h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Ed and everyone.

I have lavender too,its doing very well,the french one which we call bunny ears(because it reminds me of little bunnies ears sticking up)I harvest it and dry it and thru the winter time i sprinkle it on my carpets before i hoover them,then as the smell wafts about i'm back into summer days again heavenly,yes fragrance is magical,brings back so many lovely memories
xxxxSan

Thank you for that comment Hyp. I was wondering whether this thread should be renamed gardeners corner, and was literally about to leave.

Yes, one self, and perhaps it is in finding that self, unadulterated and salty, that enables us to connect with everyone, the whole ocean, and return to our source.

When F and I first moved to Texas - it seems like another lifetime - we settled in Beaumont which is about 30 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. We were there for three years. That is the only time I have ever lived close enough to the sea to do the whole seashore thing whenever I wanted.

I don't know how anyone can not find things to reflect upon at the seashore. The sheer majesty of it is overwhelming. Each drop of water contains it's own little universe of microscopic organisms yet is totally lost in the vastness of the sea. There is constant movement. It is never the same from one second to the next, yet it maintains it's identity.

With each breath we move toward the future and lose the past. We can only experience the present. This makes it difficult for us to grasp that we are part of a great cosmic, spiritual ocean. We are the drops of seawater that compose creation and are all linked together without the ability to see the entire ocean.

I have also been fortunate enough to scuba dive on occassion. On one dive in Acapulco Bay I was comfortable enough with my surroundings to lose the moment and become reflective. It occurred to me that I was in the sea, moving through this alien environment, but was not a part of it. I think this mirrors the relationship of the soul/consciousness andthe physical world. The physical world is a mechanism, a device, an alien environment filled with constant movement, and the soul travels through it without being a part of it.

H

What an incredibly beautiful description Hyp. Thank you. So apt for what I am feeling and experiencing right now. You will probably never know quite how much; but it tells me we are both part of that sea together.

I love the sea, I wish I lived near it. It reminds me of all that is, how small and yet edgeless and therefore infinite I am, we are. It reminds me of home.

A timely and thoughtful rescue, Hypatia.

I would be very sorry for you to leave, Momenta.

I really must go down to the sea again.

Love to all,ed.

I'm in one of those moods where you feel detached from things. I think it's because I have such a heavy workload now and am subsconsciously rebelling. I'm here, busy, working, but not here - feeling like an observer - finding everything shallow and ridiculous. And I feel like I could sleep for a week.

H

Lousey feeling!
I hope it passes soon Hypatia.
That feeling always makes me want to sleep until it's over

Hmm, very quiet and peaceful here, as it should be.

I'll meditate a while and send out loving thoughts to everyone with the hope that big bad world out there is not getting the upper hand.

I feel so at one here!

Love,ed.

Two here
I'll peek back in soon.

So what do you want to examine or discuss Ed?
Any ideas? Start!

Hell's bells, abbi you really did give me a start!! I almost fell into the lotus pond.

Seriously, how often can we actually feel at one with everything? As soon as we focus on one appealing thing the coin flips as if to lead us on to a deeper meaning. More importantly, without contrast how could we value anything? As the song goes "You can't have one without the other" (Love and marriage in that case!)

We have covered the problem of good and evil here before.
It occurs to me now that all is a dance and those two perennial partners just won't stop dancing. They are mystically woven into the Dance where they become one and lose their definition. Thus at-oneness, maybe is only truly to be experienced in the Dance and in acceptance of the Dance. Otherwise, and we are "doomed" to our polarisations.

I think I may be paying homage to Dancing(!)Buddha here. In a previous post at this thread he wrote "Get on with it, and enjoy" I think, though that he overlooked the fact that some people may suffer from cross-lateralism, and with two left feet, to boot! The Dance, not his version has to cater for everyone. Everyone must be included in the Dance and, if we find we have seeming advantage love must flow to where it is lost. Then we can enjoy.

Oh dear, bin gone judged myself a hypocrite!! Still, I hope this makes some sense. If not, dance on!

Love,ed

I'm here too!

One with everything? In a way that is my aim I suppose, and perhaps find it to be a refining process. Fall into it, fall out, in, and so on. But more and more all the time.

For me it goes beyond desire or duality, my wish for a particular outcome, a surrender of sorts. To become part of the beautiful pattern of things. I agree that we are all drawn deeper and deeper into the mystery. I love it!

I love to dance. But I dance best when I am danced, rather than doing the dancing. My partner is the divine, the ocean, the all.

But I too am a hypocrite, and I fall flat on my face, and learn to walk, run, dance, fly better every time I fall.

SO funny how the same things come up all over the place at the same time. Don't you just love synchronicity? Duality, polarity, and it's ending are everywhere.

You know one thing I am finding quite funny, is that as I frequent a number of different forums, and in the same way that our friends draw out different aspects of us, so do these places of me. Thing is, I don't tend to visit all my friends in one evening! Ummm which aspect of me am I here?

Good and evil are all in one's point of view. I know we've discussed this before, but it is a fascinating topic. I do think that evil exists, but my definition of evil is probably different than everyone elses.

