How to shed the junk

[Frank]

Halfphased: Nature is designed to exist in a state of harmony and balance. We are a part of nature, as you rightly point out. It must surely be incumbent upon us, therefore, to live in accordance with that harmony and to ensure the balance is not upset. This has to be the correct definition of our "natural" state. What other could there possibly be, but simply the way of living that is in accordance with the natural harmony and balance of nature. Everything we do should be an extension of this. Yet the current situation could not be any more opposite! Whether it is for good or ill is not something we have yet to see. The sickening proof is right there, in front of everyone's faces.

This is not a matter of one person trying to impose their ideals on another. Anyone can see for themselves (if they were to actually open their eyes) every year the greed and the destruction magnifies, and we move yet further away from our natural state. People are not destroying the planet through having the wrong instincts. They are destroying it through having ridiculous ego-attachments. This is so darned widespread hardly anyone sees it. As such, it has become "normal". All this wouldn't be too bad if the only people suffering were a relatively small number who refused to pay heed, as nature is designed to encompass a limited degree of upset. But the incessant and widespread desire for yet more wealth and power causes a monstrous degree of suffering to millions of innocent people, and to billions of animals. Not to mention the rape and destruction of huge swathes of our planet, and the significant pollution of our air and water with highly obnoxious chemicals and gasses.

You say that you can see the path humans have taken is not the best possible. Look, we're not talking about optimisation here; discussing how we can fine-tune the system and give it a little tweak to improve its efficiency a couple of percent. Unfortunately, the path we are on is probably the worst possible path we could have taken. Our future is already being lost in the name of greed coupled with horrendous levels of self-indulgence. And life IS already being made needlessly impossible for huge numbers of people and animals. Animals have just as much right to live on this planet as we do. On whose authority do we exploit them? What gives us the right to breed and slaughter billions of these innocent creatures every year? The glaring fact is: we have no right.

You go on to say that "at the same time they destroy they create". Excuse me for asking, but who are those mysterious they? I would suggest the people you are calling They, are in fact: us. And people generally are not in the business of creation. Vast numbers of people in this world do nothing more than consume. In the process, the only thing they "create" is one almighty pile of waste, of every manner and description, and at the same time cause untold suffering to millions of creatures (including other humans).

Yours,
Frank

[Frank]

Jouni: I'm sorry if I accidentally misquoted you and I would never intentionally misread what a person had written. I suppose that's just one of the unfortunate misunderstandings that can happen due to the question and answer style of posting to a forum such as this one. I did underline where I say no disrespect to the poster which was, of course, your good self. I wanted to make clear the quote was made solely for the purposes of the debate, and not in any way meant as some kind of personal attack. Which is something I would never do.

Yours,
Frank

[BlackTalon]

quote:Originally posted by jilola

A reply to the original post
What is the solution?

Examine yourself and live true to what YOU feel and perceive to be the real and truhtfull you. If that entails leaving your job, the do it. If you can negotioate your job and what you choose to define as your Self then do that. Only always be truthful to yourself and always accept responsibility of what you decide.

2cents & L&L
Jouni

I think you hit that right on the head.


Yep, makes sense to me, I shouldnt think my belief is any more right than someone elses ( if there is such thing, which I doubt..too many variables ) we've all had different experiences in our lifes to change us into how we are today and what we believe, maybe tommorow mine will change, who knows.  Thanks for pointing that out to me so clearly

[BlackTalon]

Frank

Whichever your path you wish to travel is up to you but i'd like to get a better understanding of your point of view. ( if you don't mind that is)

You mentioned that we needed to graduate, is this because we don't follow in your point of view? or do we have to stop paying taxes, leave our jobs and head for the hills to graduate?..kinda unclear on this one...isn't being online and using your computer somehow connected to this system?

This is kind of a question...

I get this picture in my mind, say your on one hill by yourself with an underground bunker...on the other hill theres a family standing there with no bunker. Theres a siren that an air raid is incoming...would you say " I hate all this suffereing all over the world" , wave to the family and say, well goodluck and climb into your bunker? or would you run over to the family possibly risking your life and share your bunker with them?


This is not directed at you but in retrospect to myself.
"if your not part of the solution your part of the problem"

...but like I said, just trying to see your side of the coin and it'd be great if you could clear it up for me.

[Frank]

Douglas: Sure, as a society we should make an effort to improve things for everyone but that is one of the main points of the current problem.

It doesn't take much research to realise that vast numbers of the world's population are being severely exploited and for what? Merely to line the pockets of the already vastly rich multi-national corporations; groups who are blinded by their own greed to the extent they can only see the world as a place to be plundered.

These corporations work hand in hand with governments and are progressively destroying the very fabric of this planet.

The primary business of these corporations is largely to produce more and more consumer goods for which there is no natural need. Their entire structure is geared towards pampering to people's wretched desire for ego gratification, together with other related items such as fast food; burger and chicken-nugget outlets; or other manufactured foods such as tinned goods, frozen food, and all manner of stuff in packets; plus drugs such as caffeine in tea and coffee, and sugar production, are just a few examples of many.

I'm struggling to get to grips with this notion of "if". In the sense that, "if the problem grows so large then..." The problem is here, already. It has grown so large that it already affects virtually everyone. But because we in the western world could be said to be on the "good end" so to speak; and because most people are riddled with very much the same ego-attachments; and get similar kinds of diseases at similar times in their life... most people just don't see it.

Again, it doesn't take much research to realise the amount of sickness and disease in western society gets higher every year. This increase is directly related to the food most people eat. It's that simple. Virtually all sickness and disease could be eradicated if people were to consume a natural diet from birth. That is, a diet that would be natural for an animal known as a Human to eat.

Arthritis, for example, is a very common disease suffered by millions of elderly people (but the numbers of younger people getting the disease gets higher year on year). Here are some facts published by the BBC in one of their articles on the Internet, and remember this is just one disease:

The number of people suffering from arthritis has hit "epidemic" proportions, but is still not taken seriously, a charity has claimed. Figures released on Monday revealed that more than 7m people in the UK (15% of the population) have long term health problems related to arthritis. It is the second most common cause for people taking sick leave, after mental health disorders.

Millions of pounds are spent each year by drug companies and charities to try and find a "cure" for arthritis. The cause of arthritis is directly related to diet, in particular, the long-term consumption of dairy products. Remember, you read it here first on Astral Pulse.

