WaccoBB.net Community Values

[Barry]

I created WaccoBB.net in 2005 as a place for the "conscious community" to connect on all levels: practical, social, political, economic, personal growth, romantic and spiritual.

So who/what is the "conscious community"?

Well, it's the people that are, or more commonly, strive to be 'conscious". And they typically hold "progressive" values.

What does it mean to be "conscious" and "progressive" (in this context)?

This has been discussed a couple of times on this service.

Let me start by quoting one of my earlier posts from these threads:

In another thread, Mad Miles asked:

...What exactly is the definition of "conscious" as it is used on this board

There is no "exact definition". First, I don't claim to be fully "conscious" and I don't expect the users of this system to be either. However, I do strongly embrace the following values and practices and I aspire to embody them as much as I can. My hope/intention is that our members do so as well. Like the Storyteller, my "job is to shed light, and not to master".

Below are some thoughts on what is to be "conscious". I don't have the time, or the expertise, to write a definitive piece on this. I invite you to add your comments. The support of community, or Sangha, is very helpful in becoming more conscious, and that's part of the reason why I created this service!


Presence
This is the fundamental practice. To "Be Here Now" and not in your head, reliving some past childhood trauma, projecting fears or dreams.

Witness
Cultivating an awareness that is separate from your ego that can just observe exactly "what is".

Truth
Again, this goes to "what is" and is the basis of being authentic.

Open hearted/Undefended
To be emotionally available and compassionate while not easily going into a defensive/resistive posture.

Respect
To honor everybody and their truths, even if you disagree with them. This is that attribute that I most staunchly try to uphold here. Without respecting each other, then it's not safe. And if it's not safe, it's more difficult to be open and compassionate.

In addition to being "conscious", this service is also intended for the "progressive" community.

Here's my take on "progressive", briefly: All there is is Love! And from that non-dual point, arises a duality of not-love; let's call that fear. And from here arises the political expression of the Right/Conservative(greed, rugged individualism, militaristic) and Left/Progressive (compassionate, environmental awareness, individual liberty, social justice).

OK, that's enough for now. What do you think?

I think that's a good start. My comments on "progressive" values could use some further development and refinement. Perhaps you can help me there....

With regard to who is welcome here and what is appropriate behavior, the key guideline is Respect. Here's the text I use in the Posting Guidelines:

5) BE RESPECTFUL: You are welcome to disagree with someone but you may not attack them in any way, either publicly or privately. This includes slurs against population groups. Also, any private email should remain private unless you have the author's permission to post it. If you receive inappropriate private email in response to your post on WaccoBB.net, please Contact Us.

Respect is the baseline, the bare minimum, and kindness and compassion are encouraged.

In addition to the conscious community, this service is intended for the use of people who are "progressive". It is not for everybody. "Freedom of Speech" does not apply here. This is a moderated forum and comments are only welcome if they are deemed appropriate based on the above guidelines and values. For more about this, please see my recent post on this topic.

I generally moderate the comments here with "a light touch". I understand that we are not always perfectly conscious and respectful (including me), and there's plenty of room within what might be considered "progressive" values to express differing opinions. But there also comes a time to limit posts which are too far from the values we espouse; and when some person too often posts such messages, that poster will no longer be welcome here.

A special case of this is when somebody acts like a troll. I have added a new guideline about this:

15) TROLLS: If a member is judged to be a troll based on a review of their posts and people’s reactions, steps will be taken limit their access to board; Trolling will be identified by a consistent pattern of several criteria:
1) Not supplying a real name (that can be verified)
2) Frequent posting
3) Post that engender irritated and emotional responses
4) Posts that attack/question and are otherwise confrontational to others point of view
5) Hijacking discussions
6) Post that baits and provoke other group members, often with the result of drawing them into fruitless argument

I am determined to keep WaccoBB.net safe so that people may post their comments without fear of attack.

I welcome your comments.

[Tars]

So who/what is the "conscious community"?

Well, it's the people that are, or more commonly, strive to be 'conscious". And they typically hold "progressive" values.

I welcome your comments.

Glad you asked.

First, who in the world doesn't strive to be conscious, with the exception of heroin addicts, suicidals, and that sort? Being conscious is one of the main reasons we get out of bed in the morning.

I'm not intending here to be argumentative or contrarian. I've been here for awhile; I've seen the term explained in the WaccoBB context a few times, and I still react to the term as being self-aggrandizing, elitist, and inherently insulting to anyone who doesn't consider themselves to be "conscious". If one isn't what you consider to be conscious, the implication is that they are "un" conscious - they are existing without conscious thought, or perhaps "sub" conscious - less-than-conscious, incapable of functioning consciously.

Anyone, especially online, has the freedom to call themselves whatever they want - "conscious", "enlightened", "righteous", "super-duper", "godlike", whatever. Just be aware that the process of doing so is going to come off as insulting to many who don't use that preferred terminology.

Perhaps, since you seem to want to build a community of a particular type of perspective, and might want to foster your perspective, whenever you use the word "conscious" or "conscious community" you might consider making the word a link to your definition of "conscious". It might be less potentially offensive to the non-initiate; it might dispel any non-conscious, un-conscious, sub-conscious visitor's possible tendency to be insulted by what they might see as another example of, albeit gentle and well-intentioned, liberal elitist arrogance.

[connie priest]

Hi!

My understanding of the term "conscious", in the context of this discussion, is,
(in addition to being physically awake & functioning in the world)
more about being spiritually awake.
I'm assuming agreement that we are all spirits in bodies, expressing ourselves and attracting into our experience that to which we are giving our attention.
To me, spiritually awake implies an awareness that there's nothing outside the self; that I am creating my own experience; that my experience is all me talking to me about me -so an alertness is called for, which goes beyond what my physical senses are reporting to me about what is happening.

