Abuse recovery - Cleanliness is next to ugliness

Author

Cleanliness is next to ugliness

Bodhisattvacat

2004-08-16, 7:08 am

Cleanliness is a control-freak's attempt to shut out life, with all its
different influences, and never have to experience what life has to
offer. A neat freak creates an antiseptic environment in which he
lives in an artificial bubble and fails to train his immunity as well
as to develop wisdom and strength of experience that comes from dealing
with life on its own terms.

Cleanliness is not next to godliness. It is next to paranoia; next to
hysteria; next to prissiness; next to lowered immunity; next to
mistreatment of people; next to waste of resources; next to abusive
relationships; next to failure to experience life. It is a war one
declares on nature - a war that tries to obliterate nature from his
environment while gaining none of the wisdom and beauty that lives in
it, or in people of his acquaintance.

Creativity is next to godliness. Inspiration is next to godliness.
Adventure, learning, passion, excitement, beauty, excellence, courage,
wisdom, kindness, generosity, compassion, good-heartedness, is next to
godliness. Love is next to godliness, as is philanthropy, as is
goodwill.

Cleanliness is an attempt to shut out foreign influences and control
one's environment. It is an attempt to insulate oneself from nature and
from anything one does not like. It turns one into a paranoid,
neurotic, unappreciative control freak; into someone who cares more
that his floor is spotless than that he has a good relationship with
his wife. It turns one into a prissy, abusive person who shuts out
nature and shuts out thoughts he can't control in order to have an
antiseptic environment in which he thinks he's secure but which
prevents him from experiencing and appreciating the universe. It is a
recipe for misery, abuse and entrapment of everyone whose life one may
touch.

My spiritual instructor took her squirrel to the vet. The vet said that
squirrels had germs; so she put the squirrel next to her nose and
rubbed it against her. The vet acted disgusted; but it was my spiritual
instructor and not the vet that had the better idea. We have the
capacity to develop immunity to just about anything in nature. Nature,
unlike people, recycles its trash. The person who wants to shut out
nature undermines his immunity while - far worse - failing to
experience the beautiful things that nature has to give.

A truly godly person works with nature rather than against nature and
with creativity rather than against creativity. He values love more
than clean floor and he values emotional sharing more than emotional
control and psychological hygiene. He leaves room for inspiration,
passion and imagination and acts on these to make the best of the
world he is living in. He equates goodwill, compassion, generosity and
love, not cleanliness or control or respectability, with godliness,
and acts upon these to make the best possible world for himself and
for people whose lives he may touch.

Ilya Shambat
http://www.geocities.com/drr0cket

cal

2004-08-16, 7:08 am

"Bodhisattvacat" <drr0cket@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4f2532f6.0408130945.3479bc6d@posting.google.com...
> My spiritual instructor took her squirrel to the vet. The vet said that
> squirrels had germs; so she put the squirrel next to her nose and
> rubbed it against her. The vet acted disgusted; but it was my spiritual
> instructor and not the vet that had the better idea.

did she ask if it was ok to rub her with a squirrel?

Barbara's Cat

2004-08-16, 11:07 am

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 16:49:21 -0400
cal said:

> "Barbara's Cat" <cat@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
> news:MPG.1b86d6f59c7855cf98977a@news-60.giganews.com...
>
> okay, i'll ask my spiritual instructor to bring some over.

The squirrel that owns me might not like some other squirrel being
brought over here -- could turn into a squirrel fight.

Of course, watching a couple of squirrels fighting, or better yet mud
wrestling would make for an interesting evening. Hey, maybe if I ask
real sweet like, I can talk my owner into it. Hold on, I'll ask ...

(Talk amongst yourselves. Topic: Why women live longer than men.)

Uh ... she said "XXXX NO! NOW GET OFF THAT DAMNED COMPUTER!"

Sorry, guys, I gotta go now.

--
Cm~

Jernau Gurgeh

2004-08-16, 11:07 am

Does this mean that all the cleaning I've been doing today is worth nought?

Now that is depressing.

Jernau

--
And if you don't like it then hey XXXX you!

-TT5B

astri

2004-08-16, 7:07 pm

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004, Chandra P. Das wrote:

>There's really no content in this essay, Shambat.

this is new?

-- astri

waitingforgodot@samuel.beckett

2004-08-16, 7:07 pm

On 13 Aug 2004 10:45:22 -0700, drr0cket@yahoo.com
(Bodhisattvacat) wrote:

><(((*> My spiritual instructor took her squirrel to the vet. The vet said that
><(((*> squirrels had germs; so she put the squirrel next to her nose and
><(((*> rubbed it against her. The vet acted disgusted; but it was my spiritual
><(((*> instructor and not the vet that had the better idea.

