In my treatment group we're learning to identify Apparently Unimportant Behaviors that might lead to a relapse. Some of the AUB's mentioned included eating unhealthy foods, noticing the liquor store each time it's passed, yelling at a spouse and excessive worry about appearance. These are all behaviors that for the individual exhibiting them may point to a downward spiral toward re-use of the drug of choice.
I came across a post from one of the very excellent bloggers I keep up with that stopped me in my tracks. I think this post describes a collective "AUE" or Apparently Unimportant Event of which we should all be aware.
Many people are experiencing intense awakening processes at this time. Many of these people, like me, do not have a foundational structure underpinning their spirituality, such as AA for alcoholics, church for Protestants and the ashram for Buddhists. I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all; as a matter of fact, I'm fine with it. Awakening is an exciting, frightening experience and attempting to engage the energy without self-destructing is a major challenge. I read a lot and I'm an eager and interested student, but I'm realizing I need to be very careful about what I choose to engage in as I work with this energy.
I'm absolutely sure none of the people who were participating in this ceremony - including the facilitator, intended for this horrible event to take place, but it did. And it probably won't be noticed much because that's what Apparently Unimportant Events do best - go undetected. Until it's too late. I myself am proceeding with much more caution and respect for the powerful forces which are at work here.
3 comments:
I've been reading about that event for a couple days on a Yahoo group, too. The only thing I can think of is that so many people are so hollow that they're willing to pay thousands of dollars to have someone else tell them what to believe and how to ritualize it. As an est graduate, I suppose the constant ingraining of "think for yourself" took root. Funny how we miss that simple message. "Think for yourself." If that's what those people had been doing, they wouldn't have paid multiple thousands of dollars to have someone kill them.
~*
Amazing--I was thinking about the very same thing with regard to this incident. BE CAREFUL. I, like you, have no doctrine to pin my spirituality to, and this event really put that in perspective, made me feel a little vulnerable. I'm keeping my eyes open.
I watched the Secret, and James Ray is a pretty charismatic speaker. In hindsight, I remember thinking there was something shameless about his wealth/spirituality message, but I blew it off. Thanks for the link, interesting article.
How tragic and yes, important - even if apparently not. I love this idea of AUE, it's brilliant. What a perfect label for all the stuff I blow off.
I don't know what to say about the tragedy - it would be easy to draw a lot of unfair morals from the story - morals that are particularly unfair to the participants and their families, so I guess there's nothing to say...except that yes, it's important.
Post a Comment