The Warrior -- Carlos Casteneda

[J. Paul Everett]

In a message dated 10/19/01 9:55:06 AM, jsmith at mosquitonet.com writes:

<< Dear Paul,


What if we are asleep and this is all our collective nightmare?

<<<What is "this"?  (No, I'm not Clintonizing you, I don't understand what
"this" applies to.  Our lives?  The terrorists?  The reality we find
ourselves in?>>>


What if there are those among us who know or think they know this is a
nightmare?

<<<What if they don't?>>>


What is the proper response to a nightmare?

<<<To wake up.  In the sense postulated by P. D. Ouspensky and others.>>>


It is not possible to awaken from a nightmare as long as you think your very

life and the lives of those you love depends upon remaining asleep.


Our lives are not at stake.


The belief that our lives are at stake is part of the nightmare and is part

of what keeps us in the nightmare.

<<<Sorry, but I think that our way of life is at stake in the current
situation.  The terrorists hate what our culture stands for---freedom to
think different thoughts, freedom to create our own way and our own way of
life, freedom to come and go as we please, to dress as we please, (as the
King in "The King and I" said) "and etcetera, etcetera, etcetera"!!  That,
madam, is worth dying for, imho.>>>


....


Stand here with me a moment, Paul.  I am speaking my truth to you.  What

should I do?  How should I respond to the nightmare?

<<<Well, I can't answer that for you.  No one can.  You have to find your own
way.  You haven't answered my original inquiry.  Perhaps you choose not
to---which is your freedom.  We are a freedom, you know.  That's what OST is
all about.  That's what these United States are about.  It's those who want
to restrict freedom that I worry about---both here and abroad.

And, we are being caused a great deal of pain right now which is going to
take some significant time to work our way through.  Many lives will be lost
before we exit this dark tunnel caused by those who don't want freedom to
create our own reality to exist except their brand of reality.  It has been
ever thus for the whole history of the human race and isn't about to change.
Power intoxicates, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
We'd better understand that.

Sincerely,

Paul>>>

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