Open forum to talk about Earth Empaths' purpose and guidance

[Christine]

Earth Empaths forum came into being rather magically for it was a gift from a friend. One morning while still in Ecuador I woke to find links to two websites and the forum in my mail box. I received this gift with joy and still do. It is an experiment really, for we never made rules and we don't have any ongoing chats about how to administer contributors or content. Please note a dislike for concepts like members, admins and ownership. We each have a contribution to make via our words, our research, and by openly sharing our lives, our loves and our dilemmas. We each have the freedom of our individualized assessment of what we read here as to whether it has value or not.

In the over two years that this forum has existed there have been only a few occasions where myself or another stepped in with an action of moderation.

Alluding back to another thread I posed some questions and they are ones I think we few that contribute here are ready to address and that is to discuss how any group, be it a small forum or a large societal group can be guided peacefully and fairly. Words are often traps so I purposely did not use governed. My inner concept is one of stewardship, a temporary function that means to take care of, and even that word fails to convey deeper insights.

I will make an assumption something that I am not prone to but will right now for the purpose of this thread, and that is that those of us who post here find value in the continued existence of the EE forum. It is with this spirit that we openly discuss issues that may arise, that we propose ideas of any actions that may be necessary and how those actions are decided upon.

[Spiritwind]

How a group can be guided peacefully and fairly is a good question. It can be applied to numerous situations, from things like this forum, to personal relationships, and the workplace is another. And I don't have an easy answer, as each situation merits a difference response. Really listening and hearing what another is trying to say is a good place to start.

But we can only be as good in our assessments as the clarity beyond our filters allow. At least, that is my experience. It also seems to have something to do with how each of us define our personal boundaries. And sometimes in our interactions, both in person and online, we don't even know we've crossed another person's boundary until it's in your face. Then there is this problem of varied backgrounds and experiences that shape each one of us into who we are.

For instance, due to having felt quite traumatized by my early environment, for a lot of my adult life I realized that I had a problem with setting appropriate boundaries. I had a high tolerance for inappropriate behavior because it seemed normal to me at one time. What I would put up with and dish out to others has changed dramatically over time, as has how I deal with any conflict that arises. Because I am constantly checking my own motives, I have had to change the way I respond as I gain new insights into how to be the best version of myself.

But not everyone self reflects to that degree, or is able to see the interconnectedness of everything on an energetic level. It's like we can use our known senses, sight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing and be very practical minded about things. You know, nuts and bolts, here's the evidence therefore where I am going with it is irrefutable. It makes sense.

But, from what I can see, there is something that cannot be understood in a purely logical earthbound way. There really are such a wide variety of people looking at this phenomena that doesn't fit inside how most of us were taught to perceive the world around us. It's like comparing the approach of psychologists B. F. Skinner and Albert Bandura together.

And always, after some time, maybe simply by the laws of attraction, we'll start to create our own little universes that sort of begin to gain an impetus of their own by our combined energies. It's like a magnet for some, and for others it repels. For those who feel drawn together for a time, there will be some who sort of resonate together. There will also, over time, be some who naturally provide a counter flow of energy in the other direction. It's neither good nor bad, but it tends to manifest in some sort of disagreements over time. It's like a counterforce that creates, actually, growth and movement. But it also feels uncomfortable, and most of us, especially those who tend to be very sensitive to these types of disturbances, tend to go out of our way to avoid them because they are so uncomfortable. I have seen this with people outside of this forum and know it to be a common phenomena. But real growth and change often takes some periods of discomfort along the way

You see, some of us are and have been becoming quite adept at traveling with our consciousness, together even, as a group outside of our physical form, to almost anywhere we want to go. Once you've had that experience, you really are never the same. So you have people here at all different places in their spiritual development, from it not being a focus at all, to it being ones primary focus. About the only thing you could say all of us share in common is the realization of how much we have been collectively deceived, and a desire to commune about the kind of topics that arise from this realization.

But there is also this thing in our interactions. Sometimes we run across someone who is either unaware of the way they come across, or they just don't care. So they can feel kind of like someone who is in your face all the time, telling you how it is, and like they are poking their finger in your chest to make their point. It may just be their style, you know, how they are. But it does not take away the way it really feels to others, or make everyone wrong that complains about it. I've had to work with someone like this in real life. Not a bad person, and I really don't think this person was aware of the effect it was having on others (and sometimes I don't even have a clue in how I'm really affecting others). A few finally got pushed too far and said straight up how they felt, me being one of them. But we had to be pushed first, because it just wasn't our normal approach, to be "in your face".

