The horrific situation / the place of "pleasure"

[GRiM]

I just wanted to get this of my mind and maybe get some feedback. Sorry for the writing style, could almost be a list instead...

"When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight it concentrates his mind wonderfully. Samuel Johnson"

The food is unfit to eat and mostly poisonous, the water is poisonous.
The economy is done for. People around me does not notice it and don't care.
People around the world is dying from wars, psychopaths toxic environment and much much more.
Narcissism is the norm for many, the trivial gets the most media exposure and all this while fascism is overt and in your face.

Mass vaccinations around the corner for Americans and Canadians.

The war on terror illusion is reality for most of the people, even the one who question it does not question the root of the problem.

I can not enjoy much anymore, even things that made me happy before have lost its appeal in the face of all the horrors going on in the world.

My friends and family, even if I have time and time again tried to hint about it and sometimes even told them point blank does not get how close to the abyss we are.

I guess I could say that all that I read about on sott.net and this forum and see in the media and mirrored in the society:)

A Iranian friend of mine buys the illusion of how the evil Iranians are torturing protester who just want to have democracy.

Its not really news that we are in for a spectacular horror show but it saddens me so much that so many around me don't care, don't understand, don't see it, so they
don't want help and how can you help someone who does not want to be helped?
A recent example is a friend of my dads who wife have cancer and gets four different types of chemo-treatment and loads of drugs to cancel out the other drugs side-effects...

I try to eat right, filter my water and read and try to understand. I'm working on myself with all the tools I have learned, I believe I have a pretty good idea about it now but I don't know how to use it expect for myself.

I don't feel depressed, more of a intense sadness for those around me. Today it was slightly overwhelming, I think the trigger was when a friend told be about a new tv-series that he really enjoy...

How do you deal with it? What makes you happy these days?

 

[foofighter]

Re: The horrific situation

Well, FWIW, I've been thinking along the same lines these past couple of weeks. It is oh so very depressing to see it all, and to talk to friends and coworkers about these things is incredibly frustrating, even if I walk through the evidence against AGW step by step, or similar. They just don't get it. There's just this fog that is there, and it is seemingly impossible to get around.

Then, for the past month I have also been involved in a custody battle where my wifes ex-husband (who is a textbook psycho) managed to take her three kids, and so now we are putting everything into that. It is frustrating and depressing, and sapping our energy, and all the while we also know that the kids are in an absolutely horrible situation. We know from schoolmates that they cry in school every day because of what they have to put up with. It just sucks.

So with all this crap going on, both in the big and the small, what is there to be happy about? To be honest, not much I feel. Little things, mostly. We had karaoke yesterday, and that was good for the moment, but it is only a temporary getaway really. Reality is still there, in various shades of black. I'm feeling as pessimistic as you right now.

 

[Gimpy]

Re: The horrific situation

I know what you mean guys.

I have those days too.

That is why I think the Prayer of the Soul and the breathing techniques are so very very important for everyone here now.

When you are down, breathe, pray, and breathe.

Right now it doesn't seem like it would be much use.....you want to DO SOMETHING.

Stick with it, and help will come(and it won't be in the manner you're used to, osit). Healing will come too (but it may suck for a bit). By and through that, you'll find your feet again and know what to do.

Just don't give up, ok?

 

[Gawan]

Re: The horrific situation

Hi Grim,

your situation is not unknown to me, well I think it's the "terror of the situation" what is bothering you.

Well, what has always been a help to me, is to come back to this forum and to read, to find like minded people, with similar "problems"/lessons. It gave me also strengths to have had sometimes your subscription in my head:
"Your are (not) alone". On the one hand to be alone, but on the other to participate in this forum.

Sometimes I start to draw/ to scribble, or simply to have a walk, which helps me to calm down and get a more objective view over the situation and myself again.
Or what I also like to do, is to browse a book I really liked.


*Edit*

Breathing could may be also of help, as Gimpy suggested!
Well, take care and don't get drowned by it!

 

[Meg]

Re: The horrific situation

Hi Grim,

You aren’t alone. For what it's worth, I try to remember that 1) the sleeping people have their own lessons to learn. 2) The Universe can take care of itself, which includes me and them. 3) The future is open!

