Stories

YogaMama

I am reading an excellent book right now called "Loving What Is". In one section, the author refers to the "stories" that we come up with in our minds as soon as we meet someone. I found it very interesting, and it is really making me pay attention to my thoughts that arise as soon as I meet someone, run into someone at the store, etc. The author talked about how she went into a public bathroom and when she walked in, there was a lady in there, who was singing beautifully. So her first thought was, "wow, that sounds beautiful!". Then she walked into the bathroom stall after this lady used it, and noticed that the toilet seat was really wet. So she immediatley started thinking bad thoughts about this lady like "Wow, how could she be so gross, and pee all over the seat? Maybe it was a transvestite, so he stood up to use the toilet, and got pee all over the seat. How rude not to wipe it off. I am going to go tell him what I think about him...." and the "story" went on and on. Until, she used the toilet herself, and flushed it, and realized that the toilet sprayed water all over the seat. So this whole story she instantly made up, wasn't true in the least!

I just found it very interesting. So how many of us come up with all these "stories" as soon as we meet someone? I know I am gulty of it!

Palzang

You could actually expand that thought, YM. We all script out our lives like we're the star of our own movie, and we shape our lives to fit the script. In other words, our lives reflect our perceptions and our habitual tendencies. You're right, we project all over the place based on our own (often wrong) perceptions and what we expect to see.

Palzang

YogaMama

Yes, very good point. But wait, I AM the star of my own movie. Perception is definitely reality! Sadly, it is usually our preceptions that are almost always flawed.

Palzang

Too bad it's only a B movie!

Or maybe an F movie since you're soon going to be a farmer...

Palzang

YogaMama

Definitely an "F" movie. Still working on getting that farm...we put in an offer yesterday!

Brigid

Good luck, YM!

This reminds me of Oprah yesterday (Thursday). She had on this woman from Australia who has figured out "The Secret" which is basically that what we think and visualize comes to fruition in our lives and if we think and visualize the things we really want they eventually happen. She called this the Law of Attraction, the most powerful law in the universe, she said.

So this woman has written her books and made her DVDs and trained all these people around the world to teach "The Secret" and somehow no one has come forward to let any of them know that what they're teaching isn't actually a secret. Oh, and it's free.

questZENer

I just taught a class on the inter-personal functions of "stories" and storytelling. While I didn't specifically talk about the intra-personal functions of stories we make up for ourselves as that would have been beyond the realm of the class, I did discuss the importance that stories play in our everyday lives. Even in Buddhism, stories play a very important pedagogical role for articulating different kinds of meaning. The sutras have many stories that we still get relevance from; the various stories about teachers; etc. While I agree with YM that our own stories can get out of control inside our minds (i.e., intra-personally), stories about dharma are an important way that we can find meaning in those experiences. I guess nothing should be taken at face value, eh?

Simonthepilgrim

When I started reading the Bible, it was as a collection of stories, like Homer or the King Arthur stories that I loved. I learned so much from stories. They taught me about searching and finding, hiding and transforming, trusting and being honourable.

Over my years at school, I learned that the 'arts' subjects, literature, history, even geography, told me stories too. Not stories meaning lies but stories meaning ways of transmitting the experience of the reality that is 'out there' or 'in here'. It took me more years to realise that all knowledge has to be transmitted either in story or in mathematics.

I have loved the stories, the dances, the music, the painting, sculpture and writing that enables us to symbolise the reality that we dimly intuit exists. The images of prehistoric cave paintings, seen when I was only 8 or 9, haunt me with their silent stories.

One of the ways in which I express what Buddhism has done for my life is to explain that it puts me more and more in charge of how and why I spin the stories that I do, from whence they arise and whither they lead.

questZENer

I'm curious, Simon. You've highlighted your experience with stories as a way of finding, or I would actually say, creating meaning with learning in general, but in articulating how you've come to understand how your stories fit within the fabric of your life. For you, learning about where/how the stories come from is an important benefit of Buddhist practice. I'm wondering what the relationship between the stories we tell our 'selves' as delusion as internal monologue, as YM and Brigid have affirmed, and the stories we rely on simply to understand and create meaning from our experiences.

In my head, I know reality exists outside of "storied life". In my heart, I know stories connect me to all living things. Recognizing that these two things must work together, brings humanity to practice, but it also puts practice in the realm of change and im/permanence. Stories must be told to articulate dharma to each next practitioner, to each next generation, to each next culture.

What other relationships are there between "story as delusion" and "story as practice", I wonder? Any thoughts?

This is an interesting aspect of practice I hadn't considered before.

Nirvana

Sorry, but I won't respond in the thread questioning why that smooth operator Obama is running for president, as I have been called a fearmongerer for even bringing up the subject. I really resent such attacks, as I said nothing malicious, but was merely airing something I had pondered in my heart for some time. I will not be made a horses ass over this, so I decided to banish myself from the dang contemptible thread.

