posted December 30, 2008 08:17 PM              

The world is a dynamic grey-area of conflict and creativity, bordering on order and chaos, respectively, and mediating between these two. Man is the soul of the world, and the soul is a longing for freedom. The soul grows and arises determinedly, like a flower, delicate and beautiful, out of the conflict (and brewing conflict) of the world; and into the freedom of creative, orderly self-expression. Mystic and philosopher, Simone Weil, spoke of the world as a "metaxu", comparing it to a wall which divides two prisoners (the soul and God), yet, which they may make use of in order to communicate with each other, albeit in a relatively primitive way, by a series of signals, or taps, as it were, upon the wall. I'd like to borrow this great word, if I may, to suggest a slightly different image, of the crust temporarily overlaying a pond in wintertime. As the world is in a ferment between order and chaos, so, the ice is frozen and rigid, while undergoing the dynamic chemical reactions of melting. With the coming of spring, like a grace, this conflict intensifies, or "heats up", as the rays of God's love and wisdom enter the ice, and cause it to split into water, on the one hand, and steam, on the other; the water molecules dropping, like bodies, back into the ubiquitous pond, while the molecules of steam ascend, like liberated spirits, up into the sky. Understood in this way, the metaxu, and the world, is not clearly distinct from the life and soul of man, nor is it something which divides man from God. Instead, the soul exists bound, as the freedom of water molecules is bound, within the icy corporeality of the world, in the body of a man. And by the light, heat, and grace of God, we are freed to ascend in a more airy and etheric form, out of the prison of the metaxu. Did I say prison? But the metaxu is also that ultimate ground of being out of which man is taken; man being the self-evident jewel and fruit of the world; just as man's soul is the lustre and sweetness in the heart of man. The marriage between God and the soul takes place in the light of time; which is also the light of wisdom; or truth, as it is capable of being percieved by man. This consecration is the accomplishment and fruition of the nature of metaxu, as well as its own negation, and the sacrificial dissolving of its own substance into something distinct and, yet, akin to itself. Ultimately, there is no definite boundary between what we are, what the world is, and what God is, -- but we may approach an intuitive understanding of, and relationship to, these truths by the convenience of analogy.

posted January 19, 2009 02:21 PM            

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else? The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

posted January 29, 2009 10:42 PM            

Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 - 1952)

posted January 30, 2009 04:57 AM              

quote:

---

To hurt another soul by sarcastic words, looks, or suggestions, is despicable.

---

"Despicable"?

Jeez, that's pretty harsh.

I'd say its human.

And sarcasm, or irony in general, can be a powerful vehicle for sudden insight.

posted January 30, 2009 07:48 AM            

I undertsand their point, why would you want to crush someone else?, whether they are someone you love or a distant stranger. What does one gain from it?

I think some rely on that sarcasm, and hide behind it. I often wonder what they are lacking? Is it wit perhaps, or compassion. I'm not sure.

Either way thank you for your insights, I appreciate them...

"Satirists gain the applause of others through fear, not through love."
William Hazlitt

posted January 30, 2009 03:57 PM              

But the word "despicable", to me, conveys a violent distaste.

It's like "repulsive". You cant call something that everyone does --
everyone who is not an avatar of compassion -- repulsive,
and expect that their hearts will unfold to embrace your p.o.v.

Using a word like that, in my opinion, can be more hurtful than sarcasm,
which, at least, has an element of lightness and humor in it.

But even if you smile and never talk, and only hug people, you are bound to hurt somebody's feelings.

At least irony and sarcasm can cut through those defenses,
and deliver and insight before you know what hit you.

"A short prayer pierces the heavens." ~ cloud of unknowing

As a Scorpio, it is not difficult for me to see the value and effectiveness of sarcasm;
we Scorpios can be some pretty sarcastic sons o' b-----s, god love us;
and we are, after all, the sign given to uncomfortable, penetrating insights.

"There is no coming to consciousness without pain." ~ Jung

But to each their own.

I certainly dont lack wit (in fact, I'd say the most crystaline and biting wit often tends to be sarcastic),
and I have more compassion than the average man, but, then, I dont use sarcasm to "crush" people; just to shock them into insight.

For instance, someone was overreacting to a disappointment,
and my friend made a sarcastic joke, -- he said,
"Let's get p*ssed about it!," pretending to be all psyched.

I thought this was brilliant, and while it may have stung the person for an instant,
she was later laughing about it and talking about how clever and insightful it was.

I've witnessed numerous instances like that, where the person confessed to insight,
having been dumb-struck at the revealed absurdity of their behavior.

But, it makes a huge difference how you do it, and what you convey.
Plenty of people do rely on sarcasm to express things that are banal in themselves,
and that is when I see it as unfortuneate and unnecessary.

posted January 30, 2009 08:03 PM            

I have been in similiar situations, as you have with your friends. That kind of sarcasm is funny, I have both dished it out and have been on the receiving end of it. I think us Gemini's have a pretty good handle on the sarcasm as well..

What I saw in that quote however; was another kind. I can understand it, I've seen it, and I've stood their dumbfounded, looking at this supposed intelligent person like WTF. I won't laugh at the expense of another's hurt feelings, nothing I can think of could make me lower my standards...