Then there is also what I have seen in the difference between the way men and women approach things. Guys do tend to be more direct and of fewer words, although not always. And I have met some men and women who like to heatedly debate things. But when they try to do so with people who are primarily oriented to a spiritual approach, it will generally not be well received. I know for myself, I used to be more logical, down to earth, and practical. I live far more in a world that doesn't even feel that solid anymore, and am learning to be comfortable with that. After all, we are spirit first, and having a physical experience second, not the other way around.

I know I rambled all over the place, but this is what came out as I thought about this issue of how to maintain a peaceful forum that fairly deals with conflict when it arises. I could probably ramble on some more, but I gotta go get to work now. You know, the down to earth chores that help keep me grounded in this reality, at least for the time being. No matter whether we agree sometimes or always, I can still honor each of us for being where we are in our understanding of things. Heck, if we put even the handful of families I live around in a room together for very long, I can tell you, things would get very dicey, probably very quickly too, with the personalities I know to be involved. It's a dance, this learning to get along. You don't have to look very far to see that humanity has a long ways to go yet.

[maggie]

cross post from the litter-ary box.

I really don't have any desire to moderate a forum and won't give my time to these actions for much longer. It should also be noted that I personally pay for the server every month and had to borrow money to do so yesterday. It isn't a lot and I am happy to continue to do so as I have received value in return, more on that on another post. To those who have contributed money I am deeply grateful for many of us are scraping the bottom of the barrel financially.

To every single one who has contributed to this forum I am grateful. Do keep in mind we have a public readership, not great in number perhaps but if our words, our love, our desire to share our truths, to inspire others is to have any impact it won't come from creating controversy.

Love unbound, fierce and free.

Christine

Where people feel responsible for "what is happening" and will take care without being "ordered", THAT attitude is contributive and is owning IMO.
This is Christine's project and she invites us. Thanks!

I don't understand others motivations? Some weird reactions occur to words. for instance, I have observed forum reactions that seemed quite "untethered" to the post content. There does need to be an inner sense of humor about words. Can words hurt us? People also believe they can be energetically touched through the internet. It assumes that someone seeks to use words and thoughts and energy as a weapon.

IMO this doevetails for me with how we craft our world view and are "in our world". accordingly.

I had the experience of a forum member seeing me as trying to thwart his thread. I did not understand why one would not just ignore the unwanted?
Mostly people ignore me if they are not interested. One of the things about "threads and posts ZEITGEIST": maybe some others don't like what is shared in principle?

Maybe they don't want to be associated with the spirit of what is emphasized? I don't really want to associate with paranoia heavy beliefs so I don't engage. Obsessions about wrong doing from the past and rehashing old injury seems to me really counter productive for my mind. This brings up the "definition" of trolls and "thread ownership" and "acceptable conduct".

I would never take on being "gate keeper" or "moderation" as a job. Becoming embroiled in others antipathies would be nauseating to me. I see myself gagging.

It may be that there is a cross roads though in "information" sharing? Information from across the media channels is splintering, proliferating and cascading as a tsunami of words and images. How does one sort all this out? I don't think it is possible to do this sorting with any trust the results mean truth. It is very confusing. That is why I am using my own body reaction as a tool.

I have settled in my own insistence that all of what I take in is RELEVANT only if it can be digested and be nourishing.I taste many things and I AM ready to spit out the roots and berries that are poison. This works for me. I use smell too to avoid even getting close to yuck.

Having a place to participate in writing and sharing helps me because I am sure I write and speak to what I need to hear? I feel like I use this service and will contribute my mite.
I pledge $5.00 contribution per month. If the forum continues to build community and is helpful, it ought to attract more "owners". If 10 people agreed today.... it is only $50.00. That is a start?

[Christine]

Cross posting too...

Maggie and Spiritwind you are awesome and your posts certainly didn't belong in the litter box, I liked maggie's changing it to litter-ally (I think I modified it even further) and I am a full fledged advocate for maintaining a sense of humor for it goes a very long way in defusing tensions. There is nothing more freeing than being able to laugh, first of all at your self and then you can more easily extend the laughter to others idiosyncrasies.

i am aware that my energy was a primary reason Earth Empaths was formed and do assume a certain role as care giver, nurturer and if need be moderator. I maintain that for the most part we are a self-moderating group even when riled up.

I want to thank Spiritwind for her past financial contributions and more so for her prolific contributions to the forum and truly inspiring sharing. She has kept the forum going during its most stagnant periods and watched over it with care while I was off on adventures. I guess like you are saying Maggie, if those who choose contribute something financially it is truly our forum and we can accept a stewardship role. I still like the concept of stewardship more than owner.

