Thursday, September 29, 2011

Anonymous 3B

Anonymous 3B
a response from Scott Bradley


In the companion post to this one, I have made what amounts to a negative critique of a comment made on this blog. Here, I hope, amounts to something of a qualifier:

Perhaps I am only engaging in projection here. For it is true that this is precisely how I often approach what I read and hear (with a predisposition to find fault and a preconception of intended meaning). I am guilty of these things which I suggest you might have brought to this discussion. I don't feel any great dread in sharing this because, frankly, it is little more than a confession of being 'human'. The task, as I see it, is to understand this through personal inquiry, and to grow beyond what passes for 'normalcy'.

Here is some more projection. I picture your egoic hackles going up as soon as I reference your comments in a negative way. Mine certainly would. Absolutely. All I can say to this is that this is the very edge where growth can take place. This is the 'face' in the coal mine of our selves where the hard work is done. And it is hard. And I have as much work to do, if not more, than you or anyone else.

I feel ambivalent about getting personal (though for all practical purposes you remain anonymous to me as, I presume, I am to you), but it somehow seems, in this case, like a helpful thing to do. I do, however, apologize for this 'bully pulpit' where I get to pontificate from above while others must content themselves with a little box for comments. It hardly seems fair. Perhaps it would be possible for some of you to submit summations, in 'document' form, of your paths, or parts thereof.

We are, after all, Rambling Taoists.

[Note: Guest posts are welcomed at The Rambling Taoists. If you'd like to submit something, send it here.]

You can check out Scott's other miscellaneous writings here.

1 comment:

  1. Egoic hackles going up? I picture that as being in a defensive mode. There was a time that I still distinctly remember where it seemed that I saw myself from an exterior view. My personality was mainly a "conditioned survival structure" that was unconsciously in control of my life. I guess what I am saying is that the roots of being on the defense runs deep underneath the surface of our conscious mind and has many entangled old stories wrapped around them. To see this in myself was the beginning of expansion and liberation. Before seeing this it was as if an unconscious anchor dictated my life. It infiltrated everything including my beliefs.

    Shawn

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