Nonduality

As for nondual activism I will participate with compassion born of gentle wisdom, Judging no one. Giving to those who ask what I can

Dropping Belief
and Living with What Is

Michael Read

After reading and watching the dialogue on non-dual activism since Jerry first introduced the concept, these thoughts are offered.

The term that has great attraction at this time is 'felt group'. Primarily because it connotes a movement from the heart, rather than a call to action. The wise know when and how to act. Compassion is born of wisdom, wisdom is born of experience.

The fourteen of us who gathered this summer in Rhode Island acted as a felt group. We had no set agenda, other than to be ready to eat when the cook showed up. We moved as a liquid being flowing into and out of space and circumstance. It was synergetic and beautiful.

This past Christmas Eve I spent with my foster family. Jim, my foster dad, was raised Catholic. At one point he was well into his studies for the priesthood when a family situation ended that path and he returned home. He later married Maurine who had been in a nunnery until that incident with the snowball and the monsignour! Ah, but that's only background information. These two were my foster parents for one year, my junior year of high school.

They are marvelous people. During that year with them I learned what it meant to be in a family. I learned to laugh a lot. I also became a Catholic. These days I follow no religion except that of my own heart. Anyway, the immediate above is just for background information.

During the evening Jim came and sat beside me. He was interested in how things had been with me. We hadn't seen each other for about four years. He asked me what I knew. I responded that I knew everything but couldn't tell anybody anything.

Out converstaion turned to spiritual matters. He put forth that one needed belief and faith. I responded that there comes a time when our beliefs are put aside for true knowing, that our faith and belief take us only so far. Jim, a man in his early seventies, has spent his lifetime steeped in his beliefs and his faith.

Due to this firm foundation he had great difficulty understanding what I was talking about. At one point the impulse to 'prove' my point arose. Blessed wisdom acted from the point of compassion and I did not even attempt to try to prove anything. I did say one thing. That was this "That which is looking out of your eyes, right now, is the same thing that looked out of Jesus's eyes."

This he agreed to without hesitation.

I say that blessed wisdom and compassion arose to stop me from attempting to prove anything for this simple reason. The greatest truth cannot be transmitted by the spoken word. To think that one can is a great ego trap. Even though a more forceful argument may overwhelm a weaker one the truth will not be transmitted.

Had I succumbed to the impulse to argue with Jim, that's all that would have transpired, an argument. One that would have benefitted niether of us. What did transpire was a meeting. That was all. And it was beautiful.

I truly love this man. He is a father to me.

Did Jim gain anything from me? Though the possiblity exists that his heart was opened and he was moved further along, I don't care if he experienced more of an opening or did not. Nor do I hope that he did.

What does this story have to do with nondual activism? Only this, my heart moved in a gentle way. There is no way to force awakening on those who do not seek it. One must have been prepared by one's own life. Each story has similarities and a uniqueness to it that lend's both drama and beauty.

As for nondual activism I will participate with compassion born of gentle wisdom, Judging no one. Giving to those who ask what I can.

Dropping belief and living with what is.

HAHAHAH and HOHOHO!

Peace - that is all - Michael