I've been asked why Work seems painful and/or difficult at times. Since this is a common experience for people, I have posted some comments on this:
Some of the Work we do involves particular movements of the body. When we have blockages in the flows of energies (manifesting as physical areas of body armouring or tensions or accumulations of various sorts), we may feel discomfort when we Work to release these blocked areas in our physical form. Correcting postural imbalances and other structural issues in the physical form (which also misaligns flows of energies within), can also feel uncomfortable. Bringing the breath deeper into the tissues when we are accustomed to being shallow breathers may also feel uncomfortable until we adjust to increasing the vitality of these areas.
In many traditional spiritual teachings, Work is not comfortable - it is anything but. It is rare not only to find a traditional teacher, but an individual willing/able to Work under one. This, however, is a totally different topic for another time. It is relevant to this blog topic only in that there are different ways in which people Work. There is also a difference in what people consider painful and difficult. Some, who grow quickly, are willing to experience unpleasant sensations and personal reflections. With the correct attitude and approach and a certain inner balance and strength, they are prepared to to do extraordinary things and therefore get extraordinary results. If one lack these qualities and is still willing and able to Work, they can be developed with consistent effort over time.
Pain is relative to the perception of the person and/or to the degree to which one pushes through something. It is very individual. There are also different types of sensations which we label as pain ... sensations is a much better word to use. When we are working, we will feel different sensations in the physical body. Remember it is energy first .... then physical. We are also able to observe ourselves as we are moving and reflect on this as well. We are always learning ... always moving (even when still) ... observing ... Working to unite, feel more and to awaken more fully to All That Is.
Some of the Work we do does not directly relate to movement in one of the Arts we teach. It is Work on cleaning our mirrors of self-reflection in other moments. Why is this painful or difficult? Once again, it is a very subjective thing. For some of us, looking at ourselves as we really are - seeing the clear reflection ... compared to our image of ourselves ... can be very painful, but that is due to a personal internal reaction to the reflection and the inner resistance to seeing what Is in this moment. We will only see comfortably according to our personal level of Being, so stretching and pushing to see and feel more can be uncomfortable for us at different moments, depending on the person. Our attitude and approach to the Work has an immense impact on our experience doing it.
It is not useful to judge ourselves or another if/when they are confronted with something they perceive as difficult and embark on their own journey of battling/working through something on the inside. We all have things which we perceive as challenging .... places inside where we'd rather not Work ... whether we're aware of them or not, there they are. Once a reflection is seen for what it is and a real change takes place, energies have shifted and the battle/difficulty passes.
For those who do experience parts of their journey which feel painful or difficult to them, a time may come when they approach their Work in a new way and they adjust to the fact that true growth means to look (and move) into the places which are not easy to see (or easy to get into if it's a movement); one begins to enjoy finding something to release or shift, as it represents more freed energies and further growth. The sensations, emotions, reflections and physical discomforts ... are all now viewed/experienced in a more objective way - without the reactions, resistance, creative avoidance tactics, dramas and waste of precious energy.
Pain and difficulty are subjective experiences, and to label them generally in relation to any Work is not possible. Every student is unique ... our perceptions and experiences differ - even when we are in the same room and doing the same thing. This shows us how individual the Work really is.
Some qualities we cultivate which assist us in our Work include: Persistence; dedication; inner strength and stability; passion; fluidity/flexibility; determination; focus; willingness to learn, to see and to feel what Is; discipline; clarity; desire to Work; and let's not forget the ability to enjoy Work and have fun along the Way!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Consistent Work Over Time
So what do we mean when we use the phrase consistent Work over time? What is Work and why is it capitalized all over this website and Blog?
Work with a big W represents true spiritual growth which can be seen as a change in the level of Being of a person. Many things shift with a change in the level of Being in a person. Perspectives, Health, mental and emotional patterns, priorities, habits, Knowings (with a big K), relationship dynamics etc. These changes are not due to external things or a belief system ... they are the result of being at a new point of reference energetically ... leading naturally to changes which can then be seen in and around our world we have created.
Though a certain amount of study and knowledge about techniques and healing and so on are a part of learning, the true changes that take place in the level of Being of a person do not entirely relate to this ... which is why we have intellectual spiritual practitioners whose levels of Being (therefore, direct Work and experience) do not match what they may have acquired in terms of their knowledge base ... another way of saying they are unable to Be what they know. This is the result of the heavy intellectual ... rational focus in our society, schools and other arenas, so it is inevitable that we would see this today. Some paths say you must walk your talk; this is another way of saying the same thing. It is best to avoid placing judgment on individuals who are not a reflection of what they know and simply be aware that it the result of plenty of conditioning which results in this fact.
