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  Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment by Jed McKenna   pp 141  

..."That's the little story of Arjuna and Krishna on the battlefield. We don't care about that. This isn't a story about foreign people in an ancient culture clashing for a throne. It's all about the reader. Nothing else. That's why this book matters. It's not about the people in the story, it's all about the person reading the story."  

http://www.wisefoolpress.com/

  Dear Friends,  

In those few sentences from Jed McKenna's new book "Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment" lay the key to anyone's awakening.   Personal involvement.  

How many of the nearly countless scriptures, learned writings, and stories about enlightenment have been read and misunderstood? How many times have they been read as a story that happened to someone else or as an epistle from on high? One that carries a metaphor or a message that we hold at a philosophic and intellectual arm's length. When we read books like Jed's we can delight in the story, criticize the writing style, consider ourselves spiritual because we read such books; and in general have a really good time. Whether it is Jed's books, some ancient text or other spiritual tome, the point is not about having a good time with spiritual concepts.  

McKenna introduces the concept of spiritual auotlysis - a way of looking seriously and honestly at one's own spiritual fantasies and expectations about enlightenment. Every one that calls themself a seeker has an idea of what enlightenment is and what it will be like to become enlightened. But who is willing to give up their expectations of enlightenment for the real thing? For McKenna's character in the book, Julie, spiritual autolysis is a fierce and fearless housecleaning. It is finding the courage to take an honest look at and to throw out years, a lifetime,  of accumulated spiritual junk.  

pp 189 - Julie   "....So many books, so many teachers, so many paths. Hasn't anyone noticed it's not working? ...Who care's what's true as long as it sells..."   In that light, Jed's book is just another piece of spiritual candy. Something to entertain oneself with until the seeking ends. But read it with an eye to applying the concept of spiritual autolysis to one's own life and it's a different book.   Whether you or anyone else reads Jed's books (or any spiritual books) or not. You already are what you've been seeking. You are the thirsty fish in an endless ocean, You are the eternal awareness, You are.  

as ever - be well,   michael  

  http://www.nonduality.com/goode.htm  

Greg Goode  

The Enlightenment Secret

You are not a separate being. You are Being, and never separate. This is the Enlightenment, the happiness, in which all apparent things consist. It is the very Being of you.

It's a secret not because there's anyone hiding anything. It's been proclaimed by sages around the world for millennia. Rather, it's a secret because enlightenment is often misunderstood to be a matter of personal achievement, like scoring the ultimate goal. But there's no person there! There's not even a "there" or a spatial location where a person can reside. There is no individualized or separate "you" or "me"; no goal, no task and no achievement.

There are no things, and no gaps separating things.

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

 ...and became one with all experiences. My long-standing question had vanished along with what I had believed was "me." There arose resiliency, joy, and an untouchable happiness.

This experience uncovered the realization that without the conceptual structures that make things seem real, there is no presumption of a separate center. There is no suffering and no basis for suffering. There is no feeling that things should be different than they are. This is a sense of peace far beyond what happens when we get what we dream about.

  The certificate of enlightenment:    

found at: http://www.eblong.com/zarf/certificates.html  

http://www.eblong.com/zarf/pic/enlightenment.gif http://www.eblong.com/zarf/pic/universe.gif http://www.eblong.com/zarf/pic/pres.discord.gif  

  the poo poo dance http://www.insanepictures.com/fl.shtml?0110.htm  

  funny stuff  

http://www.nationalcynical.com/Images/humor-misc/email-class.jpg   http://www.nationalcynical.com/Images/humor-misc/enlightenment.gif   http://www.nationalcynical.com/Images/humor-misc/eden.gif  

http://www.nationalcynical.com/Images/humor-misc/free.jpg     http://www.metaltoys.com/JesusActionFigure/index.htm     http://www.metaltoys.com/EnlightenmentStore/Buddhism.htm     http://www.metaltoys.com/EnlightenmentStore/Hinduism.htm     http://www.metaltoys.com/EnlightenmentStore/Judaism.htm     http://www.metaltoys.com/EnlightenmentStore/Devils.htm  

The Tragic Comedy of Zen

John G. Young, M.D.

http://www.adventuresincreativity.net/tragic%20comedy%20of%20zen.htm

The Enlightenment Laminated Card

  http://www.samadhi-supplies.com/get_item.php/S-551E.html

The radiant golden Buddha demonstrates how to pass through fear and temptation

and overcome the final obstacles to enlightenment..."

http://www.finalesimpsons.de/content/fanart/marco/enlightenment_color.jpg

http://www.l5rsearch.com/images/cards/enlightenment.jpg

the rest of it at:

http://www.ods.nl/am1gos/am1gos4/index.html?jks_mythe_us.html~mainFrame

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