This is why you are here again in this "world of pain"... because, once
again, "you" wanted to live...even though, Jesus said:" you must die to be
born".......... namaste, thomas
changing self...
When you ride in a boat and watch the shore, you might assume that the
shore is moving. But when you keep your eyes closely on the boat, you
can see that the boat moves. Similarly, if you examine myriad things
with a confused body and mind, you might suppose that your mind and
nature are permanent. When you practice intimately and return to where
you are, it will be clear that nothing at all has unchanging self.
Zen Master Dogen
Actualizing the Fundamental Point
shore is moving. But when you keep your eyes closely on the boat, you
can see that the boat moves. Similarly, if you examine myriad things
with a confused body and mind, you might suppose that your mind and
nature are permanent. When you practice intimately and return to where
you are, it will be clear that nothing at all has unchanging self.
Zen Master Dogen
Actualizing the Fundamental Point
A mystifying veil...
You are my face: no wonder I don't see You:
such closeness is a mystifying veil.
You are my reason: it's no wonder I don't see You,
because of all this perplexity of thought.
You are nearer to me than my jugular vein.
- Rumi
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
such closeness is a mystifying veil.
You are my reason: it's no wonder I don't see You,
because of all this perplexity of thought.
You are nearer to me than my jugular vein.
- Rumi
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Lost in Realization...
Space and time, male and female, subject
and object, being and nonbeing - all are
lost in the flood of Realization.
- Ramesh S. Balsekar
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"A Net of Jewels"
Ramesh S. Balsekar
Advaita Press, 1966
and object, being and nonbeing - all are
lost in the flood of Realization.
- Ramesh S. Balsekar
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"A Net of Jewels"
Ramesh S. Balsekar
Advaita Press, 1966
The mind...
It
is Consciousness that Sees and Feels.. the mind is the home of ego.. The mind can only know the world of five senses.. you
must go beyond the five senses.. which means, going beyond mind.. To be empty of
mind is to be filled with Consciousness........... namaste, thomas
is Consciousness that Sees and Feels.. the mind is the home of ego.. The mind can only know the world of five senses.. you
must go beyond the five senses.. which means, going beyond mind.. To be empty of
mind is to be filled with Consciousness........... namaste, thomas
Jami...
Jami (1414 - 1492 ce) (Nur al-Din 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ahmad al-Jami) commonly called the last great classical poet of Persia, saint and mystic, composed numerous lyrics and idylls, as well as many works in prose. His Salaman and Absal is an allegory of profane and sacred love. Some of his other works include Haft Awrang, Tuhfat al-Ahrar, Layla wa -Majnun, Fatihat al-Shabab, Lawa'ih, al-Durrah al-Fakhirah.
~~
Who is man?
The reflection of the Eternal Light.
What is the world?
A wave on the Everlasting Sea.
How could the reflection be cut off from the Light?
How could the wave be separate from the Sea?
Know that this reflection and this wave are that very Light and Sea.
Jami, Diwan, tr by W.C. Chittick
~~
~~
Who is man?
The reflection of the Eternal Light.
What is the world?
A wave on the Everlasting Sea.
How could the reflection be cut off from the Light?
How could the wave be separate from the Sea?
Know that this reflection and this wave are that very Light and Sea.
Jami, Diwan, tr by W.C. Chittick
~~
Seek the source of Mind...
It is well known and admitted that only
with the help of the mind can the mind be
killed. But instead of setting about saying
there is a mind, and I want to kill it, you
begin to seek the source of the mind, and
you find the mind does not exist at all. The
Mind, turned outwards, results in thoughts
and objects. Turned inwards, it becomes
itself the Self.
- Sri Ramana Maharshi
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"Be As You Are"
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
edited by David Godman
Arkana, 1985
with the help of the mind can the mind be
killed. But instead of setting about saying
there is a mind, and I want to kill it, you
begin to seek the source of the mind, and
you find the mind does not exist at all. The
Mind, turned outwards, results in thoughts
and objects. Turned inwards, it becomes
itself the Self.
- Sri Ramana Maharshi
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"Be As You Are"
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
edited by David Godman
Arkana, 1985
The unneeded gate...
After the four walls are torn down,
the four walls of intellect-mind-body-senses,
there is still the old gate remaining.
The old habit of "I" in the form "I am Free."
This gate is not needed
and will leave at the time of death if not before.
Both are the same.
- Papaji
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Truth Is"
Sri H.W.L. Poonja
Yudhishtara, 1995
the four walls of intellect-mind-body-senses,
there is still the old gate remaining.
The old habit of "I" in the form "I am Free."
This gate is not needed
and will leave at the time of death if not before.
Both are the same.
- Papaji
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Truth Is"
Sri H.W.L. Poonja
Yudhishtara, 1995
Let nothing trouble you...
Let nothing trouble you.
Let nothing scare you.
All is fleeting.
God alone is unchanging.
Patience
Everything obtains.
Who possesses God
Nothing wants.
God alone suffices.
From The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila Volume Three translated by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriquez (c) 1985
from carmelites.org
Let nothing scare you.
All is fleeting.
God alone is unchanging.
Patience
Everything obtains.
Who possesses God
Nothing wants.
God alone suffices.
From The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila Volume Three translated by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriquez (c) 1985
from carmelites.org
Adyashanti quotes...
“The mind may accept or deny that you are awareness, but either way it can’t really understand. It cannot comprehend. Thought cannot comprehend what is beyond thought.” ~Source: True Meditation, Page: 56
“Enlightenment means waking up to what you truly are and then being that.” ~Source: Emptiness Dancing, Page: 1
“Enlightenment is, in the end, nothing more than the natural state of being. ” ~Source: True Meditation, Page: 7
“The Truth is the only thing you’ll ever run into that has no agenda.” ~Source: Emptiness Dancing, Page: 32
“The biggest barrier to awakening is the belief that it is something rare.” ~Source: Emptiness Dancing, Page: 5
Adyashanti
“Do not think that enlightenment is going to make you special, it’s not. If you feel special in any way, then enlightenment has not occurred. I meet a lot of people who think they are enlightened and awake simply because they have had a very moving spiritual experience. They wear their enlightenment on their sleeve like a badge of honor. They sit among friends and talk about how awake they are while sipping coffee at a cafe. The funny thing about enlightenment is that when it is authentic, there is no one to claim it. Enlightenment is very ordinary; it is nothing special. Rather than making you more special, it is going to make you less special. It plants you right in the center of a wonderful humility and innocence. Everyone else may or may not call you enlightened, but when you are enlightened the whole notion of enlightenment and someone who is enlightened is a big joke. I use the word enlightenment all the time; not to point you toward it but to point you beyond it. Do not get stuck in enlightenment.”
“An ordinary man seeks freedom through enlightenment. An enlightened man expresses freedom through being ordinary.”
“As soon as the mind pulls out an agenda and decides what needs to change, that’s unreality. Life doesn’t need to decide who’s right and who’s wrong. Life doesn’t need to know the “right” way to go because it’s going there anyway.”
“Enlightenment means waking up to what you truly are and then being that.” ~Source: Emptiness Dancing, Page: 1
“Enlightenment is, in the end, nothing more than the natural state of being. ” ~Source: True Meditation, Page: 7
“The Truth is the only thing you’ll ever run into that has no agenda.” ~Source: Emptiness Dancing, Page: 32
“The biggest barrier to awakening is the belief that it is something rare.” ~Source: Emptiness Dancing, Page: 5
Adyashanti
“Do not think that enlightenment is going to make you special, it’s not. If you feel special in any way, then enlightenment has not occurred. I meet a lot of people who think they are enlightened and awake simply because they have had a very moving spiritual experience. They wear their enlightenment on their sleeve like a badge of honor. They sit among friends and talk about how awake they are while sipping coffee at a cafe. The funny thing about enlightenment is that when it is authentic, there is no one to claim it. Enlightenment is very ordinary; it is nothing special. Rather than making you more special, it is going to make you less special. It plants you right in the center of a wonderful humility and innocence. Everyone else may or may not call you enlightened, but when you are enlightened the whole notion of enlightenment and someone who is enlightened is a big joke. I use the word enlightenment all the time; not to point you toward it but to point you beyond it. Do not get stuck in enlightenment.”
“An ordinary man seeks freedom through enlightenment. An enlightened man expresses freedom through being ordinary.”
“As soon as the mind pulls out an agenda and decides what needs to change, that’s unreality. Life doesn’t need to decide who’s right and who’s wrong. Life doesn’t need to know the “right” way to go because it’s going there anyway.”
The law of attraction...
Your strongest held beliefs about "how things
are" will draw into your life those very experiences
that will work to support and prove your strongest
held beliefs about "how things are."
The Universe loves you so completely that it¹s
compelled to present itself to you in ways that will
tend to validate your strongest held beliefs - no matter
how self-limiting or off-the-wall those beliefs might be.
In short, the Universe wants to make you right.
- Chuck Hillig
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Seeds for the Soul
Chuck Hillig
Black Dot Publications, 2003
are" will draw into your life those very experiences
that will work to support and prove your strongest
held beliefs about "how things are."
The Universe loves you so completely that it¹s
compelled to present itself to you in ways that will
tend to validate your strongest held beliefs - no matter
how self-limiting or off-the-wall those beliefs might be.
In short, the Universe wants to make you right.
- Chuck Hillig
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Seeds for the Soul
Chuck Hillig
Black Dot Publications, 2003
God would kneel down...
I think God might be a little prejudiced.
For once He asked me to join Him on a walk
through this world,
and we gazed into every heart on this earth,
and I noticed He lingered a bit longer
before any face that was
weeping,
and before any eyes that were
laughing.
And sometimes when we passed
a soul in worship
God too would kneel
down.
I have come to learn: God
adores His
creation.
....... Saint Francis of Assisi...
From “Love Poems From God” by Daniel Ladinsky.
Copyright © 1999 by Daniel Ladinsky. Reprinted by permission of the author.
For once He asked me to join Him on a walk
through this world,
and we gazed into every heart on this earth,
and I noticed He lingered a bit longer
before any face that was
weeping,
and before any eyes that were
laughing.
And sometimes when we passed
a soul in worship
God too would kneel
down.
I have come to learn: God
adores His
creation.
....... Saint Francis of Assisi...
From “Love Poems From God” by Daniel Ladinsky.
Copyright © 1999 by Daniel Ladinsky. Reprinted by permission of the author.
I would cease to be...
God
dissolved
my mind – my separation.
I cannot describe my intimacy with Him.
How dependent is your body’s life on water and food and air?
I said to God, “ I will always be unless you cease to Be,”
And my Beloved replied, “And I
would cease to Be
if you
died.”
....... Saint Teresa of Avila...
From: Love Poems from God, by Daniel Ladinsky. Copyright © 2002by Daniel Ladinsky. Reprinted by permission of the author.
dissolved
my mind – my separation.
I cannot describe my intimacy with Him.
How dependent is your body’s life on water and food and air?
I said to God, “ I will always be unless you cease to Be,”
And my Beloved replied, “And I
would cease to Be
if you
died.”
....... Saint Teresa of Avila...
From: Love Poems from God, by Daniel Ladinsky. Copyright © 2002by Daniel Ladinsky. Reprinted by permission of the author.
self-forgetting...
self-forgetting is inherent in Self-knowing.
Consciousness and unconsciousness are two
aspects of one life. They co-exist. To know
the world you forget the self - to know the
self you forget the world. What is world after
all? A collection of memories. Cling to one
thing that matters, hold on to 'I am' and let go
all else. This is sadhana. In realization there is
nothing to hold on to and nothing to forget.
Everything is known, nothing is remembered.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
Consciousness and unconsciousness are two
aspects of one life. They co-exist. To know
the world you forget the self - to know the
self you forget the world. What is world after
all? A collection of memories. Cling to one
thing that matters, hold on to 'I am' and let go
all else. This is sadhana. In realization there is
nothing to hold on to and nothing to forget.
Everything is known, nothing is remembered.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
Thanksgiving by Rumi...
Thanksgiving is sweeter than bounty itself.
One who cherishes gratitude does not cling to the gift!
Thanksgiving is the true meat of God’s bounty;
the bounty is its shell,
For thanksgiving carries you to the hearth of the Beloved.
Abundance alone brings heedlessness,
thanksgiving gives birth to alertness…
The bounty of thanksgiving will satisfy and elevate you,
and you will bestow a hundred bounties in return.
Eat your fill of God’s delicacies,
and you will be freed from hunger and begging.
- Rumi
One who cherishes gratitude does not cling to the gift!
Thanksgiving is the true meat of God’s bounty;
the bounty is its shell,
For thanksgiving carries you to the hearth of the Beloved.
Abundance alone brings heedlessness,
thanksgiving gives birth to alertness…
The bounty of thanksgiving will satisfy and elevate you,
and you will bestow a hundred bounties in return.
Eat your fill of God’s delicacies,
and you will be freed from hunger and begging.
- Rumi
Self-enquiry...
Self-enquiry is the direct path to Self-realization
or enlightenment. The only way to make the mind
cease its outward activities is to turn it inward. By
steady and continuous investigation into the nature
of the mind, the mind itself gets transformed into
That to which it owes its own existence.
- Ramesh S. Balsekar
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"A Net of Jewels"
Ramesh S. Balsekar
Advaita Press, 1966
or enlightenment. The only way to make the mind
cease its outward activities is to turn it inward. By
steady and continuous investigation into the nature
of the mind, the mind itself gets transformed into
That to which it owes its own existence.
- Ramesh S. Balsekar
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"A Net of Jewels"
Ramesh S. Balsekar
Advaita Press, 1966
Might and Right...
"Might is right in the living world. The strong are oppressing the weak and
depriving them of their legitimate rights. It is a world of the survival of the
fittest, rather the strongest. This law is perhaps good for the jungle. But man
has outgrown being a mere animal.He is a creator now. He has discovered how to
make fire. He has discovered metals and learned how to mould them into
instruments. He has invented many articles. These discoveries have made him very
powerful. He can make wonderful things and, equally, he can destroy these
wonderful things His destructive aspect poses a great threat, not only to his
own existence, but to all of life on the good earth. Therefore, the law of the
survival of the strongest cannot hold true any longer. With wonder weapons in
hand, now weaklings can wipe out the fittest, the strongest and the finest.
However, man the creator has a very clear and strong thinking faculty.He can be
guided by his good mind to be always
constructive. His good mind must, therefore, be trained and strengthened to be
his only guide. He must do things right. He must be taught that "Might is not
right" but that "Right is might." The living world will survive only if man is
guided by his good mind. There must be a radical change, a turning point. Wisdom
should take over and the lead force and power. Only the wise and benevolent
should be the lords and leaders of the world." ~ Zarathrustra ~ .
depriving them of their legitimate rights. It is a world of the survival of the
fittest, rather the strongest. This law is perhaps good for the jungle. But man
has outgrown being a mere animal.He is a creator now. He has discovered how to
make fire. He has discovered metals and learned how to mould them into
instruments. He has invented many articles. These discoveries have made him very
powerful. He can make wonderful things and, equally, he can destroy these
wonderful things His destructive aspect poses a great threat, not only to his
own existence, but to all of life on the good earth. Therefore, the law of the
survival of the strongest cannot hold true any longer. With wonder weapons in
hand, now weaklings can wipe out the fittest, the strongest and the finest.
However, man the creator has a very clear and strong thinking faculty.He can be
guided by his good mind to be always
constructive. His good mind must, therefore, be trained and strengthened to be
his only guide. He must do things right. He must be taught that "Might is not
right" but that "Right is might." The living world will survive only if man is
guided by his good mind. There must be a radical change, a turning point. Wisdom
should take over and the lead force and power. Only the wise and benevolent
should be the lords and leaders of the world." ~ Zarathrustra ~ .
Rumi...
I wonder
from these thousand of "me's",
which one am I?
Listen to my cry, do not drown my voice
I am completely filled with the thought of you.
Don't lay broken glass on my path
I will crush it into dust.
I am nothing, just a mirror in the palm of your hand,
reflecting your kindness, your sadness, your anger.
If you were a blade of grass or a tiny flower
I will pitch my tent in your shadow.
Only your presence revives my withered heart.
You are the candle that lights the whole world
and I am an empty vessel for your light.
