From the chapter, "Self-Awareness and Self-Ignorance,"
contained in the book "Be As You Are: The Teachings of Sri
Ramana Maharshi," edited by David Godman.

Question: Of what nature is the realization of westerners
who relate that they have had flashes of cosmic
consciousness?

Bhagavan: It came as a flash and disappeared as such. That
which has a beginning must also end. Only when the
ever-present consciousness is realized will it be
permanent. Consciousness is indeed always with us. Everyone
knows "I am." No one can deny his own being. The man in
deep sleep is not aware; while awake he seems to be aware.
But it is the same person. There is no change in the one
who slept and the one who is now awake. In deep sleep he
was not aware of his body and so there was no
body-consciousness. In the wakeful state he is aware of his
body and so there is body-consciousness. Therefore the
difference lies in the emergence of body-consciousness and
not in any change in the real consciousness.

There is no one who does not say "I am." The wrong
knowledge of "I am the body" is the cause of all the
mischief. This wrong knowledge must go. That is
realization. Realization is not acquisition of anything new
nor is it a new faculty. It is only removal of all
camouflage.

The ultimate truth is so simple. It is nothing more than
being in the pristine state. This is all that need be said.

Most of the world ignores "This", seeing no use
or value for "This". Most of the world values
tangible things, status, power, or enjoyable or
rewarding experiences. Thus, through ignorance,
"This" which is not tangible nor an experience
is never noticed.
Of those who begin to break through ignorance, many
continue on fruitless paths in pursuit of This,
believing they "see glimpses" and thus generate
beliefs that reinforce their vain pursuit.
Others vainly claim they are "being This", lost
in self-delusion and their own positive
conceptual affirmations.
Still others futilely try to negate what is "not-This",
never able to reach an end to that which must be negated.

Only when their is no investment in ignorance,
and when the utter futility of all approaches and non- approaches is
seen, will there be the dropping away
of avoidance, useless efforts, and the unrewarding pursuit
or self-conscious non-pursuit of an imagined effortless
mode of being.

Pursuit and the attempt to gain This through non-pursuit
are both grounded in thought.
Thoughts are understandable only in the context
of prior thoughts. Thus, thought ultimately has
no ground.
Experiences register in the context of previous experiences.
Thus, experience ultimately has no ground.
Similarly, feelings relate to prior feelings, and
sensations are interpreted against the background
of other sensations.

"This" which has nothing prior to itself
cannot be experienced, intuited, felt,
sensed, remembered, or cognized.
To speak of "This" is completely paradoxical, because
speech about "This" always occurs as simply more
speech, thought, and reference to experience.
Because such speech is paradoxical, some consider it
ludicrous. However, This Itself is neither paradoxical
nor absurd. It is merely speaking of This that is paradox
and absurdity. Such speech has never occurred for any
meaningful reason other than to bring attention to
the prevalence of ignorance.

It is futile to call It "That" which experiences,
remembers, or cognizes, or to call It
"consciousness", "awareness", "Self", or "God" --
all of these concepts are merely ways to formulate
an idea and a relationship to an idea,
more thoughts interpreted
against the background of other thoughts.
Similarly, saying there is "no one" who is doer
or cognizer simply contributes additional
thought-statements about reality, depending
as do other thoughts on a prior thought context for
meaning.

Negating thoughts and concepts will never lead to It.
The activity of negating depends on something to be
negated. This very dependency doesn't allow This
with nothing prior to Itself to emerge from the
activities of negation. Similarly, inquiry is
dependent on a question being there, and meditation
is dependent on the context in which meditation has
meaning. That which has nothing beyond Itself will
never be found, constructed, nor recognized -
and neither inquiry nor meditation/contemplation
will lead to This.

One may seek a teacher or spiritual path, but such
will only provide more sensation, thought, and
experience.

One may seek to let go, but this activity will always
depend on there being something to let go.

One may attempt to do nothing, but passivity will
have no power to interfere with thought seeking after
thought, experience leading to accumulation of
further experience, etc.

Indeed, there cannot be shown to be anything "out there"
beyond sensation and thought that is being sensed and
thought about. Anything said to be "out there"
is a thought interpretation about sensory or
intuitive experience. The so-called "reality beyond"
or "reality out there" turns out to
be more data in the realm of concept and experience.
Thus, claims about "'Something' beyond thought
and sensation" are as absurd and paradoxical as
any other speech about This.

When nothing is "placed 'out there'", there is nothing
"in here".
Then, nothing can be said to be or not to be.
Then, neither concepts of death, nor birth, nor
deathlessness, nor birthlessness apply.

This is beyond any statements, activities, or inactivities.
Now is recognized the futility of any efforts
and non-efforts intended to find This, be This,
reveal This, or negate what is not This.
There is literally nothing else at this point
other than recognizing the utter futility of all
efforts and non-efforts, cognitions, feelings,
and experiences.

As far as this statement itself being addtional
futile verbiage interpreted
in the context of prior words and ideas - it is so.
This statement itself cannot lead to "This" any more
than can any other statement, question, negation, or
assertion. Neither a path nor a pathless way of
being will reveal "This".

The first human awakening was before Buddha, before Christ,
before any of those we have heard of. An ancient, early
awakening somewhere unknown. Those who could hear what this
miraculous awakening had to tell were ignited with either
direct, immediate understanding as their own true
experience, or the desire for that understanding. Of
course, most who heard were not interested. But those who
were interested were caught by the flame of truth, and it
has been passed from being to being until the present time.