I don't know who decided we were omnivorous. Probably a body of scientists sponsored by the meat industry I expect. As I said in a previous post to this thread, we simply have none of the natural faculties we would most certainly need in order to capture, take apart, chew, and digest... meat. Admittedly we could perhaps chase and capture some of the slower animals, but then what?

We haven't got the inherent strength, the teeth, the claws, the jaws, etc. Nothing about us naturally, as an animal, would suggest we should eat meat. Whether it did increase our chance of survival or not is debatable. But such an argument bears no relevance to our situation in modern-day western society.

Yours,
Frank

PS
I'm not on a raw-fruit diet.

[halfphased]

Frank:  Yes, when I used the word 'they' I meant 'us'.  You would think that after 10 years of recieving red marks asking "they?" on my english reports that I would finally get it into my head to be more clear.   I guess I used the word 'they', because in so doing my ego hoped to not be associated with the group of people who are actively destroying the world.

And what I meant is pretty much what you figured out.  When we destroy what we have, it is in the process of creating it to better fit an image of what our ego-personalities think the world should be like.  To us (you and me and whoever else wants to think the following way) it may look like they are creating a pile of crap.  No arguments there.  (To me it is a pile of crap and I'll say right here and now that practically every critque on the world you have given had not escaped me.)   And if we ever hope to see things change to a way more fit to our liking, then we will be the ones destroying the way of things to create as we see fit.  Probably, their will be people that think that we are creating  a pile of crap.  Hopefully, we will be at a point where we can work collectively for the good of all and all will be excited to help co-create our existence in a harmonious and balanced way.

quote:You say that you can see the path humans have taken is not the best possible. Look, we're not talking about optimisation here; discussing how we can fine-tune the system and give it a little tweak to improve its efficiency a couple of percent.

[] That was not how I was intending for that line to be interpreted, but yes the interpretation fits.  I guess, I will have to say that it is due to my own personal style that has developed over the years.  It is very subtle and not many people would get it unless they had intimately known me for many years.  Understanding, mixed with dry fact, and a twist of sarcasim.  I believe quite certainly that this path is headed to ruin if our greatest fears are left drive it.  Fortunately, there are people like you and me and the others on this forum in this world.  So, I am not so pesimistic about the current state of things.  Not to say that you are being overly pesimistic.  I am pesimistic, but I've come to an understanding with myself that I will work with what I have and help in my own way and try not to be attached to the end results.  I gotta leave room for the optimisim otherwise I'm going to cop the jism  (hehe, inside joke)

I guess where I'm comming from is a strange place as I am still trying to incorporate some things.  A weak understanding of advaia vedanta, buddhism, new age, my own personal feelings, etc.    It's kind of difficult for me, right now, to be so certain about things, when I'm still digesting the idea that everything we experience is bound up with our senses and at the end of the day, the world we experience is not ultimately real.  

Dang nabbit, I have to get ready for work.  Well, I'll just have to end on that.

[Gandalf]

Frank_
I know you feel strongly about this, but maybe I should clarify what I was trying to say earlier.

I actually DO see where you are coming from with regards to the fact that its not 'if' its 'IS', concerning the global problems concerned.
I agree with you, I was using the 'if' to talk about how this already chronic problem may get even worse, if that's possible. But I agree that the problem is already ingrained, and in one sense you could almost admire at the skill with which modern consumer society has got everyone by the bollards so to speak, that is, if the consequences were'nt so awful.

But I was trying to raise a point about one of your earlier comments about how its better to avoid all this and to 'drop out' in order to get on with your own development. I agree to a certain extent, but my feeling is that ethically, it is the duty of all of us to get more pro-active in trying to combat all this and to try to improve things for everyone at least when its sensible for us to do so, and i don't mean from an economic viewpoint, I mean holistically.
This is what ethics is all about, I dont mean any divine sanctioned ethics, but good, old fashioned rational greek inspired secular ethics which is focused on finding some kind of better system for all of us here, now;

Yes, i know, most types who indulge in this spend most of their time in their ivory tower backslapping (or stabbing) eachother for their latest clever ideas, which never amounts to anything, and again its a field thats largely been taken over by ego driven academics, but I think there are a few that are not a part of this. and I think its a good idea to strive to help others, not out of some idea of divine favours but because it logically makes sense; if everyone gets into the swing of helping others, then we ourselves will benefit in turn, or at least thats the idea; hopefully, the end result is that the world, Monroe's ELS, will be a much more productive experience.

Ok, this looks impossible right now, but does thast mean we should all just abandon the idea? I notice you are concerned about compassion too, is it possible to feel compassionate about people in trouble while still walking away from them? I guess so, if much of it was their own doing, but I feel that compassion compels us to try and help them anyway.

Concerning the raw 'fruit diet', I wasnt meaning to have a go at you with the 'jesus' thing Frank; my question was a serious one!
I think the confusion stems from the fact that your profile says you eat a raw food diet, and when you mention your own fruit and veg, I think everyone assumed that you were meaning that as well.

Apologies for the misunderstanding.
As for the jesus thing, well, I was reading a copy of the dead sea scrolls, a very early source dating to before the present christian bible, and the jesus described (who does NOT refer himself as the son of god btw), promotes a diet plan of raw fruit and veg, no cooked stuff, natural bread, NO ANIMAL products, he even took offence at the wearing of any animal products like leather, he viewed such exploitations as an offence to 'the earthly mother'.

While I know you say you are not on the same diet, I found it interesting that this early teacher was telling everyone about the dangers of animal meat.

I was also reading that the greek mathematician Pythagoras was also a mystic and set up a school which again taught a diet of strict vegetarianism, so there does seem to be something in this idea.

All for now,
Douglas

[jilola]

Frank, like I said no worries []

I just wanted to clear up (and it seems my style is a bit sarcastic/acerbic at times) that I was referring to a more limited problem than the one the thread is concerned with at the moment.

I think we are in complete agreement in that the ego-attachment and the resulting greed-power trip is what is the root cause of most of the horror in the world. The false (in my opinion) ideal that more is better and that somehow "I" have more claim for comfort and material goods pervades nearly all societies. This despite the fact that the moral and ethical guidelines the very same societies claim as theirs (namely religions) almost unanimously(sp?) speak for the importance and value of caring for those with less and of building a better life for everyone even to the extent of losing something of value or personal comfort in the process.

