Thought Ghostwriter creating the "I" = "man behind the curtain" (wizard of oz reference)
Our thoughts are the ghostwriter for the symbol/idea we have of ourselves. Even the idea we have of ourselves is written by one of the many incarnations of the "thought ghostwriter." Only, if you have an experience during meditation or have a psychedelic experience, you may find that the "man behind the curtain" is just another curtain of thought itself. Living in our culture, it becomes really difficult to keep these insights close enough to remind oneself to stay on the path. That's why its important to have people you can talk with, chat with online or send emails......OR write & post index cards up on your wall as I mentioned in my last post. We need reminders in this game we're plugged into. Just remember......try to relax, don't panic, remain calm, keep breathing, have a good time, enjoy yourselves, ENJOY YOUR STAY. :)
Nature's Board Game getting out of hand
(from an email I sent to a friend-edited for blog)
It's like society itself is a game where we all agree on the rules of engagement and jump in when we feel like it. It's all a part of nature....but I think those who wake up from it, no matter how much....and realize they have a responsibility, these people share the responsibility of being the "anti-virus" of thought/emotion/action coding[in nature]. Maybe even as an "anti-biotic" to the thought viruses already in progress in our collective consciousness. "How" is the big question. It might just be a matter of mindfulness and being alive/aware and present in the present moment like so many philosophers have talked about throughout history.
I've been listening to Thich Nhat Hanh at night. His emphasis is on being present, not getting angry, not giving into anger.....not believing in Buddha nature as something that someone else has but you can't have it. He talked about Buddha nature as compassion, understanding and so on....not something mystical [or untouchable]. He talked about how these traits, these ABILITIES(I'm paraphrasing)...these abilities of thought/emotion management that the Buddhas had/have are something anyone can bring about in their own life. "If the Buddha can do it, we can do it."....is how he said it. I don't expect myself to be an undisturbed person right off.....or even overnight. The purpose would be to not reinforce or add to the cycles of patterns of reactions that are already in the world. [The purpose would also be to add healthy and positive habits, actions, reactions that nurture peace and understanding in the collective consciousness. That way its not only about focusing on mistakes/negative habits, but it's also about putting into practice the positive habits,etc. Being mindful of expectations we have is important.]
I was thinking a lot about anger....and how anger makes a person weak, not in control of his or her own mind/actions. It's a big emotion...a common emotion.....even in the animal kingdom. What separates us from the animals is that we can wake up from it....and transcend the coding of thought(culture/tradition/upbringing).
Not everyone shares these views, but that's all right. Even though one might have them today, tomorrow might become too busy and sweep us right back up into the job, relationship, or whatever role that demands our attention.
EDIT: Added a comma after "Only"! Commas can make a difference in how things are read!!
