A question from 'The Prophet'

To be honest Stan, It's not my cup of tea, flowery inscrutable prose  ( just my opinion...as you know)   Thanks for posting it, though. I'll be keen to see what others come up with and if my guesses are wrong.

Some of the chapters are easier to understand than others, at least I find that to be the case.

Crime and Punishment is one of the best, if you're interested. 

Imo 

The wind and the sun will tear no holes in his skin.

You won't develop any laughter lines (so you haven't lived) ?

Actually that's the line I found hardest to understand. I suppose it means that following our desires without regard to morality won't do us any harm. But I suspect that's not true.

Some of the chapters are easier to understand than others, at least I find that to be the case.

Crime and Punishment is one of the best, if you're interested. 

Imo 

Thanks Stan.

if you're interested. 

To be honest, I'm more interested in what you've got to say but I might take a look.

Actually that's the line I found hardest to understand. I suppose it means that following our desires without regard to morality won't do us any harm. But I suspect that's not true.

Are you asking me, Chris ?    I suspect it's not true either. I think the rule is not to cause any harm to others but sometimes it's impossible.

Are you asking me, Chris ?    I suspect it's not true either. I think the rule is not to cause any harm to others but sometimes it's impossible.

I wasn't really asking - just musing. But any enlightenment will be gratefully received.

I wasn't really asking - just musing. But any enlightenment will be gratefully received.

I know... and I wasn't really answering you. I wouldn't dream of being so patronising or if I did I would be a jerk (of all jerks) wouldn't I. The life review during  the NDE strikes me as worth paying attention to if one accepts that it is a genuine report from someone who was dead and came back.

From Stefan Von Jankcovich  

Today I am convinced that deeds were rated positively when they were motivated by selfless love,  good intentions and carried out without coercion. If 'the scene' or events ended harmoniously that is with all parties voluntarily  in agreement  then probably  this was favorably assessed. This also applied to all interactions, with everyone involved that produced joy.  Somehow in the positive scenes a factor in intellectual development was recognized. But love,  good will, justice and harmony - these were the relevant features of the positive deeds.

 By contrast, what were considered negative were thoughts or deeds of a malicious origin, such as hatred, revenge, envy, greed, vanity, jealousy, pride, etc, acts that were selfishly conceived, deeds motivated by selfish actions and thoughts that were not sincere or honest.  Poor also, were the acts in which I imposed my will upon someone or something weaker than me, whether in a physical act,  an idea or an opinion.  This constitutes a restriction of the free will of another person.  Likewise, the same was true when I myself was the recipient of such behaviour- for any reason

Actually that's the line I found hardest to understand. I suppose it means that following our desires without regard to morality won't do us any harm. But I suspect that's not true.

I read it as meaning perhaps that we will not suffer too much injury by exposing our true selves.

He who wears his morality but as his best garment were better naked.

The wind and the sun will tear no holes in his skin.

And he who defines his conduct by ethics imprisons his song-bird in a cage.

Seems to me he's saying that we shouldn't display our morality, or maybe even have a moral code, that without such no harm would come to us from 'the Universe'. The last line appears to imply that acting according to our ethics, which may be misguided, holds back something sacred or divine within us.



I'd be interested in what pssst has to say.

The wind and the sun will tear no holes in his skin.

And he who defines his conduct by ethics imprisons his song-bird in a cage.


Stan Woolley chimed:
Seems to me he's saying that we shouldn't display our morality, or maybe even have a moral code, that without such no harm would come to us from 'the Universe'. The last line appears to imply that acting according to our ethics, which may be misguided, holds back something sacred or divine within us.

I'd be interested in what pssst has to say.

Thanks, Stan, check's in the mail. 

Isn't it interesting that Gibran's prose and poetry is very Bible-like when he was so staunchly anti-dogmatic and disdained organized religions. I believe that is his point, don't let man-made institutions set your spiritual parameters (morality, ethics), be as natural as possible (naked) and don't worry about being hurt or damaged in your nakedness (no holes). From being your natural self, all things  of spiritual growth are now possible (allowed).

Which are the same concepts taught by Yeshua, Krishna, Buddha, others who were saying 'be like me", natural, humble, all things are within you.


ET says exactly the same thing. Quoting Bashar:

"You have been in the habit of transference and so many of you simply transferred onto the Christ Consciousness the same idea that was being done within the Pagan idea. You have idolized the Christ Consciousness instead of acting like it...the idea of the Christ Consciousness was to let you know that all of those ideas were also you; that you did not have to separate them in that way. That it is all one; and that you are also the creator...
 
Q: So even though Pagans were more connected with nature, they still didn’t realize their connection to All That Is?

B: In that sense, yes, they were perceiving the idea of a connection to All That Is in removed ways, rather than within themselves. Thus, they assumed the power actually belonged outside of themselves, rather than within themselves. And that is the idea of the Christ Consciousness, to perceive that power from within. The idolizing of Christ, in that way, was the removal of the power from yourself and the placing of the responsibility on something else other than yourself for the creation and the responsibility of your reality.

From the Gibran quote:

"And if you would know God be not therefore a solver of riddles.

Rather look about you and you shall see Him playing with your children."

Unfortunately you have to be a solver of riddles to try to understand someone who speaks in riddles. I think it is as much an exercise in finding meaning inside oneself through the imagination plus ingenuity, as it is understanding eternal wisdom teachings.