The Journey Paraphernalia

[watergaze]

now come some thoughts, thoughts that seem to want to find a venue to express in order to be seen by myself. Kinda like, if you dont start writing you will never know what you'd have written - where the thought would go. It is all a kind of analogy. A thought in progress of seeing what it is about...

When one is going on a journey, one takes a walking stick, a robe, a bag with some necessities, good walking shoes, a compass and/or map with the marked destination... and then sets out - or more likely one sets out already to gather these items though unsure what one will need cause one does not know all that lies ahead . All of these are of course symbolic and aspects of energy/awareness. 

They are, once acquired, an organic part of the traveler. As such they might need to be acquired in a certain order (maybe in the order of the travel but maybe not all travels need to be done in exactly the same way) - But surely one needs the part linking to the nature of the next path. Say one needs to climb a mountain and for that good shoes are quite useful (even required), then one needs to go down slippery steep slopes so a walking stick spares one's knees plus adds safety and then one enters a very rainy and windy country and for that the robe is a godsend . Spirit equips a certain kind of traveler with what they need at each stage because Spirit is kind. And each segment of the journey /each piece makes the traveler more ready for his next journey. 

It is likely that some crazy people go up the mountain without proper shoes and down without a walking stick and wonder in the cold rain without a robe. But most likely many have had to stop and turn back because of that. And they may also damage parts of themselves because they did not properly prepare themselves for the journey.

So, for example, now that the robe has come to help me cross the cold rainy region, I might find myself in a place where the need for something else will spark new learning and experiences. Who knows I might find myself in need of a boat... cause the river is now quite a big one hehe. The journey might be swifter with a boat too. Spirit knows I could use some swiftness in my life lol and has already showed me that a boat is indeed ready. Anyway, who knows what is next?  

The interesting thing though is that, never mind my analogy above, it seems to me that the helpful thing (object, state, whatever) is not necessarily acquired at the start of each region (it can be the case that the thing is so organic to one's self that one already has it but the further one goes I think the less likely that is). One enters the region and then goes on and at some point finds oneself with the thing that is needed. Kinda as if our own being grew to be able to accommodate / have that helpful thing. Then one still has a little bit to go but since one is a lot better equipped it is more comfy and one makes swifter progress on one's way. One is able to enjoy oneself a lot more too.

Maybe it is like one needs something to be able to enter the next stage but one does not realize it cause it looks like one needs it for the current stage. That something is gained while crossing the current stage thanks to the nature of this stage - it kinda forces one to acquire it unless one gives up.

Hmmmm

[Kaomea]

Productive brainstorming.

I'm a firm believer that everything we require, we already possess. The key is to figure out how to unlock ourselves sometimes people help us do that because they might have some kind of a magic touch. We may seek out people we know can help us or we may be able to assist others and so we engage them.

The journey is a fluid experience and we have everything we need. Our abilities arise when they're required or when it's appropriate. Others may help us meet ourselves and that's a kind service even if it involves unkind behavior. The journey can always be productive when we learn to transform negative moments into a life lesson.

I often remind myself: what is the lesson and am I capable of learning this lesson now. Most times I'm not ready so I try again later. But I bookmark it so I remember to come back.

[watergaze]

I like your version of already possessing the stuff. I'd say already having the option makes sense to me. Then we manifest this option into reality. 
And, yes, I thought that can surely be the case that we already have it, but I see you mean it even more organically than I did. 

In effect it is the same thing whether we unlock something we cannot use yet so that we can use it or whether we receive something that we can use - cause the effect it the same. But in the origin of it, it is very different then. All in all then in the scenario you propose Spirit does the unlocking not the giving.  (peculiar how in language we have the phrase "in effect" but not the phrase "in origin" - this explains quite a lot about us as a society lol).

As our awareness grows stages are unlocked that come with certain 'things' or representations of things. Like the robe. In this sense one could ask, was it always there before the dragonfly gave it to me? Did the dragonfly just help me see / feel? (either way there was a change from one state to another). What was there was the ability to grow into myself and expand my awareness. But the robe was given to me as a token of that, once a certain development has taken place. 

I have heard/read before about how objects become part of a shaman's energy. The shaman reaches a certain point or crosses certain threshold or has a certain experience and as a symbol of that they receive as an object - in energy. Then they can get this object in reality. They wear it but it is not like an ordinary item, say a ring. It is the manifestation of their awareness / energy. It is an object of a different kind.

[Kaomea]

Yes, I think I understand what you're saying and we're saying very similar things.  

Multiple cultures value power objects.  It's a powerful way to manifest and manipulate energy.  Certainly think in those terms if they make the most sense to you.  

