Honoring Survival

Each and every one of us here struggles to do the best we can to see that our most basic human needs are met, food, shelter, emotional support and all of those things that make our lives possible. Sometimes in this struggle we face disappointment and feel that life has slapped us in the face. Sometimes we feel afraid to move forward, because some of our efforts have been rewarded with pain. There are so many kinds of pain, and so many ways to experience the emotional and physical challenges that come to us in life. Yet, we are still here, seeking to find ways to meet those basic needs and to receive confirmation from our quest in life that our struggle has meaning.

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The key is that we are here. We carry on. We continue to struggle, plan for the future, cope, and make decisions. We continue to live and feel all that this world has for us to experience. If you think of your own struggle, your fight to survive through the history of your own life’s experience. If you really see yourself without judgement or derision, if you see the courage you displayed in doing the best you knew how, the best you had the resources physically and emotionally for at the time, you begin to see your real worth. You internal voice that tells you to keep trying, that success is irrelevant. The voice inside of you tells you that it is your efforts to continue the struggle that is the source of your immense value. This is what has created that fountain of strength within you that through all of the ups and downs, has brought you to this moment. The voice tells you that your struggle and life have meaning, and the testimony to that is your presence.

The source of our personal value lies in this, that in spite of our weakness and imperfections, we did the best we knew how. And the fact that we are still here is evidence that we found meaning in this survival. Above all else, we can honor ourselves for participating in and not giving up in the struggle of our life. For this we recognize and esteem ourselves as survivors.

I wanted to start this string, dedicated to surviving and preserving our self-esteem, and to sharing our thoughts on what has given us the strength to go on.

-Ariel

Whatever you can do,
Or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic, in it.
-Goethe

it is so hard sometimes

thank you for this ariel

-- The world is what we make of it --
-- Dave
-- <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.idexter.com>http://www.idexter.com</A>

It all sounds very good, and for the most part, I agree but I have a problem with one statement:

"You internal voice that tells you to keep trying, that success is irrelevant."

If we don't have successes now and then, what is the point to keep trying? There has to be success somewhere to give us the aspiration to keep trying. If all we get is failure, then we might as well pack it in right then and there.



"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived."

I say this because the past is over, the future is not here yet. All judgments of success lie in the past or are hope for in the future. But right now, the only moment we really have, the only question is- am I truly and wholly myself in this moment. In this moment there is no judgement of ourselves. There is only who we are and what we do now to demonstrate and express the spirit within us in this moment. Success is an illusion we create to give ourselves pain. We survive, we are here being. When we come to that realization, the struggle is over, pain is over, we have survived because in this present moment we fully exist.
-AH

-Ariel

Whatever you can do,
Or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic, in it.
-Goethe

...good post.... wish I could believe it.

I just don't feel like a survivor, too busy engaged in trying to live still...

...I can misspeak like the best of us

Believe in Him or not --- GOD LOVES YOU!

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Good post ariel.... thanks!

If we thought like this, we would have achieved success.

It's a good post. I'll continue reading and re-reading. Maybe somewhere inside I'll believe it.



"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived."

>> If we don't have successes now and then, what is the point to keep trying?

yin and yang
light and dark
male and female
good and evil

in nature none of these exist, everything simply is.

only when our minds enter and observe does the universe "split" into all of these dichotomies. so who defines "success"? It we survive another day isn't that a success? if we set a goal but fail to measureably reach that goal, does that mean we have made no progress at all? who chooses the goal? who sets the measure?

ESPECIALLY in our case, where our minds are extremely prone to interpreting everything in the negative, no matter what "goals" we "set" we are often going to interpret the results in the most pessimistic way possible. so maybe it is time to stop "looking for success" and instead be proud of surviving.

You ALWAYS have to keep in mind: Life is not about reaching goals, it is about our journey toward those goals.

>> If all we get is failure, then we might as well pack it in right then and there. Or maybe it is just time to rethink our goals. There is no need to always "strive" for that which we can never "achieve". The world is what we make of it.

Follow your bliss

Keep your hope fresh, SundaysChild. We are all in this together.

The preceeding was brought to you by way of a little bit of quantum physics and a whole lot of Joseph Campbell.

-- The world is what we make of it --
-- Dave
-- <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.idexter.com>http://www.idexter.com</A>

Dave-
Wonderful post! It sounds like I ought to be reading Joseph Campbell, any suggestions?
-ariel

-Ariel

Whatever you can do,
Or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic, in it.
-Goethe

I'd recommend the series that got me "hooked" originally which is "Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth" I think the companion book is still available, but the really BEST thing is the original series of interviews that aired on PBS with that same title. It is 6 hour long interviews with Bill Moyers. It was from at least 10 years ago and Bill Moyers says when people recognize him on the street the thing they ask him about most by far is that series. The series is available on video and DVD and they also show it pretty often on PBS, although usually it is during their pledge drives because it is still one of their most popular shows.

The series really changed my life when I first saw it in 1990 and I still catch it whenever I see it on PBS. My local PBS station aired it shortly after Sept 11 and it was so helpful to watch it again, especially the stuff dealing with good and evil in the world.