I wasn't directing my comment about lack of wit or compassion towards you, I was just pondering, what a person who uses dark sarcasm on a daily basis could possibly be lacking, therefore compensating with spitefullness.

Lastly despicable might sound harsh to you, but I don't share your feelings on that, the man chose to word his quote in that manner. I think he knew using certain words, would inevitably make it stand out. Which it did, I skip over alot of quotes..that one caught my attention, I can apply it positively.

Which I plan to do...

Have a wonderful evening...you.

Apologies Mystic Melody for going off topic in your thread.

“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”

posted February 04, 2009 05:02 AM              

If all things are in common among friends, the most precious is Wisdom. What can Juno give which thou canst not receive from Wisdom? What mayest thou admire in Venus
which thou mayest not also contemplate in Wisdom? Her beauty is not small, for the lord of all things taketh delight in her. Her I have loved and diligently sought from my youth up.

posted February 04, 2009 05:25 AM              

At the very moment when we raised the sheild of intellectual struggle against materialism, at the moment when all adepts of this doctrine, scattered through the Faculties of medicine, through the Press, through the highest and lowest levels of society, considered us as 'dilettanti', clerics or fools, the president of the National League Againist Atheism came forward, braving all sarcasm, to protect us with the inarguable authority of a profound philosopher and ardent defender of spiritualism...

Alongside the official line of religious or secular Universities, of scientific Academies and the Laboratories of Higher Learning, there has always existed an independent line, generally little known and therefore looked down upon, made up of researchers sometimes too steeped in philosophy, sometimes too taken with mysticism, but how interesting to study:

These adepts of Gnosis, these Alchemists, these disciples of Jacob Boehme, of Martinez Paschalis or of Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin, are the only ones, however, never to have neglected the study of the Qabalah... You may say to me that these authors are 'mystics', writers whose erudition is not always what one might wish; but it is also a 'mystic' who requests that they be read more fully and with greater care, if only to better understand the various evolutions of the human mind.

~ Papus

posted February 11, 2009 03:02 PM              

"I went to a wilderness.
Love had rained and had covered earth.
As feet penetrate snow,
I found my feet covered with love."

"Allah the Most Just called me into His Presence and said to me, 'O Bayazid how did you arrive in My Presence?' I replied, 'Through zuhd, by renouncing the world.' He said, 'The value of the lower world is like the wing of a mosquito. What kind of renunciation have you come with?' I said, 'O Allah, forgive me.' Then I said, 'O Allah, I came to you through tawakkul, by dependence on You.' Then He said, 'Did I ever betray the trust which I promised you?' I said, 'O Allah forgive me.' Then I said, 'O Allah, I came to you through You.' At that time Allah said, 'Now We accept you.'"

"Allah has granted his servants favors for the purpose of bringing them closer to Him. Instead they are fascinated with the favors and are drifting farther from Him."

"There are special servants of Allah who, if Allah veiled Himself from their sight in Paradise,
would implore Him to take them out of Paradise just as the inhabitants of the Fire implore Him to release them from Hell."

"O Allah, what is your Fire? It is nothing....
And what is your Paradise? It is a toy for children."

~ Bayazid Bastami

Ibrahim Khawwas said, "The way that Allah showed to him, with the most delicate word and the simplest explanation, was to 'leave your self-interest in the two worlds, the dunya and the Hereafter, leave everything other than Me behind.' That is the best and easiest way to come to Allah Almighty and Exalted, the most perfect and highest state of affirming Oneness, not to accept anything or anyone except Allah the Most High."

One of the followers of Dhul Nun al-Misri was following Bayazid. Bayazid asked him, "Who do you want?" He replied, "I want Bayazid." He said, "O my son, Bayazid is wanting Bayazid for forty years and is still not finding him." That disciple of Dhul Nun then went to him and narrated this incident to him. On hearing it Dhul Nun fainted. He explained later saying, "My master Bayazid has lost himself in Allah's love. That causes him to try to find himself again."

Ad-Dailami said, "One time I asked `Abdur Rahman bin Yahya about the state of trust in Allah (tawakkul). He said, "If you put your hand in the mouth of a lion, don't be afraid of other than Allah." I went in my heart to visit and ask Bayazid about this matter. I knocked and I heard from inside, "Wasn't what `Abdur Rahman said to you enough? You came only to ask, and not with the intention of visiting me." I understood and I came again another time one year later, knocking at his door. This time he answered, "Welcome my son, this time you came to me as a visitor and not as a questioner."

Of Bayazid's state, al-`Abbas ibn Hamza related the following: "I prayed behind Bayazid the Dhuhr prayer, and when he raised his hands to say 'Allahu Akbar' he was unable to pronounce the words, in fear of Allah's Holy Name, and his entire body was trembling and the sound of bones breaking came from him; I was seized by fear."

Sahl at-Tustari sent a letter to Bayazid which read: "Here is a man who drank a drink which leaves him forever refreshed."
Bayazid replied: "Here is a man who has drunk all existences, but whose mouth is dry and burn with thirst."