Beck/A view from the flipside

[Guest guest]

Dear Beck,

 

Nisargadatta, Beck <beck@b...> wrote:

> Tim, that was a meaningful reply, and I appreciated it.

> To answer a question, I come here by way of ACIM which I picked up

> last December looking for stress relief. The ideas of nondualism

> appeal to me which is why I am bothering with it. By writing you

> that letter, which was an obvious emotional dump, I was being

> exactly where I was - without giving a damn what you thought of it

> or me.

 

I realized that shortly after sending the reply (that that was

exactly what you were doing, being where you are).

 

Funny about all the posts are... we put our own interpretation

or " spin " on the words of others, it's unavoidable. Even on the

level of the mind, " I am you " or " you are me " is not an untrue

statement.

 

> I am burned out without any relief in sight.

 

I think I would echo El's sentiment, " it's always darkest before the

dawn. " Remaining with things as they are, you may find the

whole " nondual philosophy " becoming moot. And if so, I encourage you

to take all of it, put it in a plastic bag and set it on fire. Take

the whole thing, drop it down the toilet and flush. On the path of

life, 'not getting stuck' is the whole trick. Not 'getting in our

own way'.

 

I used to have a motto I followed " religionsly " : **Let come what

comes, let go what goes**. It worked for me, maybe it would work for

you. I always kept it in the back of my mind... and if I noticed

myself getting stuck, it would come to mind automatically,

after " using it " often enough.

 

> Anyone I try to tell that to just turns and walks away because they

> either don't want to deal with it or don't have solutions. So, I am

> left to figure this one out on my own.

 

For what it's worth, Buddha's last words are reputed to be: " Be a

lamp unto yourself. "

 

> My feeling is if I can get on the other side of the emotional hump

> and develop a nondual mentality (sorry, wrong word but I can't

> think of a better one) I will rise above this.

 

If you do, you do... but there isn't any 'other side' to get to.

Where else could anyone be but " right here? " Even talking

about " tomorrow, " does it ever come? By the time it does, it seems

to have become " now " again. :-)

 

> I am trying to remain with what is, otherwise I would have walked

> long ago.

 

But it isn't possible to try to be where one is... it's only possible

to " try " to be where one is not. Being where one is, is " natural. "

 

> But, as you can see, I am struggling with it. Again, I appreciate

> your compassionate reply. As a side, you might enjoy knowing that

> after I wrote that letter, I went to put the granddaughter to bed.

> Our procedure is that I lie down on the floor next to her bed and

> she plays quietly for awhile until she falls asleep on the floor

> next to me. Then, I put her to bed and leave. Tonight, I was lying

> there waiting for her to sleep, and feeling sorry for myself.

> She laid her face against mine and kissed me on the cheek. She has

> never done that before. I cried.

 

Thank you for sharing this.

 

Love,

 

Tim

[Guest guest]

At 09:43 PM 5/16/01 , you wrote:

 

I think I would echo El's sentiment,

" it's always darkest before the

dawn. " Remaining with things as they are, you may find the

 

whole " nondual philosophy " becoming moot.

 

I have no agenda on this. If it becomes moot, it becomes moot. The ACIM

" died " for me, rather suddenly. I don't have any real interest

in being a " seeker " and seeking forever, but I'm not stuck

either.

 

Take

the whole thing, drop it down the toilet and flush.

 

Can't do that. We have a septic tank. :-)

 

Thanks for your loving responses. Onward...

 

Beck