Name:dattaswami •
Title: Worldly desire make the devotee impure •
Date posted: 06/02/07 3:29
Q: Worldly desire make the devotee impure
When the Lord comes in human form, some devotees certainly recognize Him as God. However, such recognition of Jesus as God brings the concept that Jesus is omnipotent. This aspect immediately diverts even the devotees to get attracted towards solving their problems by using the omni potency of God. Thus the devotion becomes impure and the devotees are diverted to sideline of worldly affairs.
If Jesus remains as Jesus, this problem does not arise at all. The recognition of Jesus as God spoils the mind of the devotees. After recognition, the devotees are expected to travel in the right line, which is service to Him without aspiring any fruit. If the devotees go in this right line, then only they are said to be realized souls. If they take the loop line (using the super power for personal problems) from the point of recognition, they are as good as ordinary human beings. Therefore recognition of Jesus as God is not the end of the spiritual effort. This is a junction-station. If you proceed straight, you are a realized soul. From this point if you take the sideline, you are an ordinary human being.
In fact the ordinary human beings are always in search of God in human form for solving their problems. It is just like searching for oil wells in the ground. The search is for using the oil as a fuel for daily comforts. Therefore recognizing the human incarnation is of no use unless you proceed in the main line from that point. At this point, there are some guides to lead you to the right line. Such guides are the liberated souls who come down along with the Lord. They are scattered and mixed with the ordinary human beings. They recognize the Lord along with the other people. From this point of the recognition, the liberated souls proceed in the main line only without any deviation standing as guides for the devotees, who are with them standing at the point of recognition.
Therefore, the liberated soul is already realized soul who comes down along with the Lord to stand as a guide from the recognition point onwards. Thus the liberated souls are the close servants of the Lord who come down to participate in the divine play for fulfilling the divine mission. Seeing them as examples, at least some devotees may follow the main line along with them and may get liberated. A liberated soul is already a realized soul doing the spiritual effort (Sadhana) from the starting point to the end point to stand as an example for the human beings.
After recognizing the God, you can follow the path of the liberated soul who is acting as a devotee trying for success in the spiritual journey. The liberated souls will certainly succeed in their spiritual effort because they are already liberated and they try to achieve liberation only to guide others. Thus all the devotees who recognize the Lord without any proof and spontaneously participate in the service crossing over all the hurdles are the liberated souls. The liberation of such liberated souls is only a part of the drama. Role of the human incarnation can be taken up by the Lord only and not by the liberated soul.
Name:MAriAnna72 •
Date: 06/03/07 2:02
A: Dattaswami, is there a year in which these liberated souls will make themselves known? Is it in 2012? or later?
How many liberated souls are there? When did they realize they were liberated souls?
How were they raised? How can you tell if you are one?
Name:dattaswami •
Date: 06/03/07 7:17
A: If you are loved by the Lord, you will be a liberated soul
If you are loved by the Lord, you will be a liberated soul belonging to His inner circle and you will attain eternal bliss by being close to the Lord. Ananda (Bliss) means continuous happiness without any break by misery. Brahmaananda means the continuous happiness of God, which is several times intensive than the continuous happiness of a realized soul here (Manushaananda). Bliss of God is not only continuous but also has the highest intensity.
Suppose a person got one lakh rupees and another person got one crore rupees by lottery. Both celebrate their happiness on that day continuously. Since their happiness is continuous, it is bliss (Ananda). But there is difference in the intensities of bliss of these two persons. By self-realization, you can get the bliss of the soul (Atmaananda) but that is not the bliss of God (Brahmaananda), which is millions and millions times more intensive. Mere continuity of happiness, which is common in both, cannot be misunderstood to unite both these as one.
Actually you are attaining the peace only by self-realization because by this you are detached from the body and the external world for some time by limiting your self to the soul. By this you are avoiding misery and absence of misery is not happiness. Moreover, when you avoid misery, you have to avoid the happiness also in the detachment. In such case you are assuming the peace as happiness relatively with reference to misery. Zero is plus with reference to minus. Such assumed plus cannot be the real plus. Therefore, the peace assumed as happiness in the self-realization is not even the real worldly happiness (Manushaananda) and you cannot think it as Brahmaananda even in dream.
Even a saint sitting in the meditation with self-realization enjoying the peace as assumed happiness will suddenly leave that state if you tell him that he got a noble prize for his spiritual knowledge and he starts enjoying the real happiness from that worldly affair! When Uddhava started preaching Gopikas about self-realization to attain constant peace and get rid of the misery caused by separation from Krishna, one Gopika asked him whether such peace is not the silence of a dead body! She told him that even in the misery due to separation from Krishna, bliss is enjoyed by her in the love of the Lord! She concluded that even misery in the love and service of the Lord is the highest bliss, which is far better than the peace of self-realization.
