THIS IS WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
Please contact Deeya or I if you want to come. We want to keep it small, intimate, and only people we know will be invited.
It will be heavily into energy work, guided meditations, healing, self-inquiry and chanting.
Realizing the Manifest Self--the Life Force permeating our humanity--and the Unmanifest source from which it arises.
31 March 2014
EXTRAORDINARY ROBERT ADAMS TALK:
Robert asks if you are happy. I shout out from the peanut gallery, "No." Henry laughs and Robert says, "That is an honest answer."
He says people are unhappy because they do not know truly who they are. If they did, they would be totally happy.
He also says it is only the mind that keeps you unhappy because it keeps you from the now, and that Now is liberation and happiness.
I agree with the first half of his teaching, but not the second, which is typical neo-advaita.
But then he says the external world is in you. You are it. There is nothing you need from the outside because it is all you.
With this I agree too. Look within deeply and find the Self.
Then he talks about the function of the Guru, bringing you to yourself.
http://siriusink.blogspot.com/
He says people are unhappy because they do not know truly who they are. If they did, they would be totally happy.
He also says it is only the mind that keeps you unhappy because it keeps you from the now, and that Now is liberation and happiness.
I agree with the first half of his teaching, but not the second, which is typical neo-advaita.
But then he says the external world is in you. You are it. There is nothing you need from the outside because it is all you.
With this I agree too. Look within deeply and find the Self.
Then he talks about the function of the Guru, bringing you to yourself.
http://siriusink.blogspot.com/
WORLD COURT TELLS JAPAN TO END WHALING; SEA SHEPHERDS STAND BY IN CASE THEY DON'T
Japan's Controversial Whaling Program Suspended By World Court
AP | by By TOBY STERLING
MORE: Peter Tomka The Hague Antarctica Japan Whaling Program Reuters
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The future of whaling in Japan was thrown into doubt after the International Court of Justice ruled Monday that the nation's annual hunt in the Antarctic was not really for scientific purposes — as Tokyo had claimed — and ordered it halted.
The ruling was a major victory for whaling opponents, as it ends for now one of the world's biggest whale hunts, for minkes in the icy Southern Ocean. The judgment was praised by Australia, which brought the case against Japan in 2010, and by environmentalists, who have been seeking an end to whaling since the 1970s on ethical grounds.
The world court's decision leaves Japan with a tough choice between ending whaling outright — despite past claims that it would never abandon such a deep-seated cultural practice — or redesigning its program to make it a scientific endeavor after all.
Japan has previously all but ruled out joining Norway and Iceland in openly flouting the international consensus against commercial whaling.
Former Australian environment minister Peter Garrett, who oversaw the suit's launch, said he felt vindicated.
"I'm absolutely over the moon, for all those people who wanted to see the charade of scientific whaling cease once and for all," Garrett told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. "I think (this) means without any shadow of a doubt that we won't see the taking of whales in the Southern Ocean in the name of science."
In a 12-4 majority judgment, the U.N. court sided with Australia, finding that Japan's program fell short of following scientific methods. For instance, judges said Japan had given no reason for its target of 850 minke whales annually and often failed to meet the target. It gave no defense of why it needed to kill that many to study them. And the "research" program had produced just two peer-reviewed scientific papers since 2005.
"The court concludes that the special permits granted by Japan for the killing, taking, and treating of whales ... are not 'for purposes of scientific research'," presiding judge Peter Tomka said.
The court ordered Japan to grant no further permits for its current Antarctic program.
Japan had argued its study was aimed at determining whether commercial hunting could be conducted on a sustainable basis.
The International Court of Justice is the U.N.'s court for resolving disputes between nations and its ruling are binding and not subject to appeal. Although sovereign countries can and occasionally do ignore them at times, both Japan and Australia had pledged to abide by this decision.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Monday the government will keep its word and obey the court "as a state that places a great importance on the international legal order."
http://siriusink.blogspot.com/
AP | by By TOBY STERLING
MORE: Peter Tomka The Hague Antarctica Japan Whaling Program Reuters
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The future of whaling in Japan was thrown into doubt after the International Court of Justice ruled Monday that the nation's annual hunt in the Antarctic was not really for scientific purposes — as Tokyo had claimed — and ordered it halted.
The ruling was a major victory for whaling opponents, as it ends for now one of the world's biggest whale hunts, for minkes in the icy Southern Ocean. The judgment was praised by Australia, which brought the case against Japan in 2010, and by environmentalists, who have been seeking an end to whaling since the 1970s on ethical grounds.
The world court's decision leaves Japan with a tough choice between ending whaling outright — despite past claims that it would never abandon such a deep-seated cultural practice — or redesigning its program to make it a scientific endeavor after all.
Japan has previously all but ruled out joining Norway and Iceland in openly flouting the international consensus against commercial whaling.
Former Australian environment minister Peter Garrett, who oversaw the suit's launch, said he felt vindicated.
"I'm absolutely over the moon, for all those people who wanted to see the charade of scientific whaling cease once and for all," Garrett told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. "I think (this) means without any shadow of a doubt that we won't see the taking of whales in the Southern Ocean in the name of science."
In a 12-4 majority judgment, the U.N. court sided with Australia, finding that Japan's program fell short of following scientific methods. For instance, judges said Japan had given no reason for its target of 850 minke whales annually and often failed to meet the target. It gave no defense of why it needed to kill that many to study them. And the "research" program had produced just two peer-reviewed scientific papers since 2005.
"The court concludes that the special permits granted by Japan for the killing, taking, and treating of whales ... are not 'for purposes of scientific research'," presiding judge Peter Tomka said.
The court ordered Japan to grant no further permits for its current Antarctic program.
Japan had argued its study was aimed at determining whether commercial hunting could be conducted on a sustainable basis.
The International Court of Justice is the U.N.'s court for resolving disputes between nations and its ruling are binding and not subject to appeal. Although sovereign countries can and occasionally do ignore them at times, both Japan and Australia had pledged to abide by this decision.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Monday the government will keep its word and obey the court "as a state that places a great importance on the international legal order."
http://siriusink.blogspot.com/
30 March 2014
SATSANG TODAY, SUNDAY MARCH 30, 2 PM CALIFORNIA--10 PM u.k.
GO TO http://satsangwithedji.weebly.com.
Use the password "edji" on two different screens, then sign on with any name you want.
Please mute your microphone.
We will talk about emotional work and spirituality and other topics.
http://siriusink.blogspot.com/
Use the password "edji" on two different screens, then sign on with any name you want.
Please mute your microphone.
We will talk about emotional work and spirituality and other topics.
http://siriusink.blogspot.com/
27 March 2014
The Presence of Swami Chetanananda
When I met Robert Adams in 1989, I was not looking for a teacher. I had had it and was through with all the spiritual bullshit.
I had been with Muktananda, Dhyan Yogi, six Zen masters, met the Dalai Lama, Shakya Tenzin and many other Buddhist teachers from many traditions. I knew Carlos Castaneda from the Anthropology Dept. at UCLA where I worked for a time, and hadbeen with Muktananda for two or three years. I was done, dry, defeated. I had not a clue about anything, espesially the nature of the Self.
Then I met Robert.
The first time I saw him was in a small Satsang of seven people in a micro apartment in Beverly Hills. Watching him and hearing what he said that first time, I went to him after Satsang and said, "Where have you been my entire life?"
I was with Robert for eight years. We were buddies. He said I was not a devotee, but his friend, someone to talk to, to relate to and love as a friend. He said he needed someone to talk to.
Six years after I met him, and after he moved to Sedona, I had two awakening experiences related on my website. The second Robert accepted as awakening, when I saw that Consciousness was everything, but I was beyond it as Witness, as Parabrahman. Consciousness just came to me like a cloud and left, but did not touch me.
Robert eschewed identification with the body. He said always, "You are not real; your body is not real; the world is not real. You do not persevere. Be nothing and be free."
I clung to those teachings for many years, long after he died, and even established my first website totally dedicated to preserving and presenting his teachings. Unfortunately, Robert's wife Nicole, and her chosen cohorts created the Robert Adams Infinity Institute, the vehicle by which they created a lie about she and several others being 40 year students of Robert and his only true successors. Multiple threatened lawsuits over the years forced be to take down all of Robert's photos and transcripts, and in a sense, freed me from Robert allowing me to develop my own teachings.
Since Robert I have moved on. Robert only talked about ignoring the body and the world as unreal in the sense that all objects were always changing, and no object could bring lasting happiness because they all disappeared, whether one's own body, family, wife/husband, career, etc.
However, I saw in myself and in others who had been with Robert, that one can tend to dwell in a peaceful void that gradually grows emotionally colder and colder and more distant. Many of Robert's students who I had known, committed suicide. They dried up altogether and did not want to live in a world of constant comings and goings of people who died or left them. They lived in a void with only a few sparkles of life.
