Rise of the Lightworker (Blog)

[Sam988]

Originally Posted by Mr.Mustache

Do you know any darkworkers? I don't believe the existence of darkworkers, assuming there are any, is an issue worth giving much thought. I'm worried all this darkworker talk borders on doomsday conspiracy garbage. There might be a few unpleasant, powerful people who are effective manipulators but they can't get away with anything truly heinous without revealing themselves as such. No need for a lightworker defense league in other words.

I think you're not getting what's the definition of a real darkworker. DWs aren't the "evil masterminds planning on ending the world", they're just self oriented people that don't give much of a damn about others, unless what happens to others affects them in some way.

[seeker5]

Jeez Steve, I finally got around to reading your blog post. I thought I was going to feel revolted by your treatment of darkworkers from what I had read here in this thread, but instead, it's making me want to be a lightworker. I'd so love to be a lightworker to help out.

The idea of being a lightworker to help the country appeals to me much more then the idea of being a lightworker simply to live a better life.

[yossarian]

Originally Posted by PrimaryErn

if in order to do service it has to be something you want to do anyway, or feel is right, I'd question how much is service and how much is just you gratifying your own sense of ego/accomplishment.

Not that I have anything against that, at all - but making it something its not (i.e. pure selflessness) - isn't entirely correct.

If someone needs you to do something and its something you personally dislike, but you do it, that's definitely not selfish (unless you are doing it for other reasons, like gonig to heaven).

I could argue, based on the quote above, that a lot of darkworkers are engaging in proper service because they are engaging in service that benefits others but that aligns with their own self. My losing weight benefits others (I'm eating less food; taking up less space;costing less to the shared health system). If I do it out of 'darkworker' reasons (because I want to be hot and get sex) that's selfish; if I do it out of 'lightworker' reasons (because I want to consume less, want to cost less to the system) but I am actually motivated by an agenda (want to feel good that I'm doing the right thing for ther planet; want to think I'm improving the lives of others which makes me feel good) then I'm doing it for just as selfish a reason - to make me feel good aboout myself. The end result is the same to the collective, and both are selfish.



Wow -so if someone desperately needed to die for a reason that was very important TO THEM but not important enough TO YOU - you wouldn't do it?

Very selfish, you darkworker!

You're not really listening to what I'm saying. I get the feeling you're hearing what you want to hear.

I suppose I'll point out exactly what I mean:

I could argue, based on the quote above, that a lot of darkworkers are engaging in proper service because they are engaging in service that benefits others but that aligns with their own self.

No, you couldn't argue that. Because "based on the quote above" you have to intend to serve the exact wants and needs of a person.

My losing weight benefits others

But they didn't ask for you to lose weight for them, nor did you intend to serve them by losing weight.

Therefore, it's not my conception of service-to-others.

Wow -so if someone desperately needed to die for a reason that was very important TO THEM but not important enough TO YOU - you wouldn't do it?

Like I said in my post that you apparently didn't read - abstaining from service isn't selfish.

You can disagree with my definition if you want, and I won't argue with that, but so far you haven't done that, you've just made a very feeble attempt at finding a logical inconsistency.

[PrimaryErn]

Just because I disagree with your point of view, doesn't mean that I'm choosing to be deaf to your point or that I didn't read your post. You assume that your point or argument is so perfect that anybody who takes the time to read it or think about it would have to agree (which I think is a rule about internet debating someplace). I thought about it, and I don't agree with it due to what I think are logical consistancy factors. Saying I'm choosing to be deaf or not reading is a very slight passive-agressive ad-hominem sort of response, and unworthy of this place. Feeble - I thought we were all just discussing what we read? Wow, someone's defensive! But, just in case it wasn't, you can rest assured I both read it and carefully thought about (the way I did about the original blog entry) and still came to my conclusions.

Anyway: your definition of service seems narrowly defined enough that yeah, if you believe it exactly as you wrote it, it works out well with the whole x-worker conceit. Service is very specific to the needs and wants of the other; service is only doing what you resonate with.

