mrelectric91 said:
Hi,
As a 23 year old male growing up in a western country, I have grown up with a lot of fantasy, imagination, idealization of what it means to be a well functioning human being and a man without quotation marks.
Myself just hitting 23, and as with yourself i struggled with the whole imagination of what man i would become, or want to be. So i can relate :)
Going through a somewhat 'hippy' stage in my teens made me despise the idea of committing myself to the 'get a job, pay the bills' lifestyle.
But recently i have committed myself to a full time job that pays very well for the energy it consumes, and now have had the opportunity to move into a property with my partner and our close friend will be joining us soon (they are both very much in the 'work').
Although this was rather stressful and i just wanted to run back home to the normal child like life without responsibilities, now that it is for filled i can see a great change coming in regards to personal maturity and growth.
Carl said:
Generally it makes sense to first master 3D existence before moving onto esoteric matters such as the fourth way, but a lot of fourth way principles can be applied to improve our 3D existence.
Very vital point regarding my interpretation of the meaning behind obyital from what G. has said:
http://kesdjan.com/exercises/ec.html
"Obyvatel is a strange word in the Russian language. It is used in the sense of 'inhabitant,' without any particular shade. At the same time it is used to express contempt or derision--'obyvatel'--as though there could be nothing worse. But those who speak in this way do not understand that the obyvatel is the healthy kernel of life. And from the point of view of the possibility of evolution, a good obyvatel has many more chances than a 'lunatic' or a 'tramp.' Afterwards I will perhaps explain what I mean by these two words. In the meantime we will talk about the obyvatel. I do not at all wish to say that all obyvatels are people of the objective way. Nothing of the kind. Among them are thieves, rascals, and fools; but there are others. I merely wish to say that being a good obyvatel by itself does not hinder the 'way.' And finally there are different types of obyvatel. Imagine, for example, the type of obyvatel who lives all his life just as the other people round him, conspicuous in nothing, perhaps a good master, who makes money, and is perhaps even close-fisted. At the same time he dreams all his life of monasteries, for instance, and dreams that some time or other he will leave everything and go into a monastery. And such things happen in the East and in Russia. A man lives and works, then, when his children or his grandchildren are grown up, he gives everything to them and goes into a monastery. This is the obyvatel of which I speak. Perhaps he does not go into a monastery, perhaps he does not need this. His own life as an obyvatel can be his way.
"People who are definitely thinking about ways, particularly people of intellectual ways, very often look down on the obyvatel and in general despise the virtues of the obyvatel. But they only show by this their own personal unsuitability for any way whatever. Because no way can begin from a level lower than the obyvatel. This is very often lost sight of on people who are unable to organize their own personal lives, who are too weak to struggle with and conquer life, dream of the ways, or what they consider are ways, because they think it will be easier for them than life and because this, so to speak, justifies their weakness and inadaptability. A man who can be a good obyvatel is much more helpful from the point of view of the way than a 'tramp' who thinks himself much higher than an obyvatel. I call 'tramps' all the so-called 'intelligentsia'--artists, poets, any kind of 'bohemian' in general, who despises the obyvatel and who at the same time would be unable to exist without him. Ability to orientate oneself in life is a very useful quality from the point of view of the work. A good obyvatel should be able to support at least twenty persons by his own labor. What is a man worth who is unable to do this?"
So with that respect, it seems for a select period of time i have unconsciously been initiated into a somewhat obyvatel role. My funds and work have provided a breeding ground for The Work, for myself and my close friends. Which my childish self would have neglected and despised.
That being said, it really has thrown at me a new view of a Man in the 3D sense(materialistic): Being able to feed, house and cater for yourself and people around you is a great, yet rewarding responsibility. But it is still easy for me to fall into the narcissistic view of it all, which just creates stress and tension, so it is something that needs to be closely fed back to me and watched.
Im glad that you mentioned the obyvatel mrelectric91, as a friend did afew weeks ago and i didnt understand. When you see the importance of it, in line with The Work, it really helps.
Again, to what i quoted from Carl, it is a very nice feeling that my 3D efforts are co-linear with The Fourth Way. And that The Fourth Way can help me with my 3D efforts :).
I wish you well with your future and the changes that are coming. The best advice i could give, being unable to apply them to myself at the time of my change, would be to breathe. When stress builds up, it over arouses us and we cannot apply the correct action that is needed. So remember to keep a check on your stress and how you are dealing with it, or if your actually masking/bottling it up.
There seem to be alot of importance on stress and how we hold it recently, so it is vital to keep it in mind.
All the best :D