Then in 2009 or 2010 I met a woman and fell in love. Because my body and mind were empty, and I knew the Void well as well as the light of Consciousness that illumined the Void, within less than two years I deeply experienced the energetic Body, AKA the Subtle Body, which quickly led to repeated experiences of the Self. This Self arose within me because of my love and revealed itself to me in unimaginable experiences of joy, bliss, humility, grace, and light, as well as seeing that this Self was firmly rooted in God, and I was the embodiment of God in my sentient form, the body that Robert said did not exist.
I can truly say that traditional Advaitins alive today, and well as most Zen and Hinayana Buddhist teachers are mostly bereft of love. But the love I felt was far more energetic, far more compassionate, far more passionate such that my body, my sense of presence, and my heart were entirely opened and filled with fire and life.
And so it has continued, ever deepening my love and my sense of power, or Shakti, coursing through my body and my sense of presence, bursting me in energy and increasing love until most of my old students dropped away and new ones came that loved Love more than the emptiness of Zen and Advaita, no matter how peaceful. Peace without the wetness of love leads to a total drying out.
About five years ago my friend Swami Shankarananda came to Santa Monica along with two others from Muktandna's lineage, Swami Chetanananda and Brother Charles.
At that time I was missing Robert a lot. I felt a deep sadness at the lack of his presence in my life.
At one point, Chetanananda talked about hos he missed his own Guru, Rudi. Tears came to his eyes and his sorrowful look and soft voice penetrated my heart, and I loved Chetanananda instantly.
Later I saw a video of these same three teachers along with Andrew Cohen talking about the life problems of teachers.
You see, everywhere it is common to hear about the troubles of students with teachers and of alleged student abuse, but it is very rare to hear stories of how teachers "suffer" as a result of having students. Teachers are real people no matter how deeply realized, and learn from students and get cooked by students as readily as students get cooked by mates in an ashram or by the guru.
Two weeks ago I finally met Chetananada face to face along with my student Charlie, who is staying with me.
We had the greatest time together. He is a large man filled with physical and spiritual power. I felt both like a brother and a child in his presence. What immense power and love. I felt I had finally met a man with more spiritual power than myself, which was comforting and relaxing in his presence. Charlie was equally moved.
Swamiji has a large ashram in Portland Oregon on 5.5 acres of land with 80 residents sitting in a community of one to two thousand students living nearby.
As a very successful businessman in other areas, such as founding bakeries, trading in art and antiques as well as Eastern Art and exotica, he does not need any money from teaching. He said making money should be separate from spiritual teachings which are purely a love offering. Such teachings should not be shackled to the artificial structures of money and capitalism. This is exactly what I thought, Robert thought, and as did Ramana and Nisargadatta.
A few days ago Deeya met Swamiji in one of the most touching and enheartening meetings I have ever seen between two people.
At first she was reluctant to leave the car saying the prospect of meeting Chetanananda felt overwhelming; she felt something powerful, incredible was about to happen, and wavered in coming.
So, I went to meet Swamiji who was waiting for us, talked to him a minute about Deeya, and turned around to see her out of the car, walking slowly towards us in the most beautiful orange dress, carrying a dozen orange roses as an offering.
I went into Swamiji's house so that Deeya could have a private meeting with Swamiji in the driveway. Soon I heard Deeya sobbing loudly, shaking, embracing Swamiji for maybe five minutes, overcome with joy at being held by him, holding him with joy and love.
I can't tell you how much I was moved by her beautiful surrender and his gracious embrace.
After a brief minute Swamiji gently led her to the chair next to me, where he gave her an orange shawl because she was shaking slightly in the chill air.
Soon one of Swamiji's own angels, Gretchen, brought us all coffee and later food. He called her the best yoga teacher he ever met and I quickly promoted her to the greatest yoga teacher alive.
The next three hours we were both astounded by his openness, love, and generosity. We both left stunned by Swamiji love and power, as well as encyclopedic knowledge of the Hindu scriptures as well as most contemporary spiritual teachers.
My heart was opened as far as it had ever been. I loved how gently Swamiji treated Deeya, as well as his advice to me which was, "Stop arguing with people on Facebook and elsewhere. Just open your heart to all, be yourself. Those who are ready for you will feel it, see it." Instantly I got the message so many had been telling me over the years. Shut the fuck up! Just love people and relate to them from your open heart.
Both Deeya and I have such gratitude to have such a man as Swamiji in our lives. I have felt an increased movement away from Robert's Advaita to Chetanananda's life-affirming Tantra, exactly what I have been teaching for the last few years since my love awakening, now sustained by my love for Deeya and others in the Sangha, and their love for me.
In Swamiji words, the body is the body of God, His temple so to speak, and the Chakras are His angels. Love God, love each other, love yourself. Everything else is everything else.
I had been with Muktananda, Dhyan Yogi, six Zen masters, met the Dalai Lama, Shakya Tenzin and many other Buddhist teachers from many traditions. I knew Carlos Castaneda from the Anthropology Dept. at UCLA where I worked for a time, and hadbeen with Muktananda for two or three years. I was done, dry, defeated. I had not a clue about anything, espesially the nature of the Self.
Then I met Robert.
The first time I saw him was in a small Satsang of seven people in a micro apartment in Beverly Hills. Watching him and hearing what he said that first time, I went to him after Satsang and said, "Where have you been my entire life?"
I was with Robert for eight years. We were buddies. He said I was not a devotee, but his friend, someone to talk to, to relate to and love as a friend. He said he needed someone to talk to.
Six years after I met him, and after he moved to Sedona, I had two awakening experiences related on my website. The second Robert accepted as awakening, when I saw that Consciousness was everything, but I was beyond it as Witness, as Parabrahman. Consciousness just came to me like a cloud and left, but did not touch me.
Robert eschewed identification with the body. He said always, "You are not real; your body is not real; the world is not real. You do not persevere. Be nothing and be free."
I clung to those teachings for many years, long after he died, and even established my first website totally dedicated to preserving and presenting his teachings. Unfortunately, Robert's wife Nicole, and her chosen cohorts created the Robert Adams Infinity Institute, the vehicle by which they created a lie about she and several others being 40 year students of Robert and his only true successors. Multiple threatened lawsuits over the years forced be to take down all of Robert's photos and transcripts, and in a sense, freed me from Robert allowing me to develop my own teachings.
Since Robert I have moved on. Robert only talked about ignoring the body and the world as unreal in the sense that all objects were always changing, and no object could bring lasting happiness because they all disappeared, whether one's own body, family, wife/husband, career, etc.
However, I saw in myself and in others who had been with Robert, that one can tend to dwell in a peaceful void that gradually grows emotionally colder and colder and more distant. Many of Robert's students who I had known, committed suicide. They dried up altogether and did not want to live in a world of constant comings and goings of people who died or left them. They lived in a void with only a few sparkles of life.
Then in 2009 or 2010 I met a woman and fell in love. Because my body and mind were empty, and I knew the Void well as well as the light of Consciousness that illumined the Void, within less than two years I deeply experienced the energetic Body, AKA the Subtle Body, which quickly led to repeated experiences of the Self. This Self arose within me because of my love and revealed itself to me in unimaginable experiences of joy, bliss, humility, grace, and light, as well as seeing that this Self was firmly rooted in God, and I was the embodiment of God in my sentient form, the body that Robert said did not exist.
I can truly say that traditional Advaitins alive today, and well as most Zen and Hinayana Buddhist teachers are mostly bereft of love. But the love I felt was far more energetic, far more compassionate, far more passionate such that my body, my sense of presence, and my heart were entirely opened and filled with fire and life.
And so it has continued, ever deepening my love and my sense of power, or Shakti, coursing through my body and my sense of presence, bursting me in energy and increasing love until most of my old students dropped away and new ones came that loved Love more than the emptiness of Zen and Advaita, no matter how peaceful. Peace without the wetness of love leads to a total drying out.
About five years ago my friend Swami Shankarananda came to Santa Monica along with two others from Muktandna's lineage, Swami Chetanananda and Brother Charles.
At that time I was missing Robert a lot. I felt a deep sadness at the lack of his presence in my life.
At one point, Chetanananda talked about hos he missed his own Guru, Rudi. Tears came to his eyes and his sorrowful look and soft voice penetrated my heart, and I loved Chetanananda instantly.
Later I saw a video of these same three teachers along with Andrew Cohen talking about the life problems of teachers.
You see, everywhere it is common to hear about the troubles of students with teachers and of alleged student abuse, but it is very rare to hear stories of how teachers "suffer" as a result of having students. Teachers are real people no matter how deeply realized, and learn from students and get cooked by students as readily as students get cooked by mates in an ashram or by the guru.
