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hariH OM!

 

i always keep track of our forum's posts, and am never disappointed

at the extraordinary level of discussion and generous/selfless

sharing of ideas.

 

since my website's url was taken down by forces beyond my control, i

havent had the opportunity to address any queries as i did before.

 

i did recently get a response from a note i left on a youtube video,

where the individual asked some excellent questions.

 

my reply is below..

 

namaskaar to all,

frank

 

_____________________

 

 

i quite agree [that] having native american ancestors is a great

advantage. i studied in-depth the works of castaneda, which are

based on toltec shamanism, and are immensely helpful.

 

your concern re maintaining that space of " no-mind " while being in

the world as it is, is really hitting the nerve of what Self-

realization is all about. castaneda addresses this with don juan's

method of stopping the internal dialogue...something i dont believe

can be accomplished entirely; but alludes to what i maintain is

rooted in defusing the mind rather than eliminating it. i'll try to

explain below...

 

(note: the following is what i've found to be true. i always

maintain--to myself and others--that it's possible i could be wrong

in any of my observations (this helps me stay fluid as well as

attuned to the ineffable Mystery of Being, and also free from being

delimited/pigeonholed by what appears to be " my " mind). this is for

you to determine for yourself.)

 

after 45 years of intensive research, i found the universal key that

exists at the base of all spiritual philosophies. that is to say,

once the key is revealed, one gains the ability to recognize the

ageless wisdom teachings that underly the otherwise superficial

differences of the major world religions.

 

before i go any further, it's important to point out that we are in a

very precarious time, poised in what appears to be a major shift in

consciousness [whose apparent] fulcrum lies at the much talked about

date of 21dec2012, significant to the hindu age of the kaliyug. as

such, what we're being subjected to--especially the so-called

lightworkers--is a volatile mix of confusion, exhiliration, fear,

uncommon insight, psycho-spiritual levity as well as gravity,

increased synchronicities, etc. as a result, incidents of

miscommunication--within and without--tend to be more prevalent than

ever. please keep this in mind...

 

after commensurate practice (mainly through sitting as well

as " walking " meditation) and the experience gained therefrom, i've

also developed the ability to recognize if/when someone is close to

breaking through the web of the mind's ancient trap. in light of

this--if i may say--i have every reason to believe you have in fact

already done so, but are yet apparently managing to talk yourself out

of the [natural] state (i.e. State of Being where the mind's

otherwise persuasive judgments amount to nothing more than fleeting

chimera).

 

it's important to also realize that, regardless of attaining

enlightenment, there will still be imperfections one must grapple

with. and these will never end. one must befriend the inherent

Flaw, which is inescapable as long as one is subjected to relativity--

an inevitable byproduct of Life which precludes having to operate

through the Mind (i.e. which is the only conceivable mechanism

whereby the world (Life) is perceived). i spelled flaw with a

capital " F " because i consider it part of our divine heritage. as is

Life, as is the Mind. if we desire manifest awareness, we'll have to

put up with its inevitably attending paradox of Imperfection.

 

the zen concept of mu-shin or no-mind is only meant to be taken as a

means of diffusing or taking the edge off the relentless dictates of

the Mind. the popular Eastern idea of having to eliminate or destroy

the mind is a fundamental misunderstanding. (incidentally, just as

is the idea to be liberated from the wheel of rebirth...these are

exoteric interpretations and highly misleading.) we as humans tend

to radicalize everything, thereby violating the immensely important

law of buddha's Middle Way. and therein lies one of our greatest

mistakes: our tendency to be misled into extremes...ideas of

perfection in the experience of love, peace, harmony, equanimity,

honor, valor, etc. are counterproductive to achieving the goal of

Self-realization. the quest to experience a " flawless flow, beyond

interruption, " or transcending the [intrinsically human] cycles of

self-doubt, is, in the last analysis, impossible. and our commonly

dilligent attempts to do so not only causes frustration and effort

that runs counter to the inherent Tao of the Mind, it also prevents

us from walking past the threshold of the doorway to our

enlightenment (if one indeed happens to be standing at its

threshold).

 

regards,

frank maiello