The attachment, unfortunately, can only be overcome by each individuals on his or her own however much we'd like to steer the world in a seemingly better direction. Thus each individual should first take care of his/her own ego and then act and behave in a manner that makes for a good example. Thus, in the case of global stife and suffering, it falls on the shoulders of the people inthe so called industrialized world to change their values and see themselves (myself included) as a part of a bigger whole equally the cause of the destructive behaviour so rampant today. That way the nations responsible for most of the greedy behaviour can start to change from within and possibly some day become more constructive members of humanity.

As things stand humans are probably as low ethically as is possible given the extent of mankind capabilities and level of thinking. The mind boggles at the ignorance and wanton harm done by us.

2cents & L&L
Jouni

PS: The fruit diet thingy is probably a misreading of your profile  []

[Kenneth]

Hello Halfphased,

kenneth, am I doing something wrong? I tried to undestand with my body, but as I tried to do that it felt like my mind was screaming in agony! it felt so heavy like my body was being suffocated... what's up? how can I understand something without my mind? when thinking stops, how am I suppossed to put any meaning into these bodily sensations? and wait a minute, how am I even aware of these sensations?! is my mind still secretly at work? It's like I'm throwing a wrench into the machine and it want to break apart, but at the same time it feels like something is trying to hold it together. weird

What a mess, huu ? .... Yup - Been there, ARE there *LOL* [] ... Seems like you could use a little guidance here []

And yes, your are absolutely right - the very ACT of trying to understand your feelings and inner states with your mind is like using a pair of scissors to move the lawn - or the act of trying to explain a colour to a blind []

So - even that I am no psycologist, or trained "professional", I have allowed my self to create a little "guide-line" of MY inner workings, in the hope, that you can recognize some of this in yourself as well []


You THINK thoughts, and use thoughts when dealing with and learning from the actual situation at hand, and analyzing it. The end result is a MENTAL understanding of the situation.

You FEEL feelings, when you are dealing with the feelings associated with the situation at hand. The end result is an EMOTIONAL understanding of the situation at hand.

Your body DOES the situation, when you participate in the situation at hand. The end result is a PHYSICAL understanding of the situation. (Like repeating something so long, that your body "knows" how to do it without your thoughts interfeering. (Btw: What have thoughts to do IN THE ACT OF DOING anyway? ... they are GREAT at analyzing and preparing the act, but WHILE YOU ARE DOING WHAT YOU HAVE THOUGHT? ... Nope, they have no place there, unless something needs correction somewhere)

Oh - and you have several other Abilities, that you also use all the time, like the ability to Taste, to Smell, to See, to Hear, to Feel etc.

Each of these "abilities" are like "Tools" YOU can use in your Life. But what happens, if one of these "tools" gets to use YOU instead of YOU USING THE TOOL? (What happens, when the car takes control of the driver? ... Or the quiet normal situation, when someone asks you "How are you today? ... If you (Like any other would do, actually), answers that question (that is clearly directed towards your emotions) with your mind, then you are actually trying to explain your feelings with your mind, and THAT is no-win situation [:O] ... your "mind" is using you, instead of you using your mind, if you allow your mind to answer the question)

The problem is, that you normally can only "be aware" or more precisely "Identify" yourself with one of these aspects (or tools) at the time, (Like if you start THINKING about a situation at hand, you sometimes freeze bodily), or if you Focus on your left hand, you loose focus of your right hand.

AND WITH NO GUIDANCE/AWARENESS FROM YOU, YOUR TOOLS STARTS ACT INDEPENDANTLY OF YOU, OR STARTS TO ACT DESPITE OF YOU [B)][xx(][B)] ) - so how do you solve that little quest?...

Well, there's a tool inside of you for that too [:O] ....

An ability in all of us, that we use when we are i.e. Driving and talking with someone at the same time [:O] ... The ability to split the awareness between several "tools" at the same time, and still be aware of every aspect of the situation. - The Act of "balancing on the knive's edge without falling to either side"

(I use that tool frequently, when I play music with my Band, I have to Play the Base, Sing backing, smile, following where we are in the song, "flirt" with the Audience, being aware of the other musicians and what THEY do, etc... In short A LOT of different situations, that each in itself are extremely difficult - and SOMETIMES, when I am very lucky, I reach that "place", or get in "touch" with that aspect of myself, that ARE AWARE of the all, and I can actually just be like a "happy passenger", and enjoy the ride []

One of the strange effects of using (Identifying yourself) with this tool is, that THE MORE DIFFICULT AND DEMANDING THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE SITUATION(S) GET (THE MORE TOOLS YOU "APPLY"), THE MORE QUIET, ALERT, AWARE AND AWAKE YOU BECOME [^]. (It feels like "time slows down" - the more "pressure", the more time you have to actually do the right thing, and the more you actually "relax" [])

Me using this tool on a "Okay, now i am walking" kind of way, is my next goal []


So how do you "learn" this tool in yourself, so it becomes "Second nature" to you ? .... Well, how did you learn to Walk? Run? Adding numbers? ...

Yup - BY TRAINING THE TOOL INSIDE OF YOU THROUGH THE USE OF IT!! ...

How do you get into physical shape ? ... By thinking "I want to get into physical shape?" ... Yup - that's the first step - and the next step is to start running, and KEEP RUNNING ? ....

It's also "packed" with the same "Rules" as all the other tools inside of you, meaning that:
- The more you use it, the better you get at it [] (THINKING about doing it is NOT doing it []).
- If you do it too much for too long a time, you "strain" yourself, like you can "overtrain / strain" yourself when training physically, emotionally, mentally, and then it actually gives the opposite result.


So - how do you "train" yourself using this "ability" ?

Well, I have found several exercises, that I find very usefull, but the most effective is using sight as a "starting-point" (Mainly because most of us have this ability, and are very skilled in it's use):

- Find a nice place out in the nature, relax, and look at the trees in front of you. Observe in yourself, that you tend to "focus" on different parts of these trees when looking at them, meaning you "move" your focus and awareness between different "parts" of the scenery in front of you, in order to obtain the "complete" picture. This is quiet normal behaveour, but that will change [}:)]

The "training" method in this is to "Look without looking", meaning that you look (focus) on the empty space between you and the trees, and then slowly become aware of the trees in front of you, WHILE KEEPING SOME OF YOUR AWARENESS ON THE EMPTY SPACE BETWEEN YOU AND THE TREES. Observe in yourself, that if you try TO hard, then you will move your focus to a specific part of the "scenery" in front of you, and loose the focus on the empty space. Also observe, that if ANYTHING inside of you "grabs" your awareness away from your "control", then you "Loose" that "looking without looking" state. I use this fact as my "trigger" for, when I loose my awareness to another part of me.