Therefore, your aim should not be to attain the bliss from the Lord but it should be your service and love (even if it ends in misery) that gives bliss to the Lord. Then, in turn you will receive the infinite divine bliss since you are not selfish at all in the Nivrutti.
Name:dattaswami •
Date: 06/03/07 7:17
A: By which the soul is bounded and by which the soul is liberated?
Ans.) The soul is bound due to lack of divine knowledge, devotion and service. When these three are completely obtained the soul is completely liberated. The complete divine knowledge leads to full devotion, which in turn ends in perfect divine service.
Name:dattaswami •
Date: 06/03/07 7:18
A: Difference between a realized soul and liberated soul
Realization is theoretical knowledge of the concept where as liberation is the practical implementation of the same concept. These two words can mean knowledge of some concept and the process of release of something bound by some other thing respectively.
Realization is used in general as the knowledge of some forgotten truth and liberation also can mean release of an animal from the chain by which it is bound. In the spiritual knowledge these two words have to be applied to the required context about which you are concerned.
The causal body (soul) is super imposed on the external gross body and the internal subtle (mind) body. When the soul gets rid of these two super impositions and realizes its own nature of pure awareness, this is called as realization according to the advaitin (who say that soul is God). The advaitin is concerned only about the realization of the self and hence you cannot use this word in any other context.
Similarly for advaitin the liberation means the release of the soul from the illusions of super impositions of itself on subtle and gross bodies. The advaitin is limiting himself to these contexts only and hence these two words cannot be used in any other context. For an ignorant villager these two words are limited to his specific context only. For him the realization means finding out the place of an agricultural tool forgotten by him for some time. For him the liberation means release of the cow from its chain to go to field. You cannot bring the context of advaitin to the context of the villager and vice versa. Therefore the realized soul and the liberated soul stand for certain specified contexts only as per the scope of the observer. However, if you are interested to know these two words in the context of final spiritual knowledge, the meanings are different.
In the final level of spiritual knowledge the realized soul is that soul which realizes that the unimaginable God is in a particular alive human form. Realization means knowledge of some forgotten concept. But God is always unknowable and hence there is no point of forgetting and realizing the forgotten nature of the God. Only in the case of the knowable item the word realization has its application. Therefore, realization of absolute God is impossible and hence, the words like the knowledge of Brahman (Brahma Jnana) or education about God (Brahma Vidya) are meaningless in the absolute sense. But these words exist and the sense of such words is to be explained.
The unknowable God enters and charges the medium like the current entering a metallic wire to give the knowledge about His existence and not to give the knowledge about His nature. Hence these words must mean the knowledge of the medium in which the unknowable Brahman exists (Astityeva….Veda). Brahman or God always enters the common medium of human beings so that God can mix freely and also can preach the human beings through the human body. Therefore, the knowledge of the existence of Brahman in the alive human body of a particular incarnation is Brahma Jnana or Brahma Vidya, which is complete only when the contemporary human incarnation is recognized.
Therefore, the realization means the recognition of the contemporary human incarnation only. To please the Lord in such alive human form, practical devotion (service) is necessary. Such service is seen in your family bonds. The service in the family bonds shows the real attraction to those bonds. When your service is diverted from the family bonds to God in the alive human form, you are a liberated soul and the liberation is from your family bonds. For such liberation, the realization of alive human form of God must be the reason (Before all this you must be liberated from the illusion that yourself is God). Without such reason if the soul is liberated from the worldly bonds, it is just a state of a stone.
All the advaitins who fix themselves in the state of pure awareness or life energy without mind (subtle body) are just like the plants in the human form. All the avadhutas who are just in the state of deep sleep without even a trace of awareness of anything are just the stones in human form. All these are liberated souls from the worldly bonds but since they are not realized souls, there is no use of such liberation. Such permanent liberation from the worldly bonds and such permanent realization of the self is again due to your constant prayer to God with the rigid request to grant such permanent liberation and the subsequent grace of God only. God grants your request since you are rigid in your foolish desire. Otherwise, such liberation and such realization without the grace of God are momentary only.
Shankara also stressed on the God’s grace to get such permanent realization, which was called as vasana (pumsam advaita vasana). The word vasana here means the strong and permanent feeling of realization. The realized soul without liberation is an incapable theorist and a liberated soul without realization is an inert practical example. Both are useless. Hanuman and Gopikas are such realized and liberated souls who recognized the contemporary human incarnation and they were liberated from the worldly bonds for the sake of such alive human forms of God. The realization without liberation is like lame and liberation without realization is like blind.
