A Wolf Among the Sheep

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6 years 6 days ago #319347 by
A Wolf Among the Sheep was created by
You have decided that I am a wolf among the sheep. That I don’t deserve to be in this place. Maybe this is true, but where are you? I walk a path where success may seem unlikely, victory improbable and that may be. But if this journey were for everyone I would not want it. Victory comes in many forms but defeat only comes in surrender.

You stand there and you point to your own limitations and boundaries while proclaiming they should also be mine. But that’s the funny thing about personal boundaries. They really only exist where each of us individually place them. I place mine… behind me. You love to make things unnecessarily complicated. There is a reason for that. Its fear, fear of the unknown, fear of the cold, fear of being bested. Instead of walking into the darkness you cower by the fire, clinging to the majority and creating reasons why it’s too hard, too tough. You spend your time constructing distractions and making up excuses.

You have not been able to face that fact that, in reality, there is no hard and there is no easy. There is only the goal and the price that must be paid. Your eyes watch me, observing from a distance, wondering just maybe, if you could possibly be brave enough to do what I do. All the while never realizing that the darkness actually cannot be avoided. All that each of us really have control over, is how we confront it when it arrives, either on our terms or its terms. And it is your own indecision, frozen in fear, that allows it to consume you as it desires.

There is a saying. The wolf need not concern herself with the opinions of the sheep. Those that cower by the flame and watch and admire are also the first to judge and criticize, to condemn. But listening to that rhetoric only serves to contradict the very spirit inside that gives the wolf her power, her strength. Her ascent is menacing because she is not like everyone else. She dares to be different and that is threatening to the herd.

There will always be points in my life where the cliffs rise above me, the forest hinders my way and others tell me no, that I’m wrong. Perfect… perfect because this is my home, my unspoiled place. My “right now” that I revel in. Not a place of doubt but a place of passion. My promise to self to reach that summit unfolding before my very eyes as each second passes. This is my truth, this is my reality. Embracing what makes me different, not suppressing it. I fight for my separation from the herd by walking steadily into what most fight to avoid. I do this in pursuit of a return most only dare to dream of.

As far as I’m concerned you can either do the same or spend your life wishing that you did. Sheep stay within the confines of what they know, angry at those who dare to venture out, who want more. Yet they are angrier at themselves for staying right where they are, avoiding the fight, even running from it. Wolves know this is all there is, one chance, one opportunity. And they mean to take it. You call me manipulative, fine with me. But before you pass judgement, look hard at your reflection and then ask yourself, what are you? Admit to that truth and then live with it accordingly.

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6 years 6 days ago - 6 years 6 days ago #319348 by Proteus
Replied by Proteus on topic A Wolf Among the Sheep

There is a saying. The wolf need not concern herself with the opinions of the sheep.


For a self-proclaimed wolf, you seem awfully concerned here going through the trouble to write all of this. Why?

Are we so sure this doesn't have more to do with the writer than with the ones all this writing is pointing to?

How do we really know that our longing to be "different" (and the lengths we go to, to cling to trying to be) isn't just another illusion built by insecurities that most sheep tend to dream of anyway? :)

“For it is easy to criticize and break down the spirit of others, but to know yourself takes a lifetime.”
― Bruce Lee

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Last edit: 6 years 6 days ago by Proteus. Reason: Typos corrected
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6 years 6 days ago #319349 by Carlos.Martinez3
Thank you Kyrin for sharing your view. This exact view I've felt in my life as well several times. It's a common thing to some and for others a daily thing. How we win sometimes speaks louder and will out last the very valley we find ourselfs in. I hope you don't feel like your alone - your not alone in this temple - especially in this Temple. I don't respond to argue or even throw mud. Not my cup of tea.
I remember times in my own life when I first began to label myself Jedi I thought - dammit ---- why is every one so ef en stupid. My focus was way difrent than it is now, but these feelings of binding and the eyes of others eventually - for me - began to be my own self keeping me from seeing the bigger picture. Not saying that that's what it is to you - not at all-only telling you my own experience and what I went thru myself. Stay your course ... if you choose . Be the wind AND the sail as well as the water and the boat. I hope this encourages you not keeps you from your chosen course . For you - and rightfully , thanks to you- my in box is yours to use freely . May the force we share seek and serve find us both , as we seek it. Right in the thick of things ! Right there ! ( here)

Pastor of Temple of the Jedi Order
pastor@templeofthejediorder.org
Build, not tear down.
Nosce te ipsum / Cerca trova
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6 years 6 days ago - 6 years 6 days ago #319351 by
Replied by on topic A Wolf Among the Sheep

Proteus wrote: For a self-proclaimed wolf, you seem awfully concerned here going through the trouble to write all of this. Why?


