17 ms·

I have to ask, because the lack of jargon makes it harder for me to register heuristic labels. Are you talking about being a darkworker? Or is that too far afi

I have to ask, because the lack of jargon makes it harder for me to register heuristic labels. Are you talking about being a darkworker? Or is that too far afield?

jaredsohn 13y ago
I don't think that's the right jargon. Darkworkers/lightworkers are more about serving yourself vs. the greater good. (i.e. making money via phishing is more darkworker while building Watsi is more lightworker.)
- saraid216 13y ago
  Eh. The way I heard it discussed, that was exactly the kind of simplistic misconception that made people think darkworking was terribad. The way hosh talks about tuning into your "darker emotions" and "releasing them" reminds me of those conversations.
hosh 13y ago
@saraid216 No, that's not too far afield, though if you want to get into the details, I'd rather discuss this privately. Indirect contact methods are in my profile. I have never heard someone use the term "darkworker" until you brought it up, but it makes sense if people are going to talk about "lightworker". I have met and know a lot of folks who polarize things like that; many of them have great wisdom and I respect it, yet at the same time, I have learned not to bring up things like deliberately stalking your shadow. It freaks them out too much. I'll try to describe this in a way that is OK for a public forum (and as I said, feel free to contact me privately). If you ever had the experience of unity consciousness, that is the base. A lot of "lightworkers" have experienced that. However, I don't think they ever went through the implications of what that experience means. For them, there is some notion of "alignment with source" or something similar. Lots of wisdom comes out from it. However, if you have attained in the insight of oneness ... then how can anything, no matter how dark, terrifying, or evil be not an emanation of source? There are significant teachings and methods where, after attaining the insight of oneness, you have a basic connection of true nature; and as such, you can also recognize true nature in any and all phenomena. It is in this way that transmutation can happen. You stalk the shadows in order to bring light there, to see the truth for yourself and to see the truth within the dark. It is also risky, since, this kind of practice easily attracts people who have a fixation on darkness (for a variety of reasons). Or, if you have any shred of arrogance, or messiah complex, or trying to be the hero, all of that comes out when you stalk the shadows. But then again, if you have the insight of oneness ... where else is there to go? There is no such thing as raising the consciousness of just the folks who are good, or "in alignment" or some other such notions. And further, stalking the darkness like that will suss out all the karma and obscuration within you faster than anything else will. This is why there are yogis and sadhu who meditate in the cremation grounds (because they recognize all is the cremation grounds). What is also interesting is that these practices themselves tends to trigger a lot of fear in folks. One of most potent practices is awesome: it will, over time, allow you to release deep trauma like few other practices will. We're talking heavy shit here: PTSD, ardent desires to self-annihilate out of shame and guilt, rape, etc. A teaching and a method that helps heal that kind of stuff, that's an awesome gift to the world. Imagine the kind of compassion it took for the originators to see into the dark and create such a gem. Yet when I have recommended it for friends, they react to it just like the first two times I encountered it in my life: great fear and aversion. For example, they'd buy the book, and keep it on the shelf, and never read it. Something inside them knows that it will work to relieve their suffering, and they avoid it like hell. They avoid it like hell because the price for relief of trauma is realization. Most people won't try it until they get desperate enough. One more thing: I don't use labels about identity. I don't consider myself a darkworker or a lightworker. Or a programmer. Or a meditator. Or any X. I might practice stalking the shadows, or emanating peace, or program computers, or meditate. Saying I am X is not impeccable. Eventually, I might even drop "I practice X", who knows? ;-)
hosh 13y ago
And, caveat to all of that other comment: I heard Gregg Braden speak recently about his new book, Turning Point. I admire his skill at communicating. He is able to talk about this kind of shadow-side work without freaking people out. He explains it like this. That there are vast changes going on right now in the world. That people are waiting for "things to get back to normal". And he gently leads the person to understanding that ... this is the new normal. And accepting that, you can adapt to the conditions that have already change. And to do that, you need to look at what is going on instead of avoiding it. I have not started his book, though it is in my queue. The subject matter interest me as much as his communication skill. Maybe I can learn to speak in a way that won't freak people out about shadow-side work :-)

