy out there, even if nonphysical. Physical actions are like catalysts, seeds that help precipitate crystalization of energy.
I have a hard time with the categorization of attracting versus acting. It makes me laugh, like, "What the heck are we talking about anyway?" I just don't think about manifesting things that way. Whatever happens to work is what makes sense to me. Otherwise, I don't care. I have the vision, then I set it to paper or canvas. I like that saying that "life is a dance when you take the steps." Sometimes you move in, sometimes you step back. Sometimes the other person moves around you, or you move around the other person. It's nice. I meet the universe in my partnership.
After I sit in meditation, my active life is stronger and more vivid, and if I engage freely and deeply in life, it brings breadth and depth back to the meditation. It's cyclically beneficial, like sleep and waking. Ideally, I'd like to be able to do both well.
It's almost like that double helix of relative truth and absolute truth. I'm not sure we can have one without the other.
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