Esoterica > The Work
Sharing a Thought
Denis:
--- Quote from: Brenda86 on March 22, 2012, 09:14:54 PM ---I think after all this time I am finally going to start a journal because I am noticing certain things I am thinking about will nag me lately until I get it written down - I think this is at least partially because in written form I can flesh out the thought more purposefully and make better sense of what is going through my mind. I just want to share my first entry of sorts. I am not sure yet if I will keep a handwritten journal or do a blog or online journal (I knit/crochet a lot and handwriting uses similar motions that tend to make my wrists hurt :P).
Anyway, I just wanted to share my first entry of sorts... I may revise but it's just something I've been thinking a lot about lately.
3/22/2012
Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the person I am now and the person I used to be. I have
changed so much in the past 5 or 6 years. Its happened so slowly with a lot of motivation, reading, and
self-reflection.
But I don't really want to delve into that exactly. The part I really want to discuss, and I think I am
surely not the only person who has or will feel this, is a sense of shame about the person who I used to
be. It's been nagging and gnawing at me for weeks now. When faced with the person I am now compared to
the person I used to be, this glaring contradiction just eats at me. I think momentarily that somehow
despite all my efforts, that this past person is somehow a reflection of the person I am now. That I am
STILL that person somehow because the experiences/memories are part of me. I am thinking that this is
part of the reason so many of us find it so hard to face our past and accept that it is just that (the
past). Because we all at some point are faced with acknowledging the uglier parts of ourselves as we work
to get rid of them. There is a lot of emotion involved in this process.
--- End quote ---
Hey Brenda86.
I think it's great to keep a diary for the purpose of self clarity, understanding oneself and organizing one's thoughts. I used to write in a diary (just a regular notebook, since I am old fashioned in a way and I still write with a pencil) almost every day up until recently, and now that I've noticed your thread and read your post, you've reminded me how useful the practice of keeping a diary and writing really is. Thank you for that! ;)
Regarding the uglier parts of ourselves and working to get rid of them, I'm not sure that we can get rid of them just because we're doing the Work on ourselves. Those parts are necessary things for our learning experience. My understanding is that we wouldn't have a reference point if we didn't have those "ugly" parts of ourselves, we could never fathom and discover our true nature (goodness) without having those "bad" parts in us. I think that we can only choose NOT to express these uglier parts in action (envy, jealousy, greed, self importance, narcissism etc.), if we are indeed striving to become STO beings. I guess these ugly parts exist to teach us who we are NOT. That is my current limited understanding, at least. Others can probably explain it better than me. :)
bngenoh:
--- Quote from: Denis on March 23, 2012, 11:23:50 PM ---Regarding the uglier parts of ourselves and working to get rid of them, I'm not sure that we can get rid of them just because we're doing the Work on ourselves. Those parts are necessary things for our learning experience. My understanding is that we wouldn't have a reference point if we didn't have those "ugly" parts of ourselves, we could never fathom and discover our true nature (goodness) without having those "bad" parts in us. I think that we can only choose NOT to express these uglier parts in action (envy, jealousy, greed, self importance, narcissism etc.), if we are indeed striving to become STO beings. I guess these ugly parts exist to teach us who we are NOT. That is my current limited understanding, at least. Others can probably explain it better than me. :)
--- End quote ---
:clap: :thup:
You have explained it very clearly and concisely Denis, and i totally agree with what you have said. It is a struggle in and of itself not to express those traits we find undesirable in us. But we can also go a step further, and develop by expressing, those traits we find desirable.
Denis:
--- Quote from: bngenoh on March 24, 2012, 09:01:39 PM ---It is a struggle in and of itself not to express those traits we find undesirable in us. But we can also go a step further, and develop by expressing, those traits we find desirable.
--- End quote ---
Hi bngenoh. ;)
I completely agree, since what you wrote falls into the category of common sense (very complicated stuff for most people, or so it seems).
As Oma Desala (a wise, non-corporeal being, member of the Ancients- from TV series Stargate SG-1) said in the "Meridian" episode of SG-1 series:
--- Quote ---"The success or failure of your deeds, does not add up to the sum of your life. Your spirit cannot be weighed. Judge yourself by the intentions of your actions, and by the strength with which you faced the challenges that have stood in your way. The Universe is vast and we are so small. There is really only one thing we can ever truly control... whether we are good or evil."
