Click here to go to the next issue

Highlights Home Page | Receive the Nondual Highlights each day

HIGHLIGHTS # 1260 - Sunday, November 17, 2002 - Guest Editor: Jeff Belyea
-----------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Kristin Heuser on Guru Satsang

I love Jesus' teachings now that I understand them from the non-dual
perspective. Their meaning comes alive for me as never before. If
people didn't take religion so literally, perhaps the world would be
a better place. Take the essence and leave the dogma. At least it
works for me.

Here is a link I happened upon that shows the underlying unity in the
world's major religions and how they are non-dual at their core.
It's primarily about the Mystical Qabalah, but it shows its
commonality with other religions.

<http://www.workofthechariot.com

Love & Peace,
Kristin

-----------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Mary Lee Robertson on papajeff

The more I delve into the 'Eastern' perspective, the
clearer my understanding is of Jesus's words, "The
Kingdom of Heaven is within you".

Mary Lee (Sunny)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted on Meditation Society of America

The Anatomy of a Dwarf, Robert S. De Ropp, from The Master Game

The false ego is a component of man's psyche which follows him into high
places, a clown, a buffoon, hunchback, dwarf, a poor companion but one not easy
to shake off. To know its aspect, to be able clearly to define its limits, the
student must observe and gather material. Nothing is gained by concealment.
The false ego derives its power from its capacity for disguise. It shows
itself now in one form, now in another, will pick up high-sounding phrases and
trot them out like a parrot, will learn the language of the inner work and talk
of higher states of consciousness, mystical experience, occult powers and
celestial influences. Talk is its milieu. It love talking. If it cannot find
anyone else to talk to, it talks to itself or engages in imaginary
conversations with some friend or admirer.

Admiration it loves. To strut and show off like a jackdaw in peacock'
feathers is for the false ego the very height of bliss. But if anyone
criticizes this performance, if anyone dares to suggest that the plumage is
borrowed and the whole display a fake, how bitter the resentment, how anguished
the outcries and protests! Not satisfied with weeping on the shoulders of
everyone within reach, this tiresome entity will fill the whole psyche with
lamentations, airing its grievances in imaginary conversations which, because
of the cyclic nature of the mental hookup, repeat themselves interminably. "He
wronged me, he insulted me, he damaged my reputation, he made me look
foolish." In such phrases as these, with a thousand variations depending on
circumstances, does the false ego express its reaction when the praise it so
dearly loves is withheld or its antics are treated with disdain.

The counsel of perfection is not to let the false ego take charge, to avoid
those situations in which he is likely to play a dominant role. True to the
old saying, "Birds of a feather flock together", this aspect of the psyche is
automatically drawn into the company of fools who pander to his weakness and
praise his performance. Certain people, as any careful observer can note, get
together for no other reason than to reinforce each others false egos, forming
little mutual-admiration societies within which they can display their most
artificial aspects without fear of censure.

Friends of the false ego are foes of the essence. An essence friend is no
flatterer and does not admire the antics of the inner fool. It was well said
by the Sufi poet, Rumi, that the friendship of a fool is like the friendship of
a bear. He added, in another story, that even Jesus fled from the fool,
saying: "I can make the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame run and raise the
dead, but I cannot turn the fool away from his folly." So the practical
student of Creative Psychology learns to avoid these people and circumstances
which encourage the manifestations of the false ego. Instead he seeks essence
friends whose aims are similar to his own. This does not mean that he lacks
compassion or is excessively critical. He is simply a realist who knows his own
limitations and does not propose to make a hard task still harder by
deliberately fostering his own delusions.


Happy Days,
Judi

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob and JP on NDS
Guest editor's Note: And this exchange on the Non Duality Salon
featuring Bob (calsfbob) and that master provocateur, JP

Hi Bob

I didn't read any critical review of yours - but I did read a
message you wrote to me.

Can you show me your pent-up envy-hate, Bob?

I know the stinking pus of that wound, brother.

