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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 18 2015 : 12:08:18 AM
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Blog #33: Turtle Power
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-33-turtle-power/
Turtles. Have you been close to one? Have you observed the delightful slowness of their movement? Have you watched them recede into their shell and patiently wait for the right time to emerge?
I grew up watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I used to ride my bike around the streets of Tampa, looking in sewer drains, hoping I might see one of their bald, perfectly round heads (preferably Michelangelo, who is the most surfer-like turtle and fights with nunchucks).
As of yet, I have not spotted any of the beloved, amphibious warriors, but I do not rule out the possibility. However, I did recently get to visit some non-fictional turtles. They are under the care of a family friend, who has turned his backyard into a legitimate turtle sanctuary. He feeds them huge quantities of fruit and vegetables and treats them like royalty. And they deserve it. They are magical creatures.
He shelters different breeds, but the most magnificent kind is the Galápagos tortoise. At the time of my visit, he had one of these gigantic reptiles under his care. So, my friend handed me a couple of bananas, and I slowly approached the tortoise, who weighed about 500 pounds and was no less than 100 years old (I'm telling you the truth).
As I crept closer to him, I almost felt unworthy. Knowing his age, and feeling his calm presence, I began to melt, as if sharing space with an animal saint. As a matter of fact, I thought: this animal is radiating more bliss than thousands of other humans I have come across. So I fed him the bananas, which he chewed up ever-so-slowly and thoroughly, with a huge smile on his face.
After feeding him, I petted his massive neck and shell a little bit. He stretched out with eager receptivity. Tortoises of his age and maturity enjoy being touched and rubbed. Needless to say, it was a true privilege and pleasure to do the honor. When I left the sanctuary, I felt full of peace and joy, having witnessed and interacted with a miracle of creation.
Since beginning AYP techniques and turning a corner in recovery, I have envisioned lots of grand scenarios and idealistic outcomes. I am dreaming of utopia. Often times though, the progress seems very slow, and I get frustrated. I want quicker results. I want to see some fireworks and major changes. Without the pacification and stupefaction that comes with drug and alcohol use, my desire is not so easily squashed or repressed. It demands attention.
It is during these exasperating trials of impatience that I remember the turtles, both fictional and non-fictional. If they can last, we can last too. We can make it through.
This is a long walk to freedom. I guess I better settle in for the ride and make sure the engine of my nervous system is finely tuned and primed for optimal traveling.
Turtle power! |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 10:16:38 PM
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Blog #34: Space Cadet Extraordinaire
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-34-spac...raordinaire/
I'm not spaced out. I'm spaced in. Big difference. Let's explore.
"Spaced out" is a phrase commonly used to describe someone that seems to be absent-minded, or not focused on the present moment in space and time. At any given moment in waking consciousness, there is an external, physical scenario to be navigated, and if someone's attention seems to disengaged from that scenario, they might be deemed to be spaced out.
At some point or another, even the best of us have been spaced out. It's OK, it happens. I can certainly recall many an inebriated night when I was not only spaced out, but whacked out, kicked out, passed out, out of money, out of common sense, and definitely out of Get-Out-of-Jail-Free cards. In short, I've been down, and out.
But, there is a happy ending here. For those of us who have been down and out, there is certainly a way back up and in. Many ways, actually. And what might those be? AYP, of course.
Here are some of my favorite avenues to get back to the wonderful world of being spaced in: Deep Meditation, Spinal Breathing Pranayama, Samyama, bhakti yoga, karma yoga, playing music, writing creatively, exercise, intimate conversation, contemplation in solitude, and much, more more.
How do you know if you are spaced in vs. spaced out? Well, here are a few benchmark qualities I have found when being spaced in:
- There is a calm, clear awareness of both internal and external worlds
- There is a functional ability to co-exist with the interior and exterior dimensions
- There is a way to communicate with fellow space cadets through meaningful and benevolent transmissions
- There is an effortless flow in navigating the unity among all levels of Being
There are plenty of other characteristics that could be listed, but those are some of the main highlights that come to mind when contemplating inner spaciousness.
We need to honor and respect both sides of our existential coin. That is what yoga is for. Connecting all the dots.
One of the occasional comments I've heard in the rooms of AA is: "My mind is a dangerous place to be." Or: "I never go into my mind without adult supervision." While there is a kind of morbid humor in those statements, I also consider them to be quite serious and tragic.