There are exquisite sutras and scriptures, hymns and
testimonials that shake us, that cause us to fall flat on
the floor when we read them because they are alive with the
spirit of truth, with the certainty of this flame. They
penetrate into our hearts with this "yes," for somehow we
know this truth without even understanding what it is we
know.

But the most sublime truth of all has never been stated or
written or sung. Not because it is far away and can't be
reached, but because it is so intimately close, closer than
anything that can be spoken. It is alive as the stillness
in the core of your being, too close to be described, too
close to be objectified, too close to be known in the usual
way of knowledge. The truth of who you are is yours
already. It is already present, and the only reason that I
have appeared in your consciousness is to simply confirm
that.

I truly have nothing to teach you. There have been many
teachers who have taught exquisite and useful codes of
conduct, methods of meditation, ways of living and
manifesting in the world. I am simply pointing to the
stillness that is alive in the core of your being and
inviting you to turn your attention to that, to let that
live your life. I invite you to give your questions to that
and your answers to that. Give your failures and successes,
choice and choicelessness to that. Give all back to where
it came from, back to before creation.

When we look back into history at the numbers of known
sages, saints, and messiahs, we can see that awakening has
been rare. Since it has been rare, we assume in our minds
that it is not possible for us. Many people today say it is
absolutely inconceivable for an ordinary person to simply
awaken to the truth of who one is. That it is reserved for
saints or for those who have demonstrated great purity or
endured great spiritual practice. But this is not so.

This is for you.

With all of your experienced limitations, this is for you,
simply because all of your experienced limitations are not
who you truly are. Who you are is already on the other
shore, already free, already the source of all wisdom,
clarity, and beauty. Who you are is where all is, stillness
itself.

Awakening does not mean that this particular form you
inhabit should or will be a saint, or a great artist, or
king of the world. It means you can know without a doubt
that who you are is not limited to form. Who you are is
what the world appears in, what the cosmos appears in, what
space itself appears in.

There is a quickening on the Earth at this time. In this
quickening is the invitation to realize where you are, who
you are, who one is. If you are fully committed to that
realization, there is nothing that can stop you. There is
no obstacle.

My teacher, Papaji, said that the greatest obstacle, in
fact the final obstacle, is the belief that there is an
obstacle. Be very aware if you are clinging to this belief,
and have the courage to let it go so that you can see for
yourself. Then our meeting will not have been just a
passing thing that happened one day. It will be the reunion
of Self to Self, a reunion that is newer than the first
union.

I am profoundly delighted with our meeting and the
potential that is in this meeting. I know you as my own
Self.

I love you as my own Self.

Poverty! Oh yes, it does exist. It could be anyone; even you at any given moment; it really can happen. Poverty Sucks!

Poverty puts you in a state that is very hard to keep you going on with Life. The Life that you really hate. Who will listen to the homeless cry? They can live in one room with nothing of their own; jus maybe the clothes that are on their backs. Just by luck at that!

Below the poverty line that's all you hear about. From so many people out there you know. Going from every soup kitchen on time and if not they do without. Living conditions they choose you to live in doesn't matter much to them. Just a number only. No name. In the Poverty Game in the System.

People cry, people die within, they feel hopeless, useless and with no self esteem. Don't know what the next day would bring. More suffering. Trying to live in our society today. It makes people out there feel like helpless prey in a jungle; trying to survive.

From the early morning to the night you have yourself only to rely on; not the System that Sucks!

Poverty? Why Poverty? Government!

Poverty hurts countries, cities, towns; all because of GREED the WE don't need!

People of any age or race; people that work or not or just can't. There are many reasons why Poverty can hurt. People in the workplace; overworked, underpaid.

The younger generation is the future that needs help to cope with their education. Why the GREED? There's no need for it. It causes hurt and pain. Hate among us all. STOP!

Stop and let's try to work it out together. As of now, there is no hope. We can make a difference for now and for the future generation to let a brighter and better life to come into our children's future.

STOP, LOOK, LISTEN!

To whom ever can and has the power to do so. Well Just Do It! At least try whoever you are out there. I'm sure you know whomever you are that Power Sucks if it falls into the wrong Hands! Not a joke. It's for real. By Judy D. From my broken Heart. Straight Up. Well so long until next time. That's if people out there will try and help Street Feat; the voice of the Poor. It can't hurt to make more of an effort to do so. Oh where, oh where is the extra help coming from for us to keep staying alive. So we can more than slip by from month to month. Thank you so much for reading this. I really can say that I hope that you can understand where I am coming from. I am sure that you will in some way or the other.

P.S. I care so much. I feel that pain. Not just for myself but for everyone out there. We are all the Same. Your Friend Always. Judy Deal. Bye for now. Straight from my Heart.

IN HER TEXT "AMERICA: RELIGION AND RELIGIONS" Catherine
Albanese emphasizes that the Beat Generation authors were
integral to the importation of Buddhism into mainstream
American thought. Literary critics and Beat commentators,
however, often couple Buddhism with other general non-
conformist trends in Beat literature or disregard it all
together.

Contrary to these dismissals, a thorough examination of
Jack Kerouac's "Mexico City Blues" displays his earnest
practice and understanding of Mahayana Buddhism. The two
hundred and forty-two choruses of the work reveal Kerouac's
conscious turning away from Catholicism to Buddhist belief,
his earnest practice of meditation and resultant
enlightenment, and his understanding of complex doctrines
of Mahayana Buddhism.

