Relate to 4’s longing for deep fulfilling experience that ego projects others have and I don’t. It has some material that hooks me about being “different” or why I’m single. It’s a lot to go up against for us all. Thankful for the truly fulfilling experiences that come through awareness-practice. R/L
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Yes, I know what you mean. The way ego conflates longing/different/single is a real coup for it. You’re single. You wouldn’t have to be. Everyone could find someone to be with if they didn’t want to be single. Right? Oh, but I don’t want to be with just anyone, cries ego. I want to be with… the person who is not on offer. Of course ego would never state it that way, but that’s the way it works out. Perfectly fine person comes along and the list of what’s missing from and what’s wrong with that person starts to grow. And we’re seeing it! Gassho
While traveling on vacation, conditioning leads me to notice some unusual landmark, and then reflect on how quickly the next 2 weeks will pass and how I'll notice this landmark on the way back to remind myself how fleeting the vacation was, even though I so looked forward to it. R/L
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Oh, that conditioned mind; ever the wet blanket! It can ruin the past, the present, and the future if we let it. I sense from what you’ve written that you’re not going to let that happen, true? If we’re not paying attention, egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate will rob us of a whole lifetime in that very way. Great catch. Gassho
It's a type that seems, for me anyhow, to be fed by watching movies/tv/media. With awareness practice I've been able to see how much influence it had on my perspective on life, love and family. Mainstream media became to be an ego conditioning machine.
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Uh huh. It’s a loop, isn’t it? We buy into conditioned beliefs, we look out through those conditioned beliefs at the world, what we see confirms those conditioned beliefs, we believe the conditioned beliefs are reality…. When identified with egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate, we see what we believe. That argues for a lengthy break from cultural influences, doesn’t it? Oh, but you need to know what’s going on in the world, ego screams. Really? Do we really need to know what’s going on in the world of egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate? Haven’t we been “knowing” that for most of our lives? How about the “alternative” ego manages to keep us from being aware of? Let’s explore that, shall we? Gassho
Enneatype Four characteristics have manifested in “feeling different than” sometimes better than, sometimes less than. Four has also presented as “longing for a deep emotional connection,” and/or a longing for something missing. Longing for something I believe I don’t have can prevent acknowledging/appreciating the many blessings actually present. R/L
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Which is egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate’s hope and point, isn’t it? Get the human being to wander around in this imaginary world of different/better/less than/missing, and that human being may never catch on to the fact that s/he is missing out on Life! This whole process raises the question, “How do you know that?” First we need to get very clear about the feelings and meanings that remain unexamined. We put them under the microscope of conscious awareness, see them for what they are—fiction—and then we’re ready to drop them. Asking “How do you know that?” confronts the unconscious assumptions ego uses to bamboozle. Gassho
Egocentric karmic conditioning /self-hate wakes me up and sounds the alarm...what is missing from your life today? It gets what it wants but is still unsatisfied. The Mentor says, "It's all RIGHT HERE for you to enjoy!" Oh hallelujah! The bamboozle has been revealed! R/L
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You reveal an essential point: Egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate will NEVER be satisfied. It is a system of dissatisfaction. A person falls for the scam that giving the voices what they say they want will satisfy them and get them to shut up. It will get them to shut up about that. It will not prevent them from starting to yammer about the next thing they want. Wanting/desire is the root cause of suffering because it requires a self that is separate from Life to want something that isn’t. That’s what ego is. That’s what ego does. Once we see that, we know dropping it is our direction. It will never change, and it cannot give us a single thing we want. It’s a lying “taker.” Give it the old “hot potato” treatment. Gassho
I see how melancholic I have been along my life. My girlfriend says I have “sad eyes”. There has been a lot of push and pull in my love relations and professional career. I feel a constant emptyness and nostalgy. I stopped fighting. Now living with that.
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You’ve just said, “I can see that I suffer, and so I’m not going to fight suffering, I’m just going to suffer.” Really? That’s what you want to do? That’s too bad because suffering is certainly not a requirement. Gassho
As a 4, I know this story well, chiefly from past romantic relationships. Always sought special partners to fill my special emptiness. Idealized them until they demonstrated “flaws”; none were as “deep” as I. Huge bamboozle! Now seeing I’m ordinary, and that’s fine, frees partner to be ordinary too. R/L
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Talk about relaxing, huh? For everybody. My teacher called what you describe “being a social relief.” We get it that we’re as ordinarily special as every other human being, and we can stop believing we have to be the only center of the universe. Ahhhh….. Gassho
I was a classic Four in my 30's but now it doesn't resonate at all. I embrace the ordinary-- my garden, my cats, dinner at home. I avoid intense emotions most of the time. Maybe it's part of getting older, maybe I got lucky in love (20+ yrs together).
