The Smoke and the Fire of Catalyst

[Plenum]

I have found that the nature of catalyst is that it is as symbolic as one's dreams; ie, the surface presentation is not the actual catalyst (or rather it is the trigger, and the pointer). It is the smoke that is given off by the fire deeper below.

so quite often, we see the smoke, and interact with it, argue with it, exchange words with it, but it never gets to the level where the smoke can actually be addressed; ie working with the fire that is the origin of the smoke.

its the classic addressing the symptoms vs addressing the cause that our medical system is more founded on.

and here, in this analogy, even addressing the symptoms (the smoke) has zero effect, as interacting with smoke just waves it around; you can't actually 'change it' per se.

the fire down below, the imbalance, the root distortion, the emotional turmoil - that is where the locus of true action lies.

the catalyst may indeed be the pointer and the trigger (the smoke we can smell, see, and that interferes with a clear consciousness), but look just one step further down, and you will see the fire that is the causation.

address that, and the smoke disappears.

you can't fight with smoke and expect to win

[GentleReckoning]

I just got fired, so this is timely. =D

[native]

It's quite surprising how easily things wash away isn't it? It can also be pretty astonishing how symbolic the catalyst can be. Ra refers to the smoke as the prostituted entity, and the fire as the deep mind or roots of the mind.

"You may, with some fruitfulness, consider the possibilities of moonlight. You are aware that we have described the Matrix of the Spirit as a night. The moonlight, then, offers either a true picture seen in shadow or chimera and falsity. The power of falsity is deep as is the power to discern truth from shadow. The shadow of hidden things is an infinite depth in which is stored the power of the One Infinite Creator.

The adept, then, is working with the power of hidden things illuminated by that which can be false or true. To embrace falsity, to know it, to seek it, and to use it gives a power that is most great."

---

I just got fired, so this is timely. =D

Here's to new beginnings!

[kycahi]

I just got fired, so this is timely. =D

Jeez. Happy New Year and buh-bye.

[GentleReckoning]

Nah, this was timely. I'm grateful for the assist in looking elsewhere for opportunities to serve myself and others in third density.

[neutral333]

Yes, but the scary/exciting part is realizing that we are in love with the fire and sometimes realizing that diminishes said fire.

[falcor]

its hard to see the fire this is why we have the first distortion - free will.....after enough times of making 'the choice' in the face of 'smoke' we have a more clear opportunity to know ourselves and see the root of our beingness

good thoughts. thanks plenum

[Steppingfeet]

I have found that the nature of catalyst is that it is as symbolic as one's dreams; ie, the surface presentation is not the actual catalyst (or rather it is the trigger, and the pointer). It is the smoke that is given off by the fire deeper below.

so quite often, we see the smoke, and interact with it, argue with it, exchange words with it, but it never gets to the level where the smoke can actually be addressed; ie working with the fire that is the origin of the smoke.

its the classic addressing the symptoms vs addressing the cause that our medical system is more founded on.

and here, in this analogy, even addressing the symptoms (the smoke) has zero effect, as interacting with smoke just waves it around; you can't actually 'change it' per se.

the fire down below, the imbalance, the root distortion, the emotional turmoil - that is where the locus of true action lies.

the catalyst may indeed be the pointer and the trigger (the smoke we can smell, see, and that interferes with a clear consciousness), but look just one step further down, and you will see the fire that is the causation.

address that, and the smoke disappears.

you can't fight with smoke and expect to win

Great, illuminating analogy. I don't think that the "smoke" aspect of catalyst is quite so ineffectual in yielding self-understanding if the attempt is made to work with/understand/accept the smoke, but the analogy nevertheless is great in conveying how the primary cause is below the surface,under the soil, and generally out of view.

The other day I had a knee-jerk reaction to something. I thought how odd that I have this already formed opinion and reaction to an element of this moment. There was no seeming process or development of this opinion and reaction. There it was, already formed, already in motion, already judging the moment.

By what process had it been created? What personal history, what blockage, what distortion, what other dynamics converged to form this opinion? I don't know.

It lead me to a similar thought to your own. Being that I was only experiencing the smoke, essentially, or the tip of the iceberg, to use another analogy.

Same is true with the depressions that strike me or various other mental/emotional turbulence that not infrequently obscures the light and makes the journey difficult. In those cases I am only experiencing the *effects*, the smoke of an original cause. And so most of us go, suffering the symptoms while clueless about the cause; even for those spiritually oriented beings who intellectually grasp the original cause of suffering in a philosophical, abstract sense.

I wish the early Logoi had designed an alternate experiment to facilitate will and faith without needing to establish a veil and consequently rendering most third-density entities (on this planet at least) confused about, and ignorant of, the self.

[Rake]

I just got fired, so this is timely. =D

Same here.

[Poet]

How can one see the fire intead of the smoke?

[Spaced]

How can one see the fire intead of the smoke?

Turn the gaze inwards. Find what internal processes are attracting the catalyst in your external experience and analyze your thought patterns in regards to these things. This of course requires a level of honesty with yourself about your emotional state and the stressors and anxieties that can trigger emotional response.

[Namaste]

Indeed. Catalyst is designed to push your buttons, how it manifests is irrelevant; the true value is to see the catalyst as a mirror to your own distortions (hence the reaction, rather than response), and learn to let go in such situations.

The universe doesn't always manifest in context. It can find the most efficient path in which to give you the lessons/catalyst you need. Hence sometimes you'll meet a rather angry stranger.

[Steppingfeet]

How can one see the fire intead of the smoke?

In terms of becoming aware of subconscious material (aka: the fire in Plenum's analogy), there are some methods that come immediately to my mind, including:

--First and foremost, meditation.
--Dreamwork. Each night your subconscious speaks to you in the language of symbol and emotion.
--Journaling
--Hypnotherapy
--And certain psychedelic experiences have the potential to open direct windows into the subconscious mind, but this is to be undertaken very conscientiously, carefully, sparingly, and ideally with a trained facilitator.

With love/light, GLB

[native]

How can one see the fire intead of the smoke?

In addition to what has already been mentioned, a good place to start would be the healing exercises described in session 5. What they're describing is that all the qualities you encounter in others, are also within you in some form or another. So you first take all of what you consider "good" qualities within you, then find examples in which you exhibit the direct opposite of each quality.

You can then extend this to others when encountering catalyst. To be impatience/patience means that when you are bothered by someone acting impatient, you're responsible for taking the work you've done above, and use it to understand that you are also impatient. This is healing in the sense that rather than using experience to potentiate separation, you're using it to see unity, which is also referred to as merging with and serving others.

[reeay]

Getting to the 'heart of the matter' (to that fire) is much like peeling an onion. You go on an exploratory journey within and begin to shed one piece at a time, until you get to the core. In psychotherapy, one big part of the therapeutic process is understanding self and formulating the problem, then articulating the problems (the issue and the emotional experience around the issue) in a precise way. When you are able to clearly articulate those things, the emotional charge lowers, then new 'leads' are presented and you repeat the process until you get to the heart of things. You spiral closer into the fire, it gets too hot, you recede, then you get closer and recede, then get closer... It's a long-term process of exploration.

Symptoms are consequences of pre-existing problems, therefore within the cause-effect cycle, the symptoms are effects. The cause of the problem is actually the 'effect' of an even deeper issue. So I guess it's working backwards.