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Tuesday, December 26


WHITE WOLF

...perhaps for many of you, my cyberfriends, the holiday
season is past, yet today is but the second day of Christmas...so white
wolfe sends your this present, a poetic meditation, a holy wish to and
for you now that the commercial rush of the season is ebbing...^^~~~~

The Second Day of Christmas 2000

what lies beyond is further up and further in...,

Stop your Mind. Still your Heart. Calm your Soul. Know your Spirit

go beyond self and not-self, travel through the Kosmic Infant at your
Center...,

go beyond your death to before your birth and return to Spirit and
Nothingness,

you are love and beauty enfolding the Kosmos in an infinite embrace you
are all Creatures unfolding the procession of compassion and truth

you are love enfolding hate, joy embracing sorrow, compassion embracing
suffering, tranquilty hovering over agitation

you are the truth that is beauty, the beauty that is truth you are the
wisdom manifest in all Creation.

Know Nothing and you will remember you are Love, Be Love and you become
the Christ Child in the Manger.

We are all called to be bodhisattvas... We are all called to express
bodhicittta...

Mark Christopher Valentine (December 26, 2000)

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WHITE WOLF

WHOLENESS AND ACTIVISM

dear nds:

...white wolfe took a day off today and was reading the
highlights...for a place where "non-duality" is the credo he has is
constantly surpized to find many 'enlightened' ones, ones who feel
little or no reticence in expressing moral ambilvance, ones who are at
best indifferent and at worst contemptuous of the suffering of their
brothers and sisters of the pack and of all creatures...^^~~~

What Lies Beyond…?

“Wholeness” is a very dangerous concept…

-Ken Wilber

What lies beyond the wholeness…?

Rather, what lies beyond the beloved?

We are all born as the beloved

Our first love is our mother

A goddess dressed in cerulean blue

Gently crading us in her arms

Tenderly nursing us at her soft breast

Caressing our supple cheeks with a holy kiss

The lover lies beyond the lover

What lies beyond the lover?

We are all reborn as the lover

Our second love is our father

A god dressed in dazzling raiment

Blazing brilliantly down upon us

Striding boldly before us on clay feet

Crushing our soft hand in his calloused one

The child lies beyond the lover

What lies beyond the child?

We are all translated into a child.

Our third love is this child,

Hidden within dawns shades of grey

Innocently emerging from the starry darkness

Running eagerly naked into the alluring sunlight

The self, the I am, lies beyond the child

What lies beyond this self, this soul, this I am?

We all become a self knowing I am that I am.

Our third love is this beloved, lover, this child,

this self, this I am staring into the blistering glare

Stumbling blindly forward in the refining light

Until our feet crumble into dust under a guilty past

Then, the witness comes, the spirit from beyond the self.

What lies beyond this witness, spirit, this comforter?

Few know, fewer still are transformed into this witness.

Our fourth love is this spirit, this comforter, this other

The knowledge that we are not just this I am, this self

Not this mere body, these fugitive feeling, these frail memories

Not nothing less nor something more than this limitless other.

Pure witnessing lies beyond this spirit, this comforter.

What lies beyond this pure witnessing, this wholeness?

She who is the mother, this she who is something,

He who is the father, this he who is nothing

This It who is the first holy infant, the alfa

This It who is the last sacred martyr, the omega

The ‘I am That,’ love mysteriously witnessing love itself.

Something that is Nothing, Nothing is what lies infinitely beyond.

But, What lies beyond Nothing…?

I who am but a name, Mark, who have been held in your arms

I whose hand has felt the brutal crush of your immortal hand

My lips that have received the holy kiss of your sweet comfort

I who still travel for what lies beyond the beyond tell you my soul

I who am not you and you not ready for even stillness of pure spirit…

Only when we who are still many becoming one travel as one

When we become something becoming nothing that is becoming

two loves enfolding, two loves unfolding, one love embracing itself

Only then will we the many become love, the one always beyond itself.

Mark Christopher Valentine

(December 26, 2000)

_________________________________________________________________________

TERRY MURPHY

*Self Defeat*

The ultimate way is without difficulty; those who seek it make their
own hardship. The true mind is originally pure; those who exercise it
make their own defilement.