Of course needs is subjective, not objective - someone may really want to die, and may give some very tangible arguments why they NEED to die. Maybe they are terminally ill and in pain; maybe they want to spare loved ones a long and costly hospital stay for no good reason. And of course you may not agree with the needs or wants, but that doesn't make them any less real to the other person.

As for abstaining from service isn't selfish - that all depends on the reason for abstention, doesn't it? You've defined service as something that resonates with you, so you've side stepped the issue of whether or not people should be called to do those things they don't want to. If service A resonates with you and service B doesn't, but both are things people want and need, and you choose to not do B, that is a selfish act. You are not doing something because of a concern of SELF. How else can you possibly define a selfish act? It's an act someone does out of self-based reasons.

As for the x-worker angle, I fail to see what's the difference if two x-workers engage in actions that benefit the collective in some fashion, but x-worker #1 does it for selfish reason "I want to benefit myself" and x-worker #2 does it for "I want to benefit others". Just because someone didn't ask #1 for it nor #1 did it to intend to serve people, the fact remains that the benefits have happened; sometimes the exact same benefits as x-worker #2. In fact, that's what (bear with me now) I think Steve was talking about when he said that both paths ultimately lead to the same place. Maybe?

Anyway, I can't beat this horse any more so I'll let you others get the last word in. Hopefuly a new blog post will clear up my muddled thinking. I still can't reconcile the post and the previous ones about "love of evil" and so forth. Well, I can, if I assume that the darkworker in the new post got an evil-redesign and isn't the one from the older posts.

I hope Steve takes my questions in the proper light - I love the blog and think it's very useful and recommend it to folks - hell I even donated once. I just don't understand this last bit, yet, Sensei. I suppose it's because I loved the concept of darkworker 1.0 and was actually polarizing towards that to address some self-issues, and now I find that darkworker 2.0 says I'm an evil hitlerean vampire. Ouch.

[impaul99]

I STILL think all the confusion arises from the fact that Steve is equating two completely different things into one thing.

I like to look at things a bit differently. Here's how I look at the formula.

There are two directions that energy flows:
(1) Towards the WORLD.
(2) Towards the SELF.

Then, there are also two TYPES of energy that flows:
(A) Love Energy.
(B) Fear Energy.

From my point of view a LIGHTWORKER is someone who does 1A and/or 2A, meaning they express LOVE Energy towards the World or towards the SELF or BOTH.

From my point of view a DARKWORKER is someone who does 1B and/or 2B, meaning they express FEAR Energy towards the World or towards the SELF or BOTH.

From Steve's point of view, however, the only possibilites are 1A (Lightworker) and 2B (Darkworker). Meaning, if you're focusing on yourself, that MUST mean that you're automatically living out of fear energy.

From my point of view, the true path is to love yourself and the world.

[Sam988]

Originally Posted by impaul99

From my point of view, the true path is to love yourself and the world.

Good for you





I don't completely agree with either steve or you. I'm more inclined to steve's concept, but i disagree with a few points there too. I'll explain it more some other time when i can.

[Bitsy]

Originally Posted by PrimaryErn

If service A resonates with you and service B doesn't, but both are things people want and need, and you choose to not do B, that is a selfish act. You are not doing something because of a concern of SELF. How else can you possibly define a selfish act? It's an act someone does out of self-based reasons.

Not true. You can't know why "I" might refuse to do service B. If I suck at service B and I might end up damaging someone if I try to do it, I won't do it. Doesn't doing a service that "resonates with you" mean that you have a special talent for it? And in such a case, you would only perform services that you can do well and decline to do services that you suck at and let others who have a talent for those do those.

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by PrimaryErn

if in order to do service it has to be something you want to do anyway, or feel is right, I'd question how much is service and how much is just you gratifying your own sense of ego/accomplishment.

Not that I have anything against that, at all - but making it something its not (i.e. pure selflessness) - isn't entirely correct.

If someone needs you to do something and its something you personally dislike, but you do it, that's definitely not selfish (unless you are doing it for other reasons, like gonig to heaven).