Duryodhana was neither realized nor liberated soul. Dhritarashtra was a realized soul who recognized Krishna as God but not liberated from the bond of the son. Pandavas are realized souls who recognized Krishna as God but their liberation from worldly bonds was almost complete but not fully complete. The reason for such a little deficiency in the liberation was only a little deficiency in the realization. Therefore, if the realization is without any doubt, the determination will result in practice and the liberation will become complete. Dharmaraja knows that Krishna is the incarnation of Lord Narayana. His concept was that Krishna is one percent human being and ninety nine percent Narayana. Narayana is hundred percent justice according to Dharmaraja. When Krishna asked him to tell a lie, Dharmaraja thought that the one percent human being is asking to tell the lie. According to him, Narayana is hundred percent sattvam, which is good quality. Therefore, Narayana is hundred percent good. Krishna is also good everywhere except in this instance. Therefore Dharmaraja thought that Krishna is ninety nine percent Narayana only.
Therefore he refused to tell the lie. This little fault in the realization led him to slip a little from the full liberation and hence he could not liberate himself from the bond of justice. The reason for this deficiency is in the knowledge about God and also even about the qualities. No single quality can have isolated existence. God is beyond the three qualities. He is beyond sattvam also and therefore beyond justice also. (Sarva dharman…….Gita, Punya Pape vidhuya…..Veda). Thus the realization becomes complete only when the divine knowledge is perfect and therefore God in human form (Satguru or Guru Datta) is giving stress on the propagation of the true divine knowledge.
In fact Krishna is hundred percent Narayana and one percent human being. (Manushiam Tanumaasritam) This means that the full Lord Narayana entered into the human being and therefore the total Krishna is hundred plus one and not hundred. Since the one percent human being is relatively true, in the absolute plane Krishna is also hundred percent Narayana. Even in Narayana, Rajas and Tamas co-exist as traces, which can also predominate whenever it is required in the divine game. For example the same Lord Narayana became Narasimha in whom Rajas (anger) came out to almost hundred percent. In fact Narayana is also hundred plus one because the hundred percent God entered the one percent human energetic form. Since energy and matter are one and the same according to science (E=MC*C) the human body or the energetic body is one percent only.
Name:JMD •
Date: 06/03/07 19:03
A: I agree that wordly desire can make the devotee impure [in my case, to the teachings/sayings of Jesus]. Which is one reason, the main reason, why my personal 'story' is not for sale; I won't even write about most of it - it's written on my heart, and that's where it stays. I'm here to help, not hinder, be a messenger, if you will, but I certainly cannot tell all. Go within is about all I can advise.
This is something I found kind of weird though, on a blog - a coincidence?:
"If you want to order book and video which is cheaper that website. WWW.Amazon.com and type Through Deaf Eyes include video and books. Also other is WWW.PBS.ORG and click shopping it costs more money. Good Luck JMD"
ha! Well, that JMD ain't 'THIS' here JMD, because I can see, and I can hear. I'm not deaf. Hope this is just a fluke... because anybody else, who tries to come along and say 'I'm JMD, from Jesus Family tomb, here's my story for sale!' well, it'll only be their downfall and destruction - not due to me, due to a Higher Force, let's say? I won't sell out on Jesus Christ - he's been far too much of a help for me over the years, [I have 'inner' vision/intuitions; I don't have outer visions, nor hear voices...and I promised JesusI'd never sell him out. I'll store my treasure where my heart is - in heaven, just as Jesus said. So think on that for awhile !
JM:D
Name:dattaswami •
Date: 06/04/07 1:52
A: JMD;
There are two paths of love on God. The path of limited real love on wife and the path of unlimited real love on children. The first path is aspiring boons from God for selfish happiness, which involves mostly theoretical and little practical devotion.
In this first path, one loves his wife for selfish happiness only and most of his love is emotional (Theoretical) with little practical sacrifice. The second path is selfless love without any aspiration of fruit in return and consists of mostly practical and little theoretical devotion. In this second path, one loves his child without any selfishness and a total sacrifice of work and fruit of work. Hanuman and Gopikas are the best Gold Medal-students of the University.
Once you are fixed in the divine service of God, there is no need of miracles, knowledge and theoretical devotion. The knowledge is the qualifying degree and the theoretical devotion is official appointment order. The practical devotion is the work done in the month and salary (fruit) is given to the monthly work only. Only work (Karma) can yield the fruit.
