Polaris Rising Forum

The Chief Feature of Self-Destruction

lovingawareness — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:46:53 -0800

Posted by lovingawareness

Karen recently channeled more information on Self Destruction. After doing Arrogance, she wanted to make sure the first one was as complete.

This new channeling is:

Self Destruction is often used as an avenue or a bridge to other perceptions of reality. Since it is very much about a control of space, there is sensed within this energy the ability to transcend space. This is not usually sensed as a benefit; instead this often causes fears and anxieties creating the need and desire to control space. When you sense, for instance, that reality is not as you perceive and that a physical wall that your eyes tell you is solid is really permeable, that creates a very unsettling feeling. Therefore one alternative exploration of Self Destruction is very much about an exploration of alternate realities.

A more usual exploration of Self Destruction results in a more tightly controlled manipulation of the space around. Obsessive Compulsive Disorders are a good example of this: straightening pictures, keeping the self clean in an obsessive way.

Many in the arts use this energy to allow them to alter their perceptions sufficiently so as to, for instance, paint emotion or to compose music that connects to emotion.

Self Destruction is itself, in essence, a connection to emotion.

It is also often a denial of those same emotions, but it also acts as a connection. So people in the arts - acting, painting, music composition, dance - can and do frequently use the energy of Self Destruction to amplify that connection. However, you see how fine the balance can be at times. Those interested in the expressive arts - not always but frequently - often make choices to allow them to greater access to their emotions, even those that are intellectually centered.. Since Self Destruction itself allows greater access to emotion, this can both aid this and lead to some internal conflict. It allows access to emotions but also incites the desire to control emotions out of fear.

In your distant human past, the social structure was that in which emotions were more valued and utilized. The energy of Self Destruction looked very different at that time. We see a gradual swinging back into a more emotional centered global culture - but this will happen over hundreds of years. You will likely not see it in your lifetime.

The term "Self Destruction" is more the result of what happens when you have that internal conflict. Again, it can also be called Addictive Protection From Self. A better name for the ultimate overall energy in the positive pole might be emotional awareness. It has a lot to do with Self Awareness, but this denotes a greater awareness that that that is limited to Self Destruction, which is awareness with a focus on energy, emotion and protection from them.

Healing Self Destruction

Since Self Destruction itself acts as a bridge to emotions and is an addictive protection from Self, some of the best healing simply involves immersing yourself in this vast ocean of emotion. This can be perceived as being very painful.

We have previously heard an analogy which we find quite apt:

Think about the ocean at night. Allow this awareness to fill your consciousness, so that you see nothing but this vast sea. It is filled with millions of square miles of pure emotion.

It's dark and seems vast when you're standing at the edge. It seems forbidding and mysterious.

Now imagine that instead of looking at it from the shore, the ocean is now your home:

* You live in it as a sea creature.
* You know exactly where to go.
* You feel supported by it at all times.
* You are among community.

You are simply moving yourself along slowly with ease, constantly immersed in this ocean of emotion and supported by it.

Bringing Forth Play

Since, like many energy dynamics, Self Destruction begins in childhood, it is useful to speak to that child within you and to offer a safe place for that child to come out and play.

Truly playful things are activities that engage your memory of your freedom from worry, freedom from pain, and freedom from any sense of heaviness. In other words, these are anything that engage your memory - and you always have this as everyone does - of a sense of perfection, wholeless and lightness. Regularly perform activities that engage that sense within you.

Activities that many people find helpful in this regard are often simple:

* Playing with animals
* Tossing a balloon up into the air and hitting it repeatedly
* Skipping rope. This is a motor activity that is closest, in some way, with flying, and thus associated with the almost limitless sense of freedom associated with childhood.

Conflict of will in non-physical planes

lovingawareness — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:18:59 -0800

Posted by lovingawareness

This was an interesting question!