Think this would work for rabies?

Tara J. Ballance
Montreal, Canada

SpiritQuest

2004-08-16, 7:07 pm

"Bodhisattvacat" <drr0cket@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4f2532f6.0408130945.3479bc6d@posting.google.com...
>
> Cleanliness is an attempt to shut out foreign influences and control
> one's environment. It is an attempt to insulate oneself from nature and
> from anything one does not like. It turns one into a paranoid,
> neurotic, unappreciative control freak; into someone who cares more
> that his floor is spotless than that he has a good relationship with
> his wife. It turns one into a prissy, abusive person who shuts out
> nature and shuts out thoughts he can't control in order to have an
> antiseptic environment in which he thinks he's secure but which
> prevents him from experiencing and appreciating the universe. It is a
> recipe for misery, abuse and entrapment of everyone whose life one may
> touch.

Ilya, you do an excellent job of being wrong on many occasions.

You may have reached a new high here.

Cleanliness.
Don't leave metal shavings from the days work, or food to grow old and moldy
on the floor where the baby crawls.

Cleanliness.
Remove the dust that irritates your eyes, that which invites ants into your
food, any animal not yes housebroken or properly confined.

Cleanliness.
Shower. Clean the armpits, so that those we hug do not puke on our shoes.
(this is often *especially* appreciated.)

Cleanliness.
Condoms. I don't care if bacteria and virii *are* natural.

SpiritQuest
Clean.
Well, OK, my *mind* is a bit dirty

}

> Ilya Shambat
> http://www.geocities.com/drr0cket

david rutkowski

2004-08-16, 7:07 pm

Immortalist wrote:

> The tub, toilet, and sink were rarely found in one room together before indoor
> plumbing became available. Hot and cold water could now be delivered to the home
> without heating on the stove or hauling up from a fountain. It was soon realized
> that tubs, toilets, and sinks could be linked to these water pipes to make life
> much easier. And if one had to install water pipes leading to only one room, then
> all the better. Thus the bathroom was born, a room with a ready supply of hot and
> cold water. The sink, tub, and toilet were pulled out of the shadows and thrust
> into public view. People became less shy about cleanliness, and toilet facilities
> lost their clever disguises.

I still put a Groucho Marx disguise on the bidet.
It's always fun when a dumb French girl looks
around the bathroom and asks, "Mais, cheri, vhere
ees the bidet?"

>
>
>

Chandra P. Das

2004-08-16, 7:07 pm

Chuck Lysaght wrote:

> "Chandra P. Das" <vze1sar1@verizon.net> wrote in message news:<O38Tc.237$zO3.129@trndny05>...
>

[...]

>
>
> Are you that XXXXing stupid?

Nah, 'stupid' is the man who can't remember either his name, age or sex
at any given point in time, Anna. Or maybe that's the definition of
senility?

[vbcol=seagreen]
> You're making an issue
>

cal

2004-08-18, 2:06 am

waitingforgodot@samuel.beckett

2004-08-18, 11:06 am

Stranger

2004-08-18, 7:07 pm

"Bodhisattvacat" <drr0cket@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4f2532f6.0408130945.3479bc6d@posting.google.com...
> Cleanliness is a control-freak's attempt to shut out life, with all its
> different influences, and never have to experience what life has to
> offer. A neat freak creates an antiseptic environment in which he
> lives in an artificial bubble and fails to train his immunity as well
> as to develop wisdom and strength of experience that comes from dealing
> with life on its own terms.
>
> Cleanliness is not next to godliness. It is next to paranoia; next to
> hysteria; next to prissiness; next to lowered immunity; next to
> mistreatment of people; next to waste of resources; next to abusive
> relationships; next to failure to experience life. It is a war one
> declares on nature - a war that tries to obliterate nature from his
> environment while gaining none of the wisdom and beauty that lives in
> it, or in people of his acquaintance.
>
> Creativity is next to godliness. Inspiration is next to godliness.
> Adventure, learning, passion, excitement, beauty, excellence, courage,
> wisdom, kindness, generosity, compassion, good-heartedness, is next to
> godliness. Love is next to godliness, as is philanthropy, as is
> goodwill.
>
> Cleanliness is an attempt to shut out foreign influences and control
> one's environment. It is an attempt to insulate oneself from nature and
> from anything one does not like. It turns one into a paranoid,
> neurotic, unappreciative control freak; into someone who cares more
> that his floor is spotless than that he has a good relationship with
> his wife. It turns one into a prissy, abusive person who shuts out
> nature and shuts out thoughts he can't control in order to have an
> antiseptic environment in which he thinks he's secure but which
> prevents him from experiencing and appreciating the universe. It is a
> recipe for misery, abuse and entrapment of everyone whose life one may
> touch.
>
> My spiritual instructor took her squirrel to the vet. The vet said that
> squirrels had germs; so she put the squirrel next to her nose and
> rubbed it against her. The vet acted disgusted; but it was my spiritual
> instructor and not the vet that had the better idea. We have the
> capacity to develop immunity to just about anything in nature. Nature,
> unlike people, recycles its trash. The person who wants to shut out
> nature undermines his immunity while - far worse - failing to
> experience the beautiful things that nature has to give.
>
> A truly godly person works with nature rather than against nature and
> with creativity rather than against creativity. He values love more
> than clean floor and he values emotional sharing more than emotional
> control and psychological hygiene. He leaves room for inspiration,
> passion and imagination and acts on these to make the best of the
> world he is living in. He equates goodwill, compassion, generosity and
> love, not cleanliness or control or respectability, with godliness,
> and acts upon these to make the best possible world for himself and
> for people whose lives he may touch.
>
> Ilya Shambat
> http://www.geocities.com/drr0cket

