Theos-Talk Archives (December 2009 Message tt00212)

Hello, 

One hears much of 'reaction-free awareness', as an approach to life, as a recommended alternative to the egoic fighting-stance.

One may come to see the illusory nature of `control' of life's events in order to be happy, _while_ inquiring/seeing; but in the midst of life's challenges one wonders whether these apply at all.

To take a simple daily-life occurrence: 
The (upstairs)-neighbour makes noise. Shocks from children's trampling on carpet-less floor, use of  hammers, washing machine after the allowed times according to the rules-of-the house. One complains to administration for years, but no improvement. And it is so, that the neighbour is employed by the administration office of the building. One of the administration-workers advised `if neighbour does not show consideration, then ?move-`. 
So, the one exposed to noise 'should move', while the other can carry on. (I probably would, but cannot afford it.)

This challenge does generate ?images- of these people, and of myself being subjected to injustice.

There are times when these mental formations are seen and there is a release of the trapped energy and so peace, and other times when the `unfair! - keep on fighting'-approach is taking over, and so the `being sucked in a vortex? of delusion' with subsequent drainage of energy, takes place. Not to mention the frustration of no-communication taking place, as shown by the brushing aside of the problem by the admin. via generalized and strategic avoidance-of-facts distorting/manipulative statements, such as "that is the way in a building with floors, it is normal to hear the neighbour".

There is a daily challenge reminded thru the fact of living there.
So it is not just a matter of the 'past'-recollection devoid of actual/present situation, is it? 

It (the noise and reaction) does not seem to be too healthy either, unless the awareness is acute enough to dissolve the absorption into the vortex or prevent it.

What I am trying to say essentially is, that there is this dilemma as to whether in such a situation, the `mainstream'-approach to fight what is `bad'/unjust, is not after all the appropriate one. 
Or is it?

Regards,
Jb