I just happened on this video and thought it worth sharing. Something to think about when you're in the middle of some difficulty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkVKNi0ygik&feature=channel

It make me think (or reminds me) that our difficulties are not some hardship that is meant to burden us, but instead, they are designed specifically and personally for each of us, so that we may come to experience some greater sense of freedom, appreciation, joy, love, well being, peace, or some other wonderful feeling, in a way that we could not, had we not had the difficulty.

Phil

quote:

Originally posted by croz:
Hi

Fantastic discussion, but I still say, "why did Deeprak not just ring the lobby?"

I guess it is just my logical brain not allowing any deep meaning to an event, until I can file that query away.

Abundance to All

Croz

If I remember correctly, I think that he was unable to because there was a power outage, and thus, the elevator didn't work.

Hi

Fantastic discussion, but I still say, "why did Deeprak not just ring the lobby?"

I guess it is just my logical brain not allowing any deep meaning to an event, until I can file that query away.

Abundance to All

Croz

quote:

Originally posted by Phil:
Can you buy the idea that whatever problem or difficulty you experience, you somehow created and attracted or drew it to you and made it happen? (Or do you think the universe just randomly generates problems for people?)

I don't think it has to be either. Technology dies. Nothing lasts forever. NO amount of right thinking is going to make someone's dog outlive them. Should they come upon the possibly sad experience of their dog passing, the only thing that can be said they did to attract it was having the dog in the first place.

With technology it's even worse! If you Sony machine dies, the day after the warranty expires, in the middle of a presentation, did you attract this situation? Sony machines die.. often right after the warranty expires. It is so common, in fact, that Sony had to release an official statement claiming there is no such thing as a "Sony Timer" in their machines which purposely destroy them right after the warranty expires.

Don't get me wrong, I do believe that, "...whatever problem or difficulty you experience, you somehow created and attracted or drew it to you and made it happen...", but I also believe that:

A. Our actions play a part in this.

B. Things move along established lines of natural motion in this world.

So elevators break down, Sony machines die, radiators overheat, volcanos erupt and other natural things are just... natural.

quote:

Originally posted by Phil:
If we create our problems or difficulties, then we really MUST face and resolve them, if we are to experience the lives we really want to experience. If we are the ones who are unwittingly creating our own problems or difficulties, we MUST come to see how we are doing this, and resolve it in ourselves. If we don’t we will just keep creating the same kind of problem.

I think most people are subconsciously creating their problems by their words and actions, often over time. These are words and actions they may not even be aware of, or at least not aware of their consequences or effects on others.

I see far too many western foreigners here in Asia who seem to have absolutely no clue how they are relating to the local people. When they end up robbed, swindled or shot they, "...BLAME others or some external force (e.g., the economy, the government, society, circumstances, a fickle god, a random universe) for whatever problems..." they experienced.

quote:

Originally posted by Phil:
What do you think?

Phil

You make a very important point and I do actually agree with you, as far as how we create our own obstacles and the solutions for this, but sometimes I think elevators just break down too.

quote:

I guess that no matter how good we get at mastering prosperity like Deepak, none of us is above attracting difficult situations. The important thing to me is how we choose to see it. Makes me wonder why the Universe saw fit for Deepak to STOP. Hmmmmm....

Can some things be received and appreciated fully only if we have gone through a certain experience? Hmmm... why would the universe stop Deepak in the lift of all places? A lot of us get delayed for one reason or another.. in traffic, by projects, by people. maybe there is a lesson for all of us? to stop and fully experience the moment?

quote:

I don’t think anybody got why I posted this video....When I came across it, the thing that struck me (as significant) was not Deepak’s experience of it and how his friend pointed out that it was giving Deepak an inkling of what Mandela had experienced.

What struck me was how it was an unusual experience. I mean, how many of us get stuck in an elevator?

And the seemingly more important question that came up for me was: WHY did Deepak get stuck in the elevator like he did? And that led me to wonder:

Why do ANY of us experience the specific problems we do?

What an EXCELLENT question Phil. After you wrote this, I have been pondering the same thing for the past couple of days, and thought that I'd reply now. I guess that no matter how good we get at mastering prosperity like Deepak, none of us is above attracting difficult situations. The important thing to me is how we choose to see it. Makes me wonder why the Universe saw fit for Deepak to STOP. Hmmmmm....

Thanks for posting the question, it has given me some wonderful food for thought.

Love and Light,
Julia

I don’t think anybody got why I posted this video. Oh well,… Since Croz brought it back up I'll try again.

When I came across it, the thing that struck me (as significant) was not Deepak’s experience of it and how his friend pointed out that it was giving Deepak an inkling of what Mandela had experienced.

What struck me was how it was an unusual experience. I mean, how many of us get stuck in an elevator?

And the seemingly more important question that came up for me was: WHY did Deepak get stuck in the elevator like he did? And that led me to wonder:

Why do ANY of us experience the specific problems we do?

The answer, it seems to me, must be that each of us unwittingly CREATES the very problems we come to experience.

Can you buy the idea that whatever problem or difficulty you experience, you somehow created and attracted or drew it to you and made it happen? (Or do you think the universe just randomly generates problems for people?)

If we create our problems or difficulties, then we really MUST face and resolve them, if we are to experience the lives we really want to experience. If we are the ones who are unwittingly creating our own problems or difficulties, we MUST come to see how we are doing this, and resolve it in ourselves. If we don’t we will just keep creating the same kind of problem.

We are not allowed to run away from our problems. We are not allowed to BLAME others or some external force (e.g., the economy, the government, society, circumstances, a fickle god, a random universe) for whatever problems or difficulties we experience.

To have the lives we want, we MUST resolve our issues, problems or difficulties in some good way. They literally are OUR problems, specific to us.

Of course, the corollary is, our problems are always our specific OPPORTUNITIES. They are always the conditions that hold the key to some kind of greater good for us.

Problems or difficulties are merely evidence of our specific self-made or self-created obstacles made evident. In other words, if we didn’t have the belief to cause them, we couldn’t experience them. So, we need to discover the belief(s) that create our difficulties or problems, and resolve them, turn them into constructive beliefs, beliefs that support what we want, instead of what we don’t want.

What do you think?

Phil

Hi

That was a great way to do an analogy between confinement in a lift and what Nelson Madella suffered for 20+ years.

What I cannot understand is why Deepak did not just ring the hotel lobby!!!!

Abundance to All

Croz

Isn't it wondeful how Deepak used that experience which appeared terrifying on the surface, to learn such wisdom from?
Thanks so much for sharing, I really enjoyed actually listening to him, I've read his work and love it.

Thank you Phil for sharing this. It is very honest and very useful. It provides a lovely model on how to deal with challenges in a way that sees what happens as an opportunity to be larger than our present place.

love, Carolyn