This (With practise) actually traines the "state of mind", where you can be aware of the whole scenery - sort of a "detached" way of looking - like You are looking inside yourself at what it is, that is actually looking on the trees. The keyword here is PEACE inside of you, meaning NO OTHER TOOLS THAN WHAT IS SEEING INSIDE OF YOU HAVE YOUR ATTENTION. ("Peace" like you search in a situation, where you REALLY need to concentrate on a difficult math-piece, and there is just to much noice, that keeps "grabbing" your attention/awareness)

Build on this excercise in the way, that once you HAVE that ALL-LOOK state nailed, try to keep that, and at the same time open your awareness a little bit to what your body is feeling. If you LOOSE that ALL-LOOK state, and start feeling instead, you have been "grabbed" by your feelings. Just "back up", get your ALL-LOOK state of mind back again, and try again...

If you are looking - and are continuously aware that you are looking, and suddenly starts asking yourself, IF you are doing it right - well, then YES!!! ... you are aware of TWO TOOLS INSIDE OF YOU AT THE SAME TIME!!! ... (The part of you that See, and the part of you that Thinks)

Another excersise, that I find VERY difficult actually, is to try the same thing with your breathing - can you be "aware" of your breathing without changing your breathing-pattern ? [] ... Remember, that if you CHANGE your breathing when you observe it, you are using TOO much force in your attempt - so "back up", and try again with a little less "energy" or "force" behind your awareness [] (If you can imagine how much force/energy there would be behind a "Kiss from an Angel" on your cheek, then apply that "much" energy/force as a starting point - it's actually that little amount of "force/energy" you have to apply to your attempt)

This is only a couple of training methods - actually ANY situation (and ANY tool in you), and in your life is a PERFECT training scenario. (Seeing without seeing, tasting without tasting, feel without feeling, think without thinking, DO WITHOUT DOING etc...)

But, like any training - be carefull to not start with TO difficult an excercise [] ... using a high-powered argument with your girlfriend (I take it you are male, or?) as a first excersice, is like starting out with running 20 kilometers when you come from a "Too much couch, tobacco and relaxation" environment [B)] ... that WILL be a total disaster *LOL* [xx(]

So here you have it - And the End-Result of this? ... Well - any one who have "been there" long enough to notice, will tell you, that it opens up a LOT of funny, deep and VERY exciting experiences []

(Another pointer to that "ALL-LOOK" state is actually trying to look at what is moving, instead of looking at what is "fixed" in place - or looking at space between the objects. Spotters in the military use this ability too I think, and I use it when (i.e.) looking for a fly, that is keeping me awake at night, and is "hiding" somewhere in my bedroom - I just sort of "zone out" in me looking, and the slightest movement from the fly is like a bright light in a dark room - it stands out, because everything else in the room - INCLUDING ALL YOUR TOOLS INSIDE OF YOU (except your awareness) !! - is ABSOLUTELY QUIET []

Hope this will inspire you, and bring you further in your Quest []

[halfphased]

That was very easy to understand and very informative.  I shall give it a go.

Many Thanks

[Kenneth]

[]

[BlackTalon]

I like what you said there Kenneth, i'm definetl gonna re-read that a few times and try the excersises. Funny when I think about looking at life in a different way, thats about as far as I get. I don't clue in as to having to train yourself as i've probabaly only looked at it in a limited way for most of my life.

A prime example for myself I should have realized, but clued in after your reading was. I used to be really into visualization ...for a specific healing I wanted to do. ( each day when I remembered i'd take my thoughts back to my visualization ) It was kind of out of desperation and went about it the wrong way but now my visualization is different than before alot more pinpointed and defined if I use it. So I can move it around almost like a feeler or an extra arm and feel it move over my body...to some degree. To think if I practice this more what else could come of it.

I've always said to myself it's foolish to think all I see before me is the only thing thats there then I don't do anything to prove myself wrong, just complain to myself lol

[daem0n]

good job kenneth, i would have never had the patience to write so much, but i have some valuable tool for you instead, it's called :


The Tibetan Exercise of Paradox

Step One
Background:
In  previous angel messages reference is made to an ancient exercise which allows the brain to do four things at once.

History indicates that this exercise was a state secret in ancient Tibet and that highly trained Tibetan rulers in Nepal were required to do this exercise as a matter of state security.

Doing four things at once is necessary to develop whole brain
functioning for enlightenment and mastery.   In wholebrain consciousness  a person is in a state of pure being and will, Delta brainwaves, at the same time they are in deep inward thought, Theta brainwaves,  feeling, flowing, psychically sensing and changing in Alpha brainwaves while being aware of the five senses, logic, and memory of Beta brainwaves.

In enlightenment the four brainwave patterns  alternate in perfect rhythm.

Energy shifts between WILL-THOUGHT  and  FEELING -SENSATION, or between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.  

Two at a time fire, the Delta and Theta, and then the other two, Alpha and Beta in a rhythmic manner  in a similar manner of REM [rapid eye movement] in dream patterns.  

The four levels of whole brain thinking are:

Delta brainwaves which produce a state of pure being, very slow oscillations, roughly 1 to 4 oscillations per second [abbreviated as ops]. This is the seat of WILL, or desire.  This is the dominant brainstate of infants.  
Theta brainwaves which produce a state of deep inward thought, approx. 4 to 6 ops.  This is dominant in small children.  
Alpha brainwaves which produce emotions and feelings and receives emotions and feelings from others, approx. 6 to 12 ops.  All psychic activities are in this range. This brainwave is dominant in adolescents.  
Beta brainwaves which produce the five senses, memory, rational linear thought and language, approx. 12 ops and up.  This brainwave is dominant in adults.  
The following physical and imaginative exercises lead up to the final exercise in which all four parts of the brain fire at the same time, and with even a little practice the brain gets used to working in this manner automatically.  

The purpose of  step one is to perform a simple physical movement with total focus and awareness of all bodily sensations. It is important to become ACUTELY AWARE of the bodily sensations of this movement.

If you are working in a restricted area, you may substitute the featured activity of fencing thrusts with another activity that requires less space. If you must use another activity, read over these exercises and apply them accordingly to your chosen activity. The use of fencing thrusts is the actual exercise used by Tibetan Rulers.