Two weeks ago I finally met Chetananada face to face along with my student Charlie, who is staying with me.
We had the greatest time together. He is a large man filled with physical and spiritual power. I felt both like a brother and a child in his presence. What immense power and love. I felt I had finally met a man with more spiritual power than myself, which was comforting and relaxing in his presence. Charlie was equally moved.
Swamiji has a large ashram in Portland Oregon on 5.5 acres of land with 80 residents sitting in a community of one to two thousand students living nearby.
As a very successful businessman in other areas, such as founding bakeries, trading in art and antiques as well as Eastern Art and exotica, he does not need any money from teaching. He said making money should be separate from spiritual teachings which are purely a love offering. Such teachings should not be shackled to the artificial structures of money and capitalism. This is exactly what I thought, Robert thought, and as did Ramana and Nisargadatta.
A few days ago Deeya met Swamiji in one of the most touching and enheartening meetings I have ever seen between two people.
At first she was reluctant to leave the car saying the prospect of meeting Chetanananda felt overwhelming; she felt something powerful, incredible was about to happen, and wavered in coming.
So, I went to meet Swamiji who was waiting for us, talked to him a minute about Deeya, and turned around to see her out of the car, walking slowly towards us in the most beautiful orange dress, carrying a dozen orange roses as an offering.
I went into Swamiji's house so that Deeya could have a private meeting with Swamiji in the driveway. Soon I heard Deeya sobbing loudly, shaking, embracing Swamiji for maybe five minutes, overcome with joy at being held by him, holding him with joy and love.
I can't tell you how much I was moved by her beautiful surrender and his gracious embrace.
After a brief minute Swamiji gently led her to the chair next to me, where he gave her an orange shawl because she was shaking slightly in the chill air.
Soon one of Swamiji's own angels, Gretchen, brought us all coffee and later food. He called her the best yoga teacher he ever met and I quickly promoted her to the greatest yoga teacher alive.
The next three hours we were both astounded by his openness, love, and generosity. We both left stunned by Swamiji love and power, as well as encyclopedic knowledge of the Hindu scriptures as well as most contemporary spiritual teachers.
My heart was opened as far as it had ever been. I loved how gently Swamiji treated Deeya, as well as his advice to me which was, "Stop arguing with people on Facebook and elsewhere. Just open your heart to all, be yourself. Those who are ready for you will feel it, see it." Instantly I got the message so many had been telling me over the years. Shut the fuck up! Just love people and relate to them from your open heart.
Both Deeya and I have such gratitude to have such a man as Swamiji in our lives. I have felt an increased movement away from Robert's Advaita to Chetanananda's life-affirming Tantra, exactly what I have been teaching for the last few years since my love awakening, now sustained by my love for Deeya and others in the Sangha, and their love for me.
In Swamiji words, the body is the body of God, His temple so to speak, and the Chakras are His angels. Love God, love each other, love yourself. Everything else is everything else.
22 March 2014
SATSANG SUNDAY MARCH 23, 2PM LOS ANGELES TIME, 9PM U.K., 10PM AUSTRIA.
Sign in on 2 different screens with the password: edji
Please mute your microphone.
World clock time zone converter:
20 March 2014
You cannot find the Self unless you believe in it.
I always believed that the Self
existed. Something told me it was true,
and I looked for years, sometimes just gazing at the inner emptiness, sometimes
looking for the origin of the I-thought.
Even after discovering there was no objective Self within in 1995, and
that who I was lay even beyond Consciousness, inside I still believed in Self.
And one day She found me; she came to me and showed me her divine form.
The mind and Consciousness are a
deep and vast mystery. They do not give up their secrets to unbelievers who
only see whatever is presented to the senses.
You must spend years looking
inside, into the mind and deeper into the Void and even beyond. If you believe
only beingness, or emptiness, or Nowness exists, you miss almost everything. It
is like looking at the ripples on a lake and thinking that is all there is.
But the diver sees much, much
more: shoals, fish, crabs, coral, shells and both beauty and death everywhere.
The diver is not lazy, he has gone far beyond the naysayer at the shore who
says there is nothing down there.
O yes there is.
Yet often the believers are taken
to be naive fools. But they are the ones who believe in God both within and
without. The intellectuals and complex people are caught in their standard
beliefs which exclude the supernatural, the mysteries, and the kingdom of God.
Syndria Mecham Edji,
your words pierce directly into my heart tonight. Thank you. I was feeling
really out of balance, suddenly, a huge rush of fear. You just washed that fear
out to sea. The Equinox energies are incredibly strong tonight, the Spring
mysteries very fertile for me this year. Don't let me crawl back up onto the
shore out of fear! My world is expanding into the depths at a really fast pace.
Scaring me!
Ed Muzika Dive
away, dive away, dive away more!
Syndria Mecham Oh,
God,....
Irene Cohen Yes,
being in the now, though pleasant (sometimes), always seemed quite superficial
to me. _/l\_
Raffaella
Martinelli Thank's Ed! Your words enter deeply into my
heart!
Ed Muzika It is
superficial. It is deliberately accepting the limits of the surface. When you
dive deep, you become the totality of Consciousness, the essence of which is
the Self of All. Most all of those who talk of nowness, unity, no separate
self, etc., are suface watchers, who say, “Yup, that is all that there is,
Nowness,” and go off leading the usual materialistic lives. But for many that
is not enough. The urge to go deeper and
deeper drives them ever inwards.
Ed Muzika Love
gave me the Self, but Deeya gave me the understanding that it is all about
belief. In retrospect, I see that is true. I believed in the Self despite my
own experiences to the contrary, and She rewarded me by appearing before me in
the most profound and energetic manner possible.
Syndria Mecham Belief
has gotten a bad rep lately in spiritual circles like Zen. But, as the old zen
masters said, "Everything is created by Mind alone".
Belief is The
Great Creator!
Sean McCutcheon Not
*all* "intellectuals and complex people..." There is no shortage of
examples of those who were highly advanced in both worlds: in the 20th century,
Sri Aurobindo, Franklin Merrell-Wolff, Swami Sri Yukteswar, etc.
Shankara himself was an accomplished scholar and one of history's greatest philosophers.
Shankara himself was an accomplished scholar and one of history's greatest philosophers.
Dawn Mellard Amen
my friend!
Ed Muzika But
none are Ramanas, Nisargadattas, or Roberts. Simple people of deep seeing. The
intellect is a barrier for most. They rely on mind rather than surrender or a
guru, or a text. Complicated people do not pass through the eye of a needle
either, along with the rich because both hold onto the material too much or the
“observable,” the “objective.”
Syndria Mecham And
it's not easy becoming a Rock Head when I'm used to over thinking everything.
More deep diving needed for me. It's harder to hold onto concepts when I am
deep into the Mysteries. There I can let belief and wonderment guide me. Then,
I feel truly ALIVE!
Sean McCutcheon I
agree that "[t]he intellect is a barrier for most." Even many
prominent jnana yogis have taught that (including 2 of the 3 that I mentioned)
and have said that bhakti is more suited to most natures. And I'm certainly not
trying to detract from your overall message, though personally I would find it
more compelling if it were less sectarian. "Most" is not
"all" and some have Realized the Self through the jnana path, as you
know. I will not respect them any less. Apologies if my comment was a
distraction.
Syndria Mecham Jnana/Bhakti
just seem like two sides of the same coin. But I don't think Jnanis who are
effective on that path, are attached to thinking, making it into a false god,
anymore than Bhaktis can do that effectively with emotion. In both cases it
seems like a balance of skillfull means.
Charly Obermayr In
the end, you must drop the mind, so or so..at least they say so.
Charly Obermayr You
know, I just don't think about such questions much anymore
Syndria Mecham Jnanis
contemplate these things. Bhaktis.....not so much.
Charly Obermayr Ok,
I'm a bhakti
Syndria Mecham Bhaktis
choose to live in the experience rather than witness it. Both are valid. but I
prefer door #1. LIVE IT DAMN IT!!!
Paul Randolph Tuthill Occasionally
the self shows up unannounced on ask for an unexpected. Do not pretend to
predict the form that love will take. That work best left to complete fools
Pierre Thériault beautiful,
thanks, Edji
Gurudatta Dattatreya "You
must spend years looking inside."
That is a trap, if it is not Here and Now then it is not it. If you spend years polishing a tile it will not turn into a mirror.
As for all the hype behind Ramana, Nisargadatta and Robert...not every Enlightened Being expresses themselves in the same manner although there may be slight variances that are consistent. Some enlightened beings do not even speak, therefore you will most likely never encounter them unless you specifically seek them out.
There are only 3 possibilities in knowing if someone is enlightened.