Name:Panluna •
Date: 06/04/07 14:00
A: Common sense teaches that while we are alive we have earthly needs that are to be filled by the bounty around us. And Spiritual needs are filled by the love /fear within us.If we want to be well balanced then both aspects need to be recognised and appeased in the way agreeable to the individual.Does "liberated soul " mean the soul in the after-life?Or can it be liberated as we live and breath.(YES I have a mouse in my pocket today!!!)
Name:JMD •
Date: 06/05/07 1:00
A: I disagree Dattaswami, but then I don't follow you or all your blah blah look at me big ego teachings. I think you need to talk less and meditate more, and let everyone find their own way - well, least I find that the more quiet and centered I am, the more will be revealed to me intuitively... Not to mention you are a sexist, thinking women can only find fullfillment through 'others' ie being wife/mother, never as an individual.
Jesus fortunately isn't a sexist, or he'd never have wanted me :b - it's due to me not being a wife any more, nor having children, [ie having more personal time of my own to dedicate to various studies] being a loner, liking reading/writing, being intelligent yet intuitive, to begin with, which is a big part of why I was a good candidate, and was trying to 'find myself' as well -for one thing, due to a frightening experience I went through about 17 years ago. but I was driven to do all the studying and research, and enjoyed it all, and still enjoy it. I'm just taking care of some personal things right now; doing things for me - nothing big, just day to day regular stuff.
So, I got to find myself as well, am getting to 'know thyself' and thus am on the road to enlightenment, as there's lots of inner 'soul work' going on right now, which I hadn't expected nor can I even explain, so I won't try. I had no idea where I'd end up, I just knew I was on a mission, a vocation, and still am, as 'crazy' as that may sound.
I also dropped everything else, in a sense, when I felt a 'calling' x number of years ago, and I put the kingdom within foremost; made it a priority - which includes not just meditating, but reading/studying various topics, writing, reflecting, being creative, facing oneself, being honest, trying to remain humble, and so on and so forth. Most important thing is keeping the ego in check, I think. Many others don't make the committment though as soon as they are called - they always have some excuse; there's a parable about that - inviting various guests, but everyone has an excuse, so the servant is told to just grab anyone off the streets you can ... ? I guess I was grabbed and pulled in the kingdom, and didn't make an excuse, but said 'yes!' and put my hand on the plow and haven't looked back and don't plan to? Nor am I out to make a profit on the prophet?! :b
JMD
Name:dattaswami •
Date: 06/05/07 2:31
A: Panluna;
The egoism and jealousy are the two obstacles to recognize the human incarnation of the Lord. First you must get rid of these two. The Love on the Lord in human form should become infinite and due to that the love on wealth, wife and children should be destroyed. This is called as Jeevanmukti. This is the only way. Without the attachment to the Lord you cannot detach yourself from the world. Without light the darkness cannot go. The bond on the Lord can alone cut these worldly bonds. Veda says to cut the bond with the wife (Pravrajeth), to cut the bond with the children (Na Prajaya, Kim Prajaya) and to cut the bond with the wealth (Dhanena Tyagena). Datta is the human form of the Lord, which is donated to the World. Without recognizing and loving Datta, all the detachment is useless. A stone is also completely detached and at the same time it has no love on Datta also.
A stone is not liberated. Avadhoota does not mean a mad person who wanders without clothes. Hanuman and Gopikas are the real Avadhootas who have detached themselves from the world due to their infinite love on the Lord in human form. The sages could not recognize Rama due to their egoism and jealousy.
Therefore they were born as Gopikas and then only recognized the Lord in human form. Even the sage Sarabhanga who sacrificed his body to the fire alter was born as Gopika and worshipped Lord Krishna. Since he could not recognize Rama, he was not liberated in that birth. Therefore one in millions can only attain Jeevanmukthi. Gita says the same (Kaschit Mam).
Name:dattaswami •
Date: 06/05/07 2:34
A: Panluna;
When you cut all your bonds of love on all the things and on all the people in this world, it is called ‘Vairaagyam’. But this stage is not sufficient. The reason for this stage should be the love formed on the Lord. Due to this new bond on the Lord, all the old bonds must be cut. If the new bond does not exist and simply the old bonds are cut, that is only salvation. A stone is also having salvation because it does not have any bond on any thing or any body in this world. If one leaves the family and the house by taking Sanyasa, all that is a waste, if he has not taken the Sanyasa for the sake of the Lord. The new bond with the Lord (Bhakthi) should be the reason for the detachment from all the other bonds (Vairaagyam). Only Vairaagyam is useless without Bhakthi. If Bhakthi is achieved, Variraagyam is automatic. There is no need of any effort for attaining the Vairaagyam. If you have tasted the divine nectar (Amrutham), you will automatically discard the other drinks. Without tasting the divine nectar, you cannot leave the drinks. Even if you leave the drinks without tasting the divine nectar, you will go to the drinks after some time with very high vigor. Therefore Vairaagyam without Bhakthi is not only waste but is also impossible.
