Joseph Ghaleb

Moroccan pit stop with my brother — 6th mint tea of the day

Essaouira

« Many people are comfortable with one of these 3 faces of Spirit, but get a little bit stuck in acknowledging the others. The theistic traditions, of course, are very comfortable with Spirit in 2nd-person, but often have a great deal of trouble feeling into the dimension of this moment that is Spirit in 1st-person, or the great I‑I in their own awareness. And, of course, starting with Jesus of Nazareth and running through al‑Hallaj and Giordano Bruno (to name a very few), as soon as somebody claimed to have realized Spirit in 1st-person mode, they were crucified, hanged, or burned. (“Why do you stone me? Is it for bad works?” “No, not for bad works, but because you, being a man, make yourself out to be God.”) In today’s “new paradigm” spiritual movements, we usually see the opposite problem: a complete loss of Spirit in 2nd-person. What we find instead are extensive descriptions of Spirit in its 3rd-person mode, such as Gaia, the Web of Life, systems theory, akashic fields, chaos theory, and so on. This is coupled, to the extent there is a practice, with Spirit in 1st-person modes: meditation, contemplation, Big Mind, Big Self, Big Me. But no conceptions of a Great Thou, to whom surrender and devotion is the only response. This amounts to nothing less than the repression of Spirit in 2nd-person. Remember, all 3 faces of Spirit are simply faces of your deepest formless Self, or the 3 faces of Primordial Self/Spirit as it first manifests. The 4 quadrants, or simply the Big 3 (I, We/Thou, It), are the 3 fundamental dimensions of your Primordial Unmanifest Self’s being‑in‑the‑world. In short, failing to acknowledge your own Spirit in 2nd-person is a repression of a dimension of your very being‑in‑the‑world. » —Ken Wilber

“The mind that seeks liberation
is like a thief looking for a jewel in his own pocket.
The truth is simple and open —
why run outside in search of it?”
— Quote from Saraha – The Dohākoṣa (Treasury of Songs)

Guincho Beach, Lisbon. Come for the views, stay for the free exfoliating sandstorms.

Sintra 2022

Q: How do I practice living out of intention as opposed to just hope?

-

Well, I think it’s important to first make a clear distinction between the two, conceptually and practically.

Then once the two are parsed apart and defined clearly, you can then begin to objectively investigate what it ACTUALLY FEELS like to hope, and what it ACTUALLY FEELS like to intend.

This is where developing body awareness and subtle mindfulness is critical for any deeply lasting change.

Hope in my experience usually comes across as feeling more abstract, distant, and lacking agency.

Intention though, when willed meaningfully seems to feel more conscious, immediate and agentic.

For instance:

I intend on drinking more water.

I intend on sleeping early, etc.

“I hope to drink more water” doesn’t sound quite as convincing does it..

And that is kind of what this is about; embodying conviction, now. Not later.

Then things naturally begin to feel hopeful.

Joseph Ghaleb

For more information: www.josephghaleb.com

Hello all,

I have been very silent, and am slowly adapting to big changes.

I am at my best when I intentionally respond to people’s very specific needs.

So, whoever is here, speak up and share what kind of topic you’d like me to talk about.

Or even better just leave a question in the comments, and we’ll get into it deeply, freshly and relevantly.

Here are a few seeds of inspiration:

Masculine Feminine Interplay, Imagination, Stable Confidence, Emotional Maturity, Ego, Pleasure, Rejection, Gender Roles, Attention, Addiction, Friendships, Social Health, Community, Intimacy and connection, Purpose, Romantic Compatibility, Creativity, Uniqueness, Freedom, Respect, Boundaries, Trust & Safety.

Learn more here:

www.josephghaleb.com

Joseph

Avoidance is never good.

The faster we can be mindful around our chronic impulse to dismiss, disengage and neglect, the faster we can put an end to the ways in which we find ourselves unconsciously postponing making contact with the vitality and aliveness of life, relationships and emotions.