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9/22/01 Saturday



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***************
ERIC ASHFORD

Hi, I'm a new member, just read, for the first time, to days digest.
Seems to be
a lot of Bush knocking going on. Poor guy. I read somewhere
else on the digest
that all duality is phenomenal, so I guess so is Bush and
America! Glad I'm
English. We tend not to get too fussed about duality and non-
duality. Except
when we are looking for a pair of socks to wear. Just kidding!
Anyway, here
is my first post. I am a bit of a writer,so will be off loading stuff on
you from
time to time. Hope to join in the discussions a bit later when I
find my feet
(or even my socks).

Silence Is Our Answer

The quiet people are a bosom to the world, and opinions do
not own them. They are an ear to any soul, and a listening
post to their hearts.

Spiritual silence is not dumb, it speaks when spoken to. It
comes from a deep attendance, that watches silence for the
authentic emissaries of loves response. Yes, silence is a
watching, and silence is a waiting. It is held within the
prospect of abiding. As a seashell holds within itself the call
of the ocean.

It listens to the sound of its nature for resounding sincerity.
It anticipates in the stillness of quietude, and so can be the
sounding board of divine resonance. Quite people are
attractive to the world. For every confused wave of sound,
must find a shore to rest upon. They are at once a shore and
a peaceful harbor for the tumult of disturbance.

The silent heart cares not to be right, and does not concern
itself with wrong. It accepts what can be found in
commotion is just the emotional echo of its own truth.
Knowing this, it sees truth in delusion and stillness in the
wave. It offers repose from the haven of compassion.

We all must find this soundless speaking in ourselves. It is a
voice from the oracle of loves expression. It is never a
reaction, or recoil. It has no backlash in the world. It is a
pure sound, for it does not arise from righteousness, but
from forgiveness. It seeks nothing of its own but accepts
that hearing is an inward attitude, not an outward
manifestation.

Silence is our answer to every question. Yet it is not
speechless, it thunders in the voice of love. In the valley of
the soul the mountains of the heart echo. Everything calls
back to Unity like rain becoming sea, becoming sky.

Quiet people are the bosom of God. They are nourished on
the breast of trust, and fear not to reveal the sacred heart of
their silence. Like a masters portrait, they show themselves
as all humanity. They can laugh without any unkindness,
and can speak without sound. When they weep they become
your own tears, for they have leaned the value of being you,
not matter what value you have placed on yourself. They
are childlike, for they reach for your hand, and call you
Father.

Jesus gave his sermon
to the desert wind.
Knowing, it would part the curtain
of our soul, before the dead returned.
His silence in you shatters reason,
and brings Prophets to their knees.

I am pleased to appoint you
minister of my heart.
When you climb the pulpit
of being I will be your amen.

In this, our garden of peace,
robins emerge like tigers from the snow
flowering in us both,
as an exaltation of doves.

You are my New Testament.
and I your scripture of silence,
we listen together for loves answer.

Love

eric.


****************************
GARY MERRILL

Hi and welcome Eric,

Another Englishman, that must be two of us here at least, hope
I'm not forgetting anyone.

I've been stealing and posting some of your excellent quotes
from your Truevision List, now I won't be able to anymore,
sheesh :-)

If you haven't been lurking very long you'll find its a mixed bag of
people here, not always very verbal, but I think supportive in our
different ways whilst trying to finger the unfingerable. Speak the
unspeakable.

Best wishes,

Gary.


**************
BOBBY G.

Subject: Re: Introduction

Dear George:
A few months ago I was in the position of writing my first post to
an
advaita (non-dual) group. I have ended up liking it and I post
regularly on one or another message board. I have gotten a lot
of
help for issues some of which I got by reading posts and
replying
with my own brand of intelligence and insight. What I mean is try
to
help others understand your standpoint and they will reply to you
with their understanding and insight.
Non-dualism as a concept is a stance seeing all as facets of
one. The
difficulty here is that subtle facets such as thoughts must be
included.
It is easy to see how the physical is all one but how are thoughts
like the physical? They don't occupy space or travel through
space.
The world of thought is like the world of form because we
perceive
them in consciousness. Consciousness illuminates all except
itself.
The One, not being a concept, cannot be described, but
according to
authorities on advaita such a Nisargadatta and Ramana
Maharshi (Read
Ramana and you will get a good start on Advaita Vedanta),this
One is
accessed through the uniqueness of "I am" in your heart, if that
makes sense to you.
Many will argue that the biggest obstacle to seeing all as one is
the
methodology used to do it. (Your Sadhana)
The concepts that you adopt (or which adopt you) are like the
stick
that stirs the fire. They will be consumed and eventually
whatever
it is that keeps grasping for new concepts to adopt will be
burned up
also in the stirring.
I hope you will continue your exploration of Non-dualism.
Yours truly<
Bobby G.