Just see this example. A young man loved a girl for the past one month. The parents are not agreeing for the marriage. But the young man cuts all his bonds, which were developed, with his parents for the past twenty-five years due to this one-month-old new bond! The million births old bonds are cut by a single new bond developed with the Lord in human form in this birth. Swami Vivekananda could cut all the family bonds for the sake of the divine work of His Satguru (Rama Krishan Paramahamsa). Similarly Gopikas could cut all the family bonds for the sake of the Lord in human form (Krishna). A small atom bomb can destroy huge mountains.
Narada wrote that one should love the Lord as a lover loves his or her darling (Jaara Vatcha). He also gave the example of Gopikas in the next Sutra (Yathaa Vraja Gopikanaam). Such love involves the practical sacrifice. The lover is leaving his or her parents practically to go along with his or her darling. Even if the parents threaten stating that they will not give the property if he/she marries his/her lover, the boy or the girl is prepared to leave all the property for the sake of his or her lover. When the parents manage to kill him or her, she or he is committing suicide. Therefore for the sake of the lover one can cut all the family bonds, bond with wealth and money and even the bond with the life.
When you can do these things in the case of the lover, how can I believe that they are impossible things in the case of the Lord? This means that you don’t have that much real love on the Lord. Holy Jesus told that one should cut the bond even with his life for the sake of the Lord. If something is impossible, that should be impossible every where. The new love is called ‘Saayujyam’ and ‘Kaivalyam’. Saayujyam means becoming close to the Lord. Kaivalyam means becoming one with the Lord. Kaivalyam does not mean merging in the Lord physically. Whatever the devotee says, the Lord will say the same. Whatever the devotee wishes the Lord wishes the same. This is vice-versa also. Such oneness is called Kaivalyam.
Name:dattaswami •
Date: 06/05/07 2:36
A: JMD;
Some people say that meditation is sitting with perfect silence without any process of thought. Such a contention is meaningless because it virtually amounts to a nice sleep only. These people further misinterpret that such a meditation is concentration on formless God (Nirakara). Gita says that one cannot concentrate on formless God (Avyakthahi Gatih). The meditation of formless God becomes true if one concentrate on the true knowledge of God. Veda says that true knowledge is the real form of the Lord (Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma). Knowledge is formless. Therefore the formless God means only the true divine knowledge about the Lord. This is the correct interpretation of Sankaras philosophy. The great ancient Vedic sages sat in the formless meditation and this statement means that they concentrated on the divine knowledge (Brahma Jnana), which was expressed as Upanishaths in their mutual discussions (Satsanga).
The actual meaning of the word Dhyanam is the process of functioning of intelligence (Dhee or Buddhi) and this pertains to the field of knowledge (Vijnanamaykosa). Some people interpret that meditation means concentration on the form of the Lord like the light blue colour, peacock feather on the head, flute in the hand etc., Instead of concentrating mentally upon such objects, one can see these things in a photo or see the objects directly kept on a table. If these things constitute the divinity there is no need of concentrating on these things. One can attain the divinity by applying light blue colour on his own body, by putting a peacock feather on the head and by catching a flute by hand. Such a divinity can be attained without any meditation. So meditation becomes meaningless in such a line. This is the reason why Sankara discarded the meditation of a form (Saguna Brahman). Ofcourse attraction by such things towards the Lord will help a person to develop the attachment on the Lord. One may be attracted to Lord Krishna by such things and then finally get attracted towards His divine knowledge as preached in Bhagavatgita.
Such things may be initial promoters but the final is only the divine knowledge, which will help any one in his effort (Sadhana) to please the Lord. The divine knowledge resulting in the realization will impart a tension free peace and tranquility to the mind. By such state one will attain perfect health of body and mind and thus the benefit is directly seen here itself.
Ex:- If one realizes that this gross body of the soul is only the external dramatic dress as said in Gita (Vaasamsi Jeernani), he will immediately realize that these family bonds are only the bonds in the drama. The soul forgets the bonds of the previous birth as an actor forgets the bonds of previous drama. If these bonds are real the soul should have remembered its relatives of the previous birth. Such a divine knowledge on memorization enters the nerves of a person and he will not have any tension about his family members. He does his duties without any trace of tension. This is the salvation while alive (Jeevanmukthi). Thus meditation means continuous remembering of the divine knowledge which yields the direct fruit here itself. Such a person gets a fruit in the upper world also. The only one Lord is the authority here and there also. Anybody blessed here will be blessed there also. If one is not blessed here he is not blessed in the upper world also. The grace of the Lord or the anger of the Lord is uniform here and there. One who is not blessed here cannot be blessed there. Thus the true knowledge blesses any person here and there. Meditation is continuous thinking of such knowledge and other interpretations are either useless or of little use.