Rumi - "Hidden Music" - Maryam Mafi & Azima Melita Kolin
~~
Happy the moment when we are seated in the Palace, thou and I,
With two forms and with two figures but with one soul, thou and I.
The colours of the grove and the voice of the birds will bestow immortality
At the time when we come into the garden, thou and I.
The stars of heaven will come to gaze upon us;
We shall show them the Moon itself, thou and I.
Thou and I, individuals no more, shall be mingled in ecstasy,
Joyful and secure from foolish babble, thou and I.
All the bright-plumed birds of heaven will devour their hearts with envy
In the place where we shall laugh in such a fashion, thou and I.
This is the greatest wonder, that thou and I, sitting here in the same nook,
Are at this moment both in ‘Iraq and Khorasan, thou and I.
Jelaluddin Rumi, in The Mystics of Islam, translated by Reynold A Nicholson
~~
Awakened by your love,
I flicker like a candle's light
tryin to hold on in the dark.
Yet, you spare me no blows
and keep asking,
"Why do you complain?"
Rumi - "Whispers of the Beloved" - Maryam Mafi & Azima Melita Kolin
~~
from these thousand of "me's",
which one am I?
Listen to my cry, do not drown my voice
I am completely filled with the thought of you.
Don't lay broken glass on my path
I will crush it into dust.
I am nothing, just a mirror in the palm of your hand,
reflecting your kindness, your sadness, your anger.
If you were a blade of grass or a tiny flower
I will pitch my tent in your shadow.
Only your presence revives my withered heart.
You are the candle that lights the whole world
and I am an empty vessel for your light.
Rumi - "Hidden Music" - Maryam Mafi & Azima Melita Kolin
~~
Happy the moment when we are seated in the Palace, thou and I,
With two forms and with two figures but with one soul, thou and I.
The colours of the grove and the voice of the birds will bestow immortality
At the time when we come into the garden, thou and I.
The stars of heaven will come to gaze upon us;
We shall show them the Moon itself, thou and I.
Thou and I, individuals no more, shall be mingled in ecstasy,
Joyful and secure from foolish babble, thou and I.
All the bright-plumed birds of heaven will devour their hearts with envy
In the place where we shall laugh in such a fashion, thou and I.
This is the greatest wonder, that thou and I, sitting here in the same nook,
Are at this moment both in ‘Iraq and Khorasan, thou and I.
Jelaluddin Rumi, in The Mystics of Islam, translated by Reynold A Nicholson
~~
Awakened by your love,
I flicker like a candle's light
tryin to hold on in the dark.
Yet, you spare me no blows
and keep asking,
"Why do you complain?"
Rumi - "Whispers of the Beloved" - Maryam Mafi & Azima Melita Kolin
~~
"Nobody, Son of Nobody"...
Shaikh Abu Saeed Abil Kheir (Abu Sa'id ibn Ab'il Khair ) (967 - 1049 ce) referring to himself as "nobody, son of nobody" he expressed the reality that his life had disappeared in the heart of God. This revered Persian Sufi mystic from Khorasan preceded the great poet Jalaluddin Rumi by over two hundred years on the same path of annihilation in Love.
Until you become an unbeliever in your own self,
you cannot become a believer in God.
~~
If you are seeking closeness to the Beloved,
love everyone.
Whether in their presence or absence,
see only their good.
If you want to be as clear and refreshing as
the breath of the morning breeze,
like the sun, have nothing but warmth and light
for everyone.
~~
Beloved, show me the way out of this prison.
Make me needless of both worlds.
Pray, erase from mind all
that is not You.
Have mercy Beloved,
though I am nothing but forgetfulness,
You are the essence of forgiveness.
Make me needless of all but You.
~~
Piousness and the path of love
are two different roads.
Love is the fire that burns both belief
and non-belief.
Those who practice Love have neither
religion nor caste.
~~
Be humble.
Only fools take pride in their station here, trapped in
a cage of dust, moisture, heat and air.
No need to complain of calamities,
this illusion of a life lasts but a moment.
~~
Suppose you can recite a thousand holy
verses from memory.
What are you going to do
with your ego self, the true
mark of the heretic?
Every time your head touches
the ground in prayers, remember,
this was to teach you to
put down that load of ego
which bars you from entering
the chamber of the Beloved.
To your mind feed understanding,
to your heart, tolerance and compassion.
The simpler your life, the more meaningful.
The less you desire of the world,
the more room you will have in it
to fill with the Beloved.
The best use of your tongue
is to repeat the Beloved's Name in devotion.
The best prayers are those in
the solitude of the night.
The shortest way to the Friend
is through selfless service and
generosity to His creatures.
Those with no sense of honor and dignity are best avoided.
Those who change colors constantly
are best forgotten.
The best way to be with those
bereft of the Beloved's qualities,
is to forget them in the
joy of silence in one's corner of solitude.
Shaikh Abu Saeed Abil Kheir - "Nobody, Son of Nobody"
~~
from wahiduddin.net
Until you become an unbeliever in your own self,
you cannot become a believer in God.
~~
If you are seeking closeness to the Beloved,
love everyone.
Whether in their presence or absence,
see only their good.
If you want to be as clear and refreshing as
the breath of the morning breeze,
like the sun, have nothing but warmth and light
for everyone.
~~
Beloved, show me the way out of this prison.
Make me needless of both worlds.
Pray, erase from mind all
that is not You.
Have mercy Beloved,
though I am nothing but forgetfulness,
You are the essence of forgiveness.
Make me needless of all but You.
~~
Piousness and the path of love
are two different roads.
Love is the fire that burns both belief
and non-belief.
Those who practice Love have neither
religion nor caste.
~~
Be humble.
Only fools take pride in their station here, trapped in
a cage of dust, moisture, heat and air.
No need to complain of calamities,
this illusion of a life lasts but a moment.
~~
Suppose you can recite a thousand holy
verses from memory.
What are you going to do
with your ego self, the true
mark of the heretic?
Every time your head touches
the ground in prayers, remember,
this was to teach you to
put down that load of ego
which bars you from entering
the chamber of the Beloved.
To your mind feed understanding,
to your heart, tolerance and compassion.
The simpler your life, the more meaningful.
The less you desire of the world,
the more room you will have in it
to fill with the Beloved.
The best use of your tongue
is to repeat the Beloved's Name in devotion.
The best prayers are those in
the solitude of the night.
The shortest way to the Friend
is through selfless service and
generosity to His creatures.
Those with no sense of honor and dignity are best avoided.
Those who change colors constantly
are best forgotten.
The best way to be with those
bereft of the Beloved's qualities,
is to forget them in the
joy of silence in one's corner of solitude.
Shaikh Abu Saeed Abil Kheir - "Nobody, Son of Nobody"
~~
from wahiduddin.net
Words of Gautama the Buddha...
These teachings are like a raft, to be abandoned once you have crossed the flood.
Since you should abandon even good states of mind generated by these teachings,
How much more so should you abandon bad states of mind!
Conquer the angry man by love.
Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness.
Conquer the miser with generosity.
Conquer the liar with truth.
The Dhammapada
In Aryans' Discipline, to build a friendship is to build wealth,
To maintain a friendship is to maintain wealth and
To end a friendship is to end wealth.
Cakkavatti Sutta, Patika Vagga, Dighanikaya
"If beings knew, as I know, the results of sharing gifts, they would not enjoy their gifts without sharing them with others, nor would the taint of stinginess obsess the heart and stay there. even if it were their last and final bit of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it"
Itivuttaka 18
One should follow a man of wisdom who rebukes one for one's faults, as one would follow a guide to some buried treasure.
To one who follows such a wise man, it will be an advantage and not a disadvantage.
Dhammapada 76
A brahmin once asked The Blessed One:
"Are you a God?"
"No, brahmin" said The Blessed One.
"Are you a saint?"
"No, brahmin" said The Blessed One.
"Are you a magician?"
"No, brahmin" said The Blessed One.
"What are you then?"
"I am awake."
See the truth, and you will see me.
Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.
Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth.
Sutta Nipata
Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared.
I teach one thing and one only:
that is, suffering and the end of suffering.
Since you should abandon even good states of mind generated by these teachings,
How much more so should you abandon bad states of mind!
Conquer the angry man by love.
Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness.
Conquer the miser with generosity.
Conquer the liar with truth.
The Dhammapada
In Aryans' Discipline, to build a friendship is to build wealth,
To maintain a friendship is to maintain wealth and
To end a friendship is to end wealth.
Cakkavatti Sutta, Patika Vagga, Dighanikaya
"If beings knew, as I know, the results of sharing gifts, they would not enjoy their gifts without sharing them with others, nor would the taint of stinginess obsess the heart and stay there. even if it were their last and final bit of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it"
Itivuttaka 18
One should follow a man of wisdom who rebukes one for one's faults, as one would follow a guide to some buried treasure.
To one who follows such a wise man, it will be an advantage and not a disadvantage.
Dhammapada 76
A brahmin once asked The Blessed One:
"Are you a God?"
"No, brahmin" said The Blessed One.
"Are you a saint?"
"No, brahmin" said The Blessed One.
"Are you a magician?"
"No, brahmin" said The Blessed One.
"What are you then?"
"I am awake."
See the truth, and you will see me.
Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.
Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth.
Sutta Nipata
Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared.
I teach one thing and one only:
that is, suffering and the end of suffering.
Moods...
Bad moods are either past or imaginary
future, in the present there are no moods
at all. Moods belong to circumstance, to
the past. Face the Sun and there will be
no shadow of moods.
- Papaji
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Truth Is"
Sri H.W.L. Poonja
Yudhishtara, 1995
future, in the present there are no moods
at all. Moods belong to circumstance, to
the past. Face the Sun and there will be
no shadow of moods.
- Papaji
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Truth Is"
Sri H.W.L. Poonja
Yudhishtara, 1995
Finding the Truth...
This is what Mysticism is all about... the direct communion with the Creator..
the complete Unity with Everything.. the surrendering of the ego.. becoming
Nothing to become Everything.. Do this!, and You also will Know the
Truth......... namaste, thomas
the complete Unity with Everything.. the surrendering of the ego.. becoming
Nothing to become Everything.. Do this!, and You also will Know the
Truth......... namaste, thomas
" Do not cast your pearls, before swine"...
I don't think that Jesus was referring to the people as swine, as God is within
all humans.. I believe that He was speaking of the low Consciousness of
ignorance that does not recognise a Treasure but walks over it...............
namaste, thomas
all humans.. I believe that He was speaking of the low Consciousness of
ignorance that does not recognise a Treasure but walks over it...............
namaste, thomas
Thou and I...
Happy the moment when we are seated in the Palace, thou and I,
With two forms and with two figures but with one soul, thou and I.
The colours of the grove and the voice of the birds will bestow immortality
At the time when we come into the garden, thou and I.
The stars of heaven will come to gaze upon us;
We shall show them the Moon itself, thou and I.
Thou and I, individuals no more, shall be mingled in ecstasy,
Joyful and secure from foolish babble, thou and I.
All the bright-plumed birds of heaven will devour their hearts with envy
In the place where we shall laugh in such a fashion, thou and I.
This is the greatest wonder, that thou and I, sitting here in the same nook,
Are at this moment both in ‘Iraq and Khorasan, thou and I.
Jelaluddin Rumi, in The Mystics of Islam, translated by Reynold A Nicholson
With two forms and with two figures but with one soul, thou and I.
The colours of the grove and the voice of the birds will bestow immortality
At the time when we come into the garden, thou and I.
The stars of heaven will come to gaze upon us;
We shall show them the Moon itself, thou and I.
Thou and I, individuals no more, shall be mingled in ecstasy,
Joyful and secure from foolish babble, thou and I.
All the bright-plumed birds of heaven will devour their hearts with envy
In the place where we shall laugh in such a fashion, thou and I.
This is the greatest wonder, that thou and I, sitting here in the same nook,
Are at this moment both in ‘Iraq and Khorasan, thou and I.
Jelaluddin Rumi, in The Mystics of Islam, translated by Reynold A Nicholson
Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj...
Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj known as al-Hallaj (the wool-carder), he was put to death in Baghdad for having uttered ana 'l haqq (I am the Truth):
I am He whom I love,
and He whom I love is I:
We are two spirits
dwelling in one body.
If thou seest me,
thou seest Him,
And if thou seest Him,
thou seest us both.
al-Hallaj, Kitab al-Tawasin, in The Mystics of Islam, by Reynold A Nicholson
I am He whom I love,
and He whom I love is I:
We are two spirits
dwelling in one body.
If thou seest me,
thou seest Him,
And if thou seest Him,
thou seest us both.
al-Hallaj, Kitab al-Tawasin, in The Mystics of Islam, by Reynold A Nicholson
Sri Ramakrishna...
Sri Ramakrishna who was born in 1836 and passed away in 1886, represents the very core of the spiritual realizations of the seers and sages of India. His whole life was literally an uninterrupted contemplation of God. He reached a depth of God-consciousness that transcends all time and place and has a universal appeal. Seekers of God of all religions feel irresistibly drawn to his life and teachings. Sri Ramakrishna, as a silent force, influences the spiritual thought currents of our time. He is a figure of recent history and his life and teachings have not yet been obscured by loving legends and doubtful myths. Through his God-intoxicated life Sri Ramakrishna proved that the revelation of God takes place at all times and that God-realization is not the monopoly of any particular age, country, or people. In him, deepest spirituality and broadest catholicity stood side by side.
The God-man of nineteenth-century India did not found any cult, nor did he show a new path to salvation. His message was his God-consciousness. When God-consciousness falls short, traditions become dogmatic and oppressive and religious teachings lose their transforming power. At a time when the very foundation of religion, faith in God, was crumbling under the relentless blows of materialism and skepticism, Sri Ramakrishna, through his burning spiritual realizations, demonstrated beyond doubt the reality of God and the validity of the time-honoured teachings of all the prophets and saviors of the past, and thus restored the falling edifice of religion on a secure foundation.
Drawn by the magnetism of Sri Ramakrishna's divine personality, people flocked to him from far and near -- men and women, young and old, philosophers and theologians, philanthropists and humanists, atheists and agnostics, Hindus and Brahmos, Christians and Muslims, seekers of truth of all races, creeds and castes. His small room in the Dakshineswar temple garden on the outskirts of the city of Calcutta became a veritable parliament of religions. Everyone who came to him felt uplifted by his profound God-consciousness, boundless love, and universal outlook. Each seeker saw in him the highest manifestation of his own ideal. By coming near him the impure became pure, the pure became purer, and the sinner was transformed into a saint.
The greatest contribution of Sri Ramakrishna to the modern world is his message of the harmony of religions. To Sri Ramakrishna all religions are the revelation of God in His diverse aspects to satisfy the manifold demands of human minds. Like different photographs of a building taken from different angles, different religions give us the pictures of one truth from different standpoints. They are not contradictory but complementary. Sri Ramakrishna faithfully practiced the spiritual disciplines of different religions and came to the realization that all of them lead to the same goal. Thus he declared, "As many faiths, so many paths." The paths vary, but the goal remains the same. Harmony of religions is not uniformity; it is unity in diversity. It is not a fusion of religions, but a fellowship of religions based on their common goal -- communion with God. This harmony is to be realized by deepening our individual God-consciousness. In the present-day world, threatened by nuclear war and torn by religious intolerance, Sri Ramakrishna's message of harmony gives us hope and shows the way. May his life and teachings ever inspire us.
- Swami Adiswarananda
Reproduced with permission:
Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York
The God-man of nineteenth-century India did not found any cult, nor did he show a new path to salvation. His message was his God-consciousness. When God-consciousness falls short, traditions become dogmatic and oppressive and religious teachings lose their transforming power. At a time when the very foundation of religion, faith in God, was crumbling under the relentless blows of materialism and skepticism, Sri Ramakrishna, through his burning spiritual realizations, demonstrated beyond doubt the reality of God and the validity of the time-honoured teachings of all the prophets and saviors of the past, and thus restored the falling edifice of religion on a secure foundation.
Drawn by the magnetism of Sri Ramakrishna's divine personality, people flocked to him from far and near -- men and women, young and old, philosophers and theologians, philanthropists and humanists, atheists and agnostics, Hindus and Brahmos, Christians and Muslims, seekers of truth of all races, creeds and castes. His small room in the Dakshineswar temple garden on the outskirts of the city of Calcutta became a veritable parliament of religions. Everyone who came to him felt uplifted by his profound God-consciousness, boundless love, and universal outlook. Each seeker saw in him the highest manifestation of his own ideal. By coming near him the impure became pure, the pure became purer, and the sinner was transformed into a saint.