But I must say it is not true that Obama was never Muslim. That's just a fact. And God bless him too. Some of the best people who ever lived were Muslim.

Jeepers, you'd think I'd called him the "N" word or put a "Whites Only" sign up at my shop, as it were. (Which would be OK if I ran a laundry and had a bin for pure linens only.)

The Los Angeles Times sent a reporter to Jakarta in Indonesia where Barack Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, took him to live with husband number two, Lolo Soetoro, when he was six. Barack's name was then Barry Soetoro, and he stayed there until he was 10 years old.
"Barry was a Muslim. He went to the mosque," revealed boyhood friend Zulfin Adi to the reporter. His primary school teacher said he was registered as a Muslim and that he attended Koranic religious class.

YogaMama's book, Loving What Is, sounds interesting. I have not seen it, but I doubt it is about tedious people pushing points till it gets nasty.

UGGGHHHHHHHH!

Dang me if I ever start another thread! Or at least til this stupid quadrennial election nightmare is over. Too bad it goes on forever. We are all the bigger losers for it.

Twist stories however you like. I post this for the record only and am not responding. I am not interested in debating politics, as politics is mainly PURE POISON.

____________________

Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but, unlike charity, it should end there.
—Clare Booth Luce

Simonthepilgrim

You sound really unsettled, Nirvana dear. Please, I beg of you, don't let it get to you. This, too, will pass. I recall how often I have vowed not to contribute again when my ideas have been "trashed", particularly when it is something that I have thought through with care - although it is often because I expressed myself badly!

I have just come in from the garden after a chat with my delightful new neighbours. Anna is an anthroposophist and art therapist. Among other things, we talked about our gardens and the First Noble Truth (it is very dry atm). We agreed that, whilst the First Truth is supremely important, if we just got stuck there life would be pretty horrid. And if we only had the Second to go on, we would fall into despair. The wonderful good news of the Dharma is in the Third and Fourth Truth, the promise of a 'way out'.

As the wonderful English mystic, Dame Julian of Norwich, saw "All will be well and all will be well and all manner of things will be well". There would be no point in the bodhisattva vows were there not the possibility that all beings shall awake.

In the days when I sang Compline, I would find myself weeping at the Salve, with its hope that there is hope!

Please do not refrain from starting threads, or contributing to them. Whether we agree or not is not the point. What you said about Obama made me wonder: what do I think about the lapsed Catholic or apostate Jew who runs for office? Can I expect adults to cling to the fairy stories of their childhood? Or is it a fact that all politicians try to convince us that Father Christmas does exist and that they are he? Should I place more trust in someone who can change their mind or in someone who has held fast to their truth? And I have no easy answers (although there are facile ones).

Palzang

Well, you know what they say Nirvy, never argue politics with anybody (or religion either, for that matter). The only result will be bad feelings and nobody's opinion altered in the least!

Palzang

Nirvana

Palzang wrote:

Well, you know what they say Nirvy, never argue politics with anybody (or religion either, for that matter). The only result will be bad feelings and nobody's opinion altered in the least!

Palzang

How true. In fact don't even be overheard talking to oneself.

And thanks, Pal, for mentioning that. At least you're someone a person can count on to be sensible and kind.

I'm just glad I'm going on an extended trip to Portland, to Idaho, and to my home state of South Dakota for several weeks, beginning Saturday. I won't even be tempted to look on here. Thank God, if there is one.

It really gnaws at my insides when I say I'm done with a thread and people continue to point out my mistaken and evil ways anyway, calling on me by name. JEES!

Whatever happened to Give Peace a Chance?

UGHHHHHH!

______________________

Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but, unlike charity, it should end there.
—Clare Booth Luce

P.S. Thanks to you, dear Pilgrim, too!

not1not2

Nirvana,

Just wanted to say that no offense was intended with my response even if I disagreed with you. The article you posted was interesting, but I'm not sure how much it actually reveals.

Anyway, best wishes & metta your way.

namaste
_/\_

Palzang

Can I come with, Nirvy? I need a vacation!

Palzang

Xrayman

Whatever happened to Give Peace a Chance?



the guy that sang that ended up with a bullet in his body, that's what happened.

Nirvana

Xrayman wrote:

Whatever happened to Give Peace a Chance?



the guy that sang that ended up with a bullet in his body, that's what happened.

Dear, good Xrayman: I beg to differ, but John Lennon LIVES forever.

Ev'rybody's talking about
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism, is-m, is-m, is-m.

All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

C'mon
Ev'rybody's talking about Ministers,
Sinisters, Banisters and canisters
Bishops and Fishops and Rabbis and Pop eyes,
And bye bye, bye byes.

All we are saying is give peace a chance

Simonthepilgrim

Nobody ever suggested it was the EASY choice.

Bloke with beard and sandals goes around saying "love your neighbour". Ends up crucified. Just shows.