Name:Panluna •
Date: 06/05/07 13:42
A: JMD,
Do you meditate wth breathing exercises and activate your Chakras?Sometimes I do a calming meditation just to reach the still-point.
Name:Panluna •
Date: 06/05/07 13:46
A: Dattaswami,
Thank you for your information.When one is above material concerns then one can achieve bliss.Don't worry--be happy.I wish life wasn't so complicated.And Happiness is a state-of-mind.
Name:JMD •
Date: 06/08/07 4:24
A: I tend to ramble a bit here... read or not, as you will/wish. Though first, Panluna, I want to note that yes, I do like that poem you put under the Gnostic thread, and thank you very much ! I am going to write it down in one of my journals. :-)
Panluna: "JMD, Do you meditate wth breathing exercises and ativate your Chakras? Sometimes I do a calming meditation just to reach the still-point."
Focusing on your breathing is how I first started meditation, to clear the mind, ignoring any thoughts that arrive, not paying them any attention, as the mind is always active/full of thoughts. Stretching exercises are also good. Also, grounding exercises. There's various books out there, and various ways to meditate; visualization techniques I find very useful, as one can let their imagination soar within, and I find some of the Nag Hammadi texts are rich in metaphors and symbolism, and I quite like it, as it's food for the soul, if you will.
I sometimes meditate on a picture or painting, or even a flower or candle flame, and other times a parable or saying or Zen quote -one can also meditate upon a favorite song, a line of literature that one especially likes -ask yourself what is it that really moves/touches me, as regards a certain song or line of literature? Why does it stir something deep within me? I recently bought a book on Kabbalah and there's a cd included, which I sometimes use for meditating. My suggestion is try different things and use those that work best for you, the ones that sort of 'speak to your soul' and just 'feel right' - that's part of getting to know thyself. We're all individuals, so what works for one person, won't necessarily work for another.
Oftentimes it's about 'reflecting' on oneself - quiet self-talk, you could call it; being honest with yourself, admitting to faults and trying to improve; though acknowledging your assets/good traits as well -it's always about 'balance'. It's not about 'oh I'm a big bad sinner, so I'll wallow in guilt forever about it.' If you feel you've made a mistake, admit it, ask for forgiveness and/or apologize, and move on. I think guilt is a useless
emotion, just as worry is.
Music, literature, poetry, dance, yoga, drumming, journal writing, having a creative/spiritual type of scrapbook, (something I've been working on for the last few days, though I hadn't done it before, and am quite enjoying putting it together), as well as being creative in various ways, are also
all to do with 'knowing thyself'.
I find that sometimes, doing the regular day to day things, (washing dishes, doing laundry, making dinner, taking care of my plants/flowers, dumping the trash, clearing out clutter, etc.) and just living in the moment, focusing on the task at hand, will sometimes cause inspiration/insight to strike when you maybe least expect it. Doing daily, simple chores, also helps keep one humble. Perhaps that's why Jesus washed the feet of his disciples? To show that no job is 'below' him, nor should any job be below anybody?
I also think the Divine (whatever that is/means to you), will work through people depending on what their interests/hobbies are in life; as the Divine wants us to enjoy our work (well, if possible!) Since reading and writing are two of my favourite things to do, and I spend a lot of time at my big oak desk, I think that's why my 'assignment' is just what I've been doing. And I still have so many books to read! though at least I've managed to re-arrange and get rid of some books I no longer really need/want, so now have 'most' of the books I'm left with on some shelf or other.
Jesus said, per Q source:
"Store up your treasure for yourselves in a heavenly account, where moths and rust do not consume, and where thieves cannot break in and steal." and "For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be."
That's not to say you can't or shouldn't have a house and car, cottage, etc., but it's just that the less 'things' you have, the less 'attachment' to them, the richer one's spiritual life can be - Buddhism is alike to that; not being 'attached' and requiring mainly only the basics of life: food/water, shelter, clothing, medicine. (and for me, books!) so that one can focus more on their spiritual life/path. I don't envy others who have a lot more
stuff/things/possessions or a better paying job than I have, etc. I certainly don't feel less intelligent just because I don't have a university degree - no degree is required to enter the Kingdom within, just dedication.
