Comments on: The Natural Thing http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/ The weblog of Nate Cull Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:45:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nate http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-179 Nate Thu, 04 Oct 2007 06:10:27 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-179 Well, part of my deep fear of meditation (even of quiet mindfulness) I think springs directly from my Pentecostal roots: a fear of being 'taken over by evil spirits', particularly when 'magic words' such as 'the name of Jesus' or Bible passages aren't used. There's the whole thing of 'but Eastern religions promote meditation, and they don't use the name of Jesus, therefore they're wrong, therefore whatever good might come from the techniques they promote must be a counterfeit, therefore evil. And because it looks so good, it must be such a powerfully deceptive counterfeit that it must be really, really evil.' The road to getting to the point where I'm not afraid of the quiet of my own mind has been a long one, and I'm still not done. Well, part of my deep fear of meditation (even of quiet mindfulness) I think springs directly from my Pentecostal roots: a fear of being ‘taken over by evil spirits’, particularly when ‘magic words’ such as ‘the name of Jesus’ or Bible passages aren’t used. There’s the whole thing of ‘but Eastern religions promote meditation, and they don’t use the name of Jesus, therefore they’re wrong, therefore whatever good might come from the techniques they promote must be a counterfeit, therefore evil. And because it looks so good, it must be such a powerfully deceptive counterfeit that it must be really, really evil.’

The road to getting to the point where I’m not afraid of the quiet of my own mind has been a long one, and I’m still not done.

]]> By: jaraan http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-177 jaraan Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:25:30 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-177 Whatever you are doing, does not seem the right kind of meditation for you... Anyway no more advice, no more opinions. I think I better love you and leave you now. So long and God bless Whatever you are doing, does not seem the right kind of meditation for you… Anyway no more advice, no more opinions. I think I better love you and leave you now. So long and God bless

]]> By: jaraan http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-176 jaraan Wed, 03 Oct 2007 09:59:30 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-176 It was an honest question, of which I was not sure,if you would want to answer...... "Losing your self or soul to what or who other?" Who is around, when you are alone? You don't have to answer these questions. It was an honest question, of which I was not sure,if you would want to answer…… “Losing your self or soul to what or who other?” Who is around, when you are alone? You don’t have to answer these questions.

]]> By: Nate http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-174 Nate Wed, 03 Oct 2007 09:28:46 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-174 "What are you imagining and afraid of surfacing that could not be dealt with or be put under the blood of Jesus?" I'm not sure if that was an honest question or a rhetorical one, but I'll assume the first. Primarily my negative reaction to meditation is a deep fear of psychological torture and mind-control and of losing either my self or my soul to the ungentle will of another. It usually manifests in the form of a stiffness in my muscles, as if I am clenched, unable to either move or escape. In the times when I get past that, I tend to find myself in a realm of deep sorrow; a sense of great absence, weariness and loss. Often I find myself getting past both of those to a sense of joy, but it is usually a rough ride getting there and often I am physically exhausted from the process. “What are you imagining and afraid of surfacing that could not be dealt with or be put under the blood of Jesus?”

I’m not sure if that was an honest question or a rhetorical one, but I’ll assume the first. Primarily my negative reaction to meditation is a deep fear of psychological torture and mind-control and of losing either my self or my soul to the ungentle will of another. It usually manifests in the form of a stiffness in my muscles, as if I am clenched, unable to either move or escape. In the times when I get past that, I tend to find myself in a realm of deep sorrow; a sense of great absence, weariness and loss.

Often I find myself getting past both of those to a sense of joy, but it is usually a rough ride getting there and often I am physically exhausted from the process.

]]> By: jaraan http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-171 jaraan Tue, 02 Oct 2007 11:09:14 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-171 "Most of my issues....." What are you imagining and afraid of surfacing that could not be dealt with or be put under the blood of Jesus? "Fear not, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." “Most of my issues…..” What are you imagining and afraid of surfacing that could not be dealt with or be put under the blood of Jesus? “Fear not, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

]]> By: Nada http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-168 Nada Mon, 01 Oct 2007 06:05:00 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-168 No fun at all, just pumpkins, grapes, apples and things arranged in a pleasing manner on a table. No fun at all, just pumpkins, grapes, apples and things arranged in a pleasing manner on a table.

]]> By: Nate http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-167 Nate Mon, 01 Oct 2007 05:43:14 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-167 “Now who managed to convince you?”

About the need for inner quietness? I’ve been convinced of it for several years now. But it’s still hard to do, and I need to do it more. Most of my issues around meditation and centering still revolve around gut-level fear of the process, and of what surfaces during it. One of the reasons why I enjoy a church with a fair bit of liturgy and ritual in it at the moment is that it helps create a little bit of space for inner reflection.

“Today is actually what is called in German “Erntedankfestâ€?=Thanksgiving for the harvest, which is not the same as Thanksgivingday in the States. It corresponds to Sukkot, feast of booths or tabernacles.”

Sounds like fun!

]]> By: Nada http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Nada Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:09:34 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-166 Now who managed to convince you?..........Church was nice. I'm feeling good for once. Just don't ask what kind of church, I'll have to find the pamphlet first. Spirit filled. You might have liked it. Somebody mentioned Ps.107 and I thought of you. Today is actually what is called in German "Erntedankfest"=Thanksgiving for the harvest, which is not the same as Thanksgivingday in the States. It corresponds to Sukkot, feast of booths or tabernacles. Someone else talked about a breadbowl missing from the table. Of course I felt addressed personally. Have been missing from some table somewhere, all I need to figure out is which one. Also I think I have changed somewhat. Am less critical than I used to be. Guess as an artist you need to be critical to a certain extent. Anyway, maybe I'll take a look at Joel now. I think it might not be that much to read. Now who managed to convince you?……….Church was nice. I’m feeling good for once. Just don’t ask what kind of church, I’ll have to find the pamphlet first. Spirit filled. You might have liked it. Somebody mentioned Ps.107 and I thought of you. Today is actually what is called in German “Erntedankfest”=Thanksgiving for the harvest, which is not the same as Thanksgivingday in the States. It corresponds to Sukkot, feast of booths or tabernacles. Someone else talked about a breadbowl missing from the table. Of course I felt addressed personally. Have been missing from some table somewhere, all I need to figure out is which one. Also I think I have changed somewhat. Am less critical than I used to be. Guess as an artist you need to be critical to a certain extent. Anyway, maybe I’ll take a look at Joel now. I think it might not be that much to read.

]]> By: Nate http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-165 Nate Sun, 30 Sep 2007 07:26:09 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-165 Scary indeed! Hope you survive the experience! We read the whole book of Joel tonight at one of the churches I go to. (Called the 'Stoning the Prophets' series). Then there were reflection stations with poems (Anne Weems and Joy Cowley, mostly) about deserts, repentance, dreams, and spring. It's true that I need to learn how to be still and go inward more. Scary indeed! Hope you survive the experience!

We read the whole book of Joel tonight at one of the churches I go to. (Called the ‘Stoning the Prophets’ series). Then there were reflection stations with poems (Anne Weems and Joy Cowley, mostly) about deserts, repentance, dreams, and spring.

It’s true that I need to learn how to be still and go inward more.

]]> By: Nada http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-164 Nada Sun, 30 Sep 2007 06:56:19 +0000 http://natecull.org/wordpress/2007/09/29/the-natural-thing/#comment-164 In an hour I'm going to church for the first time in about 4 years. What did you say? "Eek, scary!"? In an hour I’m going to church for the first time in about 4 years. What did you say? “Eek, scary!”?

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