Innocence & Ignorance

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

***

Hahaha ... what a wonderful release laughter is

***

It sure is!

I live alone and I don't go out much...I am trying to break old habits and get myself out of my "comfort zone'.

The experiences of the past few days have highlighted WHY I have "comfort zones' and also about conditioned preference based upon mistrust under the guise of "privacy' which the wealthy exploit.

So, to get me out of my "comfort zone" and my own head, two days ago, my social worker took me to the Nan Tien Buddhist temple for meditation, Darshan of Buddha and some lunch. While we were there, I picked up some brochures and information about a three day meditation retreat in November...I took the information home.

My mum is staying with me for a week...I picked her up yesterday.

After dinner last night, I took out the brochures from my bag and started reading them again.

Mum: "What have you got there?"
Me: "Brochures on the 3 day meditation retreat at Nan Tien".
Mum: "Why are you looking at that for?"
Me "Because I am considering doing it".
Mum "Is it expensive?"
Me: "Not really...it is $200 for dormitory accommodation, $250 for twin share or $300 for a private room".
Mum: "It would be much better for you to take a private room".
Me: "Why? I don't understand."
Mum "For privacy! You don't want other people looking at you, do you? Watching everything you do?"
Me: "That doesn't bother me".
Mum: "Then when your back is turned, you'll find all your stuff going missing...get a private room because you can't trust other people...you need to separate yourself from others".
Me: "It is not like I am going to take my life savings or all my gold to a Buddhist temple for a meditation retreat...if somebody wants to steal my old, itchy wollen shawl or my prayer beads, they are more than welcome to them.
Mum: "Suit yourself! Fine! I was only telling you what would be best for you and in your own interest...if you don't want to listen to me, then don't whinge to me if something goes wrong...which it most definitely will!"

Next time..

Mum "What have you got there?"
Me "I am sorry, but that is PRIVATE."

We live, we learn.

Originally Posted by Starman

Musings from the great outdoors. There is a difference between innocence and ignorance.

Innocence is inherent in the spiritual experience; a transformation occurs when we bathe in divine spirit and that transformation
returns us to a state of innocence. Some might ask, innocent of what? That is the worldly interpretation of innocence; an
interpretation that says innocent means not guilty. But what is the innocence we see in a new born baby?

In the spiritual sense innocence means to be in a state similar to that of a new born baby. In a spiritual sense innocence is a
supple presence that wraps you in the simplicity of overwhelming love and forgiveness. The innocence of that new born baby
remains within us all through our earthly journey. It is and innocence where you exist steadfast in the moment with no past or future.

A person who is innocent may be naïve by worldly standards, but by spiritual qualities they are not ignorant. Spiritual innocence
is a state of conscious awareness, while ignorance implies we are not consciously aware or we choose to ignore what we are
consciously aware of.

Within the word “ignorance” is the word “ignore.” Even in and unconscious state we may be ignoring conscious awareness.
All of the mistakes, challenges, problems, and mishaps, which I have had in my life came from a lack of awareness. Sometimes
I ignored the awareness I had and other times I was totally unaware. Within divine love exists the presence of innocence.

Our most true state is a state of innocence. One might say that while innocence is light, ignorance is darkness. True innocence
has nothing to do with guilt or lack of guilt, and ignorant unconsciousness plays its’ role in attempting to push us towards the light.
The interplay of darkness and light works differently for different people.

I once asked a person who had recently began alcohol treatment after a long history of alcohol abuse, how come you did not
seek treatment sooner. He replied “I had not reached my bottom yet;” which is another way of saying it wasn’t yet painful enough.
We all play, or have played, with the darkness. What would be the earthly journey if not for ignorance? After all the journey is one
of coming from a place of ignorance into more light. Awareness is light.

How does innocence live in a world of delusion and harm