Inspired by Iceland

And now for something Completely Different, as Monty Python liked to say…

Who knew Iceland could be so much fun…

Thanks Maja

Knowing Death

One of the curious things about some spiritual communities is that while they speak in great detail about higher states of consciousness, they barely touch on death. While they consider exalted states of being highly knowable, they may argue that death is unknowable.

Now this is to some extent understandable. Death is after all one of our deepest fears, perhaps second only to our fear arising from being separated from source.

But if you consider that we’ve all been through a number of incarnations before, we’ve obviously experienced death quite a few times. While we may not remember, that’s not the same thing as being unknowable. Just forgotten.

In fact it’s easier to remember our deep past than it is to awaken. But some people may not want to. Going into your past is often not an easy journey. But the road is still there. It can bring a great deal of clarity to the curious nature of our present life. But it can also be a waste of time and undue focus on the past.

Now of course, our future death is not entirely knowable. Even if we’re able to experience the future, we’re experiencing the future from where we are now, not how we’ll be then. This is much like the past only more so because our consciousness will have changed. We’ll never be 8 years old the same way again. So we could say our coming death is not fully knowable but that does not mean death itself is an unknown. Remember it enough and it’s really no big deal. A turn of the page of life. Another chapter in a good yarn.

As I’ve observed before, death is like awakening in some ways. Crossing the veil and surrendering the me, for example. But death is temporary. A transition point. A train station.

Another odd comment I ran into was that the idea of an afterlife and the idea of reincarnation are mutually exclusive. Not at all. We all step into an afterlife when we die. Incarnation doesn’t happen until later. Sometimes quickly, but often awhile later. Some of us need a break! (laughs)

I’ll further remark on the idea that if you don’t believe in something when you die that you’re in trouble. Adyashanti comments on the reverse saying Somebody that has a belief, (in heaven, etc.) at the end of their life, they’re going to be very afraid. This is because it’s not going to be what they expect. This can cause someone some major discomfort until they see what fun it can be.  Even if we’ve read lots of near death experiences. Even if someone’s told you your future. The experience is never the same as a concept of it.

Adyashanti also said Where am I going to go? Exactly where you think yourself. …until you think a different one. In other words, after death is a kind of dream state where we can create whatever we choose. The film What Dreams May Come exemplified this idea.

OK. I’ll get off this subject now. Won a ticket and saw Deepak Chopra this evening. That’s started a few articles…
Davidya

On Deathlessness

And yet another email, this one coincidental.

Dr. David Frawley wrote an article called “On Deathlessness“. It begins:

The greatest fear that all living beings have is the fear of death. The fear of death casts a shadow over all that we do and undermines all our peace and happiness. But what is death and who is it that dies?

Actually death is the greatest of all illusions. The fear of death is the root of all ignorance. The shadow of death is not a curse but a misunderstanding of the real nature of existence. Our true being never dies. Death is only the end of one body or another, but not of the being who is embodied.

Vedanta boldly teaches us that no one dies. No one has ever died and no one will ever die. That is to say, your real being, your true Self, soul or essence never dies. In your inner being, you are not subject to birth and death, time and space, coming or going. You are eternal, immutable, pure existence, awareness and bliss. It is only the body that dies, not you as the embodied soul. You are not a material object that is subject to the disintegrating influence of time. You are a spiritual being, a conscious subject that is the witness of all time, space and action.

The rest of the article:
http://www.vedanet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=141&Itemid=2

As I’ve discussed in places like The Mirrors of Life, I don’t agree that death is our greatest fear. Certainly a very deep fear but one that can be lost while the core fear remains. The core fear rises from our illusion of being separated from source, disconnected from wholeness. That creates a sense of me that must hold on, an identity, and that me then fears death or ending.

I would also not describe death as the greatest of all illusions because even when all fear has ended, the dream of God remains. But yes, death is a profound illusion. And a wonderful thing to transcend.

