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Stigweard

Is Hope a Distraction?

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Philosophy Shmosophy, having children (as I do) tends to, almost forces you to have hope for the future. In energetic practices (MCO) being positive is very important, without it the body tightens, energy doesn't flow well, paranoic symptoms are more likely.

 

Still, hope is just a feeling, a nice one. I can allow it to settle on my shoulder.

 

I have a story about a great Avurvedic physician named Govinda who claimed he would never be enlightened because as a doctor he couldn't give up hope for his patients. The thought always saddened him, but he accepted it. On his death bed, his friend and disciple Aaron whispered to him he could finally give up hope. Govinda nodded, smiled and died.

 

 

Michael

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Have we switched from hope to faith?

 

If Govinda had given up hope sooner and became enlightened, could he have spent his life healing eternal spirits instead of temporal bodies?

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Sounds like some people are mixing hope up with sheer force of will. You can hope all you want and that's not going to change a damn thing. If you want something to change, WILL or INTENT are far more pragmatic avenues. Hope, while nice and comfy, is a passive, reactive distraction from what needs to be done at present to mold the future according to one's will.

 

Hope can be very powerful, e.g., as an aligning force. By keeping your attention or "eye" on your hoped for goal your actions will follow.

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Hope can be very powerful, e.g., as an aligning force. By keeping your attention or "eye" on your hoped for goal your actions will follow.

 

I'm picking up what you are laying down my friend :D

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Hope is not the same as expectation.

 

Expectation is active.

 

To be without hope is to despair.. which is a sin, since to despair equals a denial of god.

 

Hope therefore is a state of trust, rather than an active state, or a state of will.

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I still think we are getting a cross over between "hope" and 'faith".

 

HOPE: feeling of expectation and desire for certain thing to happen.

 

FAITH: complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

 

(per Oxford American)

 

 

Stig, maybe faith is the better word.......

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I dont agree that hope inevitably includes a feeling of expectation.

 

I may hope to fall in love deeply again, but I dont hold an expectation that I will.

 

I hope for a beautiful summer, but no expectations will be dashed if it doesnt materialise.

 

 

Hence "I hope so" and "I expect so" have different implications.

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I still think we are getting a cross over between "hope" and 'faith".

 

HOPE: feeling of expectation and desire for certain thing to happen.

 

FAITH: complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

 

(per Oxford American)

Stig, maybe faith is the better word.......

you have a fine point

^_^

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I dont agree that hope inevitably includes a feeling of expectation.

 

I may hope to fall in love deeply again, but I dont hold an expectation that I will.

 

I hope for a beautiful summer, but no expectations will be dashed if it doesnt materialise.

Hence "I hope so" and "I expect so" have different implications.

 

Hi cat :)

 

At a very minimum, does not hope for something evoke an image or feeling of the thing or experience desired?

 

Just holding an image will move you in that direction.

The stronger the image or feeling, the stronger the movement.

 

Taking the example of the weather, it is less probable that you could effect a change, but I will not say impossible.

Falling deeply in love would require your being in a state where that is possible, yes? so you may not make the person appear but you can create the conditions to make it more probable.

You can at the very least help synchronicity (or whatever word pleases you, manifestation...) happen.

 

so in my experience hope-->image, thoughts, desires in a direction--> building energy in a direction-->readiness for action in a direction, internal or external-->release of energy emotional, mental, physical-->this is power=d(energy)/d(time) -->results

 

Now I will not claim that this works every time for the desired outcome, but I find these relationships to be true.

 

Prayer entails hope, but not necessarily faith or expectation, and prayer has scientifically proven to be a factor in physical healing.

 

Other thoughts are secondary and may or may not exist.

 

I hope the best for you :) (sincerely, not a joke)

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Let's recognize we are parsing over the meaning of words here. Maybe we have found one of those areas where words aren't adequate. I've found that when this happens it ends up being a distraction and mostly not worth the trouble.

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Hi Rookie. :)

 

Interesting that you mention manifestation, because I was thinking of that in my previous posts. I dont believe that hope is an active enough virtue to be transformative enough to efffect change.

 

I wonder what the active ingredients in prayer are, for it to be a prayer which effects change....

 

I dont think it is faith alone. I think the key to effective prayer - if I can speak in such a utilitarian way ! -

is devotion.

 

Devotion which purifies the heart and soul and allows an alignment between self and cosmos, in that moment or flow.

 

Devotion is active and a practise in itself.

 

With regard to the need for a sense of hope once one has children. Again I feel a little differently about that. I feel I have a sense of trust, instead.

 

Thanks Stig, for this chance to think closely about what it is we are doing or not doing, and what affects it has.

 

Thanks Rookie, also, for your kind wishes, they are most appreciated.

 

xxx

cat

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Thanks to all for your insight, it has made for a rewarding process of contemplation.

