Category: Step 6

“The primary fact that we fail to recognize is our total inability to form a true partnership with another human being.” (12 & 12, p. 53) on relations

Today’s Full SFZ

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HOW DEFECTS CLOUDS OUR THINKING –

“Most of us saw no
way out, believing that
we would use until
the day we died.”
(Crystal Clear,
p. 8)

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Like Krishnamurti, how have you followed your own Sacred Heart to the peaceful resolution of a challenge you’ve faced, lately?

“We have found that God [or one’s H.P.]* does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the realm of spirit is broad, roomy, all-inclusive, never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all … .” (As Bill Sees It, p. 7)

“In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself.”  – Krishnamurti (1895 – 1986) Indian spiritual author

 

With Arms Wide Open – Creed (3:53)  

Why does sex play such an important part in life? (15:58)

Key to the Sacred of Heart & Love Satsang (9:36)

 

 

The Secret Heart

by Robert P. Tristram Coffin

Across the years he could recall
His father one way best of all.
In the stillest hour of night
The boy awakened to a light.
Half in dreams, he was his sire
With his great hands full of fire.
The man had struck a match to see
If his son slept peacefully.
He held his palms each side the spark
His love had kindled in the dark.
His two hands were curved apart
In the semblance of a heart.

…

He wore, it seemed to his small son,
A bare heart on his hidden one,
A heart that gave out such a glow
No son awake could bare to know.
It showed a look upon a face
Too tender for the day to trace.
One instant, it lit all about,
And then the secret heart went out.
But shone long enough for one
To know that hands held up the sun.
©

“Yes, we … did dream those dreams.  How natural that was since most [of us] are bankrupt idealists. Nearly every one of us had wished to do great good, perform great deeds, and embody great ideals.” (12 & 12, p. 156)

“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.” – Carl Jung (1875 – 1961) Swiss, psychologist

What steps have you taken to live the life you have always wanted, lately?

 

Sweet Dream – are made of this – Eurythmics (3:35)  

Carl Jung and Recovery (1:57)

Theta Hz Dream Temple Meditation (7:33)

 

Dreams:

by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

 

Carl Jung and Dream Analysis –

 

“Jung was the eminent adept of Freud and, for a while, a tireless fighter for the Freudian cause, that is, the universal promotion of psychoanalysis. He was influenced by Freud’s approach to the delicate problem of dream interpretation. Later on, Jung develops his own theory which includes several revolutionary features: subject level, prospective aspect, compensation, amplification method.

It is known that Freud interprets dreams on the object level; that is, according to the relationship between the dreamer and the persons or situations in his real of phantasy life. Jung introduces the subject level. What is this level? The fact that the dream reveals, in a symbolic way, some features of dreamer’s psychic life or of his internal psychic transformations. This way the dream becomes an indicator of those changes that sometimes point to the development of the individuation process.

Dreams are a cloudy picture.

So if someone dreams of his mother, the mother in Jung’s view is not an evocation of the real mother, but of the dreamer’s anima, that is, his emotional, feminine side. Mother can also be a suggestion to what is basically biologic in the human nature or can lead to the inherited background, the homeland in a cultural way.

Freud’s dream approach is retrospective; that is, it refers mainly to past events, placed back in the dreamer’s childhood (psychic trauma, sexual repressed wishes and so forth). Jung’s dream approach is prospective; he treats the dream like an inner map of dreamer’s future psychic evolution towards a more balanced relationship between his ego and the unconscious (be it personal or collective).

Talking about infantile complexes, Jung states, in accordance with his orientation, that complexes are not of importance per se; what really matters is what the individual’s ego does with them. This way, the complexes, even the neurotic ones, become raw material for dreams, the language through which the dream (the unconscious) expresses itself.

The mother complex,

for example, may indicate a process of development on the basis of some inherited features or life events that constitute the background of the individuation.

