Just One Look Forum Archives

After some time has passed since doing the Looking you see so many wonderful changes happening. It's the same life but...completely different. The sense that this is not just about you creeps in. There is a strong desire to share this with others. You see more and more, people struggling with the added burdens of self-doubt, fear on top of the everyday problems. This added burden seems now so unnecessary. You see so much suffering that is well.. unnecessary. This is not something only your logical mind sees. Many people know and realize that much suffering is unnecessary. They do what they can to alleviate it in their own small way. My own awareness of the suffering of others has altered radically. It's not just a thought in your head. Others are a part of you somehow. So far I've been content to sit back and enjoy the benefits of the Looking and that's been OK. I'm not getting down on myself because I'm alright with things as they are but the sense that I"m not alone here is getting stronger. I don't know if this is part of the recovery or perhaps the final aim of the recovery. Truth is, I'm not sure how to share this (the Looking) with people without proselytizing or getting on a pulpit. I suspect all this will work itself out in time but if anyone has experienced these feeling, I'd be glad to hear from you. Thanks.

I really think that the spreading of this teaching is up to all of us, and that we all have our unique strengths in the ways in which we can do that. Although I have spoken about JOL to a fair number of people now, I never have been the one to bring up the topic 'out of the blue', so to speak. It's always been in a context of someone telling me about some suffering they're going through, or just a group of us talking about deeper matters. I really feel a person is going to have to be going through some major suffering of some sort to have the desire to apply a teaching like JOL. Although I also think it's really good for as many people to know about this teaching as possible. Who knows what might happen with a person who is feeling good right now, several weeks, months, or years down the line? I am also able to speak of JOL in my profession as a jazz musician as a way to help improvisation.

Now that John and Carla have put links to past webinars up, you can direct people to webinars where John and Carla lead people through the looking and the self-directed attention exercise.

I currently have the idea that, as the 'soldiers of fear' continue to fall away for me, I will gain more clarity and avenues about communicating JOL. I have said several times on this forum that, when I experience periods of less discursive thought I feel much more 'sane' and 'at ease'.

Also, I tend to think there may be an energetic type component to all of this. Like, when one is walking around with very little fear and just very empowered/self-reliant..however you may want to put it.. I think there are others who tend to 'pick up' on that. They might even not know why they pick up on something. But I think there may be this energetic-type component which exists in all of this.

Then again, maybe you don't have to go through major suffering. You could be motivated just to improve aspects of your life. Like when I talk to jazz students about it. And I think of people who go off to long meditation retreats, they're not all going through intense suffering I'm sure. So there could be all different motivations now that I think about it..

I appreciate your thoughtful response, Ljazz. I agree that raising the subject of JOL is best done in the context of a discussion with someone regarding personal problems and attempts to solve them. Also, perhaps some of the good effects of JOL will rub off on others so you'll be teaching this method more by example, through your actions. Personally, I arrived at JOL after having tried almost everything else e.g. meditation, various therapies, exotic and traditional so I feel there is an "end of the line" factor here. One has to be open to different ideas or rather "be opened" by life experiences. There has to be a willingness, a really intense desire to break free of the mental chains but, as you say, people might try it for a variety of reasons. "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." but it's important to get it to the water!

Excellent sentiments antony. I think we came from similar backgrounds as far as seeking. Yes, I think, in a lot of cases, it is an 'end of the line" factor that brings people to JOL, and Life seems to push one to that point. At least that's what I've always observed. I just think the more people that have real, tangible success with JOL, the more it will naturally spread out. And, although most all of us have the fear of life, we're not all in the same place. Maybe there are those who will do the looking and the self-directed attention exercise but who don't necessarily have a lot of disturbing thoughts to begin with. Things could go faster for them. In my experience, I would say 80% of the people I encounter seem to really be going through some type of suffering/issues and have a lot of disturbing thoughts. But not always. I have a few friends who are very at peace with life and they are also open to JOL because it sounds interesting to them.

I was talking with Carla fairly recently on the email. I didn't realize that it was just John and Carla who put the whole website and forum up and designed everything. I'm so glad the site looks the way it does now, because I can send someone to the site and have them download the ebook (or buy it on Amazon) and check out all the clips. Like I was saying, we all have our strengths in communicating this. I'm good at talking about it and relating my experience and I am really thankful that the site is the way it is now because I feel like I can give someone that one, simple link to justonelook.org and they will have everything they need. And, then, if they really get interested in JOL and they ask me questions, we are basically on the same page and it is much easier for me to discuss it with them. Best, Lex

I don't think it will work itself out. The niceness that can come from being with folks that are sane and sound is not self-reliance which is what I wish for people to have. I have experienced much what you are speaking of, Antony, and that has moved me to share the looking with many people, mostly by suggesting a look inward at the feeling of me. And they seem to get healthier from that. However, I'm having a lot of difficulty in is communicating about the power of attention - and how taking on the practice John and Carla recommend can be helpful to anybody (not only for us who came here at the end of the line). And I do not believe a single person I spoke to about the feeling of me has told anybody else about it. So we who know must let others know, despite the resistance, it's not gonna happen otherwise.

I try not to care so much for thoughts and feelings that stand in my way of speaking about this. People are bored sometimes, but hey, if they were self-reliant they probably wouldn't have an issue with the conversation, and either way I think they hear it. It's all practice, to be able to communicate in a clear manner without being dishonest. It's tough though, what can I say. Great topic, thanks for asking this question.