Adding that Spiritwind's post echoes my own feelings and points to what we as a collective are confronted with on all fronts daily.

[Sandy Clark]

In reference to your Dance comment Spiritwind,

I had all kinds of dance steps come to mind and images of the tango, waltz, two-step, polka, jitter bug....hahahhahaha

EE siblings came together to dance through the latest issue through partnering. When the waltz wasn't working someone stepped in with the two-step and then later another cut in with a tango and off another went with the jitter bug and on and on...........what a beautiful ensemble!!

Personally the open communication, patience, kindness, along with all challenges and boundaries were artful and purposeful, resulting in all being valued for their dance style and unique step in getting through this issue. What more could a FORUM TEAM or FAMILY ask for? No Divide and Conquer here.............Well done I say!!

You are so on target to opine; Maggie, Spiritwind, Christine, that it is all our place to step up or in to take care of, administer and maintain EE; our online home and to do our part in making sure the dance is accompanied with the greatest of care and concern. I think this latest dance was a fine example of such and if we continue to do this we will grow and evolve in all ways, always.

[LostNFound]

A purpose, to learn, to grow, to open closed doors of the heart and the mind. To rise above, to break the chains that have been wrapped around the ankles of time. Yes, to discern, to discuss the inner being, the outer world, the issues that bind us and how to see the so many different ways to understand how to solve, how to apply salve that can and does heal the open wounds or the closed over wounds that never heal until one confronts and feels the pain. To gain wisdom, to know a brother, a sister, to see that the common thread of love and being is and has always been there.

EE is a place to come and do this. It should not and cannot have a number value placed upon it. This is our, your own body, mind and should be tended to as life, love, oneness is counted the value. It is suggested that it is owned by all. That is the deeper sense of it. All that I or you or we have is here. That is this place is it not. If a sore or hurt arises then must it be healed? If a blight arises then must it be treated and removed in order to maintain the health of the body?

I am a rambler, yes I am. I use an imagination that has always been in the deeper wells of my existence, I create solid and transparent substance with my imagination. I am a rambler, yes I am.

EE is like unto a garden and when we enter, I, you, we should always tend to it, so it is beautiful and it blooms in all of its glory, I am a rambler, Yes I am but I touch, I see and I do and will tend this Garden, may we all.

https://youtu.be/ne3894zNTsA

The flowers are beautiful, the fruits, the vegetables are sweet and tasty
While in EE; I shall tend this garden

I am a rambler, Yes I am
Steven

[Chicodoodoo]

... and that is to discuss how any group, be it a small forum or a large societal group can be guided peacefully and fairly. Words are often traps so I purposely did not use governed. My inner concept is one of stewardship, a temporary function that means to take care of, and even that word fails to convey deeper insights.

To be guided requires a guide. A guide is someone who is already familiar with the territory through direct experience. I suggest that in regards to online forums, no such guide exists. All that has existed in the past for online forums is governance, primarily dictatorship. That is largely due to the design of forum software, where one user, the administrator, has the god-like powers of censorship and banishment.

The ugly truth is that we have to find our own way. We have to do this ourselves, without guides. And because many of us are still children, we want a parent to guide us. But that's not going to work, because in reality, there are no parents. The parents we have are just slightly more experienced children.

There is evidence that "advanced" ETs are watching us. They are especially interested in our abuse of nuclear power and may even be interfering in our nuclear affairs. ETs have an interesting problem with the human species -- how to let humans exercise their free will but keep them from destroying themselves and everything else on the planet. That is a difficult problem, not unlike the one Christine has brought forward here for our discussion, i.e. how can contributors exercise their free speech but not destroy the forum. Of course, in reality, there is little danger that a legitimate forum will be destroyed by free speech. Members may get upset, angry, hurt, and emotionally traumatized (are written words really that powerful?), but what the members really fear is not the forum being destroyed, but their comfort being disturbed.

