Teachings - Karma
It is not believed that you will have difficulty in forgiving yourself my sister. Do you understand this statement?
Student: No
It is the ego that has you convinced that you are unable to forgive yourself; you are just beginning to realize the damage that you have done. Do you understand?
Student: I see
Forgiveness of the self is not on the near horizon for you my sister, for recognition of the self’s behaviors, the self’s actions, need be made – understanding need be garnered. It is then that forgiveness is provided. To forgive the self prior to achieving understanding indicates that the lesson will be scheduled for you once again in future and shall be failed once again. Do you understand?
Student: I would prefer not to go there; I would prefer to get it done now.
The purpose of this conversation my sister is to indicate to you that you have embraced the story of the ego – that the self is unable to forgive another because the self cannot forgive the self. It is to state to you with emphasis that the self is not concerned truly about being able to forgive the self. The self is desirous of elimination of these feelings. The first step is to forgive another. The first step is to forgive another. The first step, my sister, is to forgive another by recognizing the damage that has been done by the self, whether in similar fashion or differently is of no consequence. Do you understand?
Student: Where do you suggest I begin?
To recognize that it is lesson – failed lesson – that causes the self to damage another, to recognize that the self is not the only self that has failed lesson. It is to step forth and to say, “I have been damaged by your actions” – to explain to the other how the self has been damaged; for it is in the explanation that the self will begin to see that the self has damaged others in similar fashion. Do you see, my sister, that by not speaking, not extending this information to another but rather, providing the other with the false face – one that says, “Yes, of course I forgive you” – that the self has failed to do the work necessary for true understanding?
Student: I see that now. Thank you. Is there a particular situation that you would like me to begin with?
The judgments will guide you my sister. When you find that you are thinking of another, when you find that you are speaking of another negatively, the starting point has been provided to you.
I ask that each present focus upon the heart chakra, to feel the beating of the heart, recognizing the power that lies within to draw forth wisdom or to bring forth judgment; for the heart is the energy center of the body, the generator of emotion – that which builds thought, that which creates positivity, that which tears asunder that which has been built by another through judgment. Thoughtless, careless judgment weakens that which has been built by another, particularly when the judgment is made with great emotion, with thought that has been focused upon - stated silently or aloud matters not, for the thinking is powerful enough to diminish, to destroy that which has been fought for by another. It is important for all present to recognize the power of the self’s thinking - the power of judgment to destroy the efforts of another, for this thinking also attracts others who will judge the self, thereby diminishing, destroying that which has been so hard fought by the self.
Your choices to continue creating karmic callings inform me that you are uncertain of your path.
Student: I feel like I am fighting with myself all the time, like I’m battling an inner demon all the time. I don’t feel like I’m winning. There is no place else that I want to be and there’s nothing else that’s more important to me but I just keep failing. I don’t want to hurt other people. I don’t want to hurt myself. Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.
You know what to do my sister. I shall provide you with homework. We shall attempt once more to determine if this path is truly your desire. All judgments formulated within the mind must be spoken aloud, for it is in this way that the other is informed, that the other can battle you, that the other can set you straight. It is important for you to recognize that those things that are unspoken are just as powerful as those things that are spoken; however, you are not penalized for the silent thinking in the moment, whereas the other is. Do you understand?
Student: I do
Recognizing the thinking is important to all present; eliminating judgment is critical if one is desirous of returning to divinity.
You have come to learn to be love at all times as have all other consciousnesses upon the planet; some will accomplish this more rapidly than others. It is those that realize that the self has responded as not love and that seeks to be different that shall accomplish this feat more rapidly than another who has yet to see the self, who has yet to recognize the self’s behavior. The challenges provided to you my sister are those that were planned, those that were believed to be most needed, those that would allow the self to cancel karma, those that will endear to the self those consciousnesses that the self has interacted with previously, unfavorably. Do you understand?
Guest: Yes
It is indeed the love-hate relationship that has been recognized within the self…that is accompanied (the feeling of love-hate), is felt by the self within all intense relationship, within all relationship that is learning the lesson of control. Do you understand?
Guest: Yes
The self cannot control anyone and this is often proven when the self cannot even control the self. Do you understand?
