Mitigating Chaos and Building Lifelines to our Future

[Joe]

Well I'd say that for all the other events and developments we're seeing (and will see), psychological and spiritual preparation is no less important.

More to the point, it is perhaps the most important thing.

 

[Joe]

I'd just leave open the possibility that “those who endure to the end shall save others” can also very well mean helping those on the pre-transition road in 3D (as well as post-transition); the two not being mutually exclusive. The main point being that if we're enduring (to the time of the transition) just to save our own skins without a thought to helping others, we'd be doing it for the wrong reason; its the intention and the reasons behind enduring to the end that matters.

Another point that @Andromeda mentioned on this idea is that we have to be careful about intent. For example, in the above, the "intent to be STO" (i.e. help others) could be seen as an attempt to "save our ass" by 'being STO'. There's also the question of free will. Are we going to "help others" whether they want it or not because "that's what STO does", and we "have to STO to make the transition"?

Also, the idea that we here would "endure to the end" just to save our own skins seems off to me. "Enduring to the end" is no small or easy thing. It involves Working on the self, paying attention to reality, controlling our emotional responses, knowing the self, learning as much as possible, and keeping the big picture and philosophical context in mind, all as the world around us falls apart. The effort involved in doing that is not exactly, IMO, self-serving. It is rather, in itself, an altruistic act in line with the Cs idea of trying to make ourselves into 'transducers of positive energy' into the planet at a time of transition. The point being, we are very small parts in a very large process, and all we can really hope to do is make ourselves into 'useful instruments' for the much larger forces at play.

 

[3DStudent]

I was writing in my journal the other day, and the question came up - are there other things to say? Have I made peace with death?

Have I made peace, in other words, with my life? Do I have regrets? Do I feel ripped off in this life? Has a call of the Soul gone unanswered? Is there such a thing as a 'call of the Soul'? A life plan? It seems so.

I would have loved to have found my Soulmate and become a father. I would have loved to live a life of writing, drawing, music

I was thinking the same, especially art and music. I've been wondering what my dying (or living) wishes would be. I was inspired by a post by DianaRose in the December 2022 session thread.

Basically solitude, and pursing art and music would be life goals. So I only do them partially now. Some things can be resolved or continued in 4D or 5D, I think. I agree that those things can still be done while "the world falls apart". And it's a way of showing light and being of service potentially. At the very least, it can help you stay in the fight.

 

[Magnolia]

The following stands out to me: That everyone has something to give and can find ways to serve others, the power of prayers and that help is truly available when someone asks, and the reality of the inner struggles in overcoming self-importance, anger, other impeding attitudes...................and how souls are helping each other to progress

I also watched the Brazilian movie "Astral City / Nosso Lar" after it was mentioned on the forum (thank you).
(Here is the link to forum thread; here is a link to the movie in Portuguese with mediocre English subtitles.)
I also watched the movie After Life (known in Japan as Wonderful Life) many years ago, which brings up a similar theme.

After Life (a way station for the dead) and Astral City (life after life) address what defines a meaningful life. Both raise questions about WHAT we prefer our lives to have been, which can guide us to making better choices about what our lives are NOW.
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In After Life, people who died are given a couple of days, and the help of a counselor, to choose their happiest memory. They will forget everything about their lives and remember only this single happy moment. What they remember as "happiest," ranges from the beauty of cherry blossoms, to the feel of cool breeze, to the freedom of flying, to the kindness of a stranger. If a dead person doesn't have a "happiest moment," he is stuck in the way station as a counselor. One such counselor who was stuck there, learns something as he helps the newest group of souls make their choices: he realizes that he was part of someone else's happiness. That makes him happy, and he chooses that moment of realization to remember forever in eternity.

