Astute readers may have noted a paradox in posts talking about self and no-self ... and the question is worth examining ... the concept of no-self holds true, yet a coherent identity of self, with high self-esteem is seen as an indicator of psychological health ... the paradox is transcended once a strong and stable (sic) self can hold itself lightly enough to enjoy the roles available in the 3D world, whilst embracing the deeper reality and liberation of no-self ... all the world being a stage ...
The theme arises from recent reading of the Dalai Lama's book proposing compassion as a unitive principle of all major religions, though the rather fundamental difference of a creator God does throw up some questions, not to mention the doctrinal differences within as well as between different faiths ... and the trend in the more sophisticated cultures is for a rejection of religion of any kind ... which does not deny the possibility of compassion of course ... meanwhile, the Dalai Lama's principal translator, Thupten Jinpa, turns out to be an excellent interpreter of Tibetan Buddhist wisdom for the western world in his own right, with A Fearless Heart ... proposing the conscious cultivation of compassion as therapy for individuals and from there to society ... self- compassion being an important part of the process, noting the condition of pathological altruism, which is the helper neglecting themselves and using the outward focus on other people's problems to resist addressing their own .... all stuff to sort before approaching the question of the actual existence of a separate self ...
So what's the point of all this? Well, a Retreat House in Stanhope wants to address current questions in a contemporary way ... accessible to folks of any faith tradition and none ... the request being open hearts and open minds ... spiritual inquiry with surplus baggage stripped away through examining our own conditioning and employing tried and tested techniques to create a version of our self which is congruent ... recognising that we are here in this human incarnation with a gift to share ... and skilfully weaving our gift with the complementary gifts of others ...
Sounds like the makings of a 6 day residential course on the Art of Living !?
Further weaving continues back in our mainstream communities, which may also be chosen ... service being a key component of compassion practice.
The joyful photo below shows Gillian with two elders on yesterday's trip to the coast ... much appreciated all round, since Stanhope is up in the hills and a long way from the sea ...
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