Practitioners may teach others about chakras, for example, never having seen one themselves. When one can See the Light, does one need to have faith and believe that one is made of light? No, it is no longer necessary - one simply Knows now. If one studies and learns that one is made of light and there are things called chakras, does one now Know this? (with a big K - to really Know). No, it is simply a piece of knowledge that one believes. So in this way, belief can be tricky ... this is the difference between knowledge and Being or Knowing with a big K. It can be a trap for some, for real Work has not been embarked on (or continued) which can lead one to what is real as an experience for one self ... one relies on knowledge and in itself, knowledge will not take one all the Way. It is useful to go along with experience and Work, but not as a primary base.
We use the phrase consistent Work over time to remind ourselves and others that this is the true focus in order to raise our level of Being. Our Work is on-going (no matter what we have attained so far, there is always more to learn and room for growth). To be unaware of where we truly are is an illusion ... an unclean mirror of self-reflection. To believe fanciful ideas about reality with no experience of it ourselves is to buy into something without knowing what it is. An example of this is when people believed that the world was flat because the scientists at the time - who were given much credibility in the eyes of the general population - said it was. When new ideas came about which claimed the Earth was round, people were murdered for their radical beliefs! And yet they were right. Work with what you Know and proceed with an open mind from there.
Experience for your self; test it out yourself. Question things your self and do your own Work. No one can take away what you Are and what you Know. So ask yourself ... without pretense or illusion ... what your beliefs are (about yourself ... others ... the world ... spirituality ... healing ... etc) and what do you truly Know directly? As long as you are clear about the difference, you will remain open to learning new things. We all have beliefs; they influence our actions/reactions and thoughts/emotions. Whose beliefs do you carry within and are you aware of them? They are the result of conditioning as well. Which ones serve you well? Which do not? Know the difference. Remember that people have also been killed in religious wars based on different belief systems; some of these belief systems were fundamentally wrong.
Do the Work that cleans your own mirrors ... search deeper for new areas to bring the light into ... the Work goes on, so enjoy the path and your Walk along it ... cultivate inner strength for the challenging part of your journey and for the times that it may feel easier to get caught up in fantasy and illusion or to flow with the currents of the mainstream ... be patient with yourself ... love and nurture your self. Be willing to see that which may seem difficult ... the real Work is always within you.
Work with a big W represents true spiritual growth which can be seen as a change in the level of Being of a person. Many things shift with a change in the level of Being in a person. Perspectives, Health, mental and emotional patterns, priorities, habits, Knowings (with a big K), relationship dynamics etc. These changes are not due to external things or a belief system ... they are the result of being at a new point of reference energetically ... leading naturally to changes which can then be seen in and around our world we have created.
Though a certain amount of study and knowledge about techniques and healing and so on are a part of learning, the true changes that take place in the level of Being of a person do not entirely relate to this ... which is why we have intellectual spiritual practitioners whose levels of Being (therefore, direct Work and experience) do not match what they may have acquired in terms of their knowledge base ... another way of saying they are unable to Be what they know. This is the result of the heavy intellectual ... rational focus in our society, schools and other arenas, so it is inevitable that we would see this today. Some paths say you must walk your talk; this is another way of saying the same thing. It is best to avoid placing judgment on individuals who are not a reflection of what they know and simply be aware that it the result of plenty of conditioning which results in this fact.
Practitioners may teach others about chakras, for example, never having seen one themselves. When one can See the Light, does one need to have faith and believe that one is made of light? No, it is no longer necessary - one simply Knows now. If one studies and learns that one is made of light and there are things called chakras, does one now Know this? (with a big K - to really Know). No, it is simply a piece of knowledge that one believes. So in this way, belief can be tricky ... this is the difference between knowledge and Being or Knowing with a big K. It can be a trap for some, for real Work has not been embarked on (or continued) which can lead one to what is real as an experience for one self ... one relies on knowledge and in itself, knowledge will not take one all the Way. It is useful to go along with experience and Work, but not as a primary base.
We use the phrase consistent Work over time to remind ourselves and others that this is the true focus in order to raise our level of Being. Our Work is on-going (no matter what we have attained so far, there is always more to learn and room for growth). To be unaware of where we truly are is an illusion ... an unclean mirror of self-reflection. To believe fanciful ideas about reality with no experience of it ourselves is to buy into something without knowing what it is. An example of this is when people believed that the world was flat because the scientists at the time - who were given much credibility in the eyes of the general population - said it was. When new ideas came about which claimed the Earth was round, people were murdered for their radical beliefs! And yet they were right. Work with what you Know and proceed with an open mind from there.