I suppose my way of thinking is less common.  I believe power transcends objects.  Instead of seeing it as [awareness > power object > user] I see it as [awareness > user].  

Like in witchcraft.  Many witches use spells, rituals, and incantations to manifest awareness.  This is normal and a great option for many.  The next progression is to subtract the symbols and work with pure intent.  

Still, even if capable of operating  from a position of pure intent some shamans and witches enjoy the symbolism for their own reasons.  

Symbols are a beautiful representation of intent.  I consider it works of art.  However, sometimes people choose not to reveal those values in their environment for reasons of privacy.  It is not always good to be so revealing to everyone who enters your space.  In comparison, most shamans don't have privacy concerns like that, as all energy is visible to those who see  but some shamans might decide privacy is important.  Learning to operate completely independent from objects means more freedom of movement...but it might feel a bit drafty without a robe To each their own preferences.

To increase mobility and speed, one must become lighter.  That might mean traveling without a robe, a backpack, or a staff.  It will be an uncomfortable journey to do this.

When speed is needed, expect to operate at a lower skillset.  When you need access to more awareness then slow things down.  If our mind is very busy with mundane things then there isn't much opportunity to grow awareness.  

I like to fiddle with the settings as life throws cr@p at me.

I think of spirit like I do a car. Why do I need a really fast car when the speed limit is so much less than the car's potential? Because I don't like to lose when approached for a spontaneous street race lol. It means should I need the speed, it's available. It's a safety feature really.

[watergaze]

I wanted to add something to my last post. But you are so fast in responding hehe. I wanted to say that I am aware what I mention in the last paragraph can be taken to be a power object (and that I did not use that word on purpose because it flavours the way I think about it then). I do not think of it as a power object because the power objects I know of are also objects of a different kind. One can create power objects or receive them from others etc and they do not have to have any link to our development/awareness or to our form of energy. Whereas the objects I talk about are like not objects at all. The only reason why we might feel we want the object itself from matter is to link the different realities. And in this sense it could be called a power object, but it is not like the other power objects. You can't get it unless you already have it . I would more call it a manifestation object or something lol. It does not have power on its own like a power object can - in the sense like a power place has power of its own. But then, I guess if I think further, the object that is then connected to the energy is changed by it, hmm... maybe and then becomes a personal power object heh.

headache LOL.

Let's try again... 
I kinda think that if I get a brilliant ring because my awareness has gotten to this stage of brilliancy , and then someone else takes the ring - given their awareness has not reached that stage so the ring really is not of much use to them. Whereas if you take a powerful object from a shaman - say a drum. You feel the power of the drum and use it regardless of whether you have reaches the state of awareness of that shaman or not. So in this at least I would see a difference.

The object I talk about if I were to write it in the useful way as you do is not: [awareness > power object > user] or [awareness > user] it is just [awareness] or I guess [awareness > representation]. There is no use for it like a witch's mirror or a shaman's drum, there is no user for the object just the person that it is. [awareness > awarer/being ]. (lol we are all awarers hehe).

And yes there is the enjoyment of the symbol of the thing/awareness in its form of matter, as a manifestation in matter. Kinda like if I have a limb in energy it is nice to have it in matter too . I also consider it a work of art. 
And yes some might choose to stay more hidden, thing is though only a well trained person would know that this ring is different than the other rings (in the brilliant ring example). It is hidden to all that see and those that see do not need it to see what is there anyway. If the object that has taken on the role of manifesting is lost it will be surely felt deeply by the owner but it will not change/impact the energy/awareness aspect of it. 

But there is the issue of practicality hehe, like you say. Wearing a ring is a much more normal thing for our society. I cannot well get myself a multicolored robe to wear everywhere I go. but for certain things maybe I could. Still in our culture that would not only make me stick out like a sore thumb but also not be practical to wear depending on weather etc. I can find however a more subtle way of representing it, if I feel so inclined and maybe with a little help from being inspired . 

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Kaomea wrote:To increase mobility and speed, one must become lighter. That might mean traveling without a robe, a backpack, or a staff. It will be an uncomfortable journey to do this. 

When speed is needed, expect to operate at a lower skillset. When you need access to more awareness then slow things down. If our mind is very busy with mundane things then there isn't much opportunity to grow awareness.
I agree with this. One should only ask for / bring along what is needed (and this was my point also in the lead post, never meant to imply that one carries things that are useless). 
This is also what I see in link to power objects. One can't carry all of that stuff . I kinda travel around a lot and this has become quite obvious to me already on the material level . But it is also true on the inner level... 

Thnx for helping me think through/ formulate this stuff a bit better .

[Guest]