Dear Wisdom friends:
Here is my own recommendation for inner work during this time of profound planetary readjustment. I will send you a fuller explanation as soon as I can, but the internet system has gone very wonky out here on Eagle Island, and you may need to be patient for my further elucidations of this admittedly countercultural course of action.
For those of you who have seen an advance manuscript of my book, this would be a course of action founded on the laws of World 24 (Imaginal) and above, not the laws of World 48 (our earth plane) and below that are presently running the show—futilely, in my estimation. This is not a temporary crisis to “flatten the curve.” This is a permanent and collective reset of our collective human conscience and will resolve itself only as a few more of us become willing and able to step up to the plate to live a different reality.
More on that to follow. For now, my “to do” list:
1. Get Joseph Azize’s new book, Gurdjieff: Mysticism, Contemplation, and Exercises (Oxford University Press, 2020)
Work diligently with some of the Gurdjieff exercises here assembled for the first time, particularly:
“Make Strong” (pp. 178-82)
“Four Ideals” (pp. 231-240)
“Lord have Mercy” (pp. 241-251)
“Clear Impressions” (pp. 261-269)
2. Continue your own daily practice of Centering Prayer, and within its gentle and surrendered atmosphere.
Do all you can to work as deeply into your being as you possibly can the truth of the Pauline affirmation
“Whether I live or die, I am the Lord’s.”
Work it in until there is no discrepancy between how it falls on your mind, your emotions, and your amygdala.
Work it in until you realize with all of yourself that it confers the only spiritual immunity, the only source of right action.
3. Radically decrease or discontinue altogether your use of internet technology—zoom groups, zoom church—to support social distancing. It is actually aggravating the problem by further intensifying the electromagnetic inflammation of the planetary atmosphere which is actually driving the contagion.
4. Physically connect (I mean in real space time) with at least one person whose life is already being physically impacted by this crisis (food shortage, income stream dried up) and try to help as best you can.
Lord have mercy on us all. Cynthia
A Note from Northeast Wisdom:
Joseph Azize quotes Gurdjieff in his new book: Gurdjieff: Mysticism, Contemplation & Exercises as he directs a person in an exercise:
Make a program.
Decide how much time you will spend on it…
Do it as a service. (p. 191)
We are so grateful for this work; which is chock full of carefully gathered, relevant notes and direct references like the one above. All of the exercises cited in this blog, “Pandemic Homework,” are in Azize’s book; including the “Atmosphere” exercise which Cynthia added to her “to do” list shortly after publishing this post. The book is available here on Joseph Azize’s website, for a 30% discount from Oxford University Press. It is also widely available online.
After first sharing her response to the pandemic sweeping the world in this post on March 23, 2020, Cynthia continues to write, expounding on the homework and exploring the exercises post by post. The series is underway full bore, and we are posting it on Northeast Wisdom as it unfolds. The course began with Pandemic Homework and followed with From the Eagle’s Nest (the background to the instructions); Foundational Points for the Five Pandemic Homework Exercises; Raised Cyber Eye-Brows: More on Internet Technology and the Pandemic Homework. The ensemble continues with a series of “Commentaries on Elements of the Exercises,” which began with “Clear Impressions”: …Part I; “Lord Have Mercy”: …Part II, A & B and “Lord Have Mercy”: …Part II, C.
Coming soon is commentary on the “Make Strong” exercise, in two parts, as well as the tentatively titled post: Going Forward… A Personal Statement re Time, Tides, Benedict and Zoom. Stay tuned!
I am deeply thankful. Joan
I was so excited to see this “Pandemic Homework.” Alas, like many, I no longer have a job and the cost of this book is prohibitive and gives it the sense of being “exclusive,” which is unfortunate and disappointing.
Amma C
my dear teacher,
i remember just a handful of things you had said during your last visit to the Festival of Fates here in my certified compassionate home field. (the rest of what you said is still in the process of coming to the surface.)
speaking as a Louisville grows citizen gardener (purple shirt and everything), wouldn’t you agree that truly the pot in which our contemplative prayer most flourishes is the “terra cotta” of self-forgetfulness? perhaps the only good pot for this sort of annihilation/full surrender! hardy-har-har.
but rather than get into that little controversial subject, allow my wife Annie and I to join with Pat McCabe and humbly say “we are with you” in whatever direction you choose to address the crowd from.
you know i love you.
Beloved Cynthia,
I’m so glad to see you are safely on Eagle Island. Thank you for using your broad communications to share the reality of what is actually transpiring with all those “who have ears to hear.” We join you at 24.3 and broadcast the power of Love as bioresonant entrainment. We begin the creation of heaven on earth following the path of the Christ. Be Well!
Interesting what you said, Cynthia, about internet technology intensifying the electromagnetic inflammation of the planetary atmosphere and driving the contagion. Would you say more about that such as how that happens or any elaboration you might offer?
Thank you. I was already looking at it after reading the article yesterday. I just hurdled over the price tag and the April 21 delivery date from the UK – with the Kindle version. I am slow with the exercises so will start this afternoon.
It would be great if all the people scheduled to come to Valle Crucis and/or Stonington could start now with the exercises. These are important encounters and we should arrive prepared.
agreed, Angel. What a great idea! I am already working with about five friends in this way: two of them on the ground in the UK, the others here. Maybe more could follow….
Thank you Cynthia. Is there any other way to access the book material you speak of? The cost for the kindle version of his book is $97 (!!) and the hard cover is around the same price(in Canada and the US)
Hello Heather.
I understand the dilemma regarding the price as these are and will continue to be difficult times for most of us. As we are all walking on this Wisdom journey together, if you would like the Gurdjieff book that Cynthia has assigned as homework (which, by the way, is a wonderful idea) I would like to purchase it and have Oxford University Press ship it to you directly. Please let me know.
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for your generosity, I’m just so touched by your offer, I’m rather stunned! I see from an email I just received that in collaboration with the school, Joseph Azize has made these exercises available to us. I haven’t looked closer yet since I just received the email this morning. I will look more closely and if there is no other way to receive these teachings, I will certainly accept your offer. My friend and I are taking Cynthia’s online wisdom school and we would both benefit from your generosity. Thank you again Heather
Hi Heather,
I am just happy to be able to help; especially as I feel this Wisdom is necessary for as many of us as possible, now more than ever. I took the Introductory Wisdom School course (though a few years ago and through Wisdom Way of Knowing) and was blown-away. It was an ah-ha moment in my life when all my previous searching came together and revealed my missing “key” to be in the lack of involvement of my heart. With a strong science/medical background leading to the Hermetic/Alchemy path, I have mostly lived in my head. Cynthia’s teachings have been instrumental in bringing the heart back into my quest. I am registered for the second Wisdom course, the Divine Exchange, through CAC in May and am extremely excited as I have been eagerly awaiting the chance to go further with her teachings! Best wishes for you and please let me know if I can help.
May Love and Light envelop all creatures of the universe in comfort
As we are all One,
Cheryl
My recurrent prayer is “turn then most gracious advocate thine eyes of mercy towards us.”
The emergence of a truly transformed humanity is under way and going through birth pains. Now is the time to rise as spiritual mid-wives.