G'day Mate, no hope here.

[AndyB]

Hi Robert! You probably remember me, we speak through email pretty darn infrequently. AndyB is me, in Michigan USA.

Yeah, know you remember.

Anyway, I still follow you whenever I think about it, but I've pretty much given up hope on everything. My eldest son is doing OK, my youngest is still extremely demonically oppressed, but I really can't call it oppressed because he revels in his disgusting lifestyle. I don't have any contact with him anyway, so who cares.

My eldest has turned to the catholic church, which I don't mind, it's his business. He was confirmed this Easter, good for him I say. Meanwhile the pope is a fanatic leftist socialist bent on destroying whatever is good and moral within the church, so I'm not real keen on jumping into that organization really.

My own spiritual journey has come pretty much to a grinding halt and end. I no longer care anymore, well, maybe a little, very very little, as in-I wouldn't want to spend eternity in hell kind of thing. Other than that I've pretty much given up on chasing after enlightenment. When I die I think I'll be happy just fading away. Life has worn me down that much. I almost look forward to nothing, after a lifetime of worthless humans doing worthless things for nothing at all in the end.

Anyway, you're looking for a question....here's mine. I'm not sure at all what I can do to re-light any fire I could possibly ignite to avert the nothingness to come, and only a very small part of me cares at all anymore. What's the point? I'll live my life, do what I can, then die and that'll be it. If I'm very lucky, maybe I can just turn off like a light bulb and cease to exist.

See where I'm going here? As I move along toward the end I guess I throw out threads hoping someone will grab on, nobody has, so I'm pretty much assured myself that it's not worth the bother. It ends up looking more like a big old self pity binge than anything else, but it's not. I'm just tired, and the search seems pointless at this point.

Ok, enough blathering on....I hope all is going excellent for you (AND all your readers too!). If you have any poignant advice I'll be happy to read it, but if you think just blinking out for eternity is an ok option, really I would accept that as well.

Take care,
Andy B.

[A copy of this post for general commentary is here http://www.astraldynamics.com.au/sho...e-no-hope-here for those who may have something to contribute]

[Robert Bruce]

G'day Andy,

Nice to touch base with you again...

I'll just ramble and hopefully something might be helpful.

Life's default setting, it seems, for spiritual growth, is suffering. This drives you within, into your mind, soul searching and etc.

And this continues until you get it.

It all comes down to one thing. While life can bring many unkind things and bitter pills to swallow, true suffering is caused by how you think, and how you respond to suffering in your mind.

Your thoughts flow from your beliefs, and yes, religious beliefs programmed into us from birth have a lot to answer for. By and large they give us unrealistic expectations of life.

My article 'The Catch Basket Concept' is a good start to reconditioning your mind.

In your case, I suggest that the main issue is on letting go of the hurt and anger and disappointment that has accumulated in your mind during your life.

You have fulfilled your biological purpose in raising your sons, proven by the fact that they are now adults. Now it is time to let go and focus on your own interests and the things that make you happy. I don't mean you have to ignore them or cut them out of your life, but just let them get on with living their lives.

I know, easily said. But, letting go can be as easy or as difficult as you want it to be. You could, for example, close your eyes and take a few big breaths and, with a barely perceptible shudder, just let it go. Or, you could spend the rest of your life sifting through the debris and raging at the machine.

peace, robert