We are going to do a double fencing thrust.

Get something that represents a sword or just imagine that you are holding one. Now  make a sudden forward thrust to the right, just as if you are practicing the art of fencing.

Pay close attention to every sensation that your body experiences. You will need a clear bodily memory of these sensations  later.

Now spin around.  Make a fencing thrust to the left.

Do not hurry through these movements.  The idea is to pay close attention to your body sensations in making these movements.  The five senses or beta brainwaves are activated.

Now repeat and turn. Thrust again to the right.
Deliberately, carefully, paying attention to every sensation.

Turn.
Lunge to the left.
Turn.
Lunge to the right .

Repeat until you have the clear sensation of lunging in each direction perfectly familiarized and remembered on a sensate bodily level.

Remember the sensations from the beta wave level above. [Beta wave= memory, and the five senses]

This time when you do a fencing thrust to the right, IMAGINE and feel that your body is  lunging to the left.

This imaginary state of lunging in the opposite direction of the one your body is doing  activates the alpha wave level as you FEEL the imagined sensations and the Theta wave level of brainwave activity as you PICTURE them.

The imagined action of thrusting to the left while the physical body is lunging to the right is repeated often with so vivid an imagination that it feels actually more real to you than what the actual physical  body is doing.

The two bodies [ solid and imagined] lunging in opposite directions form a V if a camera  could capture both the imagined action  and the action of the physical body .

Now  turn.
Let your physical body lunge to the left,
While you IMAGINE that you are lunging to the right.

Your attention is so completely focused on your imaginary body, which is making a fencing thrust to the right, that it is much more real to you than what your physical body is doing, which is making a fencing thrust to the left.

Your mind is fully engaged  in the sensation and concept of the imaginary body experience while the physical body is doing the opposite direction .

The physical body is operating on its own like it does in a mechanical activity such as typing or driving a car.

Many variations of this theme can be done in confined spaces.
Any double action, like moving the pencil to the right while you imagine moving it to the left, works for this part of wholebrain exercise.

Move your mental eyes one way while your physical eyes move the other. Or try lowering your head while in your imagination you are lifting it. Try facing and walking in one direction while imagining you are facing and walking in the other.

The blood supply to the brain greatly increases with this type of exercise.

Step two:

Summary

In the last exercise we learned how to vividly imagine and feel ourselves performing an action that is the mirror image of one that the physical body is performing at the same time. This allowed the brain to do two things at once.

Again, we will do two things at once. This time walk four steps forward.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY SENSATIONS WITH EACH STEP.

[Activates Beta brainwaves of the five senses.]
Do not turn around.

Still facing the same way, take four steps backward. Pay attention to each  physical sensation as you do this. Now again walk forward four steps.

Now backward four steps.
Do this until you have it clearly imprinted.  

Remember, you are facing the same way the whole time, but half the time you are walking forward and half the time you are walking backward.

You are now ready for the next step :

Now IMAGINE and FEEL yourself walking four steps backwards , AT THE SAME TIME that your physical body is walking four steps forward. [Activated alpha and theta brainwave states.]

Then IMAGINE yourself walking four steps forward WHILE YOUR PHYSICAL BODY IS WALKING FOUR STEPS BACKWARD.

Repeat this until the imagined action is more real to your awareness than what your physical body is doing and you can do this easily.

In your imagination, you will pass yourself coming and going.

You may feel lightheaded at first because the brain is getting an increased blood supply.

Remember that the imagined you must feel more real and vivid to you than the physical you.

If you have this part mastered, the rest will be easy. At the end of the next installment, your brain will be doing four things at once.

Just like learning how to ride a bicycle, you will never forget or lose this skill. Practice regularly.

Once your brain gets used to doing four things at once, it will be easy for you to apply this to the meditations of the divine virtues in which you produce Beta, Alpha, Theta, and Delta brainwaves consciously at the same time .

This means that you will be able to feel oneness with Universal
Consciousness in the Pure Being of the Delta brainwave state, create deeply in your inner world in the Theta brainwave state,  feel  in the alpha brainwave state, and be fully active in the five senses, memory, and logic of the Beta brainwave state all at the same time without effort.

Step three.

This is last phase of the ancient Tibetan Exercise of Paradox.

You are now adding two more movements to the one that you learned in part two.

Hold both of your palms in front of you with elbows bent, as if you were pushing  .

Move both palms in slow clockwise circles while you take  four steps forward.

Continue going four steps forward while moving your palms in clockwise circles until you can do it automatically and easily , remembering vividly all the sensations and feelings of it .

When you have done this a number of times, practice the other half of the exercise which is the opposite;  take four steps backwards while moving the hands in slow counter clockwise circles.

Continue taking four steps backwards moving the hands in  slow counter clockwise circles until you can do this easily and remember vividly all the sensations and feelings of it.

It is important to take your time with this.  Repeat this  until your body remembers the sensations.

By taking time to repeat these motions until the mechanical part of the brain has absorbed them completely, the next step is easy .

FINAL STEP:

Take four steps forward, moving the palms in slow clockwise circles while you IMAGINE that you are moving four steps backwards moving the hands in slow counterclockwise circles.

Then reverse, moving the physical body four steps backwards making counter clockwise circles with your palms, while IMAGINING that you are  moving four steps forward with palms moving in clockwise circles.


YOU HAVE JUST DONE  THE TIBETAN EXERCISE OF PARADOX!

Repeat.

Your physical body moves forward four steps, your hands moving in a clockwise circle as YOU VIVIDLY IMAGINE YOURSELF stepping BACKWARD FOUR STEPS WITH HANDS MOVING IN A COUNTER CLOCKWISE CIRCLE. Repeat for about ten minutes.

You may experience dizziness at first, since so much more blood is going to the brain than you have ever been used to . This dizziness occurs less and finally disappears entirely after you have done this exercise a few times. The brain will adjust to the blood supply of doing four things at once .  

In future exercises, you may decide to skip the warm up steps and go directly to doing four things at once with the last exercise.

As we mentioned in the first part of the instructions, just as a person never forgets how to ride a bicycle, or type, once the brain has mastered this exercise it will not forget how to do four things at once.

The more you practice this, the easier it becomes, and the faster and better the brain gets at doing this.

When you first experience yourself thinking effortlessly on four levels at once in your ordinary activities, it may come as a delightful surprise.