1. Internal Direct - You are enlightened, you see the enlightened being and you know from within.
2. Hearsay - Someone else tells you that a being is enlightened. This spikes curiosity, and you proceed an interaction with the enlightened being based upon interest with the incepted knowledge.
3. External Direct - You meet a being spontaneously without effort and they tell you face to face as they look into your eyes that they are enlightened either verbally or in silence and then you know from within.
Whether you accept or reject the above stated is all based upon your vibrations and openness. For those whom are Ready, they will See.
That is a trap, if it is not Here and Now then it is not it. If you spend years polishing a tile it will not turn into a mirror.
As for all the hype behind Ramana, Nisargadatta and Robert...not every Enlightened Being expresses themselves in the same manner although there may be slight variances that are consistent. Some enlightened beings do not even speak, therefore you will most likely never encounter them unless you specifically seek them out.
There are only 3 possibilities in knowing if someone is enlightened.
1. Internal Direct - You are enlightened, you see the enlightened being and you know from within.
2. Hearsay - Someone else tells you that a being is enlightened. This spikes curiosity, and you proceed an interaction with the enlightened being based upon interest with the incepted knowledge.
3. External Direct - You meet a being spontaneously without effort and they tell you face to face as they look into your eyes that they are enlightened either verbally or in silence and then you know from within.
Whether you accept or reject the above stated is all based upon your vibrations and openness. For those whom are Ready, they will See.
Houry Shaghoyan Awesome...thanks
for sharing...
John Scinto beautifully
said!!
Ed Muzika No
Gurudatta, you are speaking about something entirely different from what I am
speaking about. I speak only about the act and experience of Self-Realization,
the experience of realizing the Self of All within one's subjective experience;
the unity of the personal self, the I Am, and Atman, God.
I am not speaking of recognizing enlightenment in someone's eyes, or hearing about it and believing, such like Jesus is the son of God.
I am talking about a direct realization of the divine within that has always been there, unseen, generally through a process of love.
There have been ridiculous arguments here about "all" versus "some" or exceptions, etc., but these are people who look at realization from outside.
The Jnani path DOES NOT LEAD TO SELF-REALIZATION, although some Jnanis realize the Self either before or after the Jnan realization of identity with the witness, Parabrahman. This is a place entirely removed from Consciousness.
Only the Bhaki realizes the Self through Bhakti, love, although a Bhakti can become a Jnani, and go on to realize ParaBrahman as did Nisargdatta, who was first a Bhakti who realized the Self through devotion to his guru and worship of Bal-Krishna, his Self. He talks about his awakening in "Self-Knowledge and Self Realization." Later he became a Jnani and went beyond Self, but even in his later books he talks about the need to worship the I Am and abide there.
But this going beyond Self can be a trap of great peace, little more than a removal from the world. We need good people fully involved in the world in this day and age. And, Bhakti is far more fun!
I am not speaking of recognizing enlightenment in someone's eyes, or hearing about it and believing, such like Jesus is the son of God.
I am talking about a direct realization of the divine within that has always been there, unseen, generally through a process of love.
There have been ridiculous arguments here about "all" versus "some" or exceptions, etc., but these are people who look at realization from outside.
The Jnani path DOES NOT LEAD TO SELF-REALIZATION, although some Jnanis realize the Self either before or after the Jnan realization of identity with the witness, Parabrahman. This is a place entirely removed from Consciousness.
Only the Bhaki realizes the Self through Bhakti, love, although a Bhakti can become a Jnani, and go on to realize ParaBrahman as did Nisargdatta, who was first a Bhakti who realized the Self through devotion to his guru and worship of Bal-Krishna, his Self. He talks about his awakening in "Self-Knowledge and Self Realization." Later he became a Jnani and went beyond Self, but even in his later books he talks about the need to worship the I Am and abide there.
But this going beyond Self can be a trap of great peace, little more than a removal from the world. We need good people fully involved in the world in this day and age. And, Bhakti is far more fun!
Ed Muzika Gurudatta,
I was not talking about how you recognize an enlightened being, but how you
awaken to the Self. All else is mischief.
But this is your bag, inviting people to look into your eyes and see
what happens.
Ed Muzika I am
afraid you are still looking at the surface Gurudatta. There is a difference
between looking at what is, Nowness, beingness, the world and me as perceived
by the senses, and taking that as all that there is.
It certainly is not all that there is.
Deep, deep in your Consciousness, beyond the senses, beyond Samadhi, beyond emptiness, lie both the Self and the Witness, Parabrahman.
If you do not know this, you stay on the surface with the neo-Advaitins, who cannot find a Self because they worship the ripples of Consciousness, not the depths found in tracing the I-Am back to its source in the Atman, Turiya.
It certainly is not all that there is.
Deep, deep in your Consciousness, beyond the senses, beyond Samadhi, beyond emptiness, lie both the Self and the Witness, Parabrahman.
If you do not know this, you stay on the surface with the neo-Advaitins, who cannot find a Self because they worship the ripples of Consciousness, not the depths found in tracing the I-Am back to its source in the Atman, Turiya.
Gurudatta Dattatreya Ed Muzika,
When you as a teacher tell someone that it takes years to realize that they are
the Self, that is a corruption on your part. Thus you have them create a
dependency upon you so that they can realize as you express that you
have.
It does not take years and you do not have to believe in it.
Bringing for right attention is paramount and the bhakti path is one way but not the only way. Jnani path CAN lead to self realization as well as doing nothing and sitting on your ass spontaneously combusting into self realization.
In a realm of infinite possibilities you are foolish to declare that certain paths cannot lead to self realization.
What you call Love is just another name for the nameless, you use words and put them together based upon your experiences and cultural conditionings.
I can see now how those around you are confused and why they communicate with you the way you do.
How can one go beyond Self, that is just straight Bullshit. If you are beyond Self then you would never exist and there would be no one there to know one is beyond Self. Nice Try!
It does not take years and you do not have to believe in it.
Bringing for right attention is paramount and the bhakti path is one way but not the only way. Jnani path CAN lead to self realization as well as doing nothing and sitting on your ass spontaneously combusting into self realization.
In a realm of infinite possibilities you are foolish to declare that certain paths cannot lead to self realization.
What you call Love is just another name for the nameless, you use words and put them together based upon your experiences and cultural conditionings.
I can see now how those around you are confused and why they communicate with you the way you do.
How can one go beyond Self, that is just straight Bullshit. If you are beyond Self then you would never exist and there would be no one there to know one is beyond Self. Nice Try!
Ed Muzika How do
I create a dependency on me? I tell people of a Self within, and of a place
beyond Self altogether that my teacher Robert told me about and which I
realized with him. Much later I realized my Self through Love, after which I
left the Jnan teachings behind out of wonderment, bliss and love.
That Self was not on the surface, but buried deep within. My love for another allowed the Self a path so that it arose within me, and showed itself to me, just as Krishna showed his true nature to Arjuna.
I just tell my message of Self, the glad tidings of Self, and if they want, to go beyond Self to the Absolute, where I urge them not to go.
If you claim insight arising from Nisargadatta's lineage, you need to understand Siddharameshwar's teachings, otherwise you are just another neo-Advaitin floating in Is-ness and Now-ness.
That Self was not on the surface, but buried deep within. My love for another allowed the Self a path so that it arose within me, and showed itself to me, just as Krishna showed his true nature to Arjuna.
I just tell my message of Self, the glad tidings of Self, and if they want, to go beyond Self to the Absolute, where I urge them not to go.
If you claim insight arising from Nisargadatta's lineage, you need to understand Siddharameshwar's teachings, otherwise you are just another neo-Advaitin floating in Is-ness and Now-ness.
Ed Muzika I only
tell of my experiences and my interpretation of those experiences. I tell
people of the energies that flow through me and both Deeya and I tell them how
to experience them and bliss in themselves.
Mostly in Satsang everyone there feels the bliss, meaning they are becoming aware of their energetic body that lies deeper than the gross body and perception of the world.
Later, dwelling in this "Subtle Body" of energies and emotions and thoughts, they go deeper into nothingness, thence into Turiya, Satchitananda, and beyond.
Yes, Self-realization can arise spontaneously in some, like Ramana and my teacher, Robert Adams, but for most it takes years. I never hear of you talking about the Self, therefore, you likely never have experienced it for yourself. I may be wrong, but if you have, speak of it.
Mostly in Satsang everyone there feels the bliss, meaning they are becoming aware of their energetic body that lies deeper than the gross body and perception of the world.
Later, dwelling in this "Subtle Body" of energies and emotions and thoughts, they go deeper into nothingness, thence into Turiya, Satchitananda, and beyond.
Yes, Self-realization can arise spontaneously in some, like Ramana and my teacher, Robert Adams, but for most it takes years. I never hear of you talking about the Self, therefore, you likely never have experienced it for yourself. I may be wrong, but if you have, speak of it.