Note: As some of you probably have noted, not everything asked gets a channeled response, often because (1) the question in some form has been asked before, so I try to give a summary or a link, (2) the question is very specific to a person so it's more appropriate to a private session, or (3) the question is very general and we know Polaris' answer will therefore be very general too, resembling general answers we know we've gotten before. So we really appreciate great questions. :)

In any case, Karen did some channeling on Conflict with regard to higher planes. As is also the tradition, we're also asking for help in transcribing! It's only 10 minutes long, but it helps it make it easier to create a benefit for everyone if people chip in. Please download and post the transcript here!

http://www.polarisrising.co...14_2_Conflict.mp3

November 2009: The rage and movement surfaces

lightspring — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:48:07 -0800

Posted by lightspring

What I've been seeing happening for many people so far is a huge invitation to bring out and explore that which is already within.

Example - a big shift in a relationship dynamic because of a seemingly cataclysmic event. The realization is that this shift was already beginning and was latent, but the catclysmic event brought it out in a sudden and unavoidable fashion. The relationship shift is moving toward both people being more consciously aware of themselves and one another's true selves.

Example - a person decides to make a big career change because of an emotional event. This move, they find, allows them to move into choices they have been "wishing" they could make for a long time.

For myself, I see that the energy this month allows me to invite more of myself forward, dropping patterns and habits that aren't really part of my true self. This is consistent with the experience of many people this month.

Warmly,
Karen

youtube

lightspring — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:42:46 -0800

Posted by lightspring

My Soul Connection healing sessions are with the energy of Aesha through Polaris ... they're quite transforming on many levels and give a profound sense of wellbeing.

http://www.polarisrising.co...page-ask.tpl.html

Aesha is a lovely gentle energy that works with people who do energy healing of many forms.

chronic illness

lightspring — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:37:55 -0800

Posted by lightspring

Hi Gregor,

We all possess the ability to return ourselves to a state of wholeness and healing. But most of us who develop chronic illness or conditions of emotional pain do so -- on some level -- for a reason. Reasons could include as a defense, as an exploration, as a manifestation of an energy dynamic, old habits and patterns. Also, tangible things like environmental factors, diet and other lifestyle factors also have an effect.

The healing process usually uncovers lots of old "issues", dynamics, and patterns. Welcoming these and then allowing yourself to let go of them aids in healing. Another thing that comes up are inner core beliefs -- although we possess the ability to heal completely, instantly, if we hold an inner belief that runs counter to that, we'll keep it from happening.

Dis-ease comes from the sense or belief that your present state is less than whole, less than perfect. Welcoming that imperfect state allows true healing to begin to take place.

All that said, healing is a highly individual process. Reasons for developing disease will vary from person to person, as will steps necessary for healing.

I hope this helps a little. Because this is such an individual thing, I could likely help you more in a personal session that would help you get to the heart of things.

Warmly,
Karen

youtube

lovingawareness — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:26:38 -0800

Posted by lovingawareness

I believe you are referring to Aesha, who are one of the entities that are part of Polaris. To my knowledge, there is little material coming from them, partly because their focus is more on energetic teaching. They mostly provide artisan and server flavored energy.

It was previously channeled that many people who do energy work - even in non traditional forms such as artistic performance - can access the energetic teaching and inspiration from Aesha without conscious awareness.

At Twin Oaks last year, in 2008, there was a long channeling that included information on the energies of Polaris. It was recorded so you can listen to the channeling as well as see the transcript. It's at http://www.polarisrising.co...nneling-2008.html

youtube

gregor — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:28:36 -0800

Posted by gregor

Hi, I ordered the book about understanding yourself using the over leaf system. "a channel system for self understanding" I have read the seth speaks which I found quite hard going. So I hope that the Micheal Book will be easier.

On the interview you did with the radio program, you mentioned a spirit that did energy work, that sometimes came through from polaris. Do you know if she "written" a book at all ??

Gregor.

youtube

lightspring — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:20:15 -0800

Posted by lightspring

Hi Gregor,

All our video is located here: http://www.polarisrising.com/Video/

And we're working on more. Glad you like it!

Which Michael book did you order?

Karen

youtube

gregor — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:33:37 -0800

Posted by gregor

Would you post some more vidoe's on You Tube ? Are there videos on the website at all. I have ordered a Micheal book so am looking forward to readin it.

Gregor

Arrogance Part 2: Letting go and healing

lightspring — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:14:00 -0800

Posted by lightspring

Margaret wrote:

** This thread discusses the Content article: Arrogance Part 2: Letting go and healing **

Parents say they have the right to rule me because I'm limited. So are they. And they don't have the right to rule over me. ~infant me through age 3 with parents still in their 20's/. And that set the dynamics for this life time, because I internalized all that and took it to heart that I was eternally internally flawed.

AND I CAN’T LET ANYBODY KNOW OR SEE THIS OR THEY’LL KNOW THAT I DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXIST; THE TENSION OF HIDING, REPRESSING ALL THIS FROM PRYING EYES.
This is why I so identified with Rabbit Howls.
Getting away from those evil, up to no good prying eyes. They weren’t looking for my good. They were prying to make their pathetic damage selves feel better – 28 year old bullies over a 2 year old. Attempting to booster their weak internal selves at my expense. And I believed them; internalized those lies about me, as the truth about me – who I am. So now I change that dynamic about me now.

Lovely post, Margaret, thank you for your gorgeous vulnerability.

Many people choose difficult experiences with difficult people that color their experiences and perceptions for a lifetime. Parents are particularly chosen for these types of challenges because the parent-child dynamic is so integral to the human experience, and strong emotions build a wonderful panoply of experience.

It's easy to feel wounded and less than whole from such experiences because we forget that what we're carrying is a child's perception, from when the dynamic began. Children are small physically and often feel they lack power. We forget as adults that we're no longer in small, fragile bodies. Instead, we reinforce those feelings of smallness and helplessness with the similar dynamics we repeat over and over with others, even when we're no longer interacting with our parents. It helped me tremendously to remind myself that I can interact with others in a new way now, that I'm no longer a child. We know this intellectually but it can take a while for our body memories and energy dynamic patterns to catch up.

Another thing that helps is remembering that on a soul level, we are all equal. We are all one, so there is no power dynamic. There is no big or small. There is simply One. And we choose such difficult dynamics with other souls with whom we feel especially comfortable and trusting. Such pervasive dynamics are chosen well before a lifetime, with others with whom we feel we can create an experience from which to grow. It has helped me tremendously to remember that the difficult people from my childhood are really trusted friends on a soul level.

I sense that for you specifically, your presence was actually teaching your parents quite a lot. They grew from you being with them. Think of yourself as their teacher; it helps reverse the power dynamic.

Warmly,
Karen

You create your own reality?

lightspring — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:44 -0800

Posted by lightspring

retro wrote:

Your thoughts and emotions manifest or actualise into to whatever you desire. Does a surrender into the experiance your having suggest a destiny which we cannot control at the human end? Are we at the mercy of what our soul wishes to experiance a to z? Or do we create our own reality
Or maybe im just manifesting the skeptic......:)

Since your soul is you, and you are an expression of the completeness that is your soul, there's no separation. The sense of separation from ourselves on a soul level that we have is a function of the essential limitations of the physical plane, whereby we perceive ourselves as what's contained within our skins rather than as the totality of our every experience in any lifetime or otherwise, plus our every thought or emotion, plus our perceptions.

Therefore, even though we might come into a lifetime with a loose template of experiences, challenges, relationships, etc that we might like to have in a given lifetime, and even though we as a particular human might feel isolated from the knowledge of that loose plan, on some level we always have awareness of it. Choices are made accordingly. Sure, some of these choices might be inefficient or lead to painful experiences, but it's all good and every choice is valid with nothing wasted.

The way that consciously creating a reality comes into play is by -- as best we can -- becoming aware of who we are and what our perceptions and inner core beliefs might be. We always create the experiences that we ask for, but when we are actually more conscious of who we are, we can more easily make choices that support and feel in flow with who we are.

So no, there's no such thing as destiny as most people perceive it. It might feel as though we're buffeted about by the winds of chance or the whims of our souls, but in actuality there is always a connection. We might not be aware of the connection, however, or might choose to ignore it, and that would be one of the choices we make. You can always choose differently, but again, conscious creation and a conscious sense of connection to ourselves on a soul level comes when we fully acknowledge and accept all that we are (even the parts we don't like) and bring them out, plus examine our inner core beliefs.

