Explore
Gaia Soulmates
down  About This Group
Gaia Networking~Enhance your Community Experience

Share suggestions and brainstorm tips to enhance the community experience on Gaia Community. A community resource for, by and from the community members of Gaia.
**neW Check Celebrating Birthdays-Gaia Calendar

Welcome new members! Start here: Network One : meet 'n greet.
Or New to Gaia! [Esp. ...(more)
down  About This Room
Do you enjoy interaction or would you rather be left alone? Through both times, we can have a rewarding experience on Gaia. Share and read the tips here!
down  Room Activity
Suni : Guardian, Warrior, Survivor
Suni posted a reply to the conversation "Silently devoted to you:"lurking"'s gentler face" ()
Nicole : wakingdreamer
Nicole posted a reply to the conversation "Silently devoted to you:"lurking"'s gentler face" ()
 Meenakshi : Wholeness
Meenakshi posted a reply to the conversation "Silently devoted to you:"lurking"'s gentler face" ()
Mercale : Universal Spiritualist
Mercale posted a reply to the conversation "Silently devoted to you:"lurking"'s gentler face" ()
 Meenakshi : Wholeness
Meenakshi posted a reply to the conversation "Silently devoted to you:"lurking"'s gentler face" ()
Nicole : wakingdreamer
Nicole posted a reply to the conversation "Silently devoted to you:"lurking"'s gentler face" ()
down  Group Grapevine
~KES : Communicator
~KES Join our feature http://groups.gaia.com/z_network/conversations/view/455647#455664 You are safe to post anything that is on your mind today. (3 days ago)
 Meenakshi : Wholeness
Meenakshi 4444 posts total in this group. For whatever that means to those who 'read' numbers! (2 months ago)
 Meenakshi : Wholeness
Meenakshi Hi new members--you know who you are. Introduce yourselves, and welcome! Please ask if you have any questions. (3 months ago)
 Advertising keeps Gaia free! Interested in sponsoring us?
Resultset_previousprevious thread | next threadResultset_next
threaded | unthreaded | newest first


   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Inspiring thoughts about community

Meenakshi said Dec 1, 2008, 5:43 AM:

 

On the road yesterday, I was having some deeep thoughts about community in general [being with family can do that to you!] and Gaia community as well; and planned to start a thread in this board..

The rain gods are bringing rain outdoors and power surges that have already caused the computer to re-boot once; so let's hope this goes smoothly!  Firefox saved the  post I was writing, so, with the blessings of rain, fire and fox, I start this thread.


Please post any inspiring thoughts you have, of your words or quotes from other sources,  about:

  • what community is
  • the role of individual in community
  • enhancing community experience
  • what community experience does for individuals

   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- judgment to joy

Meenakshi said Dec 1, 2008, 5:45 AM:

 

Synchronistically,Andrew has posted some inspiring thoughts about community; and has a request that I am re-posting here.  To respond to his request, please click on Reply to Post.

If your post is in response to the questions on the first post on the thread, please click Reply to Thread.

——————————

Andrew : Village Idiot   Re: Comings and Goings on Gaia
Andrew said Today, 6:25 AM:

 

“You have heard that is it said, Be kind to your friend, and hate your enemy.”

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless anyone who curses you, do good to anyone who hates you, and pray for those who carry you away by force and persecute you,” 

“So that you may become sons of your Father who is in heaven, who causes his sun to shine on the good and the bad, and who pours down his rain upon the just and the unjust.” 

“For if you love only those who love you, what reward will you have?”

This is an extract from the Judeo-Christian scriptures.

It voices from the Christian perspective what I believe Gaia is about.

I know there is an equivalent scripture in Buddhist teachings, Hindu teachings and other religious faiths.  I'm in the middle of shifting house and all my stuff is buried, so I can't put my hand on it.

Would someone be so kind as to add the scriptures from their faith that give the above message.

I'd like to compare the positive aspects of our various foundational faiths and thought that this might be a good place to start and to lift the tone of this thread from judgement to joy.