Guest: Yes
To understand the challenges that you have planned for the self is to look to those individuals that draw forth great emotion – either positive or negative – and to recognize that these individuals are providing exactly what the self has requested, exactly what the self needs in order to learn in this lifetime. It is important to engage the will, to make certain that the self is indeed dedicated, committed, to the self’s knowing and healing of the self, for once the inner Teacher steps forth and begins to draw forth lesson in earnest, changing of the mind is ignored, is in fact no longer permissible.
The teaching this day of primary interest to myself is that which concerns Te' Auna, that which brings forth the lesson of lack – the inability to overcome the experiences of many, many lifetimes wherein the self determined that the self did not have what the self needed in order to survive, in order to be successful. It is important for all who encounter this lesson to understand that the Teacher guides the fruits that are made available to the self; it is to earn the fruits that is necessary. It is to understand that those fruits that are withheld are being withheld for great purpose – to teach, never to punish, unless of course the self has been responsible for withholding fruits from one who deserved such in previous or in the current lifetime; it is karma that is visited upon the self that has damaged the bounty deserved by another. This is most often exhibited through greed, wherein the individual determines that the self’s bounty is insufficient and another’s bounty is earmarked for the self. It is important to recognize that all – all consciousnesses - experience deprivation; all consciousnesses judge this experience as lack. The purpose of the lesson is to teach.
It is for all students to recognize the behaviors that lie within that indicate that the self does indeed perceive lack for the self: the eyes that rest upon the possessions of another, judging the holder, stating, “I would never spend that much money on that item” – as if the other should have made similar choice; stating the other “has far more than they need”; stating, “I wish I had just half of what they have, questioning even within the mind, “why would they not share their bounty with me?” For the self who is unwilling to pay the price sought for goods, always searching for the lowest possible price to be paid for goods that will be expected to be of good quality; and the individual who fails to see those who are in need, those who could be assisted without interfering with their lesson plan.
It is important for all students to recognize that to give to another is not always the answer – it, in fact, often is more damaging than helpful. To recognize that the self is either stingy or generous is important; to modify generosity is equally important to elimination of stinginess, for all consciousnesses here upon the planet have come to learn how to conduct the self in an environment where money is the central focus. Learning to conduct the self with honor, learning to provide only that which is necessary to aid another forward upon their path. This could be one dollar – it could be fifty thousand dollars; it is to provide assistance with right purpose.
Student: I have a very clear picture of this character called the “good friend” – and there’s a whole set of beliefs that go with that when I’m a good friend and I’m wondering if that’s almost archetypal with human behavior – that we each have a set of beliefs of how we’re supposed to be when we’re being a good friend and this question of endorsement or telling the truth or acceptance… is part of that in all relationship with people that we care about.
Indeed.
Student: So then it’s fair to say that anytime we’re in connection with another human being we’re going to be challenged in that way.
You will indeed my sister. It is the goal for all students to learn and to then teach; failure to teach informs the inner Teacher that the self has not yet learned. Do you understand?
Student: I do – thank you.
Loereve: Is it failure to teach or failure to teach appropriately?
It is failure to teach, my brother. To offer something erroneous, to offer endorsement to one whom the self knows that the behavior is detrimental to the other’s progress upon the path – this is not teaching, my brother. Do you understand?
Loereve: Yeah, I do.
Rather, it indicates that the self has yet to learn, for honesty is a most difficult lesson – one that the bulk of humanity struggles to integrate the necessity, for the characters have convinced the self that honesty can be damaging to the self as well as to the other. The student who walks the path to healing does not seek to damage - the character is believed; therefore, the self speaks half-truths or remains silent when asked by another that which would return the assessment that could be viewed as negative. It is the negative assessment that is of the greatest assistance. To endorse another, particularly to tell another that their actions were appropriate oftentimes garners karma for the self, for assurance has been provided to another falsely, creating hurdles unnecessary that must be crossed later in the life experience. Do all understand that karma is garnered by the self that speaks dishonestly to another, endorsing behaviors that are then employed by the other time after time after time due to the self’s counsel?
Learn/teach, teach/learn brings forth responsibility to the student who walks the path to healing.