*****************
GEORGE K

Thanks, Bobby!

I think I understand what you're saying. But, I feel as though I've
landed
on a planet where the beings are very advanced and, while I try
to express
where I am, I feel as though they're telling me not to bother with
what I'm
trying to express; that's not what's important.

One of the problems, as I see it, is that I seem to be using iron
sticks.
So far, I feel like what's left after stirring the fire, is a lot of
half-burnt mementos of a quite obsessive search for
"something". Switching
my perspective maybe? When I read Flatland I had the same
feeling. How
could I possibly make use of a third dimension when I'm flat. I
circle back
in an intellectual loop, frustrated, and settle for adding some
neat
concepts, but feeling like I'm failing.

Didn't mean to sound so self-pitying. Sometimes I feel like if it
was a
spatial thing, I'm really close, you know? But at others, not

Maybe I'll just try to soak up some of the experience by listening.

Thanks for being there.

George

***************
XAN

There seem to be two kinds of searchers:
those who seek to make their ego something other than it is,
i.e. holy, happy, unselfish (as though you could make a fish
unfish),
and those who understand that all such attempts
are just gesticulation and play-acting,
that there is only one thing that can be done,
which is to dis-identify themselves with the ego,
by realising its unreality,
and by becoming aware of their eternal identity
as pure being.

--Wei Wu Wei

*****************
DAN BERKOW

Subject: Re: two kinds of searchers (and the one who isn't)



And then there is the searcher
who notices that remaking ego,
and disidentifying with ego, are
essentially the same attempt,
and equally futile.

And just at that moment of noticing,
"searcher" and "noticing" aren't.

-- Dan

************************
XAN

PHarvey wrote:

A colleague suggested that as an alternative approach we might
tell the
Taliban that they either give us bin Laden or we gather up all
their
women and send them to college.

That should do it.

****************
NINA

Xan, that one had me rolling on the floor... you might enjoy this
link:

http://rawa.fancymarketing.net/index.html
Welcome to the home page of the Revolutionary Association of
the
Women of Afghanistan (RAWA)

warmly,
Nina

*************
NINA

Subject: let's take the act on the road Re: makes sense to me!!!

Let's see, there is so much talent in the NDS pool... comedic
genius
is everywhere, plus we have Michael Reed and Angelique with
their act
of replacing our thoughts and opinions with Michael's. I suspect
there are realms of talent left unexplored in this digital medium. I
suggest we form a troupe and take the act on the road.

Anyone up for Burning Man in 2002?

http://www.burningman.com/index.html

Only 337 days left.

This is a serious question.

Nina

**************
JODY

I'm there with bells and a Kali temple
on my bike.

See you then!

*****************
KHELAYA

Subject: Re: [NDS] Re: Introduction

Dear George,
In reading your letter I can feel your sense of weariness with
the
search for deeper understanding. I can also feel your yearning
and your
earnestness for the Truth.
I think this exhaustion is a good thing! It may be the deepest
part of
your soul telling you, ever so gently, "I am not outside. I am
inside.
Look for Me inside. It takes no exertion or effort. Find Me there.
Then
with the eyes of One Who Truly Sees, you will see Me
everywhere."
Seeing You, seeing Me seeing You,
Kheyala

*****************
DAN BERKOW

Subject: Re: George - Introduction

> >G:
> > when one wakes up to the fact that one's attention
> is turning to the
> >concept of non-duality, (almost unintentionally)
> what does one do
> >next?

Nothing.
So -- it drops by itself ...

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