Distraction
"The mind is constantly thinking, constantly moving, distracting you, taking you away, and so forth. You find here that as it is doing this, you are actually within your mind, for your reference point is still in your mind, and so wherever it goes, you go."[1]
"To be alone is to be afraid—to be afraid of pain, to be afraid of loss, to be afraid of rejection, to be afraid of criticism, to be afraid you will not have what you need or what you want. And, of course, this becomes the source of aberrant behavior, dishonesty, manipulation, avoidance, distractions, indulgences, obsessions, addictions—everything."[2]
Languishing in time
"You do not have time to languish. You do not have time to hide out in ambivalence. You do not have time to lose yourself in your hobbies, your romances or your distractions.
The world is changing. It is moving beneath your feet. It is shaking your cities. It is depriving your peoples. It is changing how you are going to live in the world. It is changing the weather, the climate, the landscape, the ability to grow food and the resources you will need to maintain civilization.
It is momentous. It is tremendous. But people are asleep, dreaming, lost, unresponsive, obsessed, preoccupied, distracted, believing what they are told by leaders who know little more than they do about what is coming over the horizon."[3]
"The signs in the world are speaking to you—telling you that great change is coming, that it is at your doorstep. You can feel these things if you allow yourself to feel these things—without trying to hide or run away from them, or without insisting that you be happy and carefree, without foolish pursuits to keep your mind preoccupied and distracted so that you do not hear the signs of the world, the calling of the world and the stirring of Knowledge within yourself."[4]
"Even if you live in splendor and have leisure and eat wonderful food and stay in wonderful places, your life is still empty, and that is why you seek constant stimulation and constant distraction.
You want to have a dynamic relationship with people and places and things, but you have not found yet the deeper current of your life. So even these things, even if they are marvelous, even if the people you meet are charming and fascinating, you cannot feel their essence. You cannot see beyond the surface.
Beauty is a distraction. Conflict is a distraction. The endless desire for people, places and things is a constant distraction—all drawing you out and away, searching the desert for meaning, searching the desert for the great river, a great river that you cannot find."[5]
Direction in following the Way of Knowledge
"The emphasis here is to get up this mountain, step by step. And as you begin your long ascent, you learn what is important to keep with you and what is important to set aside. You recognize what is really useful and necessary and what is merely a burden and a distraction."[6]
"That which is unnecessary—the possessions, the obligations, the ownership, even the relationships that are not essential to you—is only taking energy from you, robbing you of your incentive, distracting you, filling up your time, keeping your eyes off of the world and off your circumstances. You will not see the warning signs before difficult and dangerous things occur if your mind is obsessed with all other things."[7]
Knowledge is not distracted
"The fewer distractions you have, the more that you can feel the pull of Knowledge, the calling of Knowledge, the deeper power and presence of Knowledge."[8]
"Knowledge within you knows exactly what you must do in life, what you must aspire to and what you must accomplish. It cannot be confused or distracted by the pleasures or the terrors of this world."[9]
References
- ↑ Wisdom from the Greater Community, Book 2, Chapter 5: Working with the Mind
- ↑ The Power of Knowledge, Chapter 4: Living in Separation
- ↑ The Time of Revelation: Destiny
- ↑ The Great Waves of Change, Chapter 1: The Great Waves of Change
- ↑ The Bridge to a New Life: The Deeper Current of Your Life
- ↑ Love and Relationships: Relationships of Destiny
- ↑ The Great Waves of Change, Chapter 4: The Freedom to Move with Knowledge
- ↑ Love and Relationships: Sex and Sexuality
- ↑ Greater Community Spirituality, Chapter 6: What is the Greater Community?
See also
Further study
- Love and Relationships: Love and Relationships
- Building the Foundation for a New Life : Harmful Influences
- Preparing for the Great Waves of Change, Chapter 11: Signs from the World
- The Great Waves of Change, Chapter 5: The Deep Evaluation