To me evil is self-serving and deliberately destructive behavior. So, Pol Pot, for example, was evil in my book. But the Palestinian suicide bombers are not evil because they sincerely believe they are doing Allah's will and because the only way they can possibly benefit is in the afterlife. The people who have so brainwashed them, on the other hand, and who callously send these young men to their deaths to satisfy their own political ambitions are evil.

Ronald Reagan always referred to the Soviet Union as the Evil Empire. I think it was a poor choice of words. The Soviet Union
armed to the teeth as a reaction to losing 25,000,000 of it's citizens during WWII. They wanted to make sure it never happened to them again. This may have posed a threat to the west, but it certainly wasn't evil. If the reason I have a weapon is because my house has been broken into repeatedly and my children kidnapped and murdered, then my weapon may pose a danger to my enemies, but I am not evil for possessing it and having the will to use it if necessary.

What's interesting is that a single act can have both good and evil consequences because it affects more than one person and because the effects continue to generate additional actions with effects forever.

It's the same with truth. We each have our own truth. I suppose on a universal scale absolute truth exists, but it is certainly abstract on a human level. Truth is fluid. We claim that our belief systems are founded on truths when in fact they are based upon assumptions.

My current truth is that my break is over and I have to get back to work.

H

Hypatia, nice you allowed your break to give us your view.

Did you ever read C.J. Jung's "Answer to Job"? I mention it now because I found great support, even solace in his preface, the Lectori Benevolo, regarding truths and the conflicts arising in arguments religious v. science. Basically he is saying "east is east and west is west and never the twain can meet" It might be worth a read, i.e just the preface, and probably as all part of a day's work!

Love, ed.

No, ed, I'm not familiar with that. But it certainly sounds worth a read. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have the time to read everything you would like?

I have learned with age that things are seldom black or white. The idealism of my youth has been replaced with aceptance, I suppose. I used to think it was cynicism, but I'm getting beyond that, too. Things are as they are.

Intention makes a tremendous difference. The act has to be viewed separately from the person committing it. Hating the sin but loving the sinner, so to speak. This doesn't mean that everyone deserves a pass and that no one is responsible for their actions. When we do something that causes pain to another, we need to accept that we have caused suffering - even if that was not our intent.

H

. This is a bit awkward, Hypatia. I have recently been discussing pain from a different angle, in a different context, elsewhere.

Physical violence can never be tolerated. I wonder,though can suffering open new possibilities to the sufferer?

All forms of pain are in the head. Hypnosis can be used to bypass physical pain. Individuals can use self-hypnosis. I do not wish to be insensitive to those who know what real pain is. It is so easy to theorise when one is unaffected. I know answers don't come easy. I am very sympathetic.

As regards mental anguish, mild or otherwise I ask myself, on what does this pain rest? I think it is on the notion that whoever inflicts it robs you of your right to love. The pain of that is within you and is built on the sum total of similar disillusionments you have suffered from the moment you were conceived.

What does a newborn child, even animal, evoke in you? If you are truly human it is great love, unconditional love. I believe that an unadulterated babe IS pure love and that's why he/she evokes it. From this I extrapolate that that babe within never dies. The world "denies" it and the emerging self can't beat the world so it joins it and the babe, identifying love, gets separated, hived off. I propose that it is this separation that gives rise to human anguish and pain.
The seemingly new possibility that opens to a sufferer, in my view, is to be able to trace the pain back inwards where babe lies languishing, and to re-establish the true identity and all the power of love.
Looking outside ourselves plainly tells us there is not enough love to go round. Finding it within can release it into the world and the deficit starts to be made up. Showing it, unconditionally out in the world has transforming power. (Mother Theresa?) True love is the glue of the Universe. It is all-creative and has no bounds other than those we put upon it in our unconditional free-will state!

My word, what a rant!

Love, ed.

A few thoughts, opinions and experiencesthat may not make any sense to anybody but me!
**************

*ED says* "All forms of pain are in the head. Hypnosis can be used to bypass physical pain. Individuals can use self-hypnosis. I do not wish to be insensitive to those who know what real pain is."

All forms of pain are in the mind ,body and soul.
The illusions lie (pun)in the balance.
It may appear to be in one area but it is always on all.
There is no precise line of division.

Hypnosis does not always rid you of pain.
It enables you to deal and sometimes *heal* ( not the same as cure)
To focus energy to other parts (mind ,senses or soul) not the physical pain.

I think of it as practiced and measured denial.
Of course we can relate to denial being a bad thing.
It could be seen as a balance (application and timing) of measured denial and unbalanced attentions to achieve a positive effect
******************

Physical pain can distract people from their soul or mind pain.
Soul pain keeps people stuck in minds and bodies that are not healthy.
In the real 24/7 world you cannot be hypnotized and live to your potential. We are rarely if ever balanced in mind body and soul all at once.

Anytime you chose or unwillingly lose a part of yourself you cannot help but lose control (balance)of additional parts. Chosen or not you also gain in strength in other parts. You would cease to exist otherwise. It is one of natures way of pruning us and encouraging growth.

