~
~
the mind….similar to “the rope”
~
different minds…different colors of rope
~
holding onto a rope…when to hold on???….when to let go????
~
our minds…similar to the colored ropes
~
So many colors of ropes…so many colors of mind
~
~
tugging on our ropes…but each rope is different…
~
~
Hmmmm….??? I wonder…..Are those “ropes” really “there”….???? “There” in the manner that we think they are…??? I dunno……..
Of course….hmmmm….???….maybe so….??? maybe not so…..???
~
Well…. we seem to think and act like the ropes of mind are there…so pursuing that perspective…. maybe leading to a bit of greater understanding and some degree of clarity…Using the metaphor of solid ropes..and potential clusters of qualities of each color of rope… to try approach some deeper understanding of patterns and dynamics of our minds and interactions with the minds of others….
~
Healthy ropes of mind…healthy colors of mind
Healthy, positive qualities for each color!
(find your possible color or colors????)
~
A stuck, stressed, overwhelmed or threatened sense of our colors of mind…
potentially unhealthy qualities and reactions when feeling stressed
~
~
~
Two people interacting each with their own specific color of healthy mind
Two different colors of mind…Two different colors of rope
Both healthy,
both positive,
both motivated and engaged,
both well intentioned
Different colors = different:
tendencies, qualities, habitual patterns, thoughts, feelings, sensitivities, tendencies, stories, filters, points of view, perspectives, motivations,
wants, don’t wants, must have’s, must not have’s
And so…
it’s easy for each color of mind to not recognize the goodness in the other colors…
not realizing those clusters of positive qualities in other colors,
sensing differences…and perhaps confused…
not understanding the positives of the other colors
not understanding the positive intentions and dynamics of other colors,
misunderstanding the other colors’ positive qualities, motivations and intentions…
When the colors are different, that difference might be interpreted as threatening
or misinterpreted in many unfortunate ways…
And so…
reading these ideas
taking in these ideas
Thinking about people we know in our everyday lives,
thinking about times of resonance
reflecting upon times of confusion or bewilderment,
thinking about times of misunderstanding or conflict,
using these ideas for greater understanding
Seeing how these ideas add clarity and insight into the dynamics of our interactions,
expanding our understanding,
reflecting again and again upon the ideas,
Noticing these ideas and patterns in our everyday lives,
opening our minds to greater understanding, appreciation and acceptance….
lots of colors or ropes…
lots of positive qualities…
occasionally getting stuck,
but mostly positive
~
~
Two people are interacting:
Interactions of two different minds….two different colors of ropes of mind
Healthy, Positive Red Rope interacting with Healthy Positive Other Colors Rope
~
hmmmmmm????……?????…..
~
~
Two people are interacting:
Healthy Red Rope Mind interacting with Stressed Green Rope Mind
Uh oh!
Healthy…..meets…..Stuck!
Possibly leading to….
Confusion? Bewilderment? Tug of war? Conflict?
~~Wow….Red might have a few difficulties in those interactions with the other colors???
perceptions of difficulties???
Especially if those qualities were solid…
Of course….maybe those ropes …the differences….the perceived conflicts…aren’t solid or “there” in the way we think…..????
Maybe so…..??? Maybe not so…..???
~
Two people are interacting:
Stuck Red Rope interacting with Stuck Other Colors Rope
Uh oh!
Stuck!….meets…..Stuck!
Possibly leading to BIGGER….
Tug of war? Bewilderment? Confusion? Conflict?
……???????……
~
Two people are interacting:
Healthy Green Rope interacting with Stuck Other Colors Rope
Uh oh!
Healthy….meets…. STUCK!
Possibly leading to….
Confusion? Bewilderment? Tug of war? Conflict?
…….???????…….
~
~
Two people are interacting:
Stuck Green Rope interacting with Stuck Other Colors Rope
Uh oh!
Stuck!…meets…Stuck!
Possibly leading to BIGGER….
Tug of war? Bewilderment? Confusion? Conflict?
hmmmmmm…… I wonder…..????
~
Two people are interacting:
Healthy Blue Rope interacting with Stuck Other Colors Rope
Uh oh!
Healthy…meets….STUCK!
Possibly leading to….
Confusion? Bewilderment? Tug of war? Conflict?
~
~
Two people are interacting:
Stuck Blue Rope interacting with Stuck Other Colors Rope
Uh oh!
Stuck! meets Stuck!
Possibly leading to BIGGER….
Tug of war? Bewilderment? Confusion? Conflict?
~
Two people are interacting
Healthy White Rope interacting with Stuck Other Colors Rope
Uh oh!
Healthy….meets…STUCK!
Possibly leading to….
Confusion? Bewilderment? Tug of war? Conflict?
~
Two people are interacting:
Stuck White Rope interacting with Stuck Other Colors Rope
Uh oh!
STUCK….meets…STUCK!
Possibly leading to BIGGER….
Tug of war? Bewilderment? Confusion? Conflict?
~
Peter’s comment after seeing these varying combinations of colors:
“healthy”…. meeting….”stuck!”
“no wonder the divorce rate is so high!”
~~
Of course…there may be other possibilities????
~
~
Uh oh!
Confused by differences in the positives of each mind???
Misinterpreting differences as conflict???
Perhaps, interpreting differences as a threat???
Learning to recognize the positives in each color….
and to enjoy and appreciate those positives!
Uh oh!!…
Holding onto a stuck rope???
Or interacting with a stuck rope???
Bewildered by a stuck rope???
Confused by the differences????
Roped in??? Roped out??? Roped around???
Coming to the end of my rope?????
Better let go!!!
~
~
But…stepping back…I think maybe something is really really important to remember and to “keep in mind”as much as we can….since those “ropes” were manufactured, imagined and created over lifetimes, by our minds…in response to tendencies, life experiences, personally created stories and impressions, filters, perceptions aligned with filters and stories, mistaken fixed views and beliefs… maybe they aren’t really “there”…not in the ways we think…maybe these 3 following images might be more “accurate” or potentially helpful…..????
Maybe….those ropes, colors, categories, qualities, perceived solid attributes might not be “present” in the “solid” manner that we think they are……??????
And so…any reactive tug of war???…given this perspective, it might not make very much sense to do that….???
Maybe, to just let any of the imagined “ropes” go, as much and as often as possible…………????
Maybe so…..???
Maybe not so…..????
~
~
~
~
~
~
Related “rope” posts with some of these ideas in them: (these posts are progressive from the first one, to the second one to the third one
5. “Open the hand of mind and let the fixed view go”
6. “Different colored ropes, specific to our own minds…recognizing getting to the end of our rope”
7 This post… “Roped in, Roped out, Roped around….colors of mind”
8. “Of course it’s speculation! What do I know?” a VERY urprising comment from Peter, from several years ago.
hmmmmm…….maybe not so……????
Related Posts….ideas: (using “sky” and “clouds” metaphors, instead of “ropes” metaphor) All located in the top of the “Greenhouse” headline tab area:
1. Turbulence….”Ohhhh…of course….” …BUT…”Maybe not so……….”
2. The Big Blue Sky…filters of the mind that might block that blue sky
3. Beauty and Grace…within the comings and goings of our lives….
4. A Continual Flow of a sense of “I”…coming together…here for awhile…dispersing…
~