"...All good things come down from the Father of light, in whom there is no variableness neither shadow of changing. The spirit of the true God is in man's heart...." P.1454
Truth, Beauty & Goodness
from The Urantia Book
COME INTO THE SILENCE...
We come once again out of the silence and into the void of outer presentation. We say, into the void, for it is into that area where the consciousness of the soul is often yet to be germinated and to grow. So it is for this purpose that we come out of the silence and make a presentation that will assist those who have ears to hear and eyes to see and to read that which is offered or to hear that which is offered. We share the
opportunity to look within and to go within to the silence and discover the infinite realm of soul consciousness.
This is an amazing pathway for the human mind, the human energy pattern to understand and to enter into. But it is truly the only energy pattern that is ever occurring within the outer world. It appears that there is much
happening in other realms of experience or of emotional content, or intellectual content, or physical activity, but ultimately all that is done is reflective of what one knows. And if one knows who one is as a soul,
then all that is accomplished, all that is done reflects that truth.
If one has not awakened to that consciousness and is still living in the void of forgetfulness, then what one does in the outer world using the tools of creation reflects that unknowing.
So we come out of the silence to share, to stimulate, to inform and generate an interest and a desire to search and go into that place where there is the unknown to discover that which you have truly always known. So step over the boundary. Come into the silence. Rest in the silence and know that all that you are, all that you can ever be is revealed moment by moment within the silence.
There is no greater path to walk; there is no greater moment of existence; there is no greater pattern of expression than to go into the silence to listen, to feel, to remember, and then to awaken to that which is the real you.
You are I AM, the Love, Light, and Life of creation.................thoughts from sacredwind.
opportunity to look within and to go within to the silence and discover the infinite realm of soul consciousness.
This is an amazing pathway for the human mind, the human energy pattern to understand and to enter into. But it is truly the only energy pattern that is ever occurring within the outer world. It appears that there is much
happening in other realms of experience or of emotional content, or intellectual content, or physical activity, but ultimately all that is done is reflective of what one knows. And if one knows who one is as a soul,
then all that is accomplished, all that is done reflects that truth.
If one has not awakened to that consciousness and is still living in the void of forgetfulness, then what one does in the outer world using the tools of creation reflects that unknowing.
So we come out of the silence to share, to stimulate, to inform and generate an interest and a desire to search and go into that place where there is the unknown to discover that which you have truly always known. So step over the boundary. Come into the silence. Rest in the silence and know that all that you are, all that you can ever be is revealed moment by moment within the silence.
There is no greater path to walk; there is no greater moment of existence; there is no greater pattern of expression than to go into the silence to listen, to feel, to remember, and then to awaken to that which is the real you.
You are I AM, the Love, Light, and Life of creation.................thoughts from sacredwind.
Eckart Tolle and Christ Consciousness...
"A growing number of followers of traditional religions are able to let go of identification with form, dogma, and rigid belief systems and discover the original depth that is hidden within their own spiritual tradition at the same time as they discover the depth within themselves. They realize that how spiritual you are has nothing to do with what you believe but everything to do with your state of consciousness." – Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth
Over two million people from 139 countries around the world have participated in Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle's web-based seminar studying Tolle's recent book, entitled A New Earth; Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. Many have questions as to whether Tolle's teaching is consistent with Christianity. In fact, I believe it is not only consistent with the teachings of Jesus and many Christian theologians over the centuries, but will lead you to discover a depth of insight that will awaken you to living more fully and loving more deeply.
What Is the Message of A New Earth
Tolle asks the question, "Who do you think you are?" You think you have some solid and fixed identity. The problem is that this fixed sense of self is completely conditioned by past emotional pain and projected ideas about the future. This false sense of a fixed self prevents you from living in the present, where you have direct access to your true essence which is no other than an expression of the universal life force.
All things (from planets to pebbles to flowers to animals) are expressions of this universal life force. Humans have evolved to the point where we have the ability to be aware of our oneness with the universal life force.
The false identification with the past and future has the world and the human race on the brink of extinction. Fortunately, this crisis is sparking many people to move from an unconscious state to consciousness. In order to become conscious, you must recognize that you are more than your ever changing thoughts and self image. Learn to be present in the now, because the past and the future exist only as ideas. As you learn to operate from your true essence rather than your ego, you will experience incredible transformation, and the planet will become "a new earth."
How Does the Message of A New Earth Gel With Christianity?
Tolle quotes more extensively from the Bible than any other source. He is clearly impacted by the teaching of Jesus. Further, Tolle renamed himself after his experience of awakening at age 29. He named himself Eckhart after the medieval Christian mystic, Meister Eckhart. Meister Eckhart was controversial, because he downplayed the need for the church to mediate an experience of God, and instead suggested that every person could experience God directly. No doubt Eckhart Tolle is similarly controversial. But then again, so was Jesus who was heavily critical of religious elitism that controlled resources and spiritual truth.
Jesus acted as a mirror to his disciples. He modeled union with God. At one point, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" He did this to illustrate that people were locked in a number of ideas about his identity. Jesus was the persona they needed him to be; a mighty victor, a compassionate savior, a reborn hero. Then he brought the question closer to home, asking them, "Who do you say that I am?" Now he was urging them beyond personas and roles to engage in the moment with him. The answer came, "You are the Christ, the Son of God."
Mystics of Jesus' time believed that Christ was a way to describe union with God, or consciousness, within the man Jesus. Many Christian theologians have spoken of Christ Consciousness as the awareness of true essence.
How Can This Notion of True Essence Transform Your Life?
There is a poignant scene in the movie Anger Management. Jack Nicholson is the oddball psychologist attempting to draw out Adam Sandler in an anger management class. He asks the question, "Who are you?" Sandler describes his occupation. Nicholson says, "I didn't ask you what you do for a living. I asked you who you are." Then Sandler says he is easy going, and Nicholson says, "I didn't ask you to describe your personality. I asked you who you are." Sandler breaks down in frustration at that point. He is locked in roles and ideas about his identity.
You have all sorts of roles and personas. They are valid and important. Embody them fully. However they are time bound and don't fully capture your essence. Your true essence could never be captured by an occupation, a gender, a religion or a personality type. Your true essence is beyond words and description. You are nothing less than a Christ, a child of God, an expression of universal love in this moment.
Jesus embodied this truth and A New Earth has mirrored the same truth. Are you prepared to see beyond ideas and personas to the magnificence of your essential humanity?
– Ian Lawton
- John Shelby Spong
Over two million people from 139 countries around the world have participated in Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle's web-based seminar studying Tolle's recent book, entitled A New Earth; Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. Many have questions as to whether Tolle's teaching is consistent with Christianity. In fact, I believe it is not only consistent with the teachings of Jesus and many Christian theologians over the centuries, but will lead you to discover a depth of insight that will awaken you to living more fully and loving more deeply.
What Is the Message of A New Earth
Tolle asks the question, "Who do you think you are?" You think you have some solid and fixed identity. The problem is that this fixed sense of self is completely conditioned by past emotional pain and projected ideas about the future. This false sense of a fixed self prevents you from living in the present, where you have direct access to your true essence which is no other than an expression of the universal life force.
All things (from planets to pebbles to flowers to animals) are expressions of this universal life force. Humans have evolved to the point where we have the ability to be aware of our oneness with the universal life force.
The false identification with the past and future has the world and the human race on the brink of extinction. Fortunately, this crisis is sparking many people to move from an unconscious state to consciousness. In order to become conscious, you must recognize that you are more than your ever changing thoughts and self image. Learn to be present in the now, because the past and the future exist only as ideas. As you learn to operate from your true essence rather than your ego, you will experience incredible transformation, and the planet will become "a new earth."
How Does the Message of A New Earth Gel With Christianity?
Tolle quotes more extensively from the Bible than any other source. He is clearly impacted by the teaching of Jesus. Further, Tolle renamed himself after his experience of awakening at age 29. He named himself Eckhart after the medieval Christian mystic, Meister Eckhart. Meister Eckhart was controversial, because he downplayed the need for the church to mediate an experience of God, and instead suggested that every person could experience God directly. No doubt Eckhart Tolle is similarly controversial. But then again, so was Jesus who was heavily critical of religious elitism that controlled resources and spiritual truth.
Jesus acted as a mirror to his disciples. He modeled union with God. At one point, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" He did this to illustrate that people were locked in a number of ideas about his identity. Jesus was the persona they needed him to be; a mighty victor, a compassionate savior, a reborn hero. Then he brought the question closer to home, asking them, "Who do you say that I am?" Now he was urging them beyond personas and roles to engage in the moment with him. The answer came, "You are the Christ, the Son of God."
Mystics of Jesus' time believed that Christ was a way to describe union with God, or consciousness, within the man Jesus. Many Christian theologians have spoken of Christ Consciousness as the awareness of true essence.
How Can This Notion of True Essence Transform Your Life?
There is a poignant scene in the movie Anger Management. Jack Nicholson is the oddball psychologist attempting to draw out Adam Sandler in an anger management class. He asks the question, "Who are you?" Sandler describes his occupation. Nicholson says, "I didn't ask you what you do for a living. I asked you who you are." Then Sandler says he is easy going, and Nicholson says, "I didn't ask you to describe your personality. I asked you who you are." Sandler breaks down in frustration at that point. He is locked in roles and ideas about his identity.
You have all sorts of roles and personas. They are valid and important. Embody them fully. However they are time bound and don't fully capture your essence. Your true essence could never be captured by an occupation, a gender, a religion or a personality type. Your true essence is beyond words and description. You are nothing less than a Christ, a child of God, an expression of universal love in this moment.
Jesus embodied this truth and A New Earth has mirrored the same truth. Are you prepared to see beyond ideas and personas to the magnificence of your essential humanity?
– Ian Lawton
- John Shelby Spong
The Heart of Happy Human Relationships...
The first step in harmonious relationships is simple: We need only realize the spiritual truth that we cannot meet someone whom we are not like in some way, even if we don't actively express what we don't like seeing in him or her. The deception is that we're sure we're unlike everyone except for those who match the images we have of ourselves. And so it goes that we live from -- see our lives through the eyes of a certain false sense of "I" that always resists anyone seen as being "not like I am." But love cannot grow where resistance rules.
We have not been given this precious life in order to go through it resisting everything that doesn't suit us; rather we are created to grow through whatever we meet along the way. Resistance devitalizes the possibility of our spiritual development, rendering useless the conditions in our lives that we are given in order to rise above them. When we resist what others show us about ourselves, we close the door on the possibility of transcending the undiscovered parts of us that are troubled by them. Freedom is not found by avoiding what disturbs us, but by illuminating -- realizing and releasing -- whatever may dwell in the dark of us that can be disturbed.
The human being is created to develop in the "likeness" of that marvelous Intelligence that made us. This Divine Intelligence didn't create anything that it fears or hates. It's a ridiculous thought to walk around and believe (as we all do because of the strong sense of self that it produces) that another person is our enemy simply because we feel enmity for him or her.
Now, just so we're clear on this, there are plenty of unpleasant people. Our world is packed with them! But, given the negative effect of resenting others, and the fact that (for now) all we know to do about those who disturb us is to resist them, could it be that when it comes to our human relationships we have been blinded to one of the main reasons for them? The answer is "Yes."
Just as the wind moves through a tree and carries its pollen to the blossoms of another tree, our relationships are intended to help "pollinate" the soul so that true understanding of why we are here on Earth can flower within it. We grow through our relationships with life, which means that through them we are shown possibilities about ourselves we never knew existed. To exclude any of these discoveries is to deny ourselves the truth of ourselves, something the Truth within us would never do.
We need a new intention in all of our relationships, something like this: "I will not suffer you; instead I will work to be increasingly conscious of us, suffering what I must for the sake of both of us. I will not cast you out as being something inferior to myself; I will not do that because it's impossible to recognize any 'inferior' condition in you unless something of it exists in myself as well."
Our work, if we're willing, is to catch that surging separation called "You are different from me." And then, in that same moment, to apply our new understanding that cancels this unconscious act of resistance. Instead, we embrace the realization that "you" and "I" are both exposed in this God-given moment that God meant for the purpose of transcending ourselves.
-- Guy Finley
We have not been given this precious life in order to go through it resisting everything that doesn't suit us; rather we are created to grow through whatever we meet along the way. Resistance devitalizes the possibility of our spiritual development, rendering useless the conditions in our lives that we are given in order to rise above them. When we resist what others show us about ourselves, we close the door on the possibility of transcending the undiscovered parts of us that are troubled by them. Freedom is not found by avoiding what disturbs us, but by illuminating -- realizing and releasing -- whatever may dwell in the dark of us that can be disturbed.
The human being is created to develop in the "likeness" of that marvelous Intelligence that made us. This Divine Intelligence didn't create anything that it fears or hates. It's a ridiculous thought to walk around and believe (as we all do because of the strong sense of self that it produces) that another person is our enemy simply because we feel enmity for him or her.
Now, just so we're clear on this, there are plenty of unpleasant people. Our world is packed with them! But, given the negative effect of resenting others, and the fact that (for now) all we know to do about those who disturb us is to resist them, could it be that when it comes to our human relationships we have been blinded to one of the main reasons for them? The answer is "Yes."
