Q. Are my efforts towards nondual awakening "selfish"? How does this help anyone else? There are so many problems in the world; shouldn't i be helping others?
G. A common concern/question. Here is the info release from the organizers of a retreat i was invited to last week in the Yucatan:
This is not a new phenomena/question, of course. Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj and Adyashanti have spoken to this. As Ramana said:
M:..You know all about the world, but about yourself you know nothing...
you are completely wrapped up in the world
of your own making. Within the prison of your world appears a man who tells
you that the world of painful contradictions, which you have created, is neither continuous nor permanent and is based on a misapprehension...You got into it by forgetting what you are
and you will get out of it by knowing yourself as you are.
Q: In what way does it affect the world?
M: When you are free of the world, you can do something about it. As long as you are a prisoner of it, you are helpless to change it. On the contrary, whatever you do will aggravate the situation.
M: But I am doing nothing else all the time! And what is the social work you want me to do? Patchwork is not for me.
Adyashanti
G. A common concern/question. Here is the info release from the organizers of a retreat i was invited to last week in the Yucatan:
...a small group gathered in the Mayan forest in the Yucatan to explore what the ending of the 5,125-year “long count” on December 21 might mean...from diverse backgrounds: education, medicine, governance, science, conservation, spirituality and business...connected by our commitment to contribute to the evolution of our own consciousness and the transformation of institutions that shape our society.
...December 21 and 22, 2012 represent not only the end of one cycle but the beginning of a new one - a “chance for humans to start again”...
Nine wisdom holders gathered and reflected on how to reestablish harmony after such a long period of chaos...seeds to plant for the new cycle...how we bring respect, reverence and balance back...and how...we invest our own commitment...not just in this moment but ongoing...
...several questions:
Nine wisdom holders gathered and reflected on how to reestablish harmony after such a long period of chaos...seeds to plant for the new cycle...how we bring respect, reverence and balance back...and how...we invest our own commitment...not just in this moment but ongoing...
...several questions:
· What am I committed to transforming in myself?
· What seeds do I/we want to plant and cultivate for the well being of people and all life on earth?
· What story will be told in 100 years about what was transformed in this new beginning?
my internal Stillness/Presence continues to deepen, as the brain "wants" Presence more than anything else, refunctionalizing continues. No energy is required to stay in Presence; significant resistance accompanies attempts to move out of it. How does "helping the world" manifest from such a state? How can it help "others"?
 |
| Ramana Maharshi |
This is not a new phenomena/question, of course. Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj and Adyashanti have spoken to this. As Ramana said:
"If you, who have come to this world alone, live being
free of attachment to anything and subside in Self by knowing what is the
reality of yourself, know that that is the greatest help which you can render
to all the other people in this world."
This became clearer in the Mayan jungle. Manifesting "Universal Consciousness/Field"
w/o intention or purpose feels to be a/the most useful way to be helpful to others. As Ramana said, "Silence is endless speech".
As to how this might work, as discussed in the "Do your mystical experiences fit w/quantum physics? neuroscience?" blog, we are all just wave forms of energy, just the Unified field "waving". If there were greater "coherence" or alignment w/the Unified field, then the manifest world would likely change.
As the release from the Yucatan retreat said:
...this practice builds on what many older cultures have known for a very long time...to connect and integrate with the field of higher vibration that is created naturally when enough of us concentrate our intentions, prayers, meditations, chanting, rituals...
There is also the understanding that "all is One" and that "everything is already perfect, just as it is". Yet, surprisingly, w/o will or effort, astonishing things happen. As discussed at the retreat, the events of "my" last two years, so impossibly unlikely, manifested "all by themselves". What is necessary, as Woody Allen said, is to "show up", (100% Present in every moment). "Doer-less" action, w/o intent, hope for future rewards, or fear of punishment, manifests that is wholistic and effective in the situation.
As to how this might work, as discussed in the "Do your mystical experiences fit w/quantum physics? neuroscience?" blog, we are all just wave forms of energy, just the Unified field "waving". If there were greater "coherence" or alignment w/the Unified field, then the manifest world would likely change.
As the release from the Yucatan retreat said:
...this practice builds on what many older cultures have known for a very long time...to connect and integrate with the field of higher vibration that is created naturally when enough of us concentrate our intentions, prayers, meditations, chanting, rituals...
There is also the understanding that "all is One" and that "everything is already perfect, just as it is". Yet, surprisingly, w/o will or effort, astonishing things happen. As discussed at the retreat, the events of "my" last two years, so impossibly unlikely, manifested "all by themselves". What is necessary, as Woody Allen said, is to "show up", (100% Present in every moment). "Doer-less" action, w/o intent, hope for future rewards, or fear of punishment, manifests that is wholistic and effective in the situation.
Nisargadatta Maharaj in a Q&A:
Q: I just do not know how much I can do for the world. All I can do, is to try.
Is there anything else you would like me to do?
M:..You know all about the world, but about yourself you know nothing...
 |
| Nisargadatta Maharaj |
Q: In what way does it affect the world?
M: When you are free of the world, you can do something about it. As long as you are a prisoner of it, you are helpless to change it. On the contrary, whatever you do will aggravate the situation.