Emotions in non-physical planes

lovingawareness — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:09:44 -0800

Posted by lovingawareness

Polaris channeled about Anger already - you can see it in http://www.polarisrising.co...re-of-anger.html. What I find most interesting is the levels of anger there, and how at level 7 anger is really the same thing as Love. They indicated at some other point that all emotions function the same way - that as we all allow emotions to the ultimate manifestation, in utter surrender, we will experience them as Love.

That said, I don't remember anything specifically said about how emotions react on other planes other than that on the Astral plane, being the plane of emotions, emotions seem as physical to beings there as matter does to us here. Brings to mind the special effects of "What Dreams May Come".

No part of our experience ever disappears, however. It expands - often until it's unrecognizable to us from what it started as. There's no bad part of our experience or emotions.

chronic illness

gregor — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:02:13 -0800

Posted by gregor

can you help with understanding how to cure chronic emotional and physical diseases ?

gregor

Conflict of will in non-physical planes

RonV — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:16:05 -0800

Posted by RonV

Does an individual will or volition persist in the lower non-physical planes, and if so, what is the nature of the conflict of wills in those realms? In the physical plane, these conflicts range from disagreement over what to eat for dinner all the way to all-out war. Has anything resembling conflict existed in non-physical existence?

Emotions in non-physical planes

RonV — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:59:37 -0800

Posted by RonV

What role do emotions (as we know them) play in non-physical planes of existence? For example, does anger exist in any form we would recognize as physical beings?

Creation and parallel realities

lovingawareness — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:01:30 -0800

Posted by lovingawareness

Retro:

I was more refering to our own personal reality, what we actualise in our own lives. I do believe however that we create our own environment (even down to the eco system) as a collection consciousness. As Seth has stated, fact is only fiction which we believe.

Matthew:

I totally agree. As I've relaxed more in my awareness, I see how collective the choices are, that I'm a part of this vast sea of consciousness. And paradoxically, feeling more powerful in that. At first, it seems like I'm this infinitesimally small part of the consciousness that makes the decisions. And then the idea came that this was part of the perception of separation - that the truth is, the collective consciousness making choices is me. That I'm fully choosing it too. It's sort of funny how we play games in our mind - that we can have this idea of the collective consciousness that we are one with but also hold ourselves as completely separate in a way that choices are imposed on us.

Retro:

I think that the word limitation may be inappropriate because every essence experience has is just a alternate perspective of one reality or another. Wouldn't you then say we are here to experience an alternate way of being, rather than experience limitation?

I don't think the word limitation is inappropriate except in the degree that all words, especially on these topics, are somewhat inaccurate. We're both limited and unlimited. The limitation is also an alternate way of being. Our essence has chosen to allow a part of itself (us) to experience reality within a framework of perception where inputs and experience are limited.

To some extent, Polaris on the causal plane says that their experience compared to some of their teachers on higher planes is like our experience compared to theirs. They really don't understand what experience is like from that even more expansive, aware state, even as we don't really understand theirs. Their perception is limited compared to their teachers in the same way ours is to them. Still, it is 'only' a change in perspective, which is the same thing as a transformation in beingness. And no, nothing is 'better' than anything else - anywhere in the universe, no matter which plane you're on. :)

Creation and parallel realities

retro — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:02:49 -0800

Posted by retro

Oh I wasnt implying that one person could alter the reality we all perceive that would be egocentric indeed :)

I was more refering to our own personal reality, what we actualise in our own lives. I do believe however that we create our own environment (even down to the eco system) as a collection consciousness. As Seth has stated, fact is only fiction which we believe.

This will surely be borne out when there is a shift in thinking (as there is constantly throughout the ages), a shift in soul age to mature which is happening all around us, abeit very slowy - but if you take a step back you can feel it.

I think that the word limitation maybe inappropriate because every essence experiance has is just a alternate perspective of one reality or another. Wouldnt you then say we are here to experiance an alternate way of being, rather than experiance limitation?

when essence recombines and becomes a collective on the causal plane, we/they no longer experiance physical reality - is that a limitation? or is it just a change in perspective? Are the other planes of existence more valid than the physical or 'better' or is everything that is, an equal part of 'all that is'

Is this real or just an illusion :)

thank you as always

Creation and parallel realities

lovingawareness — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:51:55 -0800

Posted by lovingawareness

My understanding is that from the perspective of essence, no limitations exist. This is because essence is outside the perspective of time. All time is simultaneous, and oneness is more directly experienced. Thus essence can literally create anything - albeit in an alternate parallel or universe.

