cumin
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Posts: 2 
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Post by cumin on Apr 13, 2016 9:48:43 GMT -5
"All that is necessary to awaken to yourself as the radiant emptiness of spirit is to stop seeking something more or better or different, and to turn your attention inward to the awake silence that you are."
~ Adyashanti
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Post by quinn on Apr 20, 2016 9:17:13 GMT -5
"There is a wonderful parable from the Bible that says it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven.
Trying to hold on to your identities, even if they are the most spiritual, most holy of identities, is like trying to shove a camel through the eye of a needle. They are too coarse, too big, too untrue, too fabricated to get into the truth.
But there's one thing that can get through the eye of the smallest possible needle. Space, your own nothingness, can get right through into heaven. None of us can take one shred of a self-centered identity with us."
- Adyashanti, Emptiness Dancing
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Post by quinn on May 1, 2016 21:16:42 GMT -5
Our spiritual culture has become very tricky. We have increasingly subtle spiritual concepts to use in our discussions. Many people have replaced the old heavy concept of God and sin with the words consciousness and conditioning, which sound a little lighter.
The modern spiritual person has these extremely abstract concepts. The more abstract the concept, the more transparent it is. It's hard to make an image of consciousness and put it on your altar. Your altar keeps being emptied. If you want to see the Truth, don't put anything there. The best altar of all would have nothing on it.
Even abstract concepts, though, if you identify with them, can catch you and prevent the mind from being disarmed. Even when there is a sudden experience of awakeness it is very easy for the mind to come into this living spirit of awakeness, put its stamp on it, and make it a something: "This is awakeness, or awareness, or consciousness, or Self." The mind will call it anything just so it will not be disarmed. So we see that even the most sacred concept, if it is not held very lightly, can become a subtle defense against this present state of being which cannot be fixated in concept.
- Adyashanti, Emptiness Dancing
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Post by quinn on May 9, 2016 10:11:06 GMT -5
To be born as a human, to take this particular form, is to be challenged. Even for the awakened ones, life is not always smooth. As I like to remind people, even when enlightenment comes, even when you realize the innate and natural freedom of being, it doesn't get you a pass on life. It doesn't mean you're never going to go through anything difficult. Quite the opposite. The more awake we become, often the more capable we are of having life hand us bigger and bigger situations as our capacity to accept and embody our spiritual essence grows. So life can and does respond to that growth, and in many ways it tends to demand more and more from us.
~ Adyashanti, Falling into Grace
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Post by maxdprophet on May 9, 2016 10:59:23 GMT -5
To be born as a human, to take this particular form, is to be challenged. Even for the awakened ones, life is not always smooth. As I like to remind people, even when enlightenment comes, even when you realize the innate and natural freedom of being, it doesn't get you a pass on life. It doesn't mean you're never going to go through anything difficult. Quite the opposite. The more awake we become, often the more capable we are of having life hand us bigger and bigger situations as our capacity to accept and embody our spiritual essence grows. So life can and does respond to that growth, and in many ways it tends to demand more and more from us. ~ Adyashanti, Falling into Grace That is not very inviting! |
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Post by quinn on May 9, 2016 11:05:14 GMT -5
To be born as a human, to take this particular form, is to be challenged. Even for the awakened ones, life is not always smooth. As I like to remind people, even when enlightenment comes, even when you realize the innate and natural freedom of being, it doesn't get you a pass on life. It doesn't mean you're never going to go through anything difficult. Quite the opposite. The more awake we become, often the more capable we are of having life hand us bigger and bigger situations as our capacity to accept and embody our spiritual essence grows. So life can and does respond to that growth, and in many ways it tends to demand more and more from us. ~ Adyashanti, Falling into Grace That is not very inviting! Yes, even a little frightening! Such a killjoy.  |
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Post by maxdprophet on May 9, 2016 11:10:16 GMT -5
