Is It Really Worth It?

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¿DE VERDAD MERECE LA PENA?
Patty de Llosa


Me ha costado aceptar que muchas veces soy el terreno donde luchan algunas partes de mí que parece que están enfrentadas. ¿Es posible librarse de la sensación de estar tan dividida? Krishnamurti afirmaba que “La división conlleva inestabilidad, y el conflicto, indecisión. Sin embargo, cuando la mente es capaz de percibir con claridad – no con la razón, ni con la emoción, sino que lo está viendo de verdad – el factor desestabilizador que entraña la división, entonces la respuesta es totalmente otra.” Esa otra respuesta se eleva por encima del “sí o no” en el que nos movemos, y adoptar otra actitud nos puede ayudar a avanzar en esa dirección. El concepto Junguiano que Marion Woodman menciona tan a menudo, sugiere que nos estaremos acercando ahí si conseguimos “sostener la tensión entre opuestos.” Por mucho que duela, si somos capaces de resistir la atracción magnética que en cualquier situación ejerce uno de los bandos durante el tiempo suficiente como para permitir que el otro también ocupe su espacio, nos elevaremos por encima de la división, en vez de quedar atrapados en ella.

El otro día me desperté con sensación de cansancio y abatimiento. Un ligero dolor de cabeza me acompañó a lo largo de la mañana mientras atendía mis quehaceres. Hacia el mediodía, de repente recordé que la noche anterior me había comprometido a que justo después de desayunar saldría al parque a dar una vuelta. “No tengo tiempo”, pensé, “y además, no me apetece.” ¡Cuántas veces me he oído decir eso antes! Sin embargo, a pesar de mi reticencia, justo antes de la hora del almuerzo dejé de escribir, y todavía pensando que a lo mejor un Tylenol me iría mejor, me arrastré hasta el parque, asegurándome a mí misma que el paseo sería corto.

Para mi sorpresa, fue cruzar la puerta de casa y ya me encontraba mejor. Para cuando llegué al parque el dolor de cabeza había desaparecido. Enseguida estaba sentada en un banco al fresco de la primavera, rodeada de árboles, bañada por el sol y el trino de los pájaros; de mi alma brotaba una especie de música. Tanto me sorprendió este cambio que me pregunté: ¿Por qué me ha costado tanto llegar hasta aquí? ¿Qué parte de mí pensó que estar deprimida o pasar horas escribiendo en el ordenador tenían prioridad? ¿Qué parte de mí se opone a lo que está claro que la otra parte de mí quiere y necesita? ¿No será que las preferencias de mi mente están queriendo imponerse sobre las de mi corazón y mi cuerpo?...

Cuando me volvió a pasar lo mismo inicié un diálogo con esta parte en mí que se ha quedado “encallada”. ¿De dónde viene ese rechazo tan obstinado? ¿Cuál es el problema?” Me pregunté. Una voz interna respondió en un suspiro: “¿De verdad merece la pena? ¿qué es lo que vale tanto la pena?” quise saber. Entonces, desde otro lugar profundo de mi paisaje interior, una voz distinta interrumpió con un grito aquel lastimero intercambio: “¡Vale la pena todo el tiempo que inviertes!

La parte pragmática que defiende a la escritora que hay en mí necesita su tiempo y siente que no tiene suficiente con el que le doy. Ese breve diálogo interno me ayudó a ver que eran tantas las cosas que me proponía conseguir, que no dejaba tiempo para atender lo más profundo que hay en mi ser, ni para crecer hacia una mayor consciencia del momento presente…

Volver a habitar el presente me está dando la oportunidad de apreciar lo que normalmente ignoramos por estar demasiado ocupados: el estado de presencia en nuestra vida nos ofrece percepciones nuevas sobre nosotros mismos y sobre el resto del mundo. Si renunciamos a experimentarlo, nos aislamos, sin ni siquiera darnos cuenta de lo que hemos perdido. Cuando elegimos permanecer en silencio y escuchar con atención lo que nos dicen nuestras voces internas, abrimos un espacio para que otra cosa que no sea el ego “sabelotodo”, nos satisfaga. Sin embargo, inmersos en nuestras tareas, no siempre acogemos con buena disposición esta posibilidad. A menudo hacemos como el bíblico Jacob: nos peleamos con nuestros ángeles e intentamos anularlos.
Seed Questions for Reflection

What does allowing time for your deeper self mean to you? How do you relate to the notion of a totally different kind of action emerging from seeing the danger of division very clearly? Can you share a personal story of a time when such an action emerged in your life?

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18 Past Reflections
LO
lolablue
Feb 20, 2026
I think Krishnamurti wants you to STOP intellectualizing things, let it all go out the window and observe what IS while being detached emotionally and judgment free. Reason can help create the frame of reality you exist in like the frame where I know that I am more than my body, I know that emotions are like clouds passing by and the sky is (the I AM) which IS and remains always the same and so on. David Bohm's (the physicist) conversations with Krishnamurti are a great read. The right actions comes from reconciling the two poles, yes & no while intention and attention are focused on being present. I do not believe that such a pursuit allows for anything but, deeper-self work. Everything one does has to be at the service of knowing and serving the deeper self. Learning from the friction struggles bring between inner world and outter must become why one wakes up in the morning, why one breaths, why one is engaging, why one is learning to become meek and accept things as they are, and ... View full comment
VA
vasile
Dec 20, 2014

 Krishnamurti would have replied  - "is that part Different from you?  are you Different from that 'deeper-self' ? or that 'deeper self' IS YOU ?  it's not different from you who is observing.  This is very important because our conditioning is that thought comes along and creates a duality, an observer and creates another one who is being observed.