Everyone has their part to play; and some prefer most of their rewards here on earth, while others prefer most of theirs in eternity. Someone asked me "if you live in a big fancy house now, here on earth, does that mean in the next world you have to live in a shack?" I told them I didn't know. (after all, to be knowledgable is to also be ignorant - I find that the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.) That's why
knowledge shouldn't make one arrogant. I'm just glad all these professional scholars are sometimes spending years writing all these great religious/spiritual books, as I learn so much from many of them.
Jesus says to sell everything and follow him, which yes, sounds rather ridiculous if you take it 'literally.' What that means to me, is always set your goals as high as possible and you'll go farther. Surely most of us have done that, often as regards our jobs or careers? We set goals for ourselves as high as we can, knowing we'll go farther that way? If you ask for a salary raise, don't you always ask for a bit more than what you actually want? I believe that's what Jesus means here - not to 'sell everything' but that the less possessions/things you have, the greater your spiritual life can be; which is why one is rich in some ways, poor in others. Rich doesn't always mean material goods only, and poor doesn't only mean not having much money/material goods.
When I first started meditating on the parables/sayings of Jesus, for going within, discovering myself, I only used the NT and later the Nag Hammadi; I wasn't even aware at the time as regards the Q Source, though thrilled when I discovered it, realizing I was doing what the early followers of Jesus were doing. And I also got into Zen, and still am; Zen has been very beneficial for my spiritual path.
I may not always present myself the best way on the board here, and I know I've gotten a bit 'carried away' sometimes and I get angry at times, too. (of the seven deadly 'sins' that's the one I have struggled with for years) But, I'm only human, not perfect and would never claim to be. As one book I have says "and what is your deadly sin?"
But going within to the kingdom I've found isn't about Jesus being your 'judge'. That isn't to mean you don't have 'morals' and can just do whatever you want; you most certainly do have to have morals -and you'll have to answer to a Higher Power, not Jesus. (but then, I've never been one to believe that 'Jesus is God' per se, because for one thing, if Jesus is God, then why would he pray to himself?!) A lot of dogma is confusing and just doesn't make a whole lot of sense, when you get right down to it, if you really 'think' about it... well, that's what I've found. It seems more about control, everyone be the same, rather than freedom of thought, rather than being an individual, and I just can't get into that, which is just more reason to not go to church.
Someone asked me the other day, what Jesus would want then, as regards dogma/ritual? A Jewish ritual or a Christian one? I told them I didn't really think it would matter as long as it was done out of respect and love? I think Jesus is more concerned with doing good works and loving others, as well as yourself, moreso than dogma/ritual, as that wasn't part of his Q source teachings? so I figure, do what you will, a Jewish ritual, a Christian ritual, a Pagan one if you want. After all, who am I to judge? I don't think it's the ritual so much, as the 'meaning' behind it. Done out of hate or to ridicule, well, that's a different matter!
But one becomes their own 'judge' in a sense when you go within; have their own 'morality barometer'. Not everyone can handle that, of course; some like absolutes, a yes or no, and no in-between, no shades of gray. Some have a cutting off point, and they just can't/won't think beyond it.
But for us individual and deeper thinkers, who like to run our own lives, have minds of our own, and believe there is no limit to thinking, just as there is no limit to space, to the Divine [though some like to try to put the Divine into a box], going 'within' to the kingdom is ideal. And just because something is written in some Holy book claiming 'God said
such and such' doesn't necessarily mean that God actually said that - for one thing due to errors in translation, whether by intention or mistake- which is why one does often have to read beyond the word. For another reason, much might be mythical, not to be taken literally, but as 'myth with meaning.' Then there's the ego, which makes me oftentimes wonder 'are these human words or God's word?' Which is all the more
reason to meditate upon anything in scripture that just doesn't intuitively 'feel right'. If hatred or discrimination or hypocrisy or sexism is presented, I highly question it.
For one thing, if I come across anything anti-semitic that Jesus supposedly said, I outright reject it. There's a saying in Gospel of Thomas that I question, as it is anti-semitic, so I reject that bit, because it shows hate. This is why I meditate and self-reflect on various parables/sayings. Sometimes nothing comes to me; sometimes it takes months before a light goes off 'ping!' and the deeper meaning/s behind the parable/saying comes through. But there are many I haven't yet figured out. And if nothing comes, I just move on, figuring I'm not meant to yet know what it means; no use getting frustrated though over it.
Jesus said to "love your enemies, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." This can also be turned 'inwards' at yourself - love and be good to the enemies within you; or better yet, slay or subdue the enemies 'within'. Face yourself and conquer your fears - don't let them rule over you.
It's also good to ask 'am I doing this for my ego mostly, or for some other reason which is less selfish, and isn't just about me, but serves some higher purpose?' I sometimes think of 'going within' as alike to facing a mirror - see what is reflected back to you about yourself; sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes in-between, and just deal with it as it comes, and be as honest as you can. It's not always easy, but always worth it. And we're human, so we are not perfect, and will mess up and make mistakes, but the Divine understands this; our honesty and asking forgiveness, is what is required.