I have thought dozens of times what my happiest memory might be from this life. Thinking about this pokes dark, black holes in most of my thoughts, actions, experiences and philosophies. In my entire life, I can think of only a few moments I would wish to remember for eternity. These are moments when I (non-personally, non-conditionally, anonymously, unstained by self-consideration as the Buddhists might say) focused on a simple thought, or performed a simple action which uplifted another. Moments when I was graced by being a "beneficial presence." They are very few. Two to be exact. Why so few? Because they require absolute purity of thought; and that is rare.
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In Astral City, the main character dies into a hellish place for suicides. It is dark, dank and dirty, a perfect environment for a life led by "I." He seems to be a good man and he doesn't actually commit suicide, but any life that consists of self-centered, invalid, essentially unholy intentions, thoughts and deeds is, in truth, suicidal. No person can hide their secret motivations; nor can one hide from them. No matter how socially acceptable a person may be, self-confirmation (thoughts and actions that enhance the concept of an illusory self) is actually just self-destruction. This man can escape this suicidal hell only by recognizing and regretting the errors of his ways. He can then ask for help to rise above them. Then he reorients to a life that authentically and sincerely serves others -- a life that has not even a shadow of concern for self.

Rescued from the hell, he learns to cleanse his consciousness (as Learner noted) of self-importance, treating people as objects, envious, rivalrous, malicious thoughts, etc. Even 'after life,' he experiences painful problems which disappear only when he recognizes, regrets and takes responsibility for his thoughts, then reorients his consciousness.

One of the things that appeals to me in the Astral City story is the implication that There Is No End to All This. ALL existence is an ongoing process of building who you are (by seeing, learning, discarding, and elevating) no matter where you are. In the end, we are simply learning to be unstained, genuine, authentic, spontaneous, holy, beneficial presences.

I get discouraged by the conventional concept of a hypothetical deadline to 'this life on earth.' I feel pressured by the ultimatum that I must complete my education and the stripping of my miseducation according to a timeline. It's as if life is a two-dimensional ruler, and when you get to the end of it, you hit a punctuation mark and fall off a cliff into annihilation. It is freeing to consider that there is no deadline. Life is a sphere, ever expanding, infinite, playful, joyful and inviting. The journey is forever. This 'endlessness' actually increases my openness and motivation to "work" here and now.

I realize there are many quotes from the transcripts that discuss such things. Nosso Lar illustrates those concepts less conceptually; with a compassion that touches me. I am grateful it was mentioned here on the forum.

 

[Ennio]

I don't think there is any way to prepare for a situation where we, i.e. anyone on this forum, could be in a position to help large (or even relatively small) numbers of people in dire straits. Whether or not the way we are preparing is for the 'right' or 'wrong' reasons cannot be limited to simple ideas of self interest or altruism, IMO. It has be grounded in a good understanding of the reality of the world we live in and the events that are transpiring on it. It also requires a good understanding of self and others and the 'big picture' nature of the events as they transpire. The Cs have given us a good understanding of this, and I think incorporating that understanding into our lives and actions (obviously in a general sense) is the best approach.

Hopefully we’re being as realistic with ourselves as possible about what we’re capable of doing (and I say this to myself as well). Particularly as it involves situations and people with a very different sense of what the problems they’re facing may actually be - given the potential differences in understanding that they may have, contrasted with our own, and all the considerations that would go into being of real help, and not a road to hell (we may create for ourselves and them) that is paved with “good intentions”. So, yes, this is a somewhat complicated matter that will always (or should always) be taken on a case by case basis with as much awareness of what may actually be involved as possible.

 

[Ennio]

Another point that @Andromeda mentioned on this idea is that we have to be careful about intent. For example, in the above, the "intent to be STO" (i.e. help others) could be seen as an attempt to "save our ass" by 'being STO'. There's also the question of free will. Are we going to "help others" whether they want it or not because "that's what STO does", and we "have to STO to make the transition"?

Very true. And one of the things I was thinking about in even starting this thread. Is there a level at which starting this thread is somewhat ‘forced’ and less helpful than it might otherwise be if parts of this discussion was brought up in a different way. For instance, responding to posts, issues and concerns made to other threads, in real time, that are very specific to what folks are asking for - instead of the ‘whole enchilada’ approach to this one large topic for what may, to some extent, be non-STO purposes on my own part.