Throughout the choruses, Kerouac's references to his
personal religious background, Catholicism, serve to
illuminate his belief in the superiority of the Buddhist
faith. Kerouac makes his Catholic upbringing evident
through numerous references to aspects of the Christian
faith. Allusions to the Virgin Mary. Moses), grace, and the
hope of salvation intimate the poet's Catholic background
and world view, yet he frequently reveals his disdain for
Catholicism.

Early in the collection he states that he has "had all I
can Eat / Revisiting Russet towns / Of long ago / On
carpets of bloody sawdust". In denying the validity of the
Catholic relic of the cross (reduced to bloody sawdust), he
sets a tone which persists throughout the work. In a later
chorus, Kerouac explains that Catholicism first took hold
in slave communities, that according to Kerouac, would
believe in anything ). His closing statement on the
Catholic Church states simply: "Buddhists are the only
people who don't lie."

Buddhism, as opposed to Catholicism, was the obvious truth
to Kerouac. He expresses regret for not finding this truth
earlier: "Importunate fool that I was, / I raved to fight
Saviors / instead of listening to the Light -- still a
fool.". Only now, in Buddhism "The Kingdom of the Mind, /
the Kingdom has come," and only in Buddha has Kerouac found
the "Successful Savior Abiding Everywhere in Beginningless
Ecstatic Nobody."

This transcendental truth, Kerouac makes clear, can
encompass Christ but is superior. He tells that he believes
"in the sweetness / of Jesus / And Buddha -- / . . . And
Otherwise / Santayanan / Everywhere" and in "No Self God
Heaven / Where we all meet and make it, / But the
Meltingplace of the Bone Entire / In One Light of Mahayana
Gold, / Asvhaghosha's singing in your ear, / And Jesus at
your feet, washing them."

Thus Kerouac presents Catholicism as plagued by lies, but
he accepts Jesus as a part of the universal truth that is
Buddhism. In doing so, he consciously rejects his Catholic
upbringing and embraces Buddhist belief.

"Mexico City Blues" encompasses much more, however, than a
mere comparison of Kerouac's background with his new found
faith. Much of the work describes his encounters with truth
through meditation. Kerouac's discussion of mediation can
be separated into three areas: his reasons for embracing
the practice, the practice itself, and his experiences of
revelation and ecstasy through meditation.

In Chorus, the poet clearly states his desire to leave his
life of recognition in America and to enter a life of
contemplation in Mexico:

I'd rather die than be famous, . . .
I'd rather be in the desert sand,
Sitting legs crossed, at lizard
High noon, . . .
rather go in the high lone land
of plateau where you can hear
at night the zing of silence
from the halls of Assembled

Kerouac's dedication to contemplation and Buddhist
meditative practice was highly criticized by his mother and
by what he perceived to be society at large. In many of the
choruses, he responds harshly to critics of the meditative
life. He states first that: "Eternity / Is the other side /
Of the other part / Of your mind / That you ignore /
Because you want to." And later that: "'Men are afraid to
forget / their own minds, / Fearing to fall thru the void /
With nothing to which they can cling."

In these statements the poet both explains and defends his
retreat to Mexico in pursuit of the contemplative life. In
other portions of the work, he describes the actual
practice of stillness. The practice of meditation, to
Kerouac, is one in which "Thinking has stopped" and one has
"No direction to go but inward." He tells his readers to be
"devout under trees," to "stop thinking, stop breathing,"
and to "Lie down / Rest." Throughout the work he reiterates
"Buddha's Secret Moonlight: -- / the Ancient Virtue of
laying up / and thinking happy & comfortable / thoughts."

Kerouac writes that the practice of meditation has led him
to ecstasy and truth. His descriptions of these discoveries
range from those reminiscent of his earlier writings during
drug trips to those which portray a stillness which seems
entirely unique to his Buddhist influenced writings. All of
these depictions are characterized by a sense of serenity
and inner revelation. He tells of instances when his "eyes
were bright with seeing emptiness," when he encountered "a
Golden Age of silent darkness in [his] happy heart," when
he "listened to the eternal return with no expression," and
when he witnessed "the clear sight of varied crystal
mountains shifting in the air."

In Chorus 111, he writes of a height in his discoveries:
"When I attained Highest / Perfect / Wisdom / . . . / I
even dropped my conception / of highest old wisdom / And
turned to the world, / a Buddha inside, / And said nothing.
/ and I had no idea / what I was thinking about / and
abided in blank ecstasy."

The Choruses of "Mexico City Blues" fully explore Kerouac's
practice of meditation during his time in Mexico. He
explains to his readers his reasons for retreating to this
life of stillness, the actual practice of stillness, and
his encounters with truth through meditation.

Kerouac's poetry clearly reveals his denial of Catholicism,
acceptance of Buddhism, and experimentation with mediation.
More subtle references to specific Buddhist principles
reveal Kerouac's understanding of and belief in the
Mahayana strand of Buddhism. Although Kerouac claimed to be
drawn to Mahayana Buddhism's emphasis on compassion,
"Mexico City Blues" reveals only a small influence of the
compassionate, but examines in depth many less central
Mahayana tenets.

