Kook and Intention

here’s a little diddy from a translation of Abraham Isaac Kook, Lights of Holiness

The Renaissance of Intention

Humanity must go through extensive development before it will recognize the great value of the intention and the will, of the hidden idealism in the depths of the soul, which continually adorns itself in an array of new colors that disclose some of its treasure and majestic greatness.

All the great moral deeds in the world among individuals and societies are only small expressions, tiny sparks of the great torch of intention when it has reached a state of perfection.

Intention is everything. The revival of intention is the revival of the world.

Prayer with intention, the affirmation of God’s unity with intention, the commandment and the duty performed with intention, the direction and development of life with intention, and intention in itself, as a rational and moral concept — it’s beauty and majesty, its splendor and holiness, its endless unfolding, its divine aspects — and intention when it is expressed in letters, words, each letter and dot of which stands fro vast oceans of life, will aspiration, and enlightenment, of potency and courage, spirituality and nobility; and intention when incarnated in hold corporate beings, pure idealistic people, for whom equity and good, in practical affairs and in morals, is the whole joy of life; the living, creative intention — what a luminous phenomenon this is in the world.

And the divine mystery comes and links the soul stirred by intention with the sources of life’s aspirations, with their ultimate roots, and the light of the En Sof, the light of the living God, continues to stream forth, reaching every thinker and man of action.

Intention is where action is conceived. And the higher intention, the intention that is permeated with the divine life, embraces every thought of peace, of the battle for righteousness and equity, every assertion of wisdom, of a good and desirable order of things. Every act that perfects the word is embraced in it.

There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions.

It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open…whether you choose to take an art class, keep a journal, record your dreams, dance your story or live each day from your own creative source. Above all else, keep the channel open!

~Martha Graham

notice the fierceness of martha graham’s original quote compared to the one making the internet rounds.

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium: and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how it compares with other expressions, it is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.

You do not have to believe in your self or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer Divine Dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than others.

– Martha Graham to Agnes De Mille

humble humility and more!

i’ve been collecting thoughts on humility and humbleness… here’s what some of the experts have to say:

daniel lebel:

humility, how do we make that grow?

appreciation

beginning and ending with

thank you

me:

one idea: we model it. we show that we can be strong and humble at the same time. vulnerability and humility make us shine brighter, live fuller, feel whole-er…

we model the type of power that radiates with humility verses the popular type of power that suppresses and condemns humility…

chabad.org:

…both provide nourishment. But one stays flat and humble while the other fills itself with hot air…As long as we are full of delusions of self-importance, there’s no way to break out and grow to a new level. Once we make ourselves small, we can fit through any bars and fly past any cloud.

christy:

I wonder if sacred humility, and sacred vulnerability, might have in common the quality of exposing/acknowledging/opening the tender underside, one’s down-to-the-ground ordinariness?

when we step into humility, allowing our ordinariness and partialness, being no higher off the ground than any other one–that might be a position that actually protects the vulnerable places. Whereas those precious and secret and tender parts that we are nervous to reveal, are often (I think) the *extra*ordinary and the particular (and, we’re afraid, the incomprehensible and unlovable).

karabrown:

humility

giving

unbounded

freedom

nourishment

giving

unbounded

love

grace:

Love can be found in it’s offshoots: compassion, humility, peace, harmlessness, joy, trust, patience, acceptance, gratitude, generosity. These qualities are not words but they can be seen felt from behind the words.

me:

it seems that humility opens space for our true self to shine, connecting us with our callings, our gifts, connecting us with our higher self…a higher power

comments:

being humble gives credit where its due

we can take pride in be ing part of a process

but by giving up this energy

we be come aware of being an active part of this process, and create more space inside of us for the next experience, something new!

karabrown | Email | 04.16.04 – 10:32 am | #

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take a step out of your world into somebody elses….you will find humility and learn to be humble…travel outside of your comfort space into another place and learn so much more of who you are and how the world is…

amanda bloom | Email | 04.17.04 – 10:37 am | #

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sing it sisters! (hi amanda!)

ashley | Email | Homepage | 04.19.04 – 1:13 pm | #

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(from the Edge site: http://www.edge.org/q2004/page7.html#myers)

Myers’ Law of Self-Perception:

Most people see themselves as better than average.

Nine in ten managers rate themselves as superior to their average peer. Nine in ten college professors rated themselves as superior to their average colleague. And six in ten high school seniors rate their “ability to get along with others” as in the top 10 percent. Most drivers–even most drivers who have been hospitalized after accidents–believe themselves more skilled than the average driver. “The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background,” observes Dave Barry, “is that deep down inside, we all believe that we are above average drivers.” Excess humility is an uncommon flaw.

(I love the Dave Barry part!)