To discount and to minimize – our sister (student) has brought forth many, many examples of these energies. I shall only add that the student of the self is often unable to see the self’s culpability without the assistance of another, for story is immediate – story is used as the rescue so that others may see the self as saintly, as one who was merely trying to aid and got caught in the crossfire, as one who has done nothing to merit the treatment that has been judged as unfair, unwarranted. It is this student that fails to recognize karma. It is the student that often places karma at the top of the list for all that is experienced by the self that is painful…this is true of course, for the karma earned by the student of Shame is often extraordinary, often cannot be repaid each for each; rather, service must be provided in order to balance the accounts.
It is to be honest – you know what is story my sister; you have been manufacturing it for the better part of this lifetime. You know all story within the self’s repertoire because the feeling that is on the surface tells you, “this is story” and, “if I’m questioned I will be irritated, frustrated, angry”…that is story – that which need be protected, defended. It is to tell him how he can recognize this in another, to counsel him, for he is not versed in the ways of those who use others purposefully, with malice aforethought. Brother Loereve has used others as well – he leans upon them too heavily but it is not with malice aforethought; it is not uncaringly, it is not without remorse when it is brought to the self’s attention.
The lesson will not be integrated until the self has embraced the self’s behaviors completely, recognizing the self’s role, recognizing that the self has repeated the same behaviors time after time after time. The self has been provided with information about past lives in order to aid the self; rather, the self prided the self in the behaviors of the self in previous lifetimes. Rather than finding the behaviors to be abhorrent, the self prided the self in the self’s sexual prowess, continuing to cultivate such in the current lifetime, rather than seeing the error in the self’s way. This is the lesson plan of Shame; choice was provided to you early on my sister – you chose the path of darkness once again. It is now a lifetime of karma that has been garnered for you once again; it is my deepest desire to aid you in overcoming this lesson in this lifetime.
It is to recognize the thinking, that which is negative, that which has been programmed to ensure lesson failure for the self, triggering lesson failure for many others around the self as well. It is important to recognize that lesson failure does not always mean that the self has been negative. Do you understand my brother Loereve?
Loereve: No, I don’t.
It is your disingenuousness, as previously stated, that invites disrespect and dishonor in future. Do you understand?
Loereve: I understand that. Thank you.
To be nice to another when the self is being disingenuous requires that the self suffer for words that have fueled the ego of the other. Do you understand?
Loereve: Yes. Thank you.
The student that has the lesson plan of Repression will attempt to repress another, to provide them with concepts or ideas that are believed to be more correct than that which is held by another. These energies are those that are passed to the lesson plan of Shame, as well as the lesson plan of Separation. The lesson plan of Shame will utilize the knowledge to be contemptuous and to diminish another who thinks differently. The lesson plan of Separation shall utilize the knowledge to overwhelm another completely, to inform another either audibly or silently that they are a fool to think differently and that the self cannot associate with one who is obviously so ignorant as to maintain such belief. It is important to note that the individual that is repressing another is providing valuable service – to awaken within the other anger or sorrow, to draw forth deep emotion that will cause the self to recognize, “I am being manipulated. I am being used. I am being diminished. I am being threatened” – so that the self recognizes the behavior of the self has invited this repression…has indeed invited this lesson.
All that is found within the lesson plan is not karmic in nature until the self has learned the lesson. Once the self has learned the lesson, the drawing forth of karma – to, in effect, repay the self for that which has been wielded/provided to another becomes appropriate. The student’s lesson plan draws forth others who can provide the self with lesson – that which has yet to be learned by the self, that which has yet to be learned by the other – the two then present lesson to each other. With the lesson plan of Repression, there will be one who fails to speak up for the self - there will be the other who, with this particular individual, has no difficulty whatsoever in speaking up for the self; this same individual however, with another who is stronger, would never respond to one who is attempting to repress the self. It is the lesson – to speak – that is being presented. The self represses those that are weaker than the self and allows the self to be repressed by those stronger. It is for the self to be the same self at all times – the self that speaks is the goal.
In order to learn the lesson plan of Repression, Shame or Separation, the self must begin to invite scrutiny, to invite assistance of another in all things; failure to do so states that the self chooses to repress the input of others.
My brother Sol An Ka - please share with us your definition of lesson presentation.
Sol: Lesson presentation is identified by the presence of judgment; whether the judgment is recognized or not, it’s there. That’s my response.
Our sister (student), please respond to the same query.
Student: All is lesson, my Teacher. As Te' Auna reminds me - all is lesson, and it’s my responsibility as a student to pay attention.