 

Simply for another perspective, one of the most powerful archetypes of Hope is The Star from the Major Arcana in the Tarot. The deck that I most closely associate is the Mythic Deck because of all its lovely Greek myths and legends.

 

In the Mythic Deck The Star is portrayed as Pandora opening the chest:

 

mymaj17.gif

 

Within the chest were all the Spites, and when she opened it, she released Vice, Insanity, Hate, Old Age and other creatures into the world. Fortunately, crammed in the bottom of the box is Hope and with Hope, the effects of the Spites are made bearable.

 

In the image you see that even though Pandora is swarmed by the Spites of the world her vision is held steadfastly on Hope. Hope in this sense includes:

 

~ having faith in the future

~ thinking positively

~ believing

~ counting your blessings

~ seeing the light at the end of the tunnel

~ feeling great expectation

~ looking forward to success

Edited by Stigweard

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but yes of course

 

most are

distracted by hope

 

because it appeals

 

in summary it probably appeals to God

 

it is very difficult not to be the slave of this distraction so it is easier to surrender to God and hope that he

isn't.

Edited by rain

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Thanks to all for your insight, it has made for a rewarding process of contemplation.

 

Simply for another perspective, one of the most powerful archetypes of Hope is The Star from the Major Arcana in the Tarot. The deck that I most closely associate is the Mythic Deck because of all its lovely Greek myths and legends.

 

In the Mythic Deck The Star is portrayed as Pandora opening the chest:

 

mymaj17.gif

 

Within the chest were all the Spites, and when she opened it, she released Vice, Insanity, Hate, Old Age and other creatures into the world. Fortunately, crammed in the bottom of the box is Hope and with Hope, the effects of the Spites are made bearable.

 

In the image you see that even though Pandora is swarmed by the Spites of the world her vision is held steadfastly on Hope. Hope in this sense includes:

 

 

 

looking at the symbolism in the story, hope is entwined with suffering (in the same box). The message is that hope is the crest of cyclic existence(samsara) where suffering is the trough. they perpetuate each other.

 

Does hope simultaneously sustain humanity while causing its hunger?

^_^

Edited by phore

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looking at the symbolism in the story, hope is entwined with suffering (in the same box). The message is that hope is the crest of cyclic existence(samsara) where suffering is the trough. they perpetuate each other.

 

Does hope simultaneously sustain humanity while causing its hunger?

^_^

 

hahha!!

 

77.gif

 

Well said!

 

So for those of us who live in the day-to-day world suffering and hope are the paired opposites. It leads naturally then that, for the adherents of "escape from samsara" spirituality, one must relinquish hope in order to transcend suffering.

 

hmmm... 39.gif

 

However, for ordinary folk who are quite content to live harmoniously within the world then suffering and hope are merely the "bread and butter" of daily existence. If one develops awareness and impartiality can the polarity of suffering/hope be embraced in a way that doesn't disrupt our integrity and subtle energy?

Edited by Stigweard

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hahha!!

 

77.gif

 

Well said!

 

So for those of us who live in the day-to-day world suffering and hope are the paired opposites. It leads naturally then that, for the adherents of "escape from samsara" spirituality, one must relinquish hope in order to transcend suffering.

 

hmmm... 39.gif

 

:) thanks.

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However, for ordinary folk who are quite content to live harmoniously within the world then suffering and hope are merely the "bread and butter" of daily existence. If one develops awareness and impartiality can the polarity of suffering/hope be embraced in a way that doesn't disrupt our integrity and subtle energy?

 

Yes.

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ha, Stig, that is the tarot deck that I use too, so that is the very image evoked in my head by this thread.

 

:)

 

:D Groovy! I had tried a few decks but this is the only one that really 'spoke' to me. I'm a bit of a story-teller and all the myths and legends came to life in my mind.

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Yes, me too. I went to a course by Juliet Sharman - Burke to learn about it from her. And I get my chart done by Liz Greene, too.

 

I get The HIerophant a lot....... and ten of swords.. :(:angry::rolleyes:

 

Ian has created a tarot reading site which is very good. I dont have a link, unfortunately. He used to be a tarot reader.. :)

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Sometimes when you are faced with circumstances that are overwhelming, hope is all you have.

nothing wrong with hope at all

 

the proper completion of prayer (for example) is to arrive at the state where you no longer want anything other than what is, which would be the "presence", "oneness", or whatever words suit your taste

 

hope can start you down the road to oneness

hard to see how dispair can get you there, but maybe someone has that one, like AA bottoming out, surrender?

 

when you are in the state of oneness, there is no need for hope

 

so ultimately it is a distraction when you are in that state already

 

but it is quite useful while in the world :)

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Ian has created a tarot reading site which is very good. I dont have a link, unfortunately. He used to be a tarot reader.. :)

 

Curiously enough I just let the hosting and domain lapse about 5 days ago. Streamlining, and all that. It was called, well, never mind, eh? Might put it up again one day.

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