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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2015 5:35:48 GMT -5
I haven't seen a thread for Jed here, so I thought I'd share a few quotes. I have only read the last in the trilogy so far, Spiritual Warfare, but it's the first esoteric book I've read in ten years or so that has made an impression. “I have an intended audience… it’s people who know they’re stuck and want to get unstuck, not people who don’t know they’re stuck and just want to pass the time and pass judgment. . . The former would receive criticism with gratitude, and the latter as a personal attack. Awakening is a process of breakthroughs, and breakthroughs don’t come from incense and candlelight and inner peace. You look at spiritual aspirants as those most likely to achieve awakening, but Maya has them so bamboozled that those who seem the most advanced are simply the ones who are burrowing downward the fastest.” “How can it be that we’re essentially the same now as we were at the most distant reaches of recorded history? Why does our outer environment change while our inner landscape stays the same? Because that’s the first rule of this club: Always Outward. Never Inward. So it follows as a matter of certainty that anyone who espouses any teaching or doctrine or philosophy is necessarily a member of the club. Any spiritual teacher who allows students to ask questions and gives them answers is a member of the Outward Only club; an unwitting—and thereby all the more insidious—agent of ignorance. The world is full of respected and beloved spiritual and religious teachers. People ask them questions and they provide answers; question and answer, question and answer, on and on, talk and more talk, more like spiritual therapy than spiritual warfare, but all questions, no matter how sincere or heartfelt, are really the same question, Outward?, and all answers, no matter how profound or wise, are really the same answer, Yes. The subtext of every question is, Am I making progress by asking questions and trying to understand the answers? And the subtext of every answer is, Yes, you are going somewhere while sitting here talking or reading. This is progress. Be at peace. You are progressing and well-progressed. That’s the obvious lie we want to hear and those who tell it most convincingly are the most respected and sought after." “Our eyes are wide open and we see reality with perfect clarity. This is so obvious that it’s beyond any possible doubt. It’s also untrue. Our vision is so obscured by the mental and emotional flotsam and jetsam of selfhood that what we call stark reality is really just a soft glow seen through tightly shut eyelids; just enough light getting through to illuminate the internal dreamscape. It is owing entirely to our belief that our eyes are open that the spiritual quest is doomed from the start, and that so many who think they’re well along or finished have never really begun. No matter how unwavering we are in our commitment or how steadfast in our determination, no matter how much knowledge we amass or wisdom we attain, no matter what hardships we endure or what sacrifices we make, no matter what scriptures we adhere to or what deities we appease, it’s all just a desperate ploy to keep ourselves from doing the one thing that could make any difference: taking personal responsibility, thinking for ourselves. At the point where we begin our search, we have already overshot the objective, and every step takes us further away.” “Parents tell their children that there is no such thing as the boogeyman, but that’s because they themselves have never thrown off the covers and turned on the lights. There is such thing as the boogeyman. He is out to get you, and he will. The boogeyman is real. He is the most real thing in the dreamstate, and real Zen, if there is such a thing, is about turning toward him, not away.” “There are two emotions that inform and animate the human animal: fear, and a gratitude-love-awe mix that might be best called agape. As fear goes out, agape comes in. More accurately, a pure white light of consciousness hits the prism of self and splits outward to become the universe as we experience it. If the prism of self is gray and murky with ignorance, choked with fear, contaminated with ego, then so becomes the universe that radiates out from it. It’s that simple. As the prism becomes free of such flaws, then the whole universe changes with it. It resolves into clarity, becomes brighter, more playful and magical. Because we are the lens through which it is projected, we are participants in its shape and motion; co-creators of our own universe. That’s Human Adulthood. Spiritual Enlightenment is just the same, except you take the final step in purifying the prism of self: You remove it.” i am amazed how gullable folk are. the trilogy ( iread it a couple of years ago)is written from a big ego, cleverly playing on american sentiment and culture--the need to be ´´the best´´---americans have a complex of not having a spiritual culture of their own-- three books full of bragging and boasting--´´only jed has all the answers´´---that is why americans and those influenced by that culture, love it--  |
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Post by maxdprophet on Nov 9, 2015 10:55:51 GMT -5