Gurudatta Dattatreya Edji,
I claim no lineage it is all for mythological expressions. I make no claims
about anything, I never had a guru as you had Robert. I never followed anyone
or anything. I listened to what was within me and that was enough.
All you can ever do is guide someone within so that they can discover their True Nature.
When you give seekers a timeline you create an obstruction within them of expectation and false assumptions. It may be advantageous to tell them of your own experience but not false assumptions about the potential for theirs. They may experience the Self faster and quicker than you did!
There is only Self and when you use words to describe multiples Selves and no Selves it does not make it Simple.
You urge them not to go to the Absolute? What?!?
What do you consider the Self and the Absolute? Are they not the same?
All you can ever do is guide someone within so that they can discover their True Nature.
When you give seekers a timeline you create an obstruction within them of expectation and false assumptions. It may be advantageous to tell them of your own experience but not false assumptions about the potential for theirs. They may experience the Self faster and quicker than you did!
There is only Self and when you use words to describe multiples Selves and no Selves it does not make it Simple.
You urge them not to go to the Absolute? What?!?
What do you consider the Self and the Absolute? Are they not the same?
Ed Muzika No,
they are not the same.
Self is of the manifest Consciousness. The Absolute, ParaBrahman, is that by which the manifest is known. It is the knowing principle of the Unmanifest, the flip side of the manifest world.
Turiya, Atman, are the "deepest" part of manifest Consciousness, while the Absolute witness, Para Brahman, is entirely beyond the manifest universe. It is where Robert, Ramana, and Nisargadatta dwelled the last years of their lives, entirely beyond sentience, Consciousness. You can only know of the absolute in opposition to Consciousness. Without an awareness of something, the absolute would not be known as the source of both knowing and not knowing.
Self is of the manifest Consciousness. The Absolute, ParaBrahman, is that by which the manifest is known. It is the knowing principle of the Unmanifest, the flip side of the manifest world.
Turiya, Atman, are the "deepest" part of manifest Consciousness, while the Absolute witness, Para Brahman, is entirely beyond the manifest universe. It is where Robert, Ramana, and Nisargadatta dwelled the last years of their lives, entirely beyond sentience, Consciousness. You can only know of the absolute in opposition to Consciousness. Without an awareness of something, the absolute would not be known as the source of both knowing and not knowing.
Gurudatta Dattatreya Edji,
How do you know where Robert, Ramana, and Nisargadatta dwelled the last years
of their lives unless they told you or someone else told you?
How can you tell whatever fancy label you use, whether one is self-realized or not? What is the standards and judgments that you use?
How can you tell whatever fancy label you use, whether one is self-realized or not? What is the standards and judgments that you use?
Ed Muzika I lived
close with Robert for eight years. I talked to him directly about such matters for
most of that time. I transcribed his talks and was with him for over 500
satsangs. He confirmed my realization of the Absolute in 1995. I know that
place well.
Nisargadatta states all this very clearly in his later books edited by my other teacher, Jean Dunn. He talks of realizing the Self as Bal-Krishna, baby Krishna, which grows into Krishna Consciousness of deep love and bliss, the bliss of Self.
And then later of going beyond Self, going beyond Turiya in his later books, such as Consciousness and the Absolute written in his last year alive. He says he went beyond Consciousness and abided in ParaBrahman. This was confirmed by my many meetings with one of his successors, Jean Dunn, my other teacher.
For me, as well as for Robert, and Deeya, Self-Realization was experienced one day while feeling intense love and bliss within and without.
Suddenly within my gut I felt a great power, a power so intense I had never experienced it before, and with it a blinding white light. Gradually and slowly it arose within me, up into my heart, totally washing me in a much deeper bliss and a sense of divine grace and worship of this "Other" of divine power and light arising from within.
It continued to arise into my throat, head and into the space above.
I was enveloped in light and power I had never known. And then I realized this "Other," God, was also myself. He and I were one. Or better, She and I were one. She breathed life into this body/mind called Muzika. Since then, She and I are never separate. She came to me five more times to seal the deal so to speak and to solidify our oneness.
Since then and as a result of Her revelation, I know pure knowing, knowing without an object to know. Also, I know pure love, love that exists always in me that needs no object to love.
This is what I call Self-Realization.
Nisargadatta states all this very clearly in his later books edited by my other teacher, Jean Dunn. He talks of realizing the Self as Bal-Krishna, baby Krishna, which grows into Krishna Consciousness of deep love and bliss, the bliss of Self.
And then later of going beyond Self, going beyond Turiya in his later books, such as Consciousness and the Absolute written in his last year alive. He says he went beyond Consciousness and abided in ParaBrahman. This was confirmed by my many meetings with one of his successors, Jean Dunn, my other teacher.
For me, as well as for Robert, and Deeya, Self-Realization was experienced one day while feeling intense love and bliss within and without.
Suddenly within my gut I felt a great power, a power so intense I had never experienced it before, and with it a blinding white light. Gradually and slowly it arose within me, up into my heart, totally washing me in a much deeper bliss and a sense of divine grace and worship of this "Other" of divine power and light arising from within.
It continued to arise into my throat, head and into the space above.
I was enveloped in light and power I had never known. And then I realized this "Other," God, was also myself. He and I were one. Or better, She and I were one. She breathed life into this body/mind called Muzika. Since then, She and I are never separate. She came to me five more times to seal the deal so to speak and to solidify our oneness.
Since then and as a result of Her revelation, I know pure knowing, knowing without an object to know. Also, I know pure love, love that exists always in me that needs no object to love.
This is what I call Self-Realization.
Charly Obermayr Wow...
Charly Obermayr Again
so inspiring...
Ed Muzika And
Gurudatta, I am not afraid of dependency, attachment, or even neediness. These
are all human feelings not to be denied. As a matter of fact those who can fall
deeply into love and surrender are the luckiest of people.
Right now if a
great teacher appeared before me, or even more rare, a great student, I would
drop to my knees and then do a full prostration, touching their feet in love
and surrender.
Charly Obermayr Wow..
I feel so
much love for you, Ed
Ed Muzika In
Deeya I see such greatness, and in Swami Chetananda, though I think he needs
some encouragement.
Charly Obermayr Most
cannot understand Edji
Charly Obermayr Better
said, don't feel him
Charly Obermayr But
the positive thing is, the more others mistrust, the more I trust.
18 March 2014
From a growing Bhakti of great power:
EDJI, I'VE BEEN HALF DEAD A LONG TIME NOW. I PUT MYSELF THERE. NOT ZEN. NO TEACHER COOKING ME DID THIS TO ME. I DID IT. BECAUSE I NEVER FIT ANY WHERE BESIDES WITH THE HUICHOLS IN MEXICO. I WAS SO HAPPY THERE IN THEIR WORLD. THEY SAW ME, JUST AS YOU CAN SEE ME. MY HUICHOL NAME IS KAKUYARI MEANING ' PLACE OF POWER ' MY NICK NAME WAS MOTHER OF THE UNIVERSE ! THEY SAW BOTH MY POWER AND MY WOUNDEDNESS, AND ACCEPTED ALL OF ME. I WANTED TO LIVE THERE, BUT A PEYOTE VISION SAID NO.
SO I RETURNED TO THE ZEN CENTER. BUT MY CONNECTION WAS WITH S.S.. AFTER HE MOVED TO EUROPE, I GOT COOKED TO A CRISP BY HIS SUCCESSORS. I DIDNT HAVE THE STRENGTH THEN TO WITHSTAND SOME BRUTAL TREATMENT, AND SANK INTO DEPRESSION. ZEN DIDN'T SAVE ME. THERAPY DID. BUT I NEVER FIT ANYWHERE
LIKE I DID IN MEXICO.
I GOT VERY DARK INSIDE AGAIN. NOW THERAPISTS WERE AFRAID OF ME, REFUSED TO SEE ME. WHICH MADE ME WORSE. SELF HATING. SPLIT INSIDE. I WAS STILL DOING ZEN, BUT LOOKING FOR AN OUTLET FOR ALL THIS ENERGY INSIDE ME. I HUNG OUT WITH CHARISMATIC CATHOLICS. WHICH HELPED AT FIRST. LOTS OF WAYS TO DISCHARGE ENERGY.
EXCEPT THERE WAS SO MUCH ENERGY IN ME THAT IT SCARED PEOPLE. THEY BEGAN TO SEE ME AS EVIL. AS POSSESSED. I WAS VERY VULNERABLE THEN AND STARTED TO BELIEVE THEM. I UNDERWENT MULTIPLE EXORCISMS OVER SEVERAL YEARS. SOME CHURCH SANCTIONED SOME NOT.
