We could say that all we know about ourselves cognitively are stories we tell ourselves. These are not necessarily obvious to us because they play so constantly. We respond to the universe through the stories that filter our experience. How do we work with this since we can’t think ourselves out of this box? Transparency hints at a different way of relating to stories. Many stories we identify with are cultural views. Stories in and of themselves are not a problem; they are a feature of what it is to be human. It’s when we hold onto stories that they capture our energy and attention so we don’t come back to the present and to the next event gifted to us by the universe. Transparency involves listening, seeing, generosity of spirit to others and ourselves, without reactivity to a story. This is not trivial work and a tool we have is self-observation, which is an energetic and not an analytical act. One feature of mature practice is relaxation of the tense form of attention we compulsively hold. This can allow for humor and for different kinds of spaces or chambers to be created. Belief is an emotional relationship with a lie. When a story turns into a belief, we can’t put it down. Resistance manifests differently in the three centers that are discussed in the Gurdjieff work. It is a rich vein to mine to reclaim energy of attention we’ve invested in story. Conscious suffering is the willingness to be present with resistance. Practice can be seen as an offering rather than as a story with an agenda to wake up. Creativity is an end in itself, the universe doing what it most wants to do. When not bound by our stories, we can accept the universe’s invitations to engage in higher work. Rob and Stuart run Tayu Meditation Center and founded Many Rivers Books and Tea in Sebastopol, CA. They invite spiritual teachers, practitioners, and authors to articulate their stories on The Mystical Positivist podcast.
Awakening Conscience: The Potential Value of Not Expressing or Suppressing Negative Emotions (Panel Discussion with Red Hawk, Clelia Lewis, and VJ Fedorschak)
Being Where We Are: Grounding Spiritual Teaching in the Body (Bandhu Dunham)
Everything is Food: A Gourmet’s Guide to the Spiritual Path (Regina Sara Ryan)
Sun. Moon. Tantra. Navigating the Ocean of Chaos and Coherence (Angelon Young)
Love and Longing: May the Heat of Suffering Become the Fire of Love (Vijaya Fedorschak)
Conscience: The Transformative Effect of Working with Inner Conflict (an interview with Clelia Lewis)
The Way of the Wise Woman: A Deeper Dive into the Awakening of the Mother Spirit (Red Hawk)
Enlightenment? (Jocelyn del Rio)
Understanding the Persistence of 'Sleep' (Unconsciousness) (Matthew Files)
Spiritual Warriorship and the Undefended Life (Nachama Greenwald)
A Deeper Yoga: Moving Beyond Image to Wholeness and Freedom (Christina Sell)
Faith: How Necessary is It on the Spiritual Path? (Karl Krumins)
Contemplating Continuity—A Conversation with Spiritual Friends (Barbara Du Bois)
Creative Life: The Art of Getting Out of Our Own Way (Bandhu Dunham)
Not What Should Be But What Is (Regina Sara Ryan)
Cultivating Resilience and Inner Strength on the Spiritual Path (Angelon Young)
Yogi Ramsuratkumar: The Godchild, Tiruvannamalai (Caylor Wadlington)
Love What You Do Not Love: The Doorway to Ever Present Peace (Vijaya Fedorschak)
The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Fear Itself (Matthew Files)
The Alchemy of Grief and Love (Nachama Greenwald)
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