Yesterday, I was passing walnut oil on the green table, and someone saw me doing that: “Well, we feed the plastic now?” Well, yes, plastic needs to be fed. Passing the oil, I really felt that it was a good thing for the plastic table! There is a notion of caring, not to do that well, but to take care.
I also felt it in relation to the transformation, to the history of an object. For example, where does this tissue come from? from afar ? It’s very strong concerning the carpets in the living room. The memory of the object, all the connections to infinity, which surpass us.
A., when you work, do you sometimes lose the notion that there is a difference between you and the object?
Yes, when the work is rather mechanical, like pulling cables, I do not need to think too much. When it’s mechanical, I can really disappear.
And can you consider all these objects, cables, tools (for example the screwdriver), as living things, as alive as you are?
Not so far.
to AM: I wanted to ask you about how you take a tree up when you’re pruning near the river, and also how you take the fire up. You have a rather special relationship with trees, fire.
Fire is very friendly to me, trees too. That’s like that, I do nothing.
Yes, there I think you already live what I aim. For you they are animated objects.
Yes.
And do you see the relationship with fire, for example, or trees, as an extension of your body consciousness?
I never thought of it that way.
I ask you the question, think about it. By integrating what I said, you can presume that fire also has its body consciousness.
Of course.
So there is a symbiosis of two body consciousnesses.
I had never put those words but it’s okay, I accept them.
Laughter
When one raises awareness on something, many other things change then, and it goes on to another level. So, come on! The neurons now!
Neurons? What about the neurons?
Yes of course! It happens at the level of the neurons, we rearrange the neurons now. To A.M.: What about if you had that particular consciousness like the one you have with fire, if you had it with everything?
That’s what I’m looking for.
Okay, that’s what you’re looking for. Also with plastic spoon?
Also with people, even if they seem a bit threatening sometimes. Here I feel completely safe! But it is as if this great relaxation, this immense gratitude, comes to me at first when there is water, fire.
You see, there’s a preference.
Yes, I felt it, there was something that was less fluid.
When one has preference, it is no longer life which decides, but it is identity. There it is clear that there is a residue of identity. And it isn’t also something that you must keep forever. It must also be taken out of the head. You have glimpses, you now recognize the relationship you have with fire. You’d love to have that with everything, it’ll come. In any case, it is already there somewhere, but there are certain obstacles that make it not yet complete. There are obstacles that will be unveiled here, and then it will come or it will not come. Always stay in body consciousness, in existential relaxation, have faith that it cannot fail to come. This is the right direction, it’s about to remove that preference. One can also live it as a concretization, as another aspect of body consciousness. So you can already see how the relationship with objects, with nature, with everything you perceive, can be different when you assume that everything is animated, that everything has the inherent ability to be in symbiosis with oneself, And between them as well.
I am becoming more and more conscious of the function of objects. For example, this wall: it does something, it carries a roof. While before this wall was just a wall. And that’s very enjoyable!
I am afraid that my imagination could take over this process. At one point, I looked at the objects, and I almost felt that each of them had a different “sound” tone.
It is the relationship between you and the object that should not be lost. It is an extension of your body consciousness; if you forget it actually you are in the imagination. And it can only be done with the object that you perceive at the moment, otherwise you also lose yourself to the imaginary.
For me the danger is to think that finally all this is perhaps imagination. And in that case, I’m deluding myself.
It’s ok to have a safeguard. But you also have to know to let go when there is something that is clear, as at this moment. That does not mean it’s clear tomorrow, but at least right now. And not thinking about the future. Can you validate it now? That’s enough.
At first, I found that I had a purely intellectual understanding. It threw me in the silence, and I really stayed with the three words and the testimonies in mind. When we finished the meeting, I took my plate and my glass … and then nothing! As if I were waiting for something too. Then I left the room and when I got to the top of the stairs I felt the breeze blowing and I felt like I was crossed by it, just because I offered no resistance, I consented to be crossed. Then I really felt that if I was in this state of no resistance to what I see or feel, there is life, it circulates, there is a link. Then it came to me: “this wind is kindly, because it is sweet.” But no! I realized that it was a construction of the mind, the wind blows, but it has no intention. It can be soft, violent, piercing, whipping. And the question of the consciousness of objects and things arose in me: wind is wind, no more no less. He has no intention of crossing. It is up to me not to offer resistance, to be open to it, in order to feel.