Indeed. Awakening in the morning is lesson. Moving throughout the day provides myriad opportunity for lesson, whether the self interacts with other humans or not, for the inner Teacher draws forth all that is necessary to teach the self that has presented the self as desirous of walking the path to healing. There is no experience that cannot be qualified as lesson presentation. The individual has become proficient at responding to particular lesson successfully, rather quickly - to awaken with the thought of deep, heartfelt gratitude, giving thanks to the Teacher for another day in which the self may attempt to lessen the karmic load that determines the experiences of the lifetime. It is failure to recognize that all experience is lesson presentation that causes the individual to fail to change the self’s thinking. This, of course, results in the lesson continuing forth lifetime after lifetime, for the behaviors create other issues for the self to address. The self that fails to be grateful for the very breath that enables the life experience is one who also suffers lack, believes that the self is deprived, that others are out to damage the self, and that others have what rightfully belongs to the self. It is, as Te' Auna stated earlier, the small hook that guarantees that the larger hook - the one that binds the self with all previous lesson failures, prohibiting the self from seeing the lesson, prohibiting the self from being different, prohibiting the self from change thereby prohibiting success and lesson integration.
The mind has aided her by casting off all those things that could not be understood, that were too painful to bear - wherein time was the only thing that would allow the self to begin to look more closely, for the pain had eased somewhat; embarrassment, humiliation - while still felt, are not as troublesome as when the experience was first presented. Again, it is the mind that aids the student to put away those things that cannot be understood; recognition that the self cannot understand all experience as it is being experienced is critical to the student who walks the path to healing. The belief that the self need understand prior to moving forward, prior to casting aside that which has been experienced, is cause for abandonment of the path; for the pain has increased with each thought, with each moment that the self determines that the self cannot move forward until understanding has been achieved. Understanding the self’s journey is important. The student believes it to be critical. It is not, of course, for understanding comes much later to the student. The Teacher is unable to provide understanding, for oftentimes many, many, many lessons must be brought forth; great pain - known as suffering – endured, prior to explaining the lesson that the Teacher has presented to the student.
Recognizing that the teacher is also learning is primary to the acceptance of a student. If the student seeks to revere the teacher - seeks to place the words of the teacher upon a pedestal, seeks to believe that the teacher knows all things, has access to all things - indicates the student need be better informed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to inform the student that the teacher is also student. Questions asked of the teacher that are not immediately responded to by the self, due to the knowingness that resides within, need be brought to the Teacher of the teacher; failure to do so grants permission to the mind to use logic. Often logic is completely erroneous and will mislead the student. The teacher that misleads the student is the teacher that is then misled by the teacher’s Teacher.
It is important for all to understand that when the self shares of the self with another with emotion that the other learns - that when story is provided from the mind and it’s in a singsong voice - and it really is without care, without concern, “I said this; they said that” - the other has not learned, the other is not provided with opportunity to experience, the other could be reading it from a page. The experience has not touched the heart; it stays with the mind. It is to understand that when the self shares of the self with another it must come from the heart, for the heart draws forth feeling. It says, “This is what I feel, this is how I felt - desperate, dark, overwhelmed. I needed a shoulder to cry upon and she was there for me. It was magnificent, for I cannot recall ever being in the state of mind that she was, and being able to change and support another as she supported me.”
It is to look at the roommate and to see, “He is half my age; I have much to teach him. He has a good heart, he has a good mind, he is a good friend and I am arguing with him over a few dollars of product, rather than teaching him what my decades of experience have taught me through my grasping of another’s [possessions] - my failure to be grateful, my failure to replace.” It is to “make another pay” that is still with you my sister, rather than embracing that the lesson to be provided by another should be paid for by the self, for there are many, many, many behind the self that have paid for the self’s lessons. You believe you are a generous person, but you are not.
Student: No, I don’t believe I’m generous. Actually, I’m selfish and self-centered and I know that.
It is to focus upon judgment versus recognition, to say to the self, “I recognize that I have been selfish. It is this that I seek to change. I shall try to be generous at least once each day, whether it is with my time, my service, or simply with my love.” The goal for all students is to recognize that there is great debt upon the self’s ledger. Many have aided the self to learn. As the self learns it is time to start checking off some of those debts by investing in those around the self that suffer similar unawareness as that which belonged to the self. Are there questions regarding this teaching?