That is not very inviting! Yes, even a little frightening! Such a killjoy. Not that it matters even a teensy bit, but I don't really believe it. Makes morer sense to me that the capacity to remain connected and present despite whatevertheheck is happening doesn't really mean that more shiola is going to be flung ones way. It may, but not necessarily. E.G. less arguing (literally). |
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Post by quinn on May 9, 2016 11:23:32 GMT -5
Yes, even a little frightening! Such a killjoy. Not that it matters even a teensy bit, but I don't really believe it. Makes morer sense to me that the capacity to remain connected and present despite whatevertheheck is happening doesn't really mean that more shiola is going to be flung ones way. It may, but not necessarily. E.G. less arguing (literally). You don't think one has any influence over the other? Of course, I don't know. But along with "connected and present", seems there's a fearlessness that creeps in too and I can see where that might rile up the surrounding circumstances. I know Adya got Bells Palsey after awakening, which is pretty ironic since he couldn't talk very well during that. Stirring up and releasing vasanas? Or just pure chance? |
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Post by maxdprophet on May 9, 2016 11:47:21 GMT -5
Not that it matters even a teensy bit, but I don't really believe it. Makes morer sense to me that the capacity to remain connected and present despite whatevertheheck is happening doesn't really mean that more shiola is going to be flung ones way. It may, but not necessarily. E.G. less arguing (literally). You don't think one has any influence over the other? Of course, I don't know. But along with "connected and present", seems there's a fearlessness that creeps in too and I can see where that might rile up the surrounding circumstances. I know Adya got Bells Palsey after awakening, which is pretty ironic since he couldn't talk very well during that. Stirring up and releasing vasanas? Or just pure chance? "Most cases are thought to be caused by the herpes virus" Yes I hear what you're saying re the fearlessness factor. I can see how that would do a whole lot of shiola stirring. Methinks there would also be a better ability to not-choose-one's battles, though. Less drive to hurt reactively. Even though the fearless factor may incline one to tear off the bandaid here and there. Props to you if you can make sense of these (my) (b)rambles. |
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Post by maxdprophet on May 9, 2016 11:48:06 GMT -5
That is not very inviting! Yes, even a little frightening! Such a killjoy. Seems to me Adyashanti does a lot of reassuring of folks. Like, yes your life is falling apart, but it may be because you've had this little seismic shift, imperceptible as it may be. It's the same ol story, don't resist what is. Taste it fully yada yada. And you know, more shiola hitting the fan may be coming down the pike -- chalk it up as having a greater capacity for experiencing shiola and fan collisions. |
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Post by quinn on May 9, 2016 12:22:20 GMT -5
You don't think one has any influence over the other? Of course, I don't know. But along with "connected and present", seems there's a fearlessness that creeps in too and I can see where that might rile up the surrounding circumstances. I know Adya got Bells Palsey after awakening, which is pretty ironic since he couldn't talk very well during that. Stirring up and releasing vasanas? Or just pure chance? "Most cases are thought to be caused by the herpes virus" Yes I hear what you're saying re the fearlessness factor. I can see how that would do a whole lot of shiola stirring. Methinks there would also be a better ability to not-choose-one's battles, though. Less drive to hurt reactively. Even though the fearless factor may incline one to tear off the bandaid here and there. Props to you if you can make sense of these (my) (b)rambles. Yeah, herpes is a pretty interesting virus. People can go their whole lives not even knowing they have it because they don't get symptoms. So what brings it out? Stress - the 21st century catch-all. Maybe resistance is more accurate? Byron Katie was asked about illness and she said she doesn't go there, it's too complex. So maybe I shouldn't go there either.  My meditation teacher, when waxing on the Buddhist stuff, says, "Before you speak ask yourself 3 questions. Is it kind? Is it helpful? Will it be heard?" How this jives with the 'in the flow' stuff, I don't know. How it jives with authenticity, I don't know either. I figure it's a good set of questions for when you have a lot of crap in your head, so it doesn't get spewed. |
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Post by quinn on May 9, 2016 12:31:17 GMT -5
