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#4406 -
The Nonduality Highlights
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Awaiting Transportation
Vernon Howard gave a talk
with the title “
place where people went until the boat came to take them to the
other shore.
He was speaking about the inner journey, but this is also
applicable to our
mortal one.
Today we learned that
Bill Lindley’s transfer came. In his last message he said
that he was awaiting transportation, having been diagnosed with
late-stage
cancer. We all hoped to hear from him again.
Let us sit here together
in a communal silence, bathing in the beatitude of Bill.
Go ahead and let your eyes moisten and your heart soften. Nothing
wrong
with that. And then let us be "up and doing," whatever
it is that we do best.
That is the way to keep love alive.
by Vicki Woodyard on
Facebook
Bill Lindley blogged 140
"Notes" in the year he was on Facebook. They were
all gems of wisdom, gleaned from a lifetime of offering his
generous heart in
service to others. Bill could write about the Gospel of Bugs
Bunny, Ramana, or
Mr.Rogers with a humble human touch that also spoke profound
truths. Even
in his last note he was still reaching out to serve others.
Bill modestly
summed up a career shared by his partner of 44 years, John, in
these few words.
"My Partner and I
worked for years in
Residential Hotel Managers, and helped many young people
transition to the
City, and resettle.
After a transformation as
a result of reading The Cloud of Unknowing, my
Partner and I started attending Grace Cathedral in
short time, I became the Cathedral's first full
time maintenance person. After
a short period, the Dean of Grace made arraignments for my
partner and I to
go to Lincoln Cathedral, in
maintenance work for the Cathedral, but soon we were asked
by the Dean to
form a Contemplative/service Religious Community. I wrote
the rule, and
The Community of the Living Sacrifice was born.
The Community worked with
young Gay people, and we housed ex-prisoners,
newly released psychiatric patients and the Homeless. We were
very
successful, but anti-Gay sentiment in the Church of England
resulted in our
return to the
developmentally disabled, and did that work for some time. After
that we
worked for HUD housing, and provided housing for the poor and
elderly.
As the Community was
coming to a close, I discovered Ramakrishna, Sri
Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj. This revitalized the
spiritual
search, and in 1990 a final understanding occurred, and all
seeking stopped."
~
~ ~
My "teaching"
is that we ARE unconditional Love. No person, no "God",
just
Love unfolding. The "nothingness" everyone talks about
is seen as
"everythingness" from here. I have uncovered the truth
of my "faith" by living
it, trusting it, and being it. A "teacher" lives his
"teaching". Realize you are
Love unfolding, and live accordingly. It is no more complicated
than that!
~Bill Lindley
"...but where can I
go, I am always here."
In a couple of interviews
I did over the last year, I referenced my thought
while in the monastery, about looking at death being, to me, like
anticipating
Christmas. Death, the final mystery; the duality of Life. Birth,
death and life,
all illusions, but part of the flow of Love.
If you are wondering why
I decided to write a note about death, it's because
on Friday last I learned that I have cancer. And not just a
"little" cancer, but
apparently there are multiple major organs involved, including my
lungs and
bones. I said to the doctor, "This is pretty bad isn't
it?" The doctor said, "Do
want me to tell you the truth?" I said "Of
course", and he said, "It's bad!" He
let me know that there was little to be done. And I thought to
myself.
"Christmas is coming!".
And then I thought of my
Partner of 44 years. No Christmas for him. The
only sadness I feel is for him, I have an inexplicable sense of
fascination and
joy. I took a walk in the desert today, which was hard, as I am
in a good deal
of pain due to a tumor on my spine. But as we drove into the
desert area we
love, I was overwhelmed with joy. We will work this out as we
have done for
44 years. My partner is a saint, unbeknown to himself. I told him
the quote
from Ramana Maharshi; "You say I am going away, but where
can I go? I am
always here. You give too much importance to the body."
I gave an invitation to
those who would like to meet and talk to me, to come
here to see me. This is even more important now. Now that I am
"waiting
transportation", I want to speak frankly. I can offer you
something personally
that is not transmittable in my humble writings. I can show you a
life that has
been lived for the Absolute. I can arrange for a group meeting,
or individuals.
Just message me. Also, depending on my condition, I can come to
see you,
but I would need transportation costs, and a place to stay. No
charge for the
teaching, but you might bring "goodies" for everyone to
share.
When my partner and I
heard the doctors grim news, I said to him, "Now I
will have plenty to write about on Facebook.", and I will. I
will follow the
journey, as long as it takes, and share my joy with my loving
friends. I feel
like a vapor, the body is failing, but the Love that I am is well
and eternal. I
am only that; Love. So I repeat, "...but where can I go, I
am always here."
Peace
by Bill Lindley
To the Many Friends of
Bill Lindley: Bill passed away four evenings ago. I
know we shall all miss him very much. Bill said that if he ever
had a funeral,
he would like the proceedings to commence with the theme used to
introduce
Warner Bros. cartoons, "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down"
and end said
proceedings with their closing number with Porky Pig coming on
stuttering,
"The-the-the That's All Folks!" But there will be none
of that as Bill amended
that plan in the end with nothing. So, I shall scatter his ashes
in the area he
referenced in his last blog. I am thankful that Bill did not have
to wait long for
transportation. Peace. John.
"When people who
live their meaning meet each other, a connection is made
outside of time and outside of space that has a very
lasting effect. It becomes
part of this bigger network, a bigger connection of light
which gives meaning
to the whole of life. It affects not just you, not just me,
it affects the whole,
and that is very meaningful."
~Llewellyn
Vaughan-Lee
Shine on, dear Bill,
shine on.....
Ramana's Smile
"If I allow you to
interpret
Ramana's words
for me,
who will be found
to interpret
Ramana's Smile? "
~ Bill Lindley
Website: http://ahimsananda.blogspot.com/
http://ahimsanandasvoice.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/ChristianAdvaita