And in doing this I believe we'll find there's a lot more to agree on than to disagree about.

-an eccentric Aussie


   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- judgment to joy

Meenakshi said Dec 1, 2008, 8:47 AM:

 

Nothing comes to mind; so I'll have to look this up; and am asking other community members to pitch in as well.

We each have to remember that judgment works both ways; and yes–move it towards joy.

   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- judgment to joy

Meenakshi said Dec 1, 2008, 12:02 PM:

 

Andrew, feel free to post the ones you were looking for, when you find them.

This is what i found today, from OneTruth:

FRIENDSHIP

There is an almost sensual longing for communion
with others who have a larger vision. The immense
fulfillment of the friendships between those engaged
in furthering the evolution of consciousness has a
quality almost impossible to describe.
(Teilhard de Chardin)

Among our people, friendship is held to be the severest test of
character… to have a friend, and to be true under any and all
trials, is the truest mark of a man!
…It is the essence of comradeship and fraternal love, without thought
of pleasure or gain…but rather for moral support and inspiration.
Each vows to die for the other if need be, and nothing is denied the
brother-friend, but neither is anything required that is not in
accord with the highest conception of the Indian mind.
(Ohiyesa, Charles Alexander Eastman, `The Soul Of An Indian')

Be friends first with the truly good, then go on being a friend to
others until you can feel friendship toward everyone, until you can
say: `I am a friend to all, even my enemies.' Even toward those who
were crucifying him, Jesus felt only friendship, exemplifying in his
final ordeal that which he had always taught: `…Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray
for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.' (Matt. 5:44)
(Paramahansa Yogananda, `Man's Eternal Quest')

 

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- judgment to joy

Andrew [no longer around] said Dec 1, 2008, 4:50 PM:

 

Thank you Meenakshi, It may take a day or so to locate the stuff but I'm really keen to get the ball rolling on this.

- An eccentric Aussie

   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- social/anti-social

Meenakshi said Dec 1, 2008, 7:10 AM:

 
  ~Kes : Communicator  

reposted from: please Reply to Post for this sub-thread.

Re: Comings and Goings on Gaia-clean break, burning bridges
~Kes said 21 minutes ago:

 

Gaia is a Social Network

An elephant to my understanding is an anti-social behavior.

The social personality naturally operates on the basis of the greatest good.  The social personality wants to survive and wants others to survive, whereas the antisocial personality really and covertly wants others to succumb.  Basically, the social personality wants others to be happy and do well, whereas the antisocial personality is very clever in making others do very badly indeed.

A basic clue to the social personality is not really his successes but his motivations. The social personality when successful is often a target for the antisocial and by this reason he may fail. But his intentions included others in his success, whereas the antisocial only appreciate the doom of others.

Unless we can detect the social personality and hold him safe from undue restraint and detect also the antisocial and restrain him, our society will go on suffering from insanity, criminality and war, and man and civilization will not endure.

Do not smash the social personality-and do not fail to render powerless the antisocial in their efforts to harm the rest of us. 

Just because a man rises above his fellows or takes an important part does not make him an antisocial personality. Just because a man can control or dominate others does not make him an antisocial personality.

It is his motives in doing so and the consequences of his acts which distinguish the antisocial from the social.

Unless we realize and apply the true characteristics of the two types of personality, we will continue to live in a quandary of who our enemies are and, in doing so, victimize our friends.

All men have committed acts of violence or omission for which they could be censured. In all mankind there is not one single perfect human being.

But there are those who try to do right and those who specialize in wrong and upon these facts and characteristics you can know them.

Social personalities are motivated by the desire to help others and do the greatest good for the greatest number. The bulk of humanity is composed of social personalities.

Only about 20% of a race are the effect of elephant type characteristics of behavior.  They cause trouble for the remaining 80% out of proportion to their number, and only 2-1/2% in the 20% are the real trouble makers so, that is only about 1 out of 40 to watch out for in any group.  Gaia doesn't really have this problem as when trouble arises, it seems that it is being confronted immediately and the person causing trouble fixes right away and doesn't repeat the behavior.  I hope this is the case.

