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Wednesday, December 5

MATTHEW FILES

"How is one to look at the suffering of the world? Its not
that it shouldn't be. And it's not that we are happy. But Ok
how is one to look at it?" --Rashmi

............how? there is no how. there is no "should look at
it a certain way," there is no better way than the way you
look at it now, however that is. why? because for right now
that's all you got. For me i don't give a damn about the
starving masses, couldnt care a whit about all the people
killed on 9/11, the hate and fear in ireland, israel,
afganistan, africa, watts and harlem, doesn't touch me. But
looking into the eyes of people i meet daily, all i see is
suffering. Desparation, confusion, denial, anguish, fear and
shame and i have no choice but to feel that. Is this a right
or wrong way of looking at the suffering of the world? beats
me. It's just what is.

________________________________________________________________________

PIETER SCHOONHEIM SAMARA

BEYOND THE SPECTRUM

The Atman - taken to be the individual consciousness, and
Brahman - the all pervasive single Universal Consciousness,
are not 2.

The body and mind is like a complex prism that filters a
spectrum of images from the Infinite Light that is our Self.

Each body begins with certain predispositions or lenses
through which segments of the One all-pervasive Light that
illumines the body/mind are seen and these images are then
held in focus, through the mind's mechanism of attention, as
the Atman.

To the body, it means that certain nerves are gradually
brought to carry a greater charge than others and the organs
resonate and glands secrete accordingly.

Over time the nerves and organs and glands that carry a
weaker charge begin to accumulate the flow of toxins that
crystallize in the capillaries further preventing the
possibility of a wider perception of the spectrum of Light
(reflected consciousness).

These images are then stored in what we call the
subconscious, which is really the conglomeration of takes,
which then act as lenses through which we see the world and
imagine Atman, our self, to be. As our True Self emanates
through the subconscious lens, with the feeling of "I," we
assume an identity to these images, and assume that these
images make up the Atman.

Ancient Sages have been able to notice that these nerves,
organs and glands are grouped into seven major psychic
spheres (5 along the spine, one behind the forehead and one
at the crown), 5 major nerves (ida, pingala and sushumna,
with the sushumna having three sections the silver cord or
spinal cord along the spine to the throat, then the passage
to the crown, as one; the gold cord from the point behind and
between the eyebrows to the Crown; and the Atma Nadi or major
vagus nerve between the synod or pacemaker of the heart
located to the right of sternum to the Crown); and 3 Centers
of Force through which the single all-pervasive Light
emanates (the Kandal - between the 4th vertebra and navel,
which regulates the generative energy flow; the Tenth Gate
stemming from the hypothalamus through the crown of the head;
which governs the involutionary energy flow; and the Hrdayam
- the synod of the heart, which is the Singularity that sucks
in and dissolves the illusion of separation of the reflected
consciousness - like a Black Hole from which emanates Zero
Point or Substratum of Being-Consciousness-Energy).

Through the specialized practice of Kundalini Yoga, involving
innumerable postures, movements, combined with long deep
breathing and Breath of Fire and related variations, and in
different specific combinations of Kriyas, pressure is put on
the psychic spheres, nerves and force centers, through which
the Infinite Light passes and is diffused into the spectrum
of numerous images we assume to be real. Blood charged with
the powerful effect of the specialized breathing techniques
saturates these areas, causing the capillaries to open, then
discharg their accumulated toxins and crystallized toxins,
until the cells also begin to discharge their waste.
Gradually through toxins filter out of the body and the blood
begins to become pure and vital. Then gradually the nerves,
organs and glands begin to regenerate, building up and
carrying a charge that brings about a normal balanced voltage
natural and inherent to each area.

As the charge builds, the weaker areas within the nerves
groupings and centers begin to charge and balance with the
other areas that carry the charge that previously
predominated in bringing about the resonance of the vision
spectrum we had of the world and the related idea of who and
what the Atman is.

Once the body field has become charged and begins to balance,
as a result of the practice of many varied Kundalini Kriyas
and sets, specialized Kundalini meditations, which are made
up of mantras and mudras and angles and positions, channel
the energy into areas that further open and balance the
nerves, spheres and centers so that a greater spectrum of
Light can pass through the body/mind field.

Gradually, the entire field begins to balance and resonate to
a level above thinking and images, to the level of pure still
intuitive consciousness. The subconscious now resonates as
pure reflected consciousness, which is to say that it
reflects the Truth purely.

When such a one (whose generative center in the Kandal has
openned to adequately supply the bio-chemical energy
necessary for the nerves to carry a balanced charge
throughout the body field), is now told about or reads about
or hears the Truth, their mind fills with devotion to That
Truth (Sravana or hearing), which opens the Force Center in
the Crown, and that brings about the absorbtion in the Truth
(Manana or contemplation), until the Truth Itself, the
all-pervasive Brahman (the Father), suddenly and entirely
dissolves the reflected consciousness altogether (the
subconscious mind), and we abide as our True Self
(Niddidyasana or Mahamudra), as eternal, unconditioned,
uncaused spacelike Being Consciousness. The body field now
resonates as non-dual undifferentiated pervasive Light and "I
as I" - without the illusion of distinctions or separations.

