Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).
Overcoming the conditioning that prevents us from seeing what's really there is in my view not really a matter of developing knowledge. It's a matter of seeing and understanding the conditioning...
...and learning to focus on what's happening here and now.
And I don't know if we can ever truly move beyond our conditioning.
However, recently it occurs to me that people who actually *do* know what's going on (because they have learned to outgrow their conditioning and see things as they are) don't need the Yi. "Yeah, so what?" you ask. Well, I've spent a lot of time working with this oracle, and developing my own version to work with, and exchanging notes with the likes of you in order to develop my understanding further. A lot of time. I'd probably be investing that time in a more intelligent way if, instead of developing my knowledge of the Yi and how to use it better, I used the time to develop my knowledge of how to see things as they really are.
I'd probably be investing that time in a more intelligent way if, instead of developing my knowledge of the Yi and how to use it better, I used the time to develop my knowledge of how to see things as they really are.
When you really and truly see one of the automatic patterns in yourself (there are many, some deeper and more compelling than others), two things happen. First, distate for the automaticity you've seen (distaste is a normal reaction to seeing mechanicality in ourselves) sets up a new value in you - you 'don't want to go there no more'. Second, you start to sincerely reach for the new value and abandon the automaticity. And cuz you've got its number, its days are numbered. Sometimes it just falls away as soon as you see it. Years ago, in psychotherapy, I suddenly saw how for years I'd been 'punishing' my parents in various ways out of a sense of resentment for various parts of my upbringing. That resentment and punishing of them was an automatic reaction that I'd never really looked at closely. But as soon as I saw it, it fell away like a bit of dried caked mud stuck to a wall that you knock off, cuz I didn't want to be such an unpleasantly automatic person in that regard.
But other parts of my conditioning are taking a lot more work to see and outgrow. And *that* is the main reason for spending time with a person or people who know. The Buddhists call it Sangha. I call it 'getting help cuz I can't do this all by myself'.
Yeah, who and where are those people? Now, you make it sound like you either regret or are starting to regret the time you spend with the Yi.
IMO, the ultimate goal in studying, using and dedicating time to the Yi in general, is for it to be just a stepping stone to reach the status of those mythical beings you mention above.
They're not mythical; I've met some. With work, I can move in their direction as well. And although the Yi is useful for resolving some doubts and decisions, and although it's a wonderful companion, I don't think it can substitute for the real inner work that's necessary to move toward the status of the beings we're talking about.
That's what I've seen so far with my limited perceptions.
Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).