If we fear our own mind, we are in dire need of reunion with our source, which is stillness, and which will illuminate even the darkest corners of our mind. If we fear our own external environment, then we are in dire need of an outpouring of divine love, which will allow us to navigate even the scariest of circumstances.
Let's explore our inner space, and cultivate qualities which will make the scenery less fearful, and more attractive. Let's tune into our own nervous system, and align our energetic channels with external reality. Let's dive into creativity and imagination, and change the face of humanity.
One thing is for sure—if we don't have the bravery and courage to take the first step in beginning our inner space exploration, we won't get very far. So, find the little spark that leads to the pure light within the heartspace, and feed that luminous curiosity.
Godspeed! |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2015 : 8:56:59 PM
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Blog #35: Granny
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-35-granny/
Recognizing the perfection of cause and effect, I now reflect upon the history and condition of my dying, maternal grandmother, whose path is inextricably intertwined with my own.
Let us begin with the orange tree.
There was an orange tree in her backyard. It bore luscious fruit every season, and we would pick its citrus treasures directly from the branches. Then we would make juice by cutting the oranges in half and pressing them against the rapidly spinning bulb of the electric juicer. Even though this happened during my early childhood, I can still vividly remember the sounds, the smells, the tastes, and all the sensations of this ritual process—from start to finish, from the source of the tree to the final destination in a drinking glass.
There was so much aliveness in that event, in our bodies, and in the thick pulp of the orange juice.
There were other events in the backyard, like kickball. She was in good shape and kept my twin brother and me engaged in the game. Because of her sinewy frame and enduring resilience, she was nicknamed "Bony Dog" by one of my uncles. And like a dog, she was incredibly loyal in her professional and personal life.
By the time I was born, she was divorced from my grandfather. Her loyalty had reached its limits and could not tolerate the volatility and abuse in the relationship. My grandfather was a raging drinker who once told me that he had never worked a hard day in his life. He was telling the truth. He was a brilliant con-artist, who crafted investment schemes that earned him millions of dollars, which he would spend lavishly, across countries, continents, and decades of epicurean indulgence. He never stayed in one place for long. He was perpetually on the run, chasing an elusive dream. He would say: "Boys, Grandpa is building his empire."
My grandmother was not so ambitious, at least not in the capitalist sense. She was soft-spoken and superbly organized, holding a long and successful career as a secretary at a well-established insurance company. Her pension and retirement fund have sustained her to the present day, and unfortunately, that money has also acted as a co-dependent mechanism for my mother, brother, and me. It is only in the past several years of recovery and picking up AYP practices that I have begun to unwind from the entanglement contained therein.
Granny liked her wine. She would drink openly at family dinners, then secretly in later years—hiding bottles in the closet and carrying the shame of her Southern Baptist upbringing, which forbade such activities. A couple years ago, she had a series of strokes which severely debilitated her. In all likelihood, her demise is the result of many years of alcohol consumption. The toxic elixir is not friendly to the nervous system.
Now, she cannot walk, talk, or swallow. She is being fed by a peg tube tied to her stomach. It is not pretty. It is gnarly. It is not what I would wish for her, and the frustration broiling in me brings up swells of regret for the part I've played in the fiasco. In my high school and college years, I took advantage of her leniency and generosity—using her money and house to throw parties of debauchery and heavy drug use.
This is not a public confession, nor an appeal for pity. This is an exploration of cause and effect, and an effort to get closer to mastering the art of active surrender.
I have a storehouse of joyful memories of my grandmother that are too long to list in this measly blog, but at least I can put a dent in recording our history for purposes of education and enlightenment. The backyard ecstatic bliss and miracles will remain etched in my consciousness, and in the eternal awareness which contains all past, present, and future.
The emotional palette of the human being is perfect in its design. Every feeling is worthy and useful. Even regret, guilt, hatred, and dark shadows serve a purpose. It is how we integrate them that matters. But to deny or try to erase them is foolish. They are the manure that brings new life to our orange trees. They are the stuff of which dreams are made. They are the ingredients that feed the visionary element of Yogani's Dare to Dream formula.
I can use my joy, and regret, to fuel efforts in recovery and enlightenment.