This reminds me of what I've heard of people following religions as the "outer path". They belong to some sort of belief system that they think as long as they follow the rules (even when they don't even understand why they follow them) then when they die they get into heaven. The true path is an inner path that connects one to heaven right now. And it may not be entirely a path of complete helpful actions to everybody. That is like tough love or real love is not a door mat kind of thing. Also I think there is too much focus on the outside world of trying to fix things when if we could be put back in touch with nature we'd naturally know what's best.

Most of the too much darkworker stuff in the world is just from being out of touch with nature and thinking we are separate from nature and smarter and can control it, instead of feeling connected and letting nature take it's coarse and letting it provide for us.

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by Sam988

I think you're not getting what's the definition of a real darkworker. DWs aren't the "evil masterminds planning on ending the world", they're just self oriented people that don't give much of a damn about others, unless what happens to others affects them in some way.

Darkworkers and unconscious and go about thinking nothing is connected. If they are affected by others then that is letting the connection in - which is what ultimate darkworkers won't have any of. They go about being separate, trying hard to pretend there are no connections to them.

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by PrimaryErn

As for the x-worker angle, I fail to see what's the difference if two x-workers engage in actions that benefit the collective in some fashion, but x-worker #1 does it for selfish reason "I want to benefit myself" and x-worker #2 does it for "I want to benefit others". Just because someone didn't ask #1 for it nor #1 did it to intend to serve people, the fact remains that the benefits have happened; sometimes the exact same benefits as x-worker #2. In fact, that's what (bear with me now) I think Steve was talking about when he said that both paths ultimately lead to the same place. Maybe?

Anyway, I can't beat this horse any more so I'll let you others get the last word in. Hopefuly a new blog post will clear up my muddled thinking. I still can't reconcile the post and the previous ones about "love of evil" and so forth. Well, I can, if I assume that the darkworker in the new post got an evil-redesign and isn't the one from the older posts.

Your thinking is clear. The idea of doing something as service to other or for yourself is not just one or the other. Everyone is trying to fit into what Steve says, which, imho, is not how it is. A lightworker of a fully awakened being will be in line with the will of the divine and find motivation that feels like something the individual wants to to, really wants, and it just so happens to benefit others greatly. It's a matter of bring your spirit into your individuality and having the light shine through you. It's not about trying to figure out if you are motivated to better yourself or to better others - because that distinction does not exists for someone that's awakened. There is no sense of self that is exclusive. It used to be before modern society gave us money and cell phones and email, that the sense of self included the whole village. If someone in the village was sick they didn't think, oh that's ok because I'm not sick - they just didn't think that way. They were ligthworkers because their sense of self was not exclusive.

I hope Steve takes my questions in the proper light - I love the blog and think it's very useful and recommend it to folks - hell I even donated once. I just don't understand this last bit, yet, Sensei. I suppose it's because I loved the concept of darkworker 1.0 and was actually polarizing towards that to address some self-issues, and now I find that darkworker 2.0 says I'm an evil hitlerean vampire. Ouch.

There's other ways to look at it that make more sense to me. darkworkers are part of lightworkers. It's not a balancing act swinging from one to the other. a darkworker is the seed for lightworkers. This is the same conclusions I had the other time. It you don't take care of yourself you can't give. a darkworker just is learning to give at the level of what they think the self is. Once the concept of self becomes more aware the giving happen to the old small self and others naturally. No need to figure out if the service is to self or others because at that level it's all Self.

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by impaul99

I STILL think all the confusion arises from the fact that Steve is equating two completely different things into one thing.

I like to look at things a bit differently. Here's how I look at the formula.

There are two directions that energy flows:
(1) Towards the WORLD.
(2) Towards the SELF.

Then, there are also two TYPES of energy that flows:
(A) Love Energy.
(B) Fear Energy.

deja vu, ha? were you the one that made fancy charts after steve's 1.0 version of polarity and light/darkworkers?

I would debate that love energy does not have a direction, it spreads out and benefits the giver and the receiver - however the concept of a giver and receiver is gone too with love.

Fear energy makes the self show up. Thats the energy that creates the feeling of being separate. Of if one fells separate then there is fear and the need to horde and not give or make gifts.

From my point of view a LIGHTWORKER is someone who does 1A and/or 2A, meaning they express LOVE Energy towards the World or towards the SELF or BOTH.

love does not know bounds.