**************************************************
*ED * "If you are truly human it is great love, unconditional love."

People can be truly human and still love themselves more than the babe. Love the idea they can produce the babe more than the babe.
And so forth.

On the other end; if they do not love themselves then they cannot teach the babe real love no matter how much they have for the babe.

It is a very delicate balance and not just of one thing.
Far too much to balance to be a perfect human, lover or anything else. There are only perfect teachers and students. Both are one in the same if perfect

If you were hypnotized with pure love there would be nothing to worry about in your mind. You might not be able to comfort those with worries. Same if you never felt physical pain or confusion or memory loss....

People on this earth are imperfect and their love will always be imperfect. That is the perfection of free will and growth. It is not always perfect or balanced. If we are at this time and space to learn then it is perfect for that. It is not the lesson that teaches it is the student themselves.
******************************************

*ED asks *"can suffering open new possibilities to the sufferer?"

Yes but not neccesarily more than those who love those persons,care for them and witness it. You have the most "potential for growth" in experiencing both sides.

It is not just experiencing both sides of the issues but every combination of the balances of the minds,bodies and soul of those involved. Nothing is stagnant, there are always more possibilities, more ways to balance and more reasons to adjust the balance.
We are never done!

Oh my this is a long one
Hope it makes sense! I wore myself out.

"When we do something that causes pain to another, we need to accept that we have caused suffering - even if that was not our intent.
Hyp

Yes.
Good Intentions are no guarantee of outcome
*sigh*

Ed says:

"Looking outside ourselves plainly tells us there is not enough love to go round. Finding it within can release it into the world and the deficit starts to be made up. Showing it, unconditionally out in the world has transforming power. (Mother Theresa?) True love is the glue of the Universe. It is all-creative and has no bounds other than those we put upon it in our unconditional free-will state!"

Tumultuous applause! Oh absolutely!


"When we do something that causes pain to another, we need to accept that we have caused suffering - even if that was not our intent.
Hyp

Yes.
Good Intentions are no guarantee of outcome
*sigh*"

This one I would disagree with, in essence, while I understand what you are both saying Abbi and Hyp. On some levels of course this is true. If we act with cruelty, actively and consciously transgress against another, then we need to own up (but the people who do do things like that, do they own their actions or blame another for them?).

However, I see intention as everything. Our original, though possibly unconscious intent can usually be seen clearly in the outcome. We may think our intention is one thing, but how deep have we looked?

It is usually ourselves we cause pain to anyway. No one can make us feel something (I am not talking of physical pain here of course). It is us who chooses how to react or respond to something. It depends how much we have invested in another behaving in a certain way, how we see that reflecting upon us, how attached we are to the outcome.

As Ed says, with unconditional love, there is nothing but that, whatever anyone else may do.

Of course you make sense, abbi, i.e. I understand your perspective. Posting doesn't allow for too much elaboration, but this subject needs it. Even then we are only going to give pointers.

My own perspective is based on the fact that we all start off as embryos, ("babes"). As we "adulterate" we each seem to settle at one or other part of the spectrum in a kind of compensatory way. We remain tribal and the tribe must act as one not the individual. The tribe calls for wholeness at the individual's expense. That may well be changing, at least in western society if that’s not a "tribal" contradiction!




I am inclined to believe that Love exists eternally and of itself and we are each an issue of it, though never separated. The degrees of love, as we define them and experience them are but a "reaching out" to that source. The original connection seems to have been obscured?? It does need a different definition for Love, perhaps a different word if my argument is not to become confused or confusing. I often qualify it by calling it Creative Love. We say Love will find a way. It can find a way because it is all-creative; we see it in action in the embryo and also, now in deep space; science, everywhere. It does not know pain, but it tugs so hard it causes pain. It can just as easily flood in and then we also would not know pain. It is unconditional in that it allows us to create whatever world we are able to give credence to, and yet it gives us infinite possibilities to play with.

It is actually a hopeless task to try to stand back and describe Love. There is paradox at every turn. Rider and horse must become one if the hurdles are to be cleared successfully. Paradox being one of them! To know it is only possible within it. The rest is approximation!!

I agree, hypnosis is but a stop-gap answer. I only used the idea to show that nothing is hard and fast. Obviously, all thinking takes place in the head. It is all a bit more mysterious than that, as abbi points out. If we are not open to other possibilities, how can they manifest? In the end we are not the arbiters, Creative Love is, at least, until we can truly be partners again.

I take the opposite view about teaching a babe to love, rather we teach it not to love, remembering, we were babes once and we have been taught the same. My impression of love is that it is not something we do or give to others it is what we can enter into with them.

Time I dried up!
Love, ed.

"My impression of love is that it is not something we do or give to others it is what we can enter into with them." Ed

That is niceI like the way you have put that.

Although I think of love as a verb, trust as a noun.

Good point about true intentions Momenta.
It takes more that surface desires to see your true intentions.
We can fool ourselves.

I still think in some cases the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Guaranteeing an outcome , or knowing what is best is not always within your power reguardless of your intentions. Somethings that seem mostly bad can be understood as mostly good with time (? like Hypatia said)