If you go read my profile you would not think that my education extends beyond high school and that in itself may be questionable. You would be correct. I suck at book learning because my mind runs too fast so if its not something that holds my interest, its very difficult to keep my attention. Nobody has forced me to further my education, nor did they force me to graduate high school. I was and still am, rebellious to the core so to try to tell me what I WILL do or Force me to ___ without giving me justifiable reason, will be meet with cool, collective suspicion and resistance. The alt to this is: unless you have gained my trust, wherein, I no longer require it... I know you. You won't try to seek my harm or take advantage of me. I think this is the reason that I love the concept of a higher power who gives a shit about me. My God does not force anybody to do anything any longer. He has made a way and now says, its up to you bunch of rebellious lil shits to find the path, study it and walk thereon. I have sat and listened to scholars and intellects of far more superior quality than myself and to each one, of whom man has sought to gain knowledge from, they have all followed that very simplistic logic. This is the situation, whether true or metaphoric. This is the transition, in my opinion, that you will need to strive for. You will know that you have met with success in one of two ways: In failing to achieve the desired results, you learned what does not work and cease to repeat said methodology. OR You have come to a place of enlightenment wherein you have received the positive outcome of which you desired. NONE of them talk about dealing with the aftermath of being successful because the very concept of enlightenment is understood that the person seeking, understands the fall out of their desire BEFORE it is fulfilled. This too is the process of enlightenment. It is not just receiving the goal successfully... its also understanding the fall out and determining if the goal is WORTH the cost of fulfilling it. So many times we see our results and leap at it blindly, then cry as we are impaled by bards that surround it unseen, even though enlightenment is much like a Rose. If you let the beauty of flower distract you from the process of obtainment, you'll be skewed by the thorns. Some Roses are simply best enjoyed on the plant. Smell its lovely fragrance. Enjoy the aesthetics of its delicate, supple beauty. Acknowledge that some things are not meant to be plucked, while others have a navigational path wherein they can be plucked and taken home for a limited time.
Scripture teaches this lesson in a very simplistic metaphoric reality. "Cast not thine pearls before the swine..." and it is to this that I am drawn to share. Understand that this small sentence is steeped in depth of which is usually just skim read and taken for face value, therefore overlooked and scoffed at it in the neglect of understanding.
Cast:
Casting is an intentional action. Thought out or by response, if one is to cast it takes effort, as well as practiced study in the method. One does not become an instant success in cast, just because they made ANY effort. In this sense of the word, it is casting wherein the recipient is currently at, within range of them to receive but before their path of vision (understanding). Simply put, if you cast before them, it is likely that they will respond and go forth to retrieve, wherein if you cast a behind them, they are less likely to even acknowledge its presence.
Thine:
Yes it means literally "Your, Yours", therefore it is something that YOU have taken effort to claim yourself, most likely from the very nature of self help, study, meditations, and placing the correct course into action, thus taking knowledge to the next step of becoming wisdom. You have been there, you've been through similar and "this pearl" is the wisdom you are willing to give. Why? Because you care enough to take something that is immensely valuable to you, and share it with another in hopes that it will not take them so long to come to the positive results they seek. You struggled for days, weeks, months or possibly years. Or you was offered the pearl to be taken from the hand of another, but either way you made effort to obtain it and thus it belongs to you because you reached out, claimed it and tucked it safely away upon your person so that you can recall it at any given time to help benefit you or your's, another day. To give it away is a sacrifice. Is the one of who you are sacrificing for, worth the cost you are giving away, free of charge.
