Report 25

In last week's report I used the term 'empty threats' to describe limitations and perceived obstacles with regard to integrating the knowledge of codependent arising into daily life. I can't say I was ready to expound on what I'd begun to articulate when Stim asked me, so I'd like to try to do that here. :)

Seeing obstacles, cages, chains, and limitations as empty threats has to do with seeing that everything that appears is made up of incalculable number of factors (dependent co-arising). For me, in some sense it is factoring in one's ignorance when approaching any and all 'things', because you *know* that if you take a moment to look further into something, it is ultimately not as weighty as it (at first glance) seems.

Looking at worry, for instance, if I am worried it is usually because I've not deeply considered the transience of what I'm worried about, or the worry itself. It is a habit of laziness and impatience, which I don't mean as an insult necessarily. The threat is 'serious' when I take 'myself' seriously, and it is funny that getting 'still', those obstacles can begin to 'move'.

If they move, they are empty?

So then developing concentration is where immediacy comes into play. Looking in a shallow way is a habit, not a necessary, or essential state, and at some level (a level I am attentive toward cultivating), all limitations are a matter of letting oneself rely on surface understanding moment to moment.

I'd like to mention that when Stim began this part of the workshop Indra's net was mentioned, and at the time, that was a very expansive vision to my thinking. I suppose I was hearing 'entanglement' and holographic principle ideas in that, and I do think they still apply. AND (rather than but)

The more radical vision is what I have a taste of at this point, but articulating of these ideas is still well beyond me.

I have questions about going beyond consciousness and I wonder if this isn't the leap there... consciousness 'being' that net/web of interrelations and memes and communication which is still yet another pointer/liimitation...

Also, I'm going to try not to edit this down too much because sometimes I'm hesitant to ask some things openly in workshops or take too much time to clarify things.