Part of my reason for posting this morning is to see if I can do it. My last post required Kathleen’s intervention.
I was interested to see the comment from “Lois S”, expressing the euphoria that can come from saying “Yes”. It seems a true perception that as well as having a lurking self that needs to be confronted (just say No), most people also have ingranined habits that deny the possibility of joy. And then “Yes” is the right answer.
David discers how saying “no” is not the end of the discussion–as with a young child who keeps nudging us to have it’s way–but I’ve noticed that giving in to the urge to scratch is not so different from not giving in. In both cases, another urge to scratch is quickly nudging me to lift my hand.
In my own experience with these practices, I glimpsed how the self isn’t comfortable with the future as an open field of possibilities. The self is very interested in the future, but only if it promices to satisfy its wants. Doing a Kum Nye exercise, it’s hard to relax and let time unfold in a spirit of acceptance. There is this presence that just wants to be done with it. I think that may be the self, mapping out the iterations in an abstract way and then wanting to rush through it. Perhaps the self can’t experience the pleasure of dwelling on experience with an open-hearted appreciation?
–Michael