Yesterday I felt that I was part of the dynamics of life and I perceived that there is really an energy in movement as a great breath. It’s like I’m a big breath somewhere. There is a dynamic, there were some words that came to me that described how I am in unison with all that surrounds me. And for me those words are important: dynamic, breathing, unison … it’s much stronger than feeling connected.
It’s a realization of feeling connected.
Yes, for me, it’s even livelier, more concrete.
Yes, feeling connected is always very vague, whereas here it really becomes the dynamics of life, of the concrete, of the perceived.
That night coming back down to my room, I felt this movement again, and I realized that it was something I knew as a child, but now with the dimension of responsibility. I felt it just now when I was busy with bananas, this dynamic, this breathing, there is really movement, it is linked to action. It is not easy to put into words. I saw the image of the spinning-top. There is really an amplified dynamic. And I now feel it rooted. It is the sacred side that inhabits us all and inhabits what surrounds us. I realize that it is another dimension of life. Both very intimate and sacred.
Yes, little by little I think that with this awareness you will automatically develop what is natural, and that I think, can be natural for everyone: responsibility. It is part of the body consciousness because everything is animated, not just people, but all that is perceived. And I also heard the word “care”, caring for others, is also feeling responsible. I perceive when someone or something needs special care or attention, it is part of the body consciousness to integrate at the moment everything that is perceived.
We also talked about the objects need, the need of the wall for example. I wanted to recall the discussion about pilot fish and shark, meaning that there is an exchange in symbiosis between both of them, at one point.
What we have to do is to perceive the symbiosis that exists at heart with everything we perceive: nature, tobacco, glass, and so on. Normally, we are not aware of this: we see ourselves here and there is the glass there, and it serves me. In this consciousness it is more than a glass that serves us.
And the dimension of service takes its full scope: everything is at the service of everything.
Yes, the glass serves me and I serve it.
I had seen the testimony of a master who was talking about it. He showed his glass of water and he said: “It’s not just water, this water loves me”. That’s really it. That’s how I feel it.
Absolutely.
I have noticed since this morning that I am slower and assuredly it allows me to be much more in body consciousness. It is as if I had made the decision to slow down and I am much more in touch with my sensations. I feel as much as efficient, it has broken my mind, I feel myself very anchored!
Is that a little acquired? From what I have observed, I have the impression that yes, for the most part. In the group, it is no longer the same. Are you aware that you live it as something that is naturally added to your body consciousness? It was not absent before, it was already there, but it remained semi-conscious. It only works with bodily consciousness. Without it, you cannot be in symbiosis, it’s clear.
What did you feel exactly that changed?
I have observed in some people that there is more attention to things, which was not the case before. You are doing it systematically, but I have observed it also in others now, they are not only in their bubble or in their work, but also open to observe something else, and to integrate something else. Attention is directed automatically on anomalies, for example, or on how one can facilitate the work for the other. It is external consideration, it plays on it.
Not so long ago, I had the impression that this is real external consideration, the one we are talking about. And that’s why I had pointed this story about the wall’s need. We have spoken about the external consideration regarding the others, but there is the external consideration with respect to objects: if I see an object which is in unstable equilibrium, it may fall and break, and sure that it can impact others. But it also can not affect anyone, the object may simply risk breaking. And finally, if only for the object, I realize that it is an intervention in the moment.
And the anomaly detector is that too.
I can say that before I was really attentive to the plant and animal nature, but not really to objects. It makes a big change to integrate the objects and feel that relationship. That’s exactly what A. says. It cuts thoughts in such a phenomenal way.
Ah yes, it’s really radical. Body consciousness + symbiosis, then there!
And it reinforces at the same time the feeling that “everything is equally important”.
Yes, and non-separation too. When we are in this symbiotic consciousness, we have seen that there is automatically something that naturally feels responsible and takes care of what we perceive, what we use. And in extension of this, there is also automatically a trigger of the detector of anomalies, because an anomaly is when something is not like one feels it should be. There is a disharmony somewhere, in perception, and not because there is a concept behind it: “it must be like that.” It is a disharmony in perception, an anomaly. There is negligence, an oversight.