GA
Nov 20, 2013

  My answer is an unequivocal YES.
The question arises because most of us live in a closed space called tradition, culture, home, comfort zone etc. We sometimes venture out of this space but carry our protective space suit, our own psychological bubble while interacting with the world. From the safety of our home we sometimes look at the world outside through a narrow window. Naturally we have a very distorted view of the world and our place in it. We do not understand the true significance and worth of much that we see. Our knowledge is based on a bit of observation and a lot of conjecture. From this position most options would appear to be worthless.
Let us drop the protective suit and stand naked in front of our mother, the world.

GA
Nov 20, 2013

 My answer is an unequivocal YES.
The question arises because most of us live in a closed space called tradition, culture, home, comfort zone etc. We sometimes venture out of this space but carry our protective space suit, our own psychological bubble while interacting with the world. From the safety of our home we sometimes look at the world outside through a narrow window. Naturally we have a very distorted view of the world and our place in it. We do not understand the true significance and worth of much that we see. Our knowledge is based on a bit of observation and a lot of conjecture. From this position most options would appear to be worthless.
Let us drop the protective suit and stand naked in front of our mother, the world.

MI
Mish Nov 20, 2013

 Well said!

A
a Nov 20, 2013

 Wow!  You nailed it!  
God did not create this protective shell . . . we did and continue to do!
Praying Always!

Interesting, too, Jesus, is just a breath away!  I have NO difficulty getting to Him.  (If anyone should have need for secret service protection, it would be Him.)  Jesus has nothing to lose, but everything to gain, in stepping out into the world.

Gotta go . . . my dog wants to take me for a walk!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTS!

JB
JoAnn Baker Paul Nov 22, 2013

 Yes, yes yes Ganoba. Grateful for your words. As more of us, one by one "drops the protective suit" more and more of the time as a regular living practice - we inspire others to do the same. Living the Change one person at a time :)

RA
Ravi
Nov 19, 2013

 I often forget and have to remind myself that THE MORE TIME SPENT with something or someone (your child, your spouse, your inner life...) the more that relationship grows. And how often I discount building that relationship with self. Or assume it's not as important as the other relationships in my life or all the "busyness".

MI
Nov 19, 2013

 Typo in my post..... ""TOUCH". Not ouch.  :)))))))))

JK
Joanna kaser Nov 19, 2013

 How true!
for several years I have been  doing Voice Dialog with clients and myself. I was a  long time student of Hal and Sidra Stone who are the originators of this technique.
For me it is the way home to my authentic self.  I listen to both voices , hold the tension between them  and come to an awareness of ,in the present moment ,which voice I want  most to listen to.
This brings me to a state of joy.
It is one of most effective techniques to bring us to eliminate confusion about our choices We then are able to tune in to which feels better and has the highest vibration. it is a wonderful way to guide clients  to stay in the present moment.

Thanks for your teaching,
Joanna kaser M.S. W.
Integrative Spiritual Counselor

MI
Nov 19, 2013

 I think we get stuck in our "routines" & grow stale with spontaneous "get in ouch with me" times.

MI
Mish Nov 19, 2013

 Typo in my post..... "TOUCH" not ouch!!  :))

ME
Me Nov 19, 2013

 Cute!

AJ
Nov 17, 2013
 I like to do an annual retreat to support, pray with and to be near one I hold dear.  I look forward to this three day period of prayer, silence and presence each summer. The "division" (and hurt) I currently feel stems from an experience I had this past summer while retreating there.  My husband often warns me NOT to love people too much (as my Lord directs me) saying, men might misunderstand your intention in it.  Well it happened this past summer, the retreat house director's husband, upon my arrival to retreat, kissed me in a way only my husband has ever kissed me.  I made a mental note, "keep away from him"! In the second day there, while the others were in chapel, (I was outside alone, working on art pieces the women made just earlier) and this same gentleman, (who was inappropriate just the day before) pulled up in a pick up truck to invite me in. Is it really worth it? My thought now is, "I cannot return" I will continue to listen to God, however. &nb... View full comment
DD
Nov 17, 2013
Allowing time for my deeper self means allowing time for what I really want and am interested in, and not ignore or suppress it.  It's easy to let what I really want be dominated by busy-ness or obligation, that is, by what I think I have to do or should do.  Granted, there are situations where it is important to postpone what I really want, but that's dangerous as the want or insight or inspiration of my deeper self can pass quickly and even be lost, like a dream.  The division between the want of my deeper self and the want of my thinking is dangerous in that I am tempted to follow my thinking and often do follow it, and if it's not incorporating the yearning of my deeper self, I pull away from my deeper self and can lose that self.  Seeing that danger results in action that is more faithful to my deeper self.  I've followed my thinking and neglected my deeper self many times.  Fortunately the opportunities to choose deeper self continue in every moment... View full comment
CP
Nov 15, 2013
 Excellent. Thanks for the opportunity to respond. It seems  that I frequently see things intellectually. I intellectually believe I am one with everyone and everything although I have not experienced that in the way Krishnamurti is alluding to. Paradoxically, not only do I see myself as one with everyone and everything, I also notice I am like 1000 different people. What has been very helpful for me is to notice what Sharon Begley, author of  "Train Your Mind,Change Your Brain" said with a psychiatrist named Schwartz when they wrote: "Through mindfulness you can stand outside your own mind is if you are watching what is happening to another person rather than experiencing it yourself… Mindfulness requires direct willful effort, and the ability to forge those practicing it to observe their sensations and thoughts with a calm clarity of an external witness… One views his thoughts, feelings, and expectations much as a scientist views experimental data &... View full comment
SA
Sarada Nov 19, 2013

 Great reminder!! Thank you:)

CP
conrad P. Pritscher Nov 20, 2013

 You are most welcome Sarada.