Yes, even a little frightening! Such a killjoy. Seems to me Adyashanti does a lot of reassuring of folks. Like, yes your life is falling apart, but it may be because you've had this little seismic shift, imperceptible as it may be. It's the same ol story, don't resist what is. Taste it fully yada yada. And you know, more shiola hitting the fan may be coming down the pike -- chalk it up as having a greater capacity for experiencing shiola and fan collisions. Yes he does. Last time I was at satsang, a woman asked about these visions she had of flaming skeleton heads. He did not call bullspit. As a matter of fact, he went into a talk about how some people are of a more mystical bent and that's how something like that will manifest. He spent quite a bit of time helping her get comfortable with it so she could move on. I think mostly what he's saying with that reassurance is, don't be distracted. |
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Post by maxdprophet on May 9, 2016 12:36:36 GMT -5
"Most cases are thought to be caused by the herpes virus" Yes I hear what you're saying re the fearlessness factor. I can see how that would do a whole lot of shiola stirring. Methinks there would also be a better ability to not-choose-one's battles, though. Less drive to hurt reactively. Even though the fearless factor may incline one to tear off the bandaid here and there. Props to you if you can make sense of these (my) (b)rambles. Yeah, herpes is a pretty interesting virus. People can go their whole lives not even knowing they have it because they don't get symptoms. So what brings it out? Stress - the 21st century catch-all. Maybe resistance is more accurate? Byron Katie was asked about illness and she said she doesn't go there, it's too complex. So maybe I shouldn't go there either. My meditation teacher, when waxing on the Buddhist stuff, says, "Before you speak ask yourself 3 questions. Is it kind? Is it helpful? Will it be heard?" How this jives with the 'in the flow' stuff, I don't know. How it jives with authenticity, I don't know either. I figure it's a good set of questions for when you have a lot of crap in your head, so it doesn't get spewed. Probably the best thing about those questions is just throwing a little wrench in the autoresponse mechanism. Let that little urge fleet by. I wonder how much of verbalized stuff just doesn't need to happen at all? Despite this, *clicks Create Post*. |
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Post by zin on May 13, 2016 17:35:30 GMT -5
To be born as a human, to take this particular form, is to be challenged. Even for the awakened ones, life is not always smooth. As I like to remind people, even when enlightenment comes, even when you realize the innate and natural freedom of being, it doesn't get you a pass on life. It doesn't mean you're never going to go through anything difficult. Quite the opposite. The more awake we become, often the more capable we are of having life hand us bigger and bigger situations as our capacity to accept and embody our spiritual essence grows. So life can and does respond to that growth, and in many ways it tends to demand more and more from us. ~ Adyashanti, Falling into Grace I think there is a general level of understanding in humanity and awakened ones may be supposed to raise this level : ) Sometimes understanding something may pull 'beneficial influences' to a certain area.. (but this is just my idea). I could mention charity work, too but it is not necessary to say it I think. |
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Post by quinn on May 13, 2016 18:59:54 GMT -5
To be born as a human, to take this particular form, is to be challenged. Even for the awakened ones, life is not always smooth. As I like to remind people, even when enlightenment comes, even when you realize the innate and natural freedom of being, it doesn't get you a pass on life. It doesn't mean you're never going to go through anything difficult. Quite the opposite. The more awake we become, often the more capable we are of having life hand us bigger and bigger situations as our capacity to accept and embody our spiritual essence grows. So life can and does respond to that growth, and in many ways it tends to demand more and more from us. ~ Adyashanti, Falling into Grace I think there is a general level of understanding in humanity and awakened ones may be supposed to raise this level : ) Sometimes understanding something may pull 'beneficial influences' to a certain area.. (but this is just my idea). I could mention charity work, too but it is not necessary to say it I think. I get the feeling from what he's saying that these "bigger situations" may not appear beneficial. Whether or not they will be isn't said (sort of inferred), but I suspect they will. I've experienced what you talk about there with understanding seeming to settle things around me sort of automatically. Has that been your experience? |
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