For Jung the concept of compensation includes another powerful idea: the dream is an attempt to counterbalance a hypertrophied ego. That is why the interpretation of dreams should seek to discover the compensatory aspects; that help the ego better adapt to the demands of internal and external life. In a certain clinical situation, as a result of a dream interpretation; Jung had to explain to his patient that she must resign her too rationalist attitude (as a consequence of her animus inflation). [I]n order to cure her severe neurosis. This way the dream becomes a message of the unconscious; that indicates several neurotic deficiencies in the individual life orientation.

Finally, Jung adds to the free association method, developed by Freud, the method of amplification . He states that there are elements of the dream to which the dreamer cannot provide personal associations.(1) These elements are symbols.(2) In this case, the analyst should intervene with his knowledge and complete the dreamer’s gaps related to them. The associative material comes from various cultural areas: mythology, religion, alchemy, folklore and so forth.

One must notice that these essential additions to the method of dream interpretation should not be taken over easily. Jung warns us repeatedly that dreams ought to be interpreted at first by Freud’s method. Only exceptional cases demand the use of his own method.(3)”  (https://www.carl-jung.net/dreams.html)

“If we ask, God will certainly forgive our derelictions. But in no case does He render us white as snow and keep us that way without our cooperation. That is something we are supposed to be willing to work toward ourselves.” (12 & 12, p. 65)  “Whatever God’s dream about man may be, it seems certain it can not come true unless man co-operates.”– Stella Terrill Mann / English spiritual author

 

How has your own “cockiness” played a role in causing you pain, lately?

Lucid Dreams – Juice WRLD (3:50)

It Takes Two – Seduction (4:53)

Classical Indian Healing Raga & Meditation (4:12)

 

 

 

Love’s Young Dream

by Thomas Moore

Oh! the days are gone, when Beauty bright
My heart’s chain wove;
When my dream of life, from morn till night,
Was love, still love.
New hope may bloom,
And days may come,
Of milder calmer beam,
But there’s nothing half so sweet in life
As love’s young dream:
No, there’s nothing half so sweet in life
As love’s young dream.

 

Though the bard to purer fame may soar,
When wild youth’s past;
Though he win the wise, who frown’d before,
To smile at last;
He’ll never meet
A joy so sweet,
In all his noon of fame,
As when first he sung to woman’s ear
His soul-felt flame,
And, at every close, she blush’d to hear
The one loved name.

 

No, — that hallow’d form is ne’er forgot
Which first love traced;
Still it lingering haunts the greenest spot
On memory’s waste.
‘Twas odour fled
As soon as shed;
‘Twas morning’s winged dream;
‘Twas a light, tht ne’er can shine again
On life’s dull stream:
Oh! ’twas light that n’er can shine again
On life’s dull stream.

MAKING AN HONEST ADMISSION –

“When we first
begin to practice
these principles, they
may seem very unnatural
to us.” “Even though we are
admitting  our  addiction,
we may  still  wonder if
this program will real-
ly work.”  (It Works,
How & Why,  p. 7)

the first chap-
ter of the book
of wisdom.”

– Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826) 3rd US President

 

Surrender – Billy Talent (4:07)

Story of “The Jaywalker” from the Big Book (1:30)

Inner Truth and Honest Admission Guided Meditation (6:31)

 

What honest admission have you felt the need to make, lately?

 

 

The Milkman and the River –

A milkman became very wealthy through dishonest means. He had to cross a river daily to reach the city where his customers lived. He mixed the water of the river generously with the milk that he sold for a good profit. One day he went around collecting the dues in order to celebrate the wedding of his son. With the large amount thus collected he purchased plenty of rich clothes and glittering gold ornaments. But while crossing the river the boat capsized and all his costly purchases were swallowed by the river. The milk vendor was speechless with grief. At that time he heard a voice that came from the river, “Do not weep. What you have lost is only the illicit gains you earned through cheating your customers. (http://www.english-for-students.com/Honesty-is-The-Best-Policy.html)

 

“Change, even wonderful, positive change, almost always involves some grief for the old ways of life we are letting go, even if  that way of life kept us miserable.” (Al Anon Works, How & Why, p. 88)  “If You Wanna Make The World  A Better Place,Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make The Change.

