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Nonduality Highlights: Issue #3714, Saturday, November 14, 2009, Editor: Mark
When you demand nothing of the world, nor of God, when you want
nothing, seek nothing, expect nothing, then the Supreme State
will come to you uninvited and unexpected.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
In Arthur C. Clarke's famous story 2001, A Space Odyssey, the HAL
9000 computer can be seen as a perfect metaphor for the human
ego. In the story, HAL is designed to run all aspects of the
space ship, including life-support systems. When the crew notices
that HAL has begun to make errors, errors it is not willing to
admit, they realize the computer will have to be disconnected and
the ship piloted via radio signals from HAL's twin computer back
on earth. But HAL is not so easily disconnected. Its own
preservation becomes more important than the service to mankind
for which it has been designed. It begins to manipulate and
destroy anything and anyone that threatens its existence,
anything that might expose the lie of its betrayal.
The human ego operates in much the same way. It also is not so
easily disconnected. Ego is pure illusion, created by the
mistaken identification with mind and all its projections -
mental, emotional, physical, and circumstantial - as who one is.
Like HAL, it will put up a mighty defense to protect this
illusion. Most people cannot see through the illusion, or the
defense, long enough to really sever the habit of mental
identification. It's like trusting HAL to sever its own misguided
circuits.
This severing is traditionally the role of the guru, meaning
literally, "dispeller of darkness." The guru is not
only someone who has cut through the illusion, but one who
reflects so purely this limitless reality which we all are that
our own infinite Self can be seen reflected there. An indication
that one has met one's true teacher is in this seeing of Self in
the teacher, as in a spotless mirror.
This seeing is mysterious. It cannot be deserved. It cannot be
bought. It cannot be explained or understood by the mind. The
only word that comes close to describing it is Grace.
It is a mystery how this Grace may appear in one's life and
penetrate the dream of separation.
- Amber Terrell, from the prologue to Surprised by Grace
Grace is always present. You imagine it as something high in the
sky, far away, something that has to descend. It is really inside
you, in your heart . . . When the mind rests in its source, grace
rushes forth, sprouting as from a spring within you.
Ramana Maharshi, posted to The_Now2
Realization is nothing to be gained anew....Realization consists
of getting rid of the false idea that one is not realized.
- Ramana Maharshi
Whatever needs change is a thought, an idea, a phantom....Even
though you're full of desire to improve or change, really see
that there is not now, nor will there ever be, a way out of what
you are. You can never become what you already are!
- Karl Renz