Layered Impressions

I've been in awe lately of the seeming truth that when one speaks or writes about something, one soon after then receives another layer of understanding through a circumstance or event. Even after all these years and life-miles trekked, for some reason it is surprising that knowledge, understanding and impressions are layered.  The experience frequently is as if the universe provides an inkling and then a completely unexpected "lesson" follows; one I could never have asked for or anticipated (making it also apparent my imagination is not what it could be).  "Laws" are at work.  "Knowing" is relative and probably always partial. I am a pawn on a mega-universal chest board, an intimate set of related threads in a tightly woven cloth.

The often repeated adage:  "You teach best what you most need to learn" must be true.  And that probably goes for any of the communication arts such as speaking, writing even energy exchanging. Could it be any type of manifestation is the Guide presenting the next layer of understanding in the provided impression?  In this arena, choice, visioning or determination has little do with it.  If anything, that type of force only gets in the way.  In this way, the idea of manifesting a destiny, forming a purpose appears negligible.  Those past times are the ego's playground?

\Which brings us to two almost-popular holistic approaches to life.  1."Visioning": One feels into one's vision and purpose opens, and allows (universal?) energy to be attracted to the vision.  In this approach, the concept is that the magnetism of your wish attracts what is necessary to meet the vision, the allowed openness receives it. This approach is limited by ego involvement and imagination. 2. "Reception": One feels into oneself and aligns, priming receptivity for the universe to seamlessly direct. One does not determine the direction as in #1, but allows oneself to be led.  This approach is limited by one's capacity to maintain adequate relaxation, hence receptivity.  Because it is not directed by self, it is easy to lose the thread of intention.  These are two very different ideologies.  In one, we primarily believe in oneself (ego driven or not). The other believes the universe knows better than the self as far as determining the needed direction.  Both believe in the power of the macrocosmos to impact one's life; in the first instance, it is almost an adjunct, in the second it is the master.

The question is where does my executive self, my ego play a useful role?  Maybe, once the direction is established, the useful aspect of ego, the performer, the doer, can provide the needed manifestation toward fulfilling the direction. Possibly, this is not a question to be answered until I am quite familiar with the workings of the ego.  How has the ego been experienced? In First person ("I") or Second person ("She/He/It")? How have I experienced the hindrance, the passive, the positive of the ego engaged?  Most importantly, who in me experiences ego?  The ready judge? The alter-ego?  Is there in me a space of objectivity, a suspension of the many buffers that color and hide ego's work?  In "Visioning", it is difficult for it not to play a role (useful or obstreperous). In "Reception", there is almost an abdication of an ego role, at least in the pre-direction aspect.

Regardless, the sense of an impression being layered is profound.  It brings to mind the layers of fascia and sinewy ligaments that layer gorgeously over each other to create a whole slice of optimally functioning musculature, a working organ and system. These layers are timely; coming both in sometimes quick succession or with long pauses in between.  Our human experience.

\"As Schopenhauer says, when you look back on your life, it looks as though it were a plot, but when you are into it, it’s a mess: just one surprise after another. Then, later, you see it was perfect. So I have a theory that if you are on your own path things are going to come to you. Since it’s your own path, and no one has ever been on it before, there’s no precedent, so everything that happens is a surprise and is timely.  — A Joseph Campbell Companion: Reflections on the Art of Living.