SOME QUITE VIOLENT AND BRUTAL. LOTS OF PSYCHIC PHENOMENA. BUT NO HEALING OR RESOLUTION.
I EVENTUALLY ESCAPED FROM THAT CYCLE, BUT SANK FURTHER INTO DEADNESS. EVEN ZEN TEACHERS STARTED BEING AFRAID OF ME. I WAS DESPERATELY TRYING TO BE AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE. BUT MY ENERGIES ALWAYS GOT TRIGGERED, SOMETIMES BY SAMADHIS, I WOULD GET SO HIGH ON SHAKTI THAT I SHOOK IN THE DHARMA ROOM AND HAD KRIYAS.
NO ONE WANTED TO DEAL WITH ME. I KEPT DAMPING DOWN TRYING TO FIT IN. UNTIL I STARTED TO REALLY DIE INSIDE AND GIVE UP ON LIFE. I FELT LIKE A FREAK OF NATURE. SO I JUST KEPT DAMPING DOWN.
THEN I MET FRANCIS ON FB. WE CONNECTED WELL. HE HELPED ME RELAX, STOP EFFORTING SO HARD. I FELT HOPEFUL AGAIN. BUT ONE EVENING WHILE LIVE MESSAGING, I HAD A BREAK AND ALL THIS NONSENSICAL TALK CAME OUT. IT WAS JUST A FEW MINUTES OF MY UNCONSCIOUS ON THE LOOSE, BUT HE FREAKED OUT.
I TOLD HIM IT WASN'T BAD. I WASN'T PSYCHOTIC . JUST A BIG ENERGY SURGE. BUT HE INSISTED I HAD TO FIND OTHER HELP. MY HEART BROKE, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME. HE WAS AFRAID OF ME. AFRAID OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT
THAT'S WHEN I MET YOU. I HAD ALREADY BOUGHT YOUR BOOK. AND WAS DRAWN TO HOW HONEST YOU ARE IN THE BOOK. TO YOUR DARKNESS. HOW ROBERT WASN'T AFRAID OF YOUR EMOTIONS. HOW YOU NEVER GAVE UP. USED EVERY SITUATION TO PRACTICE. HOW NOTHING ELSE MATTERED MORE THAN KNOWING YOUR SELF.
I FELT IMMEDIATELY SAFE AROUND YOU. I KNEW I COULDN'T KNOCK YOU OVER. NOT ENERGETICALLY, NOT PSYCHICALLY NOT PHYSICALLY.
THEN MEETING DEEYA I SAW A WAY TO CHANNEL MY ENERGY TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE. AND SHE AND YOU BOTH ENCOURAGED ME "TO LET HER RIP"
NO ONE EVER SAID THAT TO ME BEFORE. YOU ACTUALLY LIKE MY ENERGY. YOU'VE SEEN THAT PART OF ME AND WEREN'T AFRAID OF ME. JUST THAT ALONE WAS AMAZING.
I'VE NEVER FELT ACCEPTED, EXCEPT IN MEXICO. YOU AND DEEYA AREN'T AFRAID OF ME! YOU DON'T THINK I'M FREAKISH OR PSYCHOTIC OR POSSESSED BY DEMONS
YOU'RE NOT AFRAID OF ME! YOU EVEN LIKE ME. YOU BOTH SEE ME. I DON'T HAVE TO HIDE. THAT'S SO DIFFERENT. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO I AM. IVE BEEN HIDING SO LONG.
EDJI, I HAVE TO WAKE UP OR DIE TRYING. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. YOU BELIEVE THAT I CAN. THAT'S THE MOST AMAZING THING TO ME. YOU BELIEVE IN ME.
DEEYA BELIEVES IN ME. NOW I HAVE TO. YOU DON'T SCARE ME, EDJI . COOKING ME DOESN'T SCARE ME. DYING IN THIS HALF ALIVE STATE SCARES ME.
I WILL WORK MY HEART OUT TO GROW, BUT I WARN YOU, EDJI I WILL FIGHT YOU TRYING TO HELP ME WHEN I THINK I CANT DO IT, I'LL SCREAM AND CRY BUT I WILL SURRENDER TO YOU AND STAY! I WILL DO THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER, AS LONG AS IT TAKES. THIS IS LIFE AND DEATH TO ME.
AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO BE YOUR FRIEND. I SEE YOU, TOO. I'M NOT AWAKE TO MY SELF AS YOU ARE, BUT I CAN STILL SEE YOU. I LOVE THE PERSON I SEE.
GOOD BAD. AND UGLY. BUT IF YOU ACT LIKE A HORSE'S ASS, I'LL TELL YOU SO, JUST LIKE YOU'LL TELL ME TO STOP WHINING. I HAVEN'T EVEN MET YOU FACE TO FACE YET. IT SEEMS STRANGE TO SAY THAT. BUT I'VE MET YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR MIND AND YOUR HEART. AND SHAKTI IS JUST PUSHING ME INTO YOU.
I FEEL MY HEART LEAP WHEN YOU WRITE TO ME. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUNDAY SATSANG LIKE I'M GOING ON A DATE. ITS LIKE I'VE KNOWN YOU FOREVER.
I'M RIDICULOUSLY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE. AND DEEYA FEELS LIKE MY ANCIENT SISTER, FROM MILLENIA AGO AND ENDLESS WORLDS. AND I SO LOVE YOUR STUDENTS. .WHAT A MOTLEY BUNCH OF WARM HEARTED, LOVING PEOPLE. AND THAT'S JUST HOW IT IS. YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME.
SO I RETURNED TO THE ZEN CENTER. BUT MY CONNECTION WAS WITH S.S.. AFTER HE MOVED TO EUROPE, I GOT COOKED TO A CRISP BY HIS SUCCESSORS. I DIDNT HAVE THE STRENGTH THEN TO WITHSTAND SOME BRUTAL TREATMENT, AND SANK INTO DEPRESSION. ZEN DIDN'T SAVE ME. THERAPY DID. BUT I NEVER FIT ANYWHERE
LIKE I DID IN MEXICO.
I GOT VERY DARK INSIDE AGAIN. NOW THERAPISTS WERE AFRAID OF ME, REFUSED TO SEE ME. WHICH MADE ME WORSE. SELF HATING. SPLIT INSIDE. I WAS STILL DOING ZEN, BUT LOOKING FOR AN OUTLET FOR ALL THIS ENERGY INSIDE ME. I HUNG OUT WITH CHARISMATIC CATHOLICS. WHICH HELPED AT FIRST. LOTS OF WAYS TO DISCHARGE ENERGY.
EXCEPT THERE WAS SO MUCH ENERGY IN ME THAT IT SCARED PEOPLE. THEY BEGAN TO SEE ME AS EVIL. AS POSSESSED. I WAS VERY VULNERABLE THEN AND STARTED TO BELIEVE THEM. I UNDERWENT MULTIPLE EXORCISMS OVER SEVERAL YEARS. SOME CHURCH SANCTIONED SOME NOT.
SOME QUITE VIOLENT AND BRUTAL. LOTS OF PSYCHIC PHENOMENA. BUT NO HEALING OR RESOLUTION.
I EVENTUALLY ESCAPED FROM THAT CYCLE, BUT SANK FURTHER INTO DEADNESS. EVEN ZEN TEACHERS STARTED BEING AFRAID OF ME. I WAS DESPERATELY TRYING TO BE AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE. BUT MY ENERGIES ALWAYS GOT TRIGGERED, SOMETIMES BY SAMADHIS, I WOULD GET SO HIGH ON SHAKTI THAT I SHOOK IN THE DHARMA ROOM AND HAD KRIYAS.
NO ONE WANTED TO DEAL WITH ME. I KEPT DAMPING DOWN TRYING TO FIT IN. UNTIL I STARTED TO REALLY DIE INSIDE AND GIVE UP ON LIFE. I FELT LIKE A FREAK OF NATURE. SO I JUST KEPT DAMPING DOWN.
THEN I MET FRANCIS ON FB. WE CONNECTED WELL. HE HELPED ME RELAX, STOP EFFORTING SO HARD. I FELT HOPEFUL AGAIN. BUT ONE EVENING WHILE LIVE MESSAGING, I HAD A BREAK AND ALL THIS NONSENSICAL TALK CAME OUT. IT WAS JUST A FEW MINUTES OF MY UNCONSCIOUS ON THE LOOSE, BUT HE FREAKED OUT.