From my point of view a DARKWORKER is someone who does 1B and/or 2B, meaning they express FEAR Energy towards the World or towards the SELF or BOTH.

fear generates us/them and even if the act looks like it's towards the world it is out of the sense of the world being "other" than self.

From Steve's point of view, however, the only possibilites are 1A (Lightworker) and 2B (Darkworker). Meaning, if you're focusing on yourself, that MUST mean that you're automatically living out of fear energy.

fear creates the little self - but also service to the self that is part of that fear may actually continue when the sense of self is expanded to include others. the fear goes away but the giving to what was the old self that is necessary will continue. or you won't sustain your being. the seed of the darkworker will remain when one becomes a lightworker. the seed is not fear, it is sense of self. however the sense of a little self is generated by fear and that begets separation. oh, maybe I don't know...

From my point of view, the true path is to love yourself and the world.

loving yourself is part of what a darkworker does, but to do it without fear and without concern that you have to be sure to give service outwards too is the flip out of the fear and into an expanded sense of self that then makes it easier to not have to think of all these complicated definitions of what service to so and so is going to help or not.

Once you love yourself as the world there is no need for all this defining of giving to self or to others.

[yossarian]

Originally Posted by PrimaryErn

Just because I disagree with your point of view, doesn't mean that I'm choosing to be deaf to your point or that I didn't read your post. You assume that your point or argument is so perfect that anybody who takes the time to read it or think about it would have to agree (which I think is a rule about internet debating someplace). I thought about it, and I don't agree with it due to what I think are logical consistancy factors.

If you think my definitions are flawed I completely understand - I'm not surprised that different people have different definitions.

But the logical inconsistencies you brought up in your post don't really apply to my definitions.

Are my definitions tailor-made to be a cop out, and not true or valid, perhaps just simply wrong? Very possible.

Are my definitions logically inconsistent in the way you stated? No.. they have caveats and catches and clauses :P Maybe this makes them wrong but it doesn't make them inconsistent with each other.

I don't have any beef here, I'm just being honest.

I appreciate that you're willing to take the time to read my stuff and reply, it helps me to think through my own ideas.

[wolfgang]

I found a writing that uses the cell analogy that is cool!

Perhaps what we are seeing on Planet Earth is not a disease but a metamorphisis. Humanity is poised at the edge of a phase-shift that will transform us from a bunch of competing separate beings into a multicellular meta-organism. The requisite communication media, analogous to a body’s hormonal and electromagnetic systems, are almost fully in place. The crises that are converging in our lifetimes signify a pupation, a transformation of the Gaian body. Perhaps instead of a tumor, what we are seeing is the growth of a new organ, an organ whose emergence was prefigured in ancient DNA and waited billions of years until the time was ripe. To grow this new organ indeed demands every resource of the Gaian body; perhaps there is a danger indeed that the metamorphisis will fail, that the new organ will turn cancerous, that it will kill the host or be eliminated by the immune system until the time is ripe again.

from: The Multicellular Metahuman

[Still Growing]

Originally Posted by impaul99

I hear'ya man, and I agree....

Are you a lightworker? Have you heard the call of the lightworker? Maybe it's time for you to polarize. If you haven't heard the call, keep doing what you're doing until you hear the call."

I'd say I'm a mixture of Lightworker and Darkworker and its my theory that all sinning humans are a mixture. Some have more light and some have more dark.

Who among us don't occasionally act out of fear, greed, etc ?

In a previous post Steve made about Lightworkers versus Darkworkers he stated that less than 1% of the people are truly Lightworkers or Darkworkers but that by polarizing to one that you could utilize that power for your success. He contended that by being shades of gray like the masses that it is harder to get the full affect of polarization.

Now with this blog he is speaking as if he is a Lightworker. Its my contention that he is mostly Light but sometimes takes Dark actions.

His argument back was that his ultimate intentions were Light and then proceeded justifying self benefitting moves as being for the greater good and therefor serving the Light....Under that condition it is so easy to become and maintain the title of Lightworker...

