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BillinL.A.
USA
375 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 28 2015 : 1:06:52 PM
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"...curse I put on myself,"??? Please Karl! Poetically that's proper to keep your ego in place but I don't like you saying that.
What a lucky joy for me to be around people like you. Thanks for sharing cuz I don't want to think about living without being around "Karl" people. Really!
Yoga theory is that none of us asked to be created. We all have it rough the first thousands of lives after we evolve from being just animals into being human animals.
We learn from breaking every basic social norm and then reaping the karma.
It keeps me trying when I think of Jesus Christ and countless other Avatars as having committed horrible crimes and still end up where they got. ...gives me hope.
Gives me so much hope being around you too. 
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2015 : 1:46:51 PM
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The main thing to keep in mind is that if you're clinging to either subjectivity or objectivity, it will be problematic. Nestled in the bosom between subjectivity and objectivity is the place to be. That is the place of Being, without the suffering of a) egotism or b) the non-duality trap of denying the world (excess detachment).
Neither subjectivity nor objectivity can be ruled out. They can only be reconciled and merged. In the ongoing process of reconciliation and union, there is no need to proclaim victory over subject or object. The subject is just as necessary as the object, especially in the light of fullness, completeness, and wholeness.
[That concludes Episode 27.4 of Karl and Cody's Metaphysical Playground...stay tuned for more episodes, in which we we will spiral further down the rabbit hole into non-conclusive observations and whimsical profundities.  ]
quote:
Originally posted by BillinL.A.
We learn from breaking every basic social norm and then reaping the karma.
It keeps me trying when I think of Jesus Christ and countless other Avatars as having committed horrible crimes and still end up where they got....gives me hope.
Gives me so much hope being around you too.
I second that motion.  |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2015 : 2:08:43 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by BillinL.A.
"...curse I put on myself,"??? Please Karl! Poetically that's proper to keep your ego in place but I don't like you saying that.
Yoga theory is that none of us asked to be created. We all have it rough the first thousands of lives after we evolve from being just animals into being human animals.
Be who you are  |
Edited by - Charliedog on Jun 28 2015 2:26:00 PM |
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2015 : 2:52:05 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree
The main thing to keep in mind is that if you're clinging to either subjectivity or objectivity, it will be problematic. Nestled in the bosom between subjectivity and objectivity is the place to be. That is the place of Being, without the suffering of a) egotism or b) the non-duality trap of denying the world (excess detachment).
Neither subjectivity nor objectivity can be ruled out. They can only be reconciled and merged. In the ongoing process of reconciliation and union, there is no need to proclaim victory over subject or object. The subject is just as necessary as the object, especially in the light of fullness, completeness, and wholeness.
[That concludes Episode 27.4 of Karl and Cody's Metaphysical Playground...stay tuned for more episodes, in which we we will spiral further down the rabbit hole into non-conclusive observations and whimsical profundities. ]
It's as I said. It can't be seen until it is. There is no clinging. Things are what they are. Subjectivity is simply the way we feel about things. From the well of feeling springs creativity. That creativity isn't necessarily a good.
Objectivity is reality defined by logic and reason, it is really the witness developed beyond its infant stages. Once it has flourished it takes control, in a sense, perhaps because it was encouraged to grow? Then it encompasses everything, not as a separate thing anymore, it expands beyond its original remit. Subjectivity can assume creativity without clogging the mind up with emotional rhetoric. It can function as it seems it was meant to.
It is necessary to walk between subjectivity and objectivity when you don't have the option of knowing which is exclusively which. One, must then prepare to doubt everything as built on shifting sands than cling to anything that might not be what it seems. First the rope should be seen as rope and snake until confirmation can be arrived at. Later on it becomes obvious. 
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2015 : 3:02:01 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by BillinL.A.
"...curse I put on myself,"??? Please Karl! Poetically that's proper to keep your ego in place but I don't like you saying that.
What a lucky joy for me to be around people like you. Thanks for sharing cuz I don't want to think about living without being around "Karl" people. Really!
Yoga theory is that none of us asked to be created. We all have it rough the first thousands of lives after we evolve from being just animals into being human animals.
We learn from breaking every basic social norm and then reaping the karma.