Just as the wind moves through a tree and carries its pollen to the blossoms of another tree, our relationships are intended to help "pollinate" the soul so that true understanding of why we are here on Earth can flower within it. We grow through our relationships with life, which means that through them we are shown possibilities about ourselves we never knew existed. To exclude any of these discoveries is to deny ourselves the truth of ourselves, something the Truth within us would never do.
We need a new intention in all of our relationships, something like this: "I will not suffer you; instead I will work to be increasingly conscious of us, suffering what I must for the sake of both of us. I will not cast you out as being something inferior to myself; I will not do that because it's impossible to recognize any 'inferior' condition in you unless something of it exists in myself as well."
Our work, if we're willing, is to catch that surging separation called "You are different from me." And then, in that same moment, to apply our new understanding that cancels this unconscious act of resistance. Instead, we embrace the realization that "you" and "I" are both exposed in this God-given moment that God meant for the purpose of transcending ourselves.
-- Guy Finley
Samadhi...
Much of the writing of Plotinus is descriptive of the state Hindus
call Nirvikalpa Samadhi. It is the total dispersal of the world from
the field of awareness, a complete flight from sensations, thoughts,
mental images, the physical body, and, above all, from any and every
kind of activity. To an outside observer, it may seem to be a trance
state, but he would not be correct in his observation, nor altogether
wrong. It is as deep as contemplation can possibly go. It is
Consciousness freed from any kind of personal admixture, staying only
with itself. All these other things being removed, what is left is
then true self-knowledge, even if it is unconscious to the ego.
— Notebooks Category 23: Advanced Contemplation > Chapter 8: The
Void As Contemplative Experience > # 75..... Paul Brunton
call Nirvikalpa Samadhi. It is the total dispersal of the world from
the field of awareness, a complete flight from sensations, thoughts,
mental images, the physical body, and, above all, from any and every
kind of activity. To an outside observer, it may seem to be a trance
state, but he would not be correct in his observation, nor altogether
wrong. It is as deep as contemplation can possibly go. It is
Consciousness freed from any kind of personal admixture, staying only
with itself. All these other things being removed, what is left is
then true self-knowledge, even if it is unconscious to the ego.
— Notebooks Category 23: Advanced Contemplation > Chapter 8: The
Void As Contemplative Experience > # 75..... Paul Brunton
What is the miraculous message of mysticism ...
Happiness is yours in the here and now..The painful states of anxiety
and loneliness are abolished permanently..Financial affairs are not
financial problems..You are at ease with your self.. You are not at the
mercy of unfulfilled cravings.. Confusion is replaced with clarity..
There is a relieving answer to every tormenting question.. You possess
a True Self.. Something can be done about every unhappy condition..
While living in the world you can be inwardly detached from it sorrows
to live with personal peace and sanity... And this is what unknowing
people call impractical mysticism..............."Mystic Path to Cosmic
Power" by Vernon Howard
and loneliness are abolished permanently..Financial affairs are not
financial problems..You are at ease with your self.. You are not at the
mercy of unfulfilled cravings.. Confusion is replaced with clarity..
There is a relieving answer to every tormenting question.. You possess
a True Self.. Something can be done about every unhappy condition..
While living in the world you can be inwardly detached from it sorrows
to live with personal peace and sanity... And this is what unknowing
people call impractical mysticism..............."Mystic Path to Cosmic
Power" by Vernon Howard
YOU ARE TRULY FREE WHEN YOU ARE NOT A PERSON
SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN A SMALL VILLAGE outside New
Delhi, I was sitting in a small, stuffy room with a
very old man and a young priest. The priest sat on the
floor swaying back and forth as he recited words inked
on bark sheets that looked ancient. I listened, having
no idea what the priest was intoning. He was from the
far south and his language, Tamil, was foreign to me.
But I knew he was telling me the story of my life,
past and future. I wondered how I got roped into this
and began to squirm.
It had taken strong persuasion from an old friend to
get me to the small room. "It's not just Jyotish, it's
much more amazing," he coaxed. Indian astrology is
called Jyotish, and it goes back thousands of years.
Visiting your family astrologer is common practice
every-where in India, where people plan weddings,
births, and even routine business transactions around
their astrological charts (Indira Gandhi was a famous
example of someone who followed Jyotish), but modern
times have led to a fading away of tradition. I had
chronically avoided any brushes with Jyotish, being a
child of modern India and later a working doctor in
the West.
But my friend prevailed, and I had to admit that I
was curious about what was going to happen. The young
priest, dressed in a wrapped skirt with bare chest and
hair shiny with coconut oil—both marks of a
southerner—didn't draw up my birth chart. Every chart
he needed had already been drawn up hundreds of years
ago. In other words, someone sitting under a palm tree
many generations ago had taken a strip of bark, known
as a Nadi, and inscribed my life on it.
These Nadis are scattered all over India, and it's
pure chance to run across one that applies to you. My
friend had spent several years tracking down just one
for himself; the priest produced a whole sheaf for me,
much to my friend's amazed delight. You have to come
for the reading, he insisted.
Now the old man sitting across the table was
interpreting in Hindi what the priest was chanting.
Because of overlapping birth times and the vagaries of
the calendar when we are speaking of centuries, Nadis
can overlap, and the first few sheets didn't apply to
me. But by the third sheet or so, the young priest
with the sing-song voice was reading facts that were
startlingly precise: my birth date, my parents' names,
my own name and my wife's, the number of children we
have and where they live now, the day and hour of my
father's recent death, his exact name, and my
mother's.
At first there seemed to be a glitch: The Nadi gave
the wrong first name for my mother, calling her
Suchinta, when in fact her name is Pushpa. This
mistake bothered me, so I took a break and went to a
phone to ask her about it. My mother told me, with
great surprise, that in fact her birth name was
Suchinta, but since it rhymed with the word for "sad"
in Hindi, an uncle suggested that it be changed when
she was three years old. I hung up the phone,
wondering what this whole experience meant, for the
young priest had also read out that a relative would
intervene to change my mother's name. No one in our
family had ever mentioned this incident, so the young
priest wasn't indulging in some kind of mind-reading.
For the benefit of skeptics, the young priest had
passed nearly his whole life in a temple in South
India and did not speak English or Hindi. Neither he
nor the old man knew who I was. Anyway, in this school
of Jyotish, the astrologer doesn't take down your
birth time and cast a personal chart which he then
interprets. Instead, a person walks into a Nadi
reader's house, the reader takes a thumb-print, and
based on that, the matching charts are located (always
keeping in mind that the Nadis may be lost or
scattered to the winds). The astrologer reads out only
what someone else has written down perhaps a thousand
years ago. Here's another twist to the mystery: Nadis
don't have to cover everyone who will ever live, only
those individuals who will one day show up at an
astrologer's door to ask for a reading!
In rapt fascination I sat through an hour of more
arcane information about a past life I had spent in a
South Indian temple, and how my transgressions in that
lifetime led to painful problems in this one, and
(after a moment's hesitation while the reader asked if
I really wanted to know) the day of my own death. The
date falls reassuringly far in the future, although
even more reassuring was the Nadi's promise that my
wife and children would lead long lives full of love
and accomplishment.
I walked away from the old man and the young priest
into the blinding hot Delhi sunshine, almost dizzy
from wondering how my life would change with this new
knowledge. It wasn't the details of the reading that
mattered. I have forgotten nearly all of them, and I
rarely think of the incident except when my eye falls
on one of the polished bark sheets, now framed and
kept in a place of honor in our home. The young priest
handed it to me with a shy smile before we parted. The
one fact that turned out to have a deep impact was the
day of my death. As soon as I heard it, I felt both a
profound sense of peace and a new sobriety that has
been subtly changing my priorities ever since.... Deepak Chopra
Delhi, I was sitting in a small, stuffy room with a
very old man and a young priest. The priest sat on the
floor swaying back and forth as he recited words inked
on bark sheets that looked ancient. I listened, having
no idea what the priest was intoning. He was from the
far south and his language, Tamil, was foreign to me.
But I knew he was telling me the story of my life,
past and future. I wondered how I got roped into this
and began to squirm.
It had taken strong persuasion from an old friend to
get me to the small room. "It's not just Jyotish, it's
much more amazing," he coaxed. Indian astrology is
called Jyotish, and it goes back thousands of years.
Visiting your family astrologer is common practice
every-where in India, where people plan weddings,
births, and even routine business transactions around
their astrological charts (Indira Gandhi was a famous
example of someone who followed Jyotish), but modern
times have led to a fading away of tradition. I had
chronically avoided any brushes with Jyotish, being a
child of modern India and later a working doctor in
the West.
But my friend prevailed, and I had to admit that I
was curious about what was going to happen. The young
priest, dressed in a wrapped skirt with bare chest and
hair shiny with coconut oil—both marks of a
southerner—didn't draw up my birth chart. Every chart
he needed had already been drawn up hundreds of years
ago. In other words, someone sitting under a palm tree
many generations ago had taken a strip of bark, known
as a Nadi, and inscribed my life on it.
These Nadis are scattered all over India, and it's
pure chance to run across one that applies to you. My
friend had spent several years tracking down just one
for himself; the priest produced a whole sheaf for me,
much to my friend's amazed delight. You have to come
for the reading, he insisted.
Now the old man sitting across the table was
interpreting in Hindi what the priest was chanting.
Because of overlapping birth times and the vagaries of
the calendar when we are speaking of centuries, Nadis
can overlap, and the first few sheets didn't apply to
me. But by the third sheet or so, the young priest
with the sing-song voice was reading facts that were
startlingly precise: my birth date, my parents' names,
my own name and my wife's, the number of children we
have and where they live now, the day and hour of my
father's recent death, his exact name, and my
mother's.
At first there seemed to be a glitch: The Nadi gave
the wrong first name for my mother, calling her
Suchinta, when in fact her name is Pushpa. This
mistake bothered me, so I took a break and went to a
phone to ask her about it. My mother told me, with
great surprise, that in fact her birth name was
Suchinta, but since it rhymed with the word for "sad"
in Hindi, an uncle suggested that it be changed when
she was three years old. I hung up the phone,
wondering what this whole experience meant, for the
young priest had also read out that a relative would
intervene to change my mother's name. No one in our
family had ever mentioned this incident, so the young
priest wasn't indulging in some kind of mind-reading.
For the benefit of skeptics, the young priest had
passed nearly his whole life in a temple in South
India and did not speak English or Hindi. Neither he
nor the old man knew who I was. Anyway, in this school
of Jyotish, the astrologer doesn't take down your
birth time and cast a personal chart which he then
interprets. Instead, a person walks into a Nadi
reader's house, the reader takes a thumb-print, and
based on that, the matching charts are located (always
keeping in mind that the Nadis may be lost or
scattered to the winds). The astrologer reads out only
what someone else has written down perhaps a thousand
years ago. Here's another twist to the mystery: Nadis
don't have to cover everyone who will ever live, only
those individuals who will one day show up at an
astrologer's door to ask for a reading!
In rapt fascination I sat through an hour of more
arcane information about a past life I had spent in a
South Indian temple, and how my transgressions in that
lifetime led to painful problems in this one, and
(after a moment's hesitation while the reader asked if
I really wanted to know) the day of my own death. The
date falls reassuringly far in the future, although
even more reassuring was the Nadi's promise that my
wife and children would lead long lives full of love
and accomplishment.
I walked away from the old man and the young priest
into the blinding hot Delhi sunshine, almost dizzy
from wondering how my life would change with this new
knowledge. It wasn't the details of the reading that
mattered. I have forgotten nearly all of them, and I
rarely think of the incident except when my eye falls
on one of the polished bark sheets, now framed and
kept in a place of honor in our home. The young priest
handed it to me with a shy smile before we parted. The
one fact that turned out to have a deep impact was the
day of my death. As soon as I heard it, I felt both a
profound sense of peace and a new sobriety that has
been subtly changing my priorities ever since.... Deepak Chopra
Crushing the Ego...
We should be careful to take away from ourselves any thorns that prick us in the personality of others.
Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
We frequently say, 'I dislike him,' 'I wish to avoid her,' but if we examine this carefully, we find it is the same element in all that we dislike, the ego. And when we turn to ourselves to see if we have it in us, we find it is there too. We should forget it, therefore, in other people, and first turn our attention to crushing it within ourselves. We should determine to have our house clean even if other people neglect theirs. We should be careful to take away from ourselves any thorns that prick us in the personality of others. There is a verse in the Quran, which says, 'Arise in the midst of the night, and commune with thy Lord... Bear patiently what others say.' This is not only a command to rise in the night and pray, but it also means that by rising in the night we crush the ego, for the ego demands its rest and comfort, and when denied, is crushed. The mystics fast for the same reason. The Sufi's base the whole of their teaching on the crushing of the ego which they term Nafs-kushi, for therein lies all magnetism and power.
