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Sunday, February 4


JERRY

Hello NDS folk,

I've put up the web pages for a new section called Nonduality
Salon-A: Activism. So far it consists of the letters generated
when we were discussing the topic, as well as a few links. I
hope to keep expanding it. I'm sure there are many, many gaps to
fill. May the discussion keep going, and may the personal
contacts continue around the world.

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

Your friend,
Jerry

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

From a nondual point of view, trance is entrainment to a rhythm
or vibration. See the article at
<http://www.noetic.org/ions/archivelisting_frame.asp?ID=266> for
a definition of entrainment. My dictionary says entrainment
means 'boarding a train'; not much of a difference, in a way,
than the definition given in the article. Trance comes from a
Latin root meaning 'to depart'. However, trance really only
means departing one train to board another; departing, perhaps,
the American Dream train to board the Nondual Express.

The question is, Where is there not rhythm or vibration?
Wherever they are not, that is the nondual moment. Since there
is nothing but rhythm and vibration -- easy to note at the
cellular, molecular, subatomic levels -- there is nothing but
entrainment to rhythm and vibration and, if one accepts the
definition, there is, therefore, always and only the trance
state, as Andrew and Larry seem to be indicating.

In the above article the nondually naive author speaks of
becoming entrained with the presence of Thich Nhat Hanh and goes
on about how we all need to become entrained to the rhythms of
presence and nature. But all he is talking about is union or
entrainment with rhythm or vibration. He is talking about
another kind of trance! Another kind of train.

As Gene said, realization is only another trance. The nondualist
has to be that tough. Neti-neti requires it. The nondual 'state'
is not anything. It's plainness. It's sameness. It's cessation
of rhythm and vibration via seeing, seeing that rhythm and
vibration settle into and arise out of a still moment. That
still moment is described in many different ways in the Avadhuta
Gita:

"The Self, devoid of life and lifelessness, shines forever.
Devoid of seed and seedlessness, of liberation and bondage, It
shines forever. I am the nectar of Knowledge, homogeneous
Existence, like the Sky."

Enlightenment, if I may say so, is the movement toward the
stillness or homogeneous existence. It is the profound valuing
of the pause described by Arthur Rubinstein in the article
referred to above:

The great pianist Arthur Rubinstein was once asked how he played
the notes so differently from other pianists. He said, "The
notes I play like every other pianist. But the pauses, ahhh, the
pauses."

Another question arises: Aren't the Avadhuta Gita's homogenous
existence and Rubinstein's pauses easily confused with
meditative states that a biorhythm machine can induce through
entrainment? Yes. That's why it's relatively easy to enter
nonduality, to intellectually understand nonduality and to write
about it. However how can nonduality be known? For whatever has
been said about the nondual state, whether it be the Avadhuta
Gita or anyone, is something that puts one in another kind of
trance, or onto another kind of train.

What can one do but board the train that suits one best and not
the one that suits another. That's where freedom lies, in the
ability to do that.

I hope all this sounds promising and hopeful. The closer one
comes to the stillness, the pause, the more one understands
rhythm and vibration, which is the body, the world, and all that
exists. With that understanding, one flies off like Neo in the
Matrix, or boards another train, like ... ?

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

The trains run on time,
no one is on board,
and no trancefer is required to change trains.

andrew

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

GENE POOLE COMMENTS

JERRY: From a nondual point of view, trance is entrainment to
a rhythm or vibration. See the article at
<http://www.noetic.org/ions/archivelisting_frame.asp?ID=266> for
a definition of entrainment. My dictionary says entrainment
means 'boarding a train'; not much of a difference, in a way,
than the definition given in the article. Trance comes from a
Latin root meaning 'to depart'. However, trance really only
means departing one train to board another; departing, perhaps,
the American Dream train to board the Nondual Express.

GENE:To entrain, in this context, is to have one begin and
continue, to follow another. The best example, is how one
tuning-fork, which is vibrating, will cause a nearby tuning fork
to also vibrate.

One, is emanating an energy, which the other receives.

This is just dandy for physics 101, but how, if at all, does it
apply to people? The people want to know!

JERRY:The question is, Where is there not rhythm or vibration?
Wherever they are not, that is the nondual moment. Since there
is nothing but rhythm and vibration -- easy to note at the
cellular, molecular, subatomic levels -- there is nothing but
entrainment to rhythm and vibration and, if one accepts the
definition, there is, therefore, always and only the trance
state, as Andrew and Larry seem to be indicating.

GENE: You come to certain conclusions here, Jerry. Above and
below, you imply that trance is present, and modifiable, that it
is either one kind of trance or another, so best to be
'entrained' by some high holy guy, like TNH or the DL. This
conclusion is questionable.

JERRY: In the above article the nondually naive author speaks of
becoming entrained with the presence of Thich Nhat Hanh and goes
on about how we all need to become entrained to the rhythms of
presence and nature. But all he is talking about is union or
entrainment with rhythm or vibration. He is talking about
another kind of trance! Another kind of train.