Q: Surely somebody is responsible for this horrible and
senseless carnage. Why do people kill each other so readily?
M: Search for the culprit within. The ideas of 'me' and 'mine' are at the root of all conflict. Be free of them and you will be out of conflict.
M: Search for the culprit within. The ideas of 'me' and 'mine' are at the root of all conflict. Be free of them and you will be out of conflict.
Q: Why don't you take part in social work?
M: But I am doing nothing else all the time! And what is the social work you want me to do? Patchwork is not for me.
 |
| Adyashanti |
Adyashanti
...the wars...hate, ignorance and greed. I didn’t want to
contribute to that. I saw that transformation is going to have to come from me
first, before I can actually do much for the world...
...real spiritual practice incorporates both...There is a sort of personal motivation and...if it’s coming
from an authentic place...a transpersonal aspect...altruistic, something that has a concern for the whole of humanity.
As our realization deepens...we realize that we are the whole of humanity...the whole universe is us!...the deepest realization is...that all is well, even if it’s a mess...there’s an unknowable sense, not rational to the mind, but transrational, this knowing that all is unimaginably well.
...when this realization is authentic, something very unexpected happens. All is completely well, and out of this, life can really move in a creative way through you. Life responds and has a way of responding to itself...a natural, altruistic response that comes from the heart of reality.
As our realization deepens...we realize that we are the whole of humanity...the whole universe is us!...the deepest realization is...that all is well, even if it’s a mess...there’s an unknowable sense, not rational to the mind, but transrational, this knowing that all is unimaginably well.
...when this realization is authentic, something very unexpected happens. All is completely well, and out of this, life can really move in a creative way through you. Life responds and has a way of responding to itself...a natural, altruistic response that comes from the heart of reality.
...Historically, the people who tend to
have the deepest realization don’t seem to be totally anxiety-ridden about the
state of humanity. But Jesus, the Buddha, many people we’ve never even heard
of, actually dedicate their whole lives to the benefit of others, even though
they know all is well. It doesn’t make sense in the mind, but from the direct
experience, that’s kind of all there is left to do. When you’re done with
yourself, that is what there is left to do.
"my" proposal to the Yucatan group was that we need a new "Operating System (OS)", a fundamental change in how we operate as a species in this world. Imagine if we had an OS that didn't have an egoic/I-based desire/thought/fear structure. What if many/most folk realized what science has demonstrated, i.e., that the "I" is just a construct? Could we have a change as fundamental as realizing that the earth was not the center of the Universe?
As discussed in the "dysfunctional evolution of of the mind" video, our current OS is now an evolutionary handicap. A hundred years ago, we had 5,000 thoughts/day; now we have 55,000 thoughts per day. Virtually all of these are I/me/my based self-reflective narrative. Could we change our OS to fundamentally reduce stress-, desire- and fear-inducing thoughts while increasing our capabilities for problem solving, planning, etc. and increasing functionally-useful bandwidth and energy utilization?
"my" proposal to the Yucatan group was that we need a new "Operating System (OS)", a fundamental change in how we operate as a species in this world. Imagine if we had an OS that didn't have an egoic/I-based desire/thought/fear structure. What if many/most folk realized what science has demonstrated, i.e., that the "I" is just a construct? Could we have a change as fundamental as realizing that the earth was not the center of the Universe?
As discussed in the "dysfunctional evolution of of the mind" video, our current OS is now an evolutionary handicap. A hundred years ago, we had 5,000 thoughts/day; now we have 55,000 thoughts per day. Virtually all of these are I/me/my based self-reflective narrative. Could we change our OS to fundamentally reduce stress-, desire- and fear-inducing thoughts while increasing our capabilities for problem solving, planning, etc. and increasing functionally-useful bandwidth and energy utilization?
Gary - very interesting...much like what I keep seeing and getting glimpses of. We were observant of the special moment today (12/21/12, 6:11am in NY) and I later wrote to a friend about it:
ReplyDelete"Well, we were the calm eye of the storm here this morning at 6:11. At about 6:08 we started chanting shantih mantras and then meditated at 6:11. While we sat in stillness, a strong wind and rain storm raged outside. What was obvious here was the hugeness, complexity and power of the universe and the almost insignificance of this personal manifestation. I say 'almost' because like every cell in this body, it has its part to play in the universe and so is not an extra or throwaway part of the whole, but integral. Just the usual inflated over-importance is released. Therein is the rest and the ease of Being."
The "I" is definitely just a construct and not necessary to the ability to problem-solve, etc, exactly as you say. All that "blah-blah" around I/me/mine creates all the problems that never needed solving, since they are imaginary problems. When that energy is released, the real abilities have reign to develop and be used. Let us be inspired by that and hopeful as we continue our sadhana and work.
Thank you for this Gary, I have perpetually asked this question of myself. What do I need to do to contribute and have had these discussions with you in the past. You have helped immensely. Thank you .
ReplyDeleteHi Gary, thank you for this post. Answered my most pressing question. What is one supposed to do to contribute to society. Have had these debates and had these discussions with you too. You have been a great guide and a mentor. Thank you and wish you a fantastic 2013. Skype soon. xxx
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