(Q source): "Everyone who hears my words and does them is like a man who built a house on rock. The rain fell, a torrent broke against the house, and it did not fall, for it had a rock foundation. But everyone who hears my words and does not do them is like a man who built a house on sand. The rain came, the torrent broke against it, and it collapsed. The ruin of that house was great."
So one has to slowly, patiently, day by day, build up their 'house' within, so it's strong and will not fall, no matter what storms or enemies or ridicule or hate rages against it from outside.
When Jesus says "Whoever does not hate his father and mother will not be able to learn from me. Whoever does not hate his son and daughter cannot belong to my school", I think is to say that one can't allow themselves to be persuaded by one's parents or children, or any other family members they love -i.e., if they tell you you're 'wrong' for your beliefs, or you spend too much time alone, or ridicule/laugh at you,
well that's just too bad; you have to tell them it's your life and your way and you're going to follow it no matter what they think. Jesus doesn't mean to 'literally' hate your relatives, but it's to say that you have to stand on your own two feet, and not allow yourself to be talked out of the path you've chosen, due to the love you have for your family - they have to either accept it, (even if they don't like it or approve of it or make
fun of you), or you move on and do it anyway, even if it's without their support. "Those not for you are against you; those not against you, are for you."
"For the mouth speaks from a full heart."
"A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. At the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Please come, for everything is now ready.' But they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I've bought a farm, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' And another said, I've just bought five pair of oxen and I need to check them out. Please excuse me.' And another said, 'I've just married a woman and so I can't come.' The servant came and reported this to his master. Then the owner in anger said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets of the town and bring in as many people as you find.' And the servant went out into the streets and brought together everybody he could find. That way the house was filled with guests."
Gospel of Thomas:
Jesus said, "I shall choose you, one out of a thousand, and two out of ten thousand, and they shall stand as a single one."
"The man is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish. Among them the wise fisherman found a fine large fish. He threw all the small fish back into the sea and chose the large fish without difficulty. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
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"To the blind, warns an old saying, 'All things are sudden.' "
"A truth once seen, even by a single mind, always ends by imposing itself on the totality of human consciousness... Evolution is a condition to which all theories must bow, a curve all lines must follow."
-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
"Envy is opposed to oneself, in Kant's view, because it 'disinclines us to see our own good overshadowed by the good of others.' Kant also saw ingratitude as a division or department of envy, part of the vice of human hate that is the complete opposite of human love....
Nietzsche thought the French and subsequent revolutions were fired by the impulse of envy. He tended to assume that the spiritually small man envied the spiritually large. He wrote 'The golden sheath of pity conceals the dagger of envy.' "
"Whatever else it is, Envy is above all a great waste of mental energy. While it cannot be proved whether or not envy is part of human nature, what can be proven, I believe, is that, unleashed, envy tends to diminish all in whom it takes possession. Wherever envy comes into play, judgment is coarsened and cheapened. However the mind works, envy, we know, is one of its excesses, and as such it must be identified and fought against by the only means at our disposal: self-honesty, self-analysis, and balanced judgment."
"Envy" by Joseph Epstein
In my belief, God/Goddess/Divine/The All/The One is first and foremost about love, and there is no envy as regards love, so I'm not envious of anyone, not anymore, though I used to be years ago. While I still have much work to do on myself (we're all works in progress, really), I still am glad of who I am today, remain mostly upbeat despite whatever angst is going on in my life, (though I have my sadder moments, and just lean into the pain to get through it), appreciate what I do have, feel blessed, and my searching and seeking continues as I wander along my spiritual path, so as to 'know thyself.'
"The Lord went into the dye works of Levi. He took seventy-two different colors and threw them into the vat. He took them out all white. And he said, 'Even so has the son of man come [as] a dyer."
Gospel of Philip, NH Library
Love and Light,
JMD
Name:Panluna •
Date: 06/08/07 14:35
A: JMD,
I learned to do yoga while watching a Yogini teacher on AZN tv last year.It helps a great deal with my aching and aging bones.It definitely helps me to get energize.I drink Jiagulan tea every day which helps keep the physical core(abdomen) balanced. If your core feels good it shows in facial expression ,moods and attitude. Meditation keeps me calm and connected to my Higher Self.I got rid of bad habits awhile ago.
I'm glad you liked the poem.My title for it is SPIRAL.I was going to call it UNFURLED but it doesn't fit inner knowledge.The spiral is more of a mystical symbol.