As for being careful about the “intent to be STO” to, in fact, “save our ass” - that, too, is something to think on. How much do we - or I - do - that is born of internal considering or mechanicalness that may be worse in some sense (from the perspective of personal development and growth and being objectively helpful) than putting knowledge/doing out there in what may perhaps be a more constructive way, or from a more constructive place within. And while I can potentially recognize and see how some of these dynamics exist, I can still very well ask myself - how much of it is actually well understood on my part and incorporated at the level of a potentially higher level of being? And what might that look and seem and feel like to myself and to others who may have a direct experience of it?

Also, the idea that we here would "endure to the end" just to save our own skins seems off to me. "Enduring to the end" is no small or easy thing. It involves Working on the self, paying attention to reality, controlling our emotional responses, knowing the self, learning as much as possible, and keeping the big picture and philosophical context in mind, all as the world around us falls apart. The effort involved in doing that is not exactly, IMO, self-serving. It is rather, in itself, an altruistic act in line with the Cs idea of trying to make ourselves into 'transducers of positive energy' into the planet at a time of transition. The point being, we are very small parts in a very large process, and all we can really hope to do is make ourselves into 'useful instruments' for the much larger forces at play.

Much agreed because there is so much involved with these efforts that seems to have nothing to do with “saving others” per se. And everything to do with developing ourselves to a level of being that matches with how we might become truly useful, respecting free will, not imposing our views on others, etc. It also seems very possible, and even likely, that our personal development can be helpful in decidedly non-linear, indirect and non-obvious ways. On a related note, sometimes just working towards finding some semblance of balance between all of these areas ie., thinking on what areas one could afford to concentrate more on, is an area in and of itself and would seem to be an important part of how we go about things - especially as we try to become 'transducers of positive energy’ and all that that entails. It is as you say “a very large process,” on-going, and one that seems to require a good amount of course correcting at times.

 

[BHelmet]

The point being, prepping of physical goods beyond a certain limit is pointless IMO, and I'd say not only a waste of time and energy, but also a potential problem in the way that it frames the perception of the future in a limiting and limited way.

Yeah, Prepping just buys some extra bonus time to consider the inevitable. As for framing perception, prepping is a kind of (false?) hope that if we can just hold out long enough, the cavalry will save us; the relief column will arrive like in the movies which programmed this expectation. My own hope is that the prepping will buy a bit more time to see what happens; to watch the show. Maybe I’ll see an awesome comet I would have missed if I expired two days sooner or have one last insight about this life.

Fatalism realized!

At some point, what the hell good is a case of Spam, a gold doubloon and a blunderbuss? Not gonna get you to 4d. Or heaven.

 

[Tuatha de Danaan]

Yeah, Prepping just buys some extra bonus time to consider the inevitable. As for framing perception, prepping is a kind of (false?) hope that if we can just hold out long enough, the cavalry will save us; the relief column will arrive like in the movies which programmed this expectation. My own hope is that the prepping will buy a bit more time to see what happens; to watch the show. Maybe I’ll see an awesome comet I would have missed if I expired two days sooner or have one last insight about this life.

Yes BHelmet, I've gone back and forwards with this prepping lark for the last few years but I eventually land where I started.

While I can and before prices become prohibitive or made of gremlins, locusts or what have you and I can afford to do so I have put aside a little at a time. My rationale was that no one else I know is doing so therefore if a sudden change occurs where everyone around me looses nearly everything I will, maybe just maybe, give a hot meal. It sounds paltry when written down but at 70 and not knowing what the hell will actually happen I'm doing something in the here and now whilst living each day as it comes.

 

[Mark7]

I have done some practical prepping - needful things. Staying alert and open to events as they occur. Opportunities to help will show up. Having an undefined desire to help during this time will help guide me in realizing these opportunities into something real and positive. I strive to make optimal choices for each individual situation that comes up. We will need the same alertness and care to avoid many potential dangers as well going forward it seems. Minds and hearts.

