Hope, fear and the future

[Esote]

My 2 cents, back to this thread's title :

Hope fools us and gives us disappointments.
Fear paralyses our small and false 'I's.
Letting go of these emotions allows us to have peace of mind, which in turn allows our future to open toward a wider and higher range of potentials.

This peace of mind doesn't come from freeing our ego, but comes from being detached from the ego.
If being attached to the ego is the main cause of suffering, it seems that detachment can only be realized through suffering, discipline, learning, sharing and service to others.

Well, for a great part it is kind of this forum's purpose.

So, don't worry, be helpful, be heart-full...

FWIW

 

[lids4321]

A very interesting thread that resonants widely. So many of us are having internal dialogues that question relevance in a seemingly futile existence. I often ask for strength and knowledge to continue my journey, not knowing the destination, and hoping that maybe, just maybe, some higher sto density is listening. Onwards and upwards in hope.

 

[sitting]

So many of us are having internal dialogues that question relevance in a seemingly futile existence. I often ask for strength and knowledge to continue my journey, ...

I sympathize with your sentiment. It's not yours alone.

But as reincarnation is the fundamental reality of how we exist, we should realize this particular "seemingly futile existence" is but one -- in a long string of prior ones. And one, in preparation for a long string of future ones.

Knowing this continuity is helpful in putting things in perspective. And purpose in life. But if hopelessness (by one's choice) persist right up to the time of death, fear not ... because another opportunity to repeat is just around the corner.

It's better to wake up sooner rather than later I think -- but the universe is in no hurry.

I could be wrong (though not on the reincarnation part.)

FWIW.

 

[Joe]

A very interesting thread that resonants widely. So many of us are having internal dialogues that question relevance in a seemingly futile existence. I often ask for strength and knowledge to continue my journey, not knowing the destination, and hoping that maybe, just maybe, some higher sto density is listening. Onwards and upwards in hope.

Indeed. And that questioning is vitally important I think. So many people prefer not to ponder the possible futile nature of existence because it "feels bad". Well, feeling bad is part and parcel of life, so maybe it's better to consciously choose how and why we feel bad, as best we can, so that it can have a chance of producing some useful insights and information, possibly a way to not feel so bad! For sure that takes courage, but courage in this sense (which I think is REAL courage) is a much underused human quality.

 

[lids4321]

Thanks for sharing - your ideas and insights are much appreciated.
I have long subscribed to the process of questioning and pondering big, small and even trivial ideas. From there I can usually figure out a manageable path forward and keep things in perspective. Thus, "onwards and upwards in hope".
I fully agree with the comments regarding reincarnation although I like to hope that my destination is still open. After a period of contemplation, our souls usually return to 3rd density for further schooling - some however progress.
What if one is awake? Could progression then also be a possibilty.

 

[BHelmet]

Defining terms is a key part of self observation. How do you define futility? It does seem futile, to me, to hope to change this 3D STS world. But that is just one aspect of futility and one way to define it. But, it is not futile to live in this world: to seek to manifest the 'higher' qualities of being truly human while in a rather absurd existence, even if only for that reason. (OSIT)

How does futility 'show up' for me? It is always in a conversation:
"I can't have this" "What I try to do does not make any difference" "I want to create this or that and I can't" "I wish things were this way or that way" "I keep pushing the darn rock up the hill and it keeps rolling back down" "I want X and I always get Z" "things should be this way and they aren't" etc etc

Are not all these statements really STS by their very nature?

Is it foolish to continue to have hope even when all seems hopeless? I think it is possible. I was reading Mouravieff last night and he spoke of Christian martyrs in the sense that they are detached from what happens to them. I believe he used the term 'giving glory to god". But he didn't mean this in the usual bible-thumper sense. He seemed to mean to be one with the real I, while letting go of all the personal dross.

Does not futility stem from thwarted intentions? Perhaps it is necessary to look at the thwarted intentions that define futility for the individual. Perhaps we define our intentions with conditions which are 'required' to be met that are STS in nature and that is the source of the appearance of futility for STO hopefuls. In fact, perhaps 'requiring' certain conditions is STS in and of itself.

(if X does not happen or if Y is impossible, and if I can not do Z then life itself is futile) (and in terms of personal responsibility, just WHO is responsible for setting it up this way?)

So, after letting go of these intentions and conditions...what is still left?

Maybe being?

Perhaps there IS a way to still achieve your personal intention/Aim of this life with a little re-definition and self examination. There is always some lesson on the other side of each door, whether it is another life, some personal revelation or... who knows? Perhaps having a pre-determined picture of what an effective life 'should' look like is just another recipe for futility. And perhaps futility is a road sign on the way to real freedom?

OSIT a hundred times over, of course

 

[herondancer]

Well said. The sense of futility would seem to be part of the bankruptcy G. talks about. Nothing satisfies anymore, or the frustration of pursing dead end paths finally hits. Then you start looking at what (if anything) is left. I guess the christian version of this is 'surrendering to God'. It also pulls you back to the present, where you look at what can be done in the Now, as opposed to fretting about the future or mourning the past. It's not easy and sometimes there are many iterations of the process, as one part of your life or another collapses. All you can do is keep going forward. I also think that hope is what give the impetus or strength to look for the lessons. It helps you feel that that there must be some underlying point to it all.

 

[sitting]

Is it foolish to continue to have hope even when all seems hopeless?

I don't know the answer, but here's what the C's have said:

A: Next time you feel yourself slipping into despair -- think
of something you can do for another to prevent them from
suffering the same feelings. Thus you will witness the birth
of true empathy.

