Polarity and Your Career (Blog)

[Steve Pavlina]

Use this thread to discuss the following entry from Steve Pavlina's blog:

Polarity and Your Career

[Vanilla]

I've been anxiously awaiting a new blog on polarization since last week...I'm going to your blog now to read it...=)

[JiriNovotny]

Is the church of scientology polarized on the dark side?

[Jaben]

I'd like to try a 30 day polarization trial, polarizing with the love energy. So how do I start? This question brings feelings of fear. What brings feelings of joy? The thought that true happiness and joy is found through acceptance of everything as it is in the present moment. But I've been doing this for quite some time and am still unsure of it. I've now realized I still have some tendencies to feed off of fear energy. Maybe I'm depolarizing from fear and am working toward love...

Where does acceptance of the present moment fit into polarization? I had trusted that if I accept everything unconditionally that energy will naturally flow in the best direction. I thought that any attempt to control what happens is a hindrance to this energy flow. But obviously fear energy causes some sort of flow. Is the flow of acceptance the same as the flow of love or is it a hindrance to it or a third type of flow and polarization?

[and]

For some reason I'm not following this polirization strategy. Maybe what I'm looking for is something like a howto in more practical terms.

[ahimel]

Good post. I like the practical applications, the discussion of where the theory of the polarity and polarization concepts intersects the real world. Plus practical exercises. I plan to start a 30-day lightworker trial and see whether I'm really drawn to that side or I'm just deluding myself.

As I sat meditating yesterday, feeling the winter wind on my skin, it occured to me: Steve's saying that wealth and prosperity are open fluid systems. This is an extremely geeky way of putting it, so let me 'splain. The weather is an example of a fluid system: When wind blows out of Colorado into Nebraska, wind flows into Colorado from Utah to replace it. No one has to "strive for balance" or "keep an eye on both sides to maintain equality." It just happens. The ocean is an other example: if you pull water out of the ocean, more water will rush in to fill that spot. If you pour water into the ocean, it doesn't pile up and make a water tower - water rushes out of that spot to compensate.

Now let's pick a particular area of the ocean. Say you've got a few cubic feet netted off and are growing fish. You want the fish to have new water, and there's two ways to do that. You can do it directly, by pouring new water into that section. Or you can do it indirectly, by piping water out of that section and letting the pressure of the ocean move the new water in.

Either way the fish get new water. Either way, you're running a pipe to the ocean. Either way you're exerting effort to get water through the pipe. So for all practical purposes, there's really not any difference. You just need to avoid pumping water into the ocean and pumping water out of the ocean using the same pipe. If you try that, you expend a lot of energy without moving anything anywhere.

Steve says that the LOA works similarly. When you want something new in your life (new job, new friends, new LG Chocolate phone), there are two ways to do it. You can push something good out, and wait for the new good things to come in. Give away what you'd hope to sell in your new job, volunteer someplace new, or help strangers when they need it. Give your old phone away. New stuff will come; the pressures of good-stuff-space guarantee it. This is the "lightworker" or "loving" or "faith-based" or "pay it forward" or "abundance' mentality. (Take your pick, or make up your own terms.)

Alternately, you can try to manifest the new stuff directly. There's no difficulty pulling it into your life. Darkworkers/fear-based/karmic debt/scarcity mentality people don't quite trust the idea of paying the price and just trusting that things will happen. They don't mind paying the price, but they'd rather get the stuff first, and then, if the pressure-thing does work, they'll pay when the collection man comes knocking.

The other aspect of this analogy that I found striking is the "open fluid system". Anyone who paid attention in physics will tell you that the above is only true if the system is not closed or separate. This is a fancy way of saying that if you walled off your few cubic feet of ocean, then you could pump water in or out all you wanted, and nothing would flow into or out of the ocean. If you pump air into a sealed vault, air doesn't flow out to compensate... the vault is sealed. This means that if you walled off your section of the ocean instead of using netting, you'd have to laboriously pump water into your section, and haul the old water out. Flow wouldn't take care of half the work - you'd have to do it all yourself.