It's also true that we collectively create reality. Theoretically - or at least Karen channeled it - that if everyone truly believed in magic, it would exist. The physical laws of the universe would change. To think that one person has the power to change reality for everyone else is a little egocentric.

We are here to experience limitation. That's why we signed up and why we chose to be here. So it's a nice feeling to imagine what life would be like to be without those limitations, and it can be a great method to talk to our own souls, because that's how our essence is. But it's not the point, IMO. The point is learning to love - REALLY love - our own limitations. And learning to trust and operate from a space of empowerment and joy from within those limitations.

I certainly know how limited my perception is. I intuitively know that parallel realities exist and that I can draw some possibilities from them, but I know I can't magically bring health care for all by bringing that parallel to us right now.

It may be a little change in topic, but creation does relate a lot to parallels, so I thought I'd throw in some of Karen's past channeling:

POLARIS:

The concept we wish to bring into that discussion is that we would like for you to remember that in all your past lifetimes and in all your future lifetimes again - which are being lived simultaneously to the one that you know now - in all of those lifetimes we wish to remind you that in any given moment of those lifetimes you also spun off or will spin off probable worlds from almost every moment there. Now whether those worlds continue to have substance and continue to exist is a function of how much energy you invested in them or will invest in them. So the total number of possible permutations of all your lifetimes put together approaches infinity.

It is true that there are a finite number of lifetimes that will exist in the thread of your past life remembrances for this cycle of existence on the earth plane. But within those finite lifetimes, there are an infinite number of possible lifetimes that you explored, chose not to explore, will explore or will choose not to explore. That is what creates the number that approaches infinity in terms of all the possible worlds that you have existed in, will exist in, or will choose not to exist in. The sheer number of the possibilities for you must be mind-boggling.

Now let us talk about why this is important. It has been said that all is chosen; all is choice. Every element of your lifetime, as you know it now, is present because of the choice that you made on some level. These choices are not always made on a conscious level. They could be made on the level of your inner soul, but that is also done hand in hand with you as a personality, as a person, as the you that you know yourself to be. So you and your soul work together in creating choices that allow you to have experiences that shape the life that you are immersed in now.

So you understand, then, the concept of "all is chosen". That is only a part of it.

You create your own reality?

retro — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:26:40 -0800

Posted by retro

You create your own reality?

Are the limitations we percieve pre defined unchangeable constructs or have we indoctrinated ourselves as a race into the perception that there are limitations when none do really exist?

If we had no belief in limitation would limitation still exist, regardless of the plane? Is there any limitation on this plane that cannot be bypassed
You create your own reality. You become what your vibration gives off, you create and induce through whatever exists within that vibration.

Your thoughts and emotions manifest or actualise into to whatever you desire. Does a surrender into the experiance your having suggest a destiny which we cannot control at the human end? Are we at the mercy of what our soul wishes to experiance a to z? Or do we create our own reality
Or maybe im just manifesting the skeptic......:)

November 2009: The rage and movement surfaces

describens@yahoo.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:37:19 -0800

Posted by describens@yahoo.com

Rage... and how do you keep it, or should you keep it, nice.

Arrogance Part 2: Letting go and healing

lovingawareness — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:36:43 -0800

Posted by lovingawareness

What a wonderfully vulnerable post. Thank you!

I think the idea of limitations is a paradox among many:

We have strong limitations in this body and on this world, but there are no limitations for our deepest self, which is who we truly are.
We have all the power we ever need - if we truly surrender to the experience we're having.
We can choose to hide things in ourselves, but everything inside ourselves is always there for others to be aware of, no matter what we do.

I also have some inner voices speaking that I don't have a right to exist. Or that I need to continually pay a price for it. Letting go is a long process sometimes. Or rather, it's a letting go in each moment, but it's still planting seeds. Here's to restful sleep!