Kerouac expresses the Mahayanan concepts of the
transcendental, Buddha as Essence or dharma, and Shunyada
(or non-self). Throughout the choruses, Kerouac makes
reference to the transcendental nature of Buddhist truth: a
middleless center, the Universal mind, Madness rioting
Everywhere, and One Light, One Transcendental Ecstasy .

In Chorus 132 he writes: "Innumerable infinite songs. /
Great suffering of the atomic in verse / . . . That's
Buddhism. / That's Universal Mind." This obvious allusion
to Whitman's "Song of Myself" identifies American
Transcendentalism with Buddhist thought.

Still, Kerouac proves his Mahayana thought to be more
complex than that of the Transcendentalists as he then
incorporates the non-self into his understanding of the
Universal Mind. Recognizing that "There is no selfhood that
can begin the practice," Kerouac continually reminds
himself and his reader: "no-self, no-self, no-self, Dass is
the order of the Day." The 6th Chorus tells that:

Self depends on existence of other
self, and so no Solo Universal Self
exists -- no self, no other self,
no innumerable selves, no
Universal self and no ideas
relating to existence or non-
existence thereof --

This exploration of reality without self could potentially
confound non-Buddhist readers.But Kerouac's incorporation
of Buddha as essence (or dharma) elucidates the Mahayana
belief. According to Mahayana Buddhism, the Buddha exists
in three forms. The third form is known as the "body of
essence" and is "the manifestation of the truth that is
dharma."

Kerouac explains this concept in three separate choruses.
He tells the reader that "Dharma law / Say / All things is
made / of the same thing" and then that "all things is made
/ of the same thing / essence." Later, he completes his
connection to the dharma when he writes that "essence is
the word for the finger / that shows us bright blankness"
and "The Essence of Existence / is Buddhahood."

Kerouac's writings on essence thus explain that the third
manifestation of Buddha is the transcendental essence which
both guides toward, and is, the Universal mind. This dual
function is possible as there is no self by which to
differentiate the guide, the guided, and the destination.
Through exploration of the transcendental Universal mind,
Shunyada, and dharma, Kerouac demonstrates the complexity
of his faith in Mahayana Buddhism.

Kerouac's contemporaries and disciples surely overlooked
the many complexities of "Mexico City Blues." Without
previous knowledge of Buddhist principles, the American
public could not have grasped Kerouac's full intent.

Still, analysis of the work reveals that Kerouac himself
held an involved and educated faith in Mahayana Buddhism
during his time in Mexico. Thus to dismiss Beat Buddhism as
mere non-conformity is to severely misinterpret the
significance of the religion to Beat literature.

Marcia Paul contributes:

"Gurdjieff introduced his toast to the Idiots in 1922, and
from 1940 gave it increasing emphasis.

Although not divesting 'idiot' of its pejorative sense, he re-invested
it with the meaning of individuality (from a Greek root
meaning 'I make my own').

Though idiocy was universal - God
himself being the Unique idiot (No.21) - a subsidiary
differentiation afforded a human typology at once 'poetic'
and profound.

Each pupil, relying simply on intuition, was
initially required to choose his own idiot from among the
first twelve (1 ordinary; 2 super; 3 arch; 4 hopeless; 5
compassionate; 6 squirming; 7 square; 8 round; 9 zigzag; 10
enlightened; 11 doubting; 12 swaggering).......

The subsequent order of idiots (nowhere reliably published) is
believed to be: 13 born; 14 patented; 15 psychopathic; 16
polyhedral. Although idiots 1-16 might seem to occupy a
plateau of being, only differentiate behaviourally, there
are hints of a desirable evolution to the proximate
type......

Idiots 17-21 constituted a spiritual hierarhy,
reflecting progressive gradations of objective reason' .
Idiot 18 presented the highest development which a human
being could reach, but in order to attain it, he had first
voluntarily to decent again from 17 to 1, the ordinary
idiot. Idiots 19 and 21 were reserved for the sons of
God.......

The Toast to the Idiots was discontinued
immediately on Gurdjieff's death in 1949, it being felt
that, without his decisive presence, it stood in dangerof
becoming a mere form without content."

Source: Moore, J.B. 1991. Gurdjieff - A biography. Element
Books Limited, Shaftesbury, Dorset.

David Hodges contributes:

Herewith the most complete list possible of Gurdjieff's
Order of Idiots, with thanks to Marcia Paul.

1 ordinary idiot
2 super idiot
3 arch idiot
4 hopeless idiot
5 compassionate idiot
6 squirming idiot
7 square idiot
8 round idiot
9 zigzag idiot
10 enlightened idiot
11 doubting idiot
12 swaggering idiot
13 born idiot
14 patented idiot
15 psychopathic idiot
16 polyhedral idiot

Idiots 17-21 constituted a spiritual hierarchy, reflecting
progressive gradations of objective reason

Idiot 18 presented the highest development which a human
being could reach, but in order to attain it, he had first
voluntarily to descend again from 17 to 1, the ordinary
idiot.

Idiots 19 and 21 were reserved for the sons of God.

21 - Unique Idiot (God himself being the Unique idiot)

Source: Moore, J.B. 1991. Gurdjieff - A biography. Element
Books Limited, Shaftesbury, Dorset.