For every soul there are four stages to pass through in order to come to the culmination of the ego, which means to reach the stage of the rose. The first stage is that a person is rough, thoughtless and inconsiderate. He is interested in what he wants and in what he likes; as such he is naturally blind to the needs and wants of others. In the second stage a man is decent and good as long as his interests are concerned. As long as he can get his wish fulfilled he is pleasant and kind and good and harmonious; but if he cannot get his wish and cannot have his way, then he becomes rough and crude and changes completely. And there is a third stage, when someone is more concerned with another person's wish and desire, and less with himself; when his whole heart is seeking for what he can do for another. In his thought the other person comes first and he comes afterwards. That is the beginning of turning into the rose. It is only a rosebud, but then in the fourth stage this rosebud blooms in the person who entirely forgets himself in doing kind deeds for others. In Sufi terms the crushing of the ego is called Nafs Kushi.
from http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VII/VII_40.htm
Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
We frequently say, 'I dislike him,' 'I wish to avoid her,' but if we examine this carefully, we find it is the same element in all that we dislike, the ego. And when we turn to ourselves to see if we have it in us, we find it is there too. We should forget it, therefore, in other people, and first turn our attention to crushing it within ourselves. We should determine to have our house clean even if other people neglect theirs. We should be careful to take away from ourselves any thorns that prick us in the personality of others. There is a verse in the Quran, which says, 'Arise in the midst of the night, and commune with thy Lord... Bear patiently what others say.' This is not only a command to rise in the night and pray, but it also means that by rising in the night we crush the ego, for the ego demands its rest and comfort, and when denied, is crushed. The mystics fast for the same reason. The Sufi's base the whole of their teaching on the crushing of the ego which they term Nafs-kushi, for therein lies all magnetism and power.
For every soul there are four stages to pass through in order to come to the culmination of the ego, which means to reach the stage of the rose. The first stage is that a person is rough, thoughtless and inconsiderate. He is interested in what he wants and in what he likes; as such he is naturally blind to the needs and wants of others. In the second stage a man is decent and good as long as his interests are concerned. As long as he can get his wish fulfilled he is pleasant and kind and good and harmonious; but if he cannot get his wish and cannot have his way, then he becomes rough and crude and changes completely. And there is a third stage, when someone is more concerned with another person's wish and desire, and less with himself; when his whole heart is seeking for what he can do for another. In his thought the other person comes first and he comes afterwards. That is the beginning of turning into the rose. It is only a rosebud, but then in the fourth stage this rosebud blooms in the person who entirely forgets himself in doing kind deeds for others. In Sufi terms the crushing of the ego is called Nafs Kushi.
from http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VII/VII_40.htm
Jesus rebukes a barren fig tree. Drives the merchants out of the temple. Teaches the people. Returns to Bethany.
NEXT day, the Monday of the week, the master with the twelve, went to Jerusalem. 2 And as they passed along the way they saw a fig tree full of leaves without a sign of fruit. 3 And Jesus spoke unto the tree; he said, You useless cumberer of the ground; you fig tree fair to look upon, but a delusive thing. 4 You take from the earth and air the food that fruitful trees should have. 5 Go back to earth and be yourself the food for other trees to eat. 6 When Jesus had thus spoken to the tree he went his way. 7 And when he reached the temple, lo, the rooms were filled with petty merchants selling doves and animals, and other things, for sacrifice; the temple was a mart of trade. 8 And Jesus was indignant at the sight, and said, You men of Israel, for shame! This is supposed to be the house of prayer; but it is now a den of thieves. Remove this plunder from this holy place. 9 The merchants only laughed and said, We are protected in our trade by those who bear the rule; we will not go. 10 Then Jesus made a scourge of cords, as he did once before, and rushed among the merchantmen, threw all their money on the floor; 11 Threw wide the cages of the doves, and cut the cords that held the bleating lambs and set them free. 12 And then he drove the merchants from the place, and with a clean, new broom he swept the floors. 13 Chief priests and scribes were filled with wrath, but feared to touch or even to rebuke the Lord, for all the people stood in his defence. 14 And Jesus taught the people all day long and healed a multitude of those diseased, 15 And when the evening came he went again to Bethany. ........from the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi
Sin...
Most souls do not know what the word Sin means, so I will try to clear
up misconceptions... The word "sin" is an ancient Hebrew archery term
that means "Missing the Mark".. So, we must realize that "Sin" is not
the devestation of our Souls, It is just a missing of the "Bulls Eye"..
and an opportunity to adjust our aim and perform better next
time...When we realize that "Sin" is just the "Ego" in action and a
deviation from the "State of Love", then we can reajust our thoughts
and actions to "Sin no more", as Jesus stated..When we finally realize
that the state of Love is a mental state of Happiness, then, we know
that Sin causes pain and Love causes Happiness...............namaste,
thomas
up misconceptions... The word "sin" is an ancient Hebrew archery term
that means "Missing the Mark".. So, we must realize that "Sin" is not
the devestation of our Souls, It is just a missing of the "Bulls Eye"..
and an opportunity to adjust our aim and perform better next
time...When we realize that "Sin" is just the "Ego" in action and a
deviation from the "State of Love", then we can reajust our thoughts
and actions to "Sin no more", as Jesus stated..When we finally realize
that the state of Love is a mental state of Happiness, then, we know
that Sin causes pain and Love causes Happiness...............namaste,
thomas
OPEN MIND...
Consider your problem, whatever it might be. Perhaps it involves
marriage or finances or health. Or perhaps you fear losing your
security, or maybe you cannot obtain what you feel you must have.
Next, remember that there is a great difference between thinking
about a problem and having a completely open mind towards it.
Thinking about a difficulty cannot end it because the thought
and the difficulty reside on the same psychological level.
Conditioned thought is the very cause of the problem, therefore
it cannot save itself. Something higher is needed. This some-
thing higher exists within a truly open mind, a mind which
neither attacks nor defends a problem. An open mind ends the
illusion of an individual self, which ends the illusion of a
problem-burdened person, which ends the illusory existence of
the problem.
Have an open mind towards the preceding paragraph."
Esoteric Encyclopedia of Eternal Knowledge, p. 152.......Vernon
Howard
marriage or finances or health. Or perhaps you fear losing your
security, or maybe you cannot obtain what you feel you must have.
Next, remember that there is a great difference between thinking
about a problem and having a completely open mind towards it.
Thinking about a difficulty cannot end it because the thought
and the difficulty reside on the same psychological level.
Conditioned thought is the very cause of the problem, therefore
it cannot save itself. Something higher is needed. This some-
thing higher exists within a truly open mind, a mind which
neither attacks nor defends a problem. An open mind ends the
illusion of an individual self, which ends the illusion of a
problem-burdened person, which ends the illusory existence of
the problem.
Have an open mind towards the preceding paragraph."
Esoteric Encyclopedia of Eternal Knowledge, p. 152.......Vernon
Howard
Unconscious People...
Unconscious people—and many remain unconscious, trapped in their egos
throughout their lives—will quickly tell you who they are: their name,
their occupation, their personal history, the shape or state of their
body, and what-ever else they identify with. Others may appear to be
more evolved because they think of themselves as an immortal soul or
divine spirit. But do they really know themselves, or have they just
added some spiritual-sounding concepts to the content of their mind?
Knowing yourself goes far deeper than the adoption of a set of ideas
or beliefs. Spiritual ideas and beliefs may at best be helpful
pointers, but in themselves they rarely have the power to dislodge the
more firmly established core concepts of who you think you are, which
are part of the conditioning of the human mind. Knowing yourself
deeply has nothing to do with whatever ideas are floating around in
your mind. Knowing yourself is to be rooted in Being, instead of lost
in your mind.
Eckhart Tolle - A New Earth p.186
throughout their lives—will quickly tell you who they are: their name,
their occupation, their personal history, the shape or state of their
body, and what-ever else they identify with. Others may appear to be
more evolved because they think of themselves as an immortal soul or
divine spirit. But do they really know themselves, or have they just
added some spiritual-sounding concepts to the content of their mind?
Knowing yourself goes far deeper than the adoption of a set of ideas
or beliefs. Spiritual ideas and beliefs may at best be helpful
pointers, but in themselves they rarely have the power to dislodge the
more firmly established core concepts of who you think you are, which
are part of the conditioning of the human mind. Knowing yourself
deeply has nothing to do with whatever ideas are floating around in
your mind. Knowing yourself is to be rooted in Being, instead of lost
in your mind.
Eckhart Tolle - A New Earth p.186
Imagination..
This appears to be a topic of discussion, so I will give the dictionary
explanation..."Imagination is the ability to form mental images, or the
ability to spontaneously generate images within one's own mind. It
helps provide meaning to experience and understanding to knowledge; it
is a fundamental facility through which people make sense of the world
and it also plays a key role in the learning
process".............................. So, it is a form of learning and
visualizing, with the word "Image" originating from, that is used for
creation purposes.. Did not God use Imagination to create us?.. So
Imagination is a central part of the Universe and a path to
Knowledge...The final aspect of Knowledge and Understanding is to cross
through the thoughts of Imagination and realize that you are the One
that created the Imagination of Ego and Seperateness.. This road of
Knowledge will free you from Duality and reunite Self with
Self...........namaste, thomas
explanation..."Imagination is the ability to form mental images, or the
ability to spontaneously generate images within one's own mind. It
helps provide meaning to experience and understanding to knowledge; it
is a fundamental facility through which people make sense of the world
and it also plays a key role in the learning
process".............................. So, it is a form of learning and
visualizing, with the word "Image" originating from, that is used for
creation purposes.. Did not God use Imagination to create us?.. So
Imagination is a central part of the Universe and a path to
Knowledge...The final aspect of Knowledge and Understanding is to cross
through the thoughts of Imagination and realize that you are the One
that created the Imagination of Ego and Seperateness.. This road of
Knowledge will free you from Duality and reunite Self with
Self...........namaste, thomas
The Ego as Illusion...
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
Every being has an individual ego produced from his own illusion. This limits his view which is led in the direction of his own interest, and he judges of good and bad, high or low, right or wrong in relation to himself and others, through his limited view, which is generally partial and imaginary rather than true. This darkness is caused by the overshadowing of the soul by the external self. Thus a person becomes blind to his own infirmities as well as to the merits of another, and the right action of another becomes wrong in his eyes and the fault of the self seems right. This is the case with mankind in general, until the veil of darkness is lifted from his eyes.
It is the bodily desires, passion, anger, appetite, all the different desires and needs, that make the mind helpless and make man hold on to them. All the worries, anxieties, depressions, and despairs arise from them. There is not a single moment in which the mind is able to stand aloof so as to reflect the light within, the light of the soul, so limited has it been made by the limited existence on earth. In reality this is the whole tragedy of human life.
The one and only thing that hinders man from advancing spiritually, or at least from advancing towards the goal, for which he is destined, and which he is longing to attain, is this: that the mind is so absorbed by the demands and wants of the physical body that it has hardly a moment to give itself entirely to the reflection of the light of the soul.
The difference between a scientist and a mystic is that the former analyzes the things he is interested in, studying them by different methods in order to ascertain as much information about them as he can, the ways in which they can be of any benefit, their uses, and their nature, whereas the mystic, though in a way doing the same, first aims at lighting that light within himself by which he can see in this world of darkness and illusion, instead of using some technical instrument or special scientific process. As it is said, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven', so his first task is to light the candle within.
There is a light within every soul. It only needs the clouds, which hide it, to dissolve for it to beam forth. This is the light of revelation. It is like a lantern to us, it lights up every dark corner we wish to examine, and gives an answer to every question we would ask. ... There is a beautiful Indian tale that illustrates the meaning of this light. It is said that there is a certain kind of cobra, which has a diamond in its head. When it goes into the jungle, it takes out the diamond and places it on a tree. By means of its light, it searches all it wants, and when it is finished, it puts the diamond back in its head. The cobra represents the soul, and the diamond the light of inspiration guiding it. The same truth is portrayed in the story of Aladdin and his lamp. The lady he loved represented the ideal of his soul. The lamp he had to find was the light of inner guidance, which when found, would lead him to the attainment of his ideal.
from http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/V/V_30.htm
Every being has an individual ego produced from his own illusion. This limits his view which is led in the direction of his own interest, and he judges of good and bad, high or low, right or wrong in relation to himself and others, through his limited view, which is generally partial and imaginary rather than true. This darkness is caused by the overshadowing of the soul by the external self. Thus a person becomes blind to his own infirmities as well as to the merits of another, and the right action of another becomes wrong in his eyes and the fault of the self seems right. This is the case with mankind in general, until the veil of darkness is lifted from his eyes.
It is the bodily desires, passion, anger, appetite, all the different desires and needs, that make the mind helpless and make man hold on to them. All the worries, anxieties, depressions, and despairs arise from them. There is not a single moment in which the mind is able to stand aloof so as to reflect the light within, the light of the soul, so limited has it been made by the limited existence on earth. In reality this is the whole tragedy of human life.
The one and only thing that hinders man from advancing spiritually, or at least from advancing towards the goal, for which he is destined, and which he is longing to attain, is this: that the mind is so absorbed by the demands and wants of the physical body that it has hardly a moment to give itself entirely to the reflection of the light of the soul.
