1999-12-14 00:00:00
My Friends,
My computer crashed yesterday so I am sending this on my old Packard Bell. I have an updated Norton utilities arriving tomorrow (actually today since it's past midnight) that I hope will fix my hard drive. We have several Macs but only the one that crashed is hooked up to the internet.
It is amazing how dependent we are on these machines, but when you think about it our bodies are also very advanced machines and we are even more dependent upon them to explore this world we are in.
My computer crashing also made me aware of how closely linked I am to you, my friends, in this group. I felt a sense of loss in thinking that I may have communications cut off for a day or two, then I remembered the old Packard Bell was hooked up and my spirit was cheered.
I have pretty much stayed aloof from the recent conflict as no new objections have come up for me to answer. I try and copy the Brotherhood in the principle of not repeating myself unnecessarily.
I do not seek to dictate to or control one side or the other, but I will make a few comments here. There are three basic worlds of conflict, as we understand the term, and they are the physical, emotional or astral, and mental. Now the physical must be met with physical, the emotional with emotion and the mental with mind.
Take the old arch enemy of mankind, Hitler, for example. He created a physical conflict. Many tried sending good and bad vibes to him, but nothing worked until the Allies met him with physical force and took apart his war machine.
Moving up a step if someone is angry or hurt at you and you return that hurt with logic (mind) or physical brutality you are fighting on the wrong plane and the anger and hurt will not be resolved.
If we go to the plane of the mind and have an intellectual disagreement with another, and that person responds by calling you names, then he is fighting mind with emotion. The emotion he attacks you with by calling you a name does not resolve the conflict. Then, too, if he resorts to the physical and strikes you, your mind is not changed either. The only thing that can resolve the conflict is mind meeting mind and, if light is given and received in peace, unity will be the result.
Conflicts, however, are not always fought on one plane only. Take World War II again. The physical conflict was obvious, but on an emotional level propaganda (true and false) was used by both sides to deflate the spirits of the enemy. But perhaps the most important conflict was on the plane of the mind. The Allies had the philosophy of government of the people, by the people and for the people (at least in theory) and the Axis had a philosophy that the leaders know best and should be followed without question.
Because this prime difference could not be resolved on the plane of the mind it was reduced to the emotional level. Finally it was not resolved on the emotional level either so Hitler reduced the conflict to the physical level. Once it was reduced to the physical level then the Allies had to respond accordingly.
Fortunately for this list the conflicts that arise only exist on the emotional and mental levels. For one thing we are too far apart to take a swing at each other.
On one side John W, Xavier and Glenys fight mentally and emotionally. On the other side, we have a variety of approaches - Saul exclusively on the plane of the mind. I know he does not see himself as directly involved in any conflict on any level, but I think many would agree that he is, whether he sees himself that way or not. His attack is perhaps more isolated in the mind to a greater extent than anyone I have ever met. You could call him any name in the book and he would calmly respond like Spock in Star Trek.
Now the trouble is that mental conflicts are never resolved with him so the tendency is to go to the emotional level and try to get a response. Several have done this and it has not worked, for Saul gave no emotional response. I picked up an emotional response from him just once since he was on the list, but he did not share it with us.
Saul is to be commended for his discipline for keeping his focus on mind, but, in not sharing himself emotionally, I believe he is making as big of a mistake on his end as are those who may attack emotionally. Emotion must be met with emotion and since he shows no interest in using emotion, as a constructive tool, the conflict will remain unresolved.
It is interesting that Saul seemed perplexed that his presence here caused conflict, as if he could have nothing to do with it. But I believe he does have much to do with it and here is the reason: If you are on the plane of the mind and stimulate emotion, you just can't withdraw and say - "your emotion is entirely your doing. I had nothing to do with it; therefore, go look in the mirror and resolve things."
It doesn't work that way. You can start with the plane of the mind and if you can stay there well and good. But if the conflict goes down to the emotional level you must go there too. Does this mean that if the person insults you that you insult him back?