And this true empathy may then translate into actual helping of others (in the most appropriate way possible.) And from that -- comes a beneficial return due to a "corollary effect." One which is unintended, but which apparently is a natural law. A law that values and rewards compassion & love. After it's been shown.

Those mired in hopelessness & futility -- are perhaps unaware of this law. Or have no faith in it. Maybe this reflects a closure of the heart chakra ... along with confusion stemming from too much intellect.

I could be wrong.

FWIW.

 

[BHelmet]

Thanks... I would like to amplify the topic with another aspect. I realized, after writing, that I was focusing on the frustration stemming from the futility of interacting with the external world. The other side of the equation, which can be even more daunting, is the seeming futility of interacting with the internal world: the struggle to access the higher self, to allow the real I to manifest and to master the personal machine.

It may be easier to rationalize futility in regards to the external world, but the seeming futility to wrestle with all the little, lower I's and lower centers in the internal world hits even more closer to home. There is the continual onslaught of 'negative' emotions, silly self-interested thoughts and automatic behaviors that never seem to stop. I am thinking of an analogy of swimming in an ocean of lies and B influences while trying to keep your head above water. The STS world keeps pushing down and your head goes underwater and in order to really live and breathe, you have to continually struggle back to resurface. The 4th way is one kind of life preserver in this analogy.

Ironically, to have hope, I think this fact of our existence just needs to be accepted even though it kind of sucks. It does seem to be the way it is here. And one aspect of love is recognizing and accepting what is. (and not 'making it wrong'.) Demanding that 'the world' be different than it is and being outraged because it isn't is a huge depressing energy drain. Being bitter or depressed about it just short circuits the light bulb.

Having hope in the face of all this is an audacious act which is available to be chosen and created from within. What the heck, why not?

(again, just me talking...take it or leave it...no guarantees of anything absolute or promises of pristine objectivity)

 

[Buddy]

Hi BHelmet. Here's my thoughts...

A churning mind involving thoughts about futility, sounds like limbic activation ala Martha Stout's paranoia switch that doesn't require a physical trauma to be triggered, necessarily. Paranoia in this case possibly referring to an impending sense of futility and even fear of losing all hope.

IMO, "fighting against little I's" can be just a form of violence against the mind. It can easily become a losing battle that just let's the mind continue its own pre-occupations. See if you can turn your attention elsewhere for a time as indicated below:

So, after letting go of these intentions and conditions...what is still left?

A sense of yourself that you can get from positive interactions with life, especially people, and at a physical level too. If you haven't already, check out recent stuff from obyvatel involving a distinction between ego-centric perspective and allo-centric. It's a neuroscience context and it can also be tied in with what sitting is saying.

There have been memory recall experiments correlating neural activation patterns. For old and very familiar memory recalls, brain circuits associated with the egocentric processing stream showed higher activation. It was as if more familiarity led to the object/location being treated as "mine" or "on my turf". Not so for memory recalls for newly learned events.

...indicating that you might get quicker results by engaging in something 'new' along those lines, rather than something you're already used to (yesterday's same ol', same ol').


Added:

Speaking of newness, there's this:

Train attention by gaining and using knowledge in new and flexible ways

 

[Joe]

I don't know the answer, but here's what the C's have said:

A: Next time you feel yourself slipping into despair -- think
of something you can do for another to prevent them from
suffering the same feelings. Thus you will witness the birth
of true empathy.

Strange, but I had that comment in mind as "next time you see someone else slipping into despair". It put a different angle on it that it should be done when YOU are slipping into despair. A good example of serving self through serving others. Takes a bit more effort to do it too, when you are the one feeling hopeless.

 

[lids4321]

Thanks for sharing - so many insights on the ideas of fultiliy hope and moving forward. Including the C's position on the matter was great. As always, simple yet profound.

 

[BHelmet]

Hi BHelmet. Here's my thoughts...

A churning mind involving thoughts about futility, sounds like limbic activation ala Martha Stout's paranoia switch that doesn't require a physical trauma to be triggered, necessarily. Paranoia in this case possibly referring to an impending sense of futility and even fear of losing all hope.

IMO, "fighting against little I's" can be just a form of violence against the mind. It can easily become a losing battle that just let's the mind continue its own pre-occupations. See if you can turn your attention elsewhere for a time as indicated below:

So, after letting go of these intentions and conditions...what is still left?

A sense of yourself that you can get from positive interactions with life, especially people, and at a physical level too. If you haven't already, check out recent stuff from obyvatel involving a distinction between ego-centric perspective and allo-centric. It's a neuroscience context and it can also be tied in with what sitting is saying.

...indicating that you might get quicker results by engaging in something 'new' along those lines, rather than something you're already used to (yesterday's same ol', same ol').

Hey Buddy, since you personally addressed me I guess I should set the record straight. I really don't have a problem with obsessing over any of this and did not mean to come across like I was looking for a 'fix'. I just really enjoyed delving into the thread topics and was trying to shed light from different angles. It is so refreshing to be able to actually have meaningful conversations here in this forum about the nitty gritty of life on planet earth. This thread made me stop and reflect deeply and I really enjoyed reading all the comments. So, I was coming from a place of being pumped up about the questions. Cheers!

 

[Buddy]

Hey, BHelmet. Boy, I misread that one, huh? Thanks for letting me know. Maybe someone might get some use from the info at some point, anyway, so it's good to be posted - especially considering that I was a bit excited over that info obyvatel shared and think it's good stuff! :)

 

[BHelmet]

No worries, Bro! (well, no more worries than usual!)