Hui-k'ung (1096-1158)

*Non-competitiveness*

The way the old adepts of ancient times asked about the path was not
competitive or contentious; they would inquire of anyone with some
strength, even a child. Only thus may people be called students of the
way. Followers of Zen in recent times may say they are going traveling
solely to investigate the great concerns of life and death, but though
they may imitate the appearances of the ancients, they remain very
competitive and contentious. Once you have this problem, the source of
direct pointing cannot be understood. It is like the case of archers:
if they start out competing, they'll never achieve good marksmanship.
It is after long practice without thought of winning or losing that
they can hit the target. So it is with study of the path: if even a
single thought of winning and losing abides in the heart, you will be
chained by winning and losing.

Ying-an (d. 1163)

*Verbal Teachings*

All verbal teachings are just to cure diseases. Because diseases are
not the same, the remedies are also different. That is why it is
sometimes said that there is Buddha, and sometimes it is said that
there is no Buddha. True words are those which actually cure sickness;
if the cure manages to heal, then all are true words. If they can't
effectively cure sickness, all are false words. True words are false
words when they give rise to views. False words are true words when
they cut off the delusions of sentient beings. Because disease is
unreal, there is only unreal medicine to cure it.

Pai-chang (720-814)

from "The Teachings of Zen," ed Thomas Cleary

_________________________________________________________________

MARK OTTER AND MARCIA PAUL

CONTINUED DIALOGUE ON HOLOTROPIC BREATHING (HB)

MARK:

Hi Marcia,

Why do you doubt? If the experience was real, why is it no longer real
now? That's the defense. Now, what is it to not have the defense? What
were you shown and taught? Is that real? And do you have personal tours
of the world by Jesus when you sit quietly? That's why the setting,
because it give rise to powerful experiences that can be used in
positive ways. And why is such a setting "artificial"? You want to
disbelieve, so you label it. That's fine, but why do you want to label
my experiences as well? Why label them as real or unreal? Why label
them as high or low, spiritual or personal? If the experience is
instructive and moves you forward in your journey, what more do you
want from it? I don't understand your objection to your own experience.
The experiences one has in HB have a reality not as some sort of
replacement of our ordinary state, but as an opportunity to see that
our ordinary mind state is not the only show in town. They are useful
not as isolated events, but more in how we integrate them into our
lives and allow them to affect us. If being given an educational tour
of the world makes you special and better than others (separates you),
it may not have been helpful to you. If it makes you special and
worthwhile to yourself and you use that to become more open to life and
loving to others, it's as real a help as any I can see. Were other
people there belittling their own experiences by calling them images?
They may well have been. This is new territory for just about everyone.
For me, much of the value of HB has been in coming to know the regulars
who come to do inner work. Many often have difficult experiences, but
they keep coming back and facing those demons, and I see real changes.
(I see several of my friends appearing to become happier, less afraid
of life.) If this list comprises only people for whom happiness and
fear or lack of fear of life is not an issue, then I am wasting my time
talking about this here. Fear of life is a central issue to me, and I
bring it up here because I perceive this as a (somewhat) supportive
community that is dealing with that very issue. It is probably a pipe
dream for me, but I keep thinking that confronting my fears and looking
them in the face will at some point allow me to see beyond them to who
I really am, and that fear will dissipate. Again, perhaps I'm just a
stupid sucker here. Okay, gang the joke is on Mark. Fine.

Well, you may be doing the best thing by leaving HB behind, I really
don't know. But you seem to be saying you doubt the power of the
technique while at the same time relating what sounds like a powerful
experience. You seem to be poo pooing the experience and the technique
but when you describe the session itself, I don't see anything false
about it. You've gotten me thoroughly confused, Marcia. (not that I'm
pooh poohing the value of being throughly confused...)

Also, please be clear that I'm not suggesting HB as a substitute for
sitting still and looking quietly. I do that as well, and as the HB
does it's task, I go deeper into that. They are very compatable, even
synergistic I would argue. My personal style is one of energetic
exploration, so HB appeals to me. It wouldn't appeal to everyone for
sure.

Well, I don't mean to be prosletyzing (sp?) HB, so I'll just shut up
about it.

Love, Mark

MARCIA:

These are all good questions. They are at the heart of what I struggle
with. I will attempt to answer. For me, this dialogue is beginning. Up
until this point, I can see I have been rather closed and defensive.

I guess I doubt that Jesus would communicate with me in a holotropic
breathing session. I think the key word here is doubt. I can't quite
remember what Gene said once was my saving grace but I think it applies
here. In terms of sitting quietly, I have had direct communication with
Jesus which I doubt less than that which happened in the breathing
session. Not communication in words but felt communication.

