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Nonduality Highlights: Issue #3667, Saturday, September 26, 2009, Editor: Mark
No Fear
For the Shambhala warrior, the actual, basic notion of victory is
not so much that you have one-upped your enemy and therefore you
are victorious. Rather, no enemy exists at all; therefore, there
is victory. This is the idea of unconditional warriorship and
unconditional victory. In connection with this, the concept of
sacredness is that fearlessness is carried into everyday life
situations, even brushing your teeth. So fearlessness occurs all
over the place, all the time. Fearlessness here is also
unconditional. In this way, fearlessness becomes cheerful and
very light. There's no need for cowardice or fear at all, or any
moments of doubt. Actually what we're talking about is
doubtlessness, we could say, rather than fearlessness. There's no
doubt. There are no second thoughts. Everything is a complete
warrior's world. So here victory is not having to deal with an
enemy at all. It is the notion of no enemy.
The whole world is a friend.
- From a piece of paper found by a member of adyashantigroup
(author unknown to him or me...)
Anxiety
When is there anxiety without underlying fear?
Never, yes?
Which means what?
It means that anxiety is an indirect manifestation of fear.
It means that to deal with anxiety is to deal with the underlying
fear.
And to deal with fear is to allow oneself to experience it, to
feel it, deeply and completely. To not run away from it, but to
be with it, to move through it.
This is called 'facing fear', and as we face it, it is
transformed. What was static and "stuck" comes alive,
begins to breathe, to move into awareness, awakening into life.
- Bill Rishel, posted to The_Now2
Question : When I meditate I feel a certain bliss at times. On
such occasions, should I ask myself `Who is it that experiences
this bliss?'
Ramana Maharshi : If it is the real bliss of the Self that is
experienced, that is, if the mind has really merged in the Self,
such a doubt will not arise at all. The question itself shows
real bliss was not reached. All doubts willl cease only when the
doubter and his source have been found. There is no use removing
doubts one by one. If we clear one doubt, another doubt will
arise and there will be no end of doubts. But if, by seeking the
source of the doubter, the doubter is found to be really
non-existent, then all doubts will cease.
Question : Sometimes I hear internal sounds. What should I do
when such things happen?
amana Maharshi : Whatever may happen, keep up the enquiry into
the self, asking `Who hears these sounds?' till the reality is
reached.
Question : Sometimes, while in meditation, I feel blissful and
tears come to my eyes. At other times I do not have them. Why is
that?
Ramana Maharshi : Bliss is a thing which is always there and is
not something which comes and goes. That which comes and goes is
a creation of the mind and you should not worry about it.
Question :The bliss causes a physical thrill in the body, but
when it disappears I feel dejected and desire to have the
experience over again. Why?
Ramana Maharshi : You admit that you were there both when the
blissful feeling was experienced and when it was not. If you
realize that `you' properly, those experiences will be of no
account.
Question : When I reach the thoughtless stage in my sadhana I
enjoy a certain pleasure, but sometimes I also experience a vague
fear which I cannot properly describe.
Ramana Maharshi : You may experience anything, but you should
never rest content with that. Whether you feel pleasure or fear,
ask yourself who feels the pleasure or the fear and so carry on
the sadhana until pleasure and fear are both transcended, till
all duality ceases and till the reality alone remains.
There is nothing wrong in such things happening or being
experienced, but you must never stop at that. For instance, you
must never rest content with the pleasure of laya (temporary
abeyance of the mind) experienced when thought is quelled, you
must press on until all duality ceases.
Question : How does one get rid of fear ?
Ramana Maharshi :What is fear ? It is only a thought. If there is
anything besides the Self there is reason to fear. Who sees
things separate from the Self ? First the ego arises and sees
objects as external. If the ego does not rise, the Self alone
exists and there is nothing external. For anything external to
oneself implies the existence of the seer within. Seeking it
there will eliminate doubt and fear. Not only fear, all other
thoughts centred round the ego will disappear along with it.
Common sense too will tell you that to fulfill a desire you must
keep your mind on it. If you want to know your true nature, you
must have yourself in mind all the time, until the secret of your
being stands revealed.
- Nisargadatta Majaraj
Staying consciously connected to the flow of life is both
enjoyable and transformative.
- Sampava
Where the Hell is Matt?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY