FEARLESS ENCOUNTERS

02 March 2002

¬ maintaining CONTROL is to deny onself the opportunity to use ones power pproperly
¬ CONTROL of a situation is the missuse of POWER
- if we had a 3 ft spoon strapped to our hand, 
	+ then in hell we would try to feed our selves 
	+ and in heaven we would feed our neighbour
- lone ranger mentality; the ego prevents the aquisition of knowledge to use power
? what have i achieved  entirely by my self = nothing
- we have to actively network(healthy alliances) our environment
- friendship with all things in life
- friendship is not only for people
- respect all things
- empowerment is the simplest, maintance free, way to succeed
- the mind categorises people into 3 groups
	+ superior - bullies / admirable
	+ equal 
	+ inferior - expendable
- young people are expressions of authenntic people
- Personality is the mask you show the world and the tonality of your voice
- which reflects the wounds and the hurt inside yourself
- thus a "distance wall" is used to maintain status quo instead of attempting a solution
- SITUATIONAL ETHICS
	+ how we respond to a situation
	+ our stiff bodies are a protection strategy from the world
	+ emotional wounds  freezes movement
	+ a game played to prevent or ease pain that actually causes pain
	+ we have (should develop) 1 true self, we dont have to be any way than we are
	+ be peaceful and compassionate always, in all situations
- our work needs to be a channel to express ourselves
- defense will cause the attacks to continue
- self - healing/awareness is not selfish
- a retreat is how we rejuvinate to help be part of the world
DELUSION
	+ boundaries where there arent any really
	+ eg pacific ocean is joined to many others
	+ our assessment is "correct" thus we cant see things differently or change our mind
- labels or judgement or critical assessment or negetive terms constrict our thinking (learning ?)
- negative is like a turtle (retacting limbs) disempowering
- we defend our perceptions/labels to our detrament (death)
- "this IS disgusting" is restricing
- "this appears disgusting" is safe statement
- re spect - look again
- people often choose the un-happiness of the known over the happiness of the un-known
- when in pain (disempowered) we blame others
- response is 100% mine, situation is 50% mine
- if you think DOWN you get/feel DOWN
- thinking that there is only one (my interpretation) way of seeing things leaves us closed to the TRUE reality
- MEDITATION - (re)evalulating life correctly (constantly) - path to clarity
- our auto response is to hurt back (instead  of understanding)
- DIFFERENCE
	+ contrast (relative terms)
	+ good is only so beside bad
	+ disagreement
	+ individuality
	+ new
- UNKNOWN
	+ exciting
	+ maybe harmful
	+ cant control
	+ opportunity to learn
- UNCERTAINTIES
	+ risks
	+ challenge
	+ may fail
	+ new beginnings
- we seek to make others accountable for there inconsistencies (what about our selves)
- it is important to translate life thru OPEN non-distorting FILTERS (eyes)
- HURTLESS
- variety IS the spice of life
- expanding horizons (different life) enriches life 
- HOPE is Celebration of Uncertainity
- JOY of DISCOVERY, TRAVEL, ADVENTURE
- presuming my perception is right (is a dellusion)
- when it comes to meditation practice we are apprehensive of where the practice will take us ! silence
- make friend of the unknown, uncertainity
- KEEP LEARNING - attend to the unknown and uncertain
- happiness comes thru clarity
- if we beleive that THIS is all there is then then that is all that there will be
- PIDGEON HOLE are artificial and partially effective
- EVERYTHING (the Great System) is analog not digital (shades of grey)
- the Great system is a closed loop feed back control system, everything has some effect sometime
- taking things too personally restricts the way we can respond
- compassion is validating the PAIN from both sides
- when our preception is not TRUE it disempowers US and affects US at all levels
- process of meditation is refocussing/reframing situation or characteristics to find  the good or advatageous in these things
- always look for the good/beneficial angle
- always look on the bright side of life
  BAD - GOOD
- pighead - persistant
- vebose/pass on lesson - thorough
- domineering - caring
- cant say no - capacity toaccept unacceptable
- poor retention - devoted to the present
- intolerence - unwilling to enhance hurt
- lack of enthusiasim - dislike medicority
- self righteous ness - commitment to integrity
- judgemental - willing
- anxiety - motivated too excellence, feeling the fear and do it anyway
- non-asserrtive - open to other perspectives
- jealousy - need to show the beauty
- resent - capacity for compassion