It keeps me trying when I think of Jesus Christ and countless other Avatars as having committed horrible crimes and still end up where they got....gives me hope.
Gives me so much hope being around you too.
It's just an observation. Many have said the same thing.
I didn't evolve more than I have in one single lifetime. I have had no other lifetimes and will have no other lifetimes, except for whatever legacy this brief time leaves behind. Knowing that one day I shall be nought but dust is strangely comforting.  into then there is life to live. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2015 : 01:51:37 AM
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Blog #10: Reel Me Back In
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-10-reel-me-back-in/
May these words come alive a little. In this one I write about Mother Nature, and the benefits of grounding.
If there is any humility in me, it is brought forth by the wonders of creation. This weekend I went to a remote place on the Gulf Coast, where oyster bars and mangroves are thick like the saltwater beneath them. Big birds, such as osprey and pelicans, are easy to see. Schools of mullet, trout, and redfish run through the brackish inlets. The baseline of the town's economy is commercial fishing and clamming. The tourist scene is minimal and occupies its space reverently.
I went out in a skiff with my cousins. They cast-netted mullet, and I caught a redfish on a rod and reel. Redfish are unmistakable: golden bronze with a trademark black spot on their tail. Once hooked, they fight visibly on the water's surface, splashing with resistance. They are a prize catch, by any standard.
After the fishing, I swam in the channel, where the current of the outgoing tide was strongest. In the shallow part, I dug my feet into the mud and leaned forward, letting the current keep me afloat. What a sensation of active surrender. Engaged, but at the mercy of a far more powerful body. That is the dynamic of enlightenment.
All this physicality, and all this merging with the elements of air, land, and ocean, could be considered grounding, which is an essential part of AYP. Some of the AYP techniques are designed to invert our senses—to withdraw our attention from the outside world. In yoga, the inward shift is called pratyahara. Pratyahara is not an escape or an avoidance. It is a rejuvenation and a return to Source, which in turn enhances our relationship with the external environment. Just as pratyahara nourishes the mind, so does grounding nourish the body. The Earth is the source of the body, and stillness is the source of the Earth.
We exist in one infinite spectrum, in which the layers symbiotically support each other.
If ever I drift off too much into the mind, grounding reels me back in. If I ever become too attached to the sensory perceptions of this living movie, pratyahara loosens my identification with the movie. Balanced on the beam of this duality, non-duality is achieved. Unity and diversity thrive off each other.
Just as the carpenter uses a bubble level to straighten out his craftsmanship, so can we use grounding to reconcile our inner journey. Turn to Mother Nature, and She will revive you, restore you, and give you the greatest gifts you can possibly imagine.
Love. Unity. Inner Sensuality. |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2015 : 03:29:58 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree
Pratyahara is not an escape or an avoidance. It is a rejuvenation and a return to Source, which in turn enhances our relationship with the external environment. Just as pratyahara nourishes the mind, so does grounding nourish the body. The Earth is the source of the body, and stillness is the source of the Earth.
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2015 : 05:55:23 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree
Blog #10: Reel Me Back In
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-10-reel-me-back-in/
If there is any humility in me, it is brought forth by the wonders of creation. This weekend I went to a remote place on the Gulf Coast, where oyster bars and mangroves are thick like the saltwater beneath them. Big birds, such as osprey and pelicans, are easy to see. Schools of mullet, trout, and redfish run through the brackish inlets. The baseline of the town's economy is commercial fishing and clamming. The tourist scene is minimal and occupies its space reverently.
I went out in a skiff with my cousins. They cast-netted mullet, and I caught a redfish on a rod and reel. Redfish are unmistakable: golden bronze with a trademark black spot on their tail. Once hooked, they fight visibly on the water's surface, splashing with resistance. They are a prize catch, by any standard.
After the fishing, I swam in the channel, where the current of the outgoing tide was strongest. In the shallow part, I dug my feet into the mud and leaned forward, letting the current keep me afloat.
