Themes

The Tragedy in Connecticut and our Responsibility to Work

We usually keep current events separate from our work, that is, events running on linear time from those of our work which are eternal. And the relativity of events – I saw yesterday that a thousand people were murdered in the Congo last week and it is not mentioned in the news – is good to keep in mind.

Never the less, the shootings in Connecticut hit home for many of us, for many reasons. How can we work with such a wrenching event.

We all have an animal and an angelic nature within, as does society as a whole. The shock of the news can remind us of our human and humane side, the part of us that is empathetic and compassionate, our inner life. Being positive about humanity is difficult during these times, but it is what our work consists of.

No matter what is taking place, there needs to be people who can separate from the daily news, and put out positive energy, healing energy for the future and for humanity as a whole. This is our work. Not to be consumed by external events, retain our presence, increase our presence, stay grounded and attempt as best we can to put out affirming energy amidst the negative.

This may seem a tall order, but it is what we are here to do. If there were a critical mass of folks working on themselves as described, things would change, society would be transformed. That may not be the case, but our work is to be positive for the future, so a future of Love and Compassion is in potential. Let us send from our presence, positive healing energy to all beings, to all who suffer and to the future of life on our planet.

Jerry Toporovsky  December 16^th, 2012

We are working with Attention. Attempting to be attentive to our attention.

We have an automatic attention where we get around and do complex things, but aren’t present or aware of our actions. I can get up after writing this, find my way out the door, down the stairs, and go buy a newspaper, all in sleep, on automatic. I can drive my car on a familiar route, completely mechanically and then be amazed I arrived safe and sound without the involvement of my consciousness.

Then there is an attention that involves our being present and aware. As I sit here I can sense my hands, my body, and come into a state of awareness, the beginning of waking up. I am here, aware of my mind being present, mindful of the sensation of my body and alive to my feelings. Collected, here and now, in this moment.

We work with our attention as continuously as we can; being present, alive in three centers; mind, body and feelings. Aware as often as I can be of an inner presence, an energy and aliveness inside me that is present irregardless of my state, level of energy, mood or feelings. To remember myself – my inner life, my wish, and the energetic presence that lives inside me. Being attentive to attention – to be able to separate the present moment from the present situation.

But there is another level of attention, beyond our collected awareness. An attention we have to be open to. An attention we have to allow. The sensitive awareness attention needs to be organized, focused on, made steady – and then we can be in a position of opening to a higher level that can come.

Our search is for consciousness when we are often too concerned with ourselves. There arises over time a preference for consciousness, where we can let things be and open to a deeper attention. An attention that is not from me, but in me. We don’t have to be a certain way to be related to this attention.

When we open and this attention comes, this conscious energy is present, we are less reactive, identified, less concerned with our image and able to externally consider.

Remembering that our work is not about subjective experience, but about service.  Consciousness is contagious.

Jerry Toporovsky  12-11-12

The work is about allowing. Being receptive to higher energies and allowing them to enter our being. For this to occur we have to render our centers passive. Our bodies need to be in an extremely relaxed state, still, no tension. Our minds, the mechanism of our personality has to be passive, immobile, serene, inconsequential. Opinions, thoughts of I, righteous indignation, reactions, need to vanish. Our emotions, so volatile, swinging, need to be passive as well. Calm, non-reactive. We need to have courage and intention to make this happen.

And then…..

We allow. We render our centers passive, still and allow the higher to enter. Conscious energy. It is unmistakable, not subtle. A feeling of effortlessness takes over, an opening to the higher, the blinders taken off, a centered presence now in the solar plexus.

This will blend with automatic energy in us and the result is a non-forced, present, surplus of sensitive energy. At that point it is so important not to confuse what is going on with “I, which is something on a different, and higher level. Just be with yourself. The new person that is you.

The work is about learning how to love. For this we have to get out of the way. Life and the work will provide shocks, tensions, change. Be still, non-reactive in front of them. Accept yourself, both the angel and the animal. Always separate the present moment from the present situation. Trust in the work.

Jerry Toporovsky — September 10th, 2012