My friends and family, even if I have time and time again tried to hint about it and sometimes even told them point blank does not get how close to the abyss we are.

My friends are the same way and so was I before I found the material here.

Its not really news that we are in for a spectacular horror show but it saddens me so much that so many around me don't care, don't understand, don't see it, so they don't want help and how can you help someone who does not want to be helped?

I have found many organizations that do need help and want help. I spent the first five months of the year volunteering at a youth literacy program. Being of service, for free and for fun, to enthusiastic, happy kids made me happy for the times I was there fwiw.

How do you deal with it? What makes you happy now these days?

Singing (badly ), playing with a friends new puppies , reading, gardening, watching funny movies (“Weekend at Bernies” is hysterical) listening to inspiring music (opera, classical). The breathing exercises and the Prayer for the Soul have made a huge difference as well.

 

[theos]

Re: The horrific situation

How do you deal with it? What makes you happy these days?

I've been feeling similar to you, Grim. I can't really say that I feel depressed either. Mostly I feel neutral with some bewilderment and awe, and occassional flashes of anger at the inhumanity of it all. This feeling was heightened after spending the 4th of July with my family. While watching the fireworks I couldn't stop thinking about comets falling to the earth.

There were periods during the evening when the cloud above my head dissipated somewhat and I was able to enjoy interacting with my family while practicing self-enclosure and taking note of the programs running or attempting to run through my head. What else can one do? (You asked how can you help someone who doesn't want to be helped? I think the ultimate answer is that you can't. Especially pertaining to this issue. If your help isn't asked for or your help is rejected when offered...)

In addition to listening to music and watching a movie or DVD from time to time what makes me "happy" is learning. The majority of my alone time is spent reading; books, Sott, this forum, books online. It's the ultimate in brain food and it's extremely satisfying. :P It's funny how the same information that can make you shreik at the horror of the situation is also the same information that protects you.

 

[GRiM]

Re: The horrific situation

Thank you all for you great feedback, after writing that post I had a glass of sweet red whine, some Chevrette goat cheese and a cigar... I guess that was the medicine I needed :)

Foofighter, that sounds like a really hard thing to handle. I don't know If I can say anything that would ease the pressure or help you in any way but I believe your very capable and intelligent so you have the tools to figure out a way I'm sure!
I think its better to deal with it now then just letting it be, at least the problem is in its solving phase now If I understand correctly.

Megapode - Good idea with the organizations. I will look into that!

About feeling alone, I know you are all in similar situations so I don't feel alone in that way. I have a strong feeling that the universe handles itself very well and so on, but the somewhat selfish feeling of wanting friends and family to understand and not drift away from me in their sleep is hard to cope with sometimes. The shock they will face will not be pretty.

It might be that the psychological buffer "there is still time" have been a crunch for me before, but now its very hard to lean against that.

However I am breathing, have learned the "soul prayer" by heart and I am reading, so I feel as at least I have a plan and the glimmer of hope that follows from having a plan, also a framework were I can see what I think works and do not work, and that is mostly thanks to this group and Laura and her hardworking crew!


So once again, thank you very much!

 

[mkrnhr]

Re: The horrific situation

Oh...
That's sad and frustrating. Yesterday I went to a discotheque (ok, I was like an extraterrestrial with all these young 18-22 years old kids dancing to some electronic-based music they know by heart) and I had the feeling that all that drinking and stuff was in order to escape a kind of sadness everybody have inside. I realised that I had been sad all my life and seeing the world today makes it worse. From time to time I need the surge to play on my guitar (badly) to release pressure. I wrote a little song and those who listened to it told me that it was a very very sad song :/
I watch some old movies (the recent movies are too much violent for me and I am not the girlie-kind man).
The breathing exercise showed me up to know at what extend I am stressed and even if I don't do it properly yet a deep sadness comes to the surface, the only image I have to describe it is standing to a well and hearing water coming up to the surface. Very disturbing, but I feel I need to cleanse the interior (the dreams contents are changing too, anyone noticed that?).