The words that will be spoken by such a one might be "I am
the Truth." "I and my Father are One." "This Atman is That
Brahman." "God and Me, Me and God are One." even "I (the
universal consciousness) am the Light of the world."
(Spacelike imortality giving nowledge absolute am I" "By
nature Truth eternal am I. I am perpetual immutability."

The whole matter comes to "hearing" - bringing the body field
to a point of resonance to where this "hearing" can become
possible, as with hearing, the True Self awakens and
recognizes Itself as the True Hearer. From that point on you
know and abide in the Truth, even as the body field goes
through a process of relentless purification.

_____________________________________________________________________

GENE POOLE

"How important is it to be a vegetarian?(well it doesn't
actually imply to nondoerlity) There is a chinese saying
"what you eat is what you are" but I really wonder if that
has got anything to do with our diet." --Rashmi

Precisely what we eat, and do not eat, are only two issues of
many many thousands of issues and factors which will
determine exactly how enlightened we will become, and when we
will become enlightened.

As you may suspect, dietary concerns rank high on the list of
'need to know' facts. In fact, ordinary, non-enlightened
individuals may take up to 80 years to learn enough about
food and the body, to be able to make the correct choices.
Given this daunting schedule, it makes good sense to simply
seek out a perfect Dietary Master, and follow directions to a
'Pea'.

Not only is vegetarianism usually ranked high on the list of
correct conduct, but the spiritual rumor-mill has it that
those who eat meat, will be reincarnated as cannibals or
worse, as a cow. And that would be a mighty lesson, for as we
know, every cow is a vegetarian. (Which gives a whole new
spin to the phrase 'vegetarian meal', eh?)

Now that we have covered the dietary issues, we can turn our
attention to the seemingly infinite list of other probable
obstacles to enlightenment, such as the color of clothes that
you choose to wear (or not, for nudism is also seen as a sure
path to high spiritual attainment!).

Red clothing denotes raging anger, held deeply. But red can
be offset by liberal amounts of green, unless you are a
capitalist, in which case green denotes money, the 'root of
all evil'. And you surely know how evil clashes with
enlightenment, yes?

Black clothes denote that you are in mourning for your lost
soul, but this can be offset by wearing a white carnation,
unless you are a member of the radical Live Bouquet Power
faction, which does not allow the picking of flowers. If so,
you must wear a mauve ceramic flowerpot on your head, filled
with the most pure organic loam, in which is growing an
exotic aloe vera plant, to be used as medicine in case of
jaundice or, alternately, mild sunburn. But the sacrifice of
this sacred aloe plant must of course be accompanied by the
most sincere of ritual prayer and other properly mystical
and/or esoteric behaviours, which will of course be evaluated
by your Higher Self and/or Guardian Angel. Such reports are
then filed in Karma Central Control, to later be tabulated
and interpreted. The scores are tallied and the number of
impure thoughts are deducted, while good deeds are added in
compensation.

The most mystical Masters compare the path of enlightenment
to an elevator, which goes up or down according to how we
'tip' the elevator attendant, also known as 'ego'. Heavy
tipping will paradoxically send the elevator down, while
abstinance from flattering Ms Ego will result in rapid ascent
to the penthouse of higher consciousness. Of course, the
attendant will resent not being tipped, so the whole journey
can be a lot of ups and downs. And that explains the whole
thing.

________________________________________________________________

GLORIA LEE

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Here Soar

Here soar
Not with wings,

But with your moving hands and feet
And sweating brows -

Standing by your Beloved's side
Reaching out to comfort this world

With your cup of solace
Drawn from your vast reservoir of Truth.

Here soar
Not with your eyes and senses

That turn their backs
On the earth's sweet stumbling dance
Which needs you.

Here love, O here love,
With your mouth tender and open upon your lover,

And with your heart on duty
To the souls of rivers, children, forest animals,
All the shy feathered ones and laughing, jumping,
Shining fish.

O here, pilgrim,
Love
On this holy battleground of life

Where there are bleeding men
Who are calling for a sacred drink,
A gentle word or touch from man
Or God.

Hafiz, why just serve and play with angels?
They are already content.

Brew your knowledge well for men
With aching mind and guts,

And for those wayfarers who have gained
The rare courageous thirsts
That can never be relinquished
Until Union!

Hafiz,
Leave your recipes in golden drums.

Tie those barrels to the backs of camels
Who will keep circumambulating the worlds,

Giving nourishment
To all your happiness, dear wayfarer,

With your beautiful lips and body
So sweetly opened,

Yielding their vital gifts upon
This magnificent
Earth.


('The Subject Tonight is Love '- Versions of Hafiz by Daniel
Ladinsky; original presentation by David Williamson)

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