Man talk: my pus is bigger than your pus.

Just be honest with it. Be alright with it. No one's going to punish
you - but you - and you don't have to anymore.

Yes. I get so sickly sweet at times. A weakness I guess. Yup it's
true. I can sometimes be a sentimental jerk. I wear my heart on
my snotty sleeve.

On full moons I even turn into a ghastly hugging Leo Buscaglia.

I'm Greek - Armenian - French - Italian. The full spectrum of
emotions happen.

I feel.

I'm no cyborg. I'm not a chaser of the ultimate void. I have an ego.

I can feel Love Life passion fire flow through me - feel God's
music, light and happiness flow through me when I write, sing,
express, make love, dance, laugh, cry, pray, rant, play, criticize,
philosophize, dream this dream, whatever.

You know...emotion...that disgusting stuff that dirty unspiritual
sleeping masses, non-white ethnic minorities, children, women,
gay men and animals have...

You remember...that fire that burns in our beautiful wounded
warrior hearts when they open...

Bob - It's My Big Fat Greek Life.

Sweet ouzo and salty feta cheese.

Smash the dishes!


> Look how much time you put into this retort.

No sweat, Bob.

In a few minutes it sputters out from my twisted heart.


> Was it really worth it?

Yes.

No regrets.


> My point was simple.

Not quite.

> Life has all the cheerleaders it needs to keep everyone asleep to the
> game. How can someone really believe they are not asleep, who are
> sound asleep to that? How can someone really believe they are evolved
> who are just part of the herd?


Bob, listen to yourself...

You want to believe that you are someone who is awake and
evolved - and not a part of the sleeping herd?

You do not want to be in the muck with the sleeping sick human
scum - you're beyond the masses?

The herd disgusts you?

It's okay if it does. It's no crime. It's honest.

You want to feel special and among the brave, the few, the
proud, the elect - above it all?

Repeat after me: Mooooooo!

You are awakening - seeing the trance and the conditionings.
Great. So what? Does any kind of awakening somehow make
you separate from any other human being or life form on this
living planet - in this infinite living Universe - in the One Reality
(whatever you wanna call it)? Does it make you holier?

Does your nondual view conceal a bitter and stark dualism?

Seeing our enslaving conditioning and domestication - seeing
our trances - yes! Trying to awaken in this dream - yes - we're
both trying to do that.

Me - I can drift in and out of this dreamstate as I awaken. I'm a
snoring, horny mad dog on the muddy banks of an infinite Ocean
of Love. My leash is tight and it pulls on my flea-bitten neck and I
pull back.

(Love is just the word I use. And it's everything to me - not just
light and fluffy angelic kissy stuff).

And by all means....please take me to your favorite Boddhisattva,
Buddha, Christ or Avatar who thinks s/he is apart from the All of
this - who is just glad to have made it out of the filth of samsaric
existence and the ghetto of unevolved beings and who is
disgusted by them.

And I'll gladly go Sicilian Vito Corleone on their ass.

>
> This all has absolutely NOTHING to do with consumerism or
> entertainment - you just completely misunderstood the whole post if
> you truly think so (judging by your words below!) Perhaps, you should
> re-read it without the glommed-on personality that keeps you
> continually misinterpreting everything.

I'm no Kreskin.

I interpret what you say - as best I can.

Do you hate personality in yourself or others?

Do you begrudge the existence of personality?

Me - I know how to be a Grand Inquisitor and Executioner of
self-hatred and self-loathing. I came by it honestly - and
dishonestly.

I know the pain of hating my personality - hating my self - hating others.

Thankfully - even old, blind, snarly, drooling mangy beat-up
junkyard dogs can be taught new tricks.

> Eminem and your appreciation of him is one thing.
> That you feel/think you must advertise that, to a bunch of
>people presumably on a higher course, reveals much about
>you, sir. Try looking at that.

I appreciate Eminem. I appreciate you too. I will advertise
whatever to whoever whenever, madam.