Arrogance Part 2: Letting go and healing

Margaret — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:46:29 -0800

Posted by Margaret

** This thread discusses the Content article: Arrogance Part 2: Letting go and healing **

I did "I don't like you" in the mirror.(won't allow myself 2 do that with my spouse.) Had strong reaction 2 that. Did EFTs to process the "I don't like me." & was surprised at my strong feeling. Copied part of the article & got great clarity. Thank you Polaris, 4 ur approach to arrogance. This got me angry: "The more you see the utter perfection and beauty of your limitations, the more you can transcend them." - POLARIS; then I road it out & came 2 happy conclusion: "How dare you say I'm limited! Who are you!?!" - ahh...There's the power struggle. Parents say they have the right to rule me because I'm limited. So are they. And they don't have the right to rule over me. ~infant me through age 3 with parents still in their 20's/. And that set the dynamics for this life time, because I internalized all that and took it to heart that I was eternally internally flawed.
AND I CAN’T LET ANYBODY KNOW OR SEE THIS OR THEY’LL KNOW THAT I DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXIST; THE TENSION OF HIDDING, REPRESSING ALL THIS FROM PRYING EYES.
This is why I so identified with Rabbit Howls.
Getting away from those evil, up to no good prying eyes. They weren’t looking for my good. They were prying to make their pathetic damage selves feel better – 28 year old bullies over a 2 year old. Attempting to booster their weak internal selves at my expense. And I believed them; internalized those lies about me, as the truth about me – who I am. So now I change that dynamic about me now.

Those prying eyes are the dragon I so fear in my dreams and mind’s eye as attempting to destroy me. Wow. Who knew? Now I can go to sleep and heal.
Again thank you Polaris:blush:

November 2009: The rage and movement surfaces

Yevgeniy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:38:51 -0800

Posted by Yevgeniy

** This thread discusses the Content article: November 2009: The rage and movement surfaces **

Hi all,

my first comment...the post starts with how November will rumble, but then the message transitions into that these changes may actually be opportunities to grow. Uniquely doesn't quite seem like a usual monthly horoscope type forecast, because of the potential changes mentioned could all be happening in so many aspects of life (physically, politics, etc). Will need to let intuition take over about some of these changes occuring with the potential of better understanding yourself and the world, but I like that there is an alternative rather than fearing the changes. I wonder if it will be difficult to distinguish either in myself or in others whether some of the aspects of life 'coming out to the surface' are infact these changes that I should invite, or if they are reactions that someone might have in a negative way because lack of understanding that a change is occuring.
Thank you

Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

lovingawareness — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:41:48 -0800

Posted by lovingawareness

describens@yahoo.com wrote:

I have been working on the idea and the actual doing of "surrender" to ameliorate arrogance. I look at a tree leaf and say something like this: Does not the tree want the leaf to be safe and succeed in all its potential (for it's good for the tree). Then doesn't God want me to be safe and succeed as well. Then I surrender myself to the TAO, for I'm safe in it, and have no fear. I'm finding that to surrender is working well to ameliorate my CF.

This is a prime example of why it's wonderful to hear a priest's side of things too. Thank you! Sometimes I focus way too much on the insight and need to remind myself to relax, let go, and surrender.

Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

describens@yahoo.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:33:25 -0800

Posted by describens@yahoo.com

I have been working on the idea and the actual doing of "surrender" to ameliorate arrogance. I look at a tree leaf and say something like this: Does not the tree want the leaf to be safe and succeed in all its potential (for it's good for the tree). Then doesn't God want me to be safe and succeed as well. Then I surrender myself to the TAO, for I'm safe in it, and have no fear. I'm finding that to surrender is working well to ameliorate my CF.

Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

lightspring — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:25:42 -0700

Posted by lightspring

I used to joke that I had the superpower of invisibility because I truly believed (or wished) myself invisible. The irony was that at the same time, I deeply longed to be truly "seen," but was deathly afraid of being seen if that meant having to uncloak all the things about myself that I didn't like or was uncomfortable with.

Letting go of the energy it takes to maintain that wall of invisibility has been a huge relief and has meant I can use my energy for other things. I still catch myself trying to hide from time to time, but I also found that it's a lot more fun being vulnerable and not trying to manage everyone else's reaction to me or my energy. Screw it, indeed.

Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

lovingawareness — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:28:46 -0700

Posted by lovingawareness

Diane says:

What do you mean by "buy into the image"? Do you mean that in relation to other people (they're drawn to people with cardinal arrogance) or that they feed cardinal arrogance in themselves?

Matthew Says:

Both. By buying I mean emotionally investing in it. Buying stocks in the outcome, so to speak. You fully believe the image that is presented and push away perceptions that there's something under that. It doesn't have to be cardinal arrogance per se. You can invest in anyone's chief feature. My experience has told me that part of the "rush" in discovering someone romantically is the energy of these investments which are agreements of sorts.

You're right Diane about not fully listing rewards for Arrogance. There's many professions it's almost a necessity. Any profession in which there's sort of a myth that they can do no wrong is covered in Arrogance.

One interesting exercise is to name people (famous people or just online) we think have the chief feature. Certainly I see Obama in Arrogance, with some other influences. Even someone like Eckhart Tolle I see as having some Arrogance, but not the exalted kind.

I say this in part because naming people that we know really checks in with us if we really believe that everyone has chief features, no chief features are better than others, and that it is not better to *not* have a chief feature. What's our reaction saying that a friend has Arrogance? Would it feel better to say Self-Dep? Or that it's mild? That reaction is our own buying into something. I recognize there can be a reaction - I remember having a spat when I recognized a chief feature clearly once - but to me it's about as neutral as saying someone's INFP or she can't dance West Coast Swing.

Redwood99 wrote:

At one time I was in a group (scientology) that encouraged confessing one's transgressions. I was hoping I could do so, so thoroughly and completely that I'd never have to do so again. Hadn't realized that the grace is in being willing to be vulnerable not getting rid of the possiblity..

Matthew:

Thank you for joining us! That's an impulse I'm all too familiar with. Doing something that sounds wonderful - like vulnerability, confession, forgiveness, patience - but really having it about getting rid of something. I see it in everyone around me - but I suppose I'm learning to laugh at it. It's wonderfully human, especially when we see not just the big things but how it happens in every single moment. That's where the humor is.

Being a sage who doesn't like hiding anything I can't say I've had huge relief feelings at confessing something. At the same time, it does feel a lot better not to have any constraints about what to show to society or people you trust. When there's shame about something, you hide it.

I think confession can be overemphasized and combined with society's desire to have a scapegoat and someone to direct anger and fear at. In non-supportive environments, confessing is combination of a "it's great that you confess" and "let me lay on the guilt now". Even confessing Catholic priests can be like that. This would match with the pattern of the chief feature to "prove" that if they *are* vulnerable, it's going to be awful. People combining Self-Destruction and Arrogance can create patterns demonstrating that over and over again.

However, I think that confessing to someone who sees you as absolutely perfect the way you are - as you are in your completeness - is transformative.

Thank you all!

Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

dianeh — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:57:05 -0700

Posted by dianeh

lovingawareness wrote:

Certainly both ordinal arrogance and martyrdom buy into cardinal arrogance, in that both "get" something by believing in that image, thereby becoming smaller or invisible with the hope of getting something later.

What do you mean by "buy into the image"? Do you mean that in relation to other people (they're drawn to people with cardinal arrogance) or that they feed cardinal arrogance in themselves?

Oh, you know who's a great caricature of cardinal arrogance? The Wizard of Oz.

RE: Social Rewards
When Polaris started discussing social rewards for arrogance, I was waiting for them to go into some things that I see are really common in American culture, but they didn't. For instance, here it's virtually required that we puff ourselves up in resumes, job interviews, etc. Otherwise people think you have no confidence.

Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

Redwood99 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:44:07 -0700

Posted by Redwood99

For those not following celebrity gossip, David Letterman recently confessed on his show to having sex with female staffers after an alleged extortion plot threatenng to reveal more details of his untold life. He says he contacted the disrict attorney and gave a bogus check to the so-called extortionist for 2 million dollars in a sting operation. All of this in the news or his show. At one point he expressed concern about the hurt his wife must have felt.

For someone with a chief feature of arrogance I think he should have been grateful for the opportunity to open up and paid the two million and called it even.