Sounds like you're looking for an excuse to avoid bathing. Might
be a good idea to stay upwind from you.

SpiritQuest

2004-08-18, 7:07 pm

}

> Ilya Shambat
> http://www.geocities.com/drr0cket

astri

2004-08-18, 7:07 pm

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004, Chandra P. Das wrote:

>There's really no content in this essay, Shambat.

this is new?

-- astri

Eric Cordian

2004-08-18, 7:07 pm

In alt.abuse.recovery Chandra P. Das <vze1sar1@verizon.net> wrote:
> Bodhisattvacat wrote:

[a very long rant]

> There's really no content in this essay, Shambat. You're making an issue
> out of something that can adequately enough be left in the care of
> common sense. Or maybe I don't know what you've got in mind in your
> criticism of cleanliness. Are you suggesting that bathing once a day,
> brushing your teeth, keeping your abode not looking like an industrial
> sized garbage dumpster, or washing your hands a few times a day,
> especially after you've been through bodily functions -- that such
> attention to cleanliness is not necessary?

I think the "moderation in all things" principle applies here. Extremes
in either direction are undesirable.

--
Eric Michael Cordian 0+
O:.T:.O:. Mathematical Munitions Division
"Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law"

Chuck Lysaght

2004-08-18, 7:07 pm

"Chandra P. Das" <vze1sar1@verizon.net> wrote in message news:<O38Tc.237$zO3.129@trndny05>...
> Bodhisattvacat wrote:
>
>
> There's really no content in this essay, Shambat.

Are you that XXXXing stupid?

You're making an issue[vbcol=seagreen]
> out of something that can adequately enough be left in the care of
> common sense. Or maybe I don't know what you've got in mind in your
> criticism of cleanliness. Are you suggesting that bathing once a day,
> brushing your teeth, keeping your abode not looking like an industrial
> sized garbage dumpster, or washing your hands a few times a day,
> especially after you've been through bodily functions -- that such
> attention to cleanliness is not necessary? Remember Shambat, when the
> student has no sense of his own, then any master is utterly useless. And
> anybody who has any sense of his own will easily recognize, without a
> guru's dictate, that crawling all day around your house with a
> magnifying glass trying to pick up every fleck of dust off the floors is
> not a healthy management of time.
>
> So again, as I said: there's really no content in your essay aside from
> the basic and self-evident truth that one should use one's common sense
> in all endeavors of life.
>
>
>
>

Barbara's Cat

2004-08-18, 10:07 pm

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 14:09:55 -0400
cal said:

> "Bodhisattvacat" <drr0cket@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:4f2532f6.0408130945.3479bc6d@posting.google.com...
>
> did she ask if it was ok to rub her with a squirrel?

Heh. Having had my nose rubbed with a few squirrels,
all I have to say is ... try it, you'll like it.