I'll meet you on the golden shore, Granny. Peace be with you, now and forever. |
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Dogboy
USA
2294 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2015 : 10:23:01 PM
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 Cody. I'm sure she would be very proud of all the fences you are mending. |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2015 : 11:51:05 PM
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| It is my believe that we need the whole pallet of feelings, only then we are complete. Only by recognize all we did we can trancendence all emotions. Thank you Cody for your story of you, Granny and your honesty. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2015 : 4:00:21 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Dogboy
Cody. I'm sure she would be very proud of all the fences you are mending.
I know it is so. 
quote:
Originally posted by Charliedog
It is my believe that we need the whole pallet of feelings, only then we are complete. Only by recognize all we did we can trancendence all emotions. Thank you Cody for your story of you, Granny and your honesty.
Much appreciated, Charlie-D. |
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lalow33
USA
966 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2015 : 7:12:11 PM
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Hi Cody,
After my Granny died, I learned of the abuse in my family. "Spare the rod, spoil the child", was literal; it was a metal rod. How sad for my father and his brother and sisters.
My Granny was so kind to me; people can change. It's hard for me to imagine her like that.
She helped two of my drug addicted cousins. Some family members weren't happy about it. They said they were taking advantage of her. She didn't give a rat's *** what anyone thought. She said if she had to do it over again; she would help them. She had no regrets about it.
I'm sure your Granny just sees you as perfect, dear Cody. No regrets! She loves you no matter what! |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2015 : 8:27:51 PM
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Thank you, lalow33. It's interesting how prevalent these themes are in many families. It's definitely part of the human story and evolution.
On the note of old age and dying, we don't talk much of the afterlife in AYP, but Yogani has touched upon it in very small doses. I think the general message is that life will continue, and that no momentum will be lost, so I like to keep that in mind.
And my regret is not something that weighs heavily on me. It is very small in relation to other emotions and my broader sense of self. Still, it is relevant and useful.
Thank you for your affirmations and reassurance!
P.S. I think one of the miracles of life is our ability to suffer great pain, and even torture, because that is an experience of diversity, in contrast to pure bliss consciousness. If we all came from a place of absolute peace, it would make sense that we would want to experience some temporary chaos, so it all works out in the long run. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2015 : 8:53:09 PM
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Blog #36: Pushing the Limits
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-36-pushing-the-limits/
A couple interesting things happened this weekend. I went to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting and stirred up some controversy. I saw the new movie Everest, which is based on the true story of the 1996 disaster when eight climbers perished at the summit of that ferocious mountain. And I spent a little time with some friends and their toddler child, who is not nearly as ferocious as Mt. Everest, nor as controversial as the world of recovering addicts.
How are they connected, and why do I string them together?
Well, they have a common theme, and that is: limits. I'm talking about limitations, boundaries, thresholds—the real or imagined lines that divide the possible from the impossible. As human beings, we push the limits, respect them, honor them, even defile them. We often strive to transform ourselves from being limited, to limitless. It is the comedic drama of life.
But, getting back to this weekend, let me start with Narcotics Anonymous, which is an offshoot of AA that abides by the same masculine, theological principles as its parent organization.
It was an open-discussion meeting, so I raised my hand and shared a short blurb. I was talking about my history of addiction and mentioned the name Xanax, which immediately evoked some mumbling and grumbling in the room. I didn't understand why at the time, but after the meeting, I was informed that it's a non-written rule in NA that the names of specific drugs are not to be spoken aloud in meetings. Oops!
I was reminded of the Harry Potter chronicles, in which the arch villain is referred to as "He Who Must Not Be Named". That's right, the children and adult wizards are so scared of Voldemort that they dare not speak his name. The Dark Lord is a frightening piece of evil, looming in the shadows, waiting to pounce on victims who mistakenly invoke him with an accidental whisper.
In the movie Everest, the villain is the mountain itself. Its punishing weather and extreme altitude do not act kindly to the tiny mortals who try to scale its precipitous terrain. Some climbers are not only beaten down but also killed by the merciless conditions of the Himalayan peaks. Perhaps it is exactly because of the high risk and life-threatening challenges that mountaineers push their limits on Everest—to defy the odds and achieve the impossible dream. To walk into the death zone, and to return alive.
The Everest scenario is very dramatic. But my experience with the little toddler this weekend was not so dramatic. I was approaching the little creature to pick her up, but she back-pedaled in defiance, which I immediately respected by halting my approach. Her dad laughed and expressed some proud sentiments at his daughter's early ability to set boundaries and exercise caution when encountering new people. Bravo to the young prodigy!
