Just One Look Forum Archives

I guess most agree that expectations, such as fears or hopes, are a source for misery. I was very much dependent on fears and hopes. I was driven and wanted to achieve something truly extraordinary to escape life. Now, after the looking, much of this became obsolete: this relentless drive, the anticipation of relief after an achievement or undertaking seems pointless to me now. Rather, I am drifting, being attracted by anything and nothing, or fall back into the old habit of pursuing greatness for a while. Has anyone experienced a similar emptiness? Did it just pass? What did folllow? Cheers, Bruno

Hey Bruno,

I've been in the hollow, unmoored category for quite awhile too, maybe 2 or 3 years.

None of the old drives are running, nothing new has come. It's not unpleasant, just odd.

The captain(s) are no longer at the helm.

Richard

When all the agendas of defense, acquisition, denial, and contention that are symptoms of the disease fall away, it is to be expected that there will be some sense of strangeness, and even of loss in the stillness that remains. Many who lose the goad of fear become a little disoriented by its absence.

But nothing has been lost other than the misery of the constant monitoring of sensation and thoughts about sensation that fill the mind when the symptoms of the disease are alive and kicking.

When they disappear, what is left in their place is the space to perform useful and satisfying work. It is the nature of a healthy human mind to want to work, and to be gainfully employed in activity that is useful and provides the opportunity to develop practical skill at whatever you do.

You can expect that over time you will find great satisfaction in working to solve the ordinary problems and requirements of life. I have found it greatly satisfying to learn and improve simple skills like dishwashing, cooking, gardening, even cutting and filing my fingernails.

And, of course, there is the grand project of bringing the cure for human misery to the world, which brings great satisfaction and fullness of purpose to Carla and me, the like of which we could never have imagined before doing the looking.

Ir's good to hear from you - good luck to you both.

Keep in touch.

John

Well, somehow it is pity that there is no grand finale, no happy ending, no dramatic whatsoever. No lonesome heroes that save the wold, no Jesus required. I love drama, it is what a lot of stories are about, the fairy tales, the stories if the bible etc. All fear based? Maybe all the drama can still exist, but it is never a life/death issue, but rather like playfulness on stage?

You can be a hero. You can help revert the downward spiral of self-destructive madness and save humanity from extinction by joining with all your heart our effort to bring this simple cure for human misery and addiction to drama that are caused by the fear.

I am spreading the method. It is amazing how little attention most people have for something truly new, even if it so simple and free. But I am getting better. I will be really good at it once my own doubts will be gone.

That's very good to hear. In the next few days, we will be launching a project with the purpose of bringing that simple suggestion to as wide a population of as possible. Imagine how the effectiveness of your efforts would be increased if they were part of an overall project designed to bring just the necessary suggestion to millions of people.

Not much is needed: no explanations, no persuasion, and no agreement even. Nothing is needed other than the suggestion to look, given simply enough. We seek just to plant the seed far and wide. Nothing more than that.

We are in also in the process of setting up a crowdfunding site to raise money for that project. And you will soon see a new set of forums here dedicated the practical means necessary to accomplish that.

Please consider joining in the development of those practical means. Here, you can safely ignore your doubts and help us bring this harmless idea to the world.

I am curious to learn about your new initiative.

Last year I successfully communicated the act to 3 people, this year I'm well above 20. It seems obvious that as more time passes in sanity we would become exponentially more skillful at expressing ourselves clearly, whether it's with looking, boardroom issues or difficult feelings.

These days, I've found that sharing the act with the people around me has been the one thing that brings any real sense of excitement and joy.

Richard

This is good to hear Richard. Did you get the message about the new group of forums dedicated to spreading the news of this to the world?

I did - thank you.

I listened to the new podcast this afternoon. Man, I have to say that the sense of urgency to get this out has recently become very loud for me.

Within the last two weeks I've sent 60 letters to friends, co-workers and acquaintances using email, Facebook and good old analog mail. The letter very briefly details my on-going recovery process and gives concise instructions on how to perform the act. I've printed the letter out and I give it to some of the new people I meet

or come in contact with. I also leave a copy out on the kitchen table at the retreat center I work at.

As an aside:

It's been very interesting to watch my reactions to the responses. I'm finding that most neurotic concern for what a person might think of me for writing and distributing such a letter has gone, and what remains gives me a nice opportunity to work with attention. It's a win/win situation.

I look forward to the new forums.

Richard