"THERE DO EXIST ENQUIRING MINDS, which long for the truth of the heart, seek it, strive to solve the problems set by life, try to penetrate to the essence of things and phenomena and to penetrate into themselves. If a man reasons and thinks soundly, no matter which path he follows in solving these problems, he must inevitably arrive back at himself, and begin with the solution of the problem of what he is himself and what his place is in the world around him. For without this knowledge, he will have no focal point in his search. Socrates’ words, “Know thyself” remain for all those who seek true knowledge and being."

VIEWS FROM THE REAL WORLD, BY by G.I. Gurdjieff, p 43

30 July 2015

There Is No Fear In Love

1 John 4:18

"There is no fear in Love, for perfect love casts out fear."


The Despicable & The Odious In The Light Of The Work (reprinted, re-edited for today)




The Despicable & The Odious In The Light Of The Work (rewrite from 5/30/2011)

Many years ago a dear friend of my, ex-husband was robbed, beaten and raped in her own home.  This terrible crime and the anguish it caused her and the whole community who knew and loved her triggered a great deal of confusion about what to do with the outrage and anger felt. My ex-husband took his anger and grief to his dear friend, Mrs. Lois Bry, a wonderful older woman who led his group in the early 80's.  

Her response was:  "Never fear to despise the odious."
 
I had tremendous regard and respect for Mrs. Bry's wisdom. Her simple answer brought many questions for me (as well as a great deal of inner work) over the years. 

What is odious?
What is despising?
Who or what in me despises?
How does this idea fit in with the work and the idea of being non judgmental?
How does it fit in with the teachings of Christianity and Christ?
How does this fit in with the idea of impartiality?
What is anger?, Who hates, who loves, etc.

My mind and emotions grappled with these questions for many years.  Of course the only way to examine questions like these is while trying to be present  to oneself, sensing oneself and being the observer as the different parts struggle to work together, to understand these experiences. 

Some years later I experienced an interesting phenomena in myself while witnessing the capture of a terrible criminal on television while I was in an awakened state of presence. I saw and understood that some human, even children, and other animals are so broken and damaged or simply just not there at all that they so truly are beyond any remedy and that for the good of all they must be put away permanently or put down for their particularly heinous crimes against humanity.

Every time I witness one of these unfortunates, the most despicable, odious criminal or the most damaged and un-salvageable being captured or taken to his or her final punishment, I simultaneously experience feelings of overwhelming understanding and overwhelming compassion - even for the very worst of them. Through these experiences I have come to understand how Christ could say in his last moments on the cross, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." as 'they tortured and vilified and crucified him. 

As I witness, I am awakened. I sit still in the middle of the reality of that duality, in the reconciling fire, in indescribable waves of emotional pain and sorrow, and incredible waves of unconditional love for the wasted essences, the wasted human beings and their lost possibilities.

It is not possible to experience true understanding like this without real compassion. Not a compassion that comes from the mind, but from one's entire unconditionally loving Being.


There, but for the Grace of God, go I.


It is the act of the crimes against others that is odious and despicable. It is the wrong work of centers that is odious. It is what caused the damage in the essence, if they weren't already born damaged, that is despicable and odious.

It is possible, when you see a person or animal being caught and or being tried and punished for heinous crimes against humanity. You must become very still inside, and very present to catch a glimpse - sometimes at the very last moments of the unfolding drama - of a very small child who is frightened and terrified; a child who lived inside the person and was covered over by the terrible monster they became as they developed. You will see the child suddenly wake up. It has no idea what has happened. For several moments, sometimes for much longer, they are no longer the beasts or monsters they've been almost all their lives. They are simply fully awakened in those moments, fully present to where they find themselves in those moments. Intellectually they can make no sense of what is happening. It does not compute. After a few moments of bring thrust into an awakened state, if you are very very still, you can see them retreat back into the illusion they have been living - into the roles and fantasies that have been their realities for a majority of their lives. .

Nevertheless, punishment for heinous crimes must be enforced.
This list of these monsters seems to grow every day. Will it ever stop?
What would have to happen here on earth, in each one of us to stop this trend on earth.  









28 July 2015

LAST CHAPTERS ©Slippery Mind

 SLIPPERY MIND





©Finding Balance, 2008, Laura Lopez
"Forgetting quickly as it turns from one task to another
... it searches for what it had a grasp of only a moment ago.

This slippery mind is a wonder
... so easily distracted
... so easily forgetting... what?

Let it go, I suggest as the fog rolls in ...
now smiling,

I feel newly born
In awe of each moment of this new reality

Hah!

Slippery mind."

~ From: 

©LAST CHAPTERS, 
chats with myself about the reality of MY situation


by, Laura Lopez, July 2015

17 July 2015

In every moment we have a chance to begin again.

"PRECIOUS HUMAN BIRTH"

"All of us have this precious human birth. We’re fortunate enough not to be starving; we’re fortunate enough to have food and shelter; we’re fortunate enough to hear the teachings and be given methods to wake up; we’re fortunate enough to have good intelligence and the luxury to explore and question why we and others suffer.We have a tremendous amount going for us, so this is the crucial time to practice." 
~ FROM: Start Where You Are, by Pema Chödrön, 





"We all wish to be free of the inner critic and judge. 

It is never too late to work toward that goal. 

In every moment we have a chance to discover who we really are. Even if you forget why you started the journey of self discovery, you can begin again when you remember your wish to be free inside. With every new breath you have a chance to remember that wish and can begin again. Until your very last breath - and possibly beyond the last breath of the body - we can begin again.The sooner you begin, the sooner you will be free. Begin Now, in this moment. "

~ L.E. Lopez