The greatest contribution of Sri Ramakrishna to the modern world is his message of the harmony of religions. To Sri Ramakrishna all religions are the revelation of God in His diverse aspects to satisfy the manifold demands of human minds. Like different photographs of a building taken from different angles, different religions give us the pictures of one truth from different standpoints. They are not contradictory but complementary. Sri Ramakrishna faithfully practiced the spiritual disciplines of different religions and came to the realization that all of them lead to the same goal. Thus he declared, "As many faiths, so many paths." The paths vary, but the goal remains the same. Harmony of religions is not uniformity; it is unity in diversity. It is not a fusion of religions, but a fellowship of religions based on their common goal -- communion with God. This harmony is to be realized by deepening our individual God-consciousness. In the present-day world, threatened by nuclear war and torn by religious intolerance, Sri Ramakrishna's message of harmony gives us hope and shows the way. May his life and teachings ever inspire us.
- Swami Adiswarananda
Reproduced with permission:
Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York
Tagore...
Rabindranath Tagore (May 7, 1861 - August 7, 1941) the bard of Bengal immaculately brought out the essence of Eastern spirituality in his poetry like no other poet. His spiritual vision, as he himself said, is imbued "with the ancient spirit of India as revealed in our sacred texts and manifested in the life of today."
Tagore's Mystical Quest
Swami Adiswarananda of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, in his preface to 'Tagore: The Mystic Poets' writes, "The inner-seeking spirituality of India infused all of Tagore's writing. He wrote in many genres of the deep religious milieu of Hinduism. The values and core beliefs of the Hindu scriptures permeated his work." Says the Swami: "Rabindranath Tagore's philosophical and spiritual thoughts transcend all limits of language, culture, and nationality. In his writings, the poet and mystic takes us on a spiritual quest and gives us a glimpse of the infinite in the midst of the finite, unity at the heart of all diversity, and the Divine in all beings and things of the universe."
Tagore's Spiritual Beliefs
Tagore believed that "True knowledge is that which perceives the unity of all things in God." Tagore through his vast body of immortal literary works taught us that the universe is a manifestation of God, and that there is no unbridgeable gulf between our world and God's, and that God is the one who can provide the greatest love and joy.
Tagore's Poetry Teaches Us How to Love God
Tagore's 'Gitanjali' or 'Song Offerings' that contains his own English prose translations of Bengali poetry was published in 1913 with an introduction by the Irish poet W. B. Yeats. This book won Tagore the Nobel Prize for Literature that year. Here's an excerpt from his introduction that helps us realize that "We had not known that we loved God, hardly it may be that we believed in Him…"
The Ubiquity of God in Tagore's Works
Yeats writes: "These verses … as the generations pass, travellers will hum them on the highway and men rowing upon the rivers. Lovers, while they await one another, shall find, in murmuring them, this love of God a magic gulf wherein their own more bitter passion may bathe and renew its youth… The traveller in the read-brown clothes that he wears that dust may not show upon him, the girl searching in her bed for the petals fallen from the wreath of her royal lover, the servant or the bride awaiting the master's home-coming in the empty house, are images of the heart turning to God. Flowers and rivers, the blowing of conch shells, the heavy rain of the Indian July, or the moods of that heart in union or in separation; and a man sitting in a boat upon a river playing lute, like one of those figures full of mysterious meaning in a Chinese picture, is God Himself…"
Select Poems from Tagore's Song Offerings
Mystical Poems from Tagore's 'Gitanjali'
Leave this chanting and singing and telling of beads! Whom dost thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all shut? Open thine eyes and see thy God is not before thee!
He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where the pathmaker is breaking stones. He is with them in sun and in shower, and his garment is covered with dust. Put of thy holy mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil!
Deliverance? Where is this deliverance to be found? Our master himself has joyfully taken upon him the bonds of creation; he is bound with us all for ever.
Come out of thy meditations and leave aside thy flowers and incense! What harm is there if thy clothes become tattered and stained? Meet him and stand by him in toil and in sweat of thy brow.
***
When the creation was new and all the stars shone in their first splendour, the gods held their assembly in the sky and sang 'Oh, the picture of perfection! the joy unalloyed!'
But one cried of a sudden - 'It seems that somewhere there is a break in the chain of light and one of the stars has been lost.'
The golden string of their harp snapped, their song stopped, and they cried in dismay - 'Yes, that lost star was the best, she was the glory of all heavens!'
From that day the search is unceasing for her, and the cry goes on from one to the other that in her the world has lost its one joy!
Only in the deepest silence of night the stars smile and whisper among themselves - 'Vain is this seeking! unbroken perfection is over all!'
***
In one salutation to thee, my God, let all my senses spread out and touch this world at thy feet.
Like a rain-cloud of July hung low with its burden of unshed showers let all my mind bend down at thy door in one salutation to thee.
Let all my songs gather together their diverse strains into a single current and flow to a sea of silence in one salutation to thee.
Like a flock of homesick cranes flying night and day back to their mountain nests let all my life take its voyage to its eternal home in one salutation to thee.
From Rabindranath Tagore's 'Gitanjali', a work which is in public domain according to the Berne convention since January 1, 1992
Tagore's Mystical Quest
Swami Adiswarananda of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, in his preface to 'Tagore: The Mystic Poets' writes, "The inner-seeking spirituality of India infused all of Tagore's writing. He wrote in many genres of the deep religious milieu of Hinduism. The values and core beliefs of the Hindu scriptures permeated his work." Says the Swami: "Rabindranath Tagore's philosophical and spiritual thoughts transcend all limits of language, culture, and nationality. In his writings, the poet and mystic takes us on a spiritual quest and gives us a glimpse of the infinite in the midst of the finite, unity at the heart of all diversity, and the Divine in all beings and things of the universe."
Tagore's Spiritual Beliefs
Tagore believed that "True knowledge is that which perceives the unity of all things in God." Tagore through his vast body of immortal literary works taught us that the universe is a manifestation of God, and that there is no unbridgeable gulf between our world and God's, and that God is the one who can provide the greatest love and joy.
Tagore's Poetry Teaches Us How to Love God
Tagore's 'Gitanjali' or 'Song Offerings' that contains his own English prose translations of Bengali poetry was published in 1913 with an introduction by the Irish poet W. B. Yeats. This book won Tagore the Nobel Prize for Literature that year. Here's an excerpt from his introduction that helps us realize that "We had not known that we loved God, hardly it may be that we believed in Him…"
The Ubiquity of God in Tagore's Works
Yeats writes: "These verses … as the generations pass, travellers will hum them on the highway and men rowing upon the rivers. Lovers, while they await one another, shall find, in murmuring them, this love of God a magic gulf wherein their own more bitter passion may bathe and renew its youth… The traveller in the read-brown clothes that he wears that dust may not show upon him, the girl searching in her bed for the petals fallen from the wreath of her royal lover, the servant or the bride awaiting the master's home-coming in the empty house, are images of the heart turning to God. Flowers and rivers, the blowing of conch shells, the heavy rain of the Indian July, or the moods of that heart in union or in separation; and a man sitting in a boat upon a river playing lute, like one of those figures full of mysterious meaning in a Chinese picture, is God Himself…"
Select Poems from Tagore's Song Offerings
Mystical Poems from Tagore's 'Gitanjali'
Leave this chanting and singing and telling of beads! Whom dost thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all shut? Open thine eyes and see thy God is not before thee!
He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where the pathmaker is breaking stones. He is with them in sun and in shower, and his garment is covered with dust. Put of thy holy mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil!
Deliverance? Where is this deliverance to be found? Our master himself has joyfully taken upon him the bonds of creation; he is bound with us all for ever.
Come out of thy meditations and leave aside thy flowers and incense! What harm is there if thy clothes become tattered and stained? Meet him and stand by him in toil and in sweat of thy brow.
***
When the creation was new and all the stars shone in their first splendour, the gods held their assembly in the sky and sang 'Oh, the picture of perfection! the joy unalloyed!'
But one cried of a sudden - 'It seems that somewhere there is a break in the chain of light and one of the stars has been lost.'
The golden string of their harp snapped, their song stopped, and they cried in dismay - 'Yes, that lost star was the best, she was the glory of all heavens!'
From that day the search is unceasing for her, and the cry goes on from one to the other that in her the world has lost its one joy!
Only in the deepest silence of night the stars smile and whisper among themselves - 'Vain is this seeking! unbroken perfection is over all!'
***
In one salutation to thee, my God, let all my senses spread out and touch this world at thy feet.
Like a rain-cloud of July hung low with its burden of unshed showers let all my mind bend down at thy door in one salutation to thee.
Let all my songs gather together their diverse strains into a single current and flow to a sea of silence in one salutation to thee.
Like a flock of homesick cranes flying night and day back to their mountain nests let all my life take its voyage to its eternal home in one salutation to thee.
From Rabindranath Tagore's 'Gitanjali', a work which is in public domain according to the Berne convention since January 1, 1992
Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya ...
Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya (717 - 801 ce) was born in Basra. As a child, after the death of her parents, Rabi'a was sold into slavery. After years of service to her slavemaster, Rabi'a began to serve only the Beloved with her actions and thoughts. Since she was no longer useful to the slaveowner, Rabi'a was then set free to continue her devotion to the Beloved.
Rabi'a taught that the true lover, whose consciousness is unwaveringly centered on the Beloved, is unattached to conditions such as pleasure or pain, not from sensory dullness but from ceaseless rapture in Divine Love.
Rabia was once asked, "How did you attain that which you have attained?"
"By often praying, 'I take refuge in You, O God, from everything that distracts me from You, and from every obstacle that prevents me from reaching You.'"
~~
In love, nothing exists between heart and heart.
Speech is born out of longing,
True description from the real taste.
The one who tastes, knows;
the one who explains, lies.
How can you describe the true form of Something
In whose presence you are blotted out?
And in whose being you still exist?
And who lives as a sign for your journey?
~~
I have two ways of loving You:
A selfish one
And another way that is worthy of You.
In my selfish love, I remember You and You alone.
In that other love, You lift the veil
And let me feast my eyes on Your Living Face.
~~
The source of my suffering and loneliness is deep in my heart.
This is a disease no doctor can cure.
Only Union with the Friend can cure it.
Rabi´a al-Adawiyya, translation by Andrew Harvey and Eryk Hanut - 'Perfume of the Desert'........... from wahiduddin.net
Rabi'a taught that the true lover, whose consciousness is unwaveringly centered on the Beloved, is unattached to conditions such as pleasure or pain, not from sensory dullness but from ceaseless rapture in Divine Love.
Rabia was once asked, "How did you attain that which you have attained?"
"By often praying, 'I take refuge in You, O God, from everything that distracts me from You, and from every obstacle that prevents me from reaching You.'"
~~
In love, nothing exists between heart and heart.
Speech is born out of longing,
True description from the real taste.
The one who tastes, knows;
the one who explains, lies.
How can you describe the true form of Something
In whose presence you are blotted out?
And in whose being you still exist?
And who lives as a sign for your journey?
~~
I have two ways of loving You:
A selfish one
And another way that is worthy of You.
In my selfish love, I remember You and You alone.
In that other love, You lift the veil
And let me feast my eyes on Your Living Face.
~~
The source of my suffering and loneliness is deep in my heart.
This is a disease no doctor can cure.
Only Union with the Friend can cure it.
Rabi´a al-Adawiyya, translation by Andrew Harvey and Eryk Hanut - 'Perfume of the Desert'........... from wahiduddin.net
The path of Spirituality...
There is no "higher grade".. there is only Reality!.. you are dropping the
illusions of desires.. there is no time period involved.. there is no waiting
involved.. you do not have to go through schools of spirituality.. You only have
to "Wake Up"...........namaste, thomas
illusions of desires.. there is no time period involved.. there is no waiting
involved.. you do not have to go through schools of spirituality.. You only have
to "Wake Up"...........namaste, thomas
Oblivion...
The problem with searching is that we spend a lifetime of anxiety and mental pain within searching.. we look without.. up there in the sky.. anywhere, but where We are.. why is there a journey?, a path, a mission, a vocation, an education,,,, there is always something to fill our minds.. to give us purpose.. a meaning.. a refuge.. a happiness.... the irony is that all of this energy expanded and all of these thoughts examined, bring us no closer than just Sitting in Silence.... let the thoughts drop away.. let the desire for existence, drop away.. drop away into the Oblivion of Nothingness... Look around!, there is only Light and Love.. what is this Place?.. I feel Free, so this must be the Place of Freedom... I feel Love and now I Know that Oblivion is Love.. and Love is Me............... namaste, thomas
Devotion...
Devotion without understanding is only
emotion and later becomes a passion -
fanaticism.
- Swami Krishnananda
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Facets of Spirituality
Complied by S. Bhagyalakshmi
Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1986
emotion and later becomes a passion -
fanaticism.
- Swami Krishnananda
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Facets of Spirituality
Complied by S. Bhagyalakshmi
Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1986
Desires...
Brahma the Creator is the sum total of all
desires. The world is the instrument for
their fulfillment. Souls take whatever
pleasures they desire and pay for them in
tears. Time squares all accounts. The law
of balance reigns supreme.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
desires. The world is the instrument for
their fulfillment. Souls take whatever
pleasures they desire and pay for them in
tears. Time squares all accounts. The law
of balance reigns supreme.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
Muhammed Ibn 'Ali Ibn 'Arabi ...
Muhammed Ibn 'Ali Ibn 'Arabi (1165 - 1240 ce) Known as Muhyiddin (the Revivifier of Religion) and the Shaykh al-Akbar (the Greatest Master), he was born into the Moorish culture of Andalusian Spain and traveled widely throughout the Islamic countries.
O Marvel! a garden amidst the flames.
My heart has become capable of every form:
it is a pasture for gazelles and a convent for Christian monks,
and a temple for idols and the pilgrim's Kaa'ba,
and the tables of the Torah and the book of the Quran.
I follow the religion of Love: whatever way Love's camels take,
that is my religion and my faith.
~~
All that is left
to us by tradition
is mere words.
It is up to us
to find out what they mean.
~~
Were it not for
the excess of your talking
and the turmoil in your hearts,
you would see what I see
and hear what I hear!
~~
When my Beloved appears, With what eye do I see Him? With His eye, not with mine, For none sees Him except Himself.
ibn al-`Arabi, Tarjuman al-Ashwaq, in The Mystics of Islam, translated by Reynold A Nicholson
O Marvel! a garden amidst the flames.
My heart has become capable of every form:
it is a pasture for gazelles and a convent for Christian monks,
and a temple for idols and the pilgrim's Kaa'ba,
and the tables of the Torah and the book of the Quran.
I follow the religion of Love: whatever way Love's camels take,
that is my religion and my faith.
~~
All that is left
to us by tradition
is mere words.
It is up to us
to find out what they mean.
~~
Were it not for
the excess of your talking
and the turmoil in your hearts,
you would see what I see
and hear what I hear!
~~
When my Beloved appears, With what eye do I see Him? With His eye, not with mine, For none sees Him except Himself.
ibn al-`Arabi, Tarjuman al-Ashwaq, in The Mystics of Islam, translated by Reynold A Nicholson
The Sum of Perfection...
"Creation forgotten,
Creator only known,
Attention turned inward
In love with the Beloved alone."
John of the Cross (1542 - 1591)
English version by¨ Ivan M. Granger
from Roger Housden
_For Lovers of God Everywhere: Poems of the Christian Mystics_
http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/J/JohnoftheCro/SumofPerfect.htm
Creator only known,
Attention turned inward
In love with the Beloved alone."
John of the Cross (1542 - 1591)
English version by¨ Ivan M. Granger
from Roger Housden
_For Lovers of God Everywhere: Poems of the Christian Mystics_
http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/J/JohnoftheCro/SumofPerfect.htm
Sentience Itself...
You have considered yourself to be a separate
"self" only because of having regarded a "solid"
object with a name, that is the body, as yourself.
But in fact the body itself is nothing but an insig-
nificant, vastly intricate complex of electrical wave-
patterns, a series of rhythmic functions, a throb-
bing field of energy, and emptiness. What you
actually are, then, is what everybody else is:
sentience itself. Therefore, instead of being a
puny self by way of an object, you are indeed
everything.
