Priest Class #1: Dissension

Dissension is defined as a state of discord, conflict, contention, and strife, that can lead to disharmony and division. When there is any type of infighting or bickering occurring within a spiritual group, especially among its priests, it commonly leads to high tension and the inevitability of a falling-out between many members of the spiritual community. As a Daoist priest, it is your responsibility to “promote the Dao.” This means advocating spiritual harmony and peace of mind whenever possible.

As new priests, in order to avoid dissension from happening, or stop it from growing further, you will sometimes be faced with the opportunity to counsel others and help transform their lives for the better – Please discuss the following:

When you are faced with an upset:

1. Understand the Past – Where are its Subconscious Roots???

• Define and Focus on where these feelings originated –

• What was the youngest you remember feeling these emotions?

• Who was involved?

• What were the actions and/or experiences surrounding the original trauma?

2. Bring it into the Present – From Subconscious Reaction to Conscious Decision

• Bring the memory and reaction into the present – and study it

• Who did I learn this pattern from?

• What were its values?

• What were its detriments?

• Do I want to keep this pattern or am I willing to let it go??

3. Consciously Release the Pattern and Create a New Pattern –

• Am I willing to consciously choose to Die to the pattern?

• Am I willing to Consciously choose to no longer “feed” it?

• If you do not feed it thought and emotion – it will energetically starve and die –

• You must then create, establish, and spiritually feed the new positive pattern – and empower it with new actions

• Expose any need to sabotage – if found – stare the process again until the charges have left, and there is no more value in punishing yourself or others

Class Homework – Life Problem #1

As a new priest  – Please discuss the following:

A student comes to you with the following problem

Student A does not like or trust Student B –

• What would you do to help them resolve their differences and create trust?

• How can this problem affect themselves and others?

• What will be the benefits of the resolution

• What will be the outcome of not resolving the problem?

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered – Love them anyway
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives – Be kind anyway
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies – Succeed anyway
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you – Be honest and frank anyway
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight – Build anyway
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous – Be happy anyway
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow – Do good anyway
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough – Give the world the best you’ve got anyway
You see, in the final analysis, it’s between you and God – It was never between you and them anyway.
― Mother Teresa