AS someone who has been vulnerability challenged I can recall seeing criminals who were caught confessing their crimes and thinking how lucky they were to do so.

At one time I was in a group (scientology) that encouraged confessing one's transgressions. I was hoping I could do so, so thoroughly and completely that I'd never have to do so again. Hadn't realized that the grace is in being willing to be vulnerable not getting rid of the possiblity.

I enjoyed the descriptions of Esther Hicks and Dr. Wayne Dyer. Many more in the teacher/guru mode are dealing with arrogance.

Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

lovingawareness — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:59:53 -0700

Posted by lovingawareness

Thank you!

I think there's a lot of confusion between ordinal Arrogance and Self-Depreciation. I think there's plenty of people online who claim they have Self-Dep and have Arrogance - just not the super exalted kind.

I actually don't have a lot of either Self Dep or Arrogance. My main one is Impatience, with some Greed and Martyrdom. Though as we go through these, it's easy enough to see that we have all chief features. That's the benefit of describing the inward function. As I've looked through descriptions online and in Jose Stephen's books, it's easy to get the stereotype and then say "oh no, I don't have this". Whereas to me it's more constructive to have a description of the inner process so I can say "yes, I have some of this even though it's not my primary".

In any case, it's likely Karen who can say how big my Arrogance is rather than me. You know how chief features are - it's the hardest thing to be self aware of. :) I'm sure Karen will use me as one example when getting to Impatience!

Regarding emptiness, I find that's the hardest thing to be aware of. I think that emptiness - or sense that we are lacking, flawed, or not perfect - is there in different forms in all the chief features. Sometimes I get frustrated in meditation because after meditating and simply letting go for a while, I think I "should" be feeling better. Whereas I'm honestly feeling worse: despair and emptiness. I suppose that's a "good" thing, but of course it doesn't seem like that to me at the time. Most of our models for self-improvement are an image. So there's disappointment when we do something and don't get closer to that image.

I think there's also information about what matches with Arrogance as well. In other words, what energies buy into the image. Certainly both ordinal arrogance and martyrdom buy into cardinal arrogance, in that both "get" something by believing in that image, thereby becoming smaller or invisible with the hope of getting something later. I've noticed that in myself.

Let us know what you think of the visualization!

Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

Redwood99 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:32:48 -0700

Posted by Redwood99

Thanks Karen. Illuminating. Letting it digest.

Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

dianeh — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:39:46 -0700

Posted by dianeh

This thread discusses the Content article: Arrogance: The Fear of Vulnerability

OMG, Karen, each article in this series just gets better and better. Polaris gives such a CLEAR picture of how the energy moves. I love it.

I'm definitely doing ordinal arrogance for the most part, though I can see some cardinal manifestation in there too (e.g. I tend to only go "public" with my successes and rarely ever let anyone but a small circle of friends see my weaknesses/failures/disappointments).

I got an up close look at how my defenses go up while I had the flu last week. I had to ask my landlord to come in and unclog my bathtub drain a second time, and I was trying to formulate a reason that wouldn't make it look like it was a mistake I made. Because I already had low energy, the energy used up in defense was A LOT more noticeable. When I noticed the defense, I thought, "Screw it. This is too much work!" So I decided to drop the defense and just tell the landlord exactly what happened.

Similar situations happened a few more times, but only in my head. Some random thought about what somebody said or did would come up, and I'd catch my defensiveness start to go up because of how taxing it was. Then I'd consciously drop the defense and let the "assault" come through, but nothing actually did. There was nothing to defend and nothing to defend from.

The process I experience is exactly how Polaris described ordinal arrogance - a wall goes up when I perceive an individual threat, another goes up when I perceive another one, etc.

I'm not sure about the feeling of emptiness thought. Not that it doesn't make sense, but I haven't sensed a feeling of emptiness at the basis of my Arrogance (but I could just be too used to it). I get an unreasonable fear of people's reactions to my mistakes/weaknesses, as if they wouldn't like me or would punish me for them. I can see the fear that comes up but at the moment I'm not sure what is behind that fear.

I haven't listened to the visualization yet, but those group exercises sound like they would help! I wish I had someone to do them with.