THIS COMPLETES THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE TIBETAN EXERCISE OF PARADOX.


to the original post:
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3787

[Frank]

BT: It is all very well agreeing about examining yourself and living true to what you believe is the real and truthful you. But how can people do that when the very organism they are using to perform this examining has become seriously faulty due to having gone way off track?

I remember the old computer saying: garbage-in, garbage-out. Which I feel very much describes a lot of people's thinking today and I see its effects all the time. But because it is so common no-one notices it. The abnormal has become normal in other words.

Virtually everyone in western society has become infected with a particular kind of mental disease; which comes from the food they eat and from the myriad of ego attachments that develop often from a very young age. Because almost all people have it, no-one sees it and no-one feels they have anything wrong with them. Only when you rid yourself of the disease can you see it in others. Only then can you see its effects which are truly startling, absolutely mind-blowing in fact. The disease affects us at a very basic root level. Such that our whole modern-day society is a reflection of it. Circumstances such as corruption, injustice, crime, ill-health, obesity, aggression, war, and so forth, all have one root cause.

Because people are infected at the root level, everything they think and do is contaminated by it. The effects are many and varied and people can do nothing to fight it because, as I say, it affects them at the very most basic level. Someone who is not infected will find it an enormous drain living within an infected society. Reason being their body will be in a state of constantly having to guard itself from infection. This can take place from food and from ego attachment. The former is much easier to control than the latter.

Regarding your hypothetical scenario, I find it interesting you use a war analogy. That would, of course, be typical and many times people have come to me with something similar.

When people discover I am a pacifist, for example, they generally come back with some kind of hypothetical scenario. Which more often than not follows along the lines of my coming home to discover someone broke into my house and is raping my wife. Then they ask me what would I do just stand back and let them? That kind of thing. But the very reason why they think in this way, is itself a symptom of the disease.

As for your question: I am not overly concerned about my life and it is not something I can lose. I am as dead now as I will ever be.

I can lose my physical, admittedly. Which for now I would like to keep as it's the best one I've had thus far. So I protect it from harm and always feed it the nutrition it needs to stay healthy. But that's about it. I don't know how I am going to shed my physical this time around, and whatever I've got lined-up for myself I am happy to face when it comes. In other lives, for example, I have been stabbed to death in a gangland squabble; drowned in icy water after being torpedoed; shot through the head with a single bullet after a drugs deal went awry. So I guess dying in an air-raid would not be all that bad considering.

Eventually you will need to graduate. How you do that is up to you.

Some people try by following some kind of religion, others might take the new-age mystic approach, or follow in the footsteps of some guru, or whatever. A number of people become incarnate with the idea of being a teacher in order to help others on their path. But these people are few and far between and normally the arrangements between a teacher and his or her pupils, i.e. how when and where they are going to meet up, and so forth, are decided beforehand in the non-physical. False gurus are two a penny and have precious little to offer. All they usually do is take.

Graduation is the same for everyone. You need to attain the correct degree of thinking in a certain way. Once you can do that you can live in the land of milk and honey, so to speak. This is basically when you really start living. What we are doing now isn't real life. We are all still at school learning, and many of us remain at first-grade despite having spent many lifetimes within the earth-life system trying to get off that bottom rung.

Within the non-physical there is no need for any codes of ethics, or laws or anything like that. Reason being one of the ground rules is: like immediately attracts like. So if you are a complete rotter, then you will immediately be attracted to rotten places where you will reside amid all the other people who are as equally rotten in the same way as you are.

The whole point about graduation, the end goal as it were, is to get to the stage where you are able to live in the best environments. The title of this forum is Spiritual Development and that is what it's all about: graduation.

Once you graduate and gain access to these places life becomes especially interesting, because you get far more degrees of freedom. I have seen how these people live and it's mind bogglingly good. I know that if a person could get a taste of the life they can enjoy, they would immediately make any changes necessary in their physical life in order to graduate: because it really is that good. There simply aren't the words to express to say how great it is; living in a world where nothing is negative; no-one fights or argues; just pure cooperation between both people and their environment. And they all just do it naturally, which is why it is so mind boggling. The energy these people radiate gives you a joy like nothing on earth. Once you feel that joy in your heart you want to just remain in that place forever. It's love in its purest form.

Here also you find the great composers and artists producing their work, for example. They practice their art for as long as it takes. A violinist may spend the equivalent of perhaps 500 physical-realm years practicing and developing a particular technique. Then they incarnate and go on to play violin in the physical with the intention of becoming a virtuoso, and in turn inspire millions of others with their great music. The same applies to other great artists in whatever field. That is how all the world's great artists developed their talent or learned their craft, and anyone is at liberty to do this. All you need do is graduate.

Unfortunately, many people screw up their development by wasting their physical lifetimes over and over again. They generally set-out with the best of intentions and have clear goals on what they are to achieve. However, they get sidetracked from a young age and all their original instincts become lost under a heap of mental garbage.

After they shed their physical there normally follows a period of recuperation, following which they go over all the stuff they should have achieved, and then they try again after a period of time. This time can be long or short or whatever else in-between. The act of this happening all those countless numbers of times has created the appalling circumstances we see today; a society that is out of control with no moral direction, and with people so totally devoid of compassion it's unreal.

Yours,
Frank

[BlackTalon]

I wish I could go in your shoes to see what you see but I can't unfortunetly. Sounds great to live around these types of people. The only thing I still have trouble in understanding is....which I caught myself doing at first is...or at least how I gather it is that your path is the right path and that the ones who aren't on your specific path haven't graduated yet. That reminds me of religion or christianity which I tend to stay away from....i'm starting to doubt there is really one right way of living...I think it's an illusion really...were all here to learn our personal lessons, thats about as much as I believe....and I don't think we'll know the truth till we leave our bodies...or if there is such thing as a pure right way to live....just like in iraq, the terrorists think they are living purely and will be rewarded for taking the lives they did. I bet the terrorists that were in the planes on 9/11 really thought they were gonna be gods right hand man after killing all those "infedels"....the thing that bothers me when I think of that is...did they follow their hearts?...maybe....all I feel is right is to help others along the path, help your fellow man keep their heads up and learn myself along the way...if i'm wrong in doing it so be it...like you i'm willing to face the consequences. I don't care too much about dying...I don't recall any of my previous lives...but after you mentioning yours I can see why you'd want to keep your distance lol ...