It seems to me that the LOA works similarly here, as well. You are part of the universe just like my fish garden was part of the ocean. But you can choose whether you want to be your own, separate entity with a wall around you, or part of the larger whole. Either is valid, but only one will allow the LOA to work. The more plugged into the universe you are -- whether that's physically interacting with people, taking part in a network online, engaging in financial transactions, connecting spiritually with a higher being, or simply "opening up" and allowing yourself to connect with people emotionally -- the easier it will be to manifest what you want (in either direction.) The universe can't give you stuff if you won't answer your door.

[wolfgang]

I got this image after reading the blog. That the darkworker is hording and letting some giving happen to keep from being too unbalanced. And the lightworkers are so loose that they have to remember to not drain themselves completly and let stuff in from time to time.

So then it looks more like being a lightworker or darkworker, to me, is about watching out for that extreme case were operating as a horder or draining one'self is the crux. But if it's better to operate one way or the other, why is there a need to watch out for the extreme?

If operating one way or the other is good, as poalized then why is it not better to be extreme with it?

I also would like to hear how this polarity idea fits into the idea of transcending duality and finding the love of oneness as the motivation. So I'm wishing that the idea of being a lightworker or darkworker is not nessecary. That there's another state that is a continual ebb and flow that either you are about to horde too much or about to be drained too much and the way to stay away from being too full or too drained isn't to try to be one way or the other completly all the time.

What's the differnce bewteen a lightworker that is overgiving and thus blocking what's coming in and a lightworker that does allow the incomming? How can one be a lightworker and not also receive or otherwise end up dained? In which case the receiving is deamed a darkworker atrribute, right?

And vice versa. A hording darkworker is never a lightworker but the "balanced" darkworker has to let in some lightworker stuff.

OK, so the answer is that an effectively polarized lightworker's true intention is allways to give. So then the lightworker doesn't care about getting anything and woops - when he/she does it's darkworker stuff and then there's a mixing of the poalrity and the effectiveness trails off. Really? That just implodes on itself, to me.

Fine, the receiving is then to be seen as part of the giving. Huh? If the intention is to always be giving then how is receiving all of a sudden part of the giving?

[ahimel]

Originally Posted by wolfgang

So then it looks more like being a lightworker or darkworker, to me, is about watching out for that extreme case were operating as a horder or draining one'self is the crux. But if it's better to operate one way or the other, why is there a need to watch out for the extreme?

In the analogy I used above, you just have to recognize that water can only flow so fast. Water can pile up if you pour it in faster than it can drain out -- picture a clogged sink and water all over the floor. That's darkworker syndrome. Likewise, if you pump water out of your fish garden faster than the ocean can refill it, your fish die. That's lightworker syndrome.

A lightworker doesn't have to "be dark" to receive something. Giving and receiving are not light or dark -- both happen in both scenarios. It's which way you're pushing - do you pump in or out - that determines the light/dark classification.

So if a lightworker wants to avoid lightworker syndrome, she doesn't pump water back into her fish garden - that would defeat the purpose. She makes a looser net, or builds another pump into the garden, or whatever it takes to receive faster. It's not "being dark" because she's not increasing receiving capacity to have more stuff - she's increasing receiving capacity because it allows her to give more, faster, without depleting herself.

An example would be Steve vs. Me. I have about $500 in savings and $10,000 in debt. I have to spend a reasonable amount of time each day just getting money. And when I do get the money, I can't give it away. I need it just to survive. My receiving pipeline is just too small - I don't get enough to give it away.

By contrast, Steve's receiving pipeline is huge -- or, at least, is twice as big as he needs to survive. I donated $57.49 to charity last month. I wouldn't be surprised if Steve donated 100 times that.

In both cases, our intention is to give. But Steve can give 100 times as much as me. I need to build my receiving capacity. Not because I care about having tons of money (although I confess I'd buy a plasma TV and some nice clothes in addition to giving stuff away) but mostly because I feel like a damned useless lump with my $57.