--- End quote ---
In Lak'ech
bngenoh:
--- Quote from: Denis on March 24, 2012, 10:01:50 PM ---I completely agree, since what you wrote falls into the category of common sense (very complicated stuff for most people, or so it seems).
--- End quote ---
HA, yeah it is just common sense stuff really, i am reminded of a quote:
--- Quote ---All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them. - Galileo Galilei
--- End quote ---
As to this:
--- Quote from: Denis on March 24, 2012, 10:01:50 PM ---As Oma Desala (a wise, non-corporeal being, member of the Ancients- from TV series Stargate SG-1) said in the "Meridian" episode of SG-1 series:
--- Quote ---"The success or failure of your deeds, does not add up to the sum of your life. Your spirit cannot be weighed. Judge yourself by the intentions of your actions, and by the strength with which you faced the challenges that have stood in your way. The Universe is vast and we are so small. There is really only one thing we can ever truly control... whether we are good or evil."
--- End quote ---
--- End quote ---
Judging oneself by the intentions of one's acts, very often, has been used as an excuse for disastrous outcomes. The saying "The road to hell is paved with "good" intentions comes to mind." Not that intentions behind acts are unimportant, they most certainly are, but actions and the results of same, are a much more accurate measure by which to judge anyone, most especially ourselves.
Challenges do not stand in anyone's way, although they may be perceived that way. "I" would change Mrs. Desala's words to:
--- Quote ---The "success or failure" of your deeds, does not add up to the sum of your life, the lessons learned during that life do. Judge yourself by the results of your actions, and by the strength of will with which you faced the challenges which were given you. The Universe is vast, and we are small. There is really only one thing we can ever truly control, whether we are good or evil.
--- End quote ---
SG-1 was awesome btw.
Denis:
--- Quote from: bngenoh on March 24, 2012, 10:59:18 PM ---
--- Quote from: Denis on March 24, 2012, 10:01:50 PM ---I completely agree, since what you wrote falls into the category of common sense (very complicated stuff for most people, or so it seems).
--- End quote ---
HA, yeah it is just common sense stuff really, i am reminded of a quote:
--- Quote ---All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them. - Galileo Galilei
--- End quote ---
As to this:
--- Quote from: Denis on March 24, 2012, 10:01:50 PM ---As Oma Desala (a wise, non-corporeal being, member of the Ancients- from TV series Stargate SG-1) said in the "Meridian" episode of SG-1 series:
--- Quote ---"The success or failure of your deeds, does not add up to the sum of your life. Your spirit cannot be weighed. Judge yourself by the intentions of your actions, and by the strength with which you faced the challenges that have stood in your way. The Universe is vast and we are so small. There is really only one thing we can ever truly control... whether we are good or evil."
--- End quote ---
--- End quote ---
Judging oneself by the intentions of one's acts, very often, has been used as an excuse for disastrous outcomes. The saying "The road to hell is paved with "good" intentions comes to mind." Not that intentions behind acts are unimportant, they most certainly are, but actions and the results of same, are a much more accurate measure by which to judge anyone, most especially ourselves.
Challenges do not stand in anyone's way, although they may be perceived that way. "I" would change Mrs. Desala's words to:
--- Quote ---The "success or failure" of your deeds, does not add up to the sum of your life, the lessons learned during that life do. Judge yourself by the results of your actions, and by the strength of will with which you faced the challenges which were given you. The Universe is vast, and we are small. There is really only one thing we can ever truly control, whether we are good or evil.
--- End quote ---
SG-1 was awesome btw.
--- End quote ---
Hey bngenoh.
Yep, challenges do not stand in anyone's way. I think what Oma Desala meant with that statement is that if we don't face our challenges (fears), then we are the only ones standing in our way, blocking ourselves from progressing and learning new lessons.
As for the rest of your post, I agree. Thanks for correcting me on the "good intentions" part, I really didn't took that into account before. I AM here to learn, after all. I am grateful that we complement each other here, this forum is a priceless gem to me.
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