Now that's what I'm talking about Huckleberry beautiful words. It's time for you to write. As you once told me. Dickens is more interesting than Kant. |
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Blanche
USA
859 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2015 : 07:13:21 AM
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Hi Bodhi,
I wish it were a "Like" icon. Thank you for writing. |
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kumar ul islam
United Kingdom
791 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2015 : 1:50:00 PM
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2015 : 2:54:01 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by karl
Now that's what I'm talking about Huckleberry beautiful words. It's time for you to write. As you once told me. Dickens is more interesting than Kant.
Ha! Love it. Thank you, Karl. It's all coming full circle, isn't it? Glad to be on this parallel/perpendicular/parabolic path with you.
quote:
Originally posted by Blanche
Hi Bodhi,
I wish it were a "Like" icon. Thank you for writing.
Blanche. |
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2015 : 04:35:01 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree
quote:
Originally posted by karl
Now that's what I'm talking about Huckleberry beautiful words. It's time for you to write. As you once told me. Dickens is more interesting than Kant.
Ha! Love it. Thank you, Karl. It's all coming full circle, isn't it? Glad to be on this parallel/perpendicular/parabolic path with you.
quote:
Originally posted by Blanche
Hi Bodhi,
I wish it were a "Like" icon. Thank you for writing.
Blanche.
I didn't choose you arbitrarily as an editor for my book, I knew exactly what I was looking for and saw it in your writing on day one
You should let yourself go and really push it. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2015 : 10:01:35 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by karl
You should let yourself go and really push it.
Aye Aye, Captain. I'll roll with it. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2015 : 4:43:29 PM
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Blog #11: Music, Originality, and the Creative Process
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-11-musi...ive-process/
Last night I watched a documentary on the music that comes from the legendary studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Musicians from around the world have flocked to these studios just to get a piece of the "Muscle Shoals" sound. Big names like The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Lynyrd Skynyrd, U2, and Bob Dylan—to name a few.
There is a special energy swirling around that place. Producers, artists, and engineers have carved a signature into the musical landscape using Muscle Shoals as their nexus of creativity. And while this particular city in the American South is certainly unique, what transcends its uniqueness is an ancient pattern of attraction which will remain long after Muscle Shoals fades into the distance. That pattern has been drawn upon by other music studios, like Abbey Road in London, and that's why such studios exude emblematic qualities acquired from years of collaboration, effort, and creativity.
Something in the human heart craves originality. We want to feel as if we are authentic and genuine, and we want to relish in our special form, if only for a temporary time. How many logos and insignias can be called to mind when contemplating the world markets throughout the history of art and commerce? An endless amount. The wellspring of potential is infinite, as are its resulting creations.
The more I dive into the creative process, the more I realize that creativity is actually an act of discovery. Nothing is really created; it is merely uncovered, revealed, shed light upon. The creative product sits there, patiently buried in silence, waiting to be brought to life.
Does direct realization of eternity, which contains the future, somehow ruin the magic of composition, spontaneity, and ecstatic conductivity? No, not at all. The realization only enhances, enriches, and enlivens the chase. There is a comfort in the knowingness that all art originates from the unstruck sound of silence. Yet, there is still a drive to experience firsthand our unique styles, tones, and textures.
How can we deny the originality of Bob Dylan's raspy voice singing his folk anthems, or the soulful outpouring of Aretha Franklin demanding respect for women across the world? What a tragedy it would be if we could not discern the unmistakable pining of Lynryd Skynrd's plea to be a simple kind of man—to be someone that we love and understand.
Spirituality is about embracing our uniqueness, even as we transcend it. There is no evolutionary merit in trying to blot out the ruffles and ridges which make our personalities unique. There is no need to erase the track of our karma as if it never happened.
What there is, is a calling to saturate our finite forms with the fountain of universal bliss. Only then can enlightenment be genuine. Only then can Muscle Shoals and the shores of eternity be seen as One.
Rock, and roll, to the tune of stillness. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2015 : 2:18:47 PM
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Blog #12: Busted! My Trouble With The Law
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-12-bust...ith-the-law/
Yesterday I was cruising up to Georgia, when in my rear view mirror, I saw the all-too familiar flashing lights of a police car on my tail. I pulled over, and he gave me a speeding ticket.
I was calm as a cucumber though. Being sober, I had no fear of arrest for drunk driving, nor for hiding any drug paraphernalia in the car. Clearly, an improvement in my track record! But it got me thinking of my past episodes of driving drunk, which is a risky business, so I thought I would touch upon some of those gnarly highlights.
