Comments on: Spiritual Growth is not a Project http://facilitatoru.com/blog/spirituality/spiritual-growth-is-not-a-project Inspiring leaders for unlimited possibilities Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:34:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: davissm http://facilitatoru.com/blog/spirituality/spiritual-growth-is-not-a-project/comment-page-1#comment-23 davissm Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:32:27 +0000 http://facilitatoru.com/blog/?p=32#comment-23 Hi Julia. I think thinking is a tricky subject. I think, which in this context means, I offer the following perspective...there are at least two ways to look at thinking. One is where we actively engage the mind to analyze, solve, or decide. Another is where we let our attention follow the thoughts that pass through our minds, thoughts over which we have no control. If you doubt this, just try to stop them. In my experience, "true" spiritual teachings first recognize their own limitations. By that I mean that they recognize that the best they're going to do is to point to the truth. They acknowledge that truth lies outside the domain of words (symbolic thoughts) and mental concepts. Therefore, any engagement and exploration of the mind simply keeps one trapped within it and beyond the absolute. I believe this is what your wonderful insight suggests. You always stimulate me to think in ways I appreciate! Hi Julia. I think thinking is a tricky subject. I think, which in this context means, I offer the following perspective…there are at least two ways to look at thinking. One is where we actively engage the mind to analyze, solve, or decide. Another is where we let our attention follow the thoughts that pass through our minds, thoughts over which we have no control. If you doubt this, just try to stop them.

In my experience, “true” spiritual teachings first recognize their own limitations. By that I mean that they recognize that the best they’re going to do is to point to the truth. They acknowledge that truth lies outside the domain of words (symbolic thoughts) and mental concepts. Therefore, any engagement and exploration of the mind simply keeps one trapped within it and beyond the absolute.

I believe this is what your wonderful insight suggests. You always stimulate me to think in ways I appreciate!

]]> By: Julia http://facilitatoru.com/blog/spirituality/spiritual-growth-is-not-a-project/comment-page-1#comment-14 Julia Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:19:24 +0000 http://facilitatoru.com/blog/?p=32#comment-14 If Thinking is not a form of Doing, then maybe this is what all the spiritual teachings are really refering to? To relax and go into one's own mind and explore, leaving an open space for inspiration to enter provides one option for escaping the constant analysis of our result driven world. I received the following out of the blue one day: "There is a space between stimulus and response wherein lies my Kingdom of Choice." How often we react from conditioned response/habit rather than recognising that we always have a choice on how to respond to a stimulus. If Thinking is not a form of Doing, then maybe this is what all the spiritual teachings are really refering to? To relax and go into one’s own mind and explore, leaving an open space for inspiration to enter provides one option for escaping the constant analysis of our result driven world. I received the following out of the blue one day:
“There is a space between stimulus and response wherein lies my Kingdom of Choice.”
How often we react from conditioned response/habit rather than recognising that we always have a choice on how to respond to a stimulus.

]]> By: davissm http://facilitatoru.com/blog/spirituality/spiritual-growth-is-not-a-project/comment-page-1#comment-6 davissm Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:04:00 +0000 http://facilitatoru.com/blog/?p=32#comment-6 You could say that using a practice or technique is a doing of sorts. The key is in the way you approach the practice. In our teaching of Ascension, one of the key tenets is to approach the technique with an effortless innocence. Just as easily as you might slip into a pair of comfortable sandles. Yes you are doing something, but with no real effort or analysis about it. This is the way to approach our spiritual "practice." You could say that using a practice or technique is a doing of sorts. The key is in the way you approach the practice. In our teaching of Ascension, one of the key tenets is to approach the technique with an effortless innocence. Just as easily as you might slip into a pair of comfortable sandles. Yes you are doing something, but with no real effort or analysis about it. This is the way to approach our spiritual “practice.”

]]> By: Michael http://facilitatoru.com/blog/spirituality/spiritual-growth-is-not-a-project/comment-page-1#comment-5 Michael Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:46:48 +0000 http://facilitatoru.com/blog/?p=32#comment-5 I am a little bit confused. While you say that there is no trying or no doing, isn't using a practice or a technique a way of doing? I am a little bit confused. While you say that there is no trying or no doing, isn’t using a practice or a technique a way of doing?

]]> By: davissm http://facilitatoru.com/blog/spirituality/spiritual-growth-is-not-a-project/comment-page-1#comment-4 davissm Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:58:50 +0000 http://facilitatoru.com/blog/?p=32#comment-4 Thank you for this question Michael. Now please don't take what I'm about to say personally as it applies to everyone. With that disclaimer, here it is...only the ego would ask such a question. We all know how to surrender. We all know how to let go of things. We don't have to ask how to let go of a hot coal. What happens however is that the ego is accustomed to holding on to things that have become part of its identify. This is because one of the ego's main functions is to continually assert its own reality. This takes a lot of work because it has no reality. Maintaining an illusion takes energy. So once again, surrender requires NOT DOING, NOT TRYING, NOT FIGHTING, NOT ASSERTING ONESELF. It requires nothing. Now that's a tough pill for the ego to swallow, isn't it? There are various tools that support this surrender. The one I've come to use is called Ascension. More can be learned about this at www.Ishaya.info. Thank you for this question Michael. Now please don’t take what I’m about to say personally as it applies to everyone. With that disclaimer, here it is…only the ego would ask such a question. We all know how to surrender. We all know how to let go of things. We don’t have to ask how to let go of a hot coal. What happens however is that the ego is accustomed to holding on to things that have become part of its identify. This is because one of the ego’s main functions is to continually assert its own reality. This takes a lot of work because it has no reality. Maintaining an illusion takes energy. So once again, surrender requires NOT DOING, NOT TRYING, NOT FIGHTING, NOT ASSERTING ONESELF. It requires nothing. Now that’s a tough pill for the ego to swallow, isn’t it?

There are various tools that support this surrender. The one I’ve come to use is called Ascension. More can be learned about this at http://www.Ishaya.info.

]]> By: Michael http://facilitatoru.com/blog/spirituality/spiritual-growth-is-not-a-project/comment-page-1#comment-3 Michael Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:56:04 +0000 http://facilitatoru.com/blog/?p=32#comment-3 Very good idea to surrender. The enlightened teachers throughout the ages speak of this. But how do we go about it, if all the things we have learned in the past do not apply here? Very good idea to surrender. The enlightened teachers throughout the ages speak of this. But how do we go about it, if all the things we have learned in the past do not apply here?

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