Its my contention that you can generally be a Lightworker or Darkworker but that ultimately its your independent action that is judgable. People are also dynamic and will slide their scale of what is right and wrong based upon the situation. What people are willing to do is often based upon the situation. Take a self proclaimed Lightworker and give them a decision based upon right and wrong or based upon fear or love ; then put the right amount of pain or reward and watch those principles bend. Pose a question to a Lightworker that if they could save the life of their spouse but would have to push a button to kill 1,000 people in another country and see which button they push. View Maslow's heiarchy of needs and notice that this upper level of Self Actuatualization is on a sliding up and down scale and not special for those proclaiming to be a Lightworker.

I called this subject "crap" and a waste of Steve's brainpower based upon my disagreement with the label of Light or Dark. Now seeing that we are page 6 and that there is evidence that people do care about this subject. Now if Steve is operating out of Fear/Greed he will keep discussing it because its profitable even if the the ultimate value has already been delivered to his viewers. If he is make a decision based upon Love/Giving he will realize that moving on to a new and enlighting subject will serve the greater good.... LOL I'm just joking here but you get the point; Steve is mainly Lovebased and a Lightworker but individual decisions can be Dark based when self contained and analyzed.

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by Still Growing

If we can summarize people as being above 80% love based actions or put some quantitative number to it then I'll conceed but to simply state that someone IS a Lightworker all the time is simply not possible.

Maybe it's like tough love. A lightworker "knows" somehow what the divine plan is and is able to follow through. But that may not mean always doing what looks "right" to everybody but it is what Life wanted from the individual.

[Still Growing]

Originally Posted by wolfgang

A lightworker "knows" somehow what the divine plan is and is able to follow through. But that may not mean always doing what looks "right" to everybody but it is what Life wanted from the individual.

Yes if the person proclaiming to be a Lightworker chose a Love based solution rather than a fear based solution at the specific decision making event....

By giving the label Lightworker then each decision can be twisted to somehow inadvertinently be for the greater good. It may not even look "right" or maybe even "be right" but as long as the labeled Lightworker is doing it then its OK...

See where I'm going with my point...

[John Prophet]

By giving the label Lightworker then each decision can be twisted to somehow inadvertinently be for the greater good. It may not even look "right" or maybe even "be right" but as long as the labeled Lightworker is doing it then its OK...

You’re right, but for a darkworker there’s no need for such self justification. You don’t have any of the morale hypocrisy that you (could) find when dealing with some lightworkers, because a darkworker makes no claims of trying to be “good” anyway. No conflict between what’s best for self and what’s best for others. I find this to be a much more simplistic and pragmatic view.

[Ron Stoppable]

Originally Posted by yossarian

because killing people is not a service I'm willing to give

Originally Posted by PrimaryErn

Wow -so if someone desperately needed to die for a reason that was very important TO THEM but not important enough TO YOU - you wouldn't do it?

Very selfish, you darkworker!

You're seeing it as:
darkwork = for you | lightwork = for someone else.

Imagine the paradigm as:
darkwork = for one/few individual(s) | lightwork = for greatest good of all

[Still Growing]

Originally Posted by John Prophet

You’re right, but for a darkworker there’s no need for such self justification. You don’t have any of the morale hypocrisy that you (could) find when dealing with some lightworkers, because a darkworker makes no claims of trying to be “good” anyway. No conflict between what’s best for self and what’s best for others. I find this to be a much more simplistic and pragmatic view.

Since you are agreeing with me I should keep quiet but....

Most fear based, darker shades of gray people wouldn't label themselves as a Darkworker. So therefore most darker gray people would also have morale hypocrisy in most cases.

If you were what we're calling a Darkworker, it would be in your interest to appear to be a Lightworker and then hide your secret and devious intentions. True fear based people also fear reprisal and fear non acceptance.

Its hard for me to discuss this subject when the very foundation of labels is what I disagree with.

