Life can break us but in doing so it makes us.
Be knowingly silent as often as you can and you will no longer be a prey to the desire to be this or that. You will discover in the everyday events of life the deep meaning behind the fulfilment of the whole, for the ego is totally absent.
— Jean Klein
To help others, first realize that there are no others. That we are one, not two, three or a thousand…
The power of one
There’s no escape yet we’re completely free.
You can’t get into it, you can’t get out of it. You are it.
— John Astin
Imagine a tree thinking it was separate from the rest of the universe. The ensuing confusion would be absurdly funny. Sound familiar? Trees are trees and humans are humans. It is our nature to think absurd things. It is also our nature to laugh. We would do well to laugh more at the predicament we create for ourselves.
They do the best coffee and cakes.
The whole social structure—which is to be competitive, aggressive, comparing oneself with another, accepting an ideology, a belief, and so on—is based on conflict, not only within oneself but also outwardly…
The bold emphasis above is mine. Reading the original article this phrase leapt out at me.
I find it difficult to articulate just how profound and transformative the shift from inner and outer conflict to inner and outer wholeness can be.
I’m no expert in these matters but, as a lay reader, I have long sensed a commonality between spiritual non-duality and Jung’s individuation.
I have a meditative/ contemplative practice and also had periods of psychotherapy. In spite of coming from different directions, for me at least, they converge on the same point – the recognition of and freedom from one’s own mind.
As my therapist once said as I was trying in vain for something to say to him: ‘If there’s no problem, there’s no problem.’
When the duality of subject and object dissolves conflict of any kind is impossible. As has been articulated for thousands of years in myriad different ways – whatever this is, is impossible to say, but it isn’t two.
A nice 5k run this morning in beautiful autumn sunshine. More than a hint of warmth in the sun and an invigorating freshness to the air. Coffee beckons…
Exhausted at the end of another twelve hour shift. Exhausted but still somehow feeling very alive, energised, fulfilled and rewarded. It’s at moments like this I feel particularly grateful to be so lucky to have work that I love that provides me with so much more than any amount of money could.
We no more consciously know what we’re going to say or do next than we beat our heart, digest our food or grow our hair.
This ‘me’ that is aware ain’t doing shit but catching up on action already set it play.
Our unconscious is us, what we are, yet we know nothing about it directly.
It’s dark because you are trying too hard.
Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly.
Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply.
Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them…
Our thoughts, ideas and opinions are the least of us. Always late to the party that’s already in full swing, uninvited yet full of their own self importance and righteousness.
Patterns, symbols, archetypes, myths, stories – maps of unknowable territories. What is created when the universe attempts to apprehend itself.
If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.
Apparently attributed to Jesus, from the Gnostic Gospels, but could just have easily have come from Carl Jung.
A nice meditation circle this evening. A modest six attendees in contrast to the fourteen last week. It had a very intimate feel and the dialogue between sits flowed more easily and freely.
I still don’t know why I go.