I'll be what you want me to be.

I'll try to look at anything straight on. Including the stuff that
the holy proud hateful righteous look down on.

Yeah - Eminem is part of the One Thing alright. What isn't? Bob,
what isn't?

People on a "higher" course?

You are on a higher course Bob?

I'm on a lower course. Right down in the ground with the grass
and the rocks and the sand and the worms - in the sea with the
plankton - in every beating aching heart.

Without worry no more of what you he she they may think - I will
stand up and speak out - face to face and toe to toe if I've got to.

I will boldly and like a raving madman declare that all are holy -
all are parts of the One - that all are the very face and voice of
the One Who Loves and is Love.

I will try to be true - keep getting stupid - and sing the song
flowing in my bleeding heart.

Bob, every creature displays - in one way or another. The One
Love is displaying.

I am a creature. Like you.

Even in this phantasmagoric dream.

Sing your song Bob. Display. Play.


> One thought about that, is this. You are a dilettante. Nothing wrong
> with that, of course, but you're all over the map - scattered,
> comical, silly, weepy at the wrong things, and angered at the wrong
> things.


Yes. I am grateful to be a fool - a mad troubador - who writes bad
poetry for the pleasure of the one I love.

I'm all over and inside the map. Burning the map to ashes.
Following the example of my teachers. Following truth
through my lies. Following my vagabond heart.

Weepy at this - angry at that - touched by this - learning and
unlearning through this and that. Saying this or that. In wonder
and strength and confusion, death and birth and illusion -
grateful - in forests sky sea earth star suns - in the ocean of the
one that is my eternal home.

I'm going natural - naked.

Wild and passionate.

Singing my song.

Do I disgust you? Annoy you? Frighten you? Amuse you?

Or do you feel nothing?


> Calm down, smile and don't take "apparent" criticisms so personally.


Does passion scare you? Seem unholy and tainted to you?

I know what that's like. It can be scary.

I share with you like this - any way I want to - I feel okay and I
feel a groove coming through. I am smiling.

I do like you Bob - with clean anger and soft tenderness - from
the very first time we started dancing this mirror tango.

You want me to be nice and lovey-dovey to you? You want me to
fake that I've got no ego or personality? Play an act for you of
being enlightened, mild, wimpy and gracious while you try to
whack me?

As we say in Palermo - foggetaboutit.

What arises - arises.

Let it just be. Let's learn from it. In honesty.

Say what you want to say - I love to hear it - whatever way it goes.

Here it is from me now.

May it help somehow.

And entertain you too!

Opa!!!!!!


> That said.
> See how you completely misunderstand everything?


Everything?

Your extremities are showing again Bob - black or white.

Yes. I do see how I misunderstand. I am glad you help me see
better how I misunderstand everything.

> Entertainment and Hollywood is not the demon. Life is simply on a
> roll, and the riff-raff under its' feet are the clueless humans doing
> its' bidding, pulling in more (don't-really-need-to-be) converteds.
> Congrats. That's one job you'll probably have for life - no pun
> intended.

Riff-raff under Life's feet?

Clueless humans?

Let's stoke the ovens and let them dig their own ditches. Don't
waste a bullet. Who needs that human riff-raff scum anyhow?

I hear you Bob - loud and clear.

Why do you hate your self so deeply?

Who do you hate? On whom do you want to take revenge?

I know what that feels like. Oh yeah!

Dive into it with me. All the way in. No stopping.

I am - like it or not - your brother and your self.


> ~~~~~Bob
>
> ps- you just want to "get into" don't you JP. Can't resist a fight,
> if even only with words, because you believe you ARE da'man,
> with woids that is, right?


Yes. I am here - I am a man - get used to it.

And yeah Bob - I'll get nasty with you - the way we Greeks do.

If I feel it may somehow help me and you.

And I'll fight you - with red blood all around.

Knowing every drop is spilled on holy ground.

I fold my hands to you always.


Peace.

It's done.

top of page