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Thursday, November 15

RASHMI:
Can we be aware while asleep? Even in deep
sleep?

GREG GOODE:
If the answer were NO, could you formulate the
question? If the answer were NO, then are you sure
you wake up as the same one who went into deep
sleep?

MICHAEL READ:
Great post here. Generally you are fairly correct
in what you say. At the last you go a bit off-base.
There is an implication of a somebody doing a
something.

I'll tell you what enlightenement is - it's tricky
- that's what it is. Sure there are those folk who
have some visions, hear a really moving satsang, or
finally beging to get a 'feel' for enlightenment.
And, they sometimes think they have arrived - so
they start teaching.

Sure, and it was the same in the time of Jesus,
Buddha, and so on. It is the same in this time.
And, so what of it?

Do you have any idea of how ironic it is being
enlightened? HAHAHAH and HOHOHO! There is god all
over the place trying to find god. Looking but not
yet seeing. What a drama!

I would start a satsang but, there isn;t much money
in it from what I've seen. There used to be and
there are still folk charging stiff fees for
workshops and intensives. But, that seems like such
a bother.

You see, I do not want anybodys money, cars,
houses, cameras, etc. Nor, do I want to have sex
with them, their kids, or their animals. And I sure
as rain do not want people pranaming and weeping
and getting all mushy just because two words come
out of my mouth.

Now, as to the so-called levels of enlightenment -
hogwash dear Friend, pure hogwash. That is, as long
as there is a thought of someone attaining
something or losing something. There is an
awakening event, yes. After that things just take
care of themselves.

Like I said - it is tricky. What or who gets
enlightened? Careful now, trick question here! Does
the character being played become enlightened? If
so, what is the meaning of all there is - is god?
Does god, who is playing all these characters,
simply rewrite the script and set the stage for the
character or itself? Hmmm...

Ah HAHAHAH who wakes up? The character or the
'thing' playing the character? Oh, how I hope this
boggles the shit out of you! HOHOHO!

loveya - at play and looking for pie! - michael

ps now just look at this - way out in left field -
ah, so. grin

JAN BARENDRECHT:
The difference between rem-sleep and no sleep is
marginal: a series of ongoing events is being
observed. Falling in deep dreamless sleep,
observing and the events simultaneously "dissolve"
in awareness. With some practice, it is possible to
be fully aware during rem-sleep (lucid dreaming)
but deep dreamless sleep is "just" peace which
continues. It is possible to notice that as the
mind-body is switched off which when K. awakened
can cause some strange side-effects and when
noticing that, the emerging state of deep sleep
ends with a flash and there is remembrance of what
was going on.

RON WHITAKER:
What are the steps to learn how to do this?

JAN BARENDRECHT:
To be aware that the events, when not asleep, are in no way different from
the events when asleep: the recognition that there is no "control" or "will",
just currents of thoughts judging and interpreting these ongoing events. Then the notion
can arise to be dreaming while awake and to be awake while dreaming.
The common denominator, witnessing.

____________________________________________________________________

JAN BARENDRECHT

ANAGRAMS OF SECRETS

secret of atom - forces to mate
secret of the universe - erotic fever enthuses
secret of apes - forest's peace
secret of man - face monster
secret affair - if fast career
secret of names - meanest forces
secret of friendship - deft response if rich
secret of business - finest bosses cure
secret of happiness - eh! perfect passions
secret of love - coolest fever
transmutation secret - a smarter constituent
secret of nature - refer to nutcase
secret untold - couldn't reset
secret unheard - under cheaters
photon's secret - coherent stops
devil's secret - vilest creeds
God's secret - greed costs
secrets of peace - perfect so cease

________________________________________________________________________

EICHORN

The Dangers of Pseudo-advaita by: Aziz

We would like to express our concern regarding the
recent phenomenon of 'satsang-culture' which in our
opinion has impoverished seriously the Orignial
Spirit of Advaita. These days many individuals, who
have very little or no knowledge at all about the
Process of Awakening, feel qualified to give
satsang and lead other souls on the Path.
Enlightenment has become very cheep these days.
Nobody actually really knows what is the meaning of
this term as it virtually means everything and
nothing. Nowadays, it is sufficient to say 'I am
awakened' in order to give satsang.