Now, when it comes to the realm of AYP, we are testing our limits in the nervous system. How much inner silence can we saturate the organism with? How much ecstasy and outpouring of divine love can we sustain?
We ask these questions with the tool of self-pacing, so that if purification and opening become too overwhelming, we can reduce the regimen accordingly. It's a fine art of learning to slide through, glide through, and soar through, rather than trying to violently break through.
Limits are everywhere, whether it be in AYP, NA, AA, on top of Mt. Everest, or in the mind of a small child. What an interesting array of opportunities we have to explore and navigate.
As the great Buzz Lightyear once said: To infinity, and beyond. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Oct 01 2015 : 11:23:22 PM
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Blog #37: Searching for Jesus in Jerusalem
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-37-sear...n-jerusalem/
Five years ago I went to Jerusalem with my cousin, who was attending a medical marijuana conference there. While he was busy going to seminars and studying the molecular biology of cannabinoids, I ventured into the ancient city to explore.
I was coming off a fresh peak experience from a long car ride through Georgia a month earlier, when I had been blasted with kundalini energy and glamorous visions, so I was feeling all enlightened and ready to have a mystical Jesus experience, now that I was in the messiah's historical homeland.
With eager receptivity, I visited some of the major tourist spots: Bethlehem, where Christ was born; the Garden of Gethsemane, where he was betrayed by Judas, arrested by the Romans, and suffered the agonizing foreknowledge of his impending death; and finally, the Via Dolorosa in the Old City, where he was crucified after carrying his own cross along a path of humiliation and torture.
At each of the spots, while fellow tourists were snapping copious amounts of pictures and shuffling through the promenades in assembly-line fashion, I managed to find some quiet corners where I could pray and meditate. I had stumbled upon the AYP website only a couple weeks earlier, but I had also been spending time with a fascinating shop owner in San Francisco who had taught me some esoteric prayers. One of the prayers he taught me was called diamond heart radiance. He insisted that I keep it secret and not tell anyone. Well, that didn't last long. I was too gung-ho about open-source transmissions of knowledge, and I've always enjoyed sharing tricks of the trade.
So, might as well share it here. [Some inner silence is required]. With closed eyes, drop directly into the heartspace with your awareness, then silently say in the mind: "I love the universe—the universe loves me." Release, and repeat, as desired. Kind of like samyama. Pretty simple.
He had also directed me to stimulate my third eye by placing a coin to my forehead and holding it there with a subtle muscular tension exerted from the brow (no hands allowed except during the initial placement). Kind of like sambhavi mudra, but with an added prop for enticing the nerves even more.
So, perched on the peripheral edge of those holy sites, with a quarter stuck to my head, and esoteric prayers resounding in my heart, I desperately tried to induce a trance state in which I would be privy to spectacular scenery that no one else nearby could behold.
After several days of diligent effort, the visions never came. The denial of my yearning was to be an early lesson in the elusiveness of spiritual grandeur, and in the pitfalls of strenuously chasing mountaintop experiences. You can knock on the door, bang on the door, and desperately beg for someone to open the door, but that door opens only when it is good and ready.
Though I failed in my quest for an ignited boost of cosmic consciousness, I did succeed with a smaller mission. Before leaving for Israel, my San Francisco cohort had given me a couple hundred dollars to purchase a batch of unprocessed sandalwood, which he would end up using to make consecrated oils to be sold in his pagan shop. After searching for miles in the underground alleys of the Old City, where all kinds of supply and souvenir stands are stuffed underneath the cobblestone streets above, I found a trustworthy dealer who sold me a decent stash of the highly revered and aromatic timber. Score!
Of course, after my adventures in the daytime, I would rendezvous with my cousin at night and enjoy Middle Eastern cuisine and camaraderie among the other doctors who were intellectually devoted to cracking the code of medical marijuana. All in all, it was a wonderful trip, and there's quite a few details and mini-excursions I'm leaving out.
Not to stretch out this already long blog any further, but I would like to touch upon the aforementioned avatar, Jesus of Nazareth.
I received a Catholic education from kindergarten to high school, and some of my close family members are Christian. I've been to plenty of masses, read lots of apostolic literature, and even majored in religious studies at Florida State University, with a focus in Buddhism and Christian mysticism. Yet, I have more questions than I do answers when it comes to Jesus, and I've had to learn to tolerate my uncertainty. If I'm certain of anything though, it's the principle of the golden rule, which is to love your neighbor as yourself. All of the scholarship and dogma are secondary to that truth.