- Ramesh S. Balsekar
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"A Net of Jewels"
Ramesh S. Balsekar
Advaita Press, 1966
"self" only because of having regarded a "solid"
object with a name, that is the body, as yourself.
But in fact the body itself is nothing but an insig-
nificant, vastly intricate complex of electrical wave-
patterns, a series of rhythmic functions, a throb-
bing field of energy, and emptiness. What you
actually are, then, is what everybody else is:
sentience itself. Therefore, instead of being a
puny self by way of an object, you are indeed
everything.
- Ramesh S. Balsekar
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"A Net of Jewels"
Ramesh S. Balsekar
Advaita Press, 1966
belief...
Man becomes what he believes himself
to be. Abandon all ideas about yourself
and you will find yourself to be the pure
witness, beyond all that can happen to
the body or the mind.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
to be. Abandon all ideas about yourself
and you will find yourself to be the pure
witness, beyond all that can happen to
the body or the mind.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
Silence...
You are the One which is aware
of the Awareness of objects and ideas.
You are the One which is even more silent
than Awareness. You are the life which
precedes the concept of life. Your nature
is Silence and it is not attainable, it
always Is.
- Papaji
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Truth Is"
Sri H.W.L. Poonja
Yudhishtara, 1995
of the Awareness of objects and ideas.
You are the One which is even more silent
than Awareness. You are the life which
precedes the concept of life. Your nature
is Silence and it is not attainable, it
always Is.
- Papaji
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Truth Is"
Sri H.W.L. Poonja
Yudhishtara, 1995
Was Jesus, the only son of God?...
Answer from Jesus:
Everything in the world of form is created from God’s substance. Without him was not anything made that was made. Therefore, every living soul is a son or daughter of God.
However, there are many devout Christians who feel very strongly that I was someone special, and there is some validity to this belief. I am not thereby saying that I completely agree with this belief, I am merely saying that it is understandable why so many Christians hold on to this belief. Let me explain.
What does it truly mean to be a son or daughter of God? God has given you free will, and God has given you the ability to create. Originally, your soul was created in the image and likeness of God, meaning it had a unique individuality. However, your spiritual parents did not create your individuality as something that was set in stone. You have the free will and the creative potential to build your individuality upon the foundation laid by your spiritual parents. This is indeed what you were meant to do.
Therefore, life can be seen as a process through which your soul is constantly building its sense of identity. In an overall sense, you are meant to keep building your sense of identity until you reach a point where you realize that you are an individualization of God and that you have the full creative powers of God himself/herself. That is why I said: “Ye are Gods.”
However, when a soul falls into a lower state of consciousness and forgets its spiritual origin, the soul begins to build a false sense of identity, a pseudo identity. From God’s viewpoint, that false identity, as a mortal human being, is not real. Yet, as long as your soul accepts that sense of identity, the pseudo identity becomes the only reality that your soul knows. Therefore, that sense of identity becomes the soul’s reality. Because the soul knows nothing else, the soul does not realize that the pseudo identity is unreal and temporary. To the soul, this is the only sense of identity there is.
From God’s viewpoint, a lost soul is still one of his sons or daughters. Yet, if you go inside the box of the soul, inside the soul’s sense of identity, that soul does not see itself as a son or daughter of God. Therefore, in the here and now, the soul is not acting as a son or daughter of God. If a soul does not accept its divine origin, it cannot express its divine potential. If a soul does not accept its potential to be the Christ, then the soul cannot be the Christ in action.
When I appeared on earth 2,000 years ago, only a few people had come to a full realization of their Christhood. Therefore, one might say that I appeared at a time when there was no other son or daughter of God on earth. I had realized the fullness of my sonship, and therefore I was and I acted as a son of God. In other words, when you look at this situation from a specific viewpoint, it is possible to say that Jesus Christ was indeed the only son of God who appeared in that particular place at that particular time. Therefore, I can understand that some Christians have strong feelings for this idea (I am not saying that I share those feelings).
Unfortunately, most people never understood that the statement that I was the only son of God was correct only from a certain viewpoint. The carnal mind has a tendency to create idols. Therefore, people were quick to turn me into an idol and to start believing that the statement that I was the only son of God was universally true.
Let me make it very clear that every living soul is, in reality, a son or daughter of God. If the soul does not identify itself as a son or daughter of God, then that soul cannot express the fullness of its divine potential. Therefore, from an earthly viewpoint, the soul is not a son or daughter of God. The soul has the potential to act as a son or daughter of God, but that potential is not realized. Yet, I want to make it very clear that I am not the only person to appear on earth with a full recognition of his or her divine identity and origin. I am not the only person to appear in the fullness of Christhood.
There have been others before me and there will, I sincerely hope, be others after me. In fact, I hope that some of the readers of these teachings will be counted among them.
.............. from askrealjesus.com
Everything in the world of form is created from God’s substance. Without him was not anything made that was made. Therefore, every living soul is a son or daughter of God.
However, there are many devout Christians who feel very strongly that I was someone special, and there is some validity to this belief. I am not thereby saying that I completely agree with this belief, I am merely saying that it is understandable why so many Christians hold on to this belief. Let me explain.
What does it truly mean to be a son or daughter of God? God has given you free will, and God has given you the ability to create. Originally, your soul was created in the image and likeness of God, meaning it had a unique individuality. However, your spiritual parents did not create your individuality as something that was set in stone. You have the free will and the creative potential to build your individuality upon the foundation laid by your spiritual parents. This is indeed what you were meant to do.
Therefore, life can be seen as a process through which your soul is constantly building its sense of identity. In an overall sense, you are meant to keep building your sense of identity until you reach a point where you realize that you are an individualization of God and that you have the full creative powers of God himself/herself. That is why I said: “Ye are Gods.”
However, when a soul falls into a lower state of consciousness and forgets its spiritual origin, the soul begins to build a false sense of identity, a pseudo identity. From God’s viewpoint, that false identity, as a mortal human being, is not real. Yet, as long as your soul accepts that sense of identity, the pseudo identity becomes the only reality that your soul knows. Therefore, that sense of identity becomes the soul’s reality. Because the soul knows nothing else, the soul does not realize that the pseudo identity is unreal and temporary. To the soul, this is the only sense of identity there is.
From God’s viewpoint, a lost soul is still one of his sons or daughters. Yet, if you go inside the box of the soul, inside the soul’s sense of identity, that soul does not see itself as a son or daughter of God. Therefore, in the here and now, the soul is not acting as a son or daughter of God. If a soul does not accept its divine origin, it cannot express its divine potential. If a soul does not accept its potential to be the Christ, then the soul cannot be the Christ in action.
When I appeared on earth 2,000 years ago, only a few people had come to a full realization of their Christhood. Therefore, one might say that I appeared at a time when there was no other son or daughter of God on earth. I had realized the fullness of my sonship, and therefore I was and I acted as a son of God. In other words, when you look at this situation from a specific viewpoint, it is possible to say that Jesus Christ was indeed the only son of God who appeared in that particular place at that particular time. Therefore, I can understand that some Christians have strong feelings for this idea (I am not saying that I share those feelings).
Unfortunately, most people never understood that the statement that I was the only son of God was correct only from a certain viewpoint. The carnal mind has a tendency to create idols. Therefore, people were quick to turn me into an idol and to start believing that the statement that I was the only son of God was universally true.
Let me make it very clear that every living soul is, in reality, a son or daughter of God. If the soul does not identify itself as a son or daughter of God, then that soul cannot express the fullness of its divine potential. Therefore, from an earthly viewpoint, the soul is not a son or daughter of God. The soul has the potential to act as a son or daughter of God, but that potential is not realized. Yet, I want to make it very clear that I am not the only person to appear on earth with a full recognition of his or her divine identity and origin. I am not the only person to appear in the fullness of Christhood.
There have been others before me and there will, I sincerely hope, be others after me. In fact, I hope that some of the readers of these teachings will be counted among them.
.............. from askrealjesus.com
Mystical Writings...
The only reason that we have mystical writings is to loosen the grip of the ego.. there are many paths to the top of this mountain.. but, in the end, the complete loosening of the ego is required for the Freedom of non-existence.. Unconditional Love is the complete surrender of the desire of separation.. we must be made aware that in Reality, We are that Unconditional Love that has surrendered "All" that We have gathered, especially the ego.......... namaste, thomas
The Upanishads...
There is no book in the whole world that is so thrilling, soul-stirring and inspiring as the Upanishad. The philosophy taught by the Upanishads has been the source of solace for many, both in the East and the West. The human intellect has not been able to conceive of anything more noble and sublime in the history of the world than the teachings of the Upanishads.
The Upanishads contain the essence of the Vedas. They are the concluding portions of the Vedas and are the source of the Vedanta philosophy. Profound, original, lofty and sublime thoughts arise from every verse. They contain the direct spiritual experiences or revelations of seers, or sages, the Rishis. They are the products of the highest wisdom, supreme divine knowledge. Hence they stir the hearts of people and inspire them.
The glory or grandeur of the Upanishads cannot be adequately described in words, because words are finite and language is imperfect. The Upanishads have indeed greatly contributed to the peace and solace of mankind. They are highly elevating and soul-stirring. Millions of aspirants have drawn inspiration and guidance from the Upanishads. They are the cream of the Vedas. They are treasures of incalculable value. They are rich in profound philosophical thought. Their intrinsic value is very great. There is immense depth of meaning in the passages and verses. The language is beautiful.
The Upanishads give a vivid description of the nature of the Atman, the Supreme Soul, in a variety of ways, and expound suitable methods and aids to attain the Immortal Brahman, the Highest Purusha.
Ages have passed since they were first presented to the world. Even now they are remarkably sweet and charming. Their freshness is unique. Their fragrance is penetrating. Many cannot live today without the study of Upanishads daily. They give supreme food for the soul.
It is said that Schopenhauer, the renowned philosopher of the West, had always a book of the Upanishads on his table, and was in the habit, before going to bed, of performing his devotions from its pages. He said, "In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life, it will be the solace of my death."
The Upanishads have undoubtedly exercised and will continue to exercise a considerable influence on the religion and philosophy of India. They present a view of reality which would certainly satisfy the scientific, the philosophic, as well as the religious aspirations of man.
Origin Of The Upanishads
The Upanishads are metaphysical treatises which are replete with sublime conceptions of Vedanta and with intuitions of universal truths. The Indian Rishis and seers of yore endeavoured to grasp the fundamental truths of being. They tried to solve the problems of the origin, the nature and the destiny of man and of the universe. They attempted to grasp the meaning and value of knowing and being. They endeavoured to find a solution for the problems of the means of life and the world and of the relation of the individual to the ‘Unseen,’ or the Supreme Soul. They sought earnestly satisfactory solution of these profound questions: Who am I? What is this universe or Samsara? Whence are we born? On what do we rest? Where do we go? Is there any such thing as immortality, freedom, perfection, eternal bliss, everlasting peace, Atman, Brahman, or the Self, Supreme Soul, which is birthless, deathless, changeless, self-existent? How to attain Brahman or Immortality?
They practised right living, Tapas, introspection, self-analysis, enquiry and meditation on the pure, inner Self and attained Self-realisation. Their intuitions of deep truths are subtle and direct. Their inner experiences, which are direct, first-hand, intuitive and mystical, which no science can impeach, which all philosophies declare as the ultimate goal of their endeavours, are embodied in the sublime books called the Upanishads.
Some Western scholars have fixed the age of the Upanishads as B.C. 600, or so. They regard that all of them belong to the pre-Buddhistic period. This is a sad mistake indeed. The Upanishads are the knowledge portion, or Jnana-Kanda, of the Vedas. They are eternal. They came out of the mouth of Hiranyagarbha, or Brahman. How can one fix the date of the Upanishads? They existed even before the creation of this world.
The Upanishads are a source of deep mystic divine knowledge which serves as the means of freedom from this formidable Samsara, earthly bondage. They are world-scriptures. They appeal to the lovers of religion and truth in all races, and at all times. They contain profound secrets of Vedanta, or Jnana-Yoga, and practical hints and clues which throw much light on the pathway of Self-realisation.
There are four Vedas., Rik, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. There are as many Upanishads to each Veda as there are Sakhas or branches (subdivisions). there are 21, 109, 1000, and 50 subdivisions to Rik, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva Vedas respectively. Thus there are one thousand and hundred and eighty (1,180) Upanishads.
Significance And Ideal
Knowledge of the Upanishads destroys ignorance, the seed of Samsara. 'Shad' means to 'shatter' or 'destroy'. By having knowledge of the Upanishads one is able to sit near Brahman, i.e., to attain Self-realisation. Hence the name 'Upanishad'. Knowledge of Brahman is called 'Upanishad', because it leads to Brahman and helps aspirants to attain Brahman. The term 'Upanishad' is applied to the book also in a secondary sense, by courtesy.
The following two ideas dominate the teaching of all the Upanishads: (1) Final emancipation can be attained only by knowledge of the Ultimate Reality, or Brahman (Brahmajnana): (2) He who is equipped with the four means of salvation, viz., Viveka, (discrimination), Vairagya (dispassion), Shad-Sampat (the six-fold treasure; self-control, etc.) and Mumukshutva (yearning for liberation), can attain Brahman. The Upanishads teach the philosophy of absolute unity.
The goal of men, according to the Upanishads, is realisation of Brahman. Self-realisation alone can dispel ignorance and bestow immortality, eternal bliss, and everlasting peace. Knowledge of Brahman alone can remove all sorrows, delusion and pain.
The Upanishads are rightly called the Vedanta, the end of the Vedas, that which is reserved for those who have freed themselves from the bonds of formal religion.
The Upanishads are not meant for the masses, as they contain the highest speculations of philosophy. They are meant only for the select few, who are fit and worthy to receive the instructions. Hence the term 'Upanishad' signified at first 'secret teaching' or 'secret doctrine'. As already stated, Sadhana-Chatushtaya (the fourfold means) is the primary qualification of an aspirant of Jnana-Yoga, or one who seeks the knowledge of the Upanishads.
Study the Upanishads systematically. Acquire the four means of salvation. Meditate on the non-dual Atman or Brahman and attain ever-lasting Bliss!
.... Sri Swami Sivananda
The Upanishads contain the essence of the Vedas. They are the concluding portions of the Vedas and are the source of the Vedanta philosophy. Profound, original, lofty and sublime thoughts arise from every verse. They contain the direct spiritual experiences or revelations of seers, or sages, the Rishis. They are the products of the highest wisdom, supreme divine knowledge. Hence they stir the hearts of people and inspire them.
The glory or grandeur of the Upanishads cannot be adequately described in words, because words are finite and language is imperfect. The Upanishads have indeed greatly contributed to the peace and solace of mankind. They are highly elevating and soul-stirring. Millions of aspirants have drawn inspiration and guidance from the Upanishads. They are the cream of the Vedas. They are treasures of incalculable value. They are rich in profound philosophical thought. Their intrinsic value is very great. There is immense depth of meaning in the passages and verses. The language is beautiful.
The Upanishads give a vivid description of the nature of the Atman, the Supreme Soul, in a variety of ways, and expound suitable methods and aids to attain the Immortal Brahman, the Highest Purusha.
Ages have passed since they were first presented to the world. Even now they are remarkably sweet and charming. Their freshness is unique. Their fragrance is penetrating. Many cannot live today without the study of Upanishads daily. They give supreme food for the soul.
It is said that Schopenhauer, the renowned philosopher of the West, had always a book of the Upanishads on his table, and was in the habit, before going to bed, of performing his devotions from its pages. He said, "In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life, it will be the solace of my death."
The Upanishads have undoubtedly exercised and will continue to exercise a considerable influence on the religion and philosophy of India. They present a view of reality which would certainly satisfy the scientific, the philosophic, as well as the religious aspirations of man.
