Renée, sorry to have missed that meeting, from what you share here is sounds so velvety and rich. Funny that the stigma of stillness is often thought of being abandoned in a void. And yet isn't that the threshold that needs to be crossed. A complete emptiness, that is totally vacant. A clearing away of all the data, input, stress, expectations. The scrolling of the mind. The sacrifice needed to open to the expanse of being, of presence! LIFE itself. An exquisite sense of being both embraced and embracing.
I've been sitting here waiting for words to come, and any that I would offer would take away. Thank you for this. I will include you in the email for any future conversations and so welcome your presence and reflections.
"The emptiness we may perceivein stillness is not a void that would seem to annihilate us but a sacred presence that is never not there."
So well said, Renee! I may use this quote in my upcoming presentation at this year's Gebser Society conference.
In regards to the Threefold Cord of Perception, I find a very important correlation to also exist with the Daoist concept of the Three Treasures: Jing (vital) in the lower dantian; Qi (feeling) in the middle dantian; and Shen (intellectual) in the upper dantian.
It is great to read your reflection here. Feel free to share at the conference. And 'Hi" to all!
I will not present this year as I focus on a manuscript. I would love to read your paper, and although you and I have discussed the Three Treasures, it is in reading this comment in this particular context that you have broadened my understanding. Thank you. Let's be in touch.
There are so many gorgeous points here, thank you Renee. Firstly, I love the use of the word vital in this way. For some reason I have never quite seen it referred to as such, never mind by so many esteemed scholars. I think it was the singular use of the word that grabbed my attention and had me wonder what exactly Gurdjieff meant and then it was explained a few lines later. Thank you.
'Entering silence is a practice of open receptivity to the world' felt like a walk through the park you shared in your image...exactly where I would love to go.
I am so glad your in-person gathering is almost full and I appreciate these excellent notes for those of us who could not attend the Saturday circle.
Donna, thank you as always for your close read and your reflections. Isn't it fascinating how a word can become so much more when it grabs our attention? I admit I am giddy about these conversations, and I'm glad the notes land. Thank you for sharing.
I appreciate your naming of emptiness as a sacred presence. I find that the Buddhist practice of non-attachment creates the emptiness or spaciousness that allows an opening for presence.
I’m sorry I was unable to attend yesterday’s gathering, and I’m deeply grateful for, and moved by, what you’ve shared here. Thank you, my dear Renee 💞🙏
Dear Toni, thank you for this. 🙏 I missed you but knew from our recent conversation that you were likely not to make it. I'm so glad to share. I thought of you while writing, especially per our conversations on this "perceptual cord." So much more for us all to explore, as you know, and I'm glad to see this has interest here in BTCZ land. 💖
What would you do if One of these perceptive conscious structures were out of balance? Either overpowering the whole system, or too weak to be recognized 'in participation' to the whole?
Jacob, your question is a very good one. We live our lives as humans with one of those structures "overpowering the whole system," that structure being the dominant mental structure. I will touch more on this in future letters, and we'll explore it in more depth on the upcoming retreat . . . moving into body and heart and out of primary reliance on the mental to do so as a movement toward integration of the three. If you have the availability, Jacob, I would love for you to join us at the December in-person gathering.
I look forward to the future divulgements... as I seek clarity within my own dysfunctional system... (solemn to that awareness... I know I should break from that ideology into something more healing - yet, isn't it better to sit in the true feelings of the matter than placate a Desire for some other feeling?) Better to recognize where I am at - to face what is - to let 'it' become what shall be...
(As much as I would love love love to be within the communal space invited... However - time, money, health is not a guarantee for myself. I am very rooted where I am)
Your presence to the vissicitudes of body is nothing less than a spiritual endeavor. I believe it was Thomas Merton (don't quote me) who said that there is no grace without the *work* of grace. I imagine those moments of "sitting in the true feelings" are the arduous work, and grace is not guaranteed, but the work is what makes it possible. "Better to recognize where I am at--to face what is--to let 'it' become what it shall be. . . ."
Sunday's letter is an exploration on perception. I do not explore practices in this letter. If there is interest, I will do so in a Zoom gathering. When pain/the body's refusals are the gateway of perception, the garden of perceiving can seem unapproachable. It can seem to be too much. There are ways to approach the gate that soften the approach and make it possible to be in the garden and in time, to see its beauty. . . .
Grace is *heavily* not guaranteed - especially when reacting to the bodies urgency with Bowel Disease - yet, Grace is what I dream of finding myself fulfilled in. Thank you for that perfect recognition, and the space to invest in it.
I'm eager to explore that perception - as recently my perceptive quality with the 'body's refusals/pain' is expanding ... becoming more 'approachable' as the quality changes itself. Beauty, beauty... if that allows...
Renée, sorry to have missed that meeting, from what you share here is sounds so velvety and rich. Funny that the stigma of stillness is often thought of being abandoned in a void. And yet isn't that the threshold that needs to be crossed. A complete emptiness, that is totally vacant. A clearing away of all the data, input, stress, expectations. The scrolling of the mind. The sacrifice needed to open to the expanse of being, of presence! LIFE itself. An exquisite sense of being both embraced and embracing.
Julie,
Your entire comment is velvety and rich! Truly.