And he closes:
Take refuge in your inner being beyond the body and mind and witness their play as a Divine sport. Observe the world and all its changes from the central point of your eternal essence. And you will find beauty and wonder at every moment.

Over time, you will find the Divine sport to be That. No longer beyond, body and mind will be found to be none other than that timeless being, expressing for That to know itself more fully.
Davidya

The Great Death

Due to recent circumstances and posts, a friend of mine sent me a link to an Adyashanti talk from 2002 called The Great Death. While the title is a reference to awakening, much of the talk focused on death.

The talk is summarized like this:
Speaking on such topics as the inseparability of life and death, time and timelessness, suicide, and the death of illusion, Adyashanti’s outstanding talk from the 2002 audiotape album “The Great Death,” leads to the place where “everyone runs out of excuses for barricading their hearts.”

I made a few notes, some of which you may enjoy. They are not exact quotes.

How utterly simple it is. When we have enough contact with reality. Death is a certain type of reality… all finalities are… impregnated with reality.

It either brings out truth or it brings out a tremendous amount of fear.

They’re both going on simultaneously. Life & death. Living & dying.

…and they surrender to that. It’s such a beautiful experience to be with people like that.  The peace that comes over them. And the peace. And the love, Simply because they surrendered to this non-negotiable fact. (death)

…die while you’re alive and be set free.

We will die pretty much the way we live.

Every time when you go to bed at night, you get a dress rehearsal for dying.
The only difference is that for most people when the go to sleep, they lose consciousness.

Human beings think we go to sleep to rest our bodies. Bodies don’t need it. Your bodies not really resting… You need to return to your true nature. If you’ve ever stayed awake while you’re asleep, you’ll know what I mean.

That’s why sages…define the enlightened state, it’s like being in deep sleep, but fully awake.

…since eternity is abundantly creative…then we start to do this thing called dreaming.

Usually for most people it’s the subconscious that’s creating.

It’s also what happens to people when they die. You’re no longer caught in time, so what ever you think is, just like that.

Where am I going to go? Exactly where you think yourself. …until you think a different one.

the same thing is happening for everyone all the time. It’s just a little more sluggish [when alive]

We are experiencing our own minds. Even in this moment, that’s what you are experiencing. .. an amazing combination of a collective mind and an individual mind. Both are creating this very moment. The way we are experiencing this moment is entirely dependent on the quality of your dreaming right now.

People aren’t aware of their own freedom. People don’t know that they could change their experience in the snap of a finger if they were conscious enough. And easily.

Awakening is a death. But it isn’t really a death. A paradox. A gateless gate – its only gateless once you’ve gone through it.

The only thing that can ever be lost is an illusion.

[awakening] But its the kind of death that in the moment can seem very real. And then in retrospect you look over your shoulder and go “yes, but nothing died”… yes a death definitely occurred but nothing died.

In life, at death, after life. It’s always the same question. How many illusions am I willing to let go of? this is % free.

Stripped
A female Buddhist sage, per Adyashanti said:

The truths job is to strip you. No matter where you find yourself, in the greatest heaven or the greatest hell, you will always find the cosmic Buddha (truth) undoing your buttons on the front of your shirt. … you’ll always find that the cosmic Buddha will be taking off your garments.

No matter what clothes your wear, the great compassion of the truth will always be stripping you.

The Great Death is the willingness to be totally stripped. The final liberation. Including stripped of our own awakening and our own enlightenment…

You can’t even want to hold to something that’s ultimately real.
If you want to hold on to it, you know that’s not it. (truth, reality)

Nothing really dies. It just changes form. How can you want what already is?

Somebody that has a belief, (in heaven, etc.) at the end of their life, they’re going to be very afraid. At the time of death, our belief (about death) isn’t worth very much.

Death is an experience. And all experience is an illusion. But only by measuring the truth by what is eternally always present. All this experience is nothing but a display of our true nature… is temporary.

Suicide
Someone is suicidal – Adyashantis first response is “Great, there’s a lot of it going around.”  He then asks “What wants to die?” The illusion is “i want to die” but what actually wants to die. Maybe its time for that to die. Because there is a fear, a stigma around the impulse, its difficult for people to speak of it.

