Good morning! Welcome to the DKos Sangha weekly open thread.
This is an open thread for members of the DKos Sangha and others who are interested in discussions concerning how we integrate our progressive political activism into our spiritual practice. If you have observations about the political discourse of the week, or about practice, or about anything else related to walking a spiritual path through the political world, if you wish to share, or if you seek support, or if you simply want to say hello, please do; this space is for you.
If you would like to write a diary for the DKos Sangha, please let me know.
If you care nothing for spiritual practice and only wish to denigrate and disparage, please do so elsewhere, and respect that this is a community diary for the DKos Sangha.
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Gradually, imperceptibly, conditioning dissipates; the fog of separation lifts. The old reactive patterns that used to drive our perception of moment to moment daily events start disappearing. So much of the negativity that seemed to fill much of our day to day lives, and colored our thoughts of others, our thoughts of events, thoughts of ourselves, so much of that negativity has now faded away.
At one point, the idea that we could be fully present had no meaning for us; and the idea that we could be at peace seemed an unattainable dream. The way we move through our world has changed in extraordinary and profound ways; and yet the way we move through each day is quite ordinary.
And the work continues. Conditioning still arises. Some event, something said, something remembered, will trigger a reactive pattern, a pattern that has not yet been fully met, fully released; and we are invited to open deeper, to allow, to be compassionate, to be love.
As the work continues, our compassion for and understanding of others grows. As we more fully understand how conditioning once drove our lives, how deeply ingrained patterns caused so much suffering, we begin to understand how conditioning continues to drive others as well; we begin to see more clearly that conditioning drives the lives of most of the seven billion people on this planet. They are us.
Given the changing way we experience the world around us, we begin to see events in the world, conflicts in the world, in a new light. We begin to have compassion for and understanding of those who cause harm as well as those who are harmed by them and those who stand up against them.
And the work continues. Events trigger reactive patterns; but we no longer let the reactive patterns drive our behavior. We meet what arises, and conditioning dissipates in the fire of an open heart.
Through this practice, along this path, the seeds of peace are planted; and gradually, imperceptibly, they grow, transforming our world.
Namaste
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You are welcome to join us each week in our Monday night group meditation here at DKos Sangha. This online group meditation is hosted by Ooooh, and the diary is posted at 7:00 Eastern. So that we are able to be together for as many here at Daily Kos as wish to participate, the meditation period runs from 7:30 to 10:00 Eastern. This group sitting is open to beginners and advanced, and is not restricted to any particular traditions or practices. It is not expected that you sit for the entire period; sit for as long as you like, when you like. The idea is that we are here together; supporting each other, holding space for each other.
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Enjoy your day!
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