One time in high school, I was driving around with some buddies and went to buy a box of nitrous oxide canisters from a strip club called The Pink Pony. We also bought some beer from a gas station, and in returning home, I decided to flick off a cop in front of me as I made a quick turn onto a side road. I didn't think he would catch my gesture, but he did, and I had to pull over. He found the beer, but we managed to hide the nitrous oxide. He made us get rid of the beer and let us go with no tickets or charges. A lenient and merciful officer, he was.
Another time I was driving up to Tallahassee on the day of my 21st birthday. I was so stoked to be able to drink legally that I bought a "tall boy" for my trip. I ended up speeding and got pulled over. That officer gave me a ticket for speeding, but let me go on the drinking charge after I begged for mercy and gained sympathy due to it being my birthday.
Yet another time I had taken MDMA pills and drove to the beach with my brother and another friend. They went off and did their own thing, and I decided to strip nude and go swimming in the ocean. I got so lost in my artificial trance that I lost track of time. Eventually, I noticed there was a boat scanning the shoreline with a spotlight, then a helicopter shining down a spotlight from above, and finally, a four wheeler on the beach shined its light on me. With a megaphone, they called me in—and I had to walk out naked in front of a crowd that had gathered in search of me, due to my brother believing that I had been swept away in an undertow.
That was a rough night. And there were other rough nights to follow, including multiple DUIs, wrecked cars, nights in jail, probation, and other consequences I won't elaborate on. The point is...my luck ran out, and the spiral downward is not fun.
So, my recent "need for speed" is a reminder of the necessity to direct my desire for acceleration towards a worthy ideal, and to use the proper methods in pursuit of that ideal.
No matter how far we spiral downard, we can shift gears at any time and spiral in an upward direction. There is always an opportunity for transformation.
In retrospect, and being sober now, I can laugh at some of these follies, but driving drunk is not always a laughing matter, and I feel remarkably fortunate to be alive in this body, and to be free to practice a new way of living through yoga. Clearly, I have plenty of room for improvement, but such is the gradual nature of the path. There is no final attainment; there is only refinement and fine-tuning along the way.
Thank you for reading, and let's use our past as a tool for learning and enlightenment. |
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kumar ul islam
United Kingdom
791 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2015 : 4:24:26 PM
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| reminds me of a scene in the life of brian ,when his mum says hes been a very naughty boy. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2015 : 6:31:55 PM
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| LMAO! Two nights ago I was watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail, so your metaphor is totally in tune and timely. The Brits must have rubbed off on me. #HolographicHumor |
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cosmic
USA
821 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2015 : 7:34:02 PM
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Man, I can relate to your "law troubles" and also don't miss those days at all . It's funny because just yesterday, my wife shared a Ram Dass story with me where he got pulled over while terribly blissed-out and saw the police officer as Krishna.
Here's the story: https://www.ramdass.org/unconditional-love/
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2015 : 8:06:08 PM
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| Great story! Thank you for sharing, cosmic. On Earth as it is in Heaven... |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2015 : 02:21:06 AM
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quote:
The Pink Pony.
LOL
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2015 : 07:00:52 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by maheswari
quote:
The Pink Pony.
LOL
 I was hoping someone would appreciate that name. LOL. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2015 : 10:15:28 PM
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Blog #13: Crazy Wisdom and Considering the Source
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-13-craz...-the-source/
One time I was hanging out with my dad, and he said: "Son, I think you need to follow your instincts a little more." Then he picked up a plate of cocaine and snorted a big line through a straw up his nose. He handed the straw to me, and I did my share—following my addictive instincts for higher consciousness.
Ah, glory days, they'll pass you by.
Obviously, there's some major irony in my story, not to mention some gallows humor. But out of that absurdity, I now put forth a sincere question, which is: When we are considering advice, don't we need to consider the source from where it comes? How valuable is knowledge, or wisdom, if the information has not been embodied and exemplified by the one transmitting the knowledge?
While it may be true that universal principles outlast the personalities that exemplify them, the picture will nevertheless seem incomplete without living proof in the form of flesh.