 

[Smallwood]

Re: The horrific situation

Yes, I have also felt similarly last week. I also felt that I was very close to losing my mind at some point. It keeps getting harder and harder to keep up, to fight the A-influences, to apply the information, for me. I'm not going to give up, nothing but the Work is leading anywhere obviously. The truth is, that I have been negligent when it comes to it, like the servant who hid his talent. I guess in effect I need to start developing a backbone of sorts and start being more honest with myself. It hurts though and I'm just generally pessimistic about my chances of developing a permanent I.

Financially, things have finally gone south faster than I could expect. My parents, whom I live with, have started renovating the house we live in and they apparently are about to get a loan to deal with the expenses. I'm not a monetary/financial expert in any way or fashion, but I think it might not be the best idea to dance with the banksters right now. Especially since my siblings have loans of their own, small children and a shroud of uncertainty when it comes to employment. I've tried to talk some sense to them but it is just as if talking to a dog. A lesson is brewing. Not a time to fall into confluence...

Breathing exercise audio came just in time. Haven't really took my time with it yet, but what little I've tried, I certainly came close to some sort of emotional release, but was distracted. I'm going to have to make time for it. By the way, I wrote my own prayer and while writing it, I could feel the most wonderful emotional outburst. Happiness, longing and sorrowness at the same, saved my day. It came out too long to recite, so I guess I'll have to edit it out, but nonetheless, I definitely recommend!

edit: Sorry that beyond outpouring my own problems I have little to offer to others. One quote by Gurdjieff has stuck with me for a long time and has helped me through some tough moments. I can't remember it exactly, but it was to the effect of "with a conscious wish, everything comes". Too bad I can't remember where it was from and the context it was in, but to me it always meant that the way to achieving something was always through wishing it. That as I wished to be better, I wasn't doing anything wrong or harming anything. Of course it didn't mean that I needed to do nothing and that things would just come to me. I saw it more as a first step towards wanting to Be-ing and finally Do-ing. Probably only my subjective understanding though. Anyway, I think that I could use some of that inspiration right now.

Thank God for smokes though

 

[RedFox]

Re: The horrific situation

This is something that gets stronger the more I learn.....I think I still am buffered against the full brunt of the horror/terror of the situation.
However something Laura posted recently gave me a totally new perspective on this. Infact I now welcome the day I can stand in the full brunt of the horror of the situation.

Re: Session 09 June 2009

......
In short, it seems that reality is "too strong" for most humans to tolerate.
......
Studies of self-consciousness, or self-insight and self-awareness show that people who rate high in these aspects are less inclined to resort to denial and self-deception. As it turns out, this self-consciousness correlates with negative emotional states. Increasing the apprehension of reality, both internal and external, can precipitate negative emotional responses.

The problem with reality is that it makes no sense. Terror is the normal emotional state for someone in full view and bearing the full psychic brunt of reality.

I recommend reading the whole post, but the last line is what finally did it for me.
From that point I didn't see negative emotions regarding reality, specifically terror/horror at facing reality as a bad thing. Infact I decided to welcome them!
Why? Because one of my goals is to be awake. If that means by being awake it will be terrifying, then this I find comforting to know. Its like a landmark in unfamiliar territory. So when I do reach that ladmark, it will be with a sense of gratitude and terror that I will face the reality of the situation.
I think its a gradual thing anyway.

Accepting these emotions as a natural part of waking up has helped me no end.
I do not think it is a buffer as I do still feel them....its just they feel....good? Comforting even.

That post by Laura also made it quite clear to me that worrying about those that are asleep (and I am by no means awake), is painful indeed but they are where they need to be.....they may not be ready yet to take the full brunt of reality. Having had it spelled out so clearly I've accepted that I want to take the full brunt of reality. It may be that I can't....but I am willing to test my limits. :)

It also spurs me on because if others cannot take it, and I feel I may be able too then we are presumably the bridge that others will follow once they are ready to take more of the brunt??

Untangling this new perspective from buffers however is a bit tricky.....I keep having to ask myself if I'm facing reality by looking at it this way or just hiding in a new way.