I asked one of the teens on Gaia:  What about us that are keeping this place going strong and give amazing insights and viewpoints on life?

and the teen wrote:  'ABSOLUTELY! we're the ones chuggin along daily dealing with these silly people. 

BE THE CHANGE, not interupt the change.

It's OK to spot the elephant in the room if it is stopping 

expansion toward being a survival social network.'

Threatening to leave is not a solution…just a restimulator for attention and not ok.

~k

   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- social/anti-social

Meenakshi said Dec 1, 2008, 7:42 AM:

 

Thank you for these very important ideas, ~KES.

What leaps out at me from this; is that to know if some behavior is social or anti-social, one has to know intent.

Brings to mind a question:

How can we deduce the intent of another person from his writing online?



And a sub-question;
Is each of us inherently social or anti-social; or is it a particular post or blog of ours that may be social, anti-social or a-social?

I'd love members' thoughts on these.

  ~KES : Communicator

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- social/anti-social

~KES said Dec 1, 2008, 7:48 AM:

 

One can't just label some one social or anti social/a-social

without giving the true test that, when I get done working today I will post.

With writing and not actually hearing the sound of someone's voice, you have to ask them to clarify intentions if it is not clear from reading.

I will get back with the tools for this.  One thing I need to say here about ethics – which is a personal thing.  If someone is posting things and causing upsets with more than one person and they have been informed by management and others directly, that individual has been blessed and given a chance to then be ethical.  How lucky for those that have experienced this to then see that Man is basically good and can change.

  Phoenix : Reborn and Complete

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- social/anti-social

Phoenix said Dec 1, 2008, 8:14 AM:

 

I am following this thread with deep interest, and am looking forward to the insight you will bring, Kathy. As I am dealing currently with someone who shows signs of anti-social behavior in my further extended family, I am largely interested in how to deal effectively with a such a personality outside of a largely positive social network such as Gaia. The effect that her behavior has on people I care about, is upsetting, so I would love to share your tools with them.
At the same time, you are absolutly correct, that ones intention is harder to see in the writings here on Gaia, or any other blog or forums as anti-social behavior is not always blunt and direct, but manipulative and discreet ( at least that is my experience).


Thanks for this thread!


Blessed Be


Claudia

  ~KES : Communicator

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- social/anti-social

~KES said Dec 1, 2008, 6:42 PM:

 
Hi Phoenix,

Once you have discovered the source of any suppression [A person who seeks to suppress, or squash, any betterment activity or group. A suppressive person suppresses other people in his vicinity. This is the person whose behavior is calculated to be disastrous. “Suppressive person” or a “suppressive” is another name for the “antisocial personality.”} it can be fixed if willing to take the time to learn about it, calm then remains after the storm as about 80% of the population do want to make it go right.


Anti-Social characteristics compared to Social Characteristics:
10 people, 8 good and 2 bad

The antisocial personality has the following attributes:

1. He or she speaks only in very broad generalities. “They say…” “Everybody thinks…” “Everyone knows…” and such expressions are in continual use, particularly when imparting rumor. When asked, “Who is everybody…” it normally turns out to be one source and from this source the antisocial person has manufactured what he or she pretends is the whole opinion of the whole society.

This is natural to them since to them all society is a large hostile generality, against the antisocial in particular.

2. Such a person deals mainly in bad news, critical or hostile remarks, invalidation and general suppression.

“Gossip” or “bearer of evil tidings” or “rumormonger” once described such persons.

It is notable that there is no good news or complimentary remark passed on by such a person.

3. The antisocial personality alters, to worsen, communication when he or she relays a message or news. Good news is stopped and only bad news, often embellished, is passed along.

Such a person also pretends to pass on “bad news” which is in actual fact invented.

4. A characteristic, and one of the sad things about an antisocial personality, is that it does not respond to treatment or reform.

5. Surrounding such a personality we find cowed or ill associates or friends who, when not driven actually insane, are yet behaving in a crippled manner in life, failing, not succeeding.

