At the root of preoccupation

[Guest guest]

The deepest source of preoccupation is

the conflict between the desire to

continue to exist, and the apprehension

that existence will be taken away.

The reverse side of this preoccupation

is when it flips into

the desire to cease to exist, and

the apprehension that existence will continue.

 

From this preoccupation arises countless forms

of addictions, obsessions, manipulations,

and violence.

 

The resolution of this preoccupation occurs

when there is clarity that the desire

and the apprehension arise in connection

with a misconstrual of who I am.

 

At its root, this misconstrual involves taking

myself to be something that exists. From this

misconstrual arises the seeming experience

of a universe of existing things, and things

going out of existence.

 

-- Dan