Origin Of The Upanishads
The Upanishads are metaphysical treatises which are replete with sublime conceptions of Vedanta and with intuitions of universal truths. The Indian Rishis and seers of yore endeavoured to grasp the fundamental truths of being. They tried to solve the problems of the origin, the nature and the destiny of man and of the universe. They attempted to grasp the meaning and value of knowing and being. They endeavoured to find a solution for the problems of the means of life and the world and of the relation of the individual to the ‘Unseen,’ or the Supreme Soul. They sought earnestly satisfactory solution of these profound questions: Who am I? What is this universe or Samsara? Whence are we born? On what do we rest? Where do we go? Is there any such thing as immortality, freedom, perfection, eternal bliss, everlasting peace, Atman, Brahman, or the Self, Supreme Soul, which is birthless, deathless, changeless, self-existent? How to attain Brahman or Immortality?
They practised right living, Tapas, introspection, self-analysis, enquiry and meditation on the pure, inner Self and attained Self-realisation. Their intuitions of deep truths are subtle and direct. Their inner experiences, which are direct, first-hand, intuitive and mystical, which no science can impeach, which all philosophies declare as the ultimate goal of their endeavours, are embodied in the sublime books called the Upanishads.
Some Western scholars have fixed the age of the Upanishads as B.C. 600, or so. They regard that all of them belong to the pre-Buddhistic period. This is a sad mistake indeed. The Upanishads are the knowledge portion, or Jnana-Kanda, of the Vedas. They are eternal. They came out of the mouth of Hiranyagarbha, or Brahman. How can one fix the date of the Upanishads? They existed even before the creation of this world.
The Upanishads are a source of deep mystic divine knowledge which serves as the means of freedom from this formidable Samsara, earthly bondage. They are world-scriptures. They appeal to the lovers of religion and truth in all races, and at all times. They contain profound secrets of Vedanta, or Jnana-Yoga, and practical hints and clues which throw much light on the pathway of Self-realisation.
There are four Vedas., Rik, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. There are as many Upanishads to each Veda as there are Sakhas or branches (subdivisions). there are 21, 109, 1000, and 50 subdivisions to Rik, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva Vedas respectively. Thus there are one thousand and hundred and eighty (1,180) Upanishads.
Significance And Ideal
Knowledge of the Upanishads destroys ignorance, the seed of Samsara. 'Shad' means to 'shatter' or 'destroy'. By having knowledge of the Upanishads one is able to sit near Brahman, i.e., to attain Self-realisation. Hence the name 'Upanishad'. Knowledge of Brahman is called 'Upanishad', because it leads to Brahman and helps aspirants to attain Brahman. The term 'Upanishad' is applied to the book also in a secondary sense, by courtesy.
The following two ideas dominate the teaching of all the Upanishads: (1) Final emancipation can be attained only by knowledge of the Ultimate Reality, or Brahman (Brahmajnana): (2) He who is equipped with the four means of salvation, viz., Viveka, (discrimination), Vairagya (dispassion), Shad-Sampat (the six-fold treasure; self-control, etc.) and Mumukshutva (yearning for liberation), can attain Brahman. The Upanishads teach the philosophy of absolute unity.
The goal of men, according to the Upanishads, is realisation of Brahman. Self-realisation alone can dispel ignorance and bestow immortality, eternal bliss, and everlasting peace. Knowledge of Brahman alone can remove all sorrows, delusion and pain.
The Upanishads are rightly called the Vedanta, the end of the Vedas, that which is reserved for those who have freed themselves from the bonds of formal religion.
The Upanishads are not meant for the masses, as they contain the highest speculations of philosophy. They are meant only for the select few, who are fit and worthy to receive the instructions. Hence the term 'Upanishad' signified at first 'secret teaching' or 'secret doctrine'. As already stated, Sadhana-Chatushtaya (the fourfold means) is the primary qualification of an aspirant of Jnana-Yoga, or one who seeks the knowledge of the Upanishads.
Study the Upanishads systematically. Acquire the four means of salvation. Meditate on the non-dual Atman or Brahman and attain ever-lasting Bliss!
.... Sri Swami Sivananda
Spirituality...
Spirituality is not a certain knowledge, spirituality is the expansion of
consciousness. The wider the consciousness expands, the greater is one's
spiritual vision. And when once the consciousness expands so much that it
embraces the whole universe, it is that which is called
divine perfection.
From The Teachings Of
HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN
Selected & Arranged By
HAZRAT PIR VILAYAT INAYAT KHAN
consciousness. The wider the consciousness expands, the greater is one's
spiritual vision. And when once the consciousness expands so much that it
embraces the whole universe, it is that which is called
divine perfection.
From The Teachings Of
HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN
Selected & Arranged By
HAZRAT PIR VILAYAT INAYAT KHAN
Mahmud Shabistari...
Mahmud Shabistari was one of Sufi's greatest poets of the 14th Century. Like Rumi, Shabistari lived in turbulent times. This period was aften frought with dangers, in particular the Mongol invasions brought much devastation. However Shabistari was able to write much poetry and synthesise much of the Sufi wisdom. He had a style similar to Ibn Arabi and expressed Sufi philosophy in a moving and simple language. As David Fieldler says of Shabistari
" Shabistari possessed a unique genius for summarizing the profound and often complex teachings of Sufism in a beautiful, aphoristic, and concise fashion, which often leaves the reader speechless when the deeper meanings of his verse are grasped. "
Shabistari's poetry was inspired by his own mystical experiences. In a style unique to himself he expressed the universal truths and experiences shared by other the Sufi Poets; Rumi, Hafiz, Ibn Arabi, Attar and Rabia al Basri .
Shabistari was a devoted Sufi but at the same time was not constrained by any social or religious ideology. In accordance with Sufi philosophy Shabistari taught that there are many ways to reach the common goal. - "The Paths are many the goal is one."
In the writings of Shabistari we can feel the universal vision of one who has transcended the limitations of the human mind. With Shabistari we can be inspired by a poet who is pointing us towards the universal consciousness.
“I” and “you” are but the lattices,
in the niches of a lamp,
through which the One Light shines.
“I” and “you” are the veil
between heaven and earth;
lift this veil and you will see
no longer the bonds of sects and creeds.
When “I” and “you” do not exist,
what is mosque, what is synagogue?
What is the Temple of Fire?
- Shabistari
.... from Poet Seers .com
" Shabistari possessed a unique genius for summarizing the profound and often complex teachings of Sufism in a beautiful, aphoristic, and concise fashion, which often leaves the reader speechless when the deeper meanings of his verse are grasped. "
Shabistari's poetry was inspired by his own mystical experiences. In a style unique to himself he expressed the universal truths and experiences shared by other the Sufi Poets; Rumi, Hafiz, Ibn Arabi, Attar and Rabia al Basri .
Shabistari was a devoted Sufi but at the same time was not constrained by any social or religious ideology. In accordance with Sufi philosophy Shabistari taught that there are many ways to reach the common goal. - "The Paths are many the goal is one."
In the writings of Shabistari we can feel the universal vision of one who has transcended the limitations of the human mind. With Shabistari we can be inspired by a poet who is pointing us towards the universal consciousness.
“I” and “you” are but the lattices,
in the niches of a lamp,
through which the One Light shines.
“I” and “you” are the veil
between heaven and earth;
lift this veil and you will see
no longer the bonds of sects and creeds.
When “I” and “you” do not exist,
what is mosque, what is synagogue?
What is the Temple of Fire?
- Shabistari
.... from Poet Seers .com
Evolution versus Creationism...
I find it humorous that so many humans are so concerned with the method of creation of an illusion and will fight to the death for their belief.. of course, this belief was instilled within them by another illusion called parent,teacher,or religion teacher.. This battle of beliefs is a game of the ego to prevent You from learning the deeper Truths that We are not the body,mind,or ego.. We are Spirit or Consciousness and only That.. When We have Realised this.. then We can procede to the Highest Truth, that We do not exist.. Only, Pure Awareness Exists.. and this we call God............namaste, thomas
The Absolute...
You are already merged with the Absolute but your belief that you are a separate ego prevents you from knowing this.. this is why the death of the ego is necessary to enter Reality.. you must willingly surrender the ego to the Absolute to Realise that You are the Absolute.. There is Nothing that is not the Absolute.. you must commit ego suicide and become Nothing.. this is the only method to Realise that You are Everything.. After the death of the body, You as Spirit will be drawn to the level of Consciousness that you have attained and for the few that have Realised, Who, They Are, They have reached the highest level of Consciousness of Light and Love... There is a higher level than this, known as Pure Awareness, but, this path will be traveled when You Realise that You are Light and Love....................... namaste, thomas
Merging...
Why be afraid of this declaration: that the final goal is to merge in the Absolute? Is it because it promises the same as death--annihilation? Yet whenever deep sleep is entered this merger happens. The ego with its thoughts, desires, and agitations, is gone; the world, with its relativities, is no more. Time, space, form, memory are lost. Yet all reappears next morning. So it is not a real death. It is pure Being. Meditation tries to reproduce this condition, to achieve a return to deep sleep but with the added factor of awareness. In the final phase--Nirvikalpa Samadhi--it succeeds. Man dissolves but his divine Source remains as the residue, as what he always and basically was. This is why philosophy includes meditation. — Notebooks Category 4: Elementary Meditation > Chapter 1: Preparatory > # 199....Paul Brunton
Rumi...
Jelaluddin Rumi (1207-1273 ce) saint and mystic, inspiration for the Mevlevi Order of the whirling dervishes, highly revered for the great Mathnawi which is a grand tribute to the depth of spiritual life.
The Jesus of your spirit is inside you now.
Ask that one for help, but don't ask for body-things...
Don't ask Moses for provisions
that you can get from Pharaoh.
Don't worry so much about livelihood.
Your livelihood will turn out as it should.
Be constantly occupied instead
with listening to God.
Rumi, Mathnawi II:450-454
~~
Listen for the stream
that tells you one thing.
Die on this bank.
Begin in me
the way of rivers with the sea.
Rumi - Coleman Barks - from "Say I Am You"
~~
You've no idea how hard I've looked for a gift to bring You.
Nothing seemed right.
What's the point of bringing gold to the gold mine, or water to the Ocean.
Everything I came up with was like taking spices to the Orient.
It's no good giving my heart and my soul because you already have these.
So- I've brought you a mirror.
Look at yourself and remember me.
- Jalaluddin Rumi, Essential Rumi, Coleman Barks, pg141
~~
Longing is the core of mystery.
Longing itself brings the cure.
The only rule is, Suffer the pain.
Your desire must be disciplined,
and what you want to happen
in time, sacrificed.
Rumi - The Essential Rumi - Coleman Barks
~~
The Jesus of your spirit is inside you now.
Ask that one for help, but don't ask for body-things...
Don't ask Moses for provisions
that you can get from Pharaoh.
Don't worry so much about livelihood.
Your livelihood will turn out as it should.
Be constantly occupied instead
with listening to God.
Rumi, Mathnawi II:450-454
~~
Listen for the stream
that tells you one thing.
Die on this bank.
Begin in me
the way of rivers with the sea.
Rumi - Coleman Barks - from "Say I Am You"
~~
You've no idea how hard I've looked for a gift to bring You.
Nothing seemed right.
What's the point of bringing gold to the gold mine, or water to the Ocean.
Everything I came up with was like taking spices to the Orient.
It's no good giving my heart and my soul because you already have these.
So- I've brought you a mirror.
Look at yourself and remember me.
- Jalaluddin Rumi, Essential Rumi, Coleman Barks, pg141
~~
Longing is the core of mystery.
Longing itself brings the cure.
The only rule is, Suffer the pain.
Your desire must be disciplined,
and what you want to happen
in time, sacrificed.
Rumi - The Essential Rumi - Coleman Barks
~~
Universes and gods...
I find long-winded stories of the intrigues of different universes and gods to
be just a diversion to keep you from finding the Truth, which is much easier to
understand than all of these "mental shows".. the ego requires a constant
searching for Truth.. as in continual searching, there is no finding.. Stop
wasting your limited time with thoughts that keep you from doing the "Real
Work".. that of understanding the "root cause" of your pain and the ending of
your pain.. If you look far within yourself, You will find the place of
non-existence of ego.. This is the place that we call God, and is Recognised by
the Total feeling of Love............... namaste, thomas
be just a diversion to keep you from finding the Truth, which is much easier to
understand than all of these "mental shows".. the ego requires a constant
searching for Truth.. as in continual searching, there is no finding.. Stop
wasting your limited time with thoughts that keep you from doing the "Real
Work".. that of understanding the "root cause" of your pain and the ending of
your pain.. If you look far within yourself, You will find the place of
non-existence of ego.. This is the place that we call God, and is Recognised by
the Total feeling of Love............... namaste, thomas
Victors nor Victims...
As long as you believe that you're a separate
ego, the Universe will hold you personally
responsible for absolutely everything that you
think, feel, say and do.
In life, there are neither victors nor victims.
If you're an adult and are still feeing emotionally
victimized by others, then you're in an uncon-
scious co-conspiracy with them to be victimized.
In short, others will tend to sell what you will tend
to buy.
- Chuck Hillig
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Seeds for the Soul
Chuck Hillig
Black Dot Publications, 2003
ego, the Universe will hold you personally
responsible for absolutely everything that you
think, feel, say and do.
In life, there are neither victors nor victims.
If you're an adult and are still feeing emotionally
victimized by others, then you're in an uncon-
scious co-conspiracy with them to be victimized.
In short, others will tend to sell what you will tend
to buy.
- Chuck Hillig
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Seeds for the Soul
Chuck Hillig
Black Dot Publications, 2003
What are you looking for?...
you are looking for what all of us are looking for... The Truth.. The Truth is that life is a three dimensional hologram that is produced by Thought.. the five senses tell us that this image is real by firing electrons within our brains to stimulate this experience of reality.. but, when we move beyond the mind, We enter Reality.. without the five senses to experience the illusion, We find Reality, which needs no senses.. The Love that you feel for your family and friends is the state of unselfishness or non-ego.. this is felt for a short time while complete Unconditional Love is felt forever.. the wall between Unconditional Love (God) and You is "you".. This is why it is so important to Realise "You".......... namaste, thomas
To Need and Crave...
Your love has wrested me away from me,
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
Day and night I burn, gripped by agony,
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
I find no great joy in being alive,
If I cease to exist, I would not grieve,
The only solace I have is your love,
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
Lovers yearn for you, but your love slays them,
At the bottom of the sea it lays them,
It has God's images-it displays them;
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
Let me drink the wine of love sip by sip,
Like Mecnun, live in the hills in hardship,
Day and night, care for you holds me in its grip,
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
Even if, at the end, they make me die
And scatter my ashes up to the sky,
My pit would break into this outcry:
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
"Yunus Emre the mystic" is my name,
Each passing day fans and rouses my flame,
What I desire in both worlds in the same:
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
...... Yunus Emre
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
Day and night I burn, gripped by agony,
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
I find no great joy in being alive,
If I cease to exist, I would not grieve,
The only solace I have is your love,
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
Lovers yearn for you, but your love slays them,
At the bottom of the sea it lays them,
It has God's images-it displays them;
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
Let me drink the wine of love sip by sip,
Like Mecnun, live in the hills in hardship,
Day and night, care for you holds me in its grip,
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
Even if, at the end, they make me die
And scatter my ashes up to the sky,
My pit would break into this outcry:
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
"Yunus Emre the mystic" is my name,
Each passing day fans and rouses my flame,
What I desire in both worlds in the same:
You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.
...... Yunus Emre
"you must die, to be Born"...
The meaning of the willingness to end your life right now is that to enter
Reality (Enlightenment), you must be completely willing to not exist anymore..
this 'you' that I am speaking of is the belief that you are the separate ego..
this act of ego suicide is necessary for Freedom and Knowledge.. eventually,
through many lives, all of us will reach this stage........... namaste, thomas
Reality (Enlightenment), you must be completely willing to not exist anymore..
this 'you' that I am speaking of is the belief that you are the separate ego..
this act of ego suicide is necessary for Freedom and Knowledge.. eventually,
through many lives, all of us will reach this stage........... namaste, thomas
God as the only Reality...
"The soul gets deeply stuck in the ignorance of being the same as the physical
body due to sanskaric limitations of consciousness; and its knowledge of the
Reality, therefore, necessarily gets restricted to that which is given in
sense-perception or that which is inferred from it. But such knowledge is, in
fact, quite inadequate and even misleading in respect of the true nature of
Reality. The manifold world of sense-perception (with its duality of subject and
object) is false, though it seems to be quite real to those whose understanding
is vitiated by identification with the body. From the point of view of the
highest and the only Truth, God alone is real and is one eternal, indivisible
and unlimited Being which may, for the purposes of intellectual understanding,
be described as an Infinite Ocean of Love, Bliss and Understanding.