He also said that if they really want the experience of killing themselves, then that’s the experience they’re going to have. But they probably don’t know what it is that actually wants to die.

There’s no way out of suffering, only through.

It takes a lot of courage to get old. And a lot of surrender.

You can’t know his suffering. The only suffering you can know is yours.

To hear the entire talk, click here.
http://www.adyashanti.org/cafedharma/index.php?file=library_audio
search Great Death in the upper right. It’s a free download.
46 MB. About 98 min.

Dead Ends

Most of us find certain points in our life’s journey where we face what can seem like an impossible decision. A damned if you do, damned if you don’t scenario. These can be so prominent in our life that they define who we are and a before and after point.

Some say that such difficulties are chosen by us as karmic challenges we have to face until we get the lesson and make the right choice. The difficulty is that karma itself tends to bring with it a blind spot so we can’t see the situation clearly. (held karma is resistance, resistance impedes awareness)

But the decisions are never as absolute as they seem.

For one, once the choice is made the situation resolves itself as intended. One might refer to the difficulty facing Arjuna on the battlefield in the Bhagavad Gita. He found friends and relatives on both sides of the battle lines. Until he saw the bigger picture, fighting seemed a great evil.

If we also remember the deeper process of self knowing itself more completely through us, we discover time is not such a linear forking road as we might think. For example, in my own life, I discovered that one section of it, including career and relationship, was the resolution of the other choice I didn’t make when faced with such a decision in a prior life. in other words, I lived out both choices.

Whatever choices we make are brought into balance over time as the universe perpetually seeks resolution and equilibrium.

On occasion, when faced with an apparently impossible decision or overwhelmed by emotion, someone may choose suicide. I recall going to talk by Charlie Lutes in the late ’70′s. He was a curious mixture of Maharishi Mahesh Yogis teachings, those of Theosophy, and his own experiences, blended in a unique way.

Afterward, a friend of mine approached him to ask about her former boyfriends suicide. Charlie said that when someone takes their life, they’re left in a kind of limbo. It’s too early to move on to their next assignment but they no longer have the vehicle to complete this one. They’re essentially obliged to stick around and wait until it’s their turn, then do it again.

I would say this is broadly the case but each individual persons journey is unique. If they’ve made some spiritual progress, they may not be left without means. And we certainly are not abandoned, if there is any such impression. More that it’s usually a rather poor choice and not really a good alternate. Any hellishness is only in facing what one has done. We can’t escape a rough road by parking.

If we understand the bigger picture better, we will see that even the most difficult decisions are only difficult because of our limited perception. In the bigger scheme of things, everything is OK and will work out for the best. As Dan mentioned in his sandbox analogy, “we are all here in this Creation like children playing in [a] giant sandbox. What if the child makes a mistake? Does it matter?”

Life is a curious journey indeed. But the main point here is to have fun. We’re on an adventure, an exploration into the deepest corners of our being. What could be more fun than that?
Davidya

The Reality of the World

In a number of spiritual texts, you read that the world is an illusion, that apparent form is just a mirage, a Maya. Yet Maya itself comes in 3 forms, not just as illusion. What then is reality and how does perception of it evolve?

We begin with what might be called the classical physics approach. The world is built of physical objects which are in turn composed of particles of mass. The energy of inertia (tamas) is dominant. The Maya of the world at this stage serves as a covering over our essential nature. Only the very apparent world is real or even recognized.

As inertia gives way to energy (rajas), the world becomes seen as an energetic system. We might call this the quantum physics perspective. The apparent physical world is an illusion that masks a deeper truth. This is where Maya is illusion. Interestingly, it’s also a stage where a lot of meaning is removed from life as our world is found to be groundless, arising from nothing, a vacuum.