Experience for your self; test it out yourself. Question things your self and do your own Work. No one can take away what you Are and what you Know. So ask yourself ... without pretense or illusion ... what your beliefs are (about yourself ... others ... the world ... spirituality ... healing ... etc) and what do you truly Know directly? As long as you are clear about the difference, you will remain open to learning new things. We all have beliefs; they influence our actions/reactions and thoughts/emotions. Whose beliefs do you carry within and are you aware of them? They are the result of conditioning as well. Which ones serve you well? Which do not? Know the difference. Remember that people have also been killed in religious wars based on different belief systems; some of these belief systems were fundamentally wrong.
Do the Work that cleans your own mirrors ... search deeper for new areas to bring the light into ... the Work goes on, so enjoy the path and your Walk along it ... cultivate inner strength for the challenging part of your journey and for the times that it may feel easier to get caught up in fantasy and illusion or to flow with the currents of the mainstream ... be patient with yourself ... love and nurture your self. Be willing to see that which may seem difficult ... the real Work is always within you.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Full Moon Observations
This full moon cycle also has an added lunar eclipse. What has this month's cycle added to your awareness? What have you noticed that you would like to let go of?
During the influence of a full moon, it is a well known fact that hospitals find many more incidences of accidents. There are also stories of mental health wards in hospitals observing a greater mental disturbance in their patients during the influence of the full moon. When I was growing up, both my parents worked in a hospital, and during a full moon, there were times that mental health ward patients were found leaving the hospital and wandering the local neighborhood in their gowns. What is this about?
Most of us know that the moon influences the tides of the waters on the Earth. What are we mostly made up of? Correct...water.... What is all around us at all times? Influences of various energies inside and around all things ... this we are affected by in many ways. Waking up more fully, being present to what is in all moments, and gaining the knowledge necessary to do something ... this will assist us in being out of the path of some of these influences... or to use these influences in a positive way.
During the influence of a full moon, it is beneficial to apply an even greater awareness about you as you go about your daily activities. This does not mean we are to be less aware any other day!! Given the greater amount of unconsciousness observed in many during a full moon cycle... leading to accidents and emotional disturbances, bringing a greater awareness to your life around a full moon is another way to enhance your Work. Notice the changing flows of the energies in and all around you - whether it's the people you are in contact with or something going on around the ones you know.
Older cultures used the changes all around them.... in the moon, the seasons, subtle observations in nature and the heavenly skies.... to their benefit. Whether gardening, picking plants at an optimal time, healing, starting new projects or releasing old patterns, timing was a key. They demonstrated a greater understanding of universal laws and changing energies and how these things impact us in our daily lives. We are fortunate that much of this knowledge still exists today so that we can learn it, apply it and pass it on.
During the influence of a full moon, it is a well known fact that hospitals find many more incidences of accidents. There are also stories of mental health wards in hospitals observing a greater mental disturbance in their patients during the influence of the full moon. When I was growing up, both my parents worked in a hospital, and during a full moon, there were times that mental health ward patients were found leaving the hospital and wandering the local neighborhood in their gowns. What is this about?
Most of us know that the moon influences the tides of the waters on the Earth. What are we mostly made up of? Correct...water.... What is all around us at all times? Influences of various energies inside and around all things ... this we are affected by in many ways. Waking up more fully, being present to what is in all moments, and gaining the knowledge necessary to do something ... this will assist us in being out of the path of some of these influences... or to use these influences in a positive way.
During the influence of a full moon, it is beneficial to apply an even greater awareness about you as you go about your daily activities. This does not mean we are to be less aware any other day!! Given the greater amount of unconsciousness observed in many during a full moon cycle... leading to accidents and emotional disturbances, bringing a greater awareness to your life around a full moon is another way to enhance your Work. Notice the changing flows of the energies in and all around you - whether it's the people you are in contact with or something going on around the ones you know.
Older cultures used the changes all around them.... in the moon, the seasons, subtle observations in nature and the heavenly skies.... to their benefit. Whether gardening, picking plants at an optimal time, healing, starting new projects or releasing old patterns, timing was a key. They demonstrated a greater understanding of universal laws and changing energies and how these things impact us in our daily lives. We are fortunate that much of this knowledge still exists today so that we can learn it, apply it and pass it on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)