Ignorance to Wisdom: Like Filings to a Lodestone

Heruka’s words 19 March 2014

(From Leslee: In response to recent thoughts about how some things and people seem to arise merely to cause distraction from focus or path, here’s what came forth.)

As you progress towards understanding, which brings your freedom, that sense of freedom radiating from you draws like a magnet and the polar opposite is attracted.

Ignorance (in the sense of a state which lacks wisdom and self-knowledge) is compelled, like iron filings to a lodestone.

If there are “filings” nearby, there’s no way to shield them from being drawn to the lodestone…

Unless there is some sort of shield.

So what’s the nature, the point of a lodestone? (See Wikipedia quote below)

It’s an occupational hazard, a given, when one strives for Enlightenment, to find ignorance and obstruction drawn to one like filings to a lodestone.

Shielding simply keeps the filings at a distance. The moment there’s a gap in the shield, the filings rush to the heart of the magnet.

But notice also, the filings don’t draw from the magnet… They merely cling and hover helplessly. The nature of the magnet prevails, regardless of whether it’s wearing a cloak of annoying fuzzy sharp bits of iron.

So you can brush them away all you want, they will fly right back at the first opportunity. There’s no harm; all they do is cloud the appearance of the magnet.

The lodestone reminds still and silent, unperturbed. And so you must, if you feel flocked by distractions and things or people that would seem to draw you off course. Ignore the iron filings.

Just take note of what is the heart and what is the clinging but.

The filings only affect you to the extent that you allow them to distract you.

From Wikipedia, regarding “Lodestone”: ‘The process by which lodestone is created has long been an open question in geology. Only a small amount of the magnetite on Earth is found magnetized as lodestone. Ordinary magnetite is attracted to a magnetic field like iron and steel is, but does not tend to become magnetized itself. Recent research[8] has found that only a variety of magnetite with a particular crystalline structure, a mixture of magnetite and maghemite, has sufficient coercivity to remain magnetized and thus be a permanent magnet. One theory suggests that lodestones are magnetized by the strong magnetic fields surrounding lightning bolts.[8] This is supported by the observation that they are mostly found at the surface of the Earth; not buried at great depth.’