I TOLD HIM IT WASN'T BAD. I WASN'T PSYCHOTIC . JUST A BIG ENERGY SURGE. BUT HE INSISTED I HAD TO FIND OTHER HELP. MY HEART BROKE, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME. HE WAS AFRAID OF ME. AFRAID OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT
THAT'S WHEN I MET YOU. I HAD ALREADY BOUGHT YOUR BOOK. AND WAS DRAWN TO HOW HONEST YOU ARE IN THE BOOK. TO YOUR DARKNESS. HOW ROBERT WASN'T AFRAID OF YOUR EMOTIONS. HOW YOU NEVER GAVE UP. USED EVERY SITUATION TO PRACTICE. HOW NOTHING ELSE MATTERED MORE THAN KNOWING YOUR SELF.
I FELT IMMEDIATELY SAFE AROUND YOU. I KNEW I COULDN'T KNOCK YOU OVER. NOT ENERGETICALLY, NOT PSYCHICALLY NOT PHYSICALLY.
THEN MEETING DEEYA I SAW A WAY TO CHANNEL MY ENERGY TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE. AND SHE AND YOU BOTH ENCOURAGED ME "TO LET HER RIP"
NO ONE EVER SAID THAT TO ME BEFORE. YOU ACTUALLY LIKE MY ENERGY. YOU'VE SEEN THAT PART OF ME AND WEREN'T AFRAID OF ME. JUST THAT ALONE WAS AMAZING.
I'VE NEVER FELT ACCEPTED, EXCEPT IN MEXICO. YOU AND DEEYA AREN'T AFRAID OF ME! YOU DON'T THINK I'M FREAKISH OR PSYCHOTIC OR POSSESSED BY DEMONS
YOU'RE NOT AFRAID OF ME! YOU EVEN LIKE ME. YOU BOTH SEE ME. I DON'T HAVE TO HIDE. THAT'S SO DIFFERENT. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO I AM. IVE BEEN HIDING SO LONG.
EDJI, I HAVE TO WAKE UP OR DIE TRYING. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. YOU BELIEVE THAT I CAN. THAT'S THE MOST AMAZING THING TO ME. YOU BELIEVE IN ME.
DEEYA BELIEVES IN ME. NOW I HAVE TO. YOU DON'T SCARE ME, EDJI . COOKING ME DOESN'T SCARE ME. DYING IN THIS HALF ALIVE STATE SCARES ME.
I WILL WORK MY HEART OUT TO GROW, BUT I WARN YOU, EDJI I WILL FIGHT YOU TRYING TO HELP ME WHEN I THINK I CANT DO IT, I'LL SCREAM AND CRY BUT I WILL SURRENDER TO YOU AND STAY! I WILL DO THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER, AS LONG AS IT TAKES. THIS IS LIFE AND DEATH TO ME.
AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO BE YOUR FRIEND. I SEE YOU, TOO. I'M NOT AWAKE TO MY SELF AS YOU ARE, BUT I CAN STILL SEE YOU. I LOVE THE PERSON I SEE.
GOOD BAD. AND UGLY. BUT IF YOU ACT LIKE A HORSE'S ASS, I'LL TELL YOU SO, JUST LIKE YOU'LL TELL ME TO STOP WHINING. I HAVEN'T EVEN MET YOU FACE TO FACE YET. IT SEEMS STRANGE TO SAY THAT. BUT I'VE MET YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR MIND AND YOUR HEART. AND SHAKTI IS JUST PUSHING ME INTO YOU.
I FEEL MY HEART LEAP WHEN YOU WRITE TO ME. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUNDAY SATSANG LIKE I'M GOING ON A DATE. ITS LIKE I'VE KNOWN YOU FOREVER.
I'M RIDICULOUSLY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE. AND DEEYA FEELS LIKE MY ANCIENT SISTER, FROM MILLENIA AGO AND ENDLESS WORLDS. AND I SO LOVE YOUR STUDENTS. .WHAT A MOTLEY BUNCH OF WARM HEARTED, LOVING PEOPLE. AND THAT'S JUST HOW IT IS. YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME.
Wisdom of Swami Chetananda re the Guru/student relationship
One thing
he said struck me and I thought I’d repeat it. He said, “In the six thousand year history of
Hindu spirituality, there does not exist even one line that advocated not
having a guru. That is, the guru/student
relationship was central to spiritual transmission.
I would add that this is also true of the 2,500
year history of Buddhism, from the original Theravadin quest for Arhathood, to
all the schools that emphasized emptiness, to Zen. The teacher/student relationship was central
to the transmission of wisdom.
Swami made this statement because of all the
contemporary massive movement and disparagement of the guru/student relationship
by the neo-Advaitins and the anti-authoritarian movements in society where
there is such distrust of authority because of the corruption in both government
and industry such that few can really surrender to a teacher or even another
human. Such fear. Westerners are totally
frightened of this kind of surrender and love.
Others were so burned by love of the guru or
another that they run far away and begin preaching to all that no guru is
needed, just look to oneself. They forget
to mention that they came to the Self through love of a guru.
17 March 2014
Email to me from Syndria who saw our recent live satsang in Santa Monica.
Anger was never spoken out loud in my family, it was demonstrated by silence and ostracization. Secret grudges. So, I'm all for expression.
I thought the Satsang was wonderful. You and Deeya always complement each other beautifully. And it's very true that people need and are searching for healing. Healing and Self Realization together at Satsang make good sense.
It is still difficult to access good psychotherapy without large co-pays, lots of people still resist even trying therapy. Sometimes they need physically based therapies.
To both experience energy therapy at work through you and Deeya, and to learn to feel and know these energies themselves is priceless. I think you're filling a void in the Spiritual scene. You're teaching Self Realization and ways to facilitate that actualization within our post modern society.
Usually, its one or the other. Energy work alone can be directionless. Self Realization alone, can leave students with out tools to deal with obstacles. Together they are wholistic, in a Real way.
That's my 2¢, for what it's worth.
I also, personally, like seeing teachers work cooperatively. What's the point in every teacher doing their own thing? There are too many ineffective ones already. Why not take a more inclusive approach.
Besides, the whole sangha benefits from seeing you and Deeya deal with problems that arise. More good teaching was accomplished through this whole 'you yelling at Kerima - Charlie yelling at you - sangha yelling at everything' caper.
By dealing with it publically, openly, honestly you and Deeya demonstrated how mature problem solving can happen. Which just made the sniping of some seem immature. There are real relationships being built, that alone is so supportive for the work of Self Realization.
Alright that was worth another 1¢.
I thought the Satsang was wonderful. You and Deeya always complement each other beautifully. And it's very true that people need and are searching for healing. Healing and Self Realization together at Satsang make good sense.
It is still difficult to access good psychotherapy without large co-pays, lots of people still resist even trying therapy. Sometimes they need physically based therapies.
To both experience energy therapy at work through you and Deeya, and to learn to feel and know these energies themselves is priceless. I think you're filling a void in the Spiritual scene. You're teaching Self Realization and ways to facilitate that actualization within our post modern society.
Usually, its one or the other. Energy work alone can be directionless. Self Realization alone, can leave students with out tools to deal with obstacles. Together they are wholistic, in a Real way.
That's my 2¢, for what it's worth.
I also, personally, like seeing teachers work cooperatively. What's the point in every teacher doing their own thing? There are too many ineffective ones already. Why not take a more inclusive approach.
Besides, the whole sangha benefits from seeing you and Deeya deal with problems that arise. More good teaching was accomplished through this whole 'you yelling at Kerima - Charlie yelling at you - sangha yelling at everything' caper.
By dealing with it publically, openly, honestly you and Deeya demonstrated how mature problem solving can happen. Which just made the sniping of some seem immature. There are real relationships being built, that alone is so supportive for the work of Self Realization.
Alright that was worth another 1¢.
15 March 2014
Satsang Sunday, March 16, 2 PM, Pacific Daylight Savings Time.
I believe that is 9PM for the U.K, and 10 PM for most of Europe.
It will be Deeya and Ed and part of a live Satsang from Santa Monica.
We will be talking about a changed mission for our Satsangs, that includes both healing and getting into the energetic body (Subtle Body) as well as Self-Realization.
Go to http://satsangwithedji.weebly.com, and sign in 2 diferent screens with the password "edgi." Then please mute your microphone by tapping the "mute" button on top of the videos.
It will be Deeya and Ed and part of a live Satsang from Santa Monica.
We will be talking about a changed mission for our Satsangs, that includes both healing and getting into the energetic body (Subtle Body) as well as Self-Realization.
Go to http://satsangwithedji.weebly.com, and sign in 2 diferent screens with the password "edgi." Then please mute your microphone by tapping the "mute" button on top of the videos.
13 March 2014
Our community has a problem
And it is a problem every community has. It took me three years before I trusted Robert because of inconsistencies in his behaviors, such as telling untruths and other things. But the whole thing about the teacher/student relationship is trust. If you can't trust the teacher, you will find a thousand reasons not to. If you can trust you will be rewarded beyond measure.