When there is this consciousness, the senses are refined, it is like a cleansing, an opening of the senses.
I feel a lot of people with the senses, especially with touching, for example if I touch someone I often get a lot of things. Also with a look. Often, I cannot look at people, because I see too many things. And smell too.
Einstein asked the question: “What if the universe was a friendly place?” We could apply that here. If the universe around each one, what we perceive, was benevolent? Even this towel.
What is funny is that we say that the universe is friendly, but that does not prevent me from taking a hammer and tapping on a nail. Actually, it has nothing to do with it. Even if at some point, I have to fight for my survival, it does not change the fact that the universe is friendly.
Ah! The Baghavad Gita!
It necessarily plunges us into the whole, we accept everything. There is not even a notion of good/not good, but simply accepting what is.
That’s part of the big YES. What is essential is that the relationship, with what we are doing, changes completely. It is not: I stick a nail, the wall resists, paf! It is a rather considered and conscious gesture, and quite respectful of the nail, the wall and the hammer.
The stone carvers know this well, the good gesture. We can understand it when seeing a dry-stone wall or a cathedral wall.
The block that the stone-carver works with his chisel is not his enemy, that’s clear.
This morning I helped A.M. to whitewash the chalets. This is the first time I have done this kind of work and my movements were a bit clumsy, I took time to find a smooth way to perform the task.
When we do something for the first time, it is often difficult to have the right movement quality. What helps the most in this case: observe someone who has the right movement, before starting to do. Unconsciously one imitates gestures, when the other really knows what he is doing.
Sometimes, I was too stuck to the result and I had lost the …
The global.
The global, that’s it.
And body consciousness too. When you focus, you lose body consciousness.
Yes, it happened several times during whitewashing the three facades.
I think that’s also what I saw this morning with the pipe.
Well, tell us your observation if you want.
A.M. and A. were recovering pieces of pipe. I went out of the workshop and saw A. with pipes rolled under the arm and pulling a whole set of pipes behind her. And, it was very special because a fleeting image imposed itself by seeing A. with her pipes: that of a concentration towards the front … It happened very quickly: a pipe got stuck somewhere, and this stopped her suddenly. It was clear that there was no anticipation of what could happen, that is, it stopped her like a dog who forgot that he has a leash! And for me it was clear that you were focused on advancing, forgetting everything else!
So you were not in symbiosis with the pipe, that’s for sure.
No, not at all!
This is what I said yesterday: look at your inner corners where you are careless. The poor pipes that have the fate to fall into your hands! Laughs When you start something, it’s good to look at the whole thing, because there is not only the pipe, but also the joints on the pipe that can sometimes come off when you pull too hard. That really means the whole thing: whether it’s the brush, the ladder, the pipes, everything you use, that’s part of it. You put yourself in symbiosis with all this to be able to take care of it.
As far as I’m concerned, it’s also happening with cars. I was very surprised sometimes of the breakdowns that arrived just in front of the garage! But before a long journey, I had spoken a little bit with the car.
Yes, for me it’s very obvious, it’s done naturally. Because I believe that there really is this symbiosis from the moment we are with an object, an animal or a man. And it’s not emotional for me. This is important because there are many people who are attached it.
It gives the impression of rediscovering the world! It reminds me some aspects of NLP, the meta programs, about the fact we exclude certain things of our consciousness. I excluded objects, and to see them like that, with this new look, there is everything that takes a consistency.
I noticed not too long ago that I also had a problem with the objects, and for a few months I am more “kind” with them. Before that, I would kick a door to go until make a hole in it! I’m softer with the objects, and that’s here I learned that. The exact word is benevolent, I am benevolent with the objects. It’s great!
A child must learn that an object is hard by banging into it. For a baby, I believe that objects are not yet objects. He learns little by little from experience, he does not think at first that it can be hard.
Or that fire can burn. He does not feel the danger. It bathes inside, there is no separation.
And we’re on the opposite path, now we know it’s hard, but deep down in consciousness, it’s also transparent. It’s from the same origin as consciousness.