WUTYL Question about Chapter 5, "Karma and Dismantling Belief"

[skydancer]

Regarding Meditation 10 in Chapter 5 of WUTYL, does anyone have an example of a practice one could use to cut a pattern involving the titan realm? On page 197, there is an example of a practice which could be used to cut through a "hungry ghost" pattern. I am looking for something like that, but as it applies to the titan realm.

If anybody has an idea, please throw it out there. Thank you in advance!

[Janet]

Hi, skydancer.

Have you tried the practice Ken offers in WUTYL called "emptying the realm?" I have found it valuable.

I happen to have copied this practice into a text file for a practice group, so I'll append it here:

"Form the intention to enter the titan realm. Go there. The titan realm is like a nation at war with a more powerful opponent. Jealousy, paranoia, and competition drive every aspect of life. A sense of injustice and injury colors everyone’s actions. Wealth and the pleasures of life are ignored. A titan’s only concern is to fight to get what should be his. Yet inside, the titans know that their struggles are almost certainly futile. You feel this logic at work inside yourself, sensing how it twists your interpretations of events and how it acts to reinforce your fears. Bring attention to the jealousy that is rising in you. Open to it. You feel a shift as the jealousy dissolves.

"Now, open to the titan realm again. See how the titans function. With the enemy clearly in place outside, they can avoid facing any feelings of lack inside. See that all their efforts are about overcoming or avoiding feeling deficient. See the way that they are all bent on showing the world that they count.

"Light shines from your heart. It fills the titan realm, dissolving into intense radiance. The light returns to fill your heart, and you see how jealousy creates a world of competition and violence, how it distorts perceptions and how it covers the feeling of deficiency. Everything becomes light. Rest in the light for a few minutes."
McLeod, WUTYL, pp. 238-9.

[Leslie]

One of the struggles for me is that recognizing the underlying deficiency that drives my accomplishments(which are never enough and don't provide satisfaction) I become aware of the need to stop doing and become "smaller" in my contributions to the world. Space, time and rest are needed. This is in conflict with my sense of wanting to give to the people around me.

I would like to hear from others who have had similar experiences.

[Leslie]

I just had an aha moment...in days of yore I would be heading off to a cave for 12 years and society would honour such a commitment to awakening.

[Greg]

Hi Leslie,

Yes, I have been there. At the bottom of what drives me is a need. That need has many faces. I have learned not to be self-judgmental about those needs. Recognizing them and bringing them to light in appropriate ways does several things for me. In the area of interpersonal relationships there is an honesty. This honesty opens the situation. I have become very direct. But there is also discernment. Some needs are unhealthy, some needs are neutral, some needs are good. If I am honest, that is not judgmental then there is some space for choice.

The need to give is a curious one, don't ya know? I have done some retreat time on that one, not so much to change who or what I am, but to understand how and why. With knowledge from examining the how and why I am learning to find fulfillment. More and more that is not fulfilling a need, but recognizing abundance despite an attendant need that is merely a layer of an attempt at gratification and inducement. That's OK, another bubble of mind floating by and gone in an instant when looked at.

Some of the questions I have taken into meditative space are these.

Why do I need to give?
What am I giving?
What is the nature of the gift?
Who is being fulfilled by the gift?
and so on...

We can all find our own questions. But this is not about judging a right or wrong answer, rather self honesty. Very often there are underlying needs that drive much of my behavior. Competing needs are exhaustion, at least in my world.

How to best deal with this is another issue. I think the exercise that is described above is a very good approach. It is derivative of vipashyana meditation as would be examining needs, going to the root of their nature and discovering them, illuminating them, not to change them but understand them. For me they began to come out in more healthy and direct ways, not always pleasant, but healthier.

So what is this need not to be deficient about?

I had one for many years that is resolving itself:
Why do I care what others think of me? That fuels a lot of activity in the six realms for sure!

Best regards
G

[Leslie]

Thanks for this Patricia. This fits well with my experience-maybe not quite as dramatic!

