We're here to untangle from the puzzle of life what we can, I suppose. If meditation helps in the untangling process, it can't be bad. But I've always had the uncomfortable feeling that, if taken to extremes, it could simply provide an excuse for not taking note of what's going on outside of one's own inner-ness. These days, I'd hesitate to blame anyone for that attitude, things being as they are - but somehow it doesn't feel right.Anyway, back to Ian Welsh's recent piece - SNIPS:
The idea of karma is related to this. You’re born at a particular time, with a particular personality, to particular parents, in a particular place. Your nurture and your nature (the personality that even babies have) is predetermined, therefore your life is predetermined, because how you will react to events is a matter of your character, which is your original personality plus the circumstances you grow up in.
The fully enlightened are said to be largely immune to karma. This is because, often, as you meditate, it becomes clear that personality is a choice. You don’t have to act in accordance with your personality if it’s not in your self interest. This is true of everyone, but it’s one of those abilities most people don’t use. As you meditate you become detached from your own character, it doesn’t seem important to you, and as a result it loses much of its power. As it loses its power you become free to act as you please, and in that sense you break your karma. (And by act, I also mean think. The sort of terrible thoughts that plague many people lose much of their power.)...............................Meditation, then, can make you free and rob you of much of the juice required to make use of that freedom. The less you care, the happier you are (I know many people won’t believe that, I’ll just say that in my experience it’s true, and many other people attest to the same). .........................Still, I think it’s worth remembering that your personality isn’t anything super-precious, and that it can be your chains. Acting in ways that aren’t beneficial to you (or, often to anyone else) because of your personality serves no one. Personality is often chains, and yet we treasure it. If you want to be happier, be less attached to who you are.
"You don't care"....that's the scary part to me. A population of "don't carers" sharing a planet with equal or greater numbers of "I want power,
control and...everything and will have its".
Oh - what the heck! I shall stay unenlightened and care!
'cause you've got personality,
Walk, personality
Talk, Personality
Smile, Personality
Charm, personality
Love, personality
And of Cause you've got
A great big heart.....