As to what makes me happy these days. Actually....almost everything does. But maybe not in a way most people would describe happiness. The learning that goes on every second of the day (when I remember myself)....every interaction with another person....especially those I care for :)
Music and DVDs. Gardening or just spending time in the garden or at the beach. Walking (any where). A hot magnesium soak bath!
The breathing exercise I enjoy a lot too!
The greatest pleasure though seems to come from helping others. Admittedly it may be a very small amount of actual help I can provide however.....

The breathing exercise showed me up to know at what extend I am stressed and even if I don't do it properly yet a deep sadness comes to the surface, the only image I have to describe it is standing to a well and hearing water coming up to the surface. Very disturbing, but I feel I need to cleanse the interior (the dreams contents are changing too, anyone noticed that?).

Yes I've noticed a distinct change in my dreams too. Last night was like the past/present/future all rolled into one. It was (ironically) about trying to show others the horror of the situation from history, but they couldn't take it so just left.....which is understandable but still very sad.
In the dream I had been building something from old car parts....a small rocket to launch something to help people 'remember' the past and perhaps see what was going on in the present? It wasn't finished fully. But given that no one seemed left to be listening and things seemed to be about to change, I set the ignition sequence and sat back (in some sadness, although there where a few others with me) to watch the show.

I think if we can allow ourselves to feel and let go all the past hurts and sadness, the current sadness (and horror) may not be any less, but we will feel more able to face them. osit.

 

[Mountain Crown]

Re: The horrific situation

Humor can help:

Victor Borge

George Carlin

Lewis Black

 

[shellycheval]

Re: The horrific situation

A very relevant topic Grim, Foofighter, and others, thank you and good luck to you.

Quote from: Laura
......
In short, it seems that reality is "too strong" for most humans to tolerate.
......
Studies of self-consciousness, or self-insight and self-awareness show that people who rate high in these aspects are less inclined to resort to denial and self-deception. As it turns out, this self-consciousness correlates with negative emotional states. Increasing the apprehension of reality, both internal and external, can precipitate negative emotional responses.

The problem with reality is that it makes no sense. Terror is the normal emotional state for someone in full view and bearing the full psychic brunt of reality.

It is clear to me from reading posts all over the Forum that most of us feel this terror regularly--because, as many have said, without feeling the terror we cannot be awake. Now that we know of it and experience it, some more than others in their daily lives, we can't "unknow" it (as far as I know there is no Blue Pill!). The challenge becomes to direct the energy generated by this knowledge to do what we can as individuals to maintain and grow in consciousness, and do good in spite of the horror.

What helps keep me going is observing daily what I have today to be grateful for--generating the feeling of gratitude for the many simple, beautiful moments that still remain in my day--the soft touch of a pet, lunch with a friend, LUNCH!--smiles from family, useful work, a soft bed--a roof over my head!, friends, kind words with a stranger, seeing a beautiful tree, bug, bird etc., a good deep breath, helping someone, SOTT!!!. Ideally I begin and end my days with feeling gratitude, breathing, meditation/prayer, and back stretches--but if I can only manage one thing, I think of what I have to be grateful for and feel gratitude. I find it to be humbling, calming and energizing, and allows me to maintain an awareness that helps me get to the other works later in the day. When the fears and terrors pop up during the day, I now use Laura's breathing work and prayer to bring me back to the present and pick up that thread of gratitude--gratitude for the opportunity to wake up to objective reality and to (hopefully) be able to evolve!

I read somewhere that when the Nazis marched on Paris, G. continued to hold classes because in the long run, increasing the vibration by individuals waking up was helpful for the entire human situation on 3D Earth. This image inspires me to continue my search for knowledge and do what I can to wake up, "clean my machine," and to help others. Although I am certain I will not be as brave when the STS forces are breaking down my door, TODAY I am grateful for what is, remember the future is open, and allow myself to know what joy is before me.
Grateful to you all, shellycheval

 

[shellycheval]

Re: The horrific situation

YES! Thank you Mountain Crown, I forgot --Humor does help--seeing the irony and getting the dark edge of comedy I think helps us see the light and dark in it all.
sc

 

[Buddy]

Re: The horrific situation

I don't feel depressed, more of a intense sadness for those around me. Today it was slightly overwhelming, I think the trigger was when a friend told be about a new tv-series that he really enjoy...

