Conversation with Shankarananda

ME TO SWAMI SHANKARANDA:

You were right about Advaita, Swamiji.  Only a half-way awakening.

When you meet the Self inside--God, that is  true spirituality.  Surrender, grace, bliss, worship, energies are yours then as well as the sure knowledge of who and what you are.

If you can convey even 5% in words you are doing well.  You transmit it by your being, energy, and bearing, and by your intent to transmit it.

If it takes torture, you torture.  Love, you create is and it transmutes.  If sex helps, use it.

I found it was intense love.

Still your friend,

Ed

From Shankarananda:

Ed,

I'm deeply appreciating your recent communications...

Yes, exactly. That neo-advaita tends to be a head trip, leaving out all the good stuff you mentioned.

I can't put it in writing these days, but I see that you and I will discuss the role of tantra in spirituality at some point with great joy and some Starbucks coffee.

It's great to have my dear LA friend back. Thanks for your support. The Self can't help but always be optimistic.

Love,

Swamiji

From Me:

Swamiji, I was never neo-Advaita.  I was Nisargadatta Advaita.  And that poor prick--smart and sensistive as he was--killed his humanity and divorced himself from Consciousness in order to abide in the Witness, which he called Self.  He left the real Self, the Manifest Self behind as he got old and was dying.