What I don't buy into is that Jesus is the only son of God. To me, that's just a gimmick of the overly masculine church authorities who have been trying to monopolize our salvation for millennia. Nope, in my book, there are many sons and daughters of God, at various levels of personal evolution, and each is unique and worthy in their own right. In the end, I think the deepest reality is that we are all God, and that there is no separate being ruling from above, but rather expressing Himself/Herself/Itself through our individual and collective consciousness, within and without.
There's a beautiful Jesus quote from an apocryphal gospel that didn't make the mainstream cut, and it goes like this: "Behold, I have become human. If you should not want to join me in becoming God, you would do me wrong."
And that's about as good as it gets for me. If there is a second coming of Christ on the horizon, I think I have found it in the form of Yogani, not because he is particularly special or even saintly, but precisely because he is an ordinary householder yogi that is laying the foundation for spiritual autonomy and freedom, in a way that Jesus would approve of.
Amen. |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Oct 02 2015 : 04:45:52 AM
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| Amen Cody son of |
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kumar ul islam
United Kingdom
791 Posts |
Posted - Oct 02 2015 : 10:31:06 AM
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| on those who are devoted to me and worship me with love ,i bestow the yoga of understanding, by which thay come to me .krishna to arjuna |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Oct 02 2015 : 6:52:41 PM
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| Charlie-D, Kumar |
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1571 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2015 : 11:59:33 PM
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Jesus - my beloved.
I could never relate to him but then he exploded out of my heart one day - in about my 3-4th year of meditation - and imprinted Himself on my consciousness, in all my chakras esp. in my heart and crown. He is never not there. Never says a word. The few times I explode into Internity, I never get far. He steps out and catches me. Why?
Still I did not acknowledged him as my Ideal until recently. Guess I was still rebelling against my catholic upbringing. Baptism is a powerful thing indeed. He is there. Always.
Sey
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2015 : 12:10:39 AM
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Ahhhh...I bet your rebellion intensified His presence. Nothing like a little passion to stir up Christ consciousness. Well played, darling!  |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2015 : 9:40:39 PM
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Blog #38: Which Direction Home?
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-38-whic...ection-home/
I'm up in Georgia again. I say "up" because Georgia is north of my hometown of Tampa, Florida. Also, where I'm at in Georgia is particularly mountainous and well above sea level, so the increase in altitude gives me even greater creative license to use the phrase "up in Georgia". If I were staying in the Florida Keys, I might say: "I'm down in the Keys," and that too would be directionally and topographically accurate, since the Keys are not only south of Tampa, but also nearly underwater in terms of their relationship to sea level. So there you have it—a reasonable analysis of cardinal directions and the language that aligns with them.
Aside from that nerdy observation, a deeper contemplation regarding direction and directions comes to mind. What direction am I heading in, and whose directions am I following? Is there some hidden director that's crafting the show?
When it comes to AYP, I'm following the directions of Yogani, and his instructions are very simple. So simple, in fact, that the mind can sometimes have trouble accepting their simplicity. In a world of complex puzzles, clever games, and deceptive mirages, how strange it is to finally arrive at a place where simplicity and transparency are the shining qualities. The AYP aesthetic is unbelievably refreshing and relieving.
If we drill down a little bit further, we might be compelled to ask: Who gave directions to Yogani?
Well, we know that these techniques are a collection of ancient practices, some of which are derived from scriptures like the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. This knowledge is actually old stuff, just newly presented. So, following this line of inquiry, another question might arise, which is: Where did Patanjali get the material from? At this point in the investigation, we would have to invest some major time and energy into scholarly research and historical archaeology, or...we could stop chasing the trail and turn our attention inward, to the present moment of Here and Now.
At last, we have found the answer.
The answer is that stillness, which is ever-present and beyond the scope of space and time, produces all of the magic—in the past, present, and future. Though we may not be fully aware of this fact in our surface level of consciousness (due to self-imposed obstructions and layers covering the truth), the reality of pure bliss consciousness is nevertheless operating consistently and unshakably beneath the activity on the surface level. Like the calm eye of a raging hurricane, the center is perfectly at peace and unaffected by the drama of its surrounding weather.