The companion book contains most of the text of the interviews (the foreward says it was designed to be a companion to the series, not a replica) but you miss out on his voice and mannerisms and sense of humor so I would recommend the video or DVD if possible.

I can highly recommend it to anyone.

Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth-Interview by Bill Moyers

It is very powerful stuff.

I just started reading "Hero with a Thousand Faces" one of his most "famous" books but it is a little deep... It is taking me a while and I'm just past the first chapter. Plus I think I'd be lost if I hadn't seen "Power of Myth" first.

For some background, Joseph Campbell studied mythology and specifically the field of "comparitive mythology", basically why in all religions and beliefs, the underlying stories are so similar even for religions that grew from isolated parts of the world in many different time periods. The basic answer of course is that the stories and mythologies seek to explain fundamental questions about life and its purpose, and all human beings are asking the same basic questions and arriving at similar answers. In examining the similarities and delving into the meanings of the stories he rips away a lot of the rigidity that many of us attribute to religion and the stories become extremely enlightening. In ny opinion this understanding can strengthen anyone's faith no matter what their religion, as long as they have an open mind to explore the stories and their origins and meaning. "The Hero's Journey" is probably the most talked about of his teachings and involves the individual quest from innocence, through adventure and transformation to ultimately become a healthy individual that is a functioning part of society. I think a lot of that is what is missing from today's society, there are no rituals anymore that transform "children" into the "adult club" and so they seek out their own rituals which are often unproductive. There is no part where they are officially "welcomed" as members of society. A lot of the rituals we do have have lost a lot of their meaning.

The story of the heroes journey reoccurs over an over again in almost identical form in much of literature, the King Arthur myths, American Indian mythology, the bible, West Indian mythology, Buddism, etc etc etc and also is the root of many modern stories and movies such as Star Wars, Matrix, Titanic, The Lion King, etc. The reason people connect so deeply with some of these stories is because they touch something deep inside of us, something really ancient, that helps us understand our role in the world throught the symbolism of the story or myth.

I now find it extremely enjoyable to recognize the elements of the classic "hero's journey" and spot it in new movies that i see. The reason I am reading "Hero with a Thousand Faces" is because I want to understand those elements better. Previously I relied on friends who studied mythology in school to point them out to me and help me understand them.

I am a HUGE Star Wars fan ever since it came out in 1977. I had no idea why until I saw the Joseph Campbell interviews in 1990. George Lucas actually worked with Joseph Campbell on the story for Star Wars because his intention from the get-go was to present a modern mythology, a true hero's journey with all of the elements, but set to address the questions of modern times, the technological world we live in, and how to live a human life in such a technological world. Darth Vader is a man who has literally become a machine. Luke takes his journey of his destiny which transforms him from innocence (working obediently on his uncle's farm) to manhood through an adventure involving magic (the "Force") and a mentor who guides him through (Obi Wan), ultimately recognizing the strength which lives inside himself.

With the prequels George Lucas is expanding the story to now present the journey of Anakin Skywalker instead of Luke Skywalker. When the whole series is complete is will be a full six episodes chronicalling Anakins transformation from innocence (as a slave on Tatooine) through his introduction to magic through adventure with his mentor, following his choices through his downfall (transformation into Darth Vader) and ultimate redemption (which we have already seen in "Return of the Jedi")

You can see my involvement with the prequels (i spent time in line for the openings collecting money for charity) on my website at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.idexter.com/starwars/>http://www.idexter.com/starwars/</A> under the "episode 1" heading. there are photos there as well.

Hey never ask me a question when I have insomnia unless you want another novel

I don't want to merely "survive." I want to overcome... but for some reason, the words to "The Impossible Dream" keep haunting my thoughts. "...bruised and covered with scars" Yet the star is STILL "unreachable."

Yeah... ok... maybe Don Quixote should have rethought his goals. But could he...


"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived."

I didn't mean to imply that we should accept mere survival, but remember that survival is an important part of the journey toward "overcoming". Remember to stop and take credit for that.

((((((((((Sunday's Child))))))))))

I really want to beat this, I'm having a difficult time. The idea of just surviving like this for the rest of my life is unacceptable. My journey is toward the goal of getting back to the point where i once was... in control of my life, my finances, my happiness. I had really hoped that would happen in a few months. It is 4 months now and I don't feel any better than I did. I am certainly disappointed that I did not achieve my goal. But I try to focus on smaller goals. For the past few days I have been able to get up and take my morning meds on schedule instead of late in the day. That is a little bit of success. Not a big thing but I have to realize that there isn't "no success" in my life.

good luck SC and try to hang in there.

-- The world is what we make of it --
-- Dave
-- <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.idexter.com>http://www.idexter.com</A>

Thanks {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Dexter}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} I have no intention of giving up, but I have had to tie a knot in my rope so I can keep hanging on.


"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived."

Dave- I can't believe it! No wonder I feel like my therapist, also a student of shamanism is my mentor! He is taking me on that journey!
-Ariel

-Ariel

Whatever you can do,
Or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic, in it.
-Goethe