Where have you demonstrated the willingness for change in your life, lately?

 

Man in the Mirror (Micheal Jackson) (5:02)

How to Make the Secret Work for YOU (7:21)

Aakhan Jor by Kaur – the Great Surrender Meditation (7:25)

 

 

Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror

by John Ashbery

As Parmigianino did it, the right hand
Bigger than the head, thrust at the viewer
And swerving easily away, as though to protect
What it advertises.
A few leaded panes, old beams,
Fur, pleated muslin, a coral ring run together
In a movement supporting the face, which swims
Toward and away like the hand
Except that it is in repose.
It is what is
Sequestered.
Vasari says, “Francesco one day set himself
To take his own portrait, looking at himself from that purpose
In a convex mirror, such as is used by barbers.

….

He accordingly caused a ball of wood to be made
By a turner, and having divided it in half and
Brought it to the size of the mirror, he set himself
With great art to copy all that he saw in the glass,”
Chiefly his reflection, of which the portrait
Is the reflection, of which the portrait
Is the reflection once removed.

The glass chose to reflect only what he saw
Which was enough for his purpose: his image
Glazed, embalmed, projected at a 180-degree angle.

The time of day or the density of the light
Adhering to the face keeps it
Lively and intact in a recurring wave
Of arrival.
The soul establishes itself.

But how far can it swim out through the eyes
And still return safely to its nest? The surface
Of the mirror being convex, the distance increases
Significantly; that is, enough to make the point
That the soul is a captive, treated humanely, kept
In suspension, unable to advance much farther
Than your look as it intercepts the picture.

Pope Clement and his court were “stupefied”
By it, according to Vasari, and promised a commission
That never materialized.
The soul has to stay where it is,
Even though restless, hearing raindrops at the pane,
The sighing of autumn leaves thrashed by the wind,
Longing to be free, outside, but it must stay
Posing in this place.
It must move
As little as possible.
This is what the portrait says.

But there is in that gaze a combination

(Click here for more)

 

“But does trust require that we be blind to other people’s motives or, indeed, to our own? Not at all; this would be folly. Most certainly, we should assess the capacity for harm as well as the capability for good in every person that we would trust.” (12 & 12, p. 52) “Love all, trust a few. Do wrong to none.” – William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616), English “All’s Well That Ends Well”, Act 1 Scene 1

 

How have you dealt with issues of lost trust, lately?

 

Trust (Keyshia Cole, ft. Monica (4:27)

Shakespeare Brief Bio (3:22)

Cultivating Trust & Love – a Humanistic Meditation (4:31)

 

 

Two-Way Trust

by Fay Slimm

For wet-nosed welcomes and four-pawed hugs, none
Can match the dog. Fur-bound coat, eyes so wide
And velvety melt our heart and, ‘will’ gone
We most willingly succumb. Keen to hide
Our love affair, we fake a careless style
And tone our voice to suit, but when tail wags
As if to break while greeting us, we smile,
Even when there’s muddy floor, bedraggled
Dog just glances at us wistfully. More
Than that, a quiet whine, defined as
An apology is all we need. As for
Two-way trust it grows, and if by chance passed
Over for a newer canine pal, our
First love pines, two-way trust declines, then dies.
A dog’s love is of moment and of now.
That’s all the canine heart can feel applies.
Thus, well or sick, lonely or in pain, fairly
Constant, man’s best friends let us know they care.

Three Simple Rules

 

Once there was a rich man in Thailand. His name was Chulong. He was a very rich man. Yet he wanted more riches, more money.

One day he was walking in his garden. He saw a strange bird in a bush. It was very small. But it had very beautiful and colorful features. Its voice was also very sweet. Chulong had never seen such a bird in his life. He slowly went near the bush unseen. He caught the bird. Now the bird began to speak.

“Why have you caught me?” the bird asked.

“I want to make money. I can sell you for a big amount,” replied Chulong.

“But you are already rich. Why do you want more?” asked the bird.

“Because I want to become richer and richer,” replied Chulong.