I teach we must be open and honest with each other. Hide nothing if you can, just be diplomatic in its expression.
A lot of people are having doubts about me after Charlie wrote that I yelled at the woman I lived with, and doubting comments redoubled after the Batgap interview.
For some reason Charlie thought this the most horrible, unguru-like behavior possible, and he had doubts about me, which he shared with Deeya. Others have been similarly sharing other doubts about me with Deeya, who feels totally torn apart because people are being negative about me with her, and she does not feel like she can share their comments with me because of confidentiality issues.
However, the negativity about me caused her to doubt me and distance herself, which caused me to feel hurt and makes us both less effective as teachers. There is a poisoning going on.
Deeya was being made the container of all negativity towards me rather
than people expressing it directly to me, or at least leaving Deeya out of it,
and the unexpressed negativity was felt as inner uncomfortable stress.I teach we must be open and honest with each other. Hide nothing if you can, just be diplomatic in its expression.
A lot of people are having doubts about me after Charlie wrote that I yelled at the woman I lived with, and doubting comments redoubled after the Batgap interview.
For some reason Charlie thought this the most horrible, unguru-like behavior possible, and he had doubts about me, which he shared with Deeya. Others have been similarly sharing other doubts about me with Deeya, who feels totally torn apart because people are being negative about me with her, and she does not feel like she can share their comments with me because of confidentiality issues.
However, the negativity about me caused her to doubt me and distance herself, which caused me to feel hurt and makes us both less effective as teachers. There is a poisoning going on.
Why are you going to Deeya rather than me about who and what I am, and thereby burdening her with keeping secrets? It is unfair to her as well as to yourself. If you think teachers are supposed to have your imagined, Ramana-like of behaviors at all times, you are in the wrong Sangha. Teachers are human and will have “defects” from your POV, which are probably defects you have yourself and criticize in yourself, because you don't accept yourself. But what we are about is finding out who and what we are, not living up to ideas of how or what we are supposed to be.
This is my job, to help you find yourself. Come to me with your doubts, but don't lay the seeds of poison in another. Don’t poison our Sangha.
This is a universal problem. Over the years some students have tried to contaminate my loving and goodwill towards members, saying they have dark energies, or have a multiple personality disorder, or are untrustworthy, and I have to admit I have been poisoned myself regarding members of our Sangha which sometimes caused disaster.
So, for our own sanity, be brave, come to me, not to others about doubts about me.
BUT FEEL FREE TO CONTINUE CONTACTING DEEYA ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE BESIDES NEGATIVITY TOWARDS ME.
11 March 2014
The Complexity of Spiritual Teachings; the Simplicity of Self-Realization
Edji,
I watched your BATGAP interview with Deeya and Rick Archer and
found it very interesting. One topic that you and Rick discussed that has
continued to be on my mind is whether there is a universal truth that all
spiritual teachers and traditions try to point to or if it is more chaotic.
I know you emphasized the differences in your experience between all the
spiritual paths and teachers you came across on your timeline, and the fact
that in your experience there are very different kinds of awakenings.
This idea has been swimming around my mind today because it
seems to conflict with other teachings, who always talk about "one
awareness". I know Rupert Spira, who I just attended a retreat with,
often says there are 6 billion worlds, but one awareness. He often
communicates that awareness is what doesn't change, the "spacelike,
knowing presence" that permeates all seeming objects (and eventually
reveals itself as those objects as well). Lester Levenson also said,
"Truth is that which doesn't change".
I was wondering if you could provide more explanation if those
statements hold validity in your experience, or if you disagree with Rupert and
Lester in that regard. I know you have said in past emails to me that
there is not necessarily one truth, but that seems to conflict with the idea of
nonduality itself, and also the quotes of the above teachers. Could you
provide any more explanation?
Thanks Edji,
Brian
Ed’s Response:
Look, each teacher has his or her own
personalized message. Robert was a little different from Ramana, but both
are a thousand light years from Tony Parsons or Tolle.
Zen is different from any Hinduism and most other schools of Buddhism.
One awareness means nothing. Consciousness is very deep and these people usually mean awareness of what is on the surface of Consciousness, such as our perception of the world, relationships, or our bodies, rather than of the Self, or the Witness, or emptiness or bliss.
Consciousness is too complex, deep and intense to be grasped in its entirety by any one person or lineage.
Zen is different from any Hinduism and most other schools of Buddhism.
One awareness means nothing. Consciousness is very deep and these people usually mean awareness of what is on the surface of Consciousness, such as our perception of the world, relationships, or our bodies, rather than of the Self, or the Witness, or emptiness or bliss.
Consciousness is too complex, deep and intense to be grasped in its entirety by any one person or lineage.
For
example, I have been involved in spirituality, meditation, following teachers,
etc. for almost 60 years. On Facebook or
the Internet, most teachers have less than a dozen years of experience and
decide to become teachers. They maybe
had one or two breakthroughs and think that is that.
But I wandered from teacher to teacher and practice to practice many decades, and until a dozen years ago, felt I didn’t have a clue as to what it was all about. I had had a no-self awakening to unitary Consciousness, and had gone beyond Consciousness altogether to the Absolute.
I could then speak for hours about Zen awakening, about Empty Mind, about the various types or stages of emptiness, about the Light of Consciousness that illuminates the Void, and about Kundalini. I could talk about the recognition of Self as in psychotherapy, and the use of spirituality to avoid loneliness or too strong emotions. But I did not feel I had a clue.
Then one day (actually over a period of months), I realized the Self, or I should say, I, as self, realized myself as Self. You have to read my free book on my website to understand this fully. But after this, FINALLY I knew something with unshakable conviction. I knew myself. Since then the Self continues to teach me about aspects of Consciousness that I had been unaware of as a constant unfolding.
But Consciousness is far more vast and deep than the neo-Advaitins with their simple “newness” or “no-separate-self” can begin to fathom. They acknowledge no depths to Consciousness, it is all here and now on the surface, no need or possibility of going deeper, but blame all problems on the mind, and if you just intellectually see that mind creates your problems, you are free.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. They are tip of the tongue sages.
Out of this outrageous complexity I have chosen to narrow my teaching focus just to Self-Realization and how to get there through loving introspection and loving others. That is all I teach. I could talk for ages about the rest, but I find the act of Self-Realization as taught by Ramana, Robert and initially Nisargadatta, to be the fastest and most explosive change that can happened to a person, and with the added benefit of being the kind of awakening that best benefits mankind as a whole because it emphasizes being a separate Self in the world, allowing you to love and take care of all other sentient beings who also partake of that same Self.
it is not just going beyond life and death as in primitive Buddhism’s idea of Nirvana and the Arhat, but more a taking notice of the suffering of others and bring them a clarity about who and what they are through direct experience.
But I wandered from teacher to teacher and practice to practice many decades, and until a dozen years ago, felt I didn’t have a clue as to what it was all about. I had had a no-self awakening to unitary Consciousness, and had gone beyond Consciousness altogether to the Absolute.
I could then speak for hours about Zen awakening, about Empty Mind, about the various types or stages of emptiness, about the Light of Consciousness that illuminates the Void, and about Kundalini. I could talk about the recognition of Self as in psychotherapy, and the use of spirituality to avoid loneliness or too strong emotions. But I did not feel I had a clue.
Then one day (actually over a period of months), I realized the Self, or I should say, I, as self, realized myself as Self. You have to read my free book on my website to understand this fully. But after this, FINALLY I knew something with unshakable conviction. I knew myself. Since then the Self continues to teach me about aspects of Consciousness that I had been unaware of as a constant unfolding.
But Consciousness is far more vast and deep than the neo-Advaitins with their simple “newness” or “no-separate-self” can begin to fathom. They acknowledge no depths to Consciousness, it is all here and now on the surface, no need or possibility of going deeper, but blame all problems on the mind, and if you just intellectually see that mind creates your problems, you are free.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. They are tip of the tongue sages.
Out of this outrageous complexity I have chosen to narrow my teaching focus just to Self-Realization and how to get there through loving introspection and loving others. That is all I teach. I could talk for ages about the rest, but I find the act of Self-Realization as taught by Ramana, Robert and initially Nisargadatta, to be the fastest and most explosive change that can happened to a person, and with the added benefit of being the kind of awakening that best benefits mankind as a whole because it emphasizes being a separate Self in the world, allowing you to love and take care of all other sentient beings who also partake of that same Self.
it is not just going beyond life and death as in primitive Buddhism’s idea of Nirvana and the Arhat, but more a taking notice of the suffering of others and bring them a clarity about who and what they are through direct experience.
But the
neo-Advaitin and Buddhist ideas of no self, no Self, and no separate self
completely block a person from Self-realization because they are not open to
the possibility of finding a self or Self within.
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