Buddhism and Christianity have a long tradition of saints who have followed in the footsteps of their avatars. Even yogis have particular lineages and individuals that demonstrate divine love and other noble qualities.
In AA, the architects of the 12 Steps (Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob) followed a formula for recovery, and their physical, emotional, and spiritual condition was a direct result of the psychology they chose to adopt. Any success or failure in their journey can be traced back to certain seed ideas and practices which shaped their actions in sobriety.
No one is perfect. We know this. Yet, we still strive to better ourselves, and to improve our code of conduct. It is a divine game—trying to attain the unattainable. That is how we move forward in evolution, and in stillness.
In AYP, Yogani has lived a solid life which resounds with a very genuine quality—revealing that he has not only talked the talk, but walked the walk. There is a simple cause-and-effect relationship between his loving character and the consistent practices which influence his way of Being.
With AYP for Recovery, I am touching upon a more niche market, and standing upon the shoulders of giants to do so. Hopefully, there is some substance and foundation to the short time I have put in, but even so, it will take a considerably greater amount of time to gain traction and momentum. Fortunately, we have plenty of time, even though there is no time to waste.
Coming full circle, I do believe that underneath my dad's crazy wisdom was the truth. The truth has been with us since the beginning. That truth filters through and illuminates our meandering paths and sometimes tragic diversions. But we keep going, and we refine our approach.
Thank you for the crazy wisdom, Dad, and thank you for the comprehensive baseline of AYP, Yogani. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2015 : 10:36:31 PM
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Blog #14: Symbols, The American South, and Encounters with the Divine Feminine
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-14-symb...ne-feminine/
I was swimming in the wild and scenic Chattooga River, which runs along the border of Georgia and South Carolina, and I saw something beautiful. It was a woman, wearing a Confederate flag bathing suit. She was swimming in the rapids with her pit bull, and her movement radiated with a remarkable strength and poise.
The Confederate flag has been an issue of controversy, and it got me thinking about the role of symbols in our lives.
It has been said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and we can definitely apply that logic to how we perceive symbols. For some, the Confederate flag evokes a sense of pride and admiration towards the heritage of the American South. For others, the same emblem conjures up negative images of slavery and racism. It is a matter of perspective.
For me, the Confederate flag has been pretty neutral, not stirring up much of a reaction either way. But this past week, when I saw the flag adorned on that Southern woman's stunning body as she glided across the roaring current of the river—now that created a neural pathway of association which will not be easily erased. Beauty has now become intertwined with the flag in my subjective mind.
Can I still discern between the symbol and the beauty underneath it? Of course. But experiences and events leave lasting impressions.
When I look upon the AYP logo, with its golden Om shining like a brilliant sun, it is rich with meaning and emotional content. Yogani's insignia is tied to memories of early sobriety, going through a divorce, and getting serious about the pursuit of pure bliss consciousness.
Now I have created a symbol for AYP for Recovery, which is flower-like and representative of a person sitting in a meditative posture. With the help of a skilled designer who embodies the divine feminine with her artwork, I have brought it to life on the web. For me, the logo already carries the weight of many hours spent in AA—trying to unravel the mystery of addiction and arrive at a tangible solution. My time invested in the fellowship has transmuted into writing about how AYP practices can be applied to the path of recovery and enlightenment.
Contemplate the power of symbols in your life, and if you are lacking some zest and vivacity in that realm, find an emblem which represents the essences you hold dear. Or better yet, create a symbol of your own. You are worth it. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2015 : 5:11:56 PM
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Blog #15: The Relationship of Ego, Witness, and Self
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-15-the-...ss-and-self/
There is a little voice in my mind. A narrator, a commentator, a wordsmith who at times seems to take on a life of his own. It is the ego voice, and often gets expressed outwardly in the form of audible sounds coming from my mouth. Furthermore, this voice has a unique timbre, and falls under the umbrella of a particular individual known as Cody Ellis Rickett.
But for some reason, the inner/outer Cody voice does not fully encapsulate my sense of self. There is something more, and maybe even something less. There is another aspect of self, which in AYP, is called the witness. The witness is the silent listener that hears the voice. The witness is the seed consciousness that also perceives all other sensations, both inside and out. The witness is beyond characterization, even though it embraces all characterization.
