In or Out - A Dialogue
Okay, so everything is this ocean of Oneness, and from this ocean 'you'
arise as a wave.
Got it!
So now what?
What do you mean?
I mean, now that you're a wave, what do you do?
I don't know. Just be a wave, I guess.
Well, perhaps, but chances are it's more than that. Probably, one of two
things will happen: Either you will go out or in.
Explain please!
If you're a wave, one of several billion, you're not going to see much. Nor
are many other waves going to see you. So, you may want to get just a bit
above the other waves - perhaps get a better perspective - be a little
higher than the other waves. At first, it's innocent enough, but those
other waves are growing too, also trying to see (and be seen) over the
crowd.
Aha! Like a competition!?
Exactly. And you also need to defend your waveness from your competitors -
all those other waves. But, no matter what you do, there are always bigger
and better waves. Plus, there's always a feeling, perhaps even a knowing,
that ultimately, this is fruitless - because you're all just water.
So what happens?
Eventually, with luck, disillusionment sets in.
Ooh! Disillusionment - I like that word.
Yes. At first it might not be so much, but enough to question your motives
and actions.
Un-huh! And then what?
And then the out decides to go in.
What does that mean?
It means it goes in the exact opposite direction. Rather than trying to
expand out, it begins to contract in.
What does that look like?
At first, it might be confused. It still has this tendency to grow up and
out, but it's also now wondering about itself - what exactly IS it; where
did it come from, and so on. However, it is so conditioned now to look
outside itself that it will now look for bigger waves, or groups of waves
to anser its questions and give it answers.
Is that a problem?
Yes, because he can never know if that bigger wave or that group of waves
is right.
Ahhh! So what's the solution?
Turn 'within'. The wave must inquire into their own nature; explore their
waveness and their waterness, and ultimately, their Ocean-ness.
So why don't more waves do this?
Well, for one, it's hard. They have a long time habit of going and looking
out and of trying to defend their waveness. Even when they do try to go in,
they'll be distracted and again look out. All it takes is a moment of
looking out and they forget they were trying to look in. They have to keep
looking in, deeper and deeper without being, or allowing themselves to be
distracted! Or sometimes, they get a little idea - a little taste - and
figure, "good enough", and then head back out again, most likely to show
the other waves how much more they know.
Tsk, tsk! That's horrible.
No, it's just 'wave-nature'. Old habits die hard. The solution is to
recognize the backslide, the out-looking nature, and continue the inquiry -
ever deeper and deeper.
What will happen then?
Through this constant inquiry, gradually, the attachment and
identification with the waveness will minimize and the recognition of being
waterness and Ocean-ness will expand, thereby regaining their qualitative
One-ness.
Cool!
Definitely!
arise as a wave.
Got it!
So now what?
What do you mean?
I mean, now that you're a wave, what do you do?
I don't know. Just be a wave, I guess.
Well, perhaps, but chances are it's more than that. Probably, one of two
things will happen: Either you will go out or in.
Explain please!
If you're a wave, one of several billion, you're not going to see much. Nor
are many other waves going to see you. So, you may want to get just a bit
above the other waves - perhaps get a better perspective - be a little
higher than the other waves. At first, it's innocent enough, but those
other waves are growing too, also trying to see (and be seen) over the
crowd.
Aha! Like a competition!?
Exactly. And you also need to defend your waveness from your competitors -
all those other waves. But, no matter what you do, there are always bigger
and better waves. Plus, there's always a feeling, perhaps even a knowing,
that ultimately, this is fruitless - because you're all just water.
So what happens?
Eventually, with luck, disillusionment sets in.
Ooh! Disillusionment - I like that word.
Yes. At first it might not be so much, but enough to question your motives
and actions.
Un-huh! And then what?
And then the out decides to go in.
What does that mean?
It means it goes in the exact opposite direction. Rather than trying to
expand out, it begins to contract in.
What does that look like?
At first, it might be confused. It still has this tendency to grow up and
out, but it's also now wondering about itself - what exactly IS it; where
did it come from, and so on. However, it is so conditioned now to look
outside itself that it will now look for bigger waves, or groups of waves
to anser its questions and give it answers.
Is that a problem?
Yes, because he can never know if that bigger wave or that group of waves
is right.
Ahhh! So what's the solution?
Turn 'within'. The wave must inquire into their own nature; explore their
waveness and their waterness, and ultimately, their Ocean-ness.
So why don't more waves do this?
Well, for one, it's hard. They have a long time habit of going and looking
out and of trying to defend their waveness. Even when they do try to go in,
they'll be distracted and again look out. All it takes is a moment of
looking out and they forget they were trying to look in. They have to keep
looking in, deeper and deeper without being, or allowing themselves to be
distracted! Or sometimes, they get a little idea - a little taste - and
figure, "good enough", and then head back out again, most likely to show
the other waves how much more they know.
Tsk, tsk! That's horrible.
No, it's just 'wave-nature'. Old habits die hard. The solution is to
recognize the backslide, the out-looking nature, and continue the inquiry -
ever deeper and deeper.
What will happen then?
Through this constant inquiry, gradually, the attachment and
identification with the waveness will minimize and the recognition of being
waterness and Ocean-ness will expand, thereby regaining their qualitative
One-ness.
Cool!
Definitely!