Bringing this full circle, we can see the value of direction and directions. To wind up home, we have to move in an inward direction, and we need to follow directions that use common sense to achieve that journey. Fortunately, going inward does not prevent us from continuing to travel outward. Actually, the silent center expands and enriches our ability to go in any direction we please. Since beginning practices like Deep Meditation, Spinal Breathing, Samyama, and most importantly, pursuing a chosen ideal of high value, I have found the outer world to be increasingly attractive and familiar. There is more adventure than ever before.
Earlier today, I stood atop the summit of Black Rock Mountain, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians. Looking across the panorama of old-growth forest and other distant peaks, my normal sense of direction seemed to be irrelevant. All the convenient geometry used in the design of an urban landscape (squares, city blocks, rectangular grids, etc.) was not needed to appreciate the curvature of the rolling mountains.
We have a way of dividing the land into parcels, and that's OK, but from a perspective of stillness, those divisions are not nearly as intimidating as they sometimes seem. The presence of inner silence reminds me that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. A whole lot greater.
Thanks for reading. Radiance. Abundance. Inner Sensuality. |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2015 : 04:45:34 AM
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I said it before but still admire your style of writing.  |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2015 : 10:42:20 AM
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| And I, your's. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Oct 08 2015 : 9:01:29 PM
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Blog #39: Addicted to Suffering
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-39-addi...o-suffering/
Much of the coverage in the mainstream media reminds me of my past relationship with alcohol. There is an acquired taste for toxicity. There is a thirst for poison. There is an addiction to suffering and self-destruction.
This week there was another random shooting at a college in a small town. The major news channels have been feverishly and deliriously adding to the hype of the event.
The reporters sit behind desks, or at roundtables with other public personalities, and speak in fervent tones into the eye of the camera. The pace of their delivery is full of anxiety and panic, though restrained enough to be somewhat intelligible. Much like someone drinking alcohol, the "yellow" journalists have managed to make the disposition of their delirium appear normal (in the sense of being socially acceptable and condoned by the prevailing fashions and cultural opinions of the nation or world).
In AYP for Recovery, I have been adamant about my belief and observation that at the core of every twisted desire is something pure. Underneath a sickly addiction is bhakti, a desire for deeper truth. With alcohol addiction, the seed desire is for transcendence. When it comes to the media's obsession with violence, the seed desire is for unity. These pure impulses have become distorted and perverted.
All that is required is to return to the source of stillness, and to let stillness shape our decisions and actions in regards to moving forward. Active surrender. That is the way out of our misery. That is the way to shift from promulgating suffering, to broadcasting waves of liberation.
Once inner silence takes hold, and the unity condition unfolds, the level of empathy rises. The division between personal self and collective self becomes much more transparent.
I feel the pain of others as if it were my own. I feel the joy of others as if it were my own. The sick pleasure of thinking "Well, at least it's not me," has dissolved, so there is no more advantage in feeding off the misery of another's suffering. There is no benefit in watching horrifying events and outside commentary from a seemingly safe distance, behind a television screen, in the confines of an enclosed living room. Humorous banter about the absurdity of humanity is one thing; full-blown addiction to the voyeuristic viewing of catastrophic events is another.
On the other hand, being addicted to ecstatic bliss and an outpouring of divine love marks an evolutionary change in consciousness and character. The hardened heart melts, and the mind is much clearer and far more creative than ever before. The utmost potential of a human being begins to be realized once the nervous system opens its channels to Oneness, Truth, and Divine Genius.
Fortunately, there are media stories and styles of journalism that are riding the wave of global enlightenment. There are communication venues that are exuding calmness, vibrant color, and forward thinking. The fixation on violence will not last, and the suffering will be washed away by the unstoppable tidal wave of radiance, abundance, and inner sensuality.
We all have a choice in what we tune into. Choose wisely, for there is no escape from the unity of Self. |
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kumar ul islam
United Kingdom
791 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2015 : 6:01:49 PM
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| this reminds of a quote from a hawkwind song ,the quote is ,if you want to get into it you got to get out ,and if you want to get out of it you got to get into it ,for me the less i involve my self with the delsion of the world the more sattvic my life becomes i gave up watching the news a while ago not out of apathy but the realization that what seed i put into the field is the crop i reap ,chose your seed well and cultivate the field wisely .much love bodhi |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2015 : 9:06:08 PM
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Well said, kumar. Sattvic...the only way to fly.  |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2015 : 6:50:30 PM
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Blog #40: We Need Superheroes and Villains
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-40-we-n...nd-villains/
There it was. A daunting challenge. We stared down at the work beneath us and wholeheartedly dove into our adventure.