As energy becomes clear and smooth (sattva), the dream changes again. Rather than being illusion, it becomes a field of knowledge, the play of God. We begin to be able to directly perceive the mechanics of becoming and dive much more deeply into fundamental reality. More deeply than the quantum fluctuations of the vacuum state of physics. We’re able to study the ground of creation in which our universe is formed.

Note that the world itself has not changed in any of these stages. Only the perception has changed – but that changes what we see considerably.

Next we could describe a series of stages of relationship with the above.

At first the world is out there. We are a separate being in a separate world of separate objects.

As we connect to the deeper nature of our own reality, we begin to discover that same reality infuses all things. Everything, including ourselves arises in the one. Gradually, more and more things come together in a grand common overview.

Meanwhile, as we deepen into the fundamental values of becoming, we ourselves go a step deeper and become that which contains creation. In other words, we are not only one with it, it is within us.

As the perception of the world becomes more subtle and inclusive, the dream of God is found not to be a random sort of thing like we might daydream but a highly intended dream where every aspect is structured for Self to know Itself more thoroughly. A contemplation or soliloquy of astonishing dimension.

Deeper still, we discover that these core intentions are stored in deep memory. The world is thus a remembering of itself through us.

By this point, there is no difference between our own form and that of any other. And there is no difference between form and the formless. They are one and the same “stuff”. The world has becomes real again, but in a completely new context. All being one thing, displaying itself through all forms and formless.

We are remembering ourselves through remembering our form and remembering our world. Each aspect of the whole detailing a further aspect of infinite being on the stage of life.
Davidya

Conversations with Dan

As I mentioned in Passing Contact, my friend Dan recently passed on. He had engaged in a number of on-line conversations on reality. In particular, there was a long ongoing 1 on 1 conversation on awakening. Here is a few excerpts from that I enjoy. Each paragraph is from a different part of the larger conversation.

It’s not that you die. It’s there you simply realize that you never was.

Perhaps each moment feels whole because it is. And THIS is what wholeness looks like right now. It can’t look like anything else in this moment. One way of talking about Enlightenment is that it is simply the acceptance of What Is.

But it’s important to recognize, I think, that the ego can try to shrink itself to remain individualized just as much as it can want to puff itself up. My ego definitely goes the “I’m not good enough” way, so I definitely know how it is. And it’s truly AMAZING how deep that denial of infiniteness can go. “I’m so great” and “I’m not good enough” are two sides of the same coin. I think it was Byron Katie who said that true humility is recognizing how infinite and amazing you truly are for real. And that makes sense, because to really know that brings the utmost humbleness and appreciation…

It’s near impossible to see anything clearly that is being resisted, and the desire to “be done with it” is actually a subtle resistance to that process. That’s one of the reasons why it’s a very common response that Enlightenment does not give you anything. Because you have to accept all the negativity that we want to have Enlightenment to avoid in the first place….

I think if you let yourself cry forever and fall apart and never be okay again something wonderful will happen… Nothing will ever be the same again. In a very very good way. Just as long as the crying is the allowance of feeling the sadness and not an avoidance of it. It’s the feeling that fixes it, not necessarily any particular response…

Fortunately, Enlightenment is not a function of the personality…

Also, we are all here in this Creation like children playing in [a] giant sandbox. What if the child makes a mistake? Does it matter? What does that even mean in the context of playing in a sandbox. There’s nowhere to go and nothing to do in terms of obligation, though there is everywhere to go and everything to do in terms of exploration and fun. So what does a mistake even mean in that context? Do I make mistakes? As much as a child playing in sandbox does I suppose….does it matter?

I think that there is a constant gift of grace being given, and it’s only about how much openness we can have to receive it. And so there can be, eventually a habit of that way of functioning (once we know who we are) so that there is more and more embracing of the ever present grace all the time. It will always fill us until we are full though, no matter how big our container gets, and then overflow.

The point of Enlightenment is not the relative experience that it creates, but the realization that the relative experience (although it does get significantly more enjoyable) is more and more completely BESIDES the point. There is no time in relative life that is not a good time to realize that.