Christy Lee-Engel | Email | Homepage | 04.19.04 – 7:44 pm | #

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from grace:

Dilemna by David Budbill

I want to be

famous

so I can be

humble

about being

famous

What good is my

humility

when I am

stuck

in this

Grace: “what is the language that inspires trust?”

Truly naked, real and honest sharing inspires trust. Dropping our walls and revealing our vulnerable, imperfect and flawed egos inspires trust. Dropping our defense…our need to be right…our need to be invulnerable…special, above, or in authority. Being able to listen and admit our arrogance, our ignorance, our mistakes: admit that we are ordinary…human..and not special or above another in any way.

So humility is the language that inspires trust. Fuck being enlightened…just give me humility, dear lord, give me humility!

ashley | Email | Homepage | 04.25.04 – 11:00 am | #

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more on humility from grace:

For me, humility means this, quoted from one of my favorite nonduality teachers, Leslie Temple Thurston;

“Power and powerlessness battle each other. When humility comes, that is the end of the battle. Humility is the state of acceptance for ourselves and others and it is the state that encompasses both sides [of the power and powerlessness polarized state/egoic pattern]”

“Humility is the non judgment of oneself and others. In humility, we do not induldge in feeling wothless, or induldge in feeling especially self-important. Humility is not meekness, implying sort of weakness in being humble. It goes beyond being humble. We find our true inner power in the state of humility because it is in alignment with higher consciousness….”

ashley | Email | Homepage | 04.25.04 – 2:20 pm | #

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“the two sides of a pair of opposites create a pendulum effect. Consciousness swings between the two sides. It is the swinging between the two sides that causes suffering in life. By letting that feeling of insecurity…and security…and insecurity…and security…pass right through us, we are in a state of humility. It is the state of non-rebelliousness, non-willfulness, a state of acceptance, a state of quiescence in the mind and emotions. It comes from detachment and seeing that everything is perfect just as it is”

ashley | Email | Homepage | 04.25.04 – 2:20 pm | #

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from Helen beeth at integral naked:

Interesting to see how loaded the term “humility” can be. So I got to wondering what my slant on that might be… And I actually think that for me humility is nothing more or less than brutally realistic. “I’m nothing more or less than what I am and I don’t need to be” is one. The other is “I’m of no significance here, what’s important is how I can serve best interests of the situation.” Or words to that effect. It’s such a RELIEF!! Just another way of surrendering to WHAT IS.

ashley |

pollution

from the new york times: (p.s. can anyone tell me how to make the quote indent?)

On April 15, the Environmental Protection Agency will release a list of about 500 counties that violate or contribute to violations of ground-level ozone, more than double the number listed under older standards. Ground-level ozone, which is odorless and invisible, is a major component of smog on hot summer days. Prolonged exposure causes the equivalent of sunburn to the lungs.

Almost 300 counties are expected to be deemed in violation of the revised ozone rules on Thursday. But about 200 neighboring counties will face restrictions because they are considered contributors to the ozone pollution in the counties that violate the rules. In all, about 160 million people will live in areas affected by the revised standards, up from 110 million affected by the old rules.

“There are counties that could take all their cars off the roads, close their factories and clean up their power plants and still not be in attainment,” Mr. Leavitt said at a Senate hearing last month. To combat that problem, the agency has proposed reducing pollution from coal-fired plants in the eastern United States by allowing plants to buy and sell the right to emit sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, with a lowering of overall pollution limits over time.

Many states and locales are reviewing strategies that would intimately affect how people live — from cutting speed limits by 5 miles per hour, to discouraging house painting during summer months, to giving tax breaks to businesses that encourage telecommuting.

wisdom of children

here is a posting by leelajade at the integral naked forum. it’s in response to my post in the comment box below about parenting. leela’s words really moved me and remind me about the wisdom that children have and their patient way of waiting until we recognize it. i’ve heard similarly moving stories from others of you that i know read this site. thank you to each of you for sharing… your stories, yourselves, and your children!!

“With my daughter I have found its more a process of getting my fear and projections out of the way so that who she is can really shine through.

One day when she was nine we had the most amazing talk. I had been molested when I was her age so I saw the world very differently than she did. It dawned on me and I told her this, “I have no idea what its like to be a happy well adjusted 9 year old girl honey. But I do know a lot of things about the world that your don’t totally understand yet, so how about if I guide you on the rest of the world issues and you guide me on the happy nine year old issues.” She looked into my eyes and said, “I have been waiting for you to understand that, its a deal!”

She came here from the non dual, who the hell am I to put stumbling blocks in her path or assume I know better than her about who she is or what she came here to do? My job to to help guide her and she seems to trust me best when I show her that I trust her most.

I am blessed!

~leela