Alex Collier claims that the ETs think we should open ourselves up to being "mentored", and Alex asks us to ask ourselves "What would that look like, being mentored?" We humans immediately assume that the ETs are offering to be our guides, or our "parents", but that won't work. Humanity has to find its own way. Humanity has to mentor itself. "We" have to be our own mentors. But the "we" is not the people we are now, it is the people we want to become. It is similar to the saying "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

So apply that wisdom to this forum. Some of us want peace, harmony, and comfort, so we naturally judge posts by how well they facilitate those things. That makes the entire "Hitler's War" thread "bad". On the other hand, some of us want truth, regardless of how discomforting it is, and that makes the entire "Hitler's War" thread "good". Likewise, in any forum, or any human group for that matter, there are going to be members of empathic mindset, and members of sociopathic mindset (deceptively pretending to be empathic). Naturally, there is going to be division and conflict as a result. So why should anyone assume that the purpose of a discussion forum is to eliminate division and conflict? Isn't that totally unrealistic?

So in my opinion, division and conflict is perfectly normal in an online forum. I try to be the change I wish to see in the online forum world, knowing that there will be division and conflict. I try to be tolerant of all opinions, patient with those of simplistic understanding, and be both a teacher and a student. I try not to censor or banish other posters (easy for a member, but not so easy for an administrator being influenced by forum "friends"). I will certainly question and challenge the opinions of others, just as I have questioned and challenged my own opinions in the past, which has often changed my opinion, and usually with some discomfort.

So beware of those members jumping to pat you on the back for having defused a "divisive" conflict, or for having restored the forum to peace and harmony. There are deceivers and manipulators among us, and they are usually not the ones making waves.

[Sandy Clark]

Walking alone 100% of the time is not healthy to one's Being. EE in my opinion offers comradery and fellowhip in walking paths of uniqueness and commonalities. This has been a mainstay of EE and thus has created educational opportunites through openness, respect and honour for differences and likes and results in an online forum UNLIKE the average and or normal on the net.

Having differences is multi purposeful for learning and growth, thus; how this is facilitated is of utmost importance if one's aim is to make aware new or difficult information. Put downs, belittling, challenging academic abilities, mocking, scoffing, etc will not open any mind to another's information or point of view. As a matter of fact it does the opposite.

Waves had been made by myself on all forums I visit. At the same time I also try to smooth waters, validate others, relate and share my personal experiences and feelings. I also admire the courage and strength it takes to share fears and presenting vulnerability and will relate, nurture and acknowledge such bravery every chance I get.

I do not use an AVATAR purposefully as I am who I am and have no need to not be that in all areas of my life. There are those who have taken advantage of this vulnerability and I accept that as being public and as the same identifiable person on all forums has at times created ugly stuff.

My efforts are to present a fair balance of positive and what some deem negative feedback. I think that Love and Light is not all about positives and never talking about what is dysfunctional or does not work or help. I try to not call people names but instead to talk about behavior as this is present and cuts through word game playing.

You either did or do something or you didn't or don't.....as they say...Actions speak louder than words. We do act out our thoughts and feelings and resulting agenda's whether we are aware of them or not. The unconscious is the a greater predictor of behavior unless one is mindful and consciously taking the actions presented. This is why "KNOW THYSELF" is of the utmost importance.

Challenges and Boundaries are abolutely valid and needed in life in all areas, including forums. Some may call them rules as well. Until humanity does grow up there will be a need for a boundary stopping others from hurting people for the need of some ill begotten ego weakness. I will stand and respect this boundary any day as not caring for anything but getting ones' point across or being one-up is just not acceptable to me.

[Christine]

The ugly truth is that we have to find our own way. We have to do this ourselves, without guides. And because many of us are still children, we want a parent to guide us. But that's not going to work, because in reality, there are no parents. The parents we have are just slightly more experienced children.

I would change that one word ugly to beautiful and one's whole perspective changes. There has been nothing more satisfying to myself than the discovery that the Truth is inside of me. And the discovery that "As above, so below" is an axiom of truth. Along the road I have also found that the only real deception is the way I have let myself be deceived yet I embrace this too as having been part of my journey. My enemies have become some of my greatest teachers.

The real act and experience of love is not situated in feelings towards someone in particular. It is not felt in personal relationships, not in affection towards family and friends, not even in consideration of mankind and all life on this planet. Of course, there are feelings of compassion, connection and oneness, but the true experience lies deeper, closer to heart and soul. It’s pure awareness, timeless and totally free from thought or emotion. It’s in the shape of a cloud. In the colors of a flower and the fragile beauty of a butterfly’s wings. It’s in the whisper of the leaves of a tree and in the smell of a forest, in the sound of the falling rain. It’s in the eyes of a child, and in the cries of a newborn baby. It’s everywhere, in everything, if we just care to pay attention, mindless but conscious, and not only through our senses, as they’re just the gateways to the full experience.

~ Philippe Defossez

[Fred Steeves]

My enemies have become some of my greatest teachers.

Amen to that.