It is for someone in particular. I'm not allowed to name who but they know who they are.



Proteus wrote: Are we so sure this doesn't have more to do with the writer than with the ones all this writing is pointing to?


Who is "we". Are there a group of you discussing this?



Proteus wrote: How do we really know that our longing to be "different" (and the lengths we go to, to cling to trying to be) isn't just another illusion built by insecurities that most sheep tend to dream of anyway? :)


I suppose that is for you, and this group of people you are referring to, to decide isn't it. For me, I know the answer, do you?
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6 years 6 days ago #319352 by
Replied by on topic A Wolf Among the Sheep
It is true that the approval of others is irrelevant when our actions match our values. Absolutely. But I think to a couple points of our doctrine.

I shall never seek so much to be understood as to understand.

Jedi are mindful of their thoughts. We recognise the beauty in others and we provide help to those who come seeking it. Through our benevolent actions we strengthen not only ourselves but also our communities. Jedi act without prejudice.

I take issue with the elevation of self to the stature of predator while viewing others as simple and docile prey. To me this only serves to divide and sever the connection and empathy needed to form a strong community. More importantly I wonder how effective a leader truly is with this mindset? The elitism itself is enough to choke on. It borders on narcissism.
Perhaps instead of focusing on the differences as weaknesses we should rejoice in the diversity of our experiences. People come from all walks of life and with unique perspective. Like the term "special snowflakes" being thrown as derogatory. It's ironic that it used to group together a very large group that shared different opinions, yet snowflakes are all unique in creation. They are unique yet they can come together and burry the landscape.
For myself, it's not the differences that matter. It's our ability to come together for something bigger.

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6 years 6 days ago - 6 years 6 days ago #319354 by Adder
Replied by Adder on topic A Wolf Among the Sheep
Fear is a good topic. A problem though IMO with the old 'litany against fear' is when viewing 'different' as 'dangerous', for it means your attacking it constantly, and therefore being wholly about fear!!! In the killing of it, out of fear which is veiled by false bravado, instead of actually overcoming it as an influence. A sheep in wolfs clothes is a silly sheep, for its either a dumb sheep that thinks its a wolf and runs off to promptly get eaten first... or is just pretending when there is no threat, for some benefit to self, and then reveals itself as a sheep when a wolf is needed.

But obviously asserting that a paradigm stating the reader is a defeatist, as reason for them to be defeatist, really depends on it being accurate, so I find it a strange post, as it seems to be targeted 'at' the reader. Where it sort of reads like the emperors new clothes... which obviously can be imagined on anyone, but really only believed by the person wearing it.

For example, I'm focused on subtle energies mostly, and so I really wanted to edit your essay to change 'you' to 'they' for it not to be a pain in the arse to read. Now its easy to say that means I'm weak and need to shield myself but it falls on one huge assumption.... and it is incorrect, in that it is actually not a weakness in my case, it just means I'm on a different (or different part of the) path which is not necessarily readily compatible. And it's not even a fragility, for it doesn't interfere with me, it just interferes with my efforts..... its counter-productive to my focus, not 'hurtful'. Any lack of engagement is not indicative of lack of capability to engage, but rather lack of relevance and different priorities. The worst thing to do IMO in that case is to assume therefore that they are weak! It's easy to do from a keyboard of course, but its still a waste of time IMO.

And there is a big difference there. My lack of connection therefore might be equivalent for the author to see it as some absolute failure and therefore open to any nature of failed interpretation in the absence of actual knowledge, but it would be delusion, and ignoring the realities and therefore the risk and rewards found in the truth. Since the truth is deeper and wider then we can swim, it is too easy to not get into the water and just walk along the shore - but if swimming is the reward, then your just sitting on the sidelines of the real show.

