Phil said:
Yes Jen, the 'doing' mode clearly generates suffering, because it is driven by thought, ie. 'intentions' ... and intention means 'in-tension' ie. stress ... there is an expectation of some future result ... iow. time is created ... and presence is lost ...
hmm...
Phil said: What you (or ET ?) call "awakened doing" Jen, is sometimes referred to as 'non-action' or 'non intentional action', in this case there is no projection of a future result, action remains fully anchored in presence, in being ... in fact in this action there is no 'doer' ... things just happen as they come and we (thought) make no obstacle to the 'flow of life' ... no tension created ... no stress ... no conflict/resistance with 'what is' ...
That's not quite how I 'read' (interpreted / translated) that section of ANE, nor how it applies or can be experienced, or observed in my humble experiencing. I am aware not only of being the doing, but also of the energy of the intention - all movement of all energy is created only by tension & release, whether one is conscious of it or not.
One can be in flow with those movements, participating awarely in the dance of energies knowing that things will move and change by the participation. (and now this flows a little into those dicey topics... personal responsibility & free will).
One may have intention without holding too tightly to it, and stress is only going to create suffering if it is beyond the capacity of those creating the movement - where an ego might be 'writing cheques the body can't cash' scenarios.
I don't see intention specifically creating suffering any more than I see
doing specifically creating suffering. If suffering arises one can look to see where the 'glob' is stopping or flowing into the creation of suffering, but without intention & 'doing' one cannot participate in the dance of energies 'willingly', or 'awarely'. One is more a leaf on a river, or being blown in the wind, and that is not living to our fullest capacity - even those who are physically paralysed are more than this.
The 'non-action' thing above sounds like an abdication of both our
ability to respond and our ability to create. To me, that abdication has to either come from awareness or lack of, or willingness or lack of.
The whole shebang works within growing or static levels of awareness, capacity & willingness. Where there is movement in one there has to be relationship with the other two.
In ET speak - awakened doing is where consciousness
'can now begin to create form without losing itself in it." and our participation in it is not necessarily in suffering. In an awake state it is in awareness of our awareness, and to the best of our capacity without creating suffering through wishing or denying our capacity other than it naturally is. And, in willingness that is also aware of itself.
ET... 'Awakened doing is the alignment of your outer purpose - what you do - with your inner purpose - awakening and staying awake.
Through awakened doing you (aware that there IS a 'you' in the mix) become one with the outgoing purpose of the universe. Consciousness flows through you into this world.
It flows into your thoughts and inspires them.
It flows into what you do and guides and empowers it.
He goes on to say it's not about 'what you do', but
how you do what you do.
It's funny all the 'no you' 'no doing' stuff sounds to me like folks think they disappear while in material form and we don't, we just see a little more clearly, the interactions & tensions & releases of energy in motion creating simultaneous experiences by individual and collective consciousness. Individually not always awarely, collectively always & eternally awake and aware.
From my experience the freedom from unnecessary suffering releases energy into 'doing' whatever more awarely, using our capacity honestly, aware of our willingness (yep - consciousness does not presume to choose for us) to participate in any particular dance, as a doer, or a be-er, or a victim or a hero or an ego or a light, as acceptance / pouring joy into, enthusiastically or in making enemy, obstacle, means to an end of a thing, person or situation, or any combination of experiences that we can imagine and create.
Simultaneously to consciousness participating in (and therefore 'allowing') our experiences, we are also participating in the experiences of all consciousness. ET says this about that -
ET: A reversal of your priorities comes about when the main purpose for doing what you do becomes the doing itself, or rather the current of consciousness that flows into what you do. That current of consciousness is what determines the quality.
It's both humbling and maybe a little scary to realise this, but it's okay because we can only 'do' and 'be' within our own level of awareness, capacity and willingness, so we rarely have experiential understanding or comprehension of one aspect of it without the other two.
ET says: Another way of putting it: In any situation and in any thing you do, your state of consciousness is the primary factor; the situation and what you do is secondary.
(no choice is wrong, it just brings a different experience)
Consciousness is already conscious, it doesn't need more consciousness in and of itself, but in order for tension and release to create movement WE (and all living things) participate and create with it, either awarely or blindly, through our thoughts and our actions. Yes blind thoughts and actions may create suffering, aware thoughts and actions do not. They may confuse folks who are at a different level of awareness, capacity or willingness, but no true harm comes in any experience unless we perceive it so.
ET continues: "Future" success is dependent upon and inseparable from the consciousness out of which the actions emanate. That can be either reactive force of the ego or the alert attention of awakened consciousness.
We each will view both our and others' experiences from our own level of awareness, and judge the capacity by ours (better or worse), and the willingness by ours (fear or allowing).
ET concludes: All truly successful action comes out of that field of alert attention, rather than from ego and conditioned, unconscious thinking.
"Successful action' for me, would be that which creates without causing equal opposite 'reaction' in fear --- which is the only way 'suffering' can be perceived as an experience.
ET goes on to describe the Three Modalities of Awakened Doing - acceptance, enjoyment & enthusiasm with which we can align our lives with the creative powers of the universe (which, just like us, is still in the throes of growing awareness, capacity & willingness).
It is my favourite part of the book ANE, and of life itself. The vibrationary frequencies are just YUM, each with their own gorgeous notes.
ET: If you are not in the state of either acceptance, enjoyment or enthusiasm, look closely and you will find that you are creating suffering for your self and others.
Look around you Phil, look inside you - whether we create suffering or not is within our capacity to decide. No other thing decides for us. When we KNOW that, then we are truly free to choose.
).
