Tag Archives: distress

A Personal History Book

Posted on by under A spirit teacher tells me that, developing awareness, Finding our unique way, intelligent spirituality, Life-long learning continues

Spirit shares words of wisdom with me that seem so deep and yet expressed in words simple enough even for me, a simple seeker
and slow learner, to almost understand.

He tells me that knowing is not a matter of faith. We know
that wounds hurt for we have experienced their pain, both
physical and emotional wounds.

Physical pain is felt through our physical senses while
emotional pain is a mental state and is often learned and
developed through habit.

How do we learn emotional pain?

It’s a socially acquired skill.

If you offend me and I feel distressed, then I have learned
to feel distressed, and you’re not the cause?

Yes.

Who taught me?

You taught yourself.

Then, everyone would feel offended for the same reason?

Not necessarily.

Why?

You couldn’t offend me.

Perhaps you’ve developed immunity to offence.

There are other labels.

Such as?

Tolerance, patience, understanding, compassion, …
The list goes on.

You didn’t include awareness.

Yes.

Why?

The examples I provided each require a certain depth
of awareness.

The problem with that approach, or at least one problem,
is that it would seem to require a certain detachment
from the emotional state of the offender, as well as
from oneself.

Why would that be a problem?

It would suggest a certain lack of sensitivity.

Not necessarily so.

Please explain.

As we become increasingly aware of the path, then we can
listen to what some might call offence, calmly, and feel
compassion for the distress of the other. As Confucius
might say, “No blame”.

How is that possible?

As we develop an ever more clear vision, we can see in many
more directions than one.The present arrived from the
past and we each are as a personal history book that
those who have eyes to see can read, and we all can and
will develop eyes that see, sooner or later, and from
a unique perspective.

I’m not ready for that quality of insight, yet.

Yes.
aught me? urs

We each are as a personal history book.

Posted on by under developing awareness, simple spiritual insights, Spirit shares words of wisdom, Uncategorized

Spirit shares words of wisdom.

Spirit tells me that knowing is not a matter of faith.
We know that wounds hurt for we have experienced
their pain, both physically and emotionally.

Physical pain is felt through our physical senses,
while emotional pain is a mental state, and is often
learned and developed through habit.

How do we learn emotional pain?

It is a socially acquired skill.

If you offend me and I feel distressed, then I have
learned to feel distressed, and you are not the cause?

Yes.

Who taught me?

You taught yourself

Then, everyone would feel offended for the same reason?

Not necessarily.

Why?

You could not offend me.

Perhaps you’ve developed immunity to offence.

There are other labels.

Such as?

Tolerance, patience, understanding, compassion –
the list goes on.

You did not include awareness.

Yes.

Why?

The examples I provided each require a certain
depth of awareness.

The problem with that approach, or at least
one problem, is that it would be seem to require
a certain detachment from the emotional state of
the offender, as well as oneself.

Why would that be a problem?

It would suggest a certain lack of sensitivity.

Not necessarily so.

Please explain.

As we becomes increasingly aware of the path,
then we can listen to what some might call offence
calmly, and feel compassion for the distress of
the other. As Confucius might say, “No blame”.

How is that possible?

As we develop ever-more clear vision we can see in
many more directions than one. The present arrived
from the past and we each are as a personal history
book that those who have eyes to see can read, and
we all can and will develop eyes that see, sooner or
later, and from a unique perspective.

I’m not ready for that quality of insight, yet.

Yes.

Envy Wants.

Posted on by under developing awareness, self-transcendence, simple spiritual insights, Spirit shares words of wisdom

Spirit shares gems of wisdom.

Spirit tells me that our spiritual journey through
the illusion that is human life must pass through
many valleys of doubt and wind around dark mountains
and dense forests of insecurity and fear.

We will lose faith in ourselves and even in the existence
of our goal, again and again. But, we will move on and on,
for something stronger and surer than our own will prepares
the path we follow, as the wise ones have always assured us.

Trust in yourself, He tells me. Build confidence on
the awareness of having come as far as you have. How did
you do it? Not without help. All angels and spirit guides
are dedicated to our success. And, so, we can none of us
not succeed. It’s only a matter of …

Time?

Not time, for there is none, or none that can be accurately measured.

Then, when we each are ready?

Yes.

Then, how do I cope with my distress with myself for not
being able to become what I seem to know that I can become,
as quickly as I would like to?

What’s the hurry?

I seem to feel that I’m wasting precious time.

Compared to the progress of some others?

Perhaps.

Yes. The need to compete is not entirely socially conditioned.
It is part of our nature, but its natural purpose has been
distorted by social conditioning.

Doing our best can inspire others to do more than they might
otherwise do. It was not designed to diminish others. Likewise,
…

We should admire those who seem to ee able to do what we
cannot?

Yes. recognition of excellence is mutually beneficial.
It both expresses respect and inspires us, not necessarily
to be great, but to be the best that we can be. Envy is
neither emotionally nor spiritually a healthy state of mind.

Envy wants what other have without considering the price
some others may have paid for their success?

Yes.

A target of choice is nothing personal

Posted on by under developing awareness, grass-roots ethics, Uncategorized

Spirit tells me that I seem to set myself up to become, or at least

Make it easy to be used as a target of choice. But, why? He asks.

 

I don’t know. What is it about me that seems to invite verbal abuse?

 

It has nothing much to do with you at all. It is an outward expression

Of inner distress that not even your so-called attacker is aware of.

You just happen to be an easy target and, if not you, then it would be

someone else.

 

But, why me?

 

Would you wish it to be someone else?

 

Sometimes.

 

Yes.