 

[BHelmet]

Yup. I certainly have done the prepping and am still at it but like some others have said, it’s time for those spiritual pursuits: the stuff on my spiritual to-do list. It’s too easy to get sucked into the running around. I have to laugh. Ok, I’m all ready for the wheels to come off! Uh, not really.

 

[iamthatis]

I listened to the book by Laurence Gonazles, Deep Survival mentioned earlier in the thread.

I really enjoyed it. He goes into story after detailed story of people who have survived. A young girl whose plane crashes in the jungle, a dude marooned at sea for weeks, mountaineers caught up the mountain with a broken leg, etc. His main point is to figure out what it takes to survive, and ends up focusing on how they perceive the world and themselves in it. More than anything, I found them to be stories of humour and beauty set against a backdrop of a sort of terrifying black comedy put on by Mother Nature.

Below is his summary of the set of concepts that he gleaned from these stories of life and death. I was pleasantly surprised!

1. Perceive, believe (look, see, believe). Even in the initial crisis, survivor's perceptions and cognitive functions keep working, They notice the details and may even find some humorous or beautiful. If there is any denial, it is counterbalanced by a solid belief in the clear evidence of the senses. The immediately begin to recognize, acknowledge, and even accept the reality of their situation. "I've broken my leg, that's it. I'm dead," as Joe Simpson (chapter 13) put it. They may initially blame forces outside themselves, too; but very quickly they dismiss that tactic and recognize that everything, good and bad, emanates from within. They see opportunity, even good, in their situation. They move through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance very rapidly. They "go inside." Bear in mind, though, that many people, such as Debbie Kiley (chapter 11), may have to struggle for a time before they get there.

2. Stay calm (use humour, use fear to focus). In the initial crisis, survivors are making use of fear, not being ruled by it. Their fear often feels like and turns into anger, and that motivates them and makes them sharper. They understand at a deep level about being cool and are ever on guard against the mutiny of too much emotion. They keep their sense of humor and therefore keep calm.

3. Think/analyze/plan (get organized; set up small, manageable tasks). Survivors quickly organize, set up routines, and institute discipline. In successful group survival situations, a leader emerges often from the least likely candidate. They push away thoughts that their situation is hopeless. A rational voice emerges and is often actually heard, which takes control of the situation. Survivors perceive that experience as being split into two people and they "obey" the rational one. It begins with the paradox of seeing reality - how hopeless it would seem to an outside observer - but acting with the expectation of success.

Elsewhere in the book he says this about planning:

It's important to have a plan and a backup plan or a bailout plan. What-if sessions can help develop backup plans and should precede any hazardous activity. But you must hold onto the plant with a gentle grip and be willing to let it go. Rigid people are dangerous people... survival is adaptation, and adaptation is change, but it is changed based on a true reading of the environment.

4. Take correct, decisive action (be bold and cautious while carrying out tasks). Survivors are able to transform thought into action. They are willing to take risks to save themselves and others. They are able to break down very large jobs into small, manageable tasks. They set attainable goals and develop short-term plans to reach them. They are meticulous about doing those tasks well. They deal with what is within their power from moment to moment, hour to hour, day to say. They leave the rest behind.

5. Celebrate your successes (take joy in completing tasks). Survivors take joy from even their smallest successes. That is an important step in creating an ongoing feeling of motivation and preventing the descent into hopelessness. It also provides relief from the unspeakable stress of a true survival situation.

6. Count your blessings (be grateful - you're alive). This is how survivors become rescuers instead of victims. There is always someone else they are helping more than themselves, even if that someone is not present. One survivor I spoke to, Yossi Ghinsberg, who was lost for weeks in the Bolivian jungle, hallucinated about a beautiful companion with whom he slept each night as he traveled. Everything he did, he did for her.

Although that's a kinda weird example, Gonzales found survivors are not holding on for themselves - they often dedicate their survival quest to their loved ones.