If I may, let me use the British Petroleum oil leak as an example of my
"spiritually awake" approach :-

Rushing to judgement is "unconscious" because it is relying solely on my ego (outer sense data) perceptions of what is happening and denying connection (the ego perceives the world as all separate, which enables us to function in the world, so it's only useful as far as it goes).

Rather, I go from my head to my heart (spirit-love center) and
heed the call to
1) use the power of my imagination to
superimpose upon images I may come across of the gushing leak, the
same image with
the spewing ceased and the spill being easily and effortlessly
cleaned up, and
3) the wildlife and humans affected, being made whole.

Then, I attend to observe in myself the judgments and emotions that may come up, of how bad BP is, how horrific the environmental problem is,
how bad mankind is, etc., etc. I believe that I am part of the problem when I hold these and other negative beliefs about myself, others and the world. To help the situation, I talk up my beliefs about myself, others and the world. I watch to what I am giving attention, what I am remembering, what I am imagining and expecting, and how I am reasoning - to more positive and wanted values.

I believe that there's power in numbers, and the more of us that do this, the quicker we see resolution of things gone wrong.

Thank you.

[Suz]

You know, Barry, maybe the problem is that you are using a perfectly good English word that already HAS a definition, and you are trying to give it another meaning. Okay, it's the English Major speaking, but I am not aware of anything in the definition of "conscious" that implies that the conscious person has a "progressive" viewpoint or any other particular ideology, and then you need to define "progressive" which also has a definition. I think the most closely related current popular liberal newspeak idiom is "intentional" but that is another co-option of a good old word that really only means "on purpose"--it doesn't carry any cool or groovy or better than thou kind of weight. Anyway, I was interested that you attempted to explain what you mean by "Conscious Community" (literally a group of people related by proximity who are aware of themselves) because I have been wondering!

["Mad" Miles]

Well put Suz,

I've been wondering about the permutations. What would constitute an "unconscious" community? "semi-conscious"? etc.

I have an affinity for the word, since a lot of theory I used to read focused on questions about Consciousness. Took me a long time to remember how to spell it too.

Progressive is also problematic. I remember when it was deployed in the late seventies as code for Leftist, Socialist, Pro-Labor, Left-Wing Liberal, Soft Neo-Marxist, whatever. And the teleological assumption behind it, when used as a positive claim, is a commitment to certainty that I'm not always sure I'm comfortable with.

It has an interesting history in American (U.S.) political culture though. The Progressive Era, Progressives...

In modern parlance it means, working for a better future. I bet that's what Ms. Kagan meant when she told the Senate committee yesterday that she would be a, "progressive jurist." I think it's highly unlikely that she's a closet Leftist Revolutionary. Although I'm sure that's what reactionary conservatives will/have claim(ed).

But in the end, words mean what a significant number of people agree they mean. Common usage is the term, I believe. And meaning changes over time.

Contrapositively many arguments derive from simple confusion, or disagreement, over the definition of the terms involved. I often resist the urge to demand, Define Your Terms, while in the midst of an argument.

I loved this line from a recent book review in the NYT's: Many writers agree that no matter what one intends to say, language is inadequate to convey the actual meaning. (That's a paraphrase.)

I learned a new word yesterday. "Gooch", from the Tosh.0 comedy show. I'd never heard that term for the perineum. Cracked me up. Various hilarious phrases come to mind, "Kiss my gooch!", "Suck my gooch!"

Uh oh, now this belongs in the C&UnC category. I'm such a Gooch!

[Braggi]

You know, Barry, maybe the problem is that you are using a perfectly good English word that already HAS a definition ...

Suz, what it really means in this context is "Are YOU F-ING paying attention!!!!"

Nothing more.

-Jeff

[Shandi]

I missed this beautifully expressed and personal definition of "conscious" when it first appeared in 2010. That was a difficult time of transition dealing with painful days and nights on all levels. I'm in a much better place now, and am so glad to have seen this. I feel a resonance with this explanation. Thank you Connie!

Hi!

My understanding of the term "conscious", in the context of this discussion, is,
(in addition to being physically awake & functioning in the world)
more about being spiritually awake.
I'm assuming agreement that we are all spirits in bodies, expressing ourselves and attracting into our experience that to which we are giving our attention.
To me, spiritually awake implies an awareness that there's nothing outside the self; that I am creating my own experience; that my experience is all me talking to me about me -so an alertness is called for, which goes beyond what my physical senses are reporting to me about what is happening.

If I may, let me use the British Petroleum oil leak as an example of my
"spiritually awake" approach :-

Rushing to judgement is "unconscious" because it is relying solely on my ego (outer sense data) perceptions of what is happening and denying connection (the ego perceives the world as all separate, which enables us to function in the world, so it's only useful as far as it goes).

Rather, I go from my head to my heart (spirit-love center) and
heed the call to
1) use the power of my imagination to
superimpose upon images I may come across of the gushing leak, the
same image with
the spewing ceased and the spill being easily and effortlessly
cleaned up, and
3) the wildlife and humans affected, being made whole.

Then, I attend to observe in myself the judgments and emotions that may come up, of how bad BP is, how horrific the environmental problem is,
how bad mankind is, etc., etc. I believe that I am part of the problem when I hold these and other negative beliefs about myself, others and the world. To help the situation, I talk up my beliefs about myself, others and the world. I watch to what I am giving attention, what I am remembering, what I am imagining and expecting, and how I am reasoning - to more positive and wanted values.

I believe that there's power in numbers, and the more of us that do this, the quicker we see resolution of things gone wrong.

Thank you.