Think of your death now. It is at arm's length. It may tap
you any moment, so really you have no time for crappy
thoughts and moods. None of us have time for that. The only
thing that counts is action, acting instead of talking. * *
* When a man decides to do something he must go all the
way, but he must take responsibility for what he does. No
matter what he does, he must know first why he is doing it,
and then he must proceed with his actions without having
doubts or remorse about them. Look at me, I have no doubts
or remorse. Everything I do is my decision and my
responsibility. The simplest thing I do, to take you for a
walk in the desert for instance, may very well mean my
death. Death is stalking me. Therefore, I have no room for
doubts or remorse. If I have to die as a result of taking
you for a walk, then I must die. You on the other hand,
feel that you are immortal, and the decisions of an
immortal man can be cancelled or regretted or doubted. In a
world where death is the hunter, my friend, there is not
time for regrets or doubts. There is only time for
decisions. When you get angry you always feel righteous.
You have been complaining all your life because you don't
assume responsibility for your decisions. To assume the
responsibility of one's decisions means that one is ready
to die for them. It doesn't matter what the decision is.
Nothing could be more or less serious than anything else.
In a world where death is the hunter there are no small or
big decisions. There are only decisions that we make in the
face of our inevitable death.

Jerry: Let's say this list is biased. There's a sphere of
perception that has formed and stands alongside all other
spheres of perception. We've become a spiritual plasma. Now
what? Prior to any list, this existed. Therefore, can a
person ever leave? Isn't this like a level of manifestation
we find ourselves on? Or like a Ray of Knowledge? How much
choice do we really have? Isn't Pure Being the name of the
incense in God's cult house? How free is anyone? How do you
get out of the plasma?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jerry: Let's say this list is biased. There's a sphere of
perception that has formed and stands alongside all other
spheres of perception. We've become a spiritual plasma. Now
what?

Gene: Now we bounce and abide, amongst the other spheres of
plasma; within this sphere, are many spheres. It is the
movement of the spheres within the sphere, which determine
the shape of the NDSphere. Perhaps 'now what' is to allow
the establishment of syncretistic abidance; first among the
spheres within the NDSphere, and then eventually, between
the NDSphere and the other 'spheres of perception'. Such a
syncretism needs a common base; that base being, 'what is',
and what is, is the Great Sphere in which all spheres of
perception interact. Each individual sphere is able to
perceive itself from the POV of the Great Sphere. From this
POV of looking in, may occur the POV of looking out; what
is seen?

Jerry: Prior to any list, this existed. Therefore, can a person
ever leave? Isn't this like a level of manifestation we
find ourselves on?

Gene: Awakening, shaking off the sleep, to find myself
onboard a huge, self-sustaining spaceship, hurtling through
the cosmos, warmed by a nearby 'star'. I struggle to find
the controls; in the meantime, I reconcile myself with the
possibility that 'this is all there is'. Besides, whoever
made this whole thing, hid the controls from those who are
not yet competent to make command decisions. I see; only by
mastering my mini-ship, will I be competent to fly the Big
One. Only by skillful means, can I pilot my own course; in
the meantime, Grace is my autopilot.

Jerry: Or like a Ray of Knowledge? How much choice do we really
have? Isn't Pure Being the name of the incense in God's
cult house? How free is anyone? How do you get out of the
plasma?

Gene: I am this plasma; I am plasmatic, formless, ethereal,
all-pervasive, energetic and static; I am the basis for
electrostatically charged meat, I am the protoplasm which
that meat is. I am the organizational information which
regulates the survival of that meat, and I am the complex
of information which has ordered itself into a simulation
of identity, and I have a name for that... which is

==Gene Poole==

TRUTH

If you surrender to the truth, then truth itself carries you, opens your heart and brings you to the floor. Then this burning to serve life with your life, the song of gratitude, is the song that we sing, "Yes, Yes". It cannot be expected, it cannot be anticipated. Completely, totally surprising, it annihilates all ideas, all expectations, all intentions. That's what satsang is for, to confirm this, to celebrate this, to sing to the world, the truth of your
being. Then you are invited to share your life in whatever way the truth chooses to use you, regardless of what you do. If you are serving coffee and muffins in the morning, that's the most sublime act of worship, and the whole universe rejoices in that. Everything becomes a vehicle for that, and everything that occurs is a wonderful opportunity to deepen into this recognition of Self, of love welcoming love, regardless of life's circumstance. This truth has lived your life anyway, but now you've realized that this is the truth, so don't interfere. That way all your desires and all your fears must end. Allow this unknowable force to take you in its arms, to carry you and to live your life.

GRACE

All happens by Grace, particularly the ultimate, fundamental awakening happens by this mystery of Grace. This cannot be understood, cannot be fathomed, can never be achieved by an individual. This Grace can never be the result of a long history of spiritual practices or sadhanas, or following strict rules of conduct or does and don'ts. That is usually what strengthens the lie of an individual wanting enlightenment. Grace ultimately is presence, and the presence of Grace is alive and vibrant here in your heart. But the mind needs to stop so that you can recognize that Grace is always Here, that this Grace is what has always been calling you from the very beginning of time, which is now. No one deserves this Grace, and yet
Grace happens. For some mystery it seems that the times that we are now living in, there is some sort of quickening or collective awakening. There is receptivity, openness, humility, and willingness to approach with devotion the source of truth. Not with the conquering attitude of the mind through science or through practices, but rather with a humble heart. And this openness is expressing itself more and it's happening more and more in the world. This is Grace, this is the aura of Grace, descending upon this planet. From the perspective of time and space continuum, this particular time is a very blessed time. Because the opportunity to discover what Grace is, is present in your life now. Now.