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A couple of points you might wish to explore: The tendency to “own,” (gardens, cats, etc.) gives ego a place to cling that can cruise along below the radar, and “avoiding” anything puts us in a relationship of vulnerability (vulnerable to egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate), that we might not want to foster. Gassho
Conversation: there isn’t enough time to work on a side project that lead to freedom and flexibility to do what I want in life. And that “it’s too hard” to do side project along with my fulltime job. This leads to suffering and no action towards doing the side project.
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So you’re seeing in that the tragic longing of the Enneatype 4? You “really want to,” but it’s “just too hard”? That’s the kind of insight that can free up the energy required to “get on.” Gassho
Omg. I'm a 4 too! Doing this class is like tracing all my karmic "branches" back to their limbs; each limb's growing off the egocentrickarmicconditioned/self-hating trunk. The benefit of tracing back is seeing, "yep this is ego too." Or rather, "No, I'm not that either." Gassho. R/L
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Very helpful in disidentifying, isn’t it? Egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate wants to pigeonhole us. “You’re that and that and that, but you’re certainly NOT like that.” Well, it turns out we actually ARE like that, and like everything else too! Fun, huh? Gassho
There has got to be something better out there. Egocentric karmic conditioning self hate has held me hostage to the "when this then that" and all will be shangri-la. There is nothing more important to attend to out there than here in my heart. Fifty pairs so shoes, two feet and counting.
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Getting HERE and staying HERE is a full-time job, isn’t it? As soon as we realize everything we want is to be found HERE, our commitment gets mighty strong, doesn’t it? We may waver in our ability in any given moment, but we never waver in our commitment. The “better” is HERE, and we’re closing in on it. Blessedly, the pursuit itself is the joy we’re seeing. True? Gassho
The definition of romantic was not expected, but cut directly to the core of my suffering. Suffering because something is missing or broken and living in the past or future. It is a practice to identify romanticism in “this/here/now” with self, Sangha and this group knowing the common thread. R/L
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Very good! We have to first get that “glimpse” of what our identification with egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate has kept us from seeing. “Ah, yes, romanticism. I can see that’s what’s been going on.” Now we’re ready to start watching for how that orientation is manifesting throughout our life. And it is, isn’t it? We start to see it everywhere! How the heck did I miss that before? You’re on it. (No need for the /s in thisherenow. It’s written as one word because it’s one thing. When language as it is doesn’t serve, we must change the language.) Gassho
The Enneatype 4 process of "something missing" is familiar when dealing with content that conditioned mind finds unacceptable. If only that missing piece (finding the answer) can be accomplished all will be well, the story goes. Not so. It's a major distraction from truly being with what is! R/L
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Great insight! We’ve all seen it time and time again; egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate promises that if we go along with it we’ll get everything we want. Has never happened, is never gonna happen. And, yes, the whole point of the hoax is to distract a person from being present with Life. Not anymore! Gassho
The story that “I’m not getting it, and other people are; what am I missing?” has caused me to doubt and second-guess myself, a form of self-hatred. It distracts me from receiving the wisdom of Life that is showing up in each moment. R/L
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Exactly! Your neighbor and I were just discussing that. We’re conditioned not to question the story! We hear, “You’re not getting it” followed by “What am I missing?” and we’re trained to assume what we’re hearing is true. It isn’t, is it? Not a bit. So now we’re going to show up, as best we can, for the wisdom of Life that’s showing up in each moment. Way better. Gassho
At first identified less (note comparing) with Type Four. “Finally” (noted voice) after releasing many voices was able to record and saw “I” think everyone else but me has the “answer” and other’s Practices are better. Released and let go of all of it. R/L Gassho
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We keep looking and we get to see! Usually, the first information folks receive is from egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate. “Nope, you’re not like that.” As practitioners we’ve learned we need to dig deeper, stay open, see what’s under what we just saw. We’re not in a hurry; we’re seeking clarity. We let go what we’ve seen, and the opening is created for seeing the next layer. Gassho