“But do not dream of making money through me!” said the bird. It further added, “You can not sell me. Nobody will buy me, because, in imprisonment, I lose my beauty and my sweet voice.” Then it slowly turned into a black bird.

The beautiful features were now looking like the feathers of a crow.

Chulong hopes of making money were shattered. He said angrily,

“I will kill you, and I will eat your meat.”

“Eat me! I am so small. You will not get any meat out of me,” replied the bird.

Chulong could not answer. The bird then suggested, “Well set me free. In return I shall teach you three simple but useful rules.”

“What is the use of the rules? I want only money,” said Chulong. He was irritated.

“But these rules can profit you greatly,” added the bird.

“Profit me! Really? Then I shall set you free. But how can I trust you? You may fly away,” said Chulong.

“I give you my word. And I always keep my word,” said the bird.

Chulong wanted to take a chance. He released the bird. It flew up at once. Then it sat on the branch of a tree. Its color started changing. It became beautiful again.

Chulong asked, “Now teach me the rules.”

“Certainly,” said the bird.

Then it added, “The first rule is Never Believe everything others say. The second rule is Never be sad about something you do not have. The third rule is Never throw away what you have in your hand.”

“You silly bird,” shouted Chulong. And he added, “These three rules are known to every one. You have cheated me.”

But the bird said, “Chulong, just sit down for a while. Think about all your actions of today. You had me in your hands, but you threw me away (released me). You believed all that I said. And you are sad about not having me. The rules are simple. But you never followed them. Now do you see the value of the rules?” so saying the bird flew away and disappeared from his sight.”  (http://www.english-for-students.com/Three-Simple-Rules.html)

 

“Addiction is a family disease, but we could only change ourselves.” (IP No. 13, Youth and Recovery)With Twins “It’s easier to
put on slippers than to carpet the whole world.”– Al Franken (1951 – ) U.S. Senator / satirist

 

What type of self-care have you practiced lately, when the going gets tough?

 

P!nk – Family Portrait (3:50)

Sunset Over the Ocean Mediation LP (22:01) 

 

 

The story of the Twins

 

an African folktale

 

A long time ago at the village of Serki, a woman gave birth to twins – both boys. They were very nice children. One of the twins, Eiba by name, had a white spot on his right hand. The other one – they called him Saiba – had two white spots on his left hand. Father and mother were very happy and very sad at the same time. You will ask – why? Because there was a very bad custom in Serki to kill twins. And the chief of Serki said, “Those twins must die, too.” But their father and mother did not want to kill the twins.

“What?” said the chief angrily? “You don’t want to kill them? Go away from the village and never come back or I shall kill you together with your children.”

So the poor family went away from the village.

For many years the family lived in a forest. Life was not easy there. But the children grew up strong. When they grew up, they helped their father and mother with their work. They were good and handsome young men.

One day they found a man in the forest. He was dying. They tried to help him. But he said, “Don’t help me. I shall die soon. I came from Serki. There is a war on there now. We fought bravely. But the enemy is stronger than we are. Go and help my people if you can.”

With these words he died.

Eiba and Saiba wanted to go to Serki and help to fight. But their father and mother were against it and said, “The Chief does not want you there. He wanted to kill you when you were small children. That’s why we went away from Serki and came to live in the forest.”

But the twins wanted to go and help Serki. They said, “This is our country. We must help the people of our country.” So the boys came to Serki and fought against the enemies. They fought bravely. The people of that country won the fight and made the enemy run. So the war was over. Then a feast at the chief’s house began. Saiba and Eiba were at the feast, too. Then one of the men stood up and said, “There are two young men here, two brothers. I think they are very brave soldiers. But we don’t know who they are.”

The twins’ uncle was at the feast, too. He said to the chief, “Do you remember two little twins – one with a spot on his right hand and the other with two spots on his left hand? Eighteen years ago you told their father and mother to go away from our village as they did not want to kill the twins. These are the same twins.”

The chief stood up and asked the twins to forgive him. Then he sent the two young men back to their father and mother with many presents and a letter in which he asked them to come back.

From, that day on they stopped killing twins in Serki.