11-09-2014, 12:00 AM
Littlepaw, there is no avoiding being compartmentalized using words (cannot represent everything). What I have been messing with here is something well established in the 15th century and was dubbed 'quietism.' It was a movement that ironically is influential in both squeaky clean Christian literature and the darker Thelema tenets. Its author was a Catholic priest (Miguel de Molinos), and it was a great part of many orders of the Church, but purged out because it called for a direct relation with God (which potentially left the Church unimportant).
Its followers including many saints such as St. Theresa thought any presentation of self could not be worthy to stand before God, so they practiced shame, abasement, and self-annihilation. Molinos maps this out in his writings in Spiritual Guide. One could read between the lines and see the underlying concepts have nothing to do with God or Devils.
The writing basically evokes destruction of the ego (and to make oneself small and humiliated before the world). I was well into his tenets independently--but they mirrored my foundation. In my book I used paragraph after paragraph with some rewording, and did not parse the essential message like Molinos. One other difference was, I had no intention of being small or humiliated before the world and emphasized that the reader could accomplish a similar effect privately, but should spare nothing of one's self-abasement helped along by a worded contemplation I dubbed the "Shame Practice."
Here is the deal with that: If I coax every thought and fiber of my body that I am worthless and should not exist, while having first embraced the concept of detachment, you create an invulnerable disposition and foundation. Why? Because if you do the practice earnestly it leads to a phenomena of feeling empty and puts you at ground zero. From that point there is only 'up' in qualative state of mind. (The followers of Molinos were getting off, high having raptures etc. the deeper into self-negation) Should it be the case that you don't go 'up', that is even way better still> you have a direct opportunity to debase yourself more than ever before (and understanding the aim and results there cannot be anything more desirable, because every pain becomes pleasure based on what empirically preceeded). Without the predecessors like myself and Molinos, others first embarking on this course would surely doubt their sanity. There had to be many who only suffered, because that is what they were told to do. Forget about Gods and Devils and Dreams, go to the bottom whence you'll find awareness ALONE (without the decoration) IS.
That is the beginning of your controlled folly. I like the word PLAY too. However, the sharp teeth of reality do bite hard, and I can only tell you that will always have to adopt being the warrior.
I do think you SEE that the challenges as once before insurmountable, are very doable. I like the word ACQUIESCE. I ACQUIESCE for pause, then the substance can be given identity and detached from.
Still, these are temperaments that are developed in reason, and as you eloquently understand--likened to the fascination of learning and PLAYING music.
There will be times when you are engaged and being more decisive, then there is falling off. This is life.
Still again, I find getting to the bottom through detachment the ultimate disposition for me.
Its followers including many saints such as St. Theresa thought any presentation of self could not be worthy to stand before God, so they practiced shame, abasement, and self-annihilation. Molinos maps this out in his writings in Spiritual Guide. One could read between the lines and see the underlying concepts have nothing to do with God or Devils.
The writing basically evokes destruction of the ego (and to make oneself small and humiliated before the world). I was well into his tenets independently--but they mirrored my foundation. In my book I used paragraph after paragraph with some rewording, and did not parse the essential message like Molinos. One other difference was, I had no intention of being small or humiliated before the world and emphasized that the reader could accomplish a similar effect privately, but should spare nothing of one's self-abasement helped along by a worded contemplation I dubbed the "Shame Practice."
Here is the deal with that: If I coax every thought and fiber of my body that I am worthless and should not exist, while having first embraced the concept of detachment, you create an invulnerable disposition and foundation. Why? Because if you do the practice earnestly it leads to a phenomena of feeling empty and puts you at ground zero. From that point there is only 'up' in qualative state of mind. (The followers of Molinos were getting off, high having raptures etc. the deeper into self-negation) Should it be the case that you don't go 'up', that is even way better still> you have a direct opportunity to debase yourself more than ever before (and understanding the aim and results there cannot be anything more desirable, because every pain becomes pleasure based on what empirically preceeded). Without the predecessors like myself and Molinos, others first embarking on this course would surely doubt their sanity. There had to be many who only suffered, because that is what they were told to do. Forget about Gods and Devils and Dreams, go to the bottom whence you'll find awareness ALONE (without the decoration) IS.
That is the beginning of your controlled folly. I like the word PLAY too. However, the sharp teeth of reality do bite hard, and I can only tell you that will always have to adopt being the warrior.
I do think you SEE that the challenges as once before insurmountable, are very doable. I like the word ACQUIESCE. I ACQUIESCE for pause, then the substance can be given identity and detached from.
Still, these are temperaments that are developed in reason, and as you eloquently understand--likened to the fascination of learning and PLAYING music.
There will be times when you are engaged and being more decisive, then there is falling off. This is life.
Still again, I find getting to the bottom through detachment the ultimate disposition for me.