Hi, tano thanks for adding your 2 cents.... Given that it's all a lie, can you describe TR any more? It's very ordinary. In practical terms the Floyds expressed it as such: For long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be
There is no mystery, just living without a lens of 'Selfhood', seeing what really is. Thanks, I like ordinary. I've been thinking of what you describe as Human Adulthood. TR as more like what Jed refers to in his asterisk comment in one of his books. And that's the best I can do right now. |
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Post by maxdprophet on Nov 9, 2015 11:35:45 GMT -5
Thanks, I like ordinary. I've been thinking of what you describe as Human Adulthood. TR as more like what Jed refers to in his asterisk comment in one of his books. And that's the best I can do right now. Not quite. Both a human adult and a TR being live in the world, there is nowhere else to go (that's all your life will ever be). HA has a healthy ego and identifies with it. TR - dropped any identification. Nothing left. I don't remember what Jed refers to and this asterisk comment you speak of... I remember very little of his books, I read them in a feverish state of mind, or rather, a state when what was remaining - were shards. Here's a snip from Spiritual Warfare (168ish): I read HA as exactly seeing that one is not separate from the world -- no separate self. The asterisk refers to enlightenment. In this passage, he's reached (young) HA, but also enlightenment, which, I think, is Truth Realization. But mebbe I'm reading it wrong. |
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Post by maxdprophet on Nov 9, 2015 12:26:13 GMT -5
I read HA as exactly seeing that one is not separate from the world -- no separate self. The asterisk refers to enlightenment. In this passage, he's reached (young) HA, but also enlightenment, which, I think, is Truth Realization. But mebbe I'm reading it wrong. Thank you for the quote. You are trying to understand it conceptually, and insights take place within the gut level of intuitive flashes. HA is an emotionally and intellectually mature human being, responsible for own life, any decisions, and so manifesting his/her healthy ego in the world. TR doesn't mean 'no self', It means 'no identification with Self'. Not even Ramana ever stated the absence of Self. But what you are and what you think you are - are two different, incompatible with being things. Both see Reality, But one - through the lens, and one - without any lens. So the two Realities will not look the same. One believes what he/she sees = a human adult. Another - knows it is man (Mind) made=not real. Jed has matured since he wrote the books. Okay, I'll go with that. On TR, isn't it the same as Self-Realization? (the capitalized Self vs. self). I get what you're saying about identification. There's no more identification of any kind. Even identifying with Truth would be an issue, since what could be identifying with it? |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2015 16:08:26 GMT -5
Hey tano ... Curious that you happened to show up here as maxdprophet was sharing about invisible guru. I've been poking around there some more, it sounds like Jed. So, you are still in e-mail contact with Jed? Did you know about Jed (the books) before TR? If so I presume Jed (the books) was part of that? I'm not surprised you have not posted elsewhere on this forum... A coinsidence.. He hammered the final nail in the coffin. I had been independently unravelling for two years prior, so all came down very swiftly.I 've never touched his books again, or any books on the subject. Still in touch. Came down with the Swift? |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2015 16:31:37 GMT -5
Came down with the Swift? I am not sure what you mean. I just find the word Swift a little precious and wanted to big it up a little. |
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Post by maxdprophet on Nov 9, 2015 16:46:03 GMT -5
I am not sure what you mean. I just find the word Swift a little precious and wanted to big it up a little. bigginitup |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2015 17:04:09 GMT -5
I just find the word Swift a little precious and wanted to big it up a little. bigginitup Murmuration all the way.  |
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Post by stardustpilgrim on Nov 9, 2015 23:54:23 GMT -5
Hey tano (and sunshine...good to see you are still checking in) & whoever... It's no secret around here that I am not too fond of what's generally spouted as ND (most of the books of recent origin, twenty years or so). I've read a fair share, probably mostly Alan Watts of any one non-person. I read a ton of J Krishnamurti, 1970-1976, but I didn't really consider him a non-dualist, although, yea, he is(was), but what he said was always practical. I've studied and read my fair share of Buddhism, also non-dual, and Taoism, also non-dual. Anyway, the point is I was(am) familiar with the writings. I consider myself a "non-dualist", but not without qualification. I found SE The darnedest Thing about 2004 in a Barnes & Noble, I found it exceptional, almost light years beyond the usual non-dual spiel. And I read the other books as they came out, about 3/8 the way through Play, it's very good too.