There are no rules and really no hurry. And, at the end of the day, there’s really only one path, and that’s your path. Whatever your path happens to be. It’s the only one.

Of course, all this is a story for me to express my appreciation of this process. And my story that it’s all just a story is, of course, just a story. And so no need to take anything of these things too seriously….

Some of those conversations are being compiled for everyone’s enjoyment.
Davidya

Passing Contact

A week ago, a long distance friend of mine named Dan died. While still a young man, he had a profound spiritual connection and was one of only a few I know who was as “In2Deep” discussion as I. I’ve posted a few things he wrote in Conversations with Dan.

For most people, after death they spend a few days winding down, then move onto a new “assignment”, either as a guide or worker of some sort or in a new incarnation. Their connections with the old disengage and fade. After awakening, this pathway shifts. In Dan’s case, he’s sticking around. His role remains to support the people he’s been with but it’s also begun to expand.

To understand what I’m talking about, it’s useful to know that there’s 2 primary ways of seeing the world: as laws of nature operating in a physical world. And as light beings building and running an energetic world. This is what some call the impersonal and personal or the head and heart perspectives. While the first keeps the world simple, it can still be useful sometimes to have a chat with the person managing the lilac in your back yard. Of course, the rules are just like anywhere else – not everyone is your friend, don’t believe everything you hear, not everyone wants to talk, and so on. Because this is energetic, feeling or intuition is the means and the yardstick for you.

From the personal perspective, we have what people tend to call guides or guardians or life helpers. Some are assigned. Some we can choose. What gives us the choice? Accessibility.

Assuming you are open to the experience, two things make someone accessible. The first is resonance – that we have a kind of affinity or past connection. Like when you meet someone and feel like you’ve always known them. Or you find a teacher you really “get”. The second is spiritual development. The deeper their embodiment, the stronger their presence and thus the easier to connect. This is why people suggest we pray to Christ or an avatar or similar. They are both more potent and more accessible.

If you have a desire to connect with someone, firstly you have to let go of some of the resistance to the experience. This is working on the feeling level, so if you don’t really believe it’s possible, that’s what you get. But neutral is fine. And don’t force or crap on the process – that just creates stinky energy no one wants to be around. Finally, know that not everyone is available. Would you be if someone from your past knocked?

All you have to do is be open and bring them to mind effortlessly. If you bring your attention to the heart, this may enhance your feeling value.

You may find contact through a feeling or a sense of presence. If you knew them well, perhaps a scent or favorite song or similar. Some people may get sensory input like pictures or sounds, depending on your dominant or most sensitive sense. All you have to do is think about them and stay open. Even if you can’t connect, you may get impressions of what they’re up to now.

This can seem very subtle or vague at first, until you get the hang of it. We’re used to relating to physical stuff we can hold and touch. We may feel impressions we get are like dreams but notice if they come with a knowingness or explain things. Or resolve stuff for you. When it gets very clear, it can be pretty much like they’re right here with you, engaging your senses.

Don’t worry if this doesn’t work for you or appeal to you. They help and will continue to help without you directly engaging them. Connect or not, they’re there for you. It’s their job.

By all means ask for help or support if you need it. They’ll help if they can. And they can help better if your intentions are clear and consistent and you are not seeking avoidance. Some things are your job, so don’t expect instant fixes. They have a supporting role just as we have with friends. But life can be easier if we have someone to walk with us for a time.
Davidya

PS: I should note that my early experiences with this were not that positive because I didn’t know what I was doing and didn’t use feeling to differentiate who I was talking to. Some are happy just to get attention without being helpful. Some will even make silly promises. And so on. Same thing as any group of people. Get to know the good guys. It becomes obvious pretty quickly.

Take Care

Take care of your thoughts because they will become words.
Take care of your words because they will become actions
Take care of your actions because they will become habits.
Take care of your habits because they will become your character
Take care of your character because it will form your destiny
And your destiny will be your life.
– The Dalai Lama

I was not able to verify this quote or when or where it was spoken. But it is well said.