07-18-2013, 12:00 AM
This was generated from the ongoing discussion at Genaros' Hat CC forum. My response follows some enthusiasm mixed with some skepticism;
Amongst practitioners there seems to be
three schools of thought with regard to the question of forming a
party;
The first mindset is one which says,
“Look at the potentials!”
The second says, “Look at the
potentials, but beware the pitfalls.”
and the third says, “It will never
work, therefore it's not worth doing”.
When you think about it, the path of
warriorship is fraught with pitfalls, and this is true of any
endeavor which holds merit and power. Every conceivable distraction
and inner failing is a potential roadblock for those who endeavor to
gain personal power. From self importance and lousy cultural karma,
to the sheer difficulties of the Path itself, there are formidable
barriers to advancement. But as individual warriors, we are not
daunted in our quest for freedom by these obstacles. We do not look
at them passively and say, “Well, it's too much for me so why
bother”, knowing full well that an attitude like that earns as much
as it invests...nothing. One of the highest merits of the Path, is
that it is in fact thoroughly difficult, as are most things of great
value. Also relevant is the fact that the rewards in traveling it
are equally potent. Knowing this, we find that abandoning the
discovered truth about self and the multiverse in general is really
not an option, that there is only advancement on the path to greater
mastery. Clarity and logic demand as much. So it is with the
individual warrior, as you well know. It is likewise so for groups,
and for precisely the same reasons.
Group practice of what DJ outlined is
not wholly unlike individual practice. It is composed of the very
same disciplines, focuses and intentions, only in a collective
setting. Granted, any group endeavor is only as successful as the
personal power of its' members. But so too is the individual
practitioner only as powerful as their composite intentions.
Although group practice involves the
extra burden of our fellow practitioners' karma, it also involves
their personal power added to the party’s' endeavors. Any
collective or similar intention forms a group mind that is
geometrically greater than the sum of it's parts. This is the
principle of group mind, in fact, and it is a natural law seen
everywhere in nature. Even the cells in our own bodies have
individual lives, but their main power is in the group mind
cooperation they have with one another. Look at the wonders they can
perform as a collective! And imagine how effective they would be if
divided into individual cells who do not align their energies....
In fact, imagine a forum which could
only be visited by individuals who could never interact or learn from
one another....
I fully understand the cynicism with
which some view collective efforts. In their eyes such endeavors are
not even worth talking about, because the human condition appears so
degraded. To them it seems that only egos can prevail, that only
power trips are to be expected from groups. While such statements
are largely correct, they are true only because of the current state
of humanity, not because this is the only way people could interact
with one another. When we speak of the prevalence of egos, it should
be remembered that what we're commenting on here are the flaws of
modern culture, of the sheer pettiness and ignorance of the human
species gone astray. The natural, pure and self realized state of
the human being is not one of ego, or pettiness or dominance for the
sake of self importance. Our natural state is that of a truly
intelligent creature which is fully capable of not only evolving, but
evolving as a matter of conscious intention. On that basis, we may
indeed find great potentials together in groups, and transcend all
limitations of culture, mind and body. This is not wishful thinking,
it is as hard a fact as is the ability of any individual to transcend
their own limitations. It need only be intended consistently and
mutually, and it will be so.
Given this, I belong to the first two
schools of thought, refusing to allow cynicism to stand in the way of
mutual progress. I know there are great advantages to group
intention, and I'm also keenly aware of the pitfalls that can derail
such efforts. But I am not disheartened by these, just made all the
more determined, because both logic and intuition demonstrate that
the group power of collective will is exponentially great. The
accomplishments of mutual focus are indeed difficult to overestimate!
This I know and have experienced for myself.
It is better to try again and again,
failing each time,
knowing full well that the odds are
against climbing the mountains of power together,
then to not try and fail automatically.
Amongst practitioners there seems to be
three schools of thought with regard to the question of forming a
party;
The first mindset is one which says,
“Look at the potentials!”
The second says, “Look at the
potentials, but beware the pitfalls.”
and the third says, “It will never
work, therefore it's not worth doing”.
When you think about it, the path of
warriorship is fraught with pitfalls, and this is true of any
endeavor which holds merit and power. Every conceivable distraction
and inner failing is a potential roadblock for those who endeavor to
gain personal power. From self importance and lousy cultural karma,
to the sheer difficulties of the Path itself, there are formidable
barriers to advancement. But as individual warriors, we are not
daunted in our quest for freedom by these obstacles. We do not look
at them passively and say, “Well, it's too much for me so why
bother”, knowing full well that an attitude like that earns as much
as it invests...nothing. One of the highest merits of the Path, is
that it is in fact thoroughly difficult, as are most things of great
value. Also relevant is the fact that the rewards in traveling it
are equally potent. Knowing this, we find that abandoning the
discovered truth about self and the multiverse in general is really
not an option, that there is only advancement on the path to greater
mastery. Clarity and logic demand as much. So it is with the
individual warrior, as you well know. It is likewise so for groups,
and for precisely the same reasons.
Group practice of what DJ outlined is
not wholly unlike individual practice. It is composed of the very
same disciplines, focuses and intentions, only in a collective
setting. Granted, any group endeavor is only as successful as the
personal power of its' members. But so too is the individual
practitioner only as powerful as their composite intentions.
Although group practice involves the
extra burden of our fellow practitioners' karma, it also involves
their personal power added to the party’s' endeavors. Any
collective or similar intention forms a group mind that is
geometrically greater than the sum of it's parts. This is the
principle of group mind, in fact, and it is a natural law seen
everywhere in nature. Even the cells in our own bodies have
individual lives, but their main power is in the group mind
cooperation they have with one another. Look at the wonders they can
perform as a collective! And imagine how effective they would be if
divided into individual cells who do not align their energies....
In fact, imagine a forum which could
only be visited by individuals who could never interact or learn from
one another....
I fully understand the cynicism with
which some view collective efforts. In their eyes such endeavors are
not even worth talking about, because the human condition appears so
degraded. To them it seems that only egos can prevail, that only
power trips are to be expected from groups. While such statements
are largely correct, they are true only because of the current state
of humanity, not because this is the only way people could interact
with one another. When we speak of the prevalence of egos, it should
be remembered that what we're commenting on here are the flaws of
modern culture, of the sheer pettiness and ignorance of the human
species gone astray. The natural, pure and self realized state of
the human being is not one of ego, or pettiness or dominance for the
sake of self importance. Our natural state is that of a truly
intelligent creature which is fully capable of not only evolving, but
evolving as a matter of conscious intention. On that basis, we may
indeed find great potentials together in groups, and transcend all
limitations of culture, mind and body. This is not wishful thinking,
it is as hard a fact as is the ability of any individual to transcend
their own limitations. It need only be intended consistently and
mutually, and it will be so.
Given this, I belong to the first two
schools of thought, refusing to allow cynicism to stand in the way of
mutual progress. I know there are great advantages to group
intention, and I'm also keenly aware of the pitfalls that can derail
such efforts. But I am not disheartened by these, just made all the
more determined, because both logic and intuition demonstrate that
the group power of collective will is exponentially great. The
accomplishments of mutual focus are indeed difficult to overestimate!
This I know and have experienced for myself.
It is better to try again and again,
failing each time,
knowing full well that the odds are
against climbing the mountains of power together,
then to not try and fail automatically.