|
|
 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 6:57:53 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by gatito
Hi karl
I wasn't suggesting that you didn't have any friends or external activities  . Even with these, I've sometimes got myself locked into "non-relational self-inquiry" and I've never found it particularly useful - the mind just tends to go around in circles until the until it gives up (although sometimes, for some people, the mind doesn't appear to be prepared to give up and unstick itself and that can turn into a serious problem!).
When you're happy and at peace, that is IT. There's no beginning or end to IT because IT's what you are and IT's timeless. IT's not the experienced (because everything that's experienced is "scenery" and change-ful). What you are is change-less.
Satsang is a group of people getting together and sharing their experiences of the Truth to the best of their abilities. These boards are satsang. That's my definition anyway . Sometimes, it's thought of as someone who's got more of a handle on Truth answering questions from those who have less of a handle on IT. But, as there's only one Consciousness (or, at least, I've never found any experiential evidence that there's more than one) there's a bit of a paradox there . Sometimes the Q&A format appears to work well but sometimes the guru starts to think that they're "THE GURU" and in these cases it seems to create a bit of a problem for all concerned . Rupert (and Francis Lucille) seem to have managed to sidestep this rather nasty pitfall and and are therefore (IMHO) pretty good at helping others with self-inquiry.
If you can get to see Rupert or go on one of his retreats, you'd probably enjoy it. I do, and I've also met a lot of very nice people as well  . It's not a cheap option though, either in terms of time or money.
My intention is to put together some AYP retreats on a more affordable basis in France (where I have quite a large house that we could use - although it's in need of a lot of DIY athe moment). I'm also trying to get some sort of meeting/meditation group going in London at the moment, where we can get together and share AYP from our very varied individual perspectives. I really like the horizontal AYP model and I'd also really like to meet some other people who are following this Path in person, so hopefully, we'll all meet sooner rather than later.
Its Ok my mind isn't going around in circles, quite the opposite. That's the Pareto rule kicking in with this written communication. I was really just saying how I managed to miss the most obvious things while looking for something complex. I get a big sign saying this way and I'm fiddling about trying to understand how it's working instead of just following it.
The finger and the Moon. Wood for the Trees etc. I've come to the conclusion that staring at the finger is a particularly hard thing to do and it's taking time to begin to focus on that moon shaped thing. I just hadn't understood that if I can only conceive of the finger then it will become the entire universe (and a very great finger it had become). It is not the finger that is at fault, just my thinking of it that is faulty. |
 |
|
|
Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 7:32:59 PM
|
| Are you saying when people give you the finger, to look at where it is pointing? |
|
|
|
gatito
United Kingdom
179 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 8:10:09 PM
|
Sorry karl, I've got hold of the wrong end of the stick here.
The informal, conversational written word isn't one of my strong points!! It's one of the reason's I'd like to get some face-to-face stuff going if possible.
With Love
gatito |
|
|
|
Swan
India
256 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 11:15:44 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Mikananda
quote:
Originally posted by Swan
Hmmm...
Towards something of course makes sense. But do we need/should we have a set finishing line or timeline?
May be we can grow like a tree or a baby grows - without target or a deadline . In essence, the direction would be important and nothing else! actually, making it sounds little contrary to surrender.
my two pennies.
The phenomenal world is here for a purpose. Spiritual laws are manifested in the physical. There is not one set of rules for one and another set rules for the other. Hence, if one is to accomplish something he needs to establish goals. There might be one giant goal, however it is more useful if one establishes short term goals. Whenever someone has gotten their life in a mess, what therapists do is to help establish specific goals that will improve their situation. Whether you like it or not you are on a path from birth to death. In essence you are a baby growing. However, what separates us from a head of cabbage is that we have reason. The idea is not to reason that I should be like a head of cabbage. There is a saying, "if you don't know where you are going, the chances are good that you will end up there."
Namaste
Hi Mikananda,
I agree with you about the importance of purpose, in fact I think this is what is driving all of us. But then, is it our only purpose to go straight away to the enlightment? Is it meant to be like that? Here I have a doubt, let me tell you a story about Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramkrishna.