The difference between a scientist and a mystic is that the former analyzes the things he is interested in, studying them by different methods in order to ascertain as much information about them as he can, the ways in which they can be of any benefit, their uses, and their nature, whereas the mystic, though in a way doing the same, first aims at lighting that light within himself by which he can see in this world of darkness and illusion, instead of using some technical instrument or special scientific process. As it is said, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven', so his first task is to light the candle within.
There is a light within every soul. It only needs the clouds, which hide it, to dissolve for it to beam forth. This is the light of revelation. It is like a lantern to us, it lights up every dark corner we wish to examine, and gives an answer to every question we would ask. ... There is a beautiful Indian tale that illustrates the meaning of this light. It is said that there is a certain kind of cobra, which has a diamond in its head. When it goes into the jungle, it takes out the diamond and places it on a tree. By means of its light, it searches all it wants, and when it is finished, it puts the diamond back in its head. The cobra represents the soul, and the diamond the light of inspiration guiding it. The same truth is portrayed in the story of Aladdin and his lamp. The lady he loved represented the ideal of his soul. The lamp he had to find was the light of inner guidance, which when found, would lead him to the attainment of his ideal.
from http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/V/V_30.htm
All humans seek happiness..
All humans seek happiness.. this is truly the only goal
that is Universal..But no matter how selfish and evil they are, they
still seek the incredible feeling of Love through their
family,friends, and even animals..They therefore realize, even
faintly, that Love is Happiness even if they try to find Happiness
through power and money.. This knowledge of Happiness is found within
the sub-conscious mind, which is your direct link to Universal
Consciousness, which many call God.. the sub-conscious mind is also
called "The Soul", as it forgets nothing and never sleeps.. When, you
have had a "Mystical Experience" of reuniting with God (yourself),
you then realize that Love is God, and you are Love.. Since God is
everything, you realize that you are part of everything and
therefore part of God, with the same creative abilities.. At this
time, you have created the "false ego", and it is time to end this
illusion and return to your Real Self...........namaste, thomas
that is Universal..But no matter how selfish and evil they are, they
still seek the incredible feeling of Love through their
family,friends, and even animals..They therefore realize, even
faintly, that Love is Happiness even if they try to find Happiness
through power and money.. This knowledge of Happiness is found within
the sub-conscious mind, which is your direct link to Universal
Consciousness, which many call God.. the sub-conscious mind is also
called "The Soul", as it forgets nothing and never sleeps.. When, you
have had a "Mystical Experience" of reuniting with God (yourself),
you then realize that Love is God, and you are Love.. Since God is
everything, you realize that you are part of everything and
therefore part of God, with the same creative abilities.. At this
time, you have created the "false ego", and it is time to end this
illusion and return to your Real Self...........namaste, thomas
EACH IS HIS OWN CREATION...
Understanding your position with others is that your only assistance
is to lead them in personalizing whatever you may say. Only that
which they can personalize will be of value to them. Thoughts moving
into their existence that they can have effect that will make them
realize themselves, must be of their creation. So you as a
facilitator must assist them in becoming their own creator. Assist
them in finding that they become what they create. That is their
only source of becoming that which they desire. They in themselves
fulfill their needs and desires. They are but their own source.
They must find that nothing outside themselves, no thing, no person,
and no situation has the power to make them be what they are. All
outside influences do not make the person. He is only what he is
because he is formed and created by his own inner sources. Develop
Love of yourself there. Through this Love of yourself you'll find
your creative ability. Your creative ability will then fulfill all
needs and desires from within and form you into the happy and joyous
individual you were intended to be in fulfilling your purpose for
existing.
EACH MOMENT YOU CREATE
From where you are all creation begins. For nothing is within each
day except for the fact that you create it. Your thought brings
about your day. The elements, the events, the things, the people,
and situations; are because of you and your ability to create.
Because you ARE, thought emanates from you and this thought is the
transference that light makes into energy. And energy moves out to
manifest whatever you want to create in your existence. It is
difficult to create nothing so what confronts you is to knowledgeably
create with your thought system all that is positive that can come to
you. If you come from the position of existing in a world that
provides you an experience established by chance beyond your control
or by sheer accident or happenstance; this you create to and for the
most part negativism will be caught up in what to manifest in your
unaware exercise of existence. Abandon this. Take charge. Be the
creator you are. Manifest the positive that can be in your day.
Know that you are the one responsible for it, who will do it and the
results brought about will be of your creation, will be what you live
with. No longer will you be the victim. From here on you will be
the creator. Plan out and establish with a total awareness what you
want. Fulfill all you need and desire through your creative
processes and with the knowledge that you bring to you; all that you
send out for.
EACH SPIRIT GROWS INDIVIDUALLY
We all find our direction individually. No two spirits are the
same. Each spirit has his own individual growth wherein working with
his Holy Spirit can gradually gain the knowledge necessary for him to
establish the Peace that will eventually be his. On a day-to-day
basis his guidance leads him to this achievement. Bit by bit the
pieces of knowledge are delivered to him to fit into his particular
growth pattern to bring all the pieces of knowledge into a whole that
will gradually elevate him through growth. This will bring together
his Holographic completeness that enables him to find through the use
of his energy establishment and flow, becoming daily more familiar
with the energy uses to his highest benefit. Through this continuing
use he will find himself at a point of his achievement along with all
other spirits in his involvement.
From the book "Holy Spirit Speaks" by Robert Severs
WEBSITES: holyspiritspeaksdaily.com
Outskirtspress.com/HolySpiritSpeaks
Availiable on Amazon/books or Barnes & Noble
is to lead them in personalizing whatever you may say. Only that
which they can personalize will be of value to them. Thoughts moving
into their existence that they can have effect that will make them
realize themselves, must be of their creation. So you as a
facilitator must assist them in becoming their own creator. Assist
them in finding that they become what they create. That is their
only source of becoming that which they desire. They in themselves
fulfill their needs and desires. They are but their own source.
They must find that nothing outside themselves, no thing, no person,
and no situation has the power to make them be what they are. All
outside influences do not make the person. He is only what he is
because he is formed and created by his own inner sources. Develop
Love of yourself there. Through this Love of yourself you'll find
your creative ability. Your creative ability will then fulfill all
needs and desires from within and form you into the happy and joyous
individual you were intended to be in fulfilling your purpose for
existing.
EACH MOMENT YOU CREATE
From where you are all creation begins. For nothing is within each
day except for the fact that you create it. Your thought brings
about your day. The elements, the events, the things, the people,
and situations; are because of you and your ability to create.
Because you ARE, thought emanates from you and this thought is the
transference that light makes into energy. And energy moves out to
manifest whatever you want to create in your existence. It is
difficult to create nothing so what confronts you is to knowledgeably
create with your thought system all that is positive that can come to
you. If you come from the position of existing in a world that
provides you an experience established by chance beyond your control
or by sheer accident or happenstance; this you create to and for the
most part negativism will be caught up in what to manifest in your
unaware exercise of existence. Abandon this. Take charge. Be the
creator you are. Manifest the positive that can be in your day.
Know that you are the one responsible for it, who will do it and the
results brought about will be of your creation, will be what you live
with. No longer will you be the victim. From here on you will be
the creator. Plan out and establish with a total awareness what you
want. Fulfill all you need and desire through your creative
processes and with the knowledge that you bring to you; all that you
send out for.
EACH SPIRIT GROWS INDIVIDUALLY
We all find our direction individually. No two spirits are the
same. Each spirit has his own individual growth wherein working with
his Holy Spirit can gradually gain the knowledge necessary for him to
establish the Peace that will eventually be his. On a day-to-day
basis his guidance leads him to this achievement. Bit by bit the
pieces of knowledge are delivered to him to fit into his particular
growth pattern to bring all the pieces of knowledge into a whole that
will gradually elevate him through growth. This will bring together
his Holographic completeness that enables him to find through the use
of his energy establishment and flow, becoming daily more familiar
with the energy uses to his highest benefit. Through this continuing
use he will find himself at a point of his achievement along with all
other spirits in his involvement.
From the book "Holy Spirit Speaks" by Robert Severs
WEBSITES: holyspiritspeaksdaily.com
Outskirtspress.com/HolySpiritSpeaks
Availiable on Amazon/books or Barnes & Noble
Why, all the talk about Ego ?
The reason why there is so much talk about the Ego is
because, the illusion of ego is the very reason why we are in these
bodies.. You might believe that the ego starts in early childhood
or
at your first bad experience, but, the ego was created long before
we
entered the material plane.. We are speaking of the "false ego",
when we speak of the ego, as our real ego(self) is the energy of
Light and Love......All religions and philosophies are centered
around the ego, when Jesus spoke of Love, He was speaking of the
lack
of ego.. When He was speaking of humility, He was speaking of the
path of Love that leads to the end of the false ego....So you see,
ego and its' demise is the very core of Mysticism and most
Religions
and Philosophies..............namaste, thomas
because, the illusion of ego is the very reason why we are in these
bodies.. You might believe that the ego starts in early childhood
or
at your first bad experience, but, the ego was created long before
we
entered the material plane.. We are speaking of the "false ego",
when we speak of the ego, as our real ego(self) is the energy of
Light and Love......All religions and philosophies are centered
around the ego, when Jesus spoke of Love, He was speaking of the
lack
of ego.. When He was speaking of humility, He was speaking of the
path of Love that leads to the end of the false ego....So you see,
ego and its' demise is the very core of Mysticism and most
Religions
and Philosophies..............namaste, thomas
Adam and Eve...
They ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Go beyond good and bad by refraining from mentally labeling anything as
good or bad. When you go beyond the habitual naming, the power of the
universe moves through you. When you are in a nonreactive relationship
to experiences, what you would have called "bad" before often turns
around quickly, if not immediately, through the power of life itself.
Watch what happens when you don't name an experience as "bad" and
instead bring an inner acceptance, an inner "yes" to it, and so let it
be as it is.
This is the miracle: behind every condition, person, or situation that
appears "bad" or "evil" lies concealed a deeper good. That deeper good
reveals itself to you~ both within and without~ through inner
acceptance of what is.
"Resist not evil" is one of the highest truths of humanity.
~ Eckhart Tolle, Stillness Speaks
Go beyond good and bad by refraining from mentally labeling anything as
good or bad. When you go beyond the habitual naming, the power of the
universe moves through you. When you are in a nonreactive relationship
to experiences, what you would have called "bad" before often turns
around quickly, if not immediately, through the power of life itself.
Watch what happens when you don't name an experience as "bad" and
instead bring an inner acceptance, an inner "yes" to it, and so let it
be as it is.
This is the miracle: behind every condition, person, or situation that
appears "bad" or "evil" lies concealed a deeper good. That deeper good
reveals itself to you~ both within and without~ through inner
acceptance of what is.
"Resist not evil" is one of the highest truths of humanity.
~ Eckhart Tolle, Stillness Speaks
A Quote from Jesus...
...Jesus said: "My brother, God is love; therefore he must be good, and his goodness is so great and real that it cannot contain the small and unreal things of evil. God is so positively good that there is absolutely no place in him for negative evil.... P.1429
Truth, Beauty & Goodness
from The Urantia Book
Truth, Beauty & Goodness
from The Urantia Book
The Mystic Path...
"The Mystic Path never requires that you grasp more than you
can at the present moment. If you can only listen to wisdom,
then listen. If you can only understand that personal effort
is necessary, then realize that much. If you can grasp just
one truth out of a hundred, that is just fine. Do only what
you can do for now. Progress is certain."
The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power, p. 40....vernon howard
can at the present moment. If you can only listen to wisdom,
then listen. If you can only understand that personal effort
is necessary, then realize that much. If you can grasp just
one truth out of a hundred, that is just fine. Do only what
you can do for now. Progress is certain."
The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power, p. 40....vernon howard
The Annihilation of Suffering...
And the Buddha said:
"What my friends, is evil? [1]
"Killing is evil;
stealing is evil;
yielding to sexual passion is evil;
lying is evil;
slandering is evil;
abuse is evil;
gossip is evil;
envy is evil;
hatred is evil;
to cling to false doctrine is evil;
all these things, my friends are evil. [2]
"And what, my friends, is the root of evil? [3]
"Desire is the root of evil;
hatred is the root of evil;
illusion is the root of evil;
these things are the root of evil. [4]
"What, however, is good? [5]
"Abstaining from killing is good;
abstaining from theft is good;
abstaining from sensuality is good;
abstaining from falsehood is good;
abstaining from slander is good;
suppression of unkindness is good;
abandoning gossip is good;
letting go all envy is good;
dismissing hatred is good;
obedience to the truth is good;
all these things are good. [6]
"And what, my friends,
is the root of the good? [7]
"Freedom from desire is the root of the good;
freedom from hatred and freedom from illusion;
these things, my friends, are the root of the good. [8]
"What, however, O brethren, is suffering?
What is the origin of suffering?