Pearls:
In a literalism, "A natural pearl (often called an Oriental pearl) forms when an irritant works its way into a particular species of oyster, mussel, or clam. As a defense mechanism, the mollusk secretes a fluid to coat the irritant. Layer upon layer of this coating is deposited on the irritant until a lustrous pearl is formed." Sound familiar? Something is bothering you, causing a negative reaction to your core mindset. Some people have a mind that says "wait, something is off... what? why? How can I stop this from repeating?" Some simply accept as if it's a part of life and thus live in the irritated state wherein they shit on everybody around them in one form or another, unable to find joy in themselves and therefore they seek to destroy any joy you may have simply because its not them who caused it, or worse yet... they can not abide that you are happy while they suffer with self infliction, denying the possibility of treatment, unwilling to take the time investment so that they themselves can be self sustaining in their own joy. Notice, the irritant is NOT removed, it is coated over in self preservation... a willing, dedicated effort to accept that this is part of who they are, however it does not need to be something suffered. Instead it can become something of beauty to others, wherein the value is solely upon the beholder. To the Oyster, it has value of no longer being irritated all the time. It'll hold this pearl till it is removed or till it passes out of this life, either way, to the oyster... its no longer an irritant, even though the oyster continues to tend to it on a daily bases just to maintain its own betterment of life. To another, the pearl within may look basic and unattractive, while yet another covets the pearl with a deep desire. Then there is the Pigs.
Pigs:
Pigs are tasty! MMMMMM BACON! However very nasty and back in the day of this saying, pigs were considered an "Unclean food" which was not to be eaten because of all the micro organisms living in... and on them. Because disease control upon society was so low that a pig could wipe out an entire village with salmonella because pigs lack the simplistic sweat gland and therefore controls self body heat by rolling in mud, most often created by their own shit, wherein they trample to keep it fresh, permitting nothing to grow, so it can keep itself from overheating. Pigs are by nature gluttonous, consuming anything placed within their range of smell and amazingly, pigs have an extremely keen sense of smell that they use to devour anything within its range. Pigs do not care about taste, quality value of what its eating, or amount. It'll fight to obtain the food, pushing and shoving, squealing in frustration and threat, just to eat anything it can put in its mouth and grind beneath its very powerful jaws. The meat inside a pig is just as full of micro organisms and parasites, much like humans... when the body dies, these organism spring to life, consuming the rot and we see them as maggots or "worms", who are simply doing what they was designed for... disease and infection control. Hence when you cook pork, you must cook it fully or risk becoming sick because those lil bastards don't care about the living, only the dead feed them. (YOU MUST DIE! I ALONE AM BEST! Muhahahaha)
So when it is said do not cast thine pearls before the swine, what is actually being said is: Not everybody is worth your value. Be careful where you try to share your wisdom (pearls) because watching pigs eat without thought, the very thing that took you years of overcoming and tending to every day of, is crushing. Where you sought to help, you now are part of the pigs food source, and though they will squeal for more, you are to them nothing more than a source of self sustaining gluttony that provides for them, so they can receive ANYTHING without any more effort than to sound like they are in pain and need. In the time of this metaphor being spoken, what they are implying is not only will they not value you or what you have overcome and willingly sharing... they themselves are self centered, self serving, devours of all things and will revel and roll in the very shit they cause. They are unworthy of your attention, and to take one unto your own self could cause you long term harm that can spread to everyone you come in contact with, ultimately ending in the destruction of everything. Even if the pig themselves is dead (no longer in your life), if its "meat" (mindset) is consumed, you and all of yours are the ones who may pay the cost with the destruction of your own family of whom you can not provide for because... you gave your valuables to the very swine that is killing you.
I honestly don't know who this is for. I was fixing lunch when it come upon me to put out this blog.
Before you jump to conclusions let me give one last bit of insight: At no point does this metaphor say, that pigs are worthless and unable to obtain enlightenment wherein they evolve. Because in many ways, Pigs and Humans are similar. A pig is a pig, but a human who thinks like a pig, is still a human, however until the human comes away from the pigs mindset they will always remain a pig. It is up to them to come out of the shit by their own choice. Show them the pearl, but do not cast it.
May your hearts heal. Your minds be of soundness. Your soul full of peace. Your days filled with more joy than anguish. It is YOUR choice to let others infect, or effect your joy.
Max, a self proclaimed Heathen who walks in the paths that criss cross throughout his life.