--
Cm~

Chandra P. Das

2004-08-18, 10:07 pm

Bodhisattvacat wrote:

> Cleanliness is a control-freak's attempt to shut out life, with all its
> different influences, and never have to experience what life has to
> offer. A neat freak creates an antiseptic environment in which he
> lives in an artificial bubble and fails to train his immunity as well
> as to develop wisdom and strength of experience that comes from dealing
> with life on its own terms.
>
> Cleanliness is not next to godliness. It is next to paranoia; next to
> hysteria; next to prissiness; next to lowered immunity; next to
> mistreatment of people; next to waste of resources; next to abusive
> relationships; next to failure to experience life. It is a war one
> declares on nature - a war that tries to obliterate nature from his
> environment while gaining none of the wisdom and beauty that lives in
> it, or in people of his acquaintance.
>
> Creativity is next to godliness. Inspiration is next to godliness.
> Adventure, learning, passion, excitement, beauty, excellence, courage,
> wisdom, kindness, generosity, compassion, good-heartedness, is next to
> godliness. Love is next to godliness, as is philanthropy, as is
> goodwill.
>
> Cleanliness is an attempt to shut out foreign influences and control
> one's environment. It is an attempt to insulate oneself from nature and
> from anything one does not like. It turns one into a paranoid,
> neurotic, unappreciative control freak; into someone who cares more
> that his floor is spotless than that he has a good relationship with
> his wife. It turns one into a prissy, abusive person who shuts out
> nature and shuts out thoughts he can't control in order to have an
> antiseptic environment in which he thinks he's secure but which
> prevents him from experiencing and appreciating the universe. It is a
> recipe for misery, abuse and entrapment of everyone whose life one may
> touch.
>
> My spiritual instructor took her squirrel to the vet. The vet said that
> squirrels had germs; so she put the squirrel next to her nose and
> rubbed it against her. The vet acted disgusted; but it was my spiritual
> instructor and not the vet that had the better idea. We have the
> capacity to develop immunity to just about anything in nature. Nature,
> unlike people, recycles its trash. The person who wants to shut out
> nature undermines his immunity while - far worse - failing to
> experience the beautiful things that nature has to give.
>
> A truly godly person works with nature rather than against nature and
> with creativity rather than against creativity. He values love more
> than clean floor and he values emotional sharing more than emotional
> control and psychological hygiene. He leaves room for inspiration,
> passion and imagination and acts on these to make the best of the
> world he is living in. He equates goodwill, compassion, generosity and
> love, not cleanliness or control or respectability, with godliness,
> and acts upon these to make the best possible world for himself and
> for people whose lives he may touch.

There's really no content in this essay, Shambat. You're making an issue
out of something that can adequately enough be left in the care of
common sense. Or maybe I don't know what you've got in mind in your
criticism of cleanliness. Are you suggesting that bathing once a day,
brushing your teeth, keeping your abode not looking like an industrial
sized garbage dumpster, or washing your hands a few times a day,
especially after you've been through bodily functions -- that such
attention to cleanliness is not necessary? Remember Shambat, when the
student has no sense of his own, then any master is utterly useless. And
anybody who has any sense of his own will easily recognize, without a
guru's dictate, that crawling all day around your house with a
magnifying glass trying to pick up every fleck of dust off the floors is
not a healthy management of time.

So again, as I said: there's really no content in your essay aside from
the basic and self-evident truth that one should use one's common sense
in all endeavors of life.

> Ilya Shambat
> http://www.geocities.com/drr0cket

david rutkowski

2004-08-19, 4:06 am

Dennis M. Hammes

2004-08-19, 11:07 am

SpiritQuest wrote:
>
> "%" <surfs@uniserve> wrote in message
> news:10hsdgp6a7n4nc0@corp.supernews.com...
>
> OK, but you have to carry your own.
> And don't expect me
> to keep the Romans
> off your back.

}

I dunno how; it's said they get quite a charge out of a Roman
dipole.
--
-------(m+
~/:o)_|
The most essential gift for a good writer is
a built-in, shock-proof, shit detector. -- Hemingway
http://scrawlmark.org

Chandra P. Das

2004-08-19, 7:07 pm

2004-08-19, 10:06 pm

LETS DO THE CROSSPOST AGAIN

alvintchase

2004-08-19, 10:06 pm

Eric Cordian <emc@artifact.psychedelic.net> wrote in message news:<411d3e43$0$447$a726171b@news.hal-pc.org>...
> In alt.abuse.recovery Chandra P. Das <vze1sar1@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> [a very long rant]
>
>
> I think the "moderation in all things" principle applies here. Extremes
> in either direction are undesirable.

I think about that a lot too...I guess that moderation principle can
apply to Every area of life...

SpiritQuest

2004-08-20, 4:06 am

"%" <surfs@uniserve> wrote in message
news:10hsdgp6a7n4nc0@corp.supernews.com...
> LETS DO THE CROSSPOST AGAIN

OK, but you have to carry your own.
And don't expect me
to keep the Romans
off your back.

}