Once there was a monk who was an expert on the Diamond Sutra, and as
books were very valuable in his day, he carried the only copy in his
part of the world on his back. He was widely sought after for his
readings and insight into the Diamond Sutra, and very successful at
propounding its profundities to not only monks and masters but to the
lay people as well.

Thus the people of that region came to know of the Diamond Sutra, and
as the monk was traveling on a mountain road, he came upon an old
woman selling tea and cakes. The hungry monk would have loved to
refresh himself, but alas, he had no money. He told the old woman, "I
have upon my back a treasure beyond knowing -- the Diamond Sutra. If
you will give me some tea and cakes, I will tell you of this great
treasure of knowledge."

The old woman knew something of the Diamond Sutra herself, and
proposed her own bargain. She said, "Oh learned monk, if you will
answer a simple question, I will give you tea and cakes."
To this the monk readily agreed. The woman then said, "When you eat
these cakes, are you eating with the mind of the past, the mind of
the
present or the mind of the future?"

No answer occurred to the monk, so he took the pack from his back and
got out the text of the Diamond Sutra, hoping he could find the
answer. As he studied and pondered, the day grew late and the old
woman packed up her things to go home for the day.

"You are a foolish monk indeed," said the old woman as she left the
hungry monk in his quandary. "You eat the tea and cakes with your
mouth."


HAHAHAH H and HOHOHO!

Peace - - Michael

In a river high up in the mountains there was a little
pebble, one of those one finds making up the bed of
shallow fast-moving torrents. The pebble, placed near
the riverbank, was all covered up in greenish moss. It
felt miserable, because it had heard other, bigger
pebbles speak of the possibility of becoming stone,
which was supposed to mean the goal of all pebbles, the
happy fulfillment of their destiny. But much as it
tried, our pebble couldn't come to realize this dream.
It felt itself made up of moss. So it spoke to the rock
beneath it and said:
-Dear rock, please, tell me how to become stone.
-Stone? What do you think you are?
-I'm a piece of moss.
-How do you know?
-That's what I see when I look at myself. Moss, all
over.
-You fool, that's only a mask! Look deep within
yourself and you will see that you are not that. Moss
is only your dress. If this river were to dry up, the
moss would die, but you would continue to be what you
are.
-And what am I?
-You're not even a pebble. You are just stone.
Immutable, immortal.
-Then what shall I do to reach stonehood? The other
pebbles speak of various techniques, and I've tried
them all, but l still can't stop feeling I am a piece
of moss.
-Forget about techniques. All techniques deal only with
the makeup of the moss. Leave the moss alone. What is
it to you? Look at the river around you. The moss you
are wearing adds to its beauty. Where's the need of
taking off your pretty dress? It will eventually die by
itself. Just be happy knowing that your are only stone.

Our little pebble was very happy on hearing the rock
say this; so happy that it began to sing and dance in
the water. This made it forget all about moss. And the
more it sang and danced, the more moss it inadvertently
shook off. When finally all the moss had been shed, it
became so light and smooth that it started to float and
shine in the river.

You know the quaint story of the ten monks traveling
together from one Master to another, in search of the
enlightenment they had failed to obtain? Crossing a river
in flood, they were separated by the swift current, and
when they reached the other shore, they reassembled and one
counted the others to make sure that all were safely
across. Alas, he was only able to count nine brothers.

Each in turn counted the others, and each could only count
nine. As they were weeping and bewailing their drowned
brother, a passing traveler on his way to the nearest town,
asked what their trouble was and, having counted them,
assured them that all ten were present. But each counted
again, and the traveler being unable to persuade them, left
them and went on this way.

Let us continue the story:

Then one monk went to the river-side in order to wash his
tear-stained face. As he leant over a rock above a clear
pool he started back and, rushing to his nine fellow-monks,
he announced that he had found their poor drowned brother
at the bottom of a pool. So each in turn went over to the
rock in question and, leaning over, looked into the depths
of the pool.

When all had seen their poor drowned brother, whom, owing
to the depth of the pool, they could not reach, they
celebrated a funeral service in his memory.

The passing traveler, returning from the town, asked them
what they were doing and, when he was told, pointed out to
them, and assured them, that since each had celebrated his
own decease, and since all had celebrated the decease of
each, one and all they were well and truly dead. On
learning this each monk was instantly awakened, and ten
fully enlightened monks returned to their monastery to the
intense delight of their grandmotherly old Master.

Note:The Tenth Man is the only man: there is no other.

"Absolute absence is also absolute presence. But the
absence of presence-and-absence is the inconceivable
truth."

from "The Tenth Man" by Wei Wu Wei, Hong Kong University
Press, 1966.

I want to share with you an excerpt from a talk of
J.Krishnamurti in New York, 1935. --KKT

You know, in India we have certain people called sannyasis,
who leave the world in search of truth. They have generally
two loin cloths, the one they put on, and one for the next
day. A sannyasi in search of truth, sought various
teachers. In his wanderings he was told that a certain king
was enlightened, that he was teaching wisdom. So this
sannyasi went to the king. You can see the contrast between
the king and the sannyasi: the king who had everything,
palaces, jewels, courtiers, power; and the sannyasi who had
only two loin cloths. The king instructed him concerning
truth. One day, while the king was teaching him, the palace
caught fire . Serenely the king continued with his
teaching, while the sannyasi, that holy man, was greatly
disturbed because his other loin cloth was burning.