A BIG piece of the puzzle for me! Attention on ‘better to be different’, ‘fictional future-something/someone is better just around the corner!’ Now process is unconditional love for self/others and allowing relationships to just Be instead of ‘missing-out, something’s wrong, fairy-tale true love’. R/L
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It sounds as if you can see those tendencies, and recognizing them for what they are, ego bamboozles in the making, you’re able to drop them and get to thisherenow. Makes a person grateful for practice, doesn’t it? Gassho
I find that when I’m identified with a story, just about anyone, “I” am longing to be understood. Something feels missing and there is some chase to fill the hole. When I’m not identified, I feel deeply connected, I have everything I need and the world feels wondrous. R/L
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Identified with ego/disidentified and present. In the dark room/ in the Light Room. Something wrong/something missing or nothing wrong/nothing lacking. Those are our constant choices, aren’t they? It can seem as if HERE is the opposite of egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate, but it isn’t. HERE contains egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate, and when we’re HERE we are no longer concerned about what egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate is up to. We practice because without the ability to be undistracted and present, egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate can drag a person off into suffering for a very long time. Gassho
Oh dear, even at this moment noticing that old karmic push pull pattern that has created ever so much suffering in this life. Time to pick up recorder, have a 2 handed conversation with Mentor, and move to the clear and true guidance of Life. R/L Gassho
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We see it, we recognize it, we choose presence. There’s an approach to life, a practice, we can all participate in. The requirement of course is to get clear enough about the karmic tendencies that we recognize them as “old karma.” Gassho
"Other people Get to have that which I long for but just can't have because I am so different (ie broken)" - this is egocentrickarmicconditioning's favorite narrative when it comes to romantic/ intimate partnerships!
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And you don’t indulge it how? I don’t see an R/L after your submission…. Time to change channels and create/hear a different narrative? Gassho
I value contentment and a quiet life yet the voices in my head tell that I am missing something. First it was a big career, then world travel now it's a relationship. Craving intense connection pulls me off center and ultimately fails to satisfy. R/L
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Uh huh. Craving does indeed do that. Doesn’t actually matter “what” the craving is for, it’s the craving itself that is the loss of presence we suffer from. That “craving intense connection” is giving you a real clue though. The intense connection you’re craving is with you…. Yeah? Gassho
The romantic - I recognize it well from my early spiritual-seeking days. It’s become much more muted and subtle. I saw it in action through dissatisfaction with the moment and the fantasy that there was a magical missing ingredient that would make the moment whole. Very helpful to see. R/L
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You’re seeing that there is a “magical missing ingredient” that makes a moment whole, right? You. “You” are the magical missing ingredient. Anytime a moment “isn’t whole,” we can know the “reason” is that we weren’t there for it. Gassho
I tend to have one foot out the door, anywhere better than here. Egocentric karmic conditioning shouts that I deserve more than what Life has dealt me: in marriage, offspring, employment, friends, audience response to performances.you name it, I have been cheated. I recognize the voice of my mother in this experience.R/L
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No, no, no, no, no. THAT is the voice of ego. “I” have been cheated shouts ego. “I” deserve more, more, more! “Why is that, ego?” we may ask. “What makes you so special and deserving?” Silence. We’re not supposed to question the premise—or the complaining voice. We’re just supposed to know it’s true and attempt to make it up to ego for having suffered through this travesty. Good to see it for what it is, isn’t it? Time to let Mom off the hook! Gassho
I craved connection with G so intensely when we first met. Conditioning wanted me to crawl inside his being. 10 years in, the bond feels diluted as that drive has subsided. I feel less concerned about the intensity of the bond. Feelings don't dictate so much. Family is everything.
