Thursday, April 21, 2005

Deciding whether to do Your Job or get the Hell out of Dodge.

In the Buddhist tradition there are Bodhisattvas and Arhats. The activities of the former are concerned with assisting others in their quest for Liberation. The activities of the latter are concerned with just getting out of the mix entirely. This is woefully simplistic but it serves for what I am going to say.

Supposedly there are four castes in the Hindu system; actually there are five- The highest caste is Brahman, they are the priestly caste, followed by the Kshatriya who are the warrior castes, then the Vaishya- the merchant class and then the Sudra who are the workers or peasant class. Finally there are the untouchables whom they say are casteless; but isn’t that a caste anyway? It’s like saying you are the lowest of the low and you don’t even have a definition, however, that ‘is’ a definition.

Possibly you think, “Well, that’s off the wall, a system that condemns people to a position for life without hope of promotion.” Have you ever been to England? I rest my case. I might add that such a caste system is very prominent in America as well. It’s designed in such a way as to promote a particular illusion, defining it otherwise, but hey, ‘if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck’ it’s probably not a seat cushion; then again…

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Boston Brahmin’. We know too that there is a class of people who automatically get into the right schools and the right clubs and meet the ‘right’ people. Yes, certain people from all walks of life may get into the right school. They may not get into the right club however. They may meet the ‘right’ people. Who knows where that might lead? Yes, some people even crack the system in a big way; athletes, entertainers, artists and criminals (grin). Some people marry up (or down). Some people gain that sycophantic niche; there to bask in reflected glory as a Boswellian catamite. As we’ve seen, appearances are just that. The thing with appearances is that they are always there and as a result we become accommodated to them and deception always follows at some point as a matter of course. It doesn’t matter how much you tell yourself you are watching television and that you are apart from it. At some point you get sucked in. That’s its job.

The Gnostics had the idea that there are two Gods. One of them is evil and he created the world in which you live. The other God comes to save you out of it. In fact they are just two aspects of the same force; ‘lord of the light and of the darkness’

If you study yogis and the lives of yogis you get the idea that detachment from the world is the goal. In most cases they seem inclined to help others to do the same. You also notice that they seldom polarize with the doings of the world, i.e. get political, protest etc. Often they have no comment on the specific evil doers and exhibit a mastery of avoidance in confrontation with the Kissinger’s and Rupert Murdoch’s and Bush’s of this temporal sphere. You get the odd exception like Gandhi but Gandhi’s métier was non-violence; though it did lead to confrontation.

This is all about my little event the other day; basically a non-event actually. I addressed it though because it gives an example of something I’ve wanted to talk about anyway; is the primary concern of the yogi, occult scholar, metaphysician or spiritual personality about a general withdrawal from the world circumstance or should it involve speaking out against injustice? Should it involve telling the truth if that truth leads to conflict with the unchanging corruptions of this realm?

Maybe I’m just too un-evolved at this point to realize that playing Don Quixote is just that. Maybe it’s a romantic notion that hasn’t yet unraveled to the heart of the matter. I feel like I should point things out because of the high level of suffering that attends not understanding what is happening around you. Realized yogis have the capacity to clarify the minds of those they instruct so that gradual liberation takes place regardless of conditions and doesn’t require public demonstrations of resistance to evil. Didn’t Christ say, “Resist not evil”?

I expect there is more than a little Kshatriya in me. I note that incarnate world teachers on occasion do stir up a great deal of conflict, whereas the yogi ordinaire is seldom seen at this sort of thing. You get your Bhagwan Rajneesh now and again, or Da Free John who manifest a chaotic environment which is explained as a needed radical transition out of the grip of the sub matrix. The juries still out on those guys, at least as far as I’m concerned; if people can cut world leaders all that slack then I guess I can give the benefit of the doubt in these cases. Yogis go nuts too though.

So what am I or any of us to do, if we feel the strong pull to place a different definition on world events, that contrasts with the powerful message of mind control put out by demonic entities, that seek a wide enslavement of human consciousness? Doing so is going to bring flack. Of course I note that you can get flack no matter what; might as well have a good reason.

It seems to come down to the fact that it can be difficult to define evil and difficult to avoid becoming a monster in the pursuit of monsters. It seems also that, if everything is under control; and it is, that there isn’t anything to worry about. However, I am of the opinion that we all have a job to do. You can look at the job of being an undertaker as being unattractive and repulsive but it would be a much nastier place without them.

