| davidc: |
When Yanesh, the can-girl, asked me what kind of session i'd like to
lead, and i heard the theme was "The Hidden Work", my immediate response, the
subject which lept to mind, was "Why Hide The Work?", which might seem kind of
silly or even smart-alecky, but it's actually a good question to zero in on. |
| eric: |
This question has two very different possible meanings... one is why we *should
hide the work and the other is why bother hiding the work... |
| cy: |
The work that has yet to be uncovered is a possibility -- "The Hidden
Work". |
| davidc: |
OK, that's great... because my first question to us is... what does that title
possibly mean? So there are at least two possibilities... |
| gordita: |
Hide from self |
| eric: |
Maybe hidden from us by ourselves... |
| cy: |
Hidden from selves for the reasons covered in the Recurrence" workshop. |
| gordita: |
So you don't get too scared at first and from others because pogroms aren't fun. |
| eric: |
hbm may not wanna know nuthin bout it... |
| davidc: |
Sure, i know i've denied for years knowing some things i accept now. Denial
works... And pogroms are a drag... |
| cy: |
Pogroms? |
| davidc: |
Not computer pogroms, but -- you know -- religious cleansing |
| gordita: |
Slaughter of believers for recrational purposes... |
| tm: |
Yes, when i co-opened an Alchemist Traders Shop with objects from the Institute
the newspaper ran an article on the Satanists on Main St. |
| davidc: |
Makes you want to light your torches... |
| tm: |
It was somewhat scary. yes. |
| davidc: |
As i tried to formulate this workshop, one formulation is, "Why hide the
work in our own lives". This is a good example, although it's not always this
extreme. So do we have any other nice little stories like that? |
| gordita: |
EJ took his family and me to a big Catholic festival. He was in a navy blue
clerical collar and outfit just like lots of the RC priests there. He made a point of
hugging his wife several times. The fear/hostility was palpable. |
| davidc: |
Don't you love it when people start to drift away... like you're a danger zone... |
| can: |
When we go out with the ceramics, I get asked questions referring to my
"spiritual practice of choice". I just play dumb -- don't know what you're
talking about -- mostly because I don't know how to answer that question. This work, for
me, has no "name", is not easy to describe; like Buddists, or Yogi or Muslim;
whatever. So I say nothing. |
| cy: |
Those who know me have gotten used to not asking me questions about my spiritual
life, because I think the answer might change depending on the questioner. I've been on
this quest for so long now, and those who don't know me see an African American actress,
and figure i'm eccentric anyway. |
| davidc: |
Yes, eccentric is one of the cards I play. I can't really turn off this work
thingee, but in my line of work as a programmer there is this perception that intelligent
people are sometimes eccentric and need to be tolerated or humored... |
| gordita: |
guess you don't get a lot of "sister are you saved?" in NYC? |
| cy: |
Nah, that's for when i visit my mom in AL. Oh boy! |
| davidc: |
a great case study... how can you respond? |
| tm: |
To me, the involvement in this 'work' has altered profoundly the basis of my
relationships with people. It is clearly not organized on my personal affinities and time
after time, those I thought would respond because of my
connection with them, didn't. And those I was most intimate with, had intensely hostile
respones. It was usually an unknown person, who had a unexpected connection. |
| cy: |
yes, when I did tell my Bible thumping mother where my spiritual quest had taken
me, she surprised me with a genuine acceptance of my choice and the place where I've
chosen to live. I'd dreaded addressing this subject, but .. there you are. you just never
know how people will react. |
| eric: |
I'm not sure who said it, but someone said that "the Work" brings out
both the best and the worst in people. |
| gordita: |
As far as "are you saved"; after the recurrence workshop, I'll have to
say, "you betcha, thank God!" |
| tm: |
David said that it's more a matter of 'hiding from the work'...boy is that true!
I spent more time hiding from it then hiding it! |