Sri Ramkrishna, with his siddhis, let Vivekananda taste moksha. Then Vivekananda told him that this is what he wants with his life. But Ramkrishna told him that this is not the path for Vivekananda at that point, because he is destined to teach people. His moksha, as Ramkrishna told, will be with Ramakrishna as a pledge, and he will be there only after completing his journey.
Then, Ramakrishna passed away and Vivekanada started all India tour as a paribrajak (a wandering monk), with the purpose of both learning and teaching. Then he heard about Parliament of World's Religions in Chicago in 1893. When he dropped the idea of joining there due financial and other obstacles, he saw Sri Ramkrishna walking on the Indian Ocean, coming towards him asking to follow him in that direction towards the ocean. Then he faced all the hardship merrily and ended up joining the parliament.
So that was his purpose, which he barely decided. What I learn from this is that the final thing may be moksha or enlightment, but the purpose may be varying and not always we know our purpose! When I am saying purpose, I mean something intermediate before enlightment/moksha.
Talking about myself, I don’t think I am sure what my purpose is. About setting goal, well, my goal is to follow Shiva and keep the journey on, because I cannot decide beyond that. I believe that’s the way I will meet my purpose and meet my goal.
Short term goal sounds like good idea, I have some. I want to live a fuller life acknowledging all the love, graciousness, sensibilities, doing good/offsetting karma, and be in full contact with my life.
Love…
|
|
|
|
Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 11:52:17 PM
|
mikananda wrote:
" if one is to accomplish something he needs to establish goals"
While this is true of many things in life, it is not necessary for spiritual matters. Enlightenment is not an accomplishment, it is built in to our being and we are naturally getting there without having to try. Yoga is just a method of speeding up the inevitable. Trying to set enlightenment goals is likely to slow you down because it gets the ego involved in trying to subdue itself. Egos don't like that goal and they will sabotage and mislead you. |
|
|
|
Swan
India
256 Posts |
|
|
karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 04:15:13 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Etherfish
Are you saying when people give you the finger, to look at where it is pointing?
LOL |
|
|
|
karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 04:22:27 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by gatito
Sorry karl, I've got hold of the wrong end of the stick here.
The informal, conversational written word isn't one of my strong points!! It's one of the reason's I'd like to get some face-to-face stuff going if possible.
With Love
gatito
no apologies, I demand the feedback, often we write down what we would not say face to face anyway, so a written reply is the best counter. Unless someone prunes the tree it stops bearing fruit, so get your shears out as I could always do with a branch or two lopped off. |
|
|
|
gatito
United Kingdom
179 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2012 : 8:35:18 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by karl
quote:
Originally posted by gatito
Sorry karl, I've got hold of the wrong end of the stick here.
The informal, conversational written word isn't one of my strong points!! It's one of the reason's I'd like to get some face-to-face stuff going if possible.
With Love
gatito
no apologies, I demand the feedback, often we write down what we would not say face to face anyway, so a written reply is the best counter. Unless someone prunes the tree it stops bearing fruit, so get your shears out as I could always do with a branch or two lopped off.
I don't think that I'm at all qualified to prune
Sorry about the delayed response - I spent nearly two weeks in hospital just before Christmas and then went to France to convalesce for a few weeks (where I had very limited internet access). |
|
|
|
stevenbhow
Japan
352 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2012 : 11:53:34 PM
|
Hi gatito, hope you are feeling better now.
|
|
|
|
gatito
United Kingdom
179 Posts |
Posted - Jan 16 2012 : 6:25:35 PM
|
| Thanks, I am |
|
|
|
shades
Sweden
35 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2012 : 08:32:42 AM
|
As been said; forgetting about enlightenment really keeps you closer to that which is. Remembering would though make you understand that which really was not and makes you tell the difference. This could give you the opportunity to give others understanding of what is and what is not, the shades of life and the deep oneness of existence.
Namaste,
shades |
Edited by - shades on Feb 01 2012 3:32:30 PM |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
| AYP Public Forum |
© Contributing Authors (opinions and advice belong to the respective authors) |
|
|
|
|
Am I really enlightened?