Because of the unverifiable nature of
Enlightenment, this term has been much manipulated.
Satsang has been Americanised. In an average
satsang-gathering everybody is laughing, showing
signs of euphoric and unauthentic joy, while the
teacher tries to look like he or she is in a bliss.
Just like a TV show. Very few actually meditate.
Why to meditate if we are already all awakened? But
Is this really Advaita? Is Advaita a poor
repetition of a several slogans like 'There is
nobody there,' 'You are That,' You are already
awakened' or 'There is no Path', etc.? Has this
anything to do with teaching of great masters like
N. Maharaj or R. Maharishi? Ramana sat in caves for
20 years before he could be really complete. In his
presence disciples had to meditate for months and
years before they could receive from him the
glimpse of the Self. It is true that New Millennium
is a time of global awakening. But this awakening
is mostly partial and relative to the level of most
people's unconsciousness. It was Jesus who said
that there would be a time when many false teachers
will teach in the name of Light. It seems to be
happening now. Many of these teachers are not
necessarily 'bad people' but simply unqualified and
lost, in truth. They have believed too quickly in
the thought 'I am now ready to teach!' It seems
that the pauperisation of satsang culture began
after the death of Poonjaji. Many of his followers
started to claim that Poonjaji approved their
'awakening.' It seems that they just took him too
literally. It is an Advaita custom to say 'you are
already awakened.' This is however more a teaching
device than a reflection of reality. And even if
some of his disciples had a glimpse of awakening,
Poonjaji knew very well that in most cases neither
it was permanent nor the final state. An example
was Andrew Cohen who was sent to give satsang in
the west. He was meant to represent Poonjaji and
attract more westerners to Lucknow. But he and
others thought that Poonjaji actually conformed his
Enlightenment. For that reason, Cohen became very
hurt when Poonjaji started to criticize him when he
began to act as a master. From this wound came
later the magazine 'What is Enlightenment?' which
more represents Cohen's own insecurity and an
unsuccessful attempt to heal himself than a genuine
search for clarity. By the endless investigation
into states of all possible masters, and not being
able to come to any true conclusion, he has been
just confusing his students. The only thing which
at the end remains clear from his seemingly
'sincere' efforts to find clarity is that nobody
has the least idea 'What Enlightenment Is!' It is
not our intention to suggest that nobody reaches
Enlightenment. We just wish to make it clear that
Complete Enlightenment and Understanding of its
nature is still an extremely rare phenomenon on the
planet earth, which a plane of low evolution. And
equally important, we wish to emphasize that a
partial or pre-mature experience of awakening does
not qualify one at all to take a role of a
Self-realised being. Enlightenment is not as cheep.
Many seekers seem to be unaware of a very simple
fact that there are actually many levels of
Self-realisation. There is an enormous difference
between initial awakening and the actual State of
Enlightenment. But who cares? Most seekers would
not bother to study these matters, for in their
case there is really 'nobody there' - just a
collective seeker's mind. And most teachers would
refuse to enquire into the true nature of
Enlightenment because they already have a hidden
doubt and deep fear concerning the validity of
their own attainment. We would like to suggest not
to rush too fast with announcing oneself
'awakened,' and to rush even less with the idea of
giving satsang. In Zen tradition one had to wait 10
to 20 years after Enlightenment before one could
guide others. These days we hear about individuals
who give satsang the next day after their uncertain
awakening!

We would like to clarify, for the sake of general
knowledge, that there are actually several levels
of expansion beyond the mind. There are three basic
types of Inner Expansion: 1) Awakening to Pure
Awareness (the State of Presence behind the mind).
2) Awakening to the Absolute State (unity with the
unmanifested). 3) Awakening of the Heart (expansion
into the Divine). In each of these levels there are
three stages: Shift into a state, Stabilisation and
Integration. For instance, many satsang-teachers do
not experience the same state outside of teaching.
This is because they are not established
permanently in the state they have attained. For
that reason, they can have a deep state during
satasng, but when they leave the satsang-room, they
return back to ordinary consciousness. In such a
case only conscious cultivation of the particular
state can allow one to establish it permanently.
However, if one does not believe in actual process
of awakening, how can one consciously cultivate
anything? One does not even know that one is in a
State. Here we see the importance of correct
understanding. If one just follows in a dogmatic
and unimaginative way the Advaita idea that 'I am
already That,' how can one cultivate anything? We
recommend to all students and teachers of Advaita
to be more critical. Follow Advaita, if you wish
but know that Reality is simply much more rich than
any linear philosophy, with Advaita included. The
Practical Advaita and the Theoretical Advaita are
very different. In the Theoretical Advaita, the
Self is the only reality, there is no Path and we
are all already awakened. But Practical Advaita
knows that there is a long way to go before the
truth of these statements can become our living
truth. We would like also to create a few practical
anti-pseudo-advaita statements: 'You are not
awakened unless you awaken!' 'You are not That,
unless you reach unity with Universal I AM!' 'There
is no Path but only for those who Completed it!'
'There is nobody here, but only when somebody has
dissolved! Until that time you are simply a
suffering somebody who only tries to believe in
being no one or entertains oneself by giving
'satsang.'