You know, you are all in that position. You may not be
possessive with regard to clothes, houses, friends, but
there is some hidden pursuit of gain to which you are
attached, to which you cling, which is eating your hearts
and minds away . At long as these unexplored, hidden
poisons exist, there must be continual conflict, suffering.

(submitted by Janine to Allspirit list)

Mi Ani (or Who am I) - is the practice of self inquiry, a
technique for opening the ego to the transpersonal
observing mind.

The practice is this: Sit down in a quiet place. Center
yourself with quiet breathing. Make a silent vow to free
yourself and all beings trapped in the delusion of
separateness. When you are ready, ask yourself a series of
questions: "Am I my body? Am I my gender,... my family
name, nationality, profession, reputation? Am I my
thoughts? Am I my feelings? Am I my physical sensations?"
In quite into every aspect of yourself and ask; "Am I
that?"

As you ask, you will discover that the "you" asking the
question is not defined by the thing being questioned.
After each question, silently answer, "NO, I am not that."

After you have inquired into all the relevant definitions
of who you are, sit quietly with the question, "Who am I?"
Do not force an answer, any answer you conjure is but
another delusion.

Inevitably, your mind will wander and other thoughts will
arise. Do not chase after them, but inquire of them, "Who
is thinking this?" or "Who is feeling this?" In this way,
you will constantly return to the central question: "Who am
I?" Practice this for ar least half an hour each day.

What benefit does Mi Ani meditation have? Mi Ani opens the
ego to the larger transpersonal realm of the soul. The
greater your ability to open to this transpersonal
dimension, the easier it is to deal effectively with the
challenges of everyday life. You will live more
purposefully, with a greater sense of inner peace and outer
kindness.

How can I use Mi Ani meditation in my daily life? In
addition to setting aside half an hour a day for formal
practice, you could integrate Mi Ani into your daily life.
Simply note what you are doing at any given moment and ask;
"Who is it that is doing this?" In time, you will notice
that the usually closed ego will open to and be in touch
with your higher self, allowing for greater calm, love, and
compassion and fuller experience of both dimensions of
reality.

There is flame within all beings of the world connecting
them to the creator, preserver and redeemer. Through
this flame we talk, see, smell, hear and touch. Through
this flame all activities are performed by men, animals,
birds, plants and rocks.

To know this is knowledge. Try to know it by any means
suitable to you: Yoga, Bhakti or Inquiry. So these are
the ways available to every being. Whatever suits you
is the right way and to know this is knowledge, freedom,
wisdom, and enlightenment. How to seek it, how to find
it which is very intimately near to you, nearer than your
own breath?

Just have knowledge of it and that's all. You don't need
any effort because it is within you. You do not have to
go anywhere because it is available in this very moment,
here and now. When you rid yourself of all efforts, thoughts, concepts,
notion, intention and ideation-you will see it. You
will not only see it but you will be it. You are it and it is you.

So when you are very serious, very honest you will see
that it has been always there, within you, calling you, but
who pays attention! Therefore the world is suffering.

-Papaji

You don't want to cling to the body, to the mind, or ask any more questions, or engage in any transactions with the body-mind. You are looking forward to the peacefulness, the contentedness, the happiness, of objectless sleep. You are looking forward to it. You would like to do it right now. Well, make this not merely a natural impulse of each day-cycle, make it your heart-impulse, and you transcend death and all suffering.

***

Be willed to this, then, in every moment, and relinquish the anxiety of attachment to the body-mind.

***

So much for death, then. So much for the daily news. So much for the clinging activities of an uninspected life.

***

This appearance of life will end like any dream ends. But you always Stand in the Superior Position, having Communed with (Self) and even having slept. You need not take these objects seriously then. You are superior to the fault and the adventure and the horrible epoch or epochs of mere appearances. ...

Go to sleep in peace.
Meditate in peace.
Live in peace.
Live in Depth.
Be in Depth.
Go to this Depth.
Be in this Depth.
And be Free and Happy

I finally got a chance to watch the first part of the 'Jesus'
mini-series.

I love this portrayal of Jesus very much. Very much
indeed.

Not only do I love his joy, and his dancing, and
his delight,

I loved one scene in particular:

An adulteress had just been brought before Jesus
for his judgment. When he looked at her, he did
not look at her appearance, he looked deeply into
her eyes without even the slightest indication of
disapproval or judgment......as if he were looking
forever. Somehow, I know that the adulteress, upon
feeling that gaze, began experiencing shock waves move
thru her body.....not simply waves of love or acceptance,
no. But the shock that his gaze said: there was
so much more to the 'adulteress' than what she looks
like, what she does, or what others 'know' about her.

That look was enough to change the adulteress' life.
(The movie didn't say so.....I just know this.)

After that gaze he then invited "he who is without sin" to
cast the first stone. And of course, no one could.

Mary Magdalene was observing this all very closely
you see....

and as Jesus was leaving the courtyard, he looked her
way and said, "Do you want to come with us?"

"Where?" she asked.

Jesus: "Does it matter?"

Mary: "Yes. I go where I want. I'm free."

Jesus: "You're not free. But you could be.
Why don't you come with us?"

Mary: "You treated her like......like she
was worth something."

Jesus: "She is. So are you."

And with that, Jesus walked away....leaving
Mary free to choose her course.