The realization of God, as He is, necessarily requires the complete
surrenderance of the false individuality of the separate 'I'. All separateness
and duality is only illusion: and this illusion is sustained by the sanskaras
(impressions) of the Ego-life which expresses itself through Lust, Hate and
Greed. But through the pure life of selfless Love and Service and through the
Grace of a God-realized Master, it is possible to brush away these limiting
sanskaras and by transcending the illusory veil of separateness to know oneself
to be identical with God which is the sole Reality. This God-realization, which
comes on the seventh plane of consciousness is the goal of all life; it is the
final reason why the entire universe came into existence.
God-realization is, sometimes mistakenly thought to be a selfish purpose of the
limited individual. There is no room for any selfishness or limited
individuality in God-realization. On the contrary, God-realization is the final
aim of the limited and narrow life of the separate ego. It not only consists in
the attainment by the individual of an inviolable unity with all Life, but it
also dynamically expresses this final realization of the Truth through a
spontaneous and undivided life of Love, Peace and Harmony. The life of the
God-realised Master is a pure blessing to all humanity."
Meher Baba
Messages Of Meher Baba, pp. 66-67, ed. Adi K. Irani
body due to sanskaric limitations of consciousness; and its knowledge of the
Reality, therefore, necessarily gets restricted to that which is given in
sense-perception or that which is inferred from it. But such knowledge is, in
fact, quite inadequate and even misleading in respect of the true nature of
Reality. The manifold world of sense-perception (with its duality of subject and
object) is false, though it seems to be quite real to those whose understanding
is vitiated by identification with the body. From the point of view of the
highest and the only Truth, God alone is real and is one eternal, indivisible
and unlimited Being which may, for the purposes of intellectual understanding,
be described as an Infinite Ocean of Love, Bliss and Understanding.
The realization of God, as He is, necessarily requires the complete
surrenderance of the false individuality of the separate 'I'. All separateness
and duality is only illusion: and this illusion is sustained by the sanskaras
(impressions) of the Ego-life which expresses itself through Lust, Hate and
Greed. But through the pure life of selfless Love and Service and through the
Grace of a God-realized Master, it is possible to brush away these limiting
sanskaras and by transcending the illusory veil of separateness to know oneself
to be identical with God which is the sole Reality. This God-realization, which
comes on the seventh plane of consciousness is the goal of all life; it is the
final reason why the entire universe came into existence.
God-realization is, sometimes mistakenly thought to be a selfish purpose of the
limited individual. There is no room for any selfishness or limited
individuality in God-realization. On the contrary, God-realization is the final
aim of the limited and narrow life of the separate ego. It not only consists in
the attainment by the individual of an inviolable unity with all Life, but it
also dynamically expresses this final realization of the Truth through a
spontaneous and undivided life of Love, Peace and Harmony. The life of the
God-realised Master is a pure blessing to all humanity."
Meher Baba
Messages Of Meher Baba, pp. 66-67, ed. Adi K. Irani
Concentration...
When the mind and body are restless, nothing in life can be accomplished.
Success is the result of control.
Bowl of Saki, November 12, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
When a person allows himself to be disturbed, that shows that his concentration
is not good. And if his concentration is not good, that shows that his will
power fails him. The best way, therefore, to protect oneself from disturbance is
to develop the power of concentration, so that the will power develops naturally
and one is able to withstand all the disturbances which arise when one has to
live in the midst of the crowd.
Independence is achieved by indifference. It does not mean that one should take
no heed of what anyone does or says; it only means one should discriminate
between important and unimportant things of everyday life; that every necessary
and unnecessary thing should not demand so much of one's attention, thought, and
feeling. Political economy has become a subject of education, but spiritual
economy is the main thing in religion. All one says and does and all that one
thinks and feels puts a certain strain upon one's spirit. It is wise to avoid
every risk of losing one's equilibrium. One must stand peacefully but firmly
before all influences that disturb one's life. The natural inclination is to
answer in defense to every offense that comes from outside, but in that way one
loses one's equilibrium. Self-control, therefore, is the key to all success and
happiness.
Another sign of progress is that, at times, one begins to feel peaceful. This
may increase so much that a restful feeling comes in the heart. One might be in
the solitude, but even if one is in a crowd, one still feels restful. Life in
the world is most exciting; it has a tiring effect upon a sensitive person. When
one is restless, the conditions in life can make one experience the greatest
discomfort, for there is no greater pain than restlessness. If there is any
remedy for the lack of peace, it is spiritual progress. Once peace is developed
in a soul, that soul feels such a great power and has such a great influence
upon those who approach it and upon all upsetting conditions and jarring
influences coming from all sides. Just as water makes the dust settle down, so
all jarring influences settle down under the feet of the peaceful.
Success is the result of control.
Bowl of Saki, November 12, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
When a person allows himself to be disturbed, that shows that his concentration
is not good. And if his concentration is not good, that shows that his will
power fails him. The best way, therefore, to protect oneself from disturbance is
to develop the power of concentration, so that the will power develops naturally
and one is able to withstand all the disturbances which arise when one has to
live in the midst of the crowd.
Independence is achieved by indifference. It does not mean that one should take
no heed of what anyone does or says; it only means one should discriminate
between important and unimportant things of everyday life; that every necessary
and unnecessary thing should not demand so much of one's attention, thought, and
feeling. Political economy has become a subject of education, but spiritual
economy is the main thing in religion. All one says and does and all that one
thinks and feels puts a certain strain upon one's spirit. It is wise to avoid
every risk of losing one's equilibrium. One must stand peacefully but firmly
before all influences that disturb one's life. The natural inclination is to
answer in defense to every offense that comes from outside, but in that way one
loses one's equilibrium. Self-control, therefore, is the key to all success and
happiness.
Another sign of progress is that, at times, one begins to feel peaceful. This
may increase so much that a restful feeling comes in the heart. One might be in
the solitude, but even if one is in a crowd, one still feels restful. Life in
the world is most exciting; it has a tiring effect upon a sensitive person. When
one is restless, the conditions in life can make one experience the greatest
discomfort, for there is no greater pain than restlessness. If there is any
remedy for the lack of peace, it is spiritual progress. Once peace is developed
in a soul, that soul feels such a great power and has such a great influence
upon those who approach it and upon all upsetting conditions and jarring
influences coming from all sides. Just as water makes the dust settle down, so
all jarring influences settle down under the feet of the peaceful.
Knowledge and Love...
Knowledge and Love are the same... retreating from Knowledge is entrance into ignorance.. Love is the opposite of ignorance.. ignorance is not Knowing Reality.. Both Love and Knowledge are infinite.. Love is the State of Self.. Knowledge is Realization of Self.. but, this comprehension is only the beginning.. there is much more to experience, right up to the state of non-experience................. namaste, thomas
Is God found within religion?...
God can be found anywhere, the testament is found within the many saints that
have found Reality.. we look outward for Something that is Known, inward.. God
is Reality.. Reality is all that there Is. All you have to do is use the five
senses.. and if you really search, you can use more than five.......... namaste,
thomas
have found Reality.. we look outward for Something that is Known, inward.. God
is Reality.. Reality is all that there Is. All you have to do is use the five
senses.. and if you really search, you can use more than five.......... namaste,
thomas
Zen...
The Zen Masters teach that the pure mind is the eternal Buddha - nature. To attain enlightenment, to be aware of one's own Buddha - nature, it is necessary to go beyond our ordinary thoughts. When we are free from our own projections and ideas, we can be aware of the Buddha Reality which is all pervading.
" Confused by thoughts,
we experience duality in life.
Unencumbered by ideas,
the enlightened see the one Reality."
- Hui - Neng
Zen quotes are inherently paradoxical, because the goal of Zen cannot adequately be described in words. Great Zen Masters often appeared to be talking in riddles as they tried to point their students towards their Buddha nature - A consciouness that is all pervading yet eludes our grasp.
" It is present everywhere.
There is nothing it does not contain.
However only those who have previously
planted wisdom - seeds will be able
to continuously see it."
- Dogen
Zen teachings are noted for their compact and terse nature. This is because enlightenment cannot be attained by studying complex scriptures, enlightenment comes through inner practise.
" I have not heard of a single Buddha, past or present,
who has been enlightened by sacred prayers
and scriptures."
- Bassui
" Confused by thoughts,
we experience duality in life.
Unencumbered by ideas,
the enlightened see the one Reality."
- Hui - Neng
Zen quotes are inherently paradoxical, because the goal of Zen cannot adequately be described in words. Great Zen Masters often appeared to be talking in riddles as they tried to point their students towards their Buddha nature - A consciouness that is all pervading yet eludes our grasp.
" It is present everywhere.
There is nothing it does not contain.
However only those who have previously
planted wisdom - seeds will be able
to continuously see it."
- Dogen
Zen teachings are noted for their compact and terse nature. This is because enlightenment cannot be attained by studying complex scriptures, enlightenment comes through inner practise.
" I have not heard of a single Buddha, past or present,
who has been enlightened by sacred prayers
and scriptures."
- Bassui
Examine your motivation...
Tell the truth about what you want, what you are seeking under the guise of enlightenment or self-realization. Profoundly examine your motivation: what are you really, seriously intent upon? What you find can be humbling. If you discover pockets of intent that have nothing to do with freedom, truth, or God, then you have a choice to shift attention to freedom. If, in fact, you want to hold on to something a little bit longer in the arenas of power, sex, and survival, if you want to milk a little more pleasure from things, then tell the truth. There is a moment of truth that is profound, where if you truly want freedom, you are willing for your whole life to end right now. You are not waiting another moment. Only truth is important. This is seriousness of intent.
Gangaji
The Diamond in Your Pocket
Sounds True, Inc
2005
Boulder, CO
Gangaji
The Diamond in Your Pocket
Sounds True, Inc
2005
Boulder, CO
' Know Thyself '...
Did 'You'( Divine Consciousness) ever go anywhere?.. 'You' are having a
Dream.. 'You' pretended to separate, so that there would be Intelligent motion
within the Dream.. 'You' pretended so well, that, an ego was imagined..a
separate self experiencing, what is Love and what is not Love.. The Dream is a
mirror of God.. The Dream is an attempt to understand 'You'.. The Dream is a
method to Know separation and non-separation, which is called non-Love (ego) and
Love (non-ego).. The reason that 'You' Dream is to "Know Thyself"...........
namaste, thomas
Dream.. 'You' pretended to separate, so that there would be Intelligent motion
within the Dream.. 'You' pretended so well, that, an ego was imagined..a
separate self experiencing, what is Love and what is not Love.. The Dream is a
mirror of God.. The Dream is an attempt to understand 'You'.. The Dream is a
method to Know separation and non-separation, which is called non-Love (ego) and
Love (non-ego).. The reason that 'You' Dream is to "Know Thyself"...........
namaste, thomas
Predestination...
All sensation is Thought called Divine Consciousness.. These sensations can change according to our beliefs.. this is how a hypnotist can convince you to feel sensations that are not real.. predestination is just another word for Karma.. You must experience all effects of that which You have caused.. as Jesus said;" you will reap, what you sow".. To end Karma is to end desire.. desire is the cause of ' cause and effect'.. Desire is the grasping.. Non-desire is the 'Resting' within Reality.. We desire Freedom and yet this duality of seeking something that is already Us, creates a separation.. This is why Realization is so important.. Realization of What We Are is the end of desire.. Of course, while within this 'Dream' of separation and ego, We often fall back into the falsehood of desire and ego.............. namaste, thomas
The Meaning of Life...
We have been trapped within the material worlds for so long that We have convinced Ourselves that We are that which We inhabit.. This could be any 'thing'.. not just the human form, as We take on the forms of life within many planets.. But, eventually, We want to return Home from Our journeys.. The interesting part of returning Home is that We have never left Home.. This is the point of 'Realization".. We 'Realize' that We were just 'Dreaming' of these experiences.. Therefore, It is time to Wake Up!.. It is an actual feeling of Awakening and Being Born at this second of Realization.. This is the 'Door' to Freedom that Jesus said to 'Knock upon'.. But, only 'I' can walk though the Door.. The Dream of separate self is abandoned.. The pain of separation, non-Love, and pain is abandoned.. This is the only reason that We are here.. This is the meaning of life................ namaste, thomas
Awakening...
When, at some point, there is a spontaneous
surrender of the personal needs, preferences,
desires, opinions, and beliefs that function as
reality filters, the realization of your true identity
may spontaneously arise. When this happens
there will be no more questions. You see that
everything is the answer - that the guru is and has
always been completely present. He manifests as
the person, inner voice, or happening that triggers
this surrender. Any way the invitation is extended,
it functions as the guru. It may be silence from a
sage or words from a shopkeeper. The surrender
may come through agony or ecstasy. It can happen
through an apple falling on your head; it can come
from the smile of a child; or it can arise from deep
inside as you walk along a beach at sunset or when
your burn your finger on the stove. At any time, your
sense of separation may dissolve to reveal the One
beyond all duality.
- Leo Hartong
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Awakening to the Dream
Trafford, 2001
surrender of the personal needs, preferences,
desires, opinions, and beliefs that function as
reality filters, the realization of your true identity
may spontaneously arise. When this happens
there will be no more questions. You see that
everything is the answer - that the guru is and has
always been completely present. He manifests as
the person, inner voice, or happening that triggers
this surrender. Any way the invitation is extended,
it functions as the guru. It may be silence from a
sage or words from a shopkeeper. The surrender
may come through agony or ecstasy. It can happen
through an apple falling on your head; it can come
from the smile of a child; or it can arise from deep
inside as you walk along a beach at sunset or when
your burn your finger on the stove. At any time, your
sense of separation may dissolve to reveal the One
beyond all duality.
- Leo Hartong
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Awakening to the Dream
Trafford, 2001
The God that only knows four words...
Every
Child
Has known God,
Not the God of names,
Not the God of don'ts,
Not the God who ever does
Anything weird,
But the God who knows only four words.
And keeps repeating them, saying
"Come Dance with Me."
Come
Dance
- Hafiz
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Gift"
Translations by Daniel Ladinsky
Penguin/Arkana, 1999
Child
Has known God,
Not the God of names,
Not the God of don'ts,
Not the God who ever does
Anything weird,
But the God who knows only four words.
And keeps repeating them, saying
"Come Dance with Me."
Come
Dance
- Hafiz
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Gift"
Translations by Daniel Ladinsky
Penguin/Arkana, 1999
Illness...
It is written, "Physician, heal thyself".. we can give You, no more energy than
You already possess.. We can only continue the motion of Consciousness.. You are
Consciousness.. You are not pain or sickness.. You are riding in this cab of
atoms.. When, you are ready to surrender the desire for anything, you will Truly
be healed.. Exist within this second as Gautama has cautioned, if you wish the
manifestation to be complete.. You are no different than Jesus.. the only
difference is within your mind of failure.. Know that there is no failure within
Reality.. There only Is........... namaste, thomas
You already possess.. We can only continue the motion of Consciousness.. You are
Consciousness.. You are not pain or sickness.. You are riding in this cab of
atoms.. When, you are ready to surrender the desire for anything, you will Truly
be healed.. Exist within this second as Gautama has cautioned, if you wish the
manifestation to be complete.. You are no different than Jesus.. the only
difference is within your mind of failure.. Know that there is no failure within
Reality.. There only Is........... namaste, thomas
"Bowl of Saki'...
Everyone's Pursuit is according to one's evolution.
-- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis:
This means pursuit of pleasure, pursuit of wealth, pursuit of knowledge, pursuit of God, pursuit of love. What is the basis of pursuit? It is that the soul has an unsatisfied longing; no matter what the path in life, where there is pursuit it shows the soul has an unsatisfied longing.
The sage knows the direction his pursuit should take, the average man does not; so the sage comes to satisfaction and finds peace of mind, heart and soul, which are foreign to the natures of the generality.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We start our lives trying to be teachers; it is very hard to learn to be a pupil.
-- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis:
Because being a pupil is not a learning, it is a surrender. Until self is surrendered one cannot learn from another. So long as one holds on to self, the door is shut before all other selves, whether it is the nufs of man, animal, plant, rock, thought of anything in the heavens above or in the earth below.