[Leslie]

Some recent experiences in my life are adding to my understanding of the titan realm. In the last 2 years I have participated on a board where programs are developed to deliver services to the public that are funded by tax dollars. This is the realm of the partially awake titans. There is a lot of good work that gets done. Many of the people here function at high levels in their professions, work very hard and have a lot of great ideas and the energy and talent to put them into action. The policies that the board develops to govern itself are founded on many of the principles that are taught in the various ethical systems, including buddhist ethics.

One of the things I notice about some members of our board is their level of certainty is high. There are some people who seem to have the need to see themselves as "the best", with "the best" ideas and programs to make things run better in their world. The "enemy" in this setting is other public agencies or individuals that get in the way of our board getting it's agenda operational. Group think quickly develops and I find myself uncomfortably aware of my tendency to observe and question. Part of me wants to let myself belong, but I still feel safer keeping my distance from the seduction of power.(I have felt close to the adrenalin that is there, but I don't trust it!) I think they find me useful, because I ask useful questions.

The undeveloped part of me is the part that doesn't trust enough to move into my own awakened power. Perhaps awakened power would be able to act without having an enemy and needing to be "the best" and would let the questioning lead to a broad and open perspective that is more inclusive and less self-promoting. I am getting more curious about what holds me back from my own power.

Anyone else have experiences in this territory?

[Greg]

Leslie,

Anyone else have experiences in this territory?

Oh yes, I have a long history of avoiding power that others see in me. I rarely stepped into it. It took a lover pointing out that false humility is in a way dishonest. I was directed to step up.

Three of my teachers basically said the same thing, step into your natural power. Oh boy did I ever. After choking my energy for a lifetime everything took off. This is not like power of control or righteousness.

There was a point in my practices when the nature of power no longer confused me very much, neither the power of others nor engaging power. It came more as experiencing power as situational rather than personal, nothing owned.

This may seem to be an odd response, but the thing that held me back from power was ego. As I mentioned already, resolving why it mattered how others viewed me has allowed more freedom in expression.

Then there is the relationship between power and needs. That cannot be swept under the rug. Rarely do I project power, it is quiet, but when necessary, stepping in is not a problem no matter what the situation.

The Asura realm is one of jealous half baked gods, jealous of each other's power, pride of their own status and fiercely protective, the stuff of quarrels. Underlying that is knowledge that it is all just illusion and power can be lost. Oh no, fear! Who wants that kind of power? But power in itself is only perceptive as situational interplay. Seeing through the nature of power is the key to stepping into it and not becoming a demi-god.

So that's a little of my story Leslie. I hope there is something useful in it.

Best regards

[Arthur]

I live in the world of boards. I have sat on many over 25 years, from community levels, through to National and International levels. I am guessing that you would probably judge me a Titan Leslie, although I don’t think of myself that way. To me a Titan is jealous, and envious, and creates conflict, in order to try to either lift themselves up, or to drag the other down. If a board operates with many of these people on it, then it has a problem. I don’t work that way. I do see Titans on boards, but I generally see a mix of realms; very few hell beings (they are usually the single issue zealot – you may find them more on local community type boards), lots of hungry ghosts – starved for attention and power and never getting enough, a few animals – operating out of instinct and fear – again not too many at the more advanced board levels, a number of gods – people with wealth and position who don’t actually do much. Fortunately there are usually a lot of humans – people of the desire realm who express the desire to improve the world – often not even the world they themselves occupy, but the world of others – kids, seniors, the disadvantaged, etc.

If I read between your lines, I sense that you are pretty quiet at these meetings, asking a question now and then which may even be counter to the ‘group think’. You feel a seductive pull to just join in with the group – conform with the majority - be where the ‘power’ of the group is, rather than on the fringe where you feel like you are. You instinctively resist that seductive pull; your sense of self has been based on being an individual, being a little different. You don’t want to turn into ‘one of them’ – aggressive, arrogant, self promoting. But by remaining ‘safe’, you worry that you are not using your ‘power’, that you are not being as effective as you should be, or as effective as you can be. That may be true, but not necessarily for the reasons you think.