What is the annihilation of suffering? [9]
"Birth is suffering;
old age is suffering;
disease is suffering;
death is suffering;
sorrow and misery are suffering;
affliction and despair are suffering;
to be united with loathsome things is suffering;
the loss of that which we love
and the failure in attaining that which is longed for are suffering;
all these things, O brethren, are suffering. [10]
"And what, O brethren,
is the origin of suffering? [11]
"It is lust, passion,
and the thirst for existence
that yearns for pleasure everywhere,
leading to a continual rebirth!
It is sensuality, desire, selfishness;
all these things, O brethren,
are the origin of suffering. [12]
"And what is the annihilation of suffering? [13]
"The radical and total annihilation of this thirst
and the abandonment, the liberation, the deliverance from passion,
that, O brethren, is the annihilation of suffering. [14]
"And what, O brethren,
is the path that leads
to the annihilation of suffering? [15]
"It is the holy eightfold path
that leads to the annihilation of suffering,
which consists of,
right views,
right decision,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right struggling,
right thoughts,
and right meditation. [16]
"In so far, O friends,
as a noble youth thus recognizes suffering
and the origin of suffering,
as he recognizes the annihilation of suffering,
and walks on the path
that leads to the annihilation of suffering,
radically forsaking passion,
subduing wrath,
annihilating the vain conceit of the "I-am,"
leaving ignorance,
and attaining to enlightenment,
he will make an end of all suffering
even in this life."...................by Gautama the Buddha
"What my friends, is evil? [1]
"Killing is evil;
stealing is evil;
yielding to sexual passion is evil;
lying is evil;
slandering is evil;
abuse is evil;
gossip is evil;
envy is evil;
hatred is evil;
to cling to false doctrine is evil;
all these things, my friends are evil. [2]
"And what, my friends, is the root of evil? [3]
"Desire is the root of evil;
hatred is the root of evil;
illusion is the root of evil;
these things are the root of evil. [4]
"What, however, is good? [5]
"Abstaining from killing is good;
abstaining from theft is good;
abstaining from sensuality is good;
abstaining from falsehood is good;
abstaining from slander is good;
suppression of unkindness is good;
abandoning gossip is good;
letting go all envy is good;
dismissing hatred is good;
obedience to the truth is good;
all these things are good. [6]
"And what, my friends,
is the root of the good? [7]
"Freedom from desire is the root of the good;
freedom from hatred and freedom from illusion;
these things, my friends, are the root of the good. [8]
"What, however, O brethren, is suffering?
What is the origin of suffering?
What is the annihilation of suffering? [9]
"Birth is suffering;
old age is suffering;
disease is suffering;
death is suffering;
sorrow and misery are suffering;
affliction and despair are suffering;
to be united with loathsome things is suffering;
the loss of that which we love
and the failure in attaining that which is longed for are suffering;
all these things, O brethren, are suffering. [10]
"And what, O brethren,
is the origin of suffering? [11]
"It is lust, passion,
and the thirst for existence
that yearns for pleasure everywhere,
leading to a continual rebirth!
It is sensuality, desire, selfishness;
all these things, O brethren,
are the origin of suffering. [12]
"And what is the annihilation of suffering? [13]
"The radical and total annihilation of this thirst
and the abandonment, the liberation, the deliverance from passion,
that, O brethren, is the annihilation of suffering. [14]
"And what, O brethren,
is the path that leads
to the annihilation of suffering? [15]
"It is the holy eightfold path
that leads to the annihilation of suffering,
which consists of,
right views,
right decision,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right struggling,
right thoughts,
and right meditation. [16]
"In so far, O friends,
as a noble youth thus recognizes suffering
and the origin of suffering,
as he recognizes the annihilation of suffering,
and walks on the path
that leads to the annihilation of suffering,
radically forsaking passion,
subduing wrath,
annihilating the vain conceit of the "I-am,"
leaving ignorance,
and attaining to enlightenment,
he will make an end of all suffering
even in this life."...................by Gautama the Buddha
Manifestation and Divine Mind...
We know that the cosmos manifests itself out of the divine Mind, and
within it, too. But why there should be such a manifestation at all, we
do not know. Many students raise this query and are dissatisfied at the
failure to obtain a good answer. But the fact is that such questions
cannot be adequately answered on the same plane as that on which they
arise. If we could shift our consciousness to a higher one, we would
find that they simply do not exist there. However, although complete
adequacy may be unattainable, some sort of working answer can be
formulated and used for and by those who are unable to effect such a
shift. If the human entity has no other purpose to fulfil on this earth
than to return to the sphere of its origin, then it had no business to
leave that sphere. There must be something to be gained by its earthly
journey, if the universe has any sense in it at all.
— Notebooks Category 26: World-Idea > Chapter 4: True Idea of Man > #
248,,,,,,,paul brunton
within it, too. But why there should be such a manifestation at all, we
do not know. Many students raise this query and are dissatisfied at the
failure to obtain a good answer. But the fact is that such questions
cannot be adequately answered on the same plane as that on which they
arise. If we could shift our consciousness to a higher one, we would
find that they simply do not exist there. However, although complete
adequacy may be unattainable, some sort of working answer can be
formulated and used for and by those who are unable to effect such a
shift. If the human entity has no other purpose to fulfil on this earth
than to return to the sphere of its origin, then it had no business to
leave that sphere. There must be something to be gained by its earthly
journey, if the universe has any sense in it at all.
— Notebooks Category 26: World-Idea > Chapter 4: True Idea of Man > #
248,,,,,,,paul brunton
Enlightenment...
When the wall between his little ego and the infinite Being collapses,
he is said by some Orientals to have entered Nirvana, the Void, and by
others to have joined his soul to God.
— Notebooks Category 25: World-Mind in Individual Mind > Chapter 2:
Enlightenment Which Stays > # 245......paul brunton
he is said by some Orientals to have entered Nirvana, the Void, and by
others to have joined his soul to God.
— Notebooks Category 25: World-Mind in Individual Mind > Chapter 2:
Enlightenment Which Stays > # 245......paul brunton
The Indispensable Qualities of Awakening...
In essence the entire spiritual endeavor is a very simple thing:
Spirituality is essentially about awakening as the intuitive
awareness of unity and dissolving our attachment to egoic
consciousness. By saying that spirituality is a very simple thing, I
do not mean to imply that it is either an easy or difficult endeavor.
For some it may be very easy, while for others it may be more
difficult. There are many factors and influences that play a role in
one's awakening to the greater reality, but the greatest factors by
far are one's sincerity, one-pointedness, and courage.
Sincerity is a word that I often use in teaching to convey the
importance of being rooted in the qualities of honesty, authenticity,
and genuineness. There can be nothing phony or contrived in our
motivations if we are to fully awaken to our natural and integral
state of unified awareness. While teachings and teachers can point us
inward to "the peace beyond all understanding," it is always along
the thread of our inner sincerity, or lack thereof, that we will
travel. For the ego is clever and artful in the ways of deception,
and only the honesty and genuineness of our ineffable being are
beyond its influence. At each step and with each breath we are given
the option of acting and responding, both inwardly and outwardly,
from the conditioning of egoic consciousness which values control and
separation above all else, or from the intuitive awareness of unity
which resides in the inner silence of our being.
Without sincerity it is so very easy for even the greatest spiritual
teachings to become little more than playthings of the mind. In our
fast-moving world of quick fixes, big promises, and short attention
spans, it is easy to remain on a very surface level of consciousness
without even knowing it. While the awakened state is ever present and
closer than your feet, hands, or eyes, it cannot be approached in a
casual or insincere fashion. There is a reason that seekers the world
over are instructed to remove their shoes and quiet their voices
before entering into sacred spaces. The message being conveyed is
that one's ego must be "taken off and quieted" before access to the
divine is granted. All of our ego's attempts to control, demand, and
plead with reality have no influence on it other than to make life
more conflicted and difficult. But an open mind and sincere heart
have the power to grant us access to realizing what has always been
present all along.
When people asked the great Indian sage Nisargadatta what he thought
was the most important quality to have in order to awaken, he would
say "earnestness." When you are earnest, you are both sincere and one-
pointed; to be one-pointed means to keep your attention on one thing.
I have found that the most challenging thing for most spiritual
seekers to do is to stay focused on one thing for very long. The mind
jumps around with its concerns and questions from moment to moment.
Rarely does it stay with one question long enough to penetrate it
deeply. In spirituality it is very important not to let the egoic
mind keep jumping from one concern to the next like an untrained dog.
Remember, awakening is about realizing your true nature and
dissolving all attachment to egoic consciousness.
My grandmother who passed away a few years ago used to say to me
jokingly, "Getting old is not for wimps." She was well aware of the
challenges of an aging body, and while she never complained or felt
any pity for herself, she knew firsthand that aging had its
challenges as well as its benefits. There was a courage within my
grandmother that served her well as she approached the end of her
life, and I am happy to say that when she passed, it was willingly
and without fear. In a similar way the process of coming into a full
and mature awakening requires courage, as not only our view of life
but life itself transforms to align itself with the inner mystic
vision. A sincere heart is a robust and courageous heart willing to
let go in the face of the great unknown expanse of Being—an expanse
which the egoic mind has no way of knowing or understanding.
When one's awareness opens beyond the dream state of egoic
consciousness to the infinite no-thing-ness of intuitive awareness,
it is common for the ego to feel much fear and terror as this
transition begins. While there is nothing to fear about our natural
state of infinite Being, such a state is beyond the ego's ability to
understand, and as always, egos fear whatever they do not understand
and cannot control. As soon as our identity leaves the ego realm and
assumes its rightful place as the infinite no-thing-ness/every-thing-
ness of awareness, all fear vanishes in the same manner as when we
awaken from a bad dream. In the same manner in which my grandmother
said, "Getting old is not for wimps," it can also be said that making
the transition from the dream state to the mature, awakened state
requires courage.
Sincerity, one-pointedness, and courage are indispensable qualities
in awakening from the dream state of ego to the peace and ease of
awakened Being. All there is left to do is to live it.
© Adyashanti 2008
Spirituality is essentially about awakening as the intuitive
awareness of unity and dissolving our attachment to egoic
consciousness. By saying that spirituality is a very simple thing, I
do not mean to imply that it is either an easy or difficult endeavor.
For some it may be very easy, while for others it may be more
difficult. There are many factors and influences that play a role in
one's awakening to the greater reality, but the greatest factors by
far are one's sincerity, one-pointedness, and courage.
Sincerity is a word that I often use in teaching to convey the
importance of being rooted in the qualities of honesty, authenticity,
and genuineness. There can be nothing phony or contrived in our
motivations if we are to fully awaken to our natural and integral
state of unified awareness. While teachings and teachers can point us
inward to "the peace beyond all understanding," it is always along
the thread of our inner sincerity, or lack thereof, that we will
travel. For the ego is clever and artful in the ways of deception,
and only the honesty and genuineness of our ineffable being are
beyond its influence. At each step and with each breath we are given
the option of acting and responding, both inwardly and outwardly,
from the conditioning of egoic consciousness which values control and
separation above all else, or from the intuitive awareness of unity
which resides in the inner silence of our being.
Without sincerity it is so very easy for even the greatest spiritual
teachings to become little more than playthings of the mind. In our
fast-moving world of quick fixes, big promises, and short attention
spans, it is easy to remain on a very surface level of consciousness
without even knowing it. While the awakened state is ever present and
closer than your feet, hands, or eyes, it cannot be approached in a
casual or insincere fashion. There is a reason that seekers the world
over are instructed to remove their shoes and quiet their voices
before entering into sacred spaces. The message being conveyed is
that one's ego must be "taken off and quieted" before access to the
divine is granted. All of our ego's attempts to control, demand, and
plead with reality have no influence on it other than to make life
more conflicted and difficult. But an open mind and sincere heart
have the power to grant us access to realizing what has always been
present all along.
When people asked the great Indian sage Nisargadatta what he thought
was the most important quality to have in order to awaken, he would
say "earnestness." When you are earnest, you are both sincere and one-
pointed; to be one-pointed means to keep your attention on one thing.
I have found that the most challenging thing for most spiritual
seekers to do is to stay focused on one thing for very long. The mind
jumps around with its concerns and questions from moment to moment.
Rarely does it stay with one question long enough to penetrate it
deeply. In spirituality it is very important not to let the egoic
mind keep jumping from one concern to the next like an untrained dog.
Remember, awakening is about realizing your true nature and
dissolving all attachment to egoic consciousness.
My grandmother who passed away a few years ago used to say to me
jokingly, "Getting old is not for wimps." She was well aware of the
challenges of an aging body, and while she never complained or felt
any pity for herself, she knew firsthand that aging had its
challenges as well as its benefits. There was a courage within my
grandmother that served her well as she approached the end of her
life, and I am happy to say that when she passed, it was willingly
and without fear. In a similar way the process of coming into a full
and mature awakening requires courage, as not only our view of life
but life itself transforms to align itself with the inner mystic
vision. A sincere heart is a robust and courageous heart willing to
let go in the face of the great unknown expanse of Being—an expanse
which the egoic mind has no way of knowing or understanding.