Such people make trouble for others.

When treated or educated, the near associate of the antisocial personality has no stability of gain but promptly relapses or loses his advantages of knowledge, being under the suppressive influence of the other.

Physically treated, such associates commonly do not recover in the expected time but worsen and have poor convalescences.

It is quite useless to treat or help or train such persons so long as they remain under the influence of the antisocial connection.

The largest number of insane are insane because of such antisocial connections and do not recover easily for the same reason.

Unjustly we seldom see the antisocial personality actually in an institution. Only his “friends” and family are there.

6. The antisocial personality habitually selects the wrong target.

If a tire is flat from driving over nails, he or she curses a companion or a noncausative source of the trouble. If the radio next door is too loud, he or she kicks the cat.

If A is the obvious cause, the antisocial personality inevitably blames B or C or D.

7. The antisocial cannot finish a cycle of action. Any action goes through a sequence wherein the action is begun, is continued for as long as is required and is completed as planned. In Scientology, this is called a cycle of action.

The antisocial becomes surrounded with incomplete projects.

8. Many antisocial persons will freely confess to the most alarming crimes when forced to do so, but will have no faintest sense of responsibility for them.

Their actions have little or nothing to do with their own volition. Things “just happened.”

They have no sense of correct causation and particularly cannot feel any sense of remorse or shame therefore.

9. The antisocial personality supports only destructive groups and rages against and attacks any constructive or betterment group.

10. This type of personality approves only of destructive actions and fights against constructive or helpful actions or activities.

The artist in particular is often found as a magnet for persons with antisocial personalities who see in his art something which must be destroyed and covertly, “as a friend,” proceed to try.

11. Helping others is an activity which drives the antisocial personality nearly berserk. Activities, however, which destroy in the name of help are closely supported.

12. The antisocial personality has a bad sense of property and conceives that the idea that anyone owns anything is a pretense, made up to fool people. Nothing is ever really owned.

___________________________________

Compare those 12 to the social 12 characteristics:


The twelve primary characteristics of the social personality are as follows:

Group of people cleaning up yard

1. The social personality is specific in relating circumstances. “Joe Jones said…” “The Star newspaper reported…” and gives sources of data where important or possible.

He may use the generality of “they” or “people” but seldom in connection with attributing statements or opinions of an alarming nature.

2. The social personality is eager to relay good news and reluctant to relay bad.

He may not even bother to pass along criticism when it doesn’t matter.

He is more interested in making another feel liked or wanted than disliked by others and tends to err toward reassurance rather than toward criticism.

3. A social personality passes communication without much alteration and if deleting anything tends to delete injurious matters.

He does not like to hurt people’s feelings. He sometimes errs in holding back bad news or orders which seem critical or harsh.

4. Treatment and reform work very well on the social personality.

Whereas antisocial people sometimes promise to reform, they do not. Only the social personality can change or improve easily.

It is often enough to point out unwanted conduct to a social personality to completely alter it for the better.

Criminal codes and violent punishment are not needed to regulate social personalities.

5. The friends and associates of a social personality tend to be well, happy and of good morale.

A truly social personality quite often produces betterment in health or fortune by his mere presence on the scene.

At the very least he does not reduce the existing levels of health or morale in his associates.

When ill, the social personality heals or recovers in an expected manner, and is found open to successful treatment.

6. The social personality tends to select correct targets for correction.

He fixes the tire that is flat rather than attack the windscreen.

In the mechanical arts he can therefore repair things and make them work.

7. Cycles of action begun are ordinarily completed by the social personality, if possible.

8. The social personality is ashamed of his misdeeds and reluctant to confess them. He takes responsibility for his errors.

9. The social personality supports constructive groups and tends to protest or resist destructive groups.

10. Destructive actions are protested by the social personality. He assists constructive or helpful actions.

11. The social personality helps others and actively resists acts which harm others.

12. Property is property of someone to the social personality and its theft or misuse is prevented or frowned upon.

_____________________________________

Here's a glossary on the terms

When you compare the two, yes some can have a few of both at different times and with different experiences but when you tabulate for the majority of yes/no's you can then help the anti social person to learn to be more social and if not disconnect.