Oh, I've figured out another way to put my objections to what I call conceptual non-dualism, into words. It seems to pander to the LCD (lowest common denominator) in man.
ZD has been able to tone down things here in recent months, making it significantly a better forum.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2015 6:01:40 GMT -5
Hey tano (and sunshine...good to see you are still checking in) & whoever... It's no secret around here that I am not too fond of what's generally spouted as ND (most of the books of recent origin, twenty years or so). I've read a fair share, probably mostly Alan Watts of any one non-person. I read a ton of J Krishnamurti, 1970-1976, but I didn't really consider him a non-dualist, although, yea, he is(was), but what he said was always practical. I've studied and read my fair share of Buddhism, also non-dual, and Taoism, also non-dual. Anyway, the point is I was(am) familiar with the writings. I consider myself a "non-dualist", but not without qualification. I found SE The darnedest Thing about 2004 in a Barnes & Noble, I found it exceptional, almost light years beyond the usual non-dual spiel. And I read the other books as they came out, about 3/8 the way through Play, it's very good too. Oh, I've figured out another way to put my objections to what I call conceptual non-dualism, into words. It seems to pander to the LCD (lowest common denominator) in man. ZD has been able to tone down things here in recent months, making it significantly a better forum. And that is where you've stopped yeah? |
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Post by stardustpilgrim on Nov 10, 2015 10:04:36 GMT -5
Hey tano (and sunshine...good to see you are still checking in) & whoever... It's no secret around here that I am not too fond of what's generally spouted as ND (most of the books of recent origin, twenty years or so). I've read a fair share, probably mostly Alan Watts of any one non-person. I read a ton of J Krishnamurti, 1970-1976, but I didn't really consider him a non-dualist, although, yea, he is(was), but what he said was always practical. I've studied and read my fair share of Buddhism, also non-dual, and Taoism, also non-dual. Anyway, the point is I was(am) familiar with the writings. I consider myself a "non-dualist", but not without qualification. I found SE The darnedest Thing about 2004 in a Barnes & Noble, I found it exceptional, almost light years beyond the usual non-dual spiel. And I read the other books as they came out, about 3/8 the way through Play, it's very good too. Oh, I've figured out another way to put my objections to what I call conceptual non-dualism, into words. It seems to pander to the LCD (lowest common denominator) in man. ZD has been able to tone down things here in recent months, making it significantly a better forum. And that is where you've stopped yeah? I haven't stopped. I found Play when it first came out, got it, read the first act. It was good, but sometimes I read for pleasure, sometimes for utility. When max linked the invisible g, I checked it out, it was interesting enough to check out more. First contact, I didn't really consider that the actual Jed would have an internet forum. But the more I read the more it seemed to be Jed. I had recalled that I hadn't finished Jed McKenna's Notebook (the bonus content from the Trilogy), not stopped, just hadn't finished. So I found it. I had gotten to page 180 (my bookmark there, a McDonald's receipt, thereabouts Jan 2, 2012), fifteen pages left, finished it, then went to Play. It continued being good, if I had read two more pages in March I probably would have finished it then. Everybody leaves stuff unfinished, I know that. Does sharon know that about herself? (When you beat a dead horse, it's probably your own horse you're [shadow-unconsciously] beating). |
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Post by laughter on Nov 10, 2015 18:25:14 GMT -5
When max linked the invisible g, I checked it out, it was interesting enough to check out more. First contact, I didn't really consider that the actual Jed would have an internet forum. But the more I read the more it seemed to be Jed. I had recalled that I hadn't finished Jed McKenna's Notebook (the bonus content from the Trilogy), not stopped, just hadn't finished. So I found it. Jed has no teaching. He doesn't engage the world, only responds. It is impossible to get any sort of reaction from him, totally blank. But he is no blank slate. A busy man as it were. Interacting with him certainly took me further, at some point he said I don't need him anymore, but I knew that too. In his physical life no one knows who he is and that he wrote the books. In his 'Jed' persona - no one knows the physical man. The point is... one has to give up books at some stage, those become an anchor and a hindrance. Good thingy the interwebs made phonebooks obsolete then. |