Student: Not at this time, thank you. I will learn to communicate appropriately. I will practice.
I do not desire for you to practice my sister; you are well practiced already.
Student: Then what would you like me to do?
I seek for you to focus upon the heart. When I ask you a question, focus upon the heart, allow the answer to come forth and then provide it to me without varnish. Do you understand?
Student: I do. Very well. I will do that. I will focus on doing that - only that.
Belief, Faith, Trust - without these three, the Teacher shall most certainly fail with the student.
Belief in the Teacher – that the Teacher that has arrived is indeed the most appropriate Teacher that the self embraces with open arms, with welcoming eyes, welcoming heart, welcoming mind, demanding that all bodies welcome the Teacher.
Faith – faith in the self, that the self is capable, that the self has learned that which is necessary to be experiencing in this moment of time whatever the Teacher brings forth; to realize that the Teacher will never bring forth that which has not been prepared for extensively. The student is taught unconsciously until success has been achieved – prior to the first test being provided to the conscious student. The student who seeks inward at the time of testing has an increased likelihood of success at the first presentation of testing; however, most students are accustomed to accepting the automatic connection to the choices that have been made throughout the lifetime, choosing the negative, failing to shift the attitude to the positive. Faith is not resident once negativity arrives. The student begins to believe that the self cannot learn; that the Teacher is not the most appropriate Teacher – that the self need escape this vacuum of testing/failure, testing/failure, testing/failure. The Teacher calls upon the student to retrieve the faith that has been built through many, many lifetimes of interaction; it is this that is emphasized in the unconscious training, until the student begins to realize consciously that the Teacher does indeed have the self’s highest and best interests at heart and the student begins to tackle the true enemy of the self – darkness that lies within unnoticed, unrecognized.
Trust – to trust that the self is capable, to trust that the self will experience no pain that isn’t regarded as necessary to the learning process - to trust the Teacher in all things, to overrule the mind that demands logic, to overrule the mind that closes and says I will not allow this experience; for it is the Teacher that is responsible for balancing karma. The more difficult the student makes this tasking, the more painful it becomes for the student; for the energies continue to build within, seeking release – release cannot be provided until the lesson has been learned, until the self realizes that it is the self’s behavior that is being brought front and center for the self to observe.
It is the self that suffers; it is the Teacher that guides.
I should like to address the topic that is no doubt experienced in varying degrees by all students – it is the diminishment of the self. When walking the path to healing the student begins the journey confident, arrogant, oftentimes all knowing, all seeing, informing the teacher of that which is known by the self, of that which is needed by the self. It is the Teacher’s duty to prove to the student that true knowledge of the self is not held by the student. Slowly, the confidence of the student is chipped away, until the student is cowering, shielding the self often - from others as well as the Teacher; the self begins to belittle and demean the self, to diminish the self’s energies through judgment of the self’s behaviors when under the control of the lesson plan. There is no leniency provided to the self, there is little understanding or compassion for why the self has behaved in the fashion that has netted great karma.
It is not possible for the Teacher to state to the student, “You are being much too hard on the self” for many students require this phase of diminishment, of defeatism – to experience that which, quite likely, has been showered upon others through this as well as previous lifetimes. Diminishment of others draws forth karmic repercussion and the self will experience diminishment of the self to the same degree as that which has been showered upon another. It is important for the student to make the recognition that diminishment of the self, diminishment of others, is rooted in judgment; for without judgment all struggles are equal, all human beings are consciousnesses that have come to learn. Learning demands struggle. Struggle demands suffering. Suffering is experienced by all consciousnesses as they walk the path to healing and begin to choose for the self, rather than succumbing to the automatic response of the lesson plan.
Recognition that the feeling is the goal, to place into the self’s memory the sharp stab of pain when the self feels worthless, when the self feels hopeless, when the self feels stupid, incapable, unwanted, unloved – to draw forth the knowledge that the self has imposed this feeling upon others through the words or the actions of the self. It is the goal of the Teacher for the student to recognize the many instances where the self has caused another pain, due to the self’s judgment of the other’s capacity to learn, of the other’s ability to be successful, of the satisfying nature of the other in the self’s presence - to recognize that all human beings seek to be loved, seek to be nurtured, to be accepted, to be recognized, to feel the shower of compassion upon the self when the self is in need. It is once the feeling has been cemented within the self – the knowing that the self has caused great pain for others, feeling this pain for the self – that the lesson has come to an end. It is now time for the self to forgive the self, to accept that the self was being guided by the lesson plan, had failed to become aware of the self. But now the self is aware, now the self will decide to never endorse such behavior of the self in future.