I've been sitting here waiting for words to come, and any that I would offer would take away. Thank you for this. I will include you in the email for any future conversations and so welcome your presence and reflections.
"The emptiness we may perceivein stillness is not a void that would seem to annihilate us but a sacred presence that is never not there."
So well said, Renee! I may use this quote in my upcoming presentation at this year's Gebser Society conference.
In regards to the Threefold Cord of Perception, I find a very important correlation to also exist with the Daoist concept of the Three Treasures: Jing (vital) in the lower dantian; Qi (feeling) in the middle dantian; and Shen (intellectual) in the upper dantian.
David,
It is great to read your reflection here. Feel free to share at the conference. And 'Hi" to all!
I will not present this year as I focus on a manuscript. I would love to read your paper, and although you and I have discussed the Three Treasures, it is in reading this comment in this particular context that you have broadened my understanding. Thank you. Let's be in touch.
There are so many gorgeous points here, thank you Renee. Firstly, I love the use of the word vital in this way. For some reason I have never quite seen it referred to as such, never mind by so many esteemed scholars. I think it was the singular use of the word that grabbed my attention and had me wonder what exactly Gurdjieff meant and then it was explained a few lines later. Thank you.
'Entering silence is a practice of open receptivity to the world' felt like a walk through the park you shared in your image...exactly where I would love to go.
I am so glad your in-person gathering is almost full and I appreciate these excellent notes for those of us who could not attend the Saturday circle.
Donna, thank you as always for your close read and your reflections. Isn't it fascinating how a word can become so much more when it grabs our attention? I admit I am giddy about these conversations, and I'm glad the notes land. Thank you for sharing.
I appreciate your naming of emptiness as a sacred presence. I find that the Buddhist practice of non-attachment creates the emptiness or spaciousness that allows an opening for presence.
Susie, thank you for bringing Buddhism into this conversation. I came across an article last week, which is still unread on my desktop but for the first two paragraphs. I hope to read in the coming days and sense you might be interested. It brings the mysticism of Meister Eckhart close to Mahāyāna Buddhism, apropos nothingness. Here is the link: http://www.worldwisdom.com/public/viewpdf/default.aspx?article-title=“Nothingness”%20in%20Meister%20Eckhart%20and%20Zen%20Buddhism.pdf
My spiritual landscape exactly. Look forward to reading it.
Something told me so.
I won’t claim to understand this but that’s ok. Just to read the phrase “to think the unthinkable by means of non-thinking” is enough,
I’m sorry I was unable to attend yesterday’s gathering, and I’m deeply grateful for, and moved by, what you’ve shared here. Thank you, my dear Renee 💞🙏
Dear Toni, thank you for this. 🙏 I missed you but knew from our recent conversation that you were likely not to make it. I'm so glad to share. I thought of you while writing, especially per our conversations on this "perceptual cord." So much more for us all to explore, as you know, and I'm glad to see this has interest here in BTCZ land. 💖
Dear Renée. Sometimes you leave me speechless. 🙏💜
Dear Becky, your kindnesses touch me so. Truly, you are on my heart when I write. 🙏💖
I'm Curious...
What would you do if One of these perceptive conscious structures were out of balance? Either overpowering the whole system, or too weak to be recognized 'in participation' to the whole?
Jacob, your question is a very good one. We live our lives as humans with one of those structures "overpowering the whole system," that structure being the dominant mental structure. I will touch more on this in future letters, and we'll explore it in more depth on the upcoming retreat . . . moving into body and heart and out of primary reliance on the mental to do so as a movement toward integration of the three. If you have the availability, Jacob, I would love for you to join us at the December in-person gathering.
I look forward to the future divulgements... as I seek clarity within my own dysfunctional system... (solemn to that awareness... I know I should break from that ideology into something more healing - yet, isn't it better to sit in the true feelings of the matter than placate a Desire for some other feeling?) Better to recognize where I am at - to face what is - to let 'it' become what shall be...
(As much as I would love love love to be within the communal space invited... However - time, money, health is not a guarantee for myself. I am very rooted where I am)
Jacob,
Your presence to the vissicitudes of body is nothing less than a spiritual endeavor. I believe it was Thomas Merton (don't quote me) who said that there is no grace without the *work* of grace. I imagine those moments of "sitting in the true feelings" are the arduous work, and grace is not guaranteed, but the work is what makes it possible. "Better to recognize where I am at--to face what is--to let 'it' become what it shall be. . . ."
Sunday's letter is an exploration on perception. I do not explore practices in this letter. If there is interest, I will do so in a Zoom gathering. When pain/the body's refusals are the gateway of perception, the garden of perceiving can seem unapproachable. It can seem to be too much. There are ways to approach the gate that soften the approach and make it possible to be in the garden and in time, to see its beauty. . . .
Grace is *heavily* not guaranteed - especially when reacting to the bodies urgency with Bowel Disease - yet, Grace is what I dream of finding myself fulfilled in. Thank you for that perfect recognition, and the space to invest in it.
I'm eager to explore that perception - as recently my perceptive quality with the 'body's refusals/pain' is expanding ... becoming more 'approachable' as the quality changes itself. Beauty, beauty... if that allows...