I have to ask, because the lack of jargon makes it harder for me to register heuristic labels. Are you talking about being a darkworker? Or is that too far afield?

jaredsohn 13y ago

I don't think that's the right jargon. Darkworkers/lightworkers are more about serving yourself vs. the greater good. (i.e. making money via phishing is more darkworker while building Watsi is more lightworker.)

saraid216 13y ago
Eh. The way I heard it discussed, that was exactly the kind of simplistic misconception that made people think darkworking was terribad. The way hosh talks about tuning into your "darker emotions" and "releasing them" reminds me of those conversations.

hosh 13y ago

@saraid216 No, that's not too far afield, though if you want to get into the details, I'd rather discuss this privately. Indirect contact methods are in my profile. I have never heard someone use the term "darkworker" until you brought it up, but it makes sense if people are going to talk about "lightworker". I have met and know a lot of folks who polarize things like that; many of them have great wisdom and I respect it, yet at the same time, I have learned not to bring up things like deliberately stalking your shadow. It freaks them out too much. I'll try to describe this in a way that is OK for a public forum (and as I said, feel free to contact me privately). If you ever had the experience of unity consciousness, that is the base. A lot of "lightworkers" have experienced that. However, I don't think they ever went through the implications of what that experience means. For them, there is some notion of "alignment with source" or something similar. Lots of wisdom comes out from it. However, if you have attained in the insight of oneness ... then how can anything, no matter how dark, terrifying, or evil be not an emanation of source? There are significant teachings and methods where, after attaining the insight of oneness, you have a basic connection of true nature; and as such, you can also recognize true nature in any and all phenomena. It is in this way that transmutation can happen. You stalk the shadows in order to bring light there, to see the truth for yourself and to see the truth within the dark. It is also risky, since, this kind of practice easily attracts people who have a fixation on darkness (for a variety of reasons). Or, if you have any shred of arrogance, or messiah complex, or trying to be the hero, all of that comes out when you stalk the shadows. But then again, if you have the insight of oneness ... where else is there to go? There is no such thing as raising the consciousness of just the folks who are good, or "in alignment" or some other such notions. And further, stalking the darkness like that will suss out all the karma and obscuration within you faster than anything else will. This is why there are yogis and sadhu who meditate in the cremation grounds (because they recognize all is the cremation grounds). What is also interesting is that these practices themselves tends to trigger a lot of fear in folks. One of most potent practices is awesome: it will, over time, allow you to release deep trauma like few other practices will. We're talking heavy shit here: PTSD, ardent desires to self-annihilate out of shame and guilt, rape, etc. A teaching and a method that helps heal that kind of stuff, that's an awesome gift to the world. Imagine the kind of compassion it took for the originators to see into the dark and create such a gem. Yet when I have recommended it for friends, they react to it just like the first two times I encountered it in my life: great fear and aversion. For example, they'd buy the book, and keep it on the shelf, and never read it. Something inside them knows that it will work to relieve their suffering, and they avoid it like hell. They avoid it like hell because the price for relief of trauma is realization. Most people won't try it until they get desperate enough. One more thing: I don't use labels about identity. I don't consider myself a darkworker or a lightworker. Or a programmer. Or a meditator. Or any X. I might practice stalking the shadows, or emanating peace, or program computers, or meditate. Saying I am X is not impeccable. Eventually, I might even drop "I practice X", who knows? ;-)

hosh 13y ago

And, caveat to all of that other comment: I heard Gregg Braden speak recently about his new book, Turning Point. I admire his skill at communicating. He is able to talk about this kind of shadow-side work without freaking people out. He explains it like this. That there are vast changes going on right now in the world. That people are waiting for "things to get back to normal". And he gently leads the person to understanding that ... this is the new normal. And accepting that, you can adapt to the conditions that have already change. And to do that, you need to look at what is going on instead of avoiding it. I have not started his book, though it is in my queue. The subject matter interest me as much as his communication skill. Maybe I can learn to speak in a way that won't freak people out about shadow-side work :-)