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I bet you’ve noticed that all “love stories” end with the two lovers finally having overcome the obstacles that would have prevented them from living happily ever after. The final scene fades, leaving us with an unexamined assumption that they did in fact live happily ever after. That fiction prevails because of everyone who has ever felt insane passion for another human being, and dreamed of that passion living forever. As you’ve also noticed, time takes a toll on passion. This is why most people just replace the old dying flame with a new burning bright flame—and repeat the process until they no longer can. This is a great description of suffering maintained. Here’s what I ask you to consider: “Family is everything” can be the same process with different content. Gassho
I'm a 1, but conditioning tortures me with unrequited love--perfect setup for going back and forth between wanting and not wanting--ending in disappointment. I see how this romantic idealism (4 + 1) keeps me “special” and out of the present, where I may find an actual partner. R/L
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I was hoping this class would put a kibosh on the tendency to identify oneself as the fixation one is not, i.e. “I’m a 1.” What you’re seeing here supports my hope! You can see how the tendencies of an Enneatype 1 can combine with other Enneatypes, in this case Enneatype 4, to maintain a karmically conditioned identity. If you were just seeing yourself through the lens of the Enneatype 1, you would have been hard pressed to find this clarity. See what I mean? Now perhaps you will say something along the lines of, “I’m actually all Enneatypes, depending on the time of day you catch me.” Much more accurate, yes? Gassho
Preferring longing/disappointment over settling for "less" can only survive if I collude with egocentrickarmicconditioning/self-hate in believing that what life offers is "less". Less than what? I'm being showered with life's abundance and I'm supposed to choose a fairy tale instead? Thisherenow, I choose life. R/L Gassho
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Well done! It is possible for us to stop, turn around, and look egocentric karmic conditioning/ self-hate right in the eye (imagining it has one!) and say, “What?” “What are you telling me?” “What is all this mopping around, longing and disappointed, going to give me that recognizing how Life is showering me with abundance is not going to give me?” “Answer me that, whiny voice!” HA! Gassho
Focus on whats missing keeps distracting into future or past not here/now. Here and now is everything that is needed.
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Yes, it is, and a Recording and Listening practice—that comes with a relationship with the wisdom, love, and compassion that animates ALL—will assist you not to be distracted from that clarity. Gassho
It shows up in a story that being different and special makes me a worthwhile person. From that perspective there is a belief that there is something about me that makes me worthwhile rather than acknowledging that I part of all that is. Gassho R/L
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We can see in that the clear mark of a “self that is separate from Life,” can’t we? Ego MUST be separate from Life or it doesn’t exist. It can’t exist in the present so must drag human attention into an imaginary past or imaginary future to appear real. Why would we want to attend to a fake world when there’s this perfectly real one available to us? Well, in this real world we’re not different/special/more worthwhile. We’re just like everybody—God help us! Blessedly, we get tired enough of following ego around through suffering to realize we choose this real world, and glory of glories it turns out this real world of thisherenow IS everything we always wanted. Gassho
There's a longstanding story that I lack something essential to having strong friendships. Then I notice the amazing love and support that is here in my life. Curious how this fits with "no self and other". Mentor suggests being a good friend to myself. R/L Gassho
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When you’re “in” the love you feel for a friend, are you aware of that friend as “other”? Are you attending to, conscious of, a separation between you? Watch closely to see what your experience is before egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate gets in there to tell you what your experience is! And, yes, being a good friend to oneself does go a very long way toward being a good friend to all. Gassho
Longterm chest ache seeing attractive person of certain (changing) type. Mistook as sexual desire. See now longing for what "they" have: good/not defective because meeting egocentrickarmicconditioning/self-hate standards. Loved seeing desire/reject/desire dynamic. Same process with job/house: have that (no that!) good thing and I'll be good. Practicing owning projection! R/L
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Owning projections—always a good practice, huh? That practice is crucial for us for a reason we don’t often see in the beginning. Owning projections has you looking at what conditioned mind is doing rather than through what conditioned mind is doing. See what I mean? It’s huge! We often talk about starting to look at what goes on inside our head as if someone were walking along beside us saying all the stuff happening in there. Imagine! We would certainly not be confused that “I’m thinking that. That’s me.” THAT is where we want to get to with the crapola going on inside our head. We need to get that “I’m NOT thinking that. That’s NOT me.” Gassho
I've been feeling caught in longing for a partner. I know it's a bogus story to keep me from love and fulfillment in thisherenow, but the story/sensations feel compelling. Probably an opportunity for practicing zero tolerance for that conversation and using the thoughts/sensations as flags to redirect attention. R/L
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Sure could be, AND, as with everything that comes our way, it can be an excellent opportunity to explore how egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate does what it does to us. For instance, you don’t always feel that longing, do you? So, what sets it off? What’s going on with you when that conversation gets started? Are there sensations that trigger it? Is something different about your life currently that might have activated it? Like that. Not “figuring out,” just watching, just noticing. Then, yes, before ego can launch into another conversation, drop it and get HERE. Gassho
A major focus on what I don’t have. When I am single, I want to have a relationship. When in a relationship, I see all that is wrong and want something else. I have spent my life searching out there and have not found “it”. Gassho R/L
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Well, we could say you have found “it.” “It,” ego, has been looking for “it,” ego, and “you” have found that whole process to be bogus. That’s a lot to find, really, don’t you think? Now you know where to look, and, true gratitude here, you know how to look. True? Gassho
Having experienced takeovers by “what’s missing” for egocentrickarmicconditioning/self-hate, I see this could have destroyed treasured relationships if not for Zen awareness practice - choosing unconditional Love, owning projections, and getting that I don’t need to/don’t know anything! Grateful for loving Life, connections with natural world, and all beings. GasshoR/L.