You see, it was me, and the young son of a dear friend of mine, and we were slowly and steadily gathering scattered fragments on the carpet floor of his bedroom and matching them together to form a composite picture of his favorite crime fighter. It happened to be a puzzle of Iron Man, who is the superhero portrayed by Robert Downey, Jr. in The Avengers.
While we were assembling the puzzle, the boy was wearing a full Iron Man outfit, lacking only the special Iron Man gloves that emit laser beams out of their palms. But don't worry, as I write, he's saving up his allowance and chore money to buy the magical gloves, so he'll soon be fully equipped and ready to become a perfect emulation of the technological genius he so admires. I know he will achieve the glorious transformation. He is devoted to his ideal, and he will take the steps needed to reach the mountaintop.
After finishing the puzzle, we watched the actual movie Avengers: Age of Ultron. In the film, Ultron is the nemesis. He is a specimen of artificial intelligence gone wrong. He conspires to destroy the world, even though he had originally been designed and created to protect it. Talk about tragic irony and a bad day in the computer laboratory!
Of course, on the verge of mass catastrophe, the Avengers save the day and rescue the human race from the diabolical machine. Notwithstanding some gnarly collateral damage and the death of a few minor characters, the dust of chaos finally settles. Our superheroes have prevailed, but they are left with the lingering questions: what role will technology play in our future, and how do we establish peace on Earth?
These are not fictional questions. They are very real. They are more relevant than ever.
In my quest to discover answers, I have found that, like my young puzzle-building comrade, I need to recognize who my superheroes and villains are. Oh yes, I need both.
So, who are some of my real-life superheroes then? Well, there are plenty. Some I have met in person; others I have not. Some specialize in spirituality and transcendence; others have mastered the arts and crafts of a worldly career. My family and close friends are high on the list. Some ones I haven't met include: Jesus, Buddha, Yogani, Yogananda and his lineage; great writers like Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, J.D. Salinger, and John Krakauer; origami artists and mathematicians Robert Lang and John Montroll; a whole host of musicians from the distant past and in the present, like Beethoven, Mason Jennings, Michael Stearns, Daft Punk, Radiohead, the Grateful Dead, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, and on and on.
And my villains? Well, my villains tell me which direction I don't want to head in. It's not so much that I want to kill my enemies as much as move beyond them. It's often been said the greatest enemy is within oneself, and I find that to be true. The enemy within is a teacher, a contrasting shade and color to paint the picture with more clarity and depth. And what a picture it is turning out to be!
So, my spiritual villains are the teachers who preach enlightenment as if the ultimate goal was to proclaim victory over the ego and mind (Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Mooji, Sadhguru, Krishnamurti, Osho, etc.)
The beautiful thing is that we get to choose our heroes and villains, so the villains I just listed may be high on the list of heroes for other aspirants. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I'm fine with that. If you love those teachers, good for you! I won't try to convince you to stop loving them, and you don't need to convince me to stop regarding them as villainous. We can co-exist with our different opinions.
For me, enlightenment is a colorful thing. It's not black-and-white. It demands texture, layering, vibrant creativity and innovation. It's about being on the edge of existence—not blotting out existence with clever words coming from talking heads. I'm not interested in talking heads. I'm interested in dancing, robust bodies that are gliding through space with passion and brilliance.
So I say: Suit up, put on your laser-beam gloves, and let's get to work at saving humanity from the greatest enemy of all—ourselves.
Over and out. |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Oct 16 2015 : 01:55:10 AM
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quote:
For me, enlightenment is a colorful thing. It's not black-and-white. It demands texture, layering, vibrant creativity and innovation. It's about being on the edge of existence—not blotting out existence with clever words coming from talking heads. I'm not interested in talking heads. I'm interested in dancing, robust bodies that are gliding through space with passion and brilliance.
Let's dance Cody, just dance..... |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Oct 16 2015 : 06:02:25 AM
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| Yay! |
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BillinL.A.
USA
375 Posts |
Posted - Oct 16 2015 : 5:21:58 PM
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And you two dance Divinely!...just a Beacon of Love in my life.
...but just Divinely Charliedog. |
Edited by - BillinL.A. on Oct 16 2015 5:23:41 PM |
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