When one's awareness opens beyond the dream state of egoic
consciousness to the infinite no-thing-ness of intuitive awareness,
it is common for the ego to feel much fear and terror as this
transition begins. While there is nothing to fear about our natural
state of infinite Being, such a state is beyond the ego's ability to
understand, and as always, egos fear whatever they do not understand
and cannot control. As soon as our identity leaves the ego realm and
assumes its rightful place as the infinite no-thing-ness/every-thing-
ness of awareness, all fear vanishes in the same manner as when we
awaken from a bad dream. In the same manner in which my grandmother
said, "Getting old is not for wimps," it can also be said that making
the transition from the dream state to the mature, awakened state
requires courage.
Sincerity, one-pointedness, and courage are indispensable qualities
in awakening from the dream state of ego to the peace and ease of
awakened Being. All there is left to do is to live it.
© Adyashanti 2008
Speaking in Tongues...
Saint Paul speaks of the gift of tongues. This phrase has puzzled many
of his readers. The Church, not knowing its meaning, usually considers
it to mean speaking in languages unknown on earth. The Spiritualists,
possessed by their own theories of spirit-possession, usually consider
it to mean speaking in languages unknown to the speaker but used in
other countries. Mystics who develop this gift find that it means
either the ability to speak in symbolic metaphoric enigmatic or
allegoric language or the ability to interpret such language when heard
or to translate it when read. On this definition, Saint John's Book of
Revelation is a striking example of the working of the gift of tongues.
Notebooks Category 16: The Sensitives > Chapter 14: The Sensitive Mind
paul brunton
of his readers. The Church, not knowing its meaning, usually considers
it to mean speaking in languages unknown on earth. The Spiritualists,
possessed by their own theories of spirit-possession, usually consider
it to mean speaking in languages unknown to the speaker but used in
other countries. Mystics who develop this gift find that it means
either the ability to speak in symbolic metaphoric enigmatic or
allegoric language or the ability to interpret such language when heard
or to translate it when read. On this definition, Saint John's Book of
Revelation is a striking example of the working of the gift of tongues.
Notebooks Category 16: The Sensitives > Chapter 14: The Sensitive Mind
paul brunton
Trying to Grasp Ultimate Reality...
Tortured and stultified by the utter failure of his intellect to grasp
the ultimate reality, man has conceptualized God in the image of
himself attributing to it the noblest sentiments and qualities he
himself wants but lacks. To reach that which is beyond this God, the
transcendent and immanent ground of all manifestation, the intellect
is powerless. There is no path to that which is timeless and present
everywhere and which is itself the source of all thought.
~Balsekar
the ultimate reality, man has conceptualized God in the image of
himself attributing to it the noblest sentiments and qualities he
himself wants but lacks. To reach that which is beyond this God, the
transcendent and immanent ground of all manifestation, the intellect
is powerless. There is no path to that which is timeless and present
everywhere and which is itself the source of all thought.
~Balsekar
Inner Liberation...
Whoever attains this inner liberation rarely finds it reflected in the
outer world of human societies. Only by going to the lonely places of
nature, to forests and fields, deserted shores and unbuilt-on hills can
he match the freedom felt. If he ventures into an ashram--however
reputed--the sense of entering a cage is produced. It could be that
this is partly caused by the mental pressure of its authorities or
inmates, by the smug if unexpressed exclusiveness. If he enters a
church, he is at ease only if he is the only worshipper; otherwise
sectarian pressure comes to awareness.
— Notebooks Category 25: World-Mind in Individual Mind > Chapter 2:
Enlightenment Which Stays > # 252....paul brunton
outer world of human societies. Only by going to the lonely places of
nature, to forests and fields, deserted shores and unbuilt-on hills can
he match the freedom felt. If he ventures into an ashram--however
reputed--the sense of entering a cage is produced. It could be that
this is partly caused by the mental pressure of its authorities or
inmates, by the smug if unexpressed exclusiveness. If he enters a
church, he is at ease only if he is the only worshipper; otherwise
sectarian pressure comes to awareness.
— Notebooks Category 25: World-Mind in Individual Mind > Chapter 2:
Enlightenment Which Stays > # 252....paul brunton
The Successful Mystic...
The successful mystic certainly comes into contact with his real "I."
But if this contact is dependent upon meditational trance, it is
necessarily an intermittent one. He cannot obtain a permanent contact
unless he proceeds further and widens his aspiration to achieve contact
with the universal "I." There is therefore a difference between the
interior "I" and the universal "I," but it is a difference only of
degree, not of kind, for the latter includes the former.
— Notebooks Category 16: The Sensitives > Chapter 2: Phases of
Mystical Development > # 257.......Paul Brunton
But if this contact is dependent upon meditational trance, it is
necessarily an intermittent one. He cannot obtain a permanent contact
unless he proceeds further and widens his aspiration to achieve contact
with the universal "I." There is therefore a difference between the
interior "I" and the universal "I," but it is a difference only of
degree, not of kind, for the latter includes the former.
— Notebooks Category 16: The Sensitives > Chapter 2: Phases of
Mystical Development > # 257.......Paul Brunton
Teachers...
The antique method, whereby a master's teachings are made compulsory
upon the student, is unsuited to the modern man who is now beginning to
come of intellectual age. Today the student is advised to keep mentally
free and open, weighing and judging the worth of all teachings--
including his master's--by every means of appraisal known to him.
— Notebooks Category 16: The Sensitives > Chapter 5: Pseudo and
Imperfect Teachers >... Paul Brunton
upon the student, is unsuited to the modern man who is now beginning to
come of intellectual age. Today the student is advised to keep mentally
free and open, weighing and judging the worth of all teachings--
including his master's--by every means of appraisal known to him.
— Notebooks Category 16: The Sensitives > Chapter 5: Pseudo and
Imperfect Teachers >... Paul Brunton
The Narrow Gate...
"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the
way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter
by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard
that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
World Scripture, Responsibility and Self-Destination, Christianity,
Matthew 7.13-14
Our biggest misunderstanding about God is that He thinks
like we think. We cannot comprehend how God thinks, but
we must seek to understand it as well as we can. In the
Qur'an, the Lord says "Be mindful of me, and I will be
mindful of you." 2.152 And "God changes not what is in a
people, until they change what is in themselves." 13.11
We must stop expecting God to respond to our own
personal whims about how He should react to our desire
to know Him. Rather, we should seek Him on His own
terms. Those terms are laid out in the Ancient Sacred Texts
and the writings of the Prophets, Saints, Mystics and
Sages from throughout the world and time. Go there and
follow the pathway that He left behind for us through
some of His greatest souls. It is in their words that we find
what it is that WE must do for God to reach towards us,
rather than what HE must do to fulfill our desire for Him.
Finally, the question of suffering and why it happens in
the world is probably the most commonly wondered about
plight of the human being. Christ made the answer clear
when He said to His disciples that the Servant is not
greater than the Master, and what they do to the Master
they shall also do to you. It is also said in Biblical
Scripture that "it rains on the just and the unjust alike.'
Suffering is part of the human condition.
...........by Marilynn Hughes
way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter
by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard
that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
World Scripture, Responsibility and Self-Destination, Christianity,
Matthew 7.13-14
Our biggest misunderstanding about God is that He thinks
like we think. We cannot comprehend how God thinks, but
we must seek to understand it as well as we can. In the
Qur'an, the Lord says "Be mindful of me, and I will be
mindful of you." 2.152 And "God changes not what is in a
people, until they change what is in themselves." 13.11
We must stop expecting God to respond to our own
personal whims about how He should react to our desire
to know Him. Rather, we should seek Him on His own
terms. Those terms are laid out in the Ancient Sacred Texts
and the writings of the Prophets, Saints, Mystics and
Sages from throughout the world and time. Go there and
follow the pathway that He left behind for us through
some of His greatest souls. It is in their words that we find
what it is that WE must do for God to reach towards us,
rather than what HE must do to fulfill our desire for Him.
Finally, the question of suffering and why it happens in
the world is probably the most commonly wondered about
plight of the human being. Christ made the answer clear
when He said to His disciples that the Servant is not
greater than the Master, and what they do to the Master
they shall also do to you. It is also said in Biblical
Scripture that "it rains on the just and the unjust alike.'
Suffering is part of the human condition.
...........by Marilynn Hughes
Enlarging the Mind...
By enlarging ones mind, one can enter into all the things in the
world. As long as anything is not yet entered into, there is still
something outside the mind. The mind of ordinary people is limited to
the narrowness of what is seen and what is heard. The sage, however,
fully develops his nature and does not allow what is seen or heard to
fetter his mind. He regards everything in the world as his own self.
This is why Mencius said that if one exerts his mind to the utmost he
can know nature and Heaven. Heaven is so vast that there is nothing
outside of it. Therefore the mind that leaves something outside is not
capable of uniting itself with the mind of Heaven.
Reflections on Things at Hand â€" Chu Hsi trans. Wing-tsit Chan
world. As long as anything is not yet entered into, there is still
something outside the mind. The mind of ordinary people is limited to
the narrowness of what is seen and what is heard. The sage, however,
fully develops his nature and does not allow what is seen or heard to
fetter his mind. He regards everything in the world as his own self.
This is why Mencius said that if one exerts his mind to the utmost he
can know nature and Heaven. Heaven is so vast that there is nothing
outside of it. Therefore the mind that leaves something outside is not
capable of uniting itself with the mind of Heaven.
Reflections on Things at Hand â€" Chu Hsi trans. Wing-tsit Chan
The Long and Short Path...
The Long Path is needed to make a man or woman ripe for receiving
truth, but only the Short Path can lead to it. This is the answer to
the dilemma created by the claims of the Wu Wei school. Its practical
application is: act as the Long Path requires by working on and
improving the self, but think as the Short Path enjoins by holding the
attitude "There is nothing to be attained. Realization is already here
and now!"
— Notebooks Category 23: Advanced Contemplation > Chapter 5: Balancing
the Paths > # 154....Paul Brunton
truth, but only the Short Path can lead to it. This is the answer to
the dilemma created by the claims of the Wu Wei school. Its practical
application is: act as the Long Path requires by working on and
improving the self, but think as the Short Path enjoins by holding the
attitude "There is nothing to be attained. Realization is already here
and now!"
— Notebooks Category 23: Advanced Contemplation > Chapter 5: Balancing
the Paths > # 154....Paul Brunton
The Mental State of Heaven...
"So, how do you get back to heaven?
To begin with, just notice the thoughts
that take you away from it.
You don't have to believe everything your thoughts tell you.
Just become familiar with the particular thoughts you use
to deprive yourself of happiness.
It may seem strange at first
to get to know yourself in this way,
but becoming familiar with your stressful thoughts
will show you the way home to everything you need."
~ Byron Katie ~
To begin with, just notice the thoughts
that take you away from it.
You don't have to believe everything your thoughts tell you.
Just become familiar with the particular thoughts you use
to deprive yourself of happiness.
It may seem strange at first
to get to know yourself in this way,
but becoming familiar with your stressful thoughts
will show you the way home to everything you need."
~ Byron Katie ~
Creating a Human Web of Light ...
... the underlying principle of esoteric beliefs is that all life is
made of light. As human beings with egos we often forget our true
nature and we over identify with our personalities and bodies. We are
light in bodies.
Alchemists did not literally change lead into gold. Rather they
transmuted heavy leaded consciousness into gold light consciousness.
Jesus in Matthew 5:30-20 challenges us not to hide our light under
baskets. When mystics all over the world perform their miracles of
healing they are seen to shine and become luminescent. Throughout
Medicine for the Earth I write about the importance of the concept of
light in all spiritual traditions.
We are light and we came here to shine. But most of us have forgotten
our true nature as well as why we came here. We were created from
love and light and we are love and light. It is our birthright to
shine as fully in the world as we can.
Many of us have been taught at an early age not to shine too bright.
If we shine too bright no one will love us. There can only be a
few "stars" and it is not you. Does this sound familiar?
Why can there only be a few stars here on earth? I have never heard
anyone say when looking up at the stars in the sky, "I wish that star
wouldn't shine so brightly it is outshining other stars". Why do we
have that belief here?
It is time for all us to shine our light, which will reflect back the
beauty of the night sky above us. We need to find our shine again so
that we can light up the dark places of the world...... Sandra
Ingerman
made of light. As human beings with egos we often forget our true
nature and we over identify with our personalities and bodies. We are
light in bodies.
Alchemists did not literally change lead into gold. Rather they
transmuted heavy leaded consciousness into gold light consciousness.
Jesus in Matthew 5:30-20 challenges us not to hide our light under
baskets. When mystics all over the world perform their miracles of
healing they are seen to shine and become luminescent. Throughout
Medicine for the Earth I write about the importance of the concept of
light in all spiritual traditions.
We are light and we came here to shine. But most of us have forgotten
our true nature as well as why we came here. We were created from
love and light and we are love and light. It is our birthright to
shine as fully in the world as we can.
Many of us have been taught at an early age not to shine too bright.
If we shine too bright no one will love us. There can only be a
few "stars" and it is not you. Does this sound familiar?