It is the lesson plan that demands further suffering beyond the understanding of the lesson, beyond the creation of the feeling. The self that indulges the lesson plan to diminish the self’s energies states to the Teacher, “I am not yet prepared to move forth. Stand aside for I am in need of the lesson to diminish myself completely and to then pull myself back up so that you can outstretch the hand that will guide me forward.” I am Osiris. I stand ready to take the hand of each of you when offered. I am complete with this teaching.
It is important for all gathered to recognize that the student that presents the self believes that the self is doing all possible to learn, to overcome the grasp of the ego. It is the belief that the voice of the ego is the voice of the Teacher that misleads the student. The ego will tell the self those things that the self believes the self would not say to the self; it is the teacher utilizing negativity to teach - that which lies within the self is drawn forth and provided to the self. Karma plays a major role in the teaching style utilized with the student. The student that has been dishonest will find the Teacher providing dishonesty. The student that has misled others will find the Teacher misleading the self. The student that has been cruel to others will find the Teacher being cruel to the self. The student that fails to show gratitude will find the Teacher that demands more and more and more from the student.
It is important for all students to recognize that to teach is no simple task, for the Teacher teaches the current self with full knowledge of the lessons that have been failed by the composites – those selves that comprise what is referred to as the composite. The current self is often shocked and dismayed at the tactics employed by the Teacher, believing that the voice of the Teacher is indeed the voice of the ego; the ego’s voice is kind, nurturing, compassionate, telling the self that protection and defense is critical to the self’s survival. Negativity is employed to amplify the messages being sent to the self from the mind, increasing negativity within the bodies exponentially, until the emotional body has overwhelmed the self completely; failure to recognize the tactics of the bodies results in failure for the student time after time after time. The Teacher can provide knowledge to the student of the variety in which I am providing in this moment but if the student fails to study, to draw forth the words into the heart, to feel them, to understand them deeply, then the next time that the mental body begins propelling the self with message, and the emotional body begins to overwhelm the self, all is forgotten.
The Teacher is patient. Lifetime after lifetime lessons are presented - lifetime after lifetime after the first, second, third, fourth awakening the self is determined to learn, to heal, to know the self. Many, many, many lifetimes pass as the experiences are garnered by the consciousness, making possible the time well into the future when the student will regain the original divinity belonging to the consciousness by removing all negativity, by becoming love unconditional once again. It is the Teacher’s duty to guide the student as long as the student presents the self for lesson. It is for the student to honor, to respect the teacher; to honor and respect all those participating in the self’s healing. Failure to provide honor and respect drains all, leaching off vital energies that could be utilized to endorse all students; for the teacher must be love in the face of negativity – the ego that determines to challenge the teacher is well-placed, as the teacher must be tested many, many times.
It is my honor to teach, to draw forth all that which lies within so that the student may examine, may see the self clearly, thereby being provided with opportunity to decide whether the self is desirous of change or if the self chooses to embrace that which has been revealed. It is vital that all students recognize that success is rarely experienced in rapid succession to recognition. I shall say that most students continue to fail for some time following the stage known as recognition, until the moment of great emotion arrives - the self is repulsed by the self’s behavior, the self can no longer endorse the behavior - for recognition of the damage intended has been made.
The student who walks the path to healing continues to accumulate karma for some time after stepping forth to know, to understand, and to begin to heal the self. It is indeed damage that is the goal of the lesson plan – to injure others, thereby injuring the self; for the Teacher has been provided with energies to draw forth the lesson needed by the student so that the self may be provided with opportunity to see the self clearly, to recognize the lesson plan, thereby drawing the student ever closer to the moment of true choice – that which states the student seeks to walk upon the path to healing. Recognition is merely the first stage. The student that decides to accept the behaviors that are exposed to the self’s view is one who experiences stasis upon the path. The Teacher draws forth myriad lesson, pummeling, shall we say, the student into awareness of the self, into awareness of the self’s choice to allow and to endorse behaviors that prohibit progress.