Are we our brother’s keeper? Surely it is always best to become more aware of the evil in ourselves before we go looking to correct it elsewhere; a large section of many major religions seems forgetful of this. And it is interesting to note that there are one set of behavioral rules for world leaders in politics and religion and another for the rank and file. Many people, possibly most people, get very confused about what’s okay and what isn’t; all manner of gratuitous laws keep coming around to legislate morality. Yet the arbiters, enforcers and constructors of these moralities are selectively casual about their own behavior. Depending on your caste you’re more or less likely to feel the whip.

Should one who works to disentangle themselves from the snares of the world, point out the snares of the world and the authors of these snares, even though the authors will then be compelled to react against such disclosure? Is it worth the certain backlash to labor in defense of humanity by telling the truth; thereby bringing slime, character assassination and enmity upon yourself? I suppose only you can know that.

Personally I prefer to speak to the means of extraction rather than to be overly concerned with the perpetrators of confinement. The names and faces change all the time but the essential conditions and principles with which you must work remains the same. I don’t hit the streets to riot in defense of liberty, though I know it’s going to happen over and over again; quite often these people wind up taking the places of their oppressors and doing the same job once more. It’s a conundrum, no mistake. It’s one of those intricate puzzles we must each encounter and resolve. I can only hope my own growth will stay constant in respect of my challenges so that I may often learn ahead of my mistakes; always remembering that mistakes are inevitable.

If no caste system were ever placed upon the human condition it would manifest automatically, regardless. If you’ve got a job, I’ve been told, do it with all your heart. …and never let your righteous distaste for the malefic efforts of scoundrels rob you of your ability to monitor yourself. Never allow yourself to be robbed of your compassion. It’s the least you can offer knowing that there but for fortune and the grace of God go us one and all.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel like all of us do the best we can based on the information we have at the time. When it comes down to it, I suppose ignorance is no excuse but I think in general people often times just really don't know any better...including those tyrants that you often mention. I know personally that I have done some really dumb-ass things, things that I look backing thinking "I can't believe I did that, I can't believe that was me". I feel embarrassed when I think about them but then I realize, hey I didn't know any better at the time. Karma is a real thing, there truly is an undeviating justice; we know, we've seen and experienced it. These people that inflict so much suffering and exploit on a grand scale and even on the small scale; there will be a point where they realize what they've done, they will feel the consequences ...I don't think it can be any other way. And when I think about it that way, I do feel sorry for them. I'm naturally inclined to be judgmental and self-righteous, it's something I fight in myself. But the truth is, I have the capacity to be just as bad (or 'good') as anyone else. I imagine we all do. To some extent, we're all products of our social conditioning. You said something that really sticks out in my mind when I think about all the apparent injustice, that is "that we are all souls struggling to be free". That has to be one of the truest things ever said and I take it to mean all of us, even the worst of humanity. But of course, I am among the number being exploited...and it can be difficult to find a balance somewhere between anger and compassion. Anyway...I'm getting constantly interrupted and probably not articulating any of this very well at all so I'll quit. Great message though; like always, you've really got me thinking this morning.

ben

Anonymous said...

I knew this was a fine piece of work, possibly your best wrought in terms of a professional presentation versa degree of difficulty. It feels flawless. The harmony created between the subject and the manner in which you said it adds an ironic subtlety that I don't think I've ever seen before. Then I hit the last line and you literally blew me out of my seat. I stood up with tears in my eyes and said, "Yes! Yes! This is the real thing." Thank you so much.

z a

Anonymous said...

super work

Anonymous said...

I can't think of anything to say except to say how much I liked it. The words vibrate.

Erin

Anonymous said...

I just got back from visiting my parents and I got to read this. This is beautiful Les. I realize why I never feel I have a home even though I have a home because my home is not where I think it is and I'm not who I think I am either.

Carla

Anonymous said...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

A great one, just like always.

CC

Anonymous said...

I want to ask you to write more often. I hope you will.

Anonymous said...

You're lucky to be concerned with such issues. A great many people just do whatever the hell they want to and don't spend a moment thinking about it. It seems to me that the percentage of people who are neither stupid nor evil has taken a sharp decrease.

A. Merryman

Anonymous said...

Did you go on vacation? Did I miss something? I hope you'll be writing something new tomorrow. I'm not pressing I just miss coming here and finding something new.

Bradley

By the way, this was a wonderful piece of writing. I just didn't say anything before because I don't know what to say and this is because it just falls outside my ability to comment. I guess I can only say that what you write changes me and I am always desperate for change. As the world gets worse, my desire for change in myself increases.





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