[We know that Mary became a disciple of Jesus....and if
the written accounts are reasonably accurate, we know
that she was never really accepted by the other disciples

......many of whom were very critical of her.]

... I have just told you the essence of my life's 'story'
in the story I told above.

You asked me before if I'm hyper sensitive. The
answer is 'yes'.....hyper sensitive to judgment and
criticism, to stone throwing, and being treated as
something 'worthless'.

Only a 'Jesus' who can look deep into my eyes
and 'save' me .....and by that I mean: can help me shift my attention
from the world of the superficial and the personal
to that which is transcendent.

I know Mary M. so well, that I can tell you: had
some preacher or master approached her and
began telling her what she *should* be doing... and what's
wrong with her....if he began telling Mary she was
deluding herself.....or if he told her she needed to 'shut
up and listen!' (LOL!),

I can guarantee you what Mary M would have said!
It's very much akin to what you have heard me say. :-)

Do understand that you are destined for enlightenment. --Xan

...definitely so, just not neccesarily this lifetime. --matthew

Co-operate with your destiny, don't go against it, don't
thwart it. Allow it to fulfil itself. All you have to do is
to give attention to the obstacles created by the foolish
mind -- Nisargadatta Maharaj

Dan Berkow: A primary obstacle is believing that one is moving from this state to that state, that there is one who moves from this to that. Enlightenment won't happen in this lifetime or the next or the one after - it includes all lifetimes. Awareness of the "inclusive fact" is sometimes called "enlightenment" - and such terminology may distract from the all-pervading truth of Itself, may lead to misinterpretation of enlightenment as an event that occurs within a being's life - rather than Its reality as the Life of this life/all lives. The gateway to Reality is Reality itself.

I am always self-identical. All apparent change, seeming differentiation, is nothing other than perfect self-identity. As it was before beginning and is after ending.

Thinking that there is some enlightenment, bliss state, fulfillment that one will get to at some point in the future, or that one lost in the past - one might call this "fragmenting reality".

Gene Poole: Good Lord, man... !

Uh! I mean... do you really think they are ready for this?

I mean, ripping the sheets away like this... what will happen to them if they see what is really 'going on'?

On the other hand... if you can say this, it must be the proper... er... thing.

So... this door of the register is open.

My-fucking-my!

Hoo boy... are we in for it now!

Those solar flares... I was hoping they am being an harbinger, ready now for ride of mass inversion!

Just remember, folks... "Nothing really happens". Just keep chanting that over and over.

Hearing music...

DEATH

Andrew:

Death is continuous. The one who writes these words is dead
as soon as they are written, every word is the last word.
The one who reads them just the same. The same for every
one always. The present moment is all of life. If you think
you will wake up tomorrow you are deluded. Already the one
who started reading this is nothing but a memory. That goes
for all material existence. What dies is dying right now,
and always. What doesn't die can never die.

Dan:

fire burns;
everything is consumed.
water moves;
everything is swept away.
air flows;
everything is dust.
earth shifts;
everything crumbles.
universe implodes;
fire, water, air, and earth
disappear.

fire is ever-burning.
tide is ever-moving.
wind is ever-blowing.
world is ever-dissolving.
universe is unspeakable.

Hallelueia!

On fire,
Ever-moving,
Ever-dissolving --

Consumed and consuming meet as one:

Consummation!

LIFE!

Andrew:

There's life as we know it, experience it, mortal,
temporal, life and death life. Relative life. About time.
Then there's a notion of absolute life, of a living goddess
or god, of reality as alive. Words and thoughts seem to
fall into some kind of black hole when I try to approach
this by intellect. I disappear. It seems forever unknown
either by presence or abscence. How hard it is to forget
everything I've learned about this from culture and
scripture and holy people and try to understand for myself
from a blank empty place.

Gene:

In the relative there is potential. In the versus there is
power. If there is one and one, there is two; between those
two there is power, potential. Of that power, is birthed
the third.

The third is the one. This one that is the third, is the
invisible 'holy ghost' or spirit; this represents
consciousness, awareness, mind. It is this invisible third
which is of so much contention here and elsewhere.

The third is the unmanifest; it is potential, and it always
is speaking to us. It is the voice of possibility; it is
the possibility of the conversion of power into presence.
This third, invisible, is the imagined component called
'soul'; it is our constant companion, our goad, and our
muse.

The potential of the third is the uncreate; it is a
palpable force in the lives of everyone. It is our bridge,
our gateway, and it comprises that which it speaks of. It
is a miracle.

It is what is here, that trips the arrogant, and nourishes
those who hunger for what cannot be seen. It is universally
applicable, yet it cannot be measured or captured.

It can be sensed, as a presence, just beyond the left
shoulder; it is there, but rational mind denies it.

Each of us is the third, of our parents two. To be aware is
to know this; it is to be able to drop the identity given,
and to be that formless immortal. This is the opportunity
which each of us is.

Our problems begin, upon need of making more real, the
apparent outer, than the inner. No resolution is found in
the temporal; and none is needed otherwise.

Dan:

The words of the past, the words spoken by others,
by myself in memory: such words will not suffice.

I speak a new Word, an unknown Word.
A Word unknowable by me, a Word that
knows itself by speaking Itself
through me.
This Word has used me as a butterfly
uses a cocoon. It is my time
to be discarded. There is joy.

Word speaking itself as an
imploding explosion.
Constant newness without change:
no one there to comment.

This Word is electric and more.
It conducts itself without moving.

Life!