So, there seems to be a paradox here. There is a very active voice with unique qualities that wants to be heard, and yet, there is a perpetually peaceful witness that seems to be timeless and unaffected by the colors of change.
I guess the real question is: where do the two meet, and are they even separate in the first place?
At the risk of being overly simple, I will answer the question directly by saying: they meet in the Here Now, and no, they are not separate in any absolute sense. They are married, intertwined, intimately connected. They are part of one self—replicating itself, changing itself, being itself.
How do I know the answer to these questions, especially if I can't prove it to you? Well, this kind of knowledge has been called knowingness, which surpasses any understanding of the intellect. Even so, perhaps I can provide some clues to shed light on the puzzle.
Have you ever looked into someone's eyes and forgot which side you were on? Have you ever merged in a way that looking upon their body was pretty much the same as looking upon your own body? Have you ever seen the environment as an extension of your self, with no absolute line dividing the observer and the observed?
Deep down, we know that our Self is both beyond the ego and the witness. We are deeper than the voice, and even deeper than the listener of the voice. We are a mystery, and yet, we can get closer to our mystery by merging the inside with the outside, through yoga practices and living life to its fullest.
You know, it's very fashionable and popular in some Eastern and Western spiritual circles to denigrate the ego, as well as the mind. Many people tout "selflessness" as the supreme virtue to be attained. Individuality is portrayed as a burden to be gotten rid of. If only we could follow God's will, then we would be free of sin and selfishness!
But I don't buy into that trend. From my view, it's been God all along—playing His/Her/Its game in the form of a diverse, multifarious existence. In my book, God is synonymous with Self. After all, where does God end, and the "I" of self begin? Can you honestly locate the dividing line?
I can't find the line, because there is no line to be found.
Chew on that for a little while. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2015 : 5:16:13 PM
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Blog #16: Relapse
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-16-relapse/
I'm going to get straight to the point. Here we go.
To relapse is the result of a resistance to moving forward. The nature of evolutionary life is to move forward, and forward movement occurs in two fundamental ways: 1) in a linear fashion, and 2) in a cyclical fashion.
What does linear mean? Well, the "line" in linear refers to a piece of space that connects two separate points in some kind of functional way. We use lines to travel from one place to the next, not only in physical space, but metaphorically and mentally. I can draw a line from my house to the grocery store, and I can also draw a line from addiction to recovery.
What does cyclical mean? The "cycle" in cyclical refers to a quality of repetition, as well as a return to an original source. The shape that most reflects the essence of a cycle is the circle. A circle is a bent line that never diverts from its constant path—following the perfect curve of pi (#960;), thereby remaining totally self-contained. Cycles are happening all around us, and within us.
Here's where it gets interesting. When you combine the two qualities of linear and cyclical, you get a spiral. A spiral is a circular line that revolves around a central point. So, if we move backwards, or against the flow of forward progress, it has been said that we are in a downward (negative) spiral. When we move forward, it could be said that we are in an upward (positive) spiral.
I have relapsed one time about four years ago, and that short relapse had the quality of a downward spiral (resisting forward momentum). Basically, I was trying to drag someone along that didn't want to get dragged along. Fortunately, it didn't last long. Lesson learned.
The relapse taught me to keep moving forward, regardless of who is coming with me. Even in solitude, or when the number of companions is seemingly sparse, it is advantageous to keep spiraling towards ecstatic bliss. One way we can keep spiraling forward is by using the Dare to Dream Formula: http://ayprecovery.org/the-dare-to-dream-formula/
The more we follow a vision of enlightenment, the more enlightenment will be here now. To some extent, it is already here now, but that doesn't mean we can't amplify and enrich it further. To amplify and enrich our Being requires momentum and traction in stillness, and we can acquire That by shaking off the identity of being an addict or alcoholic.
The identity isn't real, but the stillness in action is.
If you're coming off a relapse, or fear that you might be headed towards one, take a look at the Dare to Dream Formula. You won't regret it.
If followed diligently, the formula will pave a road for success—leaving the tendency to relapse far behind. Let's blaze ahead, and not look back. |
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