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The Story of the Shaman and the Terrible Thing

A shaman is standing in the middle of a forest clearing, doing Shaman stuff.  Suddenly, he comes to the knowledge of a Terrible Thing that's coming upon him.  He knows this because that is part of what a Shaman does.  He knows Shaman stuff.  Because this knowledge came to him as a result of objective mentation, and not because of an accidental and semi-consciouss chain of thoughts and associations, he determines the real and inmediate gravity of the situation.  At the same time he realizes, due to the application of the law of resonance, that this Terrible Thing that is coming upon him is consciouss--and of knowledge.  The Terrible Thing is not anything any human would fear--for they only fear that which threatens their false sense of security and identity.  No.  It isnot death that is coming to him--he knows death is always to his left, hunting and taunting him like a skilled lover before the union.  It isn't pain, oblivion, or disgrace that is coming to him.  No, this is a truly objectively Terrible Thing.

The Shaman, because of the law of correspondence, knows also that the Terrible Thing coming upon him knows him.  It is looking for him.  It knows him, at least as much as he knows himself.  The Shaman knows this because he knows nothing of this Terrible Thing, except that it is the Terrible Thing that is coming upon him.

There is no escape, no consolation, no way to fight, and no way to surrender.  The Terrible Thing is coming to the Shaman.

At that moment, a bear comes into the clearing.  The Shaman looks bear in the eye.  The Shaman knows bear.  The sly Shaman comes upon a way.  Because that is what a Sly Shaman does: always coming upon a Way.

The Shaman takes on the form of bear, applying all the art of shape-shifting.  He does it impeccably and resolutely.

When the Terrible Thing came to the clearing, it found a man and a bear.  The bear was just leaving, and as it leaves it has already forgotten that he is a powerful and sly Shaman.  All he knows are bear concerns, and bear skills, and bear hungers.  Bear knows nothing of the problems or memories or strategies of sly shamen.  Bear is Bear, and has always being Bear.  The Terrible Thing did not come upon the bear, it was coming upon the Shaman.

The man in the clearing was standing there, facing the Terrible Thing and seeing the bear part.  It has the memories of having being a Shaman, and having come to the clearing to pick a medicinal plant for his sick son.  It also has this vague feeling that something terrible was coming upon him.  It is a visceral feeling, not a definite knowledge.  But he has the belief that he is a shaman, a powerful shaman who has done great and wondrous things.  He believes himself to have power, skill, and cunning.  He feels he is prepared for anything, any terrible thing that might come his way.  The Terrible Thing was not interested in a pitiful man full of delusions and sadness.  It was coming upon the Shaman, not upon a shadow.

That is what the Terrible Thing saw on the forrest clearing: a sad, old, powerless man who believes himself to be a shaman; and a bear who hungers like a bear, hunts like a bear, and has the thoughts and skills of a bear--and nothing else.

How sad.  How bad.  What a terrible thing it is that didn't visit upon the shaman.  All is lost now.

Experiment 1


Consider the present moment in which you find yourself. Along with what you can perceive around you and within you, there are a number of memories of the past you can invoke. Also, there are a number of projections or credible images of the future you can create. These perceptions of the past and the future can be here, present for you in your imagination. What is the difference between the two? Don’t they “feel” similar? Can you come to see the images of the past indistinguishable from images that have not happened? Try it.

Experiment 2


Evoke a memory of the past. It can be something that happened earlier today, last week, or of your childhood. Once you pick a memory, visualize the sequence of events as you remember them. Now, see where there are gaps in that sequence and insert clips from your own imagination. That is, fill in the gaps with a sequence that makes sense to you. There are no requirements to what you can add. It can be ordinary events, or they can be fantastic events. Tell the story, or write it down. Does seem more real the more you tell it?

Experiment 3

Go to a place where you have a strong memory. It can be a good memory or a bad one, but it should be something that evokes a strong emotional response in you. Stand in the place (or as close as you can) and allow the memories to wash over you. Feel the body and its strong electrical relationship to this place and the images that it evokes. Allow all these emotions to flow through in any way they wish. Feel, sense and think through all the images, memories and thoughts that come rushing towards you. As this happens, take a TRUE STEP backwards. Watch it from somewhere above and behind your head. Who were you then? What could you have been? Who is this body? Where is this body? Who are you apart from this body? Who are you now?

Allow for silence then slowly reintegrate with your body. Something has changed. You are not the same.

Walk away.

 

 

 

Freedom Intro ] How Freedom Collapses ] The Mood of Freedom ] Freedom - Purgatory - Shamanmusic ] Discipline without Carrot and Stick ] [ Breakdown of Personality and its Bonds ] What does movement mean? ] The Corridors ] The Rooms ] Resistance - It's not a bad thing! ] How The Personality Hides ] Personality Hiding Tricks ]


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