You can download the free booklet on the right of that page

called The Cause of Suppression.

   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community-chiseled by others

Meenakshi said Jan 11, 12:26 PM:

 

Interactions in any community can remind us of these thoughts:


CHISELED BY OTHERS

…you are like the stone that must be chiseled and fashioned before
being set in the building…Some will chisel you with words, telling you
what you would rather not hear; others by deed, doing against you what
you would rather not endure; others by their temperament, being in
their person and in their actions a bother and annoyance to you; and
others by their thought, neither esteeming nor feeling love for you.
You ought to suffer these mortification and annoyances with inner
patience, being silent for love of God and understanding that you did
not enter the religious life for any other reason than for others to
work you in this way, and so you become worthy of heaven.
(St. John of the Cross)

The day you make up your mind to smile, you will see that everything
seems to conspire to try to make you cry! That is life. The day you
make up your mind to be patient and forgiving, it will seem that
others suddenly become harder to get along with. That is life. We
are often crucified by others, but their meanness should not affect
our resolutions to be kind. Let others pursue their way; you be
bigger and adhere to your way.
(Paramahansa Yogananda, `Journey to Self-Realization' )

Thus the wise man, indifferent to himself, is the greatest among them,
and taking no care for himself, he is nevertheless preserved. By
being the most unselfish he is the most secure of all.
(Lao-tse, ` The Adepts in the Eastern Esoteric Tradition')
   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- expectations

Meenakshi said Jan 11, 12:56 PM:

 

This would help if we find we are upset with others in online or offline communities:

The Sage therefore is occupied only with that which is without prejudice.
He teaches without verbosity, he acts without effort; he produces without
possessing, he acts without regard to the fruit of action; he brings his
work to perfection without assuming credit; and claiming nothing as his
own, he cannot at any time be said to lose.
(Lao-tse, `The Adepts in the Eastern Esoteric Tradition')

I do not expect anything from others, so their
actions cannot be in opposition to wishes of mine.
(Swami Sri Yukteswar, in `Autobiography of a Yogi')

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered,
LOVE THEM ANYWAY
If you do good, people will accuse you of
Selfish, ulterior motives,
DO GOOD ANYWAY
If you are successful,
You will win false friends and true enemies,
SUCCEED ANYWAY
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow,
DO GOOD ANYWAY
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable,
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY
What you spent years building may be
Destroyed overnight
BUILD ANYWAY
People really need help
But may attack you if you help them,
HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY
Give the world the best you have
And you'll get kicked in the teeth
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU'VE GOT ANYWAY.

(from a sign on the wall of Shishu Bhavan, the children's home in
Calcutta, `Mother Teresa, A Simple Path')

   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- humankind knows

Meenakshi said Jan 13, 8:28 PM:

 

Kathy, Gaian extraordinaire, and a mod on this pod; has brought to mind the larger community of groups and organizations that are showcasing the transformation on earth. 

EYE OPENING DATA - humankind knows…

Posted on Jan 13th, 2009 by ~KES : Communicator ~KES

  C.G. : Sacred Vow

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- humankind knows

C.G. said Jan 14, 2:41 AM:

 

….very much worth the visit and the time to watch the video. This is a remarkable event unfolding….
Thank you, Kathy!!!

  ~KES : Communicator

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community- humankind knows

~KES said Jan 14, 12:39 PM:

 

Here’s a five minute video with some eye-opening data about a mankind, plants, animals & all earth dynamic movement happening across the planet.  I bet you didn’t know it was this big…

Paul Hawken’s website, book and his film can be found on google.

   Meenakshi : Wholeness

Re: Inspiring thoughts about community

Meenakshi said Jan 25, 11:42 AM:

 

I have amazing news for you. Man is not alone on this planet. He is part of a community, upon which he depends absolutely.

Daniel Quinn

Source: Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit, Page: 101

Contributed by: David Pearson

Today’s hottest quote