All this is shut out beyond a certain point. When this nufs is restrained, all vibrations convey to the heart all that the heart needs. This is the beginning of being a pupil, yet after years of meditation and prayer, one does not always attain to the heart condition or sustain it. At the same time, pain or love or sorrow can bring it all in an instant.
nufs...
http://www.rosanna.com/sufiwritings/glossary/glossary.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Untill the heart is empty, it cannot receive the knowledge of God
-- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis:
Now the condition of the heart is this, that it carry nothing. It cannot contain two things, but the unity which it holds in love may be simple or complex, very large or greater than all the universe. This is the explanation of the teaching of Upanishad. In the Upanishads, Atman often means the same as heart-essence, and this heart-essence grasps both great and small, but whatever it holds, it holds nothing else. For that reason Sufis practice heart-concentration, first to restore to the heart its faculty of grasping and then to prepare the heart for grasping that which alone does it good; that is to say, to grasp God, to hold God. All Sufi practices have this object in view.
-- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis:
This means pursuit of pleasure, pursuit of wealth, pursuit of knowledge, pursuit of God, pursuit of love. What is the basis of pursuit? It is that the soul has an unsatisfied longing; no matter what the path in life, where there is pursuit it shows the soul has an unsatisfied longing.
The sage knows the direction his pursuit should take, the average man does not; so the sage comes to satisfaction and finds peace of mind, heart and soul, which are foreign to the natures of the generality.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We start our lives trying to be teachers; it is very hard to learn to be a pupil.
-- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis:
Because being a pupil is not a learning, it is a surrender. Until self is surrendered one cannot learn from another. So long as one holds on to self, the door is shut before all other selves, whether it is the nufs of man, animal, plant, rock, thought of anything in the heavens above or in the earth below.
All this is shut out beyond a certain point. When this nufs is restrained, all vibrations convey to the heart all that the heart needs. This is the beginning of being a pupil, yet after years of meditation and prayer, one does not always attain to the heart condition or sustain it. At the same time, pain or love or sorrow can bring it all in an instant.
nufs...
http://www.rosanna.com/sufiwritings/glossary/glossary.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Untill the heart is empty, it cannot receive the knowledge of God
-- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis:
Now the condition of the heart is this, that it carry nothing. It cannot contain two things, but the unity which it holds in love may be simple or complex, very large or greater than all the universe. This is the explanation of the teaching of Upanishad. In the Upanishads, Atman often means the same as heart-essence, and this heart-essence grasps both great and small, but whatever it holds, it holds nothing else. For that reason Sufis practice heart-concentration, first to restore to the heart its faculty of grasping and then to prepare the heart for grasping that which alone does it good; that is to say, to grasp God, to hold God. All Sufi practices have this object in view.
The Play...
Life itself is a Play.. this is the same word that we use for interaction and unification of souls.. the play of children and the play of adults.. the play of children is motion.. the play of adults is within the mind.. humor and drama, the dualities of emotion..it is but play... when the bell rings and the school yard is empty, the play ends and the mind continues........... namaste, thomas
Rasakhan...
Rasakhan (ca. 1534–1619) arrived at Vraja as a Muslim. Captivated by a beautiful black cowherd boy singing about Krishna’s beauty and pastimes, he remained there, absorbed. Rasakhan did not change his Persian name, for his meditations and songs truly reflected that his heart was a storehouse (khan) of rasa. Living in Vraja as a great saint of the Vallabha-sampradaya path, his samadhi astonishingly was based in Muslim tradition. When the innate yearning of the soul finds its object, the Lord, love of God can grow very easily. Love of the beloved Lord is not dependent upon society or religion but transcends all conventional and worldly boundaries to enter in great longing and inner loving passion for a pure and joyful realm, the abode of the divine soul.
A Worthy Mood
Your vitality is real when God is pleased with it.
Beauty is true when it delights Him.
A head has value when it bows at His feet, and a heart is a heart if it touches Him.
The best milk is milked by Krishna. Curds are exalted when served by Him.
What else can Rasakhan say? The mood is worthy if it pleases Him.
The Unfathomable
The gods Sesh, Ganesh, Mahesh, Suresh, and Dinesh constantly sing of Him
Who is beginningless, endless, unlimited, indestructible, void of differences, and revealed in the Vedas.
Narada, Sukha, and Vyasa are exhausted from searching for Him. They can never fathom His limits.
Yet, the dairymaids of Vrindavana can make Him dance—
for a sip of buttermilk from the palm of their hands!
A Lucky Crow
Syam is stunning, with a lovely braid.
He is covered with the dust of Vrindavana.
As He plays, runs about, and snacks in the courtyard, His anklebells jingle.
He is adorned with a yellow sash.
Rasakhan says, "Seeing that beauty, I discard useless Cupid and His million charms.
O friend, how lucky is that crow who snatched a buttered bread from my Krishna’s hand!".................... from www.saranagati.net
A Worthy Mood
Your vitality is real when God is pleased with it.
Beauty is true when it delights Him.
A head has value when it bows at His feet, and a heart is a heart if it touches Him.
The best milk is milked by Krishna. Curds are exalted when served by Him.
What else can Rasakhan say? The mood is worthy if it pleases Him.
The Unfathomable
The gods Sesh, Ganesh, Mahesh, Suresh, and Dinesh constantly sing of Him
Who is beginningless, endless, unlimited, indestructible, void of differences, and revealed in the Vedas.
Narada, Sukha, and Vyasa are exhausted from searching for Him. They can never fathom His limits.
Yet, the dairymaids of Vrindavana can make Him dance—
for a sip of buttermilk from the palm of their hands!
A Lucky Crow
Syam is stunning, with a lovely braid.
He is covered with the dust of Vrindavana.
As He plays, runs about, and snacks in the courtyard, His anklebells jingle.
He is adorned with a yellow sash.
Rasakhan says, "Seeing that beauty, I discard useless Cupid and His million charms.
O friend, how lucky is that crow who snatched a buttered bread from my Krishna’s hand!".................... from www.saranagati.net
Unresolved issues...
You will unconsciously attract into your life
those people and situations which will likely
stimulate the unresolved issues of your childhood.
Life condemns you to repeat whatever it is that
you didn't find the courage to fully complete.
In short, all of your past incompletions in life will
always keep showing up for you.
As somebody once said, "The past isn't over. In
fact, it isn't even past."
- Chuck Hillig
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Seeds for the Soul
Chuck Hillig
Black Dot Publications, 2003
those people and situations which will likely
stimulate the unresolved issues of your childhood.
Life condemns you to repeat whatever it is that
you didn't find the courage to fully complete.
In short, all of your past incompletions in life will
always keep showing up for you.
As somebody once said, "The past isn't over. In
fact, it isn't even past."
- Chuck Hillig
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Seeds for the Soul
Chuck Hillig
Black Dot Publications, 2003
Words from Gautama the Buddha...
Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.
The thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as the deed. The deed develops into habit. And the habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care. And let it spring from love, born out of concern for all beings.
Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.
Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine.
Look within, thou art the Buddha.
Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings -- that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.
A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden.
Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.
The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.
The thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as the deed. The deed develops into habit. And the habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care. And let it spring from love, born out of concern for all beings.
Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.
Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine.
Look within, thou art the Buddha.
Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings -- that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.
A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden.
Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.
The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.
Knowledge...
"Great knowledge is broad and encompassing
Small knowledge is detailed and meticulous
Great talk is powerful and forceful
Small talk is endless and argumentative"
~ Chang Tzu ~
Small knowledge is detailed and meticulous
Great talk is powerful and forceful
Small talk is endless and argumentative"
~ Chang Tzu ~
Personal identity...
Personal identity is nothing more than an
identification between the mind and the
image which it has about itself, an image
which is really an abstract of memories of
events in the past. Indeed, it is this censored
and edited imaginary abstract that is considered
to be an individual!
- Ramesh S. Balsekar
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"A Net of Jewels"
Ramesh S. Balsekar
Advaita Press, 1996
identification between the mind and the
image which it has about itself, an image
which is really an abstract of memories of
events in the past. Indeed, it is this censored
and edited imaginary abstract that is considered
to be an individual!
- Ramesh S. Balsekar
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"A Net of Jewels"
Ramesh S. Balsekar
Advaita Press, 1996
The Absolute...
"No mind, no form, I only exist;
Now ceased all will and thought;
The final end of Nature's dance,
I am it whom I have sought.
A realm of Bliss bare, ultimate;
Beyond both knower and known;
A rest immense I enjoy at last;
I face the One alone.
I have crossed the secret ways of life,
I have become the Goal.
The Truth immutable is revealed;
I am the way, the God Soul.
My spirit aware of all the heights,
I am mute in the core of the Sun.
I barter nothing with time and deeds;
My cosmic play is done."
Sri Chinmoy (1931 - 2007)
http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/C/Chinmoy/Absolute.htm
Now ceased all will and thought;
The final end of Nature's dance,
I am it whom I have sought.
A realm of Bliss bare, ultimate;
Beyond both knower and known;
A rest immense I enjoy at last;
I face the One alone.
I have crossed the secret ways of life,
I have become the Goal.
The Truth immutable is revealed;
I am the way, the God Soul.
My spirit aware of all the heights,
I am mute in the core of the Sun.
I barter nothing with time and deeds;
My cosmic play is done."
Sri Chinmoy (1931 - 2007)
http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/C/Chinmoy/Absolute.htm
The Tree of Love...
The tree of love its roots hath spread
Deep in my heart, and rears its head;
Rich are its fruits: they joy dispense;
Transport the heart, and ravish sense.
In love's sweet swoon to thee I cleave,
Bless'd source of love . . . ,
- St. Francis of Asissi, Into Love's Furnace I am Cast.
Deep in my heart, and rears its head;
Rich are its fruits: they joy dispense;
Transport the heart, and ravish sense.
In love's sweet swoon to thee I cleave,
Bless'd source of love . . . ,
- St. Francis of Asissi, Into Love's Furnace I am Cast.
Poetry...
Poetry is the language of choice for mystics in all traditions.
If you want to speak of the ineffable and the essential, there is no better medium than poetry. Poetry is the language of the spirit and the soul, not of the discursive mind. It compresses the lived truth of the poet’s experience into a beauty and wisdom that can slip under the skin of the reader and enter their bloodstream. When you don’t know what to say you cry out, and those cries are the beginning of poetry. They are the language informed not only by the mind but by the body and heart as well. Poetry is the language of choice for mystics in all traditions who have tried to communicate their insights and experiences for the benefit of those who will listen.
Poems from the Christian mystical experience is for lovers of God everywhere, because lovers of God are everywhere, whatever their race or creed may be. The mystics among us of any religion or none, put their faith less in external belief systems or dogma than in the more interior, personal experience of God and of existence itself. But the deeper and more interior these spiritual experiences become, the more universal they also tend to be, expressions of a common stream that feeds humanity and all its religions everywhere, no matter how different we may appear on the surface. That stream emerges in every tradition as the language of silence beyond thought, of longing and ecstasy, of a wisdom that can see beyond the limitations of forms and beyond language itself. Ultimately, it emerges in a celebration of union—the union on this earth and in this body of the human with the divine. This is the true spiritual marriage, the consummation of love that in one way or another is the aim of every ritual and every practice in every religion.
Mysticism and its contemplative practices continue to exist in Christianity, as in every religious tradition, because they represent the intrinsic human desire to return to the source of our humanity. As Saint Augustine said in The City of God, “we must fly to our beloved homeland. There the Father is, and there is everything.”
“May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day with dreams, possibiities, and promises.
May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.
May you go into the night blessed, sheltered, and protected.
May your soul calm, console, and renew you.”
— John O’Donohue
Excerpted from For Lovers of God Everywhere: Poems of the Christian Mystics by Roger Housden.
If you want to speak of the ineffable and the essential, there is no better medium than poetry. Poetry is the language of the spirit and the soul, not of the discursive mind. It compresses the lived truth of the poet’s experience into a beauty and wisdom that can slip under the skin of the reader and enter their bloodstream. When you don’t know what to say you cry out, and those cries are the beginning of poetry. They are the language informed not only by the mind but by the body and heart as well. Poetry is the language of choice for mystics in all traditions who have tried to communicate their insights and experiences for the benefit of those who will listen.
Poems from the Christian mystical experience is for lovers of God everywhere, because lovers of God are everywhere, whatever their race or creed may be. The mystics among us of any religion or none, put their faith less in external belief systems or dogma than in the more interior, personal experience of God and of existence itself. But the deeper and more interior these spiritual experiences become, the more universal they also tend to be, expressions of a common stream that feeds humanity and all its religions everywhere, no matter how different we may appear on the surface. That stream emerges in every tradition as the language of silence beyond thought, of longing and ecstasy, of a wisdom that can see beyond the limitations of forms and beyond language itself. Ultimately, it emerges in a celebration of union—the union on this earth and in this body of the human with the divine. This is the true spiritual marriage, the consummation of love that in one way or another is the aim of every ritual and every practice in every religion.
Mysticism and its contemplative practices continue to exist in Christianity, as in every religious tradition, because they represent the intrinsic human desire to return to the source of our humanity. As Saint Augustine said in The City of God, “we must fly to our beloved homeland. There the Father is, and there is everything.”
“May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day with dreams, possibiities, and promises.
May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.
May you go into the night blessed, sheltered, and protected.
May your soul calm, console, and renew you.”
— John O’Donohue
Excerpted from For Lovers of God Everywhere: Poems of the Christian Mystics by Roger Housden.
King of the Gnostics...
Sheikh Sultan Bahu (1628 - 1691 ce) belonged to the Qadiri Order of Sufis and is known by the title of Sultan-ul-Arifin (king of the Gnostics). Born in the Soon Valley, he wrote in both Persian and Punjabi, and is regarded as one of the most prominent Sufi poets of the Indo-Pak subcontinent.
Those who have not realized God will wander,
homeless in this world, destitute in the next.
But watch the lovers dance with ecstasy,
as they merge into the oneness of God [Allah].
~~
The river of oneness has surged,
quenching the thirst of the deserts and wastelands.
If you don't nurture God's love in your heart,
you will be dry and parched like those deserts.
~~
The Lord is an ocean of oneness
in which lovers swim as they please, free of care.
In their own turn, they appear in the world
to dive deep into that ocean, to gather pearls.
Among the pearls is a gem --
unique in value, unmatched in lustre --
that shines like the moon.
We are all in the employ of the Lord, O Bahu;
let us pay homage to him through our prayers.
Sultan Bahu, translated by J.R. Puri and K.S. Khak
Those who have not realized God will wander,
homeless in this world, destitute in the next.
But watch the lovers dance with ecstasy,
as they merge into the oneness of God [Allah].
~~
The river of oneness has surged,
quenching the thirst of the deserts and wastelands.
If you don't nurture God's love in your heart,
you will be dry and parched like those deserts.
~~
The Lord is an ocean of oneness
in which lovers swim as they please, free of care.
In their own turn, they appear in the world
to dive deep into that ocean, to gather pearls.
Among the pearls is a gem --
unique in value, unmatched in lustre --
that shines like the moon.
We are all in the employ of the Lord, O Bahu;
let us pay homage to him through our prayers.
Sultan Bahu, translated by J.R. Puri and K.S. Khak
Ralph Waldo Emerson...
The Spiritual Teachings of Ralph Waldo Emerson
In the first half of the 19th century Ralph Waldo Emerson was part of a small group of forward thinking Unitarian ministers who were ushering in an exciting wave of “new thought” that they later called Transcendentalism. In the end even the liberal thinking Unitarian Church was too constrictive for Emerson. He left the ministry only to emerge as one of the greatest spiritual figures ever produced by the United States. Over his lifetime he developed his own ideas and gathered an intellectual circle around him that is arguably the greatest collection of progressive thinkers ever assembled on American soil.