To me it seems artificial because the music evokes certain images. In
the tribal music, a predictable percentage of breathers were with
natives dancing tribal dances in some form and in the Gregorian chants,
breathers were imaging religious scenes. I feel that I am run by life
as it is. This seems more of the same. What I think I am after is
presence which seems like a holding still and watching as I am played
by life. Maybe there is no difference and I am in denial.

I find it interesting that you can't understand my not believing my own
experience. I consider that my saving grace. I could be very wrong. I
am even doubting this. See. :-) Perhaps I am feeling the experiences as
narcissistic? That the danger lies in believing them. I could be wrong.
This could be how I have things upside down. Confusion is my world so
if I have you confused, you have successfully entered my world. That is
why I said curiouser and curiouser.

Perhaps one difference might be that I can see that my perspective
could not necessarily be to confront my fears but to look through them.
My perspective would be to be behind the fear and looking through it.

One thing I did get from the experience was that this was about me. It
was not some idea or concept. At one point I was looking up at my son
being crucified (not Jesus but my son) and at another point Jesus said
to me that I was Peter. I looked around to see who he was talking to
and he was looking at me. His eyes were boring into mine. I walked away
with a real sense of Jesus being a man who walked the earth and had a
mother and suffered. He was not this guy up on a cross in church on
Sunday. This guy walked the talk. I saw him as a person and as I did my
respect for who he was and what he did expanded.

Love, Marcia

MARK:

Hi Marcia,

When you are in felt communication with Jesus in your silent
meditation, what does Jesus communicate to you about the HB
experiences? I find doubt to be a troublemaker, not a reliable friend,
but it does fight for survival. I guess I continue to question whether
or not there is a useful message in any experience, whether it be one
arising from a noisy afternoon in an HB setting, or a quiet one spent
in meditation. Does the image of your son on the cross and the
reference to Peter mean anything to you? If not, then just let it go.

just a quickie from the web, regarding doubt and faith: Peter alone
among the apostles is mentioned by name as having been prayed for by
Jesus Christ in order that his "faith fail not" (Lk 22:32).

Well, good night for now,

Mark

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DAVID (AWAKENING MIND)

Many free ACIM (A Course In Miracles) inspired resources are offered
freely at:

http://www.awakening-mind.org

Our online community is dedicated to laying aside all illusion. Videos,
teachings, and an online Musicians' Pavilion (concert with Donna Marie
Cary, Oman & Shanti, Susuan McCullen, and lots of ACIM inspired music)
are among the gifts offered freely. Thank You Holy One for your
devotion to Awakening. I love You forever and ever!

Oneness transcends the illusion of duality. Joy!!!

Blessings always,

David

____________________________________________________________________

JERRY

there are many ways of coming at this nondual activism thing. The more,
the merrier. I think it's safe to say that something has already been
achieved that neither I nor anyone might have intended or suspected. We
have become activists for a new kind of activism. I do think that we
have already turned the corner. There is an empty boulevard along which
much can be built. The major work has been done. It took so little.
It's effortless.

__________________________________________________________________________

MICHAEL READ

NONDUAL ACTIVISM

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

_____________________________________________________________________

MARK HOVILA

RAW VEGETARIAN DIET

Advaita teacher Jean Klein favored a raw vegetarian diet, both for
health reasons and because he felt it helped us to be more receptive
and available to the subtler energies involved in spiritual inquiry.

In my library I have books by a number of authors who speak highly of
this diet not only for reasons of health, but for spiritual reasons.
One of them is Gabriel Cousens, M.D., a long time raw foodist who
described his kundalini experiences in Spiritual Nutrition and The
Rainbow Diet.

I have experienced positive benefits to my health during the last 3 1/2
years of a high raw plant food diet, most notably the spontaneous
expulsion of a cancerous bladder tumor I did not even know was in my
body. I have also experienced a reduction in sluggishness and, at
times, a lightness which I believed was related to my diet. In a few
days I intend to embark on a six-month dietary experiment of eating
ONLY raw plant foods (including the condiments). I will report back any
interesting developments.

I would love to hear about anybody's experiences in this area. I am
posting a similar message on <http://www.egroups.com/group/NoDoer> in
case
anybody wants to follow the discussion there as well.

Mark

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