This post wandered a bit, and I need to go do aforementioned money-making things. But hopefully it helped a bit.

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

Well, with this new explanation, and now that I understand the concept a bit better, I actually prefer the term inflow and outflow than love and fear.

Fear and love are too socially oriented to make it clear. I have a lot of resistance to the idea that someone who feels fear can be a good person (at least as much as a light worker).

-inflow can actually result from love I think. Look, if we understand that the energy HAS to flow, then if we focus on inflow, we have to give as much as we receive. Therefore, the key is NOT TO BE ATTACHED to money, status, glory etc. Just focus on receiving because we enjoy it (child do that actually).
Therefore it is possible to receive love, and give as much of it back.
So inflow is not necessarily fear, it is just that this kind of polarization is usually associated with fear in people's mind.
Same with lust. We imagine darkworkers focusing on their sexual pleasure and everything. It is wrong if they are highly conscious.
Same with lie. We imagine that they lie all the time. They don't need to.

A really conscious inflower should happily give as much as he gets cause his true motive is to keep the energy flowing. And that's the part that we usually miss.

There is no need to be self focused and to look for power and dominance. Just have a state of mind like "i want this, this and that" and give as much as ones get, so the energy flows.

On the lightworkers side, it is the same goal : keep it flowing. That is why lightworkers must receive happily too. And there is nothing to fear in receiving.

Then, keeping the energy flowing is a way to act, and ultimately to raise one's consciousness.
Inflowers can transcend their fears too. They don't need looking for power, just energy flow.

The thing is that in star wars, Darth Vador gives nothing back. He actually is a typical inflower syndrome guy. So Star Wars is finally not such a good ewample.

So actually, the same things block inflowers and outflowers to raise their consciousness :
-greed
-lust
-lie
-shame
-difficulty to take decision
-selfishness (the fact to identify with one's avatar)
-attachment
-fear

About greed :
If one identify with his avatar, and focus on inflow, then this is greed.
If one identify with the whole consciousness, and focus on inflow, this is not greed anymore. This is just a way to keep the energy flow.
The difference is big, because in the second case the person has no attachment to the material things he gets, nor to the social status. And he gives back as much as he gets.

If you chose to give, you HAVE to receive after. Otherwise you are having lightworker's syndrome.
If you chose to receive, you HAVE to give after. Otherwise you are having inflower's syndrome.

Edit :
Well, am I being naive about what being a darkworker is like? Do u guys think it is possible to focus on inflow with gratitude and without fear?
This star wars analogy makes me see the darkworkers as my ennemies, and I don't like that too much...Can't everyone be loving and grateful? Is it an utopia?

[1000feet]

Originally Posted by wolfgang

I got this image after reading the blog. That the darkworker is hording and letting some giving happen to keep from being too unbalanced. And the lightworkers are so loose that they have to remember to not drain themselves completly and let stuff in from time to time.

...

As others have mentioned, it's not about a balance that you have to create yourself. Taking the example of a lightworker, it doesn't necessarily mean supporting farms in Africa. The focus of a lightworker is doing something that helps other people, which could mean dedicating yourself to creating a tool that helps wall street investors. The balance comes when you do something valuable to a lot of people (or something extremely valuable for a few people) and they support you in return. You can see something like this happen with free webcomics (if you read them). After they get enough fans, the creators can make a living by selling merchandise, even though the quality isn't notable and the illustrations don't mean anything unless you know that particular webcomic well - most people wouldn't think the products are worth much, but it creates a return flow after the author gives away their creative work.

A darkworker would be someone who tries to do this in the other direction. Their goal is to get something, and to be successful at this they have to do something of value to other people, help others to get help in return, or accept competition. Trying to get without giving tends to end in failure or imprisonment, just as trying to help others without considering your needs will leave you unable to contribute pretty quickly. Ultimately you have to be aware of the balancing force and accept it if you want to succeed at your goals, but it mostly happens on its own.

I have a question of my own here. If one were to choose a polarity based on the downsides of each one, would that be a fear-based decision indicating that the "dark side" is right for them? I've been thinking about this since the first post on polarity, and although my initial reaction was to follow the socially acceptable thinking of wanting to do good, I believe that being a darkworker is more in line with how I think. Lately I've been considering the disadvantages of each side, such as the claim that darkworkers can't enjoy a relationship with someone else that isn't based on themselves. Does my thinking about how to make this choice say something about what I should chose?

[songwriter]

(I don't know what the heck happens with me but again Steve post connects with my decisions but this time I did the decision before Steve did the post... but maybe not before he thought about it...)

Well, I try to be musician, but being true to myself. Not selling out and do music I don't like to do for money, etc. That's the self-destructive path... of Elvis, for instance.

But well... I've been awaiting kind of a company signing me... ok... now I don't wait for that. I give my music for free. Maybe I lived in a contradiction. At least I'm gonna try this way, maybe recording more music and putting it for people for free.

[Kingston]

Originally Posted by 1000feet

Lately I've been considering the disadvantages of each side, such as the claim that darkworkers can't enjoy a relationship with someone else that isn't based on themselves.

A darkworker can have the same quality of relationships as a lightworker. Remember: Ultimately they lead to the same place. There exists "dark" literature on love and lust working this out. I even suspect that there can be a stable bond between a darkworker and a lightworker, provided they have the same level of consciousness. But other variations are possible. This are just abstract descriptions or indications; endless variety is possible. Remember that someones level can change through the relationship. This can be a great opportunity for love for either side.


Low polarity light + low polarity dark
Will be either conflicted and annoying, or boring and stale. We see this everywhere.

High polarity light + low polarity dark
The light side can give what the lower craves and sooth his or her fears with love. Rarely sexual I guess, more like an enlightened rescuer model.

Low polarity light + high polarity dark
Typically innocent girl with the bad boy her father tries to protect here from (in vain!) Think "Dangerous Liaisons" (or Cruel Intentions with Ryan Phillipe an Sarah Michelle Geller). The next relationship for the light one will be a heaven of relief . The dark one will love the light one like wolves love sheep. Very tasty and juicy, especially the fresh teenager lambs. Or if the darker one is a woman; we see this all the time in the nightlife, when the frustrated loser picks up the bill for the drinks of girls with expensive taste.. And goes home alone afterwards...

High polarity light + high polarity dark
May be a rich businessman with a sociable wife doing full-time charity. Tested and proven for 200 years.

Both low polarity dark
Think "Requiem for a Dream". Abusive, like a low-life pimp and his whore.

Both low polarity light
Working hard, going to church and keeping the kids out of trouble. Sometimes happy, always boring.

Now we get to the really good stuff..

Both high polarity light
Like Steve and Erin. Bless them. Need I say more?

Both high polarity dark
May be sado-masochistic on different levels. Can also be some profitable alliance, like Brett Easton Ellis' Evelyn and Patrick, without the xanax and the bad temper. Or Anna-Nicole Smith with that worn-out billionaire... Ore Mick Jagger getting 'served' by his groupies.. Or simply "dinky": Double Income, No Kids.


Like I said, these are examples, many variations, both good and bad ones, are possible! Try to come up with better ones and post them up here! Especially the last two are worthy of thought, since they are great motivators. Maybe Steve, in his nearly infinite love and intelligence, can work this out further

Take care.

Edit:I just posted a better view of dark relationships. They is no visible difference between a dark and a light relationship at the highest levels.

[Kingston]

Originally Posted by songwriter

But well... I've been awaiting kind of a company signing me... ok... now I don't wait for that. I give my music for free. Maybe I lived in a contradiction. At least I'm gonna try this way, maybe recording more music and putting it for people for free.

Just think Bob Dylan.

And google this: graham "how to do what you love"

Good luck!

[yeikow]

Kingston, that was an excellent breakdown of relationships based on light and darkness.

Props to you man.