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Post by stardustpilgrim on Nov 10, 2015 19:31:23 GMT -5
Jed has no teaching. He doesn't engage the world, only responds. It is impossible to get any sort of reaction from him, totally blank. But he is no blank slate. A busy man as it were. Interacting with him certainly took me further, at some point he said I don't need him anymore, but I knew that too. In his physical life no one knows who he is and that he wrote the books. In his 'Jed' persona - no one knows the physical man. The point is... one has to give up books at some stage, those become an anchor and a hindrance. Good thingy the interwebs made phonebooks obsolete then. I don't have a clue what your post means........(but I guess tano does...)... |
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Post by laughter on Nov 11, 2015 4:13:05 GMT -5
Good thingy the interwebs made phonebooks obsolete then. I don't have a clue what your post means........(but I guess tano does...)... Well, seems to me you missed the simplicity of it.  If one has to give up books one has to give up phone books. If I'm right, why do you think it might be you missed that?  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2015 6:17:07 GMT -5
i am amazed how gullable folk are. the trilogy ( iread it a couple of years ago)is written from a big ego, cleverly playing on american sentiment and culture--the need to be ´´the best´´---americans have a complex of not having a spiritual culture of their own-- three books full of bragging and boasting--´´only jed has all the answers´´---that is why americans and those influenced by that culture, love it-- At the time when I read the books, my egoic mind had already collapsed, I was looking for understanding of what had happened. So I never saw any ego in his books, just the message, clear cut and without pretence. People forget that the first book was written nearly twenty years ago, in amazement and elation of own discovery. There are three things about it all: Jed's message, 'Jed the Guru' and the man behind those two. The 'Jed' who wrote the books is not the 'Jed' of now, far from it. The man behind is absolutely blank. To function in the world one needs a costume, The Mask. One needs to eat, one needs to take care of physical survival. None of the gurus, including the most venerated ones like Ramana - were ego-less, it is the biggest and the most profitable lie.. Ramana was bad tempered, and staff at Arunachala was afraid of his outbursts. The edifice during and post his life is still functioning and bringing in the coins. Separate the message and the man. I know it probably would have taken me many more years to realise just where I landed. As it stands.. it only took two. On his Forum he deals with each person individually, responding regardless of where the person is. If one wants a one-on-one contact, through his programme and SKYPE, it'll cost you, but no more than what any of the gurus charge, and he makes a committment for life - a lifetime support. There is a goal behind it all. As it was - I didn't take advantage of it, because I had already been 'cooked', but for those who keep chasing their own tail for years - it may prove useful. jedmckenna.createaforum.com/index.phpJust remember... ALL is a lie, and there is no such thing as 'enlightenment', but to see that - one has to become 'enlightened'. One of many paradoxes of Truth. Hi Tano---i quote you...:Separate the message and the man that is a mistake--either the man IS the message, or the message is a mind fabrication, and , at best, incomplete. ´´A Master is one who blesses the living crap out of everyting he sees´´ PS´´bad temper´´ etc is just a sign of incomplete purification...usually first , second and third chakra issues.Most advaitists are content with a mental realisation---which is only one way of achieving freedom...the first step if you like.They are mostly quite unaware of what goes on in relation to these chakras...´´the man is free, but underneath the cannibal has his feast´´(paraphrasing Satprem from his book ´´the adventure of consciousness´´) gurus who want money for their service are suspicious to say the least.  Or is freedom only for those who have the money to afford it?  |
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If one has to give up books one has to give up phone books. If I'm right, why do you think it might be you missed that? 
Or is freedom only for those who have the money to afford it? 