No.
What does it mean then?
The principle of resolving conflict on the emotional level is to take two
Steps: Feel the other person's emotion and reflect it back through your own emotions without resulting to name calling. Let your feelings honestly vent even if it increases the conflict. Secondly, after you have established communication on the emotional level then apply the principle of overcoming good with evil. Find a point of agreement no matter how small and guide the conflict toward love and friendship.
If the person is honest in heart he will be glad to be so guided, but if he is resolved to be right at all costs, there is little you can do except set an example that may mean something to him later on.
CW also has raised some hairs since he has been here. At first he had no emotional interaction with us but, as time has gone on, emotional presence has manifested. This has helped him become more real to many of us.
A third person who is a source of conflict here is our good friend Zina. Sometimes she comes out and honestly attacks and other times she does it subtly by picking a side and feeding that side with energy and support, a little like the U.S. did with the Contras. We were not directly involved in the fighting, but we gave them money and support and thus gave power to the side of our choosing. It's funny though, I cannot remember her taking my side of any conflict for some time.
Now Zina has created more conflict on this list than she or most list members realize and she is also perplexed by this and sees it as the other guy's problem. She seems to see herself as A Course in Miracles peace graduate and is also perplexed that anyone could see her as a cause or center of any conflict.
The fact is she is also a center of conflict and the reason here is again lack of honest emotional communication.
To this I'm sure that Zina would give the astounded reply that she daily communicates with love and feeling and empathy and zest. Now no one has to accept what I am saying here, but let me throw it out anyway as my humble opinion.
When Zina gets involved in conflict she generally does it from the plane of the mind. Her approach is similar to Saul's except Saul really does not allow himself to feel much emotion whereas Zina does, but does not communicate much of her real feeling to the list. This keeps all of our communications with her on a mental level. But when conflict arises and emotion is created, that emotion is not responded to by her. Because she does not respond to emotion with all feeling and honesty, conflict is perpetuated.
Now keep this fact in mind. In the past six months all the unresolved conflict has centered on Saul, CW and Zina. If these three had not been here this would have been a very peaceful list, maybe a little more boring, but peaceful.
Now these three may take issue with me and say that they were not the cause at all. Instead they just present superior philosophy that the rest of us cannot deal with. We are the ones in conflict because we cannot stand to have someone disagree with us.
Actually, such is not the case. Concerning myself, Rick, Rob, Glenys Xavier and others have disagreed with me in the past, but all these issues were resolved. Why? First, because it did not matter who was right. All that mattered was the truth. Secondly, each of these individuals communicates with great honesty on both emotional and mental levels.
So what can we do to resolve the conflicts that materialize, since this is an open forum and conflict alone is not sufficient to expel anyone? It will help if we all attempt to communicate honestly on both emotional and mental levels. Honest communication is as important as words and feelings.
If the person refuses to go to the level you are on then meet him at his level. This is what I have tried to do with Saul for I have realized that emotion would have no effect on him. On the other hand I have tested Zina now and again, with some feeling, hoping to stimulate some in her, for I feel that there is a lot below the surface in her that she has not shared with us. In return I have received some feeling oriented words, but not what I consider to be real feeling in my direction with the exception of one private communication she sent me.
Again this is my humble opinion and you are free to disagree or even send your wrath in my direction.
I am happy to send Saul, CW and Zina all the love they are prepared to receive.
I personally love passion in the pursuit of BECOMING. That's one of the reasons I like John W. It is true that his words are not diplomatic at times, but all can sense that his passion is as real as the Christ in chasing the money lenders out of the temple. I see a lot of passion in many of you, but I cite John because his is certainly not under a bushel. Many seekers believe that passion is a negative thing that must be stamped out, but if directed by the soul it can be put to very constructive use.
I'll try and get to more of your questions tomorrow.
Copyright 1999 by J.J. Dewey, All Rights Reserved