7. Play (sing, play mind games, recite poetry, count anything, do mathematical problems in your head). Since the brain and its wiring appear to be a determining factor in survival, this is an argument for expanding and refining it. The more you have learned and experienced of art, music, poetry, literature, philosophy, mathematics, and so on, the more resources you will have to fall back on. Just as survivors use patterns and rhythm to move forward in the survival voyage, they use the deeper activities of the intellect to stimulate, calm, and entertain the mind. Counting becomes important, too, and reciting poetry or even a mantra can calm the frantic mind. Movement becomes dance. One survivor who had to walk a long way counted his steps, one hundred at a time, and dedicated each hundred to another person he cared about.

Stockdale cites "love of poetry" as an important quality for enduring. "You thirst to remember," he wrote. "The clutter of all the trivia evaporates from your consciousness and with care you can make deep excursions into past recollections.... Verses were hoarded and gone over each day.... [T]he person who came into this experiment with reams of already memorized poetry was the bearer of great gifts."

Survivors often cling to talismans. They search for meaning, and the more you know already, the deeper the meaning. They engage the crisis almost as a game. They discover the flow of the expert performer, in whom emotion and thought balance each other in producing action. "Careful, careful," they say. But they act joyfully and decisively. Playing also leads to invention, and invention may lead to a new technique, strategy, or piece of equipment that could save you.

8. See the beauty (remember: it's a vision quest). Survivors are attuned to the wonder of the world. The appreciation of beauty, the feeling of awe, opens the senses. When you see something beautiful, your pupils actually dilate. This appreciation not only relieves stress and creates strong motivation, but it allows you to take in new information more effectively.

9. Believe that you will succeed (develop a deep conviction that you'll live). All of the practices described lead to this point: survivors consolidate their personalities and fix their determination. Survivors admonish themselves to make no more mistakes, to be very careful, and to do their very best. They become convinced that they will prevail if they do those things.

10. Surrender (let go of your fear of dying; "put away the pain"). Survivors manage pain well. Lauren Elder (chapter 13) who walked out of the Sierra Nevada after surviving the plane crash, wrote that she "stored away the information: My arm is broken." That sort of thinking is what John Leach calls "resignation without giving up. It is survival by surrender." Joe Simpson recognized that he would probably die. But it had ceased to bother him, and so he went ahead and crawled off the mountain anyway.

11. Do whatever is necessary (be determined; have the will and the skill). Survivors have meta-knowledge: They know their abilities and do not over[estimate] or underestimate them. They believe that anything is possible and act accordingly. Play leads to invention, which leads to trying something that might have seemed impossible. When the plane Lauren Elder was flying hit the top of a ridge above 12,000 feet, it would have seemed impossible that she could get off alive. She did it anyway, including having to down-climb vertical rock faces with a broken arm. Survivors don't expect or even hope to be rescued. They are coldly rational about using the world, obtaining what they need, and doing what they have to do.

This cold rationality is an important part of their attitude to others, to 'fellow survivors', in particular when these others are clearly dying or going insane. It's a very important point in the book. Survivors are under no illusions about saving anyone. Or even being saved themselves!

12. Never give up (let nothing break your spirit). There is always one more thing that you can do. Survivors are not easily frustrated. They are not discouraged by setbacks. They accept that the environment (or the business climate or their health) is constantly changing. They pick themselves up and start the entire process over again, breaking it down into manageable bits. Survivors always have a clear reason for going on. They keep their spirits up by developing an alternate world made up of rich memories to which they can escape. They mine their memory for whatever will keep them occupied. They come to embrace the world in which they find themselves and see opportunity in adversity. In the aftermath, survivors learn from and are grateful for the experiences they had.

 

[Ennio]

The following interview, with Catherine Austin Fitts, is quite good and probably one of the best I've seen with her. She not only touches upon a number of the unfolding economic and political events we're watching - but discusses the psychology of being proactive, living more or less in objective reality, how to think about the banking system, and so on. She seems as wise an individual as she is an incredibly informed one.

You Need a War Strategy – Catherine Austin Fitts

There is much more in the 1-hour and 4-minute interview. Join Greg Hunter of USAWatchdog.com as he goes One-on-One with the Publisher of The Solari Report, (https://home.solari.com/) Catherine Austin

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