Why can there only be a few stars here on earth? I have never heard
anyone say when looking up at the stars in the sky, "I wish that star
wouldn't shine so brightly it is outshining other stars". Why do we
have that belief here?
It is time for all us to shine our light, which will reflect back the
beauty of the night sky above us. We need to find our shine again so
that we can light up the dark places of the world...... Sandra
Ingerman
A Drop of Water...
A drop of water has the tastes of the water of the seven seas: there
is no need to experience all the ways of worldly life. The reflections
of the moon on one thousand rivers are from the same moon: the mind
must be full of light.
Hung Tzu-ch'eng (1593-1665), posted to AlphaWorld
is no need to experience all the ways of worldly life. The reflections
of the moon on one thousand rivers are from the same moon: the mind
must be full of light.
Hung Tzu-ch'eng (1593-1665), posted to AlphaWorld
Spiritual Love...
Spiritual. I love the word. Some don't, I know. I love the word
because, for me, it describes a vibrant reality of
living. 'Spiritus,' the Latin. 'Ruah,' the Hebrew. It means breath.
The breath of life. The animating force. Aristotle called the soul,
the life principle. Spirituality is that (activity, attitude,
awareness, behavior, developed character) that allows a person to
enter into the life principle as vibrantly, as honestly, as
courageously, as peacefully as we can. Spiritual.
Spiritual love (Preetee), means love without expectations.
Ordinarily when one loves anyone there is some form of expectation
attached and it is conditional. However spiritual love is
unconditional, no matter what the circumstances are. This form of
love is divine and only develops after a considerable amount of
spiritual practice when one perceives God in everyone. So also, we
become happier individuals when our love is not adulterated or
diluted by expectations.
The above diagram shows how worldly love i.e. love with expectation
is based on the similarities with another person's nature. But there
is no guarantee that all aspects of our nature will be similar or
compliment the other person's nature. When we begin to discover the
difference, that's when the strife and trouble begins.
On the other hand, spiritual love or love without expectation is
based on the unchanging Soul. This is akin to how a string links the
beads on a necklace whatever the shape, colour or size – the external
nature is not important. The hole in each bead represents our soul
which is the same for all of us i.e. the God in one is not in any way
different from the God within another.
Christian Baldwin wrote that, "Spiritual Love is a position of
standing with one hand extended into the universe and one hand
extended into the world, letting ourselves be a conduit for passing
energy."
"So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world
in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have,
and then when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we
have left," said Jack Riemer of the Houston Chronicle.
In the end, the lucky ones see the world with great love, and play
whatever music they can with whatever strings they have left!
This is not really high-fallutin' stuff here. It is practice in the
every day. It is some basic patterns of awareness and the effort to
live within those patterns that can make a life more meaningful, more
peaceful, more alive, more gratifying, more in tune with the basic
truths and the best we can be living out these truths.
So we use breath as a metaphor, and begin to talk about love that is
spiritual, love that bequeaths a life that allows a person to enter
into the life principle as vibrantly, as honestly, as courageously,
as peacefully, as joyfully as we can.
Many of you have read or heard of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber
and his book, "I and Thou." In a shortened version perhaps one could
say that his whole philosophy is that, "all real living is meeting."
He is saying that the 'I' of a person is only truly itself when it is
lived is lived in the 'I/Thou' context as opposed to the 'I/It'
context. The idea that a spiritual life is one which connects
one's 'I' with all else in reverent 'Thouness.'
In an 'I/It' stance, the I is not in true relationship with another.
It is an objectifying stance that keeps the 'I' from seeing another
or life in whole, keeping the 'I' lonely in separation. This
objectifying stance not only makes the individual lonely and removed,
and it is the core of why many, many horrible things to happen in the
world. As long as someone can be an 'It' all sorts of violence can
ensue. The 'I/It' paradigm creates enemies. It allows us to
cavalierly abuse the environment and each other. Buber has a
wonderful passage about a tree and the difference between an 'I/It'
and 'I/Thou' relationship with a tree.
In the 'I/It' paradigm, we can say that sin is the lack of connection
to the awareness of the interdependence of life. Living from
the 'I/Thou' paradigm puts everything in a connected mode and is
really what love is.
Buber wrote that the primary word is 'I/Thou.' Whenever we can speak
that primary word, love is present.
Buber writes about our lives in the womb being the ultimate
experience of 'Thou' when we are totally connected to the life force.
Upon birth we begin to differentiate and to become an 'I' separate
from The Great Mother. We become an 'I' capable of living an 'I/Thou'
life through the initial 'Mother Thou.' The spiritual journey is
about staying differentiated as a unique 'I' at the same time staying
connected to all life in an 'I/Thou' relationship.
I've just watched the movie "Billie Elliot." What an exquisite film!
All about the process of learning to love from the place of 'I/Thou.'
Billy is an 11 year-old boy whose mother has recently died. He lives
with his grandmother for whom he cares, his father, and his teenage
brother in a coal-mining town in England. They are poor. The miners
are on strike. The family is full of hardship, anxiety, and grief.
Beautiful Billy is taking boxing lessons. A case can be made for
boxing being the ultimate 'I/It' sport. The task of literally beating
up the other in order to win. Billy is not good at it. But Billy
watches the girls' ballet class in the next room and feels himself
pulled there. He loves to dance. The extraordinary thing about this
character is that he goes to the girls and he accepts an invitation
to join them despite cultural norms. Despite what anyone would say
about him, he goes for the strengthening of the 'I,' the soul, the
person who is calling him from the inside out to be a dancer in this
life. He doesn't want his macho father to know, so he hides his
ballet slippers under the mattress and practices in the bathroom.
But dance he will! For Billy is already living out of the original
word of 'I/Thou' which calls for the 'I' to love itself beyond
convention. The original word of 'I/Thou' transcends gender-role
expectations and many other cultural norms. To see this young boy so
self-differentiated; it is a sight to behold! Scene after lovely
scene of this boy answering his being's call to greatness. In this
regard, he is living a spiritual life as his being is connected to
the life force in a courageous and vibrant way against many odds. His
teacher, as brusque and cold as she can be sometimes, sees Billy
whole; she sees where his spirit wants to go. They enter into a
relationship from the context of 'I/Thou.' There is a scene of them
dancing together that is the primary word of 'I/Thou' set in motion.
It is to die for. (Interesting phrase isn't it, "To die for?" Dying
to the old self into new being.)
As you can imagine, eventually Billy's father catches him dancing in
the community center. He rages in and stops toe to toe with his son.
Billy meets his gaze straight on and begins to dance for his father.
It is a respectfully defiant dance that says, "I will be my
greatness. Here I show you. See me whole. Love me in my greatness."
Billy gives his father the opportunity to live from the 'I/Thou'
stance. He invites him to open his heart and to go another way. He is
saying, "don't you stay stuck in your anger and one dimensional way
of looking at the world. Come along with me to transformative love."
When the spirit dances true and unashamed, when the heart is opened,
and the mind free, nothing will stay the same.
Thou. My spell check says it is not in the dictionary. How sad. It is
a word, in my opinion, that in its saying making sacred that which
one is pointing to in its saying. When one is living from
Buber's 'I/Thou' paradigm, there can be no hate. "Hate is by nature
blind. Only a part of a being can be hated." So then, by seeing
others whole and with a heart of compassion, there is no hate.
Hey, now. This does not mean no action against that which harms you.
This does not mean living with abuse in the name of no hate. The 'I'
sometimes needs to boundary itself from the presence of another in
order to respect itself. Yet, it seems to me that one must ultimately
do the work to make the other (who may feel like the enemy 'It') into
a 'Thou', if one wants to be free within. This can be a long and
arduous journey, but a very fruitful one if one wants the inner and
outer life to be more vibrant, courageous and peaceful.
"The original word is 'I/Thou'," said Buber. All true living is in
meeting. It is relational. It beckons forth the best in self and the
best in the other. We breathe into our beings the vitality that comes
when we listen deeply to another without judgment. We breathe in that
true meeting, and we change ourselves. We sit with another who rubs
us the wrong way, and we breathe deeply and ask our heart to be open
in compassion. We realize that with compassion we begin to see how
cut off the other is from their own greatness of being. We do not
have to get anxious about what they are saying. We reflect in how cut
off from joy their being is in its current state. By our listening or
gently boundary setting or offering our own story or holding a hand,
we invite that person to realize how 'Thou' they are. We know right
away when someone puts us in the light of 'Thou,' even if we say
nothing, that they are being treated in a sacred manner.
Billy Elliot has a childhood friend named Michael who is gay and a
cross-dresser. (By the way, these two ways of being do not always go
together, but in this film they do.) Billy is straight and a ballet
dancer. He does not just tolerate his friend, he meets him in honesty
and openness. Many tender scenes of two very different boys loyal to
one another in their becoming. No finer example of an 'I/Thou'
relationship.
Oh dear, I guess I can't tell you the end of the movie which would
make a great end of the sermon! I want so to tell it. Suffice is to
say that Billy continues to encourage those around him to be with him
in a sacred manner of love. The ending is powerful, redeeming, and
big. Yet it is in the small nuances and interactions that the story
lives. In our spiritual interactions it is this meeting; a brief
meeting and that meeting, and then this one lived from the heart of
compassion and the knowing which we are all connected in this life.
There is great suffering and what we all want most deeply is to be
seen, met, and loved. We want to move from 'I/It' relating
to 'I/Thou' relating. This is the angst of our cry the day we are
born. This is the joy of existence when we remember what we were born
knowing.
This is the meaning of the word spirituality that I cherish. The
practice is to live congruent with your best sense of who you were
meant to be, and then to serve the world by acting in relation to the
world from an 'I/Thou' mindset more and more and more often.
Poem
The thing is to love life.
To love it even when you have no stomach for it, when everything
you've held dear crumbles like burnt paper in your hands and your
throat is filled with the silt of it.
When grief sits with you so heavily it's like heat, tropical, moist,
thickening the air so it's heavy like water, more fit for gills than
lungs.
When grief weights you like your own flesh only more of it, an
obesity of grief.
How long can a body withstand this? you think, and yet you hold life,
like a face between your palms.
A plain face, with no charming smile or twinkle in her eye, and you
say: yes, I will take you.
I will love you, again.
Ellen Bass, Author — California
In the end, the lucky ones begin to see the whole world with great
love, all of it - the pain, the greed, the fact of our own death,
seeing those we love die or suffer, abuse. In the end, the lucky ones
begin to see the whole world with great love no matter what; all of
it - the joy, the giving, the fact that we live at all, the privilege
of being with those we love no matter what the duration, great
gentleness. If we are lucky, we will do what we can to be in
relationship with life from an 'I/Thou' frame of reference and make
the most of this dear gift of life in whatever circumstance we find
ourselves. A story now from the book, "Living An Extraodinary Life,"
by Robert White.
Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give concert at Avery
Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. If you have ever been
to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small
achievement for him. He was stricken with polio as a child, and so he
has braces on both legs and walks with the aid of two crutches.
To see him walk across the stage one step at a time, painfully and
slowly, is an unforgettable sight. He walks painfully, yet
majestically, until he reaches his chair. Then he slowly sits down,
puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks
one foot back, and extends the other foot forward. Then he bends down
and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the
conductor, and proceeds to play.
By now the audience is used to this ritual. They sit quietly while he
makes his way across the stage to his chair. They remain reverently
silent while he undoes the clasps on his legs. They wait until he is
ready to play.
But this time, something went wrong. Just as he finished the first
few bars, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it
snap. It went off like gunfire across the room. There was no
mistaking what that sound meant. There was no mistaking what he had
to do.
People who were there that night thought to themselves: "We figured
that he would have to get up, put on the clasps again, pick up the
crutches and limp his way off stage - to either find another violin
or else find another string for this one."
But he didn't. Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then
signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra began, and he
played from where he had left off. And he played with such passion
and such power and such purity as they had never heard before. Of
course, anyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work
with just three strings. I know that, and you know that, but that
night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that.
You could see him modulating, changing, recomposing the piece in his
head. At one point, it sounded like he was de-tuning the strings to
get new sounds from them that they had never made before.
When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room. And then
people rose and cheered. There was an extraordinary outburst of
applause from every comer of the auditorium. We were all on our feet,
screaming and cheering, doing everything we could to show how much we
appreciated what he had done.
He smiled, wiped the sweat from this brow, raised his bow to quiet
us, and then he said, not boastfully, but in a quiet, pensive,
reverent tone, "You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find
out how much music you can still make with what you have left."
What a powerful line that is. It has stayed in my mind ever since I
heard it. And who knows? Perhaps that is the [way] of life - not just
for artists but for all of us.
"So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world
in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have,
and then when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we
have left," said Jack Riemer of the Houston Chronicle.
In the end, the lucky ones see the world with great love, and play
whatever music they can with whatever strings they have
left!....................from Enlightenment Chapel
because, for me, it describes a vibrant reality of
living. 'Spiritus,' the Latin. 'Ruah,' the Hebrew. It means breath.
The breath of life. The animating force. Aristotle called the soul,
the life principle. Spirituality is that (activity, attitude,
awareness, behavior, developed character) that allows a person to
enter into the life principle as vibrantly, as honestly, as
courageously, as peacefully as we can. Spiritual.