And so when you get people doing different things, it helps to understand what they are doing before entertaining an opinion about how it relates to oneself. Not just focus on where it doesn't, and then view it in that particular context... as that does nothing but to serve a stagnant rate of effort in oneself and remain unaware of the hidden opportunities. Growth does not occur in a vacuum, yes effort can - but a deeper path integrates more of self then just ones busy hands. One of the big lessons in life is to look around and see what you've missed because we all walk around looking for certain things which blinds us to a bigger world.

Knight ~ introverted extropian, mechatronic neurothealogizing, technogaian buddhist. Likes integration, visualization, elucidation and transformation.
Jou ~ Deg ~ Vlo ~ Sem ~ Mod ~ Med ~ Dis
TM: Grand Master Mark Anjuu
Last edit: 6 years 6 days ago by Adder.

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6 years 6 days ago #319355 by Manu
Replied by Manu on topic A Wolf Among the Sheep

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote: There is a saying. The wolf need not concern herself with the opinions of the sheep.


And yet you do. The way you express yourself reveals as much.

Fancy yourself the challenger? Are you sure you aren't sometimes bouncing back and forth between all three points of that nasty victim triangle?

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." - Goethe

The pessimist complains about the wind;
The optimist expects it to change;
The realist adjusts the sails.
- William Arthur Ward
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6 years 6 days ago #319356 by
Replied by on topic A Wolf Among the Sheep
I feel as if the original point of the thread was drowned out by some egos. What exactly was the point of posting this, and what kind of conversation did you hope it would spark?

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6 years 6 days ago #319363 by Proteus
Replied by Proteus on topic A Wolf Among the Sheep

Who is "we".


Yes that understandably needs some clarification. "We" is everyone who possesses an ego and regularly becomes lost in it for whatever natural reason that occurs. "We" includes you, myself, and everyone else reading along with us and particularly everyone of us who is here to learn about ourselves, or "re-learn" things about ourselves we regularly keep forgetting.

The ego, while it has its necessities for discerning and protecting our place and identity in the world, is what tells us "they are 'this' and I am 'that'", "I know better about this than they do and because of this, it must be shown". It is what tells us "They have said something and/or done something that must be one-upped, and this is my opportunity to upgrade my validity among this clan in hopes to solidify my feeling of belonging". It is that voice that bugged you and bugged you until you couldn't stand it and caved in to creating this thread to continue the "game", full of these opportunities to one-up an opponent.

I find myself observing that even if we believe we are not a sheep to a community, we can even more easily be a sheep to our own egos (being easily and deceptively driven around by its voice), resulting in these squabbles we see around the forum. The game goes like this: How "special" can I come off to be, in one of several ways (intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, morally), by doing something bold and different from the rest?

I don't find it necessarily bad to experience this - it is natural. However, it can come off silly (entertaining even) to hear someone speak as if they are the exception to such a fundamental rule of being human that is so undeniably common between all of us (and even plays out just in the act of them speaking in such a way that they are).

I think what I regularly spot are statements one points and shoots at another that also applies to themselves, even if not in exact wording, in exact principle. We observe some very interesting games of pots calling kettles black, and seeing the pot never notice it.

But that is the natural way of things, even here in this temple. I don't find myself having any complaints. I read these threads and have been learning a lot of fascinating psychological patterns that unfold, telling me a lot about what this temple may ACTUALLY be on about as opposed to what a lot of us are entranced into thinking its about. :lol: :)

“For it is easy to criticize and break down the spirit of others, but to know yourself takes a lifetime.”
― Bruce Lee

House of Orion
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TM: Alexandre Orion | Apprentice: Loudzoo (Knight)

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6 years 6 days ago #319369 by
Replied by on topic A Wolf Among the Sheep
You are making a problem where there is none Kyrin , your ramblings are keeping yourself chained, i cannot tell you what to do but for your own sanity stop acting like a catterpillar. For a catterpillar becoming a butterfly means certain death. For the butterfly its birth.. You cannot stay a catterpillar all your existence , you either become a butterfly , or you die ....You are right , growth is painful , now grow and stop complaining. I still believe in you!

And now i am done talking Butterfly bussiness with Catterpillars...:laugh:

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