You know if I had the oppurtunity to change my living situation this is what i'd do. All I want to do is create music, ( funny that you brought up the arts ) which i've been working on for 3 years. I'd love to just be put somewhere and locked away and just live life creativly, just have some food, some drink, some nature around me to enjoy, and my music..to express the way I want to ....but I can't. I have to pay for the necisary tools to be able to do this....then I have to pay for rent, and all these other things.

So maby sometime down the road i'll join you in your path, but i'll still be working to help others even if i'm no longer in the system so to speak.

I agree with you though we are all flawed, even our dna is messed up..but I don't think were meant to be perfect I think thats the best part of our lessons....

I think i'm wrong though to suggest that helping people is the way to go to you..I can't judge you, your doing fine
as the saying goes, "it's all good"

[Frank]

BT: I feel it is unsound to think about ways of living as being right or wrong. With me I look at it as being the difference between what is natural and what is abnormal. The more abnormal our circumstances become, the more our body suffers and the more we lose the ability to discern between what is good for us, and what is not.

What I'm talking about has nothing to do with religion. I haven't got a religious bone in my body. Never have and never will. It is simply a question of living naturally, as Mother Nature intended. Because living this way has the wonderful effect of accelerating a person's spiritual development.

We are all here to learn personal lessons, which is true. But most people in western society have not got a clue what those lessons are. So how can a person learn something they know nothing of? Do you know what personal lessons you need to learn? Most people in western society are so far off the path they don't even believe we live multiple lives. Their thinking has become so screwed, significant numbers of them firmly believe they have only one life. Anyone who suggests otherwise is classed as some kind of idiot.

You will, of course, learn the truth after you shed your physical. But by then it will be too late. You'll have to incarnate again and, chances are, the same thing will happen. So you'll incarnate again and again and again... which is what most people do. I don't mean to sound like I'm having a go, but don't you think that is just a complete waste of time? And doesn't thinking about that stir you into doing it a different way this time around?
You say you want to change your life in one breath. Yet in the next breath you say you can't. Well, with respect, what you say about the money side of things sounds to me like some kind of excuse.

Your terrorism example is as one-sided as I would have expected. But that's what happens when people start to see situations in terms of sides. Each side believes they are on the side of goodness and justice, and people like me roll our eyes in despair at the sheer horror of it all; the devastation and the waste of our planet's resources; all such a complete, utter, total waste; being governed by sick, ego-fuelled monsters hell bent on destruction. It saddens me to core of my being.

Man transgresses every natural law in existence while convincing himself he is the very crown of creation. Then the poison of hate-filled living erupts into war. Terrorists are denounced as villainous. Their actions most certainly are, but as people they are just misguided creatures who have lost their way in the jungle of violence. Most people pay lip-service to the power of love, but only the few have the faith and the courage to try living by it.

Yours,
Frank

[halfphased]

Frank, I am not rid of the disease, but I clearly see it in me and in others.  I mean, if you don't see that there is a problem, what are you going to fix?  Maybe that means I've graduated...  I don't know.  If I did, the testing requirements weren't hard enough  But I'm not living in a land of milk and honey.  I still get caught up into things.  I still get stressed out even though while it is happening I can be watching myself and laughing at how silly I am.  I work with people stuck in the consumer mindset all day and I find that if I come to them with an open heart I will likely be witness to a beautiful smile and some fun conversation.  If I stand there and think "blah, I can't believe this person is getting so upset because her photos aren't ready 30 minutes early"  then I'm likely to be witness to squinty eyes, an upset voice, and some crazy negative energy sent my way.  Sure, it sucks, that I have a chance to be subject to such attacks...  but to get caught up in the attack only shows attachment to my ego.  I know that the universe is a much bigger place than I can even imagine and that we are more than this physical body, etc.  So, what's the point of letting this person get to me.  Maybe, I'm just reinforcing their ego-sense, but maybe just maybe they will see that I am responding in total love and not just because I think that if I do not satisfy their needs that I will be punished with their craziness.  And maybe that love will inspire them and give them access to seeing with more open eyes.  Then, if seeing this in me and they ask me my secrets I will get to explain to them my lifestyle...  

If all people like you and me move out into the hills then aren't we taking the control rods out and just allowing a nuclear meltdown to proceed uninterrupted?  

Really, i do get stuck on this idea of graduation.  I also get stuck on this idea of environments.  Do we get to graduate from the idea of graduated environments?  Maybe these questions could be considered punching below the belt?  But I am serious when i ask these questions and at the same time I laugh at myself and...  hehe  

Oh, i should probably delete the last part because I haven't thought it all the way through or explained myself thourougly enough.  But once again, I got a pair of sandals to catch... lol (you'll get it if you think in a super corney way)

[BlackTalon]

I don't know what my lessons are. If I was born with an study guide on what lessons I had to learn in this life i'd have it made but I don't. Nor do I carry any knowledge from before this life that I can bring to mind at this moment. I can only follow my heart. Do you know your lessons?

[BlackTalon]

Halfphased


One thing I found that worked really well with certain types of customers is to use some humility. When you intentially show yourself as less intelligent or a nutcase, or put yourself below them somehow it seems to brighten their mood ..and when they walk away all smug as if, damn that guy was an idiot you can smile at them when they walk out the door.

I do that with my boss sometimes, his personality is "stress" "oh I should just shut this place down and kick everyone out!" or "they're only here for a paycheck they don't care about anything else" ...that kinda attitude....took me awhile to find something that worked but I found talking about something really stupid I did or point out things I don't know and laugh about it it seems to make him feel at ease then he can relax and joke around a bit and forget about his troubles.

I have some regular people that I see each week, most i've gotten to know most, it's interesting to see each persons different personalities and how they react to yours....but theres one i'm not sure how to handle. He just seems miserable...he comes downstairs, checks out and will barely look at me and sometimes walk out without even saying anything. You can just hear him saying in his head, just pretend i'm not here I don't want to talk....It really bugs me to see anyone in that kind of condition, i've tried sparking up small conversation once or twice, but it usually ends in a one or two word answer and thats it....I thought of just letting it go and just not saying anything but then i feel like that would alienate him more..

I remember this one guy that just stared at me the whole time like he wanted to stick a knife through my forehead. He was with another person, wanting to visit someone. I just looked back at him as i was ready for whatever he had for me, then as he walked away he took a piece of tissue paper, nearly ripped it out of the box and went around the corner, later I found a piece of tissue on the ground. I guess that was him having the last word lol...

