Guest guest Posted February 13, 1999 Report Share Posted February 13, 1999 On Sat, 13 Feb 1999, Madhya Nandi wrote: > > How does the path that one seeks influence the possible experiences > one may have in the course of seeking? If one follows a Buddhist > path, will one's experiences confirm the mystical beliefs of that > system? For example, some Zen masters may teach a student that if > they experience certain unusual sensations that they should observe > these experiences, but not engage them. This will ultimately lead to > success in attaining Nirvana. Yes they do. My Zen Master way back at the beginning assigned a practise to me that was an accumulation of a certain number of a certain mantra to help clear my karma. At the end of that accumulation, i had two experiences. One was a clear vision of Kwan Se Um Bosal(Kwan Yin, bodhisattva of compassion), the other was an experience of an answer to one of the things zen is famous for, koans! While i had no idea what to expect on either end, Zen Master told me at the time, "dont get stuck here! good for you that this happened, but this is ultimatly a distraction...keep going with your practise" Something like that, not his exact words, but my filtered memory. I of course did get stuck, and it was echoed in my Lama's instruction "No attachment, no grasping!" For the goal of union of bliss and sunyata is tricky, and dualistic grasping thoughts and feelings may seem really great, but they arnt the endgame. i still write to my zen master even tho my root practise is now Vajrayana Buddhism, but my guru and my zen master (no difference between them in the end!) have both pointed to the same mountain peak. No attachment. No Grasping. He's coming to see us in a few months. Its been a long time. I dont know, you might understand my feelings here, but my friend who is also a living buddha is coming to see me and my friends. Of course the main thought in my head is that i hope he is not too dissapointed in me. He's always kind. And i for some reason am always just alittle bit scared and in awe around him. They say what you see in others is also your own potential at its highest/lowest. if so...that's cool. With maitri, --janpa tsomo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 14, 1999 Report Share Posted February 14, 1999 Thanks, Jan, for your comments. I can definitely relate to some of what you said. I, too, have enjoyed much of the "exploratory" character of listening to (what I personally refer to as) the Voice of the Mother. For some years, books and visits to this or that Ashram, or practically living in bookstores would result in stimulating the discovery of some important new thing to practice or learn. And, like you, I recall times when I "discovered" that I was doing practices that were identical to ones that I later read about. I count myself fortunate, however, that I received guidance from Dr. Russell Park, a transpersonal psychologist--a graduate of the Institute for Transpersonal Studies. When I thought that I was going crazy, he helped to ground me. A year later, I had the opportunity of attending the Kundalini Research Network's Third International Symposium, being held in Sunnyvale, CA--just outside of San Francisco. It was an incredible three days. I received a discount rate for helping out--taking tickets and so forth--that allowed me to afford the conference. Christina Grof was there as well as Kundalini researchers and experiencers from all over the US and abroad. While there, I attended a workshop given by Dr. Stuart Sovatsky. Stuart has practiced Kundalini yoga for more than twenty-five years, and has this marvelous spiritual potency and intellect all wrapped up in a quiet, compassionate personality. I talked to him for a bit, and he was very helpful answering some of my Kundalini questions. Later, I went to him for a therapy session. With no one to talk to about my experiences (except for Dr Park), and surrounded by this incredible, nurturing spirit, I practically gushed. I cried, I laughed--and all the while my body trembled and shook. The Mother is so powerful! Anyway, to make a long story shorter, I asked him about teachers. He has a guru, and has studied with many--has even attended conferences regarding sexuality and yoga throughout the world. He gave me no special answers. He couldn't tell me who my teacher ought to be, although he did suggest a community that I might check out. But most of all, he appreciated the sense of Mystery involved in allowing the Mother to lead me, to help me to discover Her in Me and Me in Her. He has a terrific book. It is called Passions of Innocence: Eros and Tantric Celibacy. Don't worry, it is not only about celibacy, or brahmacharya. He has a great chapter on the spiritual path as a mystery to be discovered. This is perhaps important for Westerners. We have role models like Ulysses and other heroes and heroines who perform long journeys full of heroic adventures overcoming monstrous obstacles. Most of his book, however, presents tantric practices to stimulate, and manage the flow of the Mother's Presence throughout the body/mind/spirit. I am presently travelling to India to meet my Teacher--after nine years of Sadhana and transformation. The remaining years of my life will be spent in grateful service to the Mother for Awakening and leading Me Home. Love and Devotion, Madhya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 14, 1999 Report Share Posted February 14, 1999 Janpa, Your thoughts and contributions seem to be a rare delight lately! Thank you. How exciting that you will see your Master again after many years! Perhaps in this new meeting more will be revealed about your former relationship. It may be that you will experience a very auspicious occasion--not that each moment of every day is not, of course. In the course of this query, I have been putting my consciousness to the task of contemplating this issue of "the mountaintop." Grace may allow me some fun insights to the marvelous varieties of flowers that are bedded in the Nursery of Self--or, No-Self, if you prefer. Love and Devotion, Madhya ps, Janpa, if you are so inclined write me and tell about your awaited meeting. Madhya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 15, 1999 Report Share Posted February 15, 1999 Gemini wrote: > > Gloria shares: Marcus, this is exactly my experience as well. The experiences all came naturally then the words and education came to explain it. This seems easy and natural to me, no thought equals no effort. "Gemini" <currwamp > > List, > I would also like to add that I started backwards, which had its > benifits. Rather than knowint about kundalini and the Self realization, then > striving for it, I started meditating, not knowing a thing about what to > expect...imagine my joy and shock when I finally acquired a great deal of > information, and there was a word and definition and rational for each > experience that I had! In this sense I was very fortunate, and have no > reservations about my experiences...truly a blessing... > Love and Light > Marcus > > LeTeegee <LeTeegee > < > > Sunday, February 14, 1999 2:19 AM > Duelin' Nondualisms > > >LeTeegee > > > >In a message dated 2/13/99 1:16:29 PM Eastern Standard Time, > >madhya (AT) mail (DOT) aracnet.com writes: > > > ><< How does the path that one seeks influence the possible experiences > > one may have in the course of seeking? If one follows a Buddhist > > path, will one's experiences confirm the mystical beliefs of that > > system? > > > >To a certain extent, I would think so. You say...: > > > ><For example, some Zen masters may teach a student that if > > they experience certain unusual sensations that they should observe > > these experiences, but not engage them. This will ultimately lead to > > success in attaining Nirvana. > > > >As a hypnotherapist, in the majority of cases, I can give you *suggestions* > to > >what will occur in a situation, and it will. 75% of the sale of a > hypnosis > >session is given prior to the hypnosis. > > > >I mention this because our paths are full of suggestions to what may occur, > >whether coming from a teacher or a book. I know I've never 'spoken in > >tongues', yet Christians do this all the time. > > > > > > > >------ > >To from this mailing list, or to change your subscription > >to digest, go to the ONElist web site, at and > >select the User Center link from the menu bar on the left. > > > > ------ > To from this mailing list, or to change your subscription > to digest, go to the ONElist web site, at and > select the User Center link from the menu bar on the left. -- Enter The Silence to Know God ... and... accept life as the teacher. Gloria