[Natsu]

Originally Posted by Plato

I'm so befuzzled by it all. When reading the stuff about darkworkers I felt it really resonated with me... yeah, I'm not afraid to admit it, though my deceptive darkworker sense is telling me not to- I DO want to be powerful. And there is a side to me that doesn't care about anyone else... and I began to feel really good. I mean really seriously fantastic at the idea of crushing my way to power. But asking myself if I was happy to hurt other people the answer was a resounding NO. I had started feeling so good that I started thinking in a kind of reluctant way...well I probably should do something positive with my life. And not because I've been taught to... it actually felt like my "conscience" becoming active.

Now I don't know what to think...

I don't feel exactly like you, but your post resonated with me.

I am ambitious and want power. But I want power to change the world for the best. I would change the educative system in my country for something better, for example. Teach fast-reading at elementary school and photo-reading at high school. I would like to re-plant lots of forests that have been burned... I really want power, but I don't want to harm people. Harming people is the easiest thing on earth: you could pour some oil on a curve on a highroad and you'd get people killed. So what? Like there's something special or skillful to it. Harming people is nothing, everyone can do it. Besides, it's unoriginal. Teaching people? Feeding people? Sending thousands, millions of children to school? Creating forests where they were none? Man... I puff at the mere thought of all this.

You can want power and not want to harm people. You can be ambitious and not want to harm people. I want to change the world for the better, and I know I need power for that. But I'm not for harming people. As I said, it's boring, it's easy, and even the most stupid dork can do that. Unsportive, too. Besides, I want the potential of all the people who's being wasted by famine or plague or bad education nowadays. I want the books they can write, the films they can make, the rockets they can build and the vaccines they can discover. All that human potential that is being wasted is being stolen from me. From a selfish point of view, I want to help that people. From a compassionate point of view, I want to help that people. The greater the power, the more people I could help.

Why don't you focus your hunger for power in that direction? It works for me.

[jennymannion]

Thank you Steve for this post. I have been called a lightworker by others for the last year and it wasn't until I read your post that I could begin to feel comfortable with that title.

I healed myself using all mind/body methods. I have been trying to empower others to do the same ever since. I met a lot of ill people when I was sick. People who had given up because doctors told them they would never get better (same as they told me). People taking pills for symptoms and more pills for symptoms from taking the first drug. I can see the use in modern medicine but also know it is way over prescribed and that a lot of people blindly trust their doctors because they are told of no alternative means.

I have been helping people with my ebook (I give out WAY more than I sell) and by follow up emails, coaching sessions (again mostly free). I remember the financial strain being ill can put on families and my goal is to help inspire as many people as possible so they themselves can awaken to the power within themselves to heal.

What really helped me in your post was looking at is as I couldn't and wouldn't go back... there is nothing greater to me than someone telling me they feel better than they have in years. Not because of what I have done but because I remember clearly how I felt when I knew I would not be sick anymore. I know that people need to be exposed to someone that resonates with them in order to really hear the messages and I am so grateful I have been able to connect with people that feel I am the one they want to learn from. When I meet someone that does not connect with me I try and figure out other people I think that they would resonate with better.

Thank you Steve -- as I mentioned I have not wanted to take this title -- maybe because of some kind of fear of what the responsibility means... but I now take it gladly -- because helping people is what I feel I am here for and there is nothing in the world I am more passionate about.

Gratefully,
Jenny

[Natsu]

Originally Posted by Sam988

I think you're not getting what's the definition of a real darkworker. DWs aren't the "evil masterminds planning on ending the world", they're just self oriented people that don't give much of a damn about others, unless what happens to others affects them in some way.

Which is why, if we want to make darkworkers (specially the ones in positions of power) reconsider their attitude, we better make our plights theirs. If every darkworker found that what he does to others backlashes against him, you'd see them switching attitudes pretty soon. Maybe they'd still be darkworkers at heart... But they would avoid acting so. For their own benefit.

[velvet1]

So sense dark workers are kind of like cancer, that means that some white cells will have to die. They would need to sacrifice their own life for others to get ahead. Because in history thats what light workers did. Is that correct?

[LizAust]

I just got so moved when I read that article. I have always known my purpose in life, I just haven't known exactly [I]how[I] Iwas supposed to implement it.

I believe I was put on this earth to make people happy.

Its that simple. There are so many possibilities for doing that, but I just haven't found the right one. Until now.

