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#2746 - Friday, March 2, 2007 - Editor: Jerry Katz
The Nondual Highlights
Highlights Home: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDhighlights/
Looking out the window, and this is what is seen.
Presence
There is a land beyond thought. It is called Presence. The first
time I
found myself there I was amazed. All of my sorrow had fallen
away. I
could ascertain no boredom, anger or depression. Apparently they
can not
make it beyond the borders. How this is I do not know because
there are
no guards...no one checking your emotional baggage. And I had
plenty.
I wanted to smuggle in stories about myself. A particular one I
had
carried all of my life. It was about my life. Once in Presence I
found
that I didn’t need it after all. The life I had told stories
about
belonged to Someone Else. And He didn’t need it anymore than
I did.
We called him The Man Without A Story and he was rumored to run
Presence, Population One. He was not a gunslinger or an astronaut
or a
traffic cop. He was present. You might compare him to the buddha
or the
Christ, but he would have none of that. Comparison lay beyond the
mountains that you had to cross before entering his land. It was
contraband.
There is always a first time and I was no exception. I found
myself in
this country on the worst day of my life, or so the story went.
But just
as I was about to write a sentence having to do with my story, I
forgot
the words. I found myself transfixed with what I saw. Everything.
With
no labels. I had to just see. It was unforgettable even while I
knew
there were no words.
The silence roared like the inside of a conch. The peace poured
down
like water and my clothes were melting in the sun. I was a
jaybird on a
branch and then the branch gave way and I flew.
Vicki Woodyard
Vicki’s new CD, Passage Into Light, is available at
http://www.CafePress.com/vickiwoodyard
Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment, by Jed McKenna
Reviewed by Shirley Roe,
Allbooks Reviews
This is a difficult book to review because most people won't get
it. Jed
McKenna is a heterodox individual. His approach to enlightenment
and
awakening are unorthodox. In his first book, Spiritual
Enlightenment: The
Damnedest Thing he guides the reader through the maze of theories
and
practices towards a desirable conclusion. His approach is simple,
his words
direct and uncut and his methods are shameless. Oh, but how
effective!
In Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment, he takes a classic piece
of
literature, Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, and dissects it with the
skill of a
surgeon. His carefully placed quotes by Mark Twain, U.G.
Krishnamurti, Henry
David Thoreau and Walt Whitman move the reader strategically from
one
chapter to the next. The conclusion he draws from the classic is
astute,
logical and unsullied.
This is an unusual book by an unusual man and it requires an
unusual review.
After reading both of Jed McKenna's books, this reviewer has come
to the
conclusion that spiritual enlightenment or awakening is as easy
as ABC. Let
me explain using the theater as my vehicle.
A Audience - Most of the world's population fits into category
"A" or the
Audience. These people are happy to buy their ticket, sit in
their seats and
watch the illusion play out on the stage. They have no desire to
become the
actors or to direct the play.
B Balcony - Some people move from the audience into the Balcony;
usually
clutching their Bibles, while expounding the virtues of religious
spirituality. People in category "B" consider
themselves above those in "A"
spiritually, but are content to sit and enjoy the illusion as
long as they
have their ingrained Beliefs.
C Characters - After trying the balcony seats, people often move
on in their
search for the ever elusive enlightenment, to the stage where
they become
Characters. Copying their new spiritual Mentors, they wear the
Costumes,
hold the props and act out their own new illusion. These people
feel that
they have achieved greater understanding through their Chakras,
Chants and
Crystals. They think they are now Content.
D Disillusioned with the costumes and the play-acting, some
seekers actually
go backstage looking to Discover a different set design, learn
some new
Dialogue and Dissimulate themselves. However, these people often
miss the
Curtain Calls and return to the stage "C" driven not by
truth but Ego.
E Encore for the Ego or exit stage left, enter stage right,
repeat as
necessary. This is where many get stuck changing costumes,
learning new
dialogue all in an effort to achieve Enlightenment-Evolving turns
into
revolving, a never-ending search for Euphoria. A merry-go-round
as the
author describes it.