How do you deal with it? What makes you happy these days?

Hi GRiM;
I understand your expressions exactly. Sometimes we just need to take a deep breath and clear our minds.

The following is for you. maybe it will lighten the load a little:

"Let ignorance reproduce itself until it is weary of its own offspring.
"Let the blind lead the blind to the pitfall.
"And let the dead bury the dead till the earth be choked with its own bitter fruit.
"My kingdom is not of the earth. My kingdom shall be where two or three of you shall meet in love, and in wonder at the loveliness of life, and in good cheer, and in remembrance of me."
_http://leb.net/~mira/works/jesus/james.html



You are not enclosed within your bodies, nor confined to houses or fields.
That which is you dwells above the mountain and roves with the wind.
It is not a thing that crawls into the sun for warmth or digs holes into darkness for safety,
But a thing free, a spirit that envelops the earth and moves in the ether.
_http://leb.net/~mira/works/prophet/prophet29.html



From "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran:
Would that I could gather your houses into my hand, and like a sower scatter them in forest and meadow.
Would that the valleys were your streets, and the green paths your alleys, that you might seek one another through vineyards, and come with the fragrance of the earth in your garments.
But these things are not yet to be.
In their fear your forefathers gathered you too near together. And that fear shall endure a little longer. A little longer shall your city walls separate your hearths from your fields.

And tell me, people of Orphalese, what have you in these houses? And what is it you guard with fastened doors?
Have you peace, the quiet urge that reveals your power?
Have you rememberances, the glimmering arches that span the summits of the mind?
Have you beauty, that leads the heart from things fashioned of wood and stone to the holy mountain?
Tell me, have you these in your houses?
Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, then becomes a host, and then a master?

Ay, and it becomes a tamer, and with hook and scourge makes puppets of your larger desires.
Though its hands are silken, its heart is of iron.
It lulls you to sleep only to stand by your bed and jeer at the dignity of the flesh.
It makes mock of your sound senses, and lays them in thistledown like fragile vessels.
Verily the lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul, and then walks grinning in the funeral.


But you, children of space, you restless in rest, you shall not be trapped nor tamed.
Your house shall not be an anchor but a mast.
It shall not be a glistening film that covers a wound, but an eyelid that guards the eye.

You shall not fold your wings that you may pass through doors, nor bend your heads that they strike not against a ceiling, nor fear to breathe lest walls should crack and fall down.
You shall not dwell in tombs made by the dead for the living.
And though of magnificence and splendour, your house shall not hold your secret nor shelter your longing.
For that which is boundless in you abides in the mansion of the sky, whose door is the morning mist, and whose windows are the songs and the silences of night.

 

[GRiM]

Re: The horrific situation

Shellycheval, Buddy, Mountain Crown; thank you for the replies!

Humor, yes. That is absolutely something I use daily. How boring it would be otherwise :)

Shellycheval - Yes, I'm not always very good at appreciating whats around me, I will try to take a walk and just look at nature. I have bought a good camera to motivate me slightly for more excursions outdoors into the wild :)

Buddy - Thank you very much for those excepts.

I found this to resonate, very scary in a way. I think its because I absolutely don't want to end up there.

And tell me, people of Orphalese, what have you in these houses? And what is it you guard with fastened doors?
Have you peace, the quiet urge that reveals your power?
Have you rememberances, the glimmering arches that span the summits of the mind?
Have you beauty, that leads the heart from things fashioned of wood and stone to the holy mountain?
Tell me, have you these in your houses?
Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, then becomes a host, and then a master?

Ay, and it becomes a tamer, and with hook and scourge makes puppets of your larger desires.
Though its hands are silken, its heart is of iron.
It lulls you to sleep only to stand by your bed and jeer at the dignity of the flesh.
It makes mock of your sound senses, and lays them in thistledown like fragile vessels.
Verily the lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul, and then walks grinning in the funeral.