I have had so much turmoil in my life. I have accomplished very few things, some would say. I am almost 33 years old and I am soooo definitely n-o-t at the stage in life that I "should" be at.

I used to think that I've just wasted my life. But lately, I've thought about how I could use my life experiences to help others. I've started a website recently and have been working on it, yet it needs much more work before I tell people about it.

I do a lot of reading, too. When I look back, it seems to me like for the past 6 years, things have been methodically falling into place and preparing me. Over the past year, though, events have escalated so much that I've finally gotten to the point I'm at now.

After reading that article, I now KNOW that I have been called. I'm sure of it. I know what I need to do. And I know what has to change.

I want to personally thank Steve for writing that article, because it is like the glue that put all of the other clues together and gave me perspective and courage.

Thanks.

[JohnR]

LizAust,

When I read your post I felt strongly connected to your situation. I know where you are at. I feel the simplicity and power in your purpose. I also feel your struggle.

There is a reason why you have accomplished less when compared to your peers. Sometimes, our spirit holds us back in the more common areas of accomplishment, to facilitate the realizations and call-to-action that you describe.

Reading your post is a little like reading my own story -- between the lines of course. If ever you need encouragement or help in any way, use the contact form on my site to reach me.

Best,
John
Self Help for Sensitive Souls — Zen-Moments

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by JohnR

There is a reason why you have accomplished less when compared to your peers. Sometimes, our spirit holds us back in the more common areas of accomplishment, to facilitate the realizations and call-to-action that you describe.

Isn't comparing progress to one's peers usually a difficult measurement to use, right?

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by wolfgang

Isn't comparing progress to one's peers usually a difficult measurement to use, right?

Yeah, you bet it is, but most judgments are made by comparison.

I assumed that in this case, Liz was judging herself by a standard set by her peers, or a societal standard, as evidenced by her comment, "I have accomplished very few things, some would say."

Until we have a firm grasp of our own standards, we use the default standards of society and acquaintances.

John
Self Help for Sensitive Souls — Zen-Moments

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Yeah, you bet it is, but most judgments are made by comparison.

I assumed that in this case, Liz was judging herself by a standard set by her peers, or a societal standard, as evidenced by her comment, "I have accomplished very few things, some would say."

I see - you are a good "listener" there.

Until we have a firm grasp of our own standards, we use the default standards of society and acquaintances.

Is it one or the other? Or could it be we feel lost once we give up comparing to standards of society? And then this feeling of lost hopefully will point us into realizing that we have to choose what kind of progress we want of ourselves?

There's the adage that one should compare progress only to one's self. However, like you say, that is not possible until we have our own standard for ourselves that we will us to measure our "progress" against.

It seems like there could a period that someone gives up one comparing to others but hasn't decided on their own standards, then that would make one feel quite lost, wouldn't you say?

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by wolfgang

It seems like there could a period that someone gives up one comparing to others but hasn't decided on their own standards, then that would make one feel quite lost, wouldn't you say?

I totally agree that in those times when we are neither this nor that; when we are on some nebulous cusp, we do indeed feel lost.

I think that zone is an important one to recognize for what it can do for us. We have to have faith at times like that, and just go down the time-line with as much integrity as we can muster. That's a tall order to fill, I know.

John
Self Help for Sensitive Souls — Zen-Moments

[arabella]

I just randomly found this website whilst writing an essay, and looking for a reference. Interesting reading.
As a high school teacher in the public school system, I would have to say from my perspective, the U.S isn't exactly a pot o' positive gold. I'm still pretty young, but feel jaded and cynical. The stuff I've seen not only teens do, but also their parents, other teachers, and the school system in general--well, it's downright depressing! I thought by teaching I could help change the world! Make it a better place.
Now I feel like they are all bloodsuckers sucking the lifejuice out of my soul. I guess that's why we get two months off in the summer, so we can come back to life by the time the next school year starts.
I get the light/dark concept--you can call it a myriad of names, but it boils down to a form of darwinism. those who can take advantage usually do. those who aren't on either side of the fence are the weight of the sinking ship. And there's too few people who make an effort to do the right thing.
That's a soul-crushing thought right there.