Spiritual love (Preetee), means love without expectations.
Ordinarily when one loves anyone there is some form of expectation
attached and it is conditional. However spiritual love is
unconditional, no matter what the circumstances are. This form of
love is divine and only develops after a considerable amount of
spiritual practice when one perceives God in everyone. So also, we
become happier individuals when our love is not adulterated or
diluted by expectations.
The above diagram shows how worldly love i.e. love with expectation
is based on the similarities with another person's nature. But there
is no guarantee that all aspects of our nature will be similar or
compliment the other person's nature. When we begin to discover the
difference, that's when the strife and trouble begins.
On the other hand, spiritual love or love without expectation is
based on the unchanging Soul. This is akin to how a string links the
beads on a necklace whatever the shape, colour or size – the external
nature is not important. The hole in each bead represents our soul
which is the same for all of us i.e. the God in one is not in any way
different from the God within another.
Christian Baldwin wrote that, "Spiritual Love is a position of
standing with one hand extended into the universe and one hand
extended into the world, letting ourselves be a conduit for passing
energy."
"So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world
in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have,
and then when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we
have left," said Jack Riemer of the Houston Chronicle.
In the end, the lucky ones see the world with great love, and play
whatever music they can with whatever strings they have left!
This is not really high-fallutin' stuff here. It is practice in the
every day. It is some basic patterns of awareness and the effort to
live within those patterns that can make a life more meaningful, more
peaceful, more alive, more gratifying, more in tune with the basic
truths and the best we can be living out these truths.
So we use breath as a metaphor, and begin to talk about love that is
spiritual, love that bequeaths a life that allows a person to enter
into the life principle as vibrantly, as honestly, as courageously,
as peacefully, as joyfully as we can.
Many of you have read or heard of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber
and his book, "I and Thou." In a shortened version perhaps one could
say that his whole philosophy is that, "all real living is meeting."
He is saying that the 'I' of a person is only truly itself when it is
lived is lived in the 'I/Thou' context as opposed to the 'I/It'
context. The idea that a spiritual life is one which connects
one's 'I' with all else in reverent 'Thouness.'
In an 'I/It' stance, the I is not in true relationship with another.
It is an objectifying stance that keeps the 'I' from seeing another
or life in whole, keeping the 'I' lonely in separation. This
objectifying stance not only makes the individual lonely and removed,
and it is the core of why many, many horrible things to happen in the
world. As long as someone can be an 'It' all sorts of violence can
ensue. The 'I/It' paradigm creates enemies. It allows us to
cavalierly abuse the environment and each other. Buber has a
wonderful passage about a tree and the difference between an 'I/It'
and 'I/Thou' relationship with a tree.
In the 'I/It' paradigm, we can say that sin is the lack of connection
to the awareness of the interdependence of life. Living from
the 'I/Thou' paradigm puts everything in a connected mode and is
really what love is.
Buber wrote that the primary word is 'I/Thou.' Whenever we can speak
that primary word, love is present.
Buber writes about our lives in the womb being the ultimate
experience of 'Thou' when we are totally connected to the life force.
Upon birth we begin to differentiate and to become an 'I' separate
from The Great Mother. We become an 'I' capable of living an 'I/Thou'
life through the initial 'Mother Thou.' The spiritual journey is
about staying differentiated as a unique 'I' at the same time staying
connected to all life in an 'I/Thou' relationship.
I've just watched the movie "Billie Elliot." What an exquisite film!
All about the process of learning to love from the place of 'I/Thou.'
Billy is an 11 year-old boy whose mother has recently died. He lives
with his grandmother for whom he cares, his father, and his teenage
brother in a coal-mining town in England. They are poor. The miners
are on strike. The family is full of hardship, anxiety, and grief.
Beautiful Billy is taking boxing lessons. A case can be made for
boxing being the ultimate 'I/It' sport. The task of literally beating
up the other in order to win. Billy is not good at it. But Billy
watches the girls' ballet class in the next room and feels himself
pulled there. He loves to dance. The extraordinary thing about this
character is that he goes to the girls and he accepts an invitation
to join them despite cultural norms. Despite what anyone would say
about him, he goes for the strengthening of the 'I,' the soul, the
person who is calling him from the inside out to be a dancer in this
life. He doesn't want his macho father to know, so he hides his
ballet slippers under the mattress and practices in the bathroom.
But dance he will! For Billy is already living out of the original
word of 'I/Thou' which calls for the 'I' to love itself beyond
convention. The original word of 'I/Thou' transcends gender-role
expectations and many other cultural norms. To see this young boy so
self-differentiated; it is a sight to behold! Scene after lovely
scene of this boy answering his being's call to greatness. In this
regard, he is living a spiritual life as his being is connected to
the life force in a courageous and vibrant way against many odds. His
teacher, as brusque and cold as she can be sometimes, sees Billy
whole; she sees where his spirit wants to go. They enter into a
relationship from the context of 'I/Thou.' There is a scene of them
dancing together that is the primary word of 'I/Thou' set in motion.
It is to die for. (Interesting phrase isn't it, "To die for?" Dying
to the old self into new being.)
As you can imagine, eventually Billy's father catches him dancing in
the community center. He rages in and stops toe to toe with his son.
Billy meets his gaze straight on and begins to dance for his father.
It is a respectfully defiant dance that says, "I will be my
greatness. Here I show you. See me whole. Love me in my greatness."
Billy gives his father the opportunity to live from the 'I/Thou'
stance. He invites him to open his heart and to go another way. He is
saying, "don't you stay stuck in your anger and one dimensional way
of looking at the world. Come along with me to transformative love."
When the spirit dances true and unashamed, when the heart is opened,
and the mind free, nothing will stay the same.
Thou. My spell check says it is not in the dictionary. How sad. It is
a word, in my opinion, that in its saying making sacred that which
one is pointing to in its saying. When one is living from
Buber's 'I/Thou' paradigm, there can be no hate. "Hate is by nature
blind. Only a part of a being can be hated." So then, by seeing
others whole and with a heart of compassion, there is no hate.
Hey, now. This does not mean no action against that which harms you.
This does not mean living with abuse in the name of no hate. The 'I'
sometimes needs to boundary itself from the presence of another in
order to respect itself. Yet, it seems to me that one must ultimately
do the work to make the other (who may feel like the enemy 'It') into
a 'Thou', if one wants to be free within. This can be a long and
arduous journey, but a very fruitful one if one wants the inner and
outer life to be more vibrant, courageous and peaceful.
"The original word is 'I/Thou'," said Buber. All true living is in
meeting. It is relational. It beckons forth the best in self and the
best in the other. We breathe into our beings the vitality that comes
when we listen deeply to another without judgment. We breathe in that
true meeting, and we change ourselves. We sit with another who rubs
us the wrong way, and we breathe deeply and ask our heart to be open
in compassion. We realize that with compassion we begin to see how
cut off the other is from their own greatness of being. We do not
have to get anxious about what they are saying. We reflect in how cut
off from joy their being is in its current state. By our listening or
gently boundary setting or offering our own story or holding a hand,
we invite that person to realize how 'Thou' they are. We know right
away when someone puts us in the light of 'Thou,' even if we say
nothing, that they are being treated in a sacred manner.
Billy Elliot has a childhood friend named Michael who is gay and a
cross-dresser. (By the way, these two ways of being do not always go
together, but in this film they do.) Billy is straight and a ballet
dancer. He does not just tolerate his friend, he meets him in honesty
and openness. Many tender scenes of two very different boys loyal to
one another in their becoming. No finer example of an 'I/Thou'
relationship.
Oh dear, I guess I can't tell you the end of the movie which would
make a great end of the sermon! I want so to tell it. Suffice is to
say that Billy continues to encourage those around him to be with him
in a sacred manner of love. The ending is powerful, redeeming, and
big. Yet it is in the small nuances and interactions that the story
lives. In our spiritual interactions it is this meeting; a brief
meeting and that meeting, and then this one lived from the heart of
compassion and the knowing which we are all connected in this life.
There is great suffering and what we all want most deeply is to be
seen, met, and loved. We want to move from 'I/It' relating
to 'I/Thou' relating. This is the angst of our cry the day we are
born. This is the joy of existence when we remember what we were born
knowing.
This is the meaning of the word spirituality that I cherish. The
practice is to live congruent with your best sense of who you were
meant to be, and then to serve the world by acting in relation to the
world from an 'I/Thou' mindset more and more and more often.
Poem
The thing is to love life.
To love it even when you have no stomach for it, when everything
you've held dear crumbles like burnt paper in your hands and your
throat is filled with the silt of it.
When grief sits with you so heavily it's like heat, tropical, moist,
thickening the air so it's heavy like water, more fit for gills than
lungs.
When grief weights you like your own flesh only more of it, an
obesity of grief.
How long can a body withstand this? you think, and yet you hold life,
like a face between your palms.
A plain face, with no charming smile or twinkle in her eye, and you
say: yes, I will take you.
I will love you, again.
Ellen Bass, Author — California
In the end, the lucky ones begin to see the whole world with great
love, all of it - the pain, the greed, the fact of our own death,
seeing those we love die or suffer, abuse. In the end, the lucky ones
begin to see the whole world with great love no matter what; all of
it - the joy, the giving, the fact that we live at all, the privilege
of being with those we love no matter what the duration, great
gentleness. If we are lucky, we will do what we can to be in
relationship with life from an 'I/Thou' frame of reference and make
the most of this dear gift of life in whatever circumstance we find
ourselves. A story now from the book, "Living An Extraodinary Life,"
by Robert White.
Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give concert at Avery
Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. If you have ever been
to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small
achievement for him. He was stricken with polio as a child, and so he
has braces on both legs and walks with the aid of two crutches.
To see him walk across the stage one step at a time, painfully and
slowly, is an unforgettable sight. He walks painfully, yet
majestically, until he reaches his chair. Then he slowly sits down,
puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks
one foot back, and extends the other foot forward. Then he bends down
and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the
conductor, and proceeds to play.
By now the audience is used to this ritual. They sit quietly while he
makes his way across the stage to his chair. They remain reverently
silent while he undoes the clasps on his legs. They wait until he is
ready to play.
But this time, something went wrong. Just as he finished the first
few bars, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it
snap. It went off like gunfire across the room. There was no
mistaking what that sound meant. There was no mistaking what he had
to do.
People who were there that night thought to themselves: "We figured
that he would have to get up, put on the clasps again, pick up the
crutches and limp his way off stage - to either find another violin
or else find another string for this one."
But he didn't. Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then
signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra began, and he
played from where he had left off. And he played with such passion
and such power and such purity as they had never heard before. Of
course, anyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work
with just three strings. I know that, and you know that, but that
night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that.
You could see him modulating, changing, recomposing the piece in his
head. At one point, it sounded like he was de-tuning the strings to
get new sounds from them that they had never made before.
When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room. And then
people rose and cheered. There was an extraordinary outburst of
applause from every comer of the auditorium. We were all on our feet,
screaming and cheering, doing everything we could to show how much we
appreciated what he had done.
He smiled, wiped the sweat from this brow, raised his bow to quiet
us, and then he said, not boastfully, but in a quiet, pensive,
reverent tone, "You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find
out how much music you can still make with what you have left."
What a powerful line that is. It has stayed in my mind ever since I
heard it. And who knows? Perhaps that is the [way] of life - not just
for artists but for all of us.
"So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world
in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have,
and then when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we
have left," said Jack Riemer of the Houston Chronicle.
In the end, the lucky ones see the world with great love, and play
whatever music they can with whatever strings they have
left!....................from Enlightenment Chapel
Surrender...
Without any conditions,
Irreversibly,
Absolutely,
Offer our poor petty mind,
And arrogant ego,
To that Great Power that knows the way
Our own Divine Source!
And happily merge in Her bliss.
To attain flourishing immortal life
In which Death is no more,
The non-dual Truth,
The state of Great Silence,
There is no other means
Than making the ultimate sacrifice
Of total, complete, self surrender!
Thus, to be absorbed
Through surrender of the self to the Self,
Is to attain the Supreme Truth.
Whatever happens let it happen,
Whatever does not happen,
Let it not happen,
A sadakh with this attitude
Will be well established in the Self.
*A free versification of the opening verses in Muruganar's
Padamalai from the Chapter on Surrender, Love and Devotion.
Irreversibly,
Absolutely,
Offer our poor petty mind,
And arrogant ego,
To that Great Power that knows the way
Our own Divine Source!
And happily merge in Her bliss.
To attain flourishing immortal life
In which Death is no more,
The non-dual Truth,
The state of Great Silence,
There is no other means
Than making the ultimate sacrifice
Of total, complete, self surrender!
Thus, to be absorbed
Through surrender of the self to the Self,
Is to attain the Supreme Truth.
Whatever happens let it happen,
Whatever does not happen,
Let it not happen,
A sadakh with this attitude
Will be well established in the Self.
*A free versification of the opening verses in Muruganar's
Padamalai from the Chapter on Surrender, Love and Devotion.
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