Power is not about belonging. Feeling and acting ‘powerful’ is not about real power. A good board is generally tribal; comprising a variety of skill sets which hopefully harmonize synergistically. You don’t have to act like ‘one of them’ to be powerful. Not everyone should be ‘warriors’, not everyone ‘hunters’, not everyone ‘visionaries’, not everyone ‘worker bees’, not everyone the ‘quiet seeker of truth’. A powerful board has the right variety of skill sets. A powerful board member uses their own skill set honestly and openly. Power is being who you are, honestly. Power is not about trying to fit in, or about feeling like you belong. If you are honestly being yourself, and honestly expressing your skill set, then you do belong, and are powerful, whether you think so or not.

We don’t step into, or move into, power. We stop stepping away. We stop being dishonest about who we are and what we bring to the table. If you are honestly quiet and questioning, then you are powerful. If you are quiet because you are afraid to speak your mind, then you are not powerful. If you ask contrary questions because you have honest concern for the stakeholders you are serving, then you are powerful. If you ask contrary questions because you have distaste for the egocentric ‘certainty’ of other board members, then you are not powerful (you are a Titan).

If you feel the seduction of ‘group think’, acknowledge it as you’d acknowledge the wind jostling you as you walk your path. Sometimes the wind blows with you, sometimes it blows against you – does it really matter? If you feel an adrenaline rush, acknowledge it as your fight or flight instinct – you are attached to an outcome. That’s okay, just be honest with yourself about what that outcome is (looking good? being right? achieving a sensible outcome?) – being mindful of your attachment diminishes its energy.

The tribal instinct of a focused group of people, such as a board, inherently can create an ‘enemy out there’ attitude. Be aware of it; it’s part of our outdated evolutionary primate protection system. Try not to let the others get carried away by it.

In the end I don’t think of it as being about individual power. People put this label of ‘Power’ on a concept of influence and accomplishment. I don’t think of myself as powerful, neither do I think of myself as without power. I just try to use my knowledge, skills, and character effectively, with honesty, confidence, awareness, and intention. The power thing is a byproduct of that.

[Leslie]

Thank you Arthur. This really helps. Yes, I am a person who likes to see into things as deeply as I can. I am quiet and at the same time, I like to speak my mind. After two years on the board, I have not moved into chairing any committees and haven't felt it was me to move into the vice-chair role. I have been viewing this as something being blocked in me. When I asked for feedback from some of the other board members they did say that I am helpful to the board because I do give thoughtful commentary and I avoid group think.

The beauty of this experience for me is finding out more about myself and what I can contribute by experiencing a microcosm of human capacities interacting around getting something of value done. The adrenalin rush came at the last meeting when I could feel the energy of the board merging and making it possible to use all these varying abilities in a way that respected our various capacities and our common goal. It was possible for all of these people with different viewpoints to sit in one room and respectfully hear each other and be heard. Yes, there were movements into ego, but when that was there, someone would speak up, and balance the ego at work, bringing the board closer to true power.

It's often difficult to appreciate our own gifts because we only see others, not ourselves. Your post has struck me deeply because it helps me accept myself and perhaps move me closer to inhabiting my own capacities honestly.

[Leslie]

I think of power as compassion in action. When I put awakened and power next to each other, i was contrasting that with actions that are driven by patterns.

Most of us will have some patterns at work for a long time yet, and we still have to act because life goes on and things need to be done. As my patterns appear more clearly, sometimes it gets less clear how to act- I am between the pattern and something new that is not yet ready to speak with the clarity I need to move differently.

[Arthur]

I am glad to be of some help Leslie. I agree that settings such as boards, are a great microcosm of humanity. They are often a real mirror of how we interact in the wider world – all of us!

I can understand the adrenaline rush you started to feel as you finally saw the dynamics of these diverse personalities, characters, and skill sets harmonizing to achieve something none could do alone. As dysfunctional as many of our interactions are, when they actually do come together and work, it is exciting, and hopeful.

Your last post speaks of not knowing how to act as you move away from established patterns and into the unknown. How wonderful! Being in the void of uncertainty and potential. Beginners Mind with no habituated conditioning to fall back on. Being present in the moment to act as your Buddha nature sees fit at this moment! You have practiced Dzogchen – trust your Buddha nature and go.

[fivebells]

Sometimes, serving the situation means cutting through habituated patterns. Power is simply the capacity for that.