We have request to all those who experience any
type of awakening: PLEASE, THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU
DECIDE TO GIVE SATSANG and HONESTLY COMTEMPLATE
WHAT ARE YOUR TRUE MOTIVES BEHIND THE DESIRE TO
TEACH. Perhaps giving Satsang is not really
necessary?

Blessings to Seekers of Truth and Clarity who have
the courage to renounce the False

JERRY

If you have food, give it. It doesn't need the
hands of a world class chef on it. Anyone who has
the food and can somehow prepare it, will do, and
there are many. It should be peddled cheaply in the
streets like trucks in Nova Scotia that sell fish
and chips, or those weary lunch trucks in Los
Angeles that sell the best soft tacos you ever had
because they are absolutely authentic and made and
sold by working hands of beautiful people.

Don't get me wrong. I'm the first one to make fun
of the Poonjaji crowd. But I never said they
shouldn't be out there doing their thing. I'm just
poking fun. Hopefully they're poking fun at us.

While there's truth to what's stated below, there's
also pettiness and exclusivity. However, there are
people who need that, just like there are some
people who refuse to eat in anything but the most
exclusive restaurants. Nothing wrong with it.

Hey, I know a rich guy who was asked about his
dining experience at a new exclusive restaurant. He
said, 'The food wasn't very good, but at least it
was expensive.' And so it goes for spirituality
too.

SU GANDOLF:
Who deserves to be an "authority"? Why not look at
our need for such an authority in the first place?
It's been pointed out countless times: Christ was
not a Christian, Buddha was not a Buddhist, etc.
And Self-realization is not Advaitan (except
through the cutom of language). But this stuff is
inevitable once there is a lineage, a religion. We
don't want just anyone to call herself a teacher,
we want to get our money's worth, but oh how the
mighty fall. It's interesting to think about.
Imperfect forms, but we love them just the same, we
are attached to them. I attend a traditional
Japanese Karate school, and I struggle with the
idea of a hierarchy there sometimes. But one
wonderful thing, within this imperfect form, is the
fact that everyone who has reached a particular
rank is called a teacher. It's not about the
individual, or even the individual's skill. If
you've dedicated yourself and done your time, you
are a teacher. There's something nice about the
equality of that, and the idea that everyone has
something to offer. Whether you teach formally is
another matter. Of course there are about six
levels of teacher/master, but I'll leave that for
another day...

______________________________________________________________


AZIZ:

PLEASE, THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO GIVE
SATSANG and HONESTLY COMTEMPLATE WHAT ARE YOUR TRUE
MOTIVES BEHIND THE DESIRE TO TEACH.

MELODY:

That's a tough one, to be sure.

I never offered 'satsang', but I sure saw myself as
a teacher....well, more like a 'healer', I guess
you'd say.

When I started looking at those motives about 3
years ago, it was a real kick in the pants.....

I found that my motives to help people, and to be a
'healer'

were not anywhere near as 'pure' as I would have
liked to imagine.

I began seeing that whenever someone 'got'
something from me, there was such a 'hit'....a
'high'....

a feeling of being worthwhile... a feeling of being
appreciated.

Boy, how I loved it!

But at one point in my hypnotherapy practice (and
being part of a very intimate healing circle)

I started asking myself questions:

Would I do this for free? "Yes." (And often I did.)

Would I do this if instead of a 'good feeling', I
received a slap in the face as sole reward for my
efforts? With not even a 'thank you', or show of
gratitude, or 'howdy do'? My answer felt like a
kick in the stomach. My answer was, "no". I didn't
require money, but I did require peoples' gratitude
and admiration.

Within weeks thereafter my career of being a
'healer' ended when I made the most surprising
decision (to me as well as others!) to relocate.

I thought at the time that I would continue my
'work' in this new area, but the inclination has
never again arisen.

Which is not surprising. The 'dust' that began
stirring thereafter ('K' dust, I like to call it)
totally redirected my focus, and rendered me
virtually 'worthless' to others.

And for someone like me, that's a tough pill to
swallow.

____________________________________________________________________

JAN SULTAN

Who cares if somebody is enlightened or not.
Sometimes even a little kid can give you a great
idea or cause you to see something which was right
in front of your eyes.

Also I don't see the desperate need for
enlightenment. Just being on the path is good
enough for me. It has given me gifts that I never
imagined existed. I feel like what Hafiz is saying
below.

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