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I wish we could put that on billboards around the world! It’s hardly a secret though, is it? The Buddha taught just 25 or so centuries ago that suffering happens, there’s a reason for that suffering, it’s possible to end suffering, and there’s a way to do it. We call that “way” awareness practice, don’t we? I do wish everyone could know ending suffering is not only possible, it’s also exciting and, before long, fun. Gassho
I am aware of the biting self-asking " what do I REALLY want" as if something very valuable remained painstakingly out of focus, something that might be really ME. While the need to be recognized by others is big.
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No, not REALLY. The STORY that you have a need to be recognized by others is big. “Recognized by others” is not even a need! It’s something ego says it “needs” because that will make it seem real and important and something you have to do something about. It’s not even something ego wants. Ego just says it wants/needs that so you’ll feel bad and try to get it what it says it wants. All a great big pile of hooey. Ego hooey. Gassho
Conditioning uses fantasy against me. As a child, it was a way to escape real pain. But conditioning has figured out how to use it now to keep me from doing things that I want to do.The fantasy becomes a way to comfort conditioning and not really engage with Life. R/L
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And definitely NOT comfort you, right? It’s what’s enabling egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate to control your attention. This is where directing the attention becomes obviously a life and death skill. Your focus now will need to be to start cutting it off sooner and sooner. Each time you realize you’re in fantasy, drop it and bring attention to presence. Set alarms, tie twist ties on your fingers, make lots of recordings along the lines of “I choose not to indulge fantasy,” and listen to those recordings ALL THE TIME. Do the ones where you say, “I choose not to indulge fantasy,” then leave a break to repeat that, make the statement again, leave the break so there’s plenty of time to practice this—a twenty-minute recording would be ideal. If you can get it on loop, you can listen all night. It will make the difference. Gassho
Living in the truth of perfection is vulnerable, because that would undermine the premise of this entire ego-state: that something is missing. Not managing my feelings of dis-ease by seeking that "something missing" leaves me with the terrifying truth that life is out of my control.
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Life is out of your control and that’s only terrifying for ego. The heart isn’t terrified. Authenticity isn’t terrified. Only the ego that is jerking you around and stealing your life force is vulnerable. Time to get really clear on who is who and what is what, okay? A human being is being robbed of Life in the pursuit of making an illusory ego feel safe. Gassho
Romantic -- The missing element is assuredness. This belief instills a behavior of having to know and needing to be right. Voices keep me occupied with knowing and being right and away from thisherenow, the only place assuredness exists. Mentor reminds me to return to thisherenow. R/L
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Can we ever say “thank you” often enough to the Mentor? And for that little recording apparatus that houses the Mentor? Where would we be without those? Oh, right. Where we used to be—suffering nonstop. Gassho
Believe happiness is somewhere else, outside of me. If I live there, if I buy that, etc., then I'll be happy and feel loved. With practice, if I lived at the monastery then I would be enlightened. Of course I can't live at the monastery! Gassho. R/L
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Right! Points us directly to one of egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate’s favorite cons: Make the human believe that to be happy they need the one thing they can’t have, and then watch the human chase the impossible through a lifetime, suffering every step of the way. Vile, isn’t it? You can live at the Monastery of course…. Gassho
Egocentrickarmicconditioning/selfhate pursues different “its” but they never satisfy. This includes practice. “I” seeks the emotional high, but go to dark room when doesn’t last. Push/pull includes commitment to participating in practice opportunities, compartmentalization instead of integration, longing to understand why not getting it. Exhausting to plug away like this. R/L
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Well stop it! That’s not practice and you clearly know that. Don’t you? You certainly sound as if you do. I can assure you that is not awareness practice you’re “plugging away” at in that exhausting way. It’s ego indulgence. You know that, right? Gassho