[Frank]

Halfphased: When you graduate, you graduate away from having to keep incarnating into the physical in order to learn lessons. Graduation takes place in the non-physical and gives you the ability to live in different words. There are many more worlds to live in and far better ones than this physical world. If people only knew this, they would try harder and would be far less willing to waste their time on trivia.

IMO what you have is a false sense of importance, and you are dwelling on issues that do not really benefit you in any significant way. In my view you are too concerned about what others think, and dwelling on their moods, and so forth. Who cares what they think? If someone is grouchy because their photos aren't on time, or whatever, so what? That's their problem! It's really not something that should even enter your awareness.

You need to seriously expand your horizons and always keep focused on the big picture. Then you will see all the title-tattle that now concerns you just fade away. You won't see it as being "attacked" because it simply won't affect you. You already realise that if you get caught up, it only shows up your ego attachment: which is absolutely correct. Now you've got to take that dispensing with ego-attachment attitude several major steps further.

Yours,
Frank

[BlackTalon]

I think i'm ready to reincarnate for eternity for the cause of helping others ...anyone wanna join me!?

Until a hand reaches down and slaps me silly telling me to avoid human misery and go meditate in a cave i'll continue following my heart..even though it's been broken a few times by things humanity has done, is doing, and will do tommorow...it still works pretty damn good.

Good luck guys I think I found what I needed from this thread i'm out.[]

[jilola]

quote:In my view you are too concerned about what others think, and dwelling on their moods, and so forth. Who cares what they think?

This is exactly that I meant by what I said in the initial post to this thread. What defines who one is? Is it the outside opinions and expectations or is it what one recognizes as the true self?

As long as you worry about what other expect and think is as long as you are stuck in the ego delusion. That's why I said the cause for most all personal (I didn't say that explicitly but I should have) suffering is in the definition of self and not in the surrounding circumstances  and reality.

2cents & L&L
Jouni

Edit: I just finally got around to reading the entire thread. The cause for suffering lies indeed not the in the circumstances for one can do one of two things to shed them: Either get away from the immediate environment that causes the suffering (n ot possible in every circumstance as witnessed by the millions of people stuck in war zones, drought areas, oppressive governments etc) or detach yourself from the outside influence by seeing that you are not this measly physical creature and that what you are is not defined by others but by your individual realisation of what you are and you r chosen relatioship with the surrounding reality.

In some cases changing the environment (such as moving away, changing your lifestyle etc) can be the solution but the truth is that any change in the physical environment is only an attempt to detach yourself from the rampant material attachment (ie. ego and wanting to outdo others.)

The important thing is to understand that you can live in a materialistic environment and even be a sourve of positive change if you manage to cut away the cancer the very ebvironment tried to impose on you, namely that you are the result of the society and that you are essentially dependent upon physical goods and that you are in fact a separate individual from everyone and everything else. None of that is true.

We have one life yet manby incarnations. We are not defined by random circumstance but by choice (be it imposed from outside.)

The important thing is to see and profoundly realise that and then to act to preserve and express the truth by your actions. The actions may be to get away from anything to the contrary or to live in them and bend in the wind, so to speak.

The choice between the two is individual and other choices undoubtedly exist. But the botton line remains: Be who YOU are and not what you THINK you are EXPECTED to be.

2cents & L&L
Jouni

[Eol007]

Hi all,

Great thread.

Thanks,


Stephen []

[halfphased]

Alright, I'm banging my head against a wall here.  

Frank, how can you say:

quote:Who cares what they think? If someone is grouchy because their photos aren't on time, or whatever, so what? That's their problem! It's really not something that should even enter your awareness.  
You need to seriously expand your horizons and always keep focused on the big picture. Then you will see all the title-tattle that now concerns you just fade away. You won't see it as being "attacked" because it simply won't affect you.

and also say:

quote:You are sensitive to people's moods as I am. I too find it difficult being among crowds of people as, after a while, I start to feel drained from all the negativity. For example, in typical cities these days you cannot just simply drive down the street without coming across hoards of ego-maniacs using their cars as some kind of awfulness weapon. The only way I found to survive when I lived in London years ago, was to work as few hours as possible and the rest of the time I'd drive to country areas and go for long walks. As soon as I could afford it I moved to the country, and now I gave up the rat-race altogether.

For the most part I could care less if someone is upset.  (Occassionally, I let it get to me as being something personal and that is only when I am extremely tired and usually I am quick to recognize what is happening.)  What gets me is that it is draining on many levels to have the focused dissatisfaction of a customer directed at me.  I am T I R E D and I feel all twisted inside after a day of work.  But isn't this only so, because I am thinking about it as them vs. me and when it happens I think that I don't want their negative energy because it is so draining?  If I just accept what is happening would I not be drained or is that not to be helped?  Or do I need to accept the fact that yes it is draining and if I don't like being drained then I should move on?  I guess I'm a little too far out in the metaphysical / existential waters for my own good.

I would love to give up the world.  There is nothing here for me except the idea that I would like to help people out and bring joy into their lives.  Maybe I am exageratting, but that feels to be about right.

[Gandalf]

Hi Frank, I agree with your main points.
Regarding the terrorism example earlier for example, that was a perfect example of someone thinking they were NOT being one sided when in reality they could only see the situation in terms of 'us: good, them:evil. The reality of course is much more complex.

While I think we should all try to minimize such viewpoints as much as possible and try to stop thinknig in the common straightjacket world view, I think it is impossible to completely think outside of such terms while being in the physical, since it is one of the basic ways of interpreting the world while here; You can certainly try to minimize it as much as possible, which is where I think you are coming from, but you cannot stop 100% from such thinking.

For example, even in making the point, you yourself set yourself apart from 'them', ie those stuck in ego driven superficiality.

I agree that getting hung up on 'right and wrong' is not the best way to deal with things; most of the most horrific acts in history are perpetuated by those thinking they were doing the 'right' thing.

For example, despite the Jewish lobby's and general media's attempt to morally simplify the holocauset by painting the nazis as evil demonic villains, the nazi's at the time thought they were doing the 'right' thing, no matter how misguided and twisted their perspective was.

I think this is one of the biggest problems of mainstream religion, certainly the middle-eastern religions ie judaism, christianity and islam: they all have a 'devil' figure or 'dark side' which humanity can use to avoid responsiblity for their actions.

This must change. yes the nazis were mad, but no, we cant blame it on influence by 'Satan' or the 'forces of darkness', it was down to something far more terrfying, it was down to human nature; we need to deal with that.

Douglas