Secondhand Smoke

[Incarnadine]

DLF members and readers:

Sometime during the last week or so, I perused an article in the news regarding, I believe, the supreme court decision not to hear a case from a Canadian who was improperly 'rendered' by US agents or allies, and subsequently held for one year in a foreign country, and tortured during that period.

I am quite sure that the concept of torture is revolting to all loving people, and that specific topic is not one that I am ready to discuss here. However, what I would like to share is a Truth that I have perceived that relates to a comment made by one person in the 'open comments' section after the article, essentially supporting the torture of innocent people if at least some 'guilty' people are tortured to the effect of extracting useful information.

So, the Truth and topic is about thoughts, energy fields, and 'karma' and 'karmic burdens'...you will see how this ties into secondhand smoke momentarily.

It is more than clear that actions, like torture, are 'things' which create a strongly negative energy field, as well as 'karmic burden' for those who have irrevocably tied themselves to that field as its creators. Additionally, when thoughts are equally 'things', those who support the actions of others 'tie-in' to the energy field that was created through the force of their own thoughts, much like intentionally breathing secondhand smoke from a smoker...the result is the same cancers that affect both the smoker and the secondhand smoker. The energy of the thoughts not only 'ties' the thinker to the 'karmic' energy of the field, but actually helps sustain the existence of the field, whether it is positive or negative. (So you can see how the power of loving actions and thoughts can be both far reaching, and multiplied, as well).

So, break ties with those negative fields, and draw your soul energy from Divine Love, and give your energy to the energy fields of love and peace. (Though, as noted, actions are even more powerful than mere thoughts, and Loving actions, therefore, can establish new fields of loving energy on their own...perhaps they are interconnected in some way at some point to the other fields as well, I have no input as to that point yet.)

And no, I have not received a formal 'message' in regards to this...yet I feel that my guides wish this material to be shared for discussion, improvement, reflection, etc.

Love,

Incarnadine

[doug]

A loaded topic, for sure. It's so live I'm afraid to touch it, but here goes.

In the past, I'd promised myself not to discuss politics in the DLF forum, since it seemed there was plenty enough controversy already. But as Inky's post details, there's an unavoidable connection between our spiritual health and the spiritual health of our community. There's no avoiding "secondhand smoke."

In some ways our current political debates could be reduced to the question of whether there is "secondhand (spiritual) smoke". With many of our political debates, the question can be reduced to one of "individualism" vs "collectivism." At the far right we have the rugged individualist libertarians, who seem to be saying, "There is no secondhand smoke -- I am my own person." At the far left we have the socialists and commies, who might be saying, "when you smoke, I smoke."

Of course this is a drastic oversimplification, because in politics nothing is simple. But I think one reason political discussions are often so murky is because people aren't quite clear on what they really believe.

Most of us could probably agree that the truth lies somewhere between the two extremes: there is "secondhand spiritual smoke," but there is a difference between sins committed by my brother and sins committed by me. But the question that you pose, Inky, is an intriguing one: How interconnected are we, in terms of karma? And in political terms, how responsible am I -- and how affected am I -- by the sins of my country, and the sins of the world?

Obviously, there's no simple answer to these questions, which is why political questions are so devilishly complicated. Balancing the needs and desires of large numbers of people can become infinitely complex, to the point where we seem to give up on the attempt, succumbing to "adolescent regression," expressed as primitive emotion. Political struggles become a form of competitive sport. Go team, go.

But these questions remain, looking for an answer. I am partly responsible for the sins and atrocities committed by my government -- I know that for a fact, because my tax dollars helped pay for it. And beyond that, I partake of the consciousness that allows such atrocities, because I'm surrounded by that consciousness, in the thoughts and attitudes of my fellow citizens who've collectively allowed our country to go in these directions. I breathe the smoke, even if I'd rather not.

The solution is not to beat myself up, of course. Not to beat up anybody. Because, as Inky notes, it works in reverse, too: I can be a source of "clean air", and those around me can be required to breathe some clean air, whether they want to or not.

~

[Incarnadine]

Doug,

Hmm, you always could refuse to pay taxes. Of course, that's how they got Capone...
Otherwise, I'm tempted to say 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar's'...

But, really, although this can be political, I am hoping to keep it in the realm of the Law of Compensation, energy, and connectedness...for I think we are connected far more than we know.

There is a temptation, even having heard and given some intellectual credence to the notion that 'thoughts are things', to conceive that, being an individual, one's individual thoughts are small things, having little weight in their effects.

If one throws a boulder into a puddle...well, there's bound to be a splash that consists of the entire mass of liquid in the puddle. Throw a pebble into the ocean, and the waves don't seem to notice, or be affected.

Truthfully, our own thoughts are neither as weighty as the former, nor as weightless as the latter.

Like in the Pixar move Up! We can tie ourselves to enough balloons to get airborne, or hold on to ballast weighty enough to almost pull us underground. Similar to the enjoinder to 'remove encrustations' on our souls, we must untie ourselves from our umbilical allegiances to notions and energies that are negative, and damaging to ourselves and others...for that is what those negative thoughts actually are, not mere ripple creators, but strings, twine, cords, ropes...(it all depends on how much we have invested in these things or thoughts) that tie us to 'balloons' of energy that may be far more massive than we would have supposed (from the joining of individual balloons across the globe). I think the update in the mode of description is to show that these are not merely dead things, but that they are active, both as drains (or, conversely, sources) for our energy, as well as the fact that they are not merely our own individual 'encrustations', but that they are a part of a more global 'encrustation' that can affect a great many.

For it is not the unintentional breathing of 'secondhand smoke' which is so problematic (though that effect isn't entirely negligible), as the intentional.

But, like you said, it is helpful and heart-warming to be in the smoke-clearing business...whenever possible.

Love,

Inky

[Amada Reza]

Hello Inky and Doug,

The smoke-clearing business suggests creating one's own atmosphere rather than relying upon what is created by others. Thought, whether it remains energy or becomes matter, needs the support of belief in order to tie another mind into it.

I remember a story about a spiritual teacher not noticing the rude words directed at him, only the person crying out for love. He created his own atmosphere through love and compassion. I want to do that!

Thank you for your wisdom and love,

Amy

[doug]

...Truthfully, our own thoughts are neither as weighty as the former, nor as weightless as the latter.

The "ripples in water" analogy is a good one, because there does seem to be a "proximity effect" to our emanations. Like those ripples, we seem to have the greatest effect on those closest to us -- usually. I can think of exceptions to that rule...

In mentioning politics, I wasn't trying to advocate any sort of political activism. I was thinking simply of political awareness. You began this thread mentioning a news article about a controversial political issue; I read about this stuff all the time because I think it's very worthwhile to be aware of problems in the world. Just the awareness is important, I believe, because in that awareness I can direct my loving intentions towards the problem.

Also, an awareness of the world's problems inspires me to keep making "positive splashes," knowing that the world needs all the positivity it can get.

But as far as activism goes, I subscribe to the bumper sticker slogan: "Think globally, act locally." And I understand that "locally," ultimately means "in my soul" (then in my mind, body, etc). Sometimes it's a full-time job just keeping myself in positivity. But I realize that it's still a very worthwhile endeavor, because the ripples that I create "locally" will travel on and on... to the ends of the universe.

~