Inquiry :: Hobos
We have hobo spiders in our house, and although I generally am quite generous in sharing living space with other beings, these particular ones are not so welcome. I notice a concern about these spiders in daily life, including when I take on my clothes (found a hobo in my laundry pile when I folded my clothes the other day), sit or lie on the floor (which I tend to do doing Breema, yoga, or reading), or other activities.
There should not be any hobo spiders in our house.
- Yes (It would be nice.)
- No (Cannot know what is the best for my path.)
- What happens when I believe that thought?
I am watchful for hobo spiders, or any other spider that looks similar. I sometimes shake out my clothing before taking it on. I sometimes am concerned when I sit or lie down on the floor. I sometimes am concerned when going to bed, especially as we have a futon close to the floor and we quite often see hobos in the room.
I image the many situations where I may be bitten by a hobo spider, and the possible outcomes - including large open wounds and scars, even on the face.
I typically kill them when I see them. I experience some shame and regret by doing this, and justify it by telling myself that this is about survival - drawing on red and below Spiral Dynamics levels. It is my animal nature coming out. It is me/us or them.
What is the worst that can happen if I don't have that thought?
I may be complacent, not try to minimize their numbers in the house, and get bitten.
What do I get out of that belief?
I get to feel that I am doing something to protect myself and the others in the house. I get to feel that I am flexible enough to operate from survival levels in some areas of life. I get to feel "right" about killing them to protect myself. - Who would I be without that thought?
Clear. Doing what seems neccesary to protect myself and others in the house, yet without drama or stories around it. Wouldn't mentally obsess about it. - (a) There should be hobo spiders in our house.
Yes, because that is the reality of it. They are. Also, I don't know what is best for my path. Maybe this is it right now. In any case, it is what is and there is little I can do about it.
(b) There shouldn't be hobo spiders in my thoughts.
Well, at least not obsessively. I don't need to make it into a drama by imagining what may happen. I can take neccesary precautions, and leave it at that.
(c) There should be hobo spiders in my thoughts.
Yes, because they are. And also because it is an aspect of taking care of myself and others in the house. In this case, compassion (or is it fear?) takes the form of killing a specific type of spiders, whether that is the most skillful way of going about it or not.
Labels: own inquiry