As Gene said, realization is only another trance. The nondualist
has to be that tough. Neti-neti requires it. The nondual 'state'
is not anything. It's plainness. It's sameness. It's cessation
of rhythm and vibration via seeing, seeing that rhythm and
vibration settle into and arise out of a still moment. That
still moment is described in many different ways in the Avadhuta
Gita:

GENE: Ah, Gene did not say that; he said that it is common for
people to mistake trance, for realization. In fact, that was
precisely why I posted, and gave the URL. I was hoping, to tip
somebody off, as it is said. Working oneself into a veritable
feverish froth of freedom, is not realization, it is just good
exercise. Disillusionment occurs, during the 'cool-down' phase
of this workout. Then, the inevitable 'casting about' for a new
energy to 'entrain to'.

Face it, reader. Most everyone has preferences, and most
everyone will state those preferences in ways that defend said
preferences. My bladder prefers emptiness!

JERRY: "The Self, devoid of life and lifelessness, shines
forever. Devoid of seed and seedlessness, of liberation and
bondage, It shines forever. I am the nectar of Knowledge,
homogeneous Existence, like the Sky."

Enlightenment, if I may say so, is the movement toward the
stillness or homogeneous existence. It is the profound valuing
of the pause described by Arthur Rubinstein in the article
referred to above:

The great pianist Arthur Rubinstein was once asked how he played
the notes so differently from other pianists. He said, "The
notes I play like every other pianist. But the pauses, ahhh, the
pauses."

GENE: The above, would point to 'entrainment with emptiness',
the very essence of 'pause'. Now, what is entrainment with
emptiness? That is the NonDual Question of the Hour!

Is there vibration in emptiness? Yes, but it is always of
tempo-rary nature (pun intended).

So, to 'entrain' with any vibe, is to 'attach to the temporary',
which is EXACTLY the opposite of what that Buddha guy actually
advised. Suffering succotash!

JERRY: Another question arises: Aren't the Avadhuta Gita's
homogenous existence and Rubinstein's pauses easily confused
with meditative states that a biorhythm machine can induce
through entrainment? Yes. That's why it's relatively easy to
enter nonduality, to intellectually understand nonduality and to
write about it. However how can nonduality be known? For
whatever has been said about the nondual state, whether it be
the Avadhuta Gita or anyone, is something that puts one in
another kind of trance, or onto another kind of train.

GENE: Training... Masters... is this some kind of kinky S/M
club? Hey, it could go on our NDSex website!

JERRY: What can one do but board the train that suits one best
and not the one that suits another. That's where freedom lies,
in the ability to do that.

GENE: Does freedom lie? Or fly?

JERRY:I hope all this sounds promising and hopeful. The closer
one comes to the stillness, the pause, the more one understands
rhythm and vibration, which is the body, the world, and all that
exists. With that understanding, one flies off like Neo in the
Matrix, or boards another train, like ... ?

GENE: A very big space, 'filled' with vibrations. Do your
movements, contribute to the 'harmony' of this vibratory
montage?

A big space, called emptiness, which entertains, and never
entrains. It is up to each syntheform to find emptiness, it does
not come calling.

Sentient Beings, arise! There is nothing but space, and you are
it!

Resist or not...

___________________________________________________________________

Gene Poole and Sons

Click on the link. You may have to click on 'Files' in the left
column and then search under Gene Poole's folder.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NondualitySalon/files/FromGenePoole/Gene%2526Sons.\
jpg

_________________________________________________________________

CHRISTIANA DURANCZYK

Greetings Gene.. and NDS

Your challenging reply has been working it's way through various
corridors here. I wonder at how my terminology is not
understood; how to be clearer; and how I may have converted or
misconverted your concepts. I sincerely hope that this letter
will not be a further walk into the underbrush. What I am
speaking about is very subtle, and language can only be a poor
courier of transmission. Yet I sense that over and beyond time,
we are taught by the tautology of the taut notes.

You speak below about the human difficulties which arise when we
assume attributes to another which are, in fact, our own. This
is endlessly the knot of surface dialogue. The only means I have
known to see through this, is to open my ear to the tonal note
received in the interval between words; and to let this note
play within the rhythms of the current or "stream" known here.
That this is still frought with potential misalignment is a
given. Dan spoke about the archetypes which seem in place upon
incarnation; compounded by 'historicity' or family of origin
implants (your words). You suggest not binding oneself to this.
Important advice. An archetypal lens deeply known here is one of
heart. It seems to be the portal to understanding for this
"point floating in center".