Jed McKenna's books are not for people in category "A",
"B", "C", or "D".
Don't waste your money; you won't like it and you won't get it.
However,
people like Julie, the student in the book who shares her
Spiritual
Autolysis while in category "E", may want to see the
Finale.
F Finale - In the Finale, those that jump or fall off of the
revolving stage
end up in the dressing room. Facing Fears, Free of Falsehoods,
Facing Facts-
layer after layer of makeup is removed only to find another layer
beneath,
until only the naked truth remains. The costume lies discarded on
the Floor,
the script has Failed, the props didn't work and now you must
Finally Face
the Truth.
G Go, going, gone. - Running through the stage door, away from
the illusion-
gone is the mystery. The seeker has awakened!
H Home - Author, Jed McKenna rose from his seat, tried the
balcony, took his
turn on stage, closed the curtain, stripped off his makeup, threw
away his
costumes, ran for the stage door and is safely spiritually at
Home, where he
enjoys the most Important letter-
I "I" - Simple really and what a coincidence that Jed's
book takes us
through Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. The story of Ahab and
Ishmael, (A-I)
Coincidence? I think not!
Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment guides the reader to the
realization
that being enlightened is reaching a point were you realize that
there is no
"self" to be enlightened!
If you are really ready to Awaken, pick up a copy of this book
today. Way to
go Jed, you did it again! Bravo!
http://wisefoolpress.com
Paul writes on the TheologyOnline forum (and invites responses):
Greetings all,
This space will be for those who desire to explore the Mighty 'I
AM'.....which is the eternal Name of the Living 'God'. ( Ex.
3:14, 15) This 'I AM' Presence is the One Supreme Source and
IDentity of the True Self....denoting the divine Beinghood of the
One Mind, One Spirit, One Self-existing Intelligence, the Center
of divine Consciousness which is Self-evident as BEING.
This Mighty I AM Presence, "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" is the
Name the Almighty revealed to Moses on the mount, 'I Am that I
AM'.....the Self-existing One. Another variation of the divine
Name...which 'God' said would be His Name forever, is "I
Will Be" in its verbal sense denoting continuous
action/will/intent...in futuristic
creation/manifestation/evolvement in the momentum of time and
space thru-out the circle of infinity. Therefore....the divine
Name "Ehyeh" which is 'to be'....carries the notion of
this generation being born from the Mighty 'I AM'....to the 'I
Will be'....which denotes the cycle of Be-ing and Be-coming. The
revolutions of all potentials turning into actuals...and actuals
continuing to become potentials in the eternal unfolding of
divine Will directives, creation.
In our essential beinghood.....we derive our very existence from
Original Existence which is the essence of the I AM(God-Presence
or IDentity). Our connection with the I AM as our being is
centered and awakened to the Mighty Presence of the One God is
fundamental, foundational, all-supreme. This is our origination
and God-IDentity.
There have been a host of schools amid the I AM movements where
the central truth of the Mighty I AM has been emphasized thru
various dispensations - I have studied some with these
schools...although my insights come from a variety of schools
with perspectives from my own sense of God-IDentity. Those who
have followed me on TOL may remember this theosophical flavor and
style...centered in the One God-Reality and Glory.....which is
our true Self-being. The One I AM.
Below are some of my own insight-reflections of divine
theontology (the science/study of divine Being/existence) which
is centered in a non-dual intuitive vision of the One divine
Reality (The Original Monad, indivisible, undifferentiated as One
Singularity, One Entirety of Existence, the All). Only One Being
being! This truth of ones Self is utter, inviolate and
Self-evident as Absolute. It is Pure Existence,...sourced in
Being and realized in Consciousness...which is intrinsic to
Being.
~ ~ ~
Comment at http://www.theologyonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35464&page=1&pp=15