Emerson’s ability to inspire genius in others was fueled by his own profound spiritual vision. To Emerson all human beings emerged from a single source that he called “The Over-Soul”. In his 1841 essay of the same name he described it as, “that great nature in which we rest, as the earth lies in the soft arms of the atmosphere; that Unity, that Over-soul, within which every man’s particular being is contained and made one with all other…”
Our ordinary experience of being human Emerson referred to as “What we commonly call man, the eating, drinking, planting, counting man…” He saw this as a misrepresentation of what we truly are – a misrepresentation that forces us to “live in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related; the eternal ONE.” In our moments of divine revelation, intuition and insight we experience the direct knowing of the deeper “impersonal” soul of humanity. And in regards to this sense of self he taught that if “…(we) let it appear through (our) action, (it) would make our knees bend. When it breathes through (our) intellect, it is genius; when it breathes through (our) will, it is virtue; when it flows through (our) affection, it is love.” This recognition that human beings have two aspects of self anticipates a theme that is central to Andrew Cohen’s contemporary work today almost two centuries later.
Most Americans know of Emerson mainly through his nature writings and his relentless promotion of non-conformity and authenticity. In his most celebrated essay, “Self-reliance” Emerson says, “What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think.” Later he adds, “Speak what you think now in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said to-day.”
Assertions like these have lead some to mistakenly assume that Emerson’s teaching was nothing more than a rugged form of individualism or an extreme variety of self-assertion. In fact one of the main criticisms levied against Emerson was the charge that he was promoting a reckless form of self-aggrandizement and egotism. A broader reading of Emerson’s work reveals the deeper and more demanding nature of what he meant by self-reliance. The self that he was calling people to was “…the aboriginal Self, on which a universal reliance may be grounded.” This aboriginal self was the Over-Soul.
Emerson’s teaching of Self-Reliance revolved around a shift in personal allegiance from the will of our more “common” sense of self to that of the Over-Soul. To Emerson the will of this deeper more transcendent Self was heard through the “involuntary” perceptions of intuition, instinct and deep spiritual revelation. These modes of knowing were not limited by the knowledge contained in our minds and memories and Emerson considered the truths that came from them to be self-evident needing no act of deduction to prove their validity. A similar fundamental shift in identity would later become a central feature of Evolutionary Enlightenment.
Emerson recognized that because we have two senses of self, one superficial and individual, and one profound and universal, our ability to act according to the wisdom of the Over-Soul rests on our ability to distinguish between these two aspects of who we are. As he explains, “Every man discriminates between the voluntary acts of his mind, and his involuntary perceptions, and knows that to his involuntary perceptions a perfect faith is due. He may err in the expression of them, but he knows that these things are so, like day and night, not to be disputed”
Emersonian thinking has exerted a tremendous force on the shape and development of the American psyche. It acts like a strong and constant undercurrent in consciousness that reaches through time and pulls everything in its direction. Andrew Cohen, in spite of having little firsthand knowledge of Emerson’s work, could not have avoided its influence.
........ from evolutionaryphilosophy.com
In the first half of the 19th century Ralph Waldo Emerson was part of a small group of forward thinking Unitarian ministers who were ushering in an exciting wave of “new thought” that they later called Transcendentalism. In the end even the liberal thinking Unitarian Church was too constrictive for Emerson. He left the ministry only to emerge as one of the greatest spiritual figures ever produced by the United States. Over his lifetime he developed his own ideas and gathered an intellectual circle around him that is arguably the greatest collection of progressive thinkers ever assembled on American soil.
Emerson’s ability to inspire genius in others was fueled by his own profound spiritual vision. To Emerson all human beings emerged from a single source that he called “The Over-Soul”. In his 1841 essay of the same name he described it as, “that great nature in which we rest, as the earth lies in the soft arms of the atmosphere; that Unity, that Over-soul, within which every man’s particular being is contained and made one with all other…”
Our ordinary experience of being human Emerson referred to as “What we commonly call man, the eating, drinking, planting, counting man…” He saw this as a misrepresentation of what we truly are – a misrepresentation that forces us to “live in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related; the eternal ONE.” In our moments of divine revelation, intuition and insight we experience the direct knowing of the deeper “impersonal” soul of humanity. And in regards to this sense of self he taught that if “…(we) let it appear through (our) action, (it) would make our knees bend. When it breathes through (our) intellect, it is genius; when it breathes through (our) will, it is virtue; when it flows through (our) affection, it is love.” This recognition that human beings have two aspects of self anticipates a theme that is central to Andrew Cohen’s contemporary work today almost two centuries later.
Most Americans know of Emerson mainly through his nature writings and his relentless promotion of non-conformity and authenticity. In his most celebrated essay, “Self-reliance” Emerson says, “What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think.” Later he adds, “Speak what you think now in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said to-day.”
Assertions like these have lead some to mistakenly assume that Emerson’s teaching was nothing more than a rugged form of individualism or an extreme variety of self-assertion. In fact one of the main criticisms levied against Emerson was the charge that he was promoting a reckless form of self-aggrandizement and egotism. A broader reading of Emerson’s work reveals the deeper and more demanding nature of what he meant by self-reliance. The self that he was calling people to was “…the aboriginal Self, on which a universal reliance may be grounded.” This aboriginal self was the Over-Soul.
Emerson’s teaching of Self-Reliance revolved around a shift in personal allegiance from the will of our more “common” sense of self to that of the Over-Soul. To Emerson the will of this deeper more transcendent Self was heard through the “involuntary” perceptions of intuition, instinct and deep spiritual revelation. These modes of knowing were not limited by the knowledge contained in our minds and memories and Emerson considered the truths that came from them to be self-evident needing no act of deduction to prove their validity. A similar fundamental shift in identity would later become a central feature of Evolutionary Enlightenment.
Emerson recognized that because we have two senses of self, one superficial and individual, and one profound and universal, our ability to act according to the wisdom of the Over-Soul rests on our ability to distinguish between these two aspects of who we are. As he explains, “Every man discriminates between the voluntary acts of his mind, and his involuntary perceptions, and knows that to his involuntary perceptions a perfect faith is due. He may err in the expression of them, but he knows that these things are so, like day and night, not to be disputed”
Emersonian thinking has exerted a tremendous force on the shape and development of the American psyche. It acts like a strong and constant undercurrent in consciousness that reaches through time and pulls everything in its direction. Andrew Cohen, in spite of having little firsthand knowledge of Emerson’s work, could not have avoided its influence.
........ from evolutionaryphilosophy.com
The Desire for Love...
Why does every human seek Love?.. Why do even the evil humans seek Love?.. They seek it through friends,spouse,children, relatives,pets, etc... What are they looking for?.. The answer is of course, Happiness!.. In their Consciousness, they know that Love is Happiness.. They have just not connected the dots to find that Love is the absence of ego.. They have been convinced by the ego that desires of the ego such as power, wealth, social status, and the state of egotism is Happiness.. But, eventually through many lives of ego pain, they start to search for Happiness that does not contain pain.. Even, the evil that was adolf hitler was found in the very end of his life,to reach for Love.. his last act was to show and feel Love for his mistress by marrying her.. Love will always win in the end and always will conquer ego........... namaste, thomas
Nonduality...
The state of nonduality is a state of intense peace and perfect balance. It is so peaceful because everything is seen as it belongs--to the eternal order of cosmic evolution; hence, all is accepted, all reconciled.
.... Paul Brunton
.... Paul Brunton
Enlightenment...
Only Reality can enter Reality.. the illusion is a dream and cannot enter
Reality.. the ego is only an illusion of the "play" and the characters change
according to our desires for learning..........namaste, thomas
Reality.. the ego is only an illusion of the "play" and the characters change
according to our desires for learning..........namaste, thomas
Shakespeare quotes...
A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.
A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age.
A peace is of the nature of a conquest; for then both parties nobly are subdued, and neither party loser.
Absence from those we love is self from self - a deadly banishment.
Alas, I am a woman friendless, hopeless!
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
An overflow of good converts to bad.
And oftentimes excusing of a fault doth make the fault the worse by the excuse.
And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.
As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.
As he was valiant, I honour him. But as he was ambitious, I slew him.
As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words.
Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.
Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.
Boldness be my friend.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
But men are men; the best sometimes forget.
But O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man's eyes.
A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age.
A peace is of the nature of a conquest; for then both parties nobly are subdued, and neither party loser.
Absence from those we love is self from self - a deadly banishment.
Alas, I am a woman friendless, hopeless!
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
An overflow of good converts to bad.
And oftentimes excusing of a fault doth make the fault the worse by the excuse.
And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.
As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.
As he was valiant, I honour him. But as he was ambitious, I slew him.
As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words.
Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.
Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.
Boldness be my friend.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
But men are men; the best sometimes forget.
But O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man's eyes.
Witness without judgement...
All effort at controlling thoughts, appetites and desires cannot but
strengthen them along with the ego. Whatever has to go must fall off
by itself. All that you are concerned with, all that you are, is the
impersonal functioning of understanding. So let that understanding
work through witnessing without judgement, knowing that there is
nothing else that you can do..........Ramesh S. Balsekar
strengthen them along with the ego. Whatever has to go must fall off
by itself. All that you are concerned with, all that you are, is the
impersonal functioning of understanding. So let that understanding
work through witnessing without judgement, knowing that there is
nothing else that you can do..........Ramesh S. Balsekar
One regret...
One regret, dear world,
That I am determined not to have
When I am lying on my deathbed
Is that
I did not kiss you enough.....
Hafiz
That I am determined not to have
When I am lying on my deathbed
Is that
I did not kiss you enough.....
Hafiz
The door...
How long will you keep pounding on an open door
begging for someone to open it?
Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya
begging for someone to open it?
Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya
Study...
Nature speaks louder than the call from the minaret.
Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
One may ask, what should one study? There are two kinds of studies.
One kind is by reading the teachings of the great thinkers and
keeping them in mind, the study of metaphysics, psychology, and
mysticism. And the other kind of study is the study of life. Every
day one has an opportunity for studying; but it should be a correct
study. When a person travels in a tramcar, in the train, with a
newspaper in his hand, he wants to read the sensational news which is
worth nothing. He should read human nature which is before him,
people coming and going. If he would continue to do this, he would
begin to read human beings as though they were letters written by the
divine pen, which speak of their past and future. He should look
deeply at the heavens and at nature and at all the things to be seen
in everyday life, and reflect upon them with the desire to
understand. This kind of study is much superior, incomparably
superior, to the study of books.
from http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VI/VI_15.htm
Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
One may ask, what should one study? There are two kinds of studies.
One kind is by reading the teachings of the great thinkers and
keeping them in mind, the study of metaphysics, psychology, and
mysticism. And the other kind of study is the study of life. Every
day one has an opportunity for studying; but it should be a correct
study. When a person travels in a tramcar, in the train, with a
newspaper in his hand, he wants to read the sensational news which is
worth nothing. He should read human nature which is before him,
people coming and going. If he would continue to do this, he would
begin to read human beings as though they were letters written by the
divine pen, which speak of their past and future. He should look
deeply at the heavens and at nature and at all the things to be seen
in everyday life, and reflect upon them with the desire to
understand. This kind of study is much superior, incomparably
superior, to the study of books.
from http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VI/VI_15.htm
Seduced by Love...
you ask me
who are you and
with such a shaky
existence how can you
fall in love
how do i know
who am i or where i am
how could a simple wave
locate itself
in an ocean
you ask me
what am i seeking
above and beyond
the pure light
that i once was
and why am i
imprisoned in this cage
named body and
yet i claim to be
a free bird.
how do i know
how i lost my way
i know for sure
i was all straight
before i was
seduced by love.
--Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1995
who are you and
with such a shaky
existence how can you
fall in love
how do i know
who am i or where i am
how could a simple wave
locate itself
in an ocean
you ask me
what am i seeking
above and beyond
the pure light
that i once was
and why am i
imprisoned in this cage
named body and
yet i claim to be
a free bird.
how do i know
how i lost my way
i know for sure
i was all straight
before i was
seduced by love.
--Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1995
Desire...
The state of craving for anything blocks all
deeper experience. Nothing of value can happen
to a mind which knows exactly what it wants.
For nothing the mind can visualize and want is
of much value.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
deeper experience. Nothing of value can happen
to a mind which knows exactly what it wants.
For nothing the mind can visualize and want is
of much value.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
Mind...
We must move from consciousness to its hidden reality, the mind-essence which is alone true consciousness because it shines by its own and not by a borrowed light. When we cease to consider Mind as this or that particular mind but as all-Mind; when we cease to consider Thought as this thought or that but as the common power which makes thinking possible; and when we cease to consider this or that idea as such but as pure Idea, we apprehend the absolute existence through profound insight. Insight, at this stage, has no particular object to be conscious of. In this sense it is a Void. When the personal mind is stripped of its memories and anticipations, when all sense-impressions and thoughts entirely drop away from it, then it enters the realm of empty unnameable Nothingness. It is really a kind of self-contemplation. But this self is not finite and individual, it is cosmic and infinite.
..... Paul Brunton
..... Paul Brunton
Dropping the ego...
I use this term occasionally and therefore should speak more about its' meaning.. The complete dropping of the ego occurs while entering Reality(Enlightenment)..although an identity remains.. this Identity is both the complete Realization that You are Light and Love and the fact that You have this Identity of Divine Consciousness.. from this point on, the real work begins.. that of removing even the Identity of Divine Consciousness.. This is the Door called Nothingness.. This is the State of Pure Awareness.. This is both You and Non-You.. You exist but You are not Aware of Your Self.. This is Pure Love.. To sacrifice Everything even the last desire called Love.. This is the State of Complete Unconditional Love.. A Love that gives and has no desire to take.. This is You!....... namaste, thomas
Ram Tzu speaks...
Ram Tzu know this...
You indulge in
Self improvement
And
All you have to show for it
is an improved self.
- Ram Tzu
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
No Way for the Spiritually "Advanced"
Ram Tzu
Advaita Press, 1990
You indulge in
Self improvement
And
All you have to show for it
is an improved self.
- Ram Tzu
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
No Way for the Spiritually "Advanced"
Ram Tzu
Advaita Press, 1990
The Contemplative...
"The true contemplative is not one who prepares his mind for a particular message that he wants or expects to hear, but is one who remains empty because he knows that he can never expect to anticipate the words that will transform his darkness into light. He does not even anticipate a special kind of transformation. He does not demand light instead of darkness. He waits on the Word of God in silence, and when he is answered it is not so much by a word that bursts into his silence. It is by his silence itself, suddenly, inexplicably revealing itself to him as a word of great power, full of the voice of God."
Father Thomas Merton
Father Thomas Merton
Christs'...
How many people are without the
belief in separate ego?..the answer is, few.. but, with the dissolving of ego,
Love Appears.. the complete question is, "How much Love do you
desire"?............. namaste, thomas
belief in separate ego?..the answer is, few.. but, with the dissolving of ego,
Love Appears.. the complete question is, "How much Love do you
desire"?............. namaste, thomas
The Beloved...
Hazret-i Uftade (1490-1580 ce) Mehmed Muhyiddin Üftade was a widely revered Turkish saint, and founder of the Jelveti order of Sufis who emphasized the return into the midst of society after learning to overcome the lower-self.
If you desire the Beloved, my heart,
Do not cease to pour out lamentations.
Observing His existence, reach annihilation!
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Let tears of blood pour from your eyes
May they emerge hot from the furnace
Say not that he is one of you or one of us
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Let love come that you may have a friend
Your distresses are a torrent
Sweeping you along the way to the Friend
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Take yourself up to the heavens
Meet the angels
And fulfill your desires
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Pass beyond the universe, this [unfurled] carpet
Beyond the pedestal and beyond the throne
That the bringers of good tidings may greet you
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Remove your you from you
Leave behind body and soul
That theophanies may appear
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Pass on, without looking aside
Without your heart pouring forth to another
That you may drink the pure waters
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
If you desire union with the Beloved
Oh Uftade! Find your soul
That the Beloved may appear before you
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
If you desire the Beloved, my heart,
Do not cease to pour out lamentations.
Observing His existence, reach annihilation!
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Let tears of blood pour from your eyes
May they emerge hot from the furnace
Say not that he is one of you or one of us
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Let love come that you may have a friend
Your distresses are a torrent
Sweeping you along the way to the Friend
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Take yourself up to the heavens
Meet the angels
And fulfill your desires
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Pass beyond the universe, this [unfurled] carpet
Beyond the pedestal and beyond the throne
That the bringers of good tidings may greet you
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Remove your you from you
Leave behind body and soul
That theophanies may appear
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
Pass on, without looking aside
Without your heart pouring forth to another
That you may drink the pure waters
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
If you desire union with the Beloved
Oh Uftade! Find your soul
That the Beloved may appear before you
Say “Oh He and You who is He”.
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