[shant121]

your blog just keeps on getting more exciting

i was confused why some of my past actions reflected darkworker tendencies although love energy is a very strong motivation. But as I continued reading this post, realized two things:
1) whenever I commit a 'darkworker act', there was always some fear or guilt associated with it later
2) when I explored certain actions that superficially seemed to be 'darkworker acts' in-depth and looked for the real WHY behind those actions, the driving force was love, to contribute, to give.

It definitely helps all of us to have this information on polarity and clarify our goals and objectives.

[adg00]

Thanks ahimel for the fluid systems analogy - its another way of making the concepts of the LoA and Polarity "click" for me..

What's been an interesting exercise for me (and I'm very much new to this way of thinking, so I'm sure its been covered here before) is that when I get into that state of feeling "walled off" from the universe and feel like the LoA isn't working (because, if it were working, why would I be so frustrated over "X"?) is to remind myself that the LoA is always working, and that my current state of frustration, struggle and feeling walled off/separate is, in actuality, my creation/my responsiblity.. Keeps the focus on myself and my thoughts rather than (if we believe in the subjective universe) my unwanted creations. So, when we wall ourselves off, the LoA is just continuing to oblige us and switches to frustrating us and thwarting our goals.

[nvictor]

Steve,
I'm confused now. I thought that because I want to be a creative person I must become a lightworker. Reading your new article makes me think that it's not really a choice... it's like been attracted to one or the other.

[ahimel]

Originally Posted by nvictor

Steve,
I'm confused now. I thought that because I want to be a creative person I must become a lightworker. Reading your new article makes me think that it's not really a choice... it's like been attracted to one or the other.

I think you can choose either way. It's just that you'll have tendencies. I could have chosen to be an English major. But I'm naturally really good at math and science, and pretty bad at communication, so it made a lot more sense to choose applied mathematics.

I also don't think creativity is a monopoly of the light side. I think it might be a monopoly of the enlightened/endarkened... the higher-conscious. So you might have to pick one and go for it to truly let your creative genius out.

[magickmystik]

Originally Posted by ahimel

endarkened... the higher-conscious.

that's a new term for me

[NDavid]

Hi all,

Great article,but I'm still a little confused. The article seems to be saying that everything you do should be guided/motivated by a single polarity, giving/selfish. But I find that certain things spark different motivations in me. For example, wanting to get in shape, raise my self-esteem seem more about me than others when I look deep down for the motivation. Whereas somethings I do like give to charity or give money to homeless people, or just be a freindly ear to someone when they need it, are all motivated by love or pity for the person when I search deep down. It's like I have a lightworker/darkworker motivation for different scenarios. Anyone else see this in themselves? How can you just pick one polarization to motivate you for al scenarios if you can't help feeling different feelings about different situations?


Cheers

NDavid

[gijsbert2002]

Originally Posted by NDavid

Hi all,

Great article,but I'm still a little confused. The article seems to be saying that everything you do should be guided/motivated by a single polarity, giving/selfish. But I find that certain things spark different motivations in me. For example, wanting to get in shape, raise my self-esteem seem more about me than others when I look deep down for the motivation. Whereas somethings I do like give to charity or give money to homeless people, or just be a freindly ear to someone when they need it, are all motivated by love or pity for the person when I search deep down. It's like I have a lightworker/darkworker motivation for different scenarios. Anyone else see this in themselves? How can you just pick one polarization to motivate you for al scenarios if you can't help feeling different feelings about different situations?


Cheers

NDavid

If you choose to go down the lightworkers path, you must find new motivations and keep applying them to do things. For example, if you feel better, have more self-esteem and more stamina, you can do a lot more for others. If you think about that every time you go to the gym, you are applying lightworkers polarization. After some time, it will have become you prime motivation if you keep applying this.
You can also use this idea on other parts of your life, just find new motivations and live by these motivations.

By the way, if you choose to go down the darkworkers path, the exact same thing is valid, only you need to turn around your motivations so they are darkworker polarized.