Chronic ego habit, "if only I was more like..." creates feeling bad and distracts from nurturing/ growing that part in me. Can use as a signpost to get HERE, helping me be who I want to be (or not) from possibility, not should. Practice noticing & NOT feeding egocentric karmic conditioning/ self-hate's tactic. R/L
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Very good. You’re seeing that if you didn’t have the quality you’re recognizing in the other person, you wouldn’t see that quality in them, true? The assumption then is that you need to “grow” that way of being. But you don’t. You just need to turn attention to it. Give it attention and you’ll see it’s there in you, full grown! Gassho
Enjoyed a romantic marriage, however, it was when spouse died that I really got that appreciating what you have and being content was the key to real happiness, through tragedy that truth was revealed in depth, now, awareness practice the only way to contentment, sitting brings me home - it is essential. R/L
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Now you can have and appreciate a “romantic” relationship with you/Life, yes? What is the “way” to love? Presence. We’re HERE and love is all there is. We wish we could learn these “lessons” in a less painful way, but that choice is not ours, is it? Gassho
I can relate to not appreciating the ordinary. Sometimes it doesn't feel like enough. Also, at times I feel like an artist in search of a medium. I have often thought, " I wish i could paint like that." I have also has push-pull relationships.
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The “ordinary” is not appreciated by ego because there’s nothing to mirror the ego in the ordinary. When nothing is mirroring the ego, the ego doesn’t exist. Hence the ego’s devotion to drama, the more hysterical the better. The astonishing realization we have when ego is no longer running its histrionic show is that what’s here when ego isn’t is extraordinary beyond words. THAT’S what egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate is desperate for folks not to know! Gassho
See 4-ness most in ego’s resistance to simplicity of practice. HERE, All is cared for beautifully. But ego keeps asking ‘but, how about’ what about” only in an attempt to still be a special me who stands out from Life. SO clear not beneficial to human! R/L
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It’s kind of funny when we really see it, isn’t it? And, of course, it’s not funny at all that so many people, not seeing it, suffer so horribly. ‘Tis a huge relief not to be directed by its insatiable needs, isn’t it? Gassho
I see that the pursuit of "being the right person" and "having enough time" keep me out of presence where I enjoy the life I have. Something is missing and it's my fault. This is another place where egocentrickarmicconditioning/self-hate does the set-up and beat-up. Grateful for seeing. Gassho. R/L
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One of the great ironies—if that’s what that is. I give attention to the system that tells me I must be the right person and I don’t have enough time, and the very act of giving the attention to that system prevents me from being present where I enjoy the life I have. HERE I don’t need to be anybody other than who I am. HERE I have enough time. HERE I get to enjoy this beautiful life I’ve been given. So simple! Good to see. Gassho
Egocentrickarmicconditioning/self-hate finds “what’s wrong” with someone/something that’s important to me, gets me to withdraw/push it away, then gets me terrified that this person/thing is going to abandon/reject me, and scrambles to “test” it to make sure it’s not going away. Getting more distance on it with this class. Grateful. R/L
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Whew! Thank goodness, huh? It’s an ugly, ugly thing, and it’s wonderful to know it is not us and we are not it! Gassho
Long-standing pattern to think others "have" it: ability, generosity, sensitivity - and "I" do not. Also pattern to have BIG dreams/goals, to get very excited, believing life will be wonderful when... So: Intentionally focus on all I do "have" (Life's gifts) and on present moment. It's a practice. R/L
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It IS a practice. Moment by moment we choose to be HERE where gratitude and appreciation live. In each moment we don’t make that choice—for all the reasons ego fools us into buying into—we suffer from ego’s lies. It’s very simple, AND it IS a practice. Gassho
Seeing that this type is like default mode. I’m going along (unconsciously), suddenly there is a sensation. What does it mean? Ego supplies the story. I’m not like them. Or they have something I don’t. Practicing how I can use those stories as markers to come back to presence. R/L
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Excellent! That’s what we’re learning to do. We learn to use “against” egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate what it has used against us. It uses a story to pull us into suffering; we use that same story to bring ourselves back here. It’s good, isn’t it? Powerful. Gassho