You have *also* taught me to 'slip out of the storyline'.. which
includes collapse of my archetypal comfort zone... even as, upon
appearance of return to personal foreground, this pulsing
head-chest energy, seems my Home portal. The best I can do is
"nevermind" the potential attributes. Only then is there a
closer proximity of language spoken with language immersed
within. Radical self inquiry is always about observing
(awakening to) the inconsistencies (atonal or dissonant notes)
wrought through the lens matrices of self. The notes themselves
(known through stream) are my guide. Atonal or dissonant
contractions, being byproducts of attributes, reinvoke the turn
or pause or abiding. I sense this affinity with what you term
observation of the "difference engine of mind". The ultimate
entrainment of mind is infolded unto Itself. In answer to your
question.. that is my relationship with this language as it
occurs as 'Display".

Somehow I sense that as Jerry and Andrew have suggested, there
is (in these personal and transpersonal exchanges) both an
invitation to entrain upon the rhythmic notes; as well as, one
of surrender to (your November writing below) 'awakening to the
dream'; an arrestment as movement in time, thereby allowing
'controls' access through us.

_______________________________________________________________


DAN

Hi Christiana!

I really liked these passages you wrote:

"{You have *also* taught me to 'slip out of the storyline'.. which
includes
collapse of my archetypal comfort zone..."

This poetic statement reminds me of the
suddenness in which the storyline collapses,
so that the "one who slips out" and
"that from which that one slips"
instantly have collapsed as factors.

Indeed, such collapse is outside of the archetypal
comfort zone, out of the buzz of the familiar,
into the silence unknown, beyond knowing/being.

And this:
"Radical self inquiry is always about observing (awakening to)
the inconsistencies (atonal or dissonant notes) wrought
through the lens matrices of self."

Indeed. It is these inconsistencies
or contractions that signal an unresolved fixation,
an unreleased self-contradiction.

In therapy, this is done via thought
as it processes memories and
feelings, through releasing
self-conditioning that occurs
through memory's construction
as thought, and through intuition,
as opening through feelings
to integrated being in relationship.

In meditation of nonmeditation,
this inquiry is done via not-doing,
beyond thought and word.

I love the phrase "lens matrices of self".
A matrix requires polarity and continuum,
to formulate location and relationship.
A lens involves a filtering of reality,
a stepping down of energy,
a point of view established.

So, the awakening is at the
"foundation" of the matrices
themselves, a "foundation"
which necessarily is beyond
thought and experience (which
form in/through/and as the archetypal
matrix), and beyond self (which
is formulated as and through
lens matrices in which relational identity
is constituted via family, society, genes
and memory).

Enjoyed resonating with the poetic
phraseology! ;-)

L'Chaim (to life and resonation) ...

_____________________________________________________________________

TERRY NABATA

just a question: I note that in Dzogchen literature, it is
sometimes mentioned that from the beginning, since the theory
denies causality, and thus karma, that the teaching was banned
by political heirarchies as it threatened control through
teaching a particular kind of action through rewards in this or
other lives. Similarly, much experiential christianity was
suppressed, since it gave control of the understanding of "god"
to individuals and took it from the control group, the church.
Does anyone know if non-dualistic vedanta was also treated in
this way in India? I know that some scholarly advaita vedantists
pooh-pooh illiterate proponents of vedanta such as Ramana
Maharshi or Nisgardatta as being unlearned (and probably of the
wrong caste as well), but was there ever suppression of this
kind of teaching? Just curious. NDS activism might be next.
You'll know you have arrived when AOL takes down the mail
group.... Bye for now.

______________________________________________________________________

ED ARRONS


I don't know if you're reading from Nondual Dialog these days so I
thought I'd reach you at NDS. As you may have noticed, I was
drawn into a powerful focus on the Still Point. I sensed, aside
from the diversion to Still Point, that NDD seemed to have no
specialness to warrant being separate from NDS, though I still
feel part of the activism you initiated. Anyway the list seems
to have lost its impetus, possibly because of my change of
focus. I will probably post a request for a moderator to keep an
eye on things.

I opened a list called Still Point Dialog with a dozen or so
members which I hope to get under way soon. My intent here is to
make it both experiential and conversational. Anyway here is a
post I just sent out that might give you an idea of what's
involved.

Love, Ed ================ Hello to all you folks on Stillpoint
Dialogue,

thanks to all of you for making this list possible and for the
opportunity to share views regarding the "Still Point".

Some of you may wonder: why talk about it...why not just be
there? For me this question often arises and answers itself
simply by Being. But there are as many moments when the question
is moot.

I say this because fluctuation between "erratic doing" and
"being" is still a pattern of my experience. Much of the erratic
doing became associated with an erratic atmosphere, reinforcing
its hold on me, and making abidance at Still Point quite
difficult. However, since becoming conscious of Still Point
Being, and abiding in it, the erratic activity has been
gradually diminishing.

It makes sense, then, to associate with folks who understand
these issues and with whom communion in Still Point abidance is
possible.

I'm interested in knowing in what way your experience is
different or similar or even beyond what was described.

Thanks, Ed

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StillpointDialog

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