--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > This issue of one or more persons (sometimes the > majority of active posters) perceiving one partic- > ular poster as consistently angry, and abusive > because of that anger, suddenly "clicked" for me > this afternoon. I had known that it reminded me > of something, but I had not been able to figure > out *what* it reminded me of. > > Bingo! Got it. It reminded me of visiting America > recently, my first trip back in over two and a half > years. > > Unless you've lived *outside* the country for a while, > and are just re-entering it, you really aren't going > to get (or believe) what I'm saying, and in fact you'll > get angry about it, and say to yourself, "He's full of > shit." I know this going in, because that's the very > phenomenon I'm talking about. > > I would say that MOST (and by "MOST" I mean 80-90% of > the people I interacted with during my week in America > were ANGRY. The *first* thing that hits you, if you've > been away for a while is the level of F E A R in the > air. Almost everyone is afraid, all the time. And if > you mention this perception to them, they'll tell you > they're not. And THEN they'll get angry at you for > having noticed that they're afraid. And THEN they'll > deny that they're angry. > > It's just the weirdest thing. Why I think it relates > to issues here on FFL is that a number of the posters > whom a lot of people agree are out-of-control angry > DENY that they're angry. Well, I don't think that they > KNOW consciously that they're angry. Anger is their > *baseline* state, the thing they settle back *down* to > and "relax" into when their out-of-control moments settle > down. Anger is so much a part of their lives, so much > the "background soundtrack" of those lives, that they > think it's normal. So they get even angrier when some- > one points out that they're angry, because they don't > want to admit that they're angry all the time. > > Sadly, this is my (and a lot of Europeans') view of > America and Americans at this time. They're so afraid > all the time that it makes them angry almost all the > time. But they cannot admit either the anger or the > fear to themselves because that would be...uh...like > Un-American or something. :-) > > And even more sadly, that is the scenario in and around > a lot of spiritual traditions in which people have been > pursuing enlightenment for 20-30 years with no real sign of > progress. They can't really *admit* the lack of progress, > because that would be "off the program" and would make it > sound like they were doubting the all-holy teacher and > tradition, but they're very *aware* of their own lack > of progress. ESPECIALLY if someone comes around and > talks about a basically normal, everyday experience of > enlightenment, something that really *should* be normal > and everyday in a real happening tradition. The people > hearing this often get really, really, really, really > PISSED OFF. > > And in my opinion that's what you're feeling around FFL > right now. > > This is just my opinion, and I'm just throwing it out there > for other people to bounce off of. I'm not going to get > involved in defending these ideas or arguing them with > some self-styled spiritual drama queen, just because > they're in need of an argument today to make them feel > alive . They're just ideas. Do with 'em what you want... >
Can't say I've noticed the anger thing directly in the general population, though it has been mentioned before that fear is a great way to keep the populace in check politically, and I do see a LOT of indirect evidence for that... However I do notice the other part of what you said. Especially the part about treating enlightenment as just another experience. On the one hand, sure it is special- divesting oneself of lifetimes of suffering is pretty darned neat. Ongoing freedom is also something incaluably special. On the other hand, the process of gaining enlightenment is not mumbo jumbo, and particularly the majority of the members here, who have been meditating in this life for decades, the physiology is conditioned to accept enlightenment already, so what is stopping us, from this really very normal experience? Through seeking enlightenment so long, many of us think that seeking is a normal state; some progress, a setback, a flashy experience, and then more of the same. However, it is just as easy to 'break on through to the other side...'. And the reward is well worth it! Say a prayer, go for it! ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Drugs Don't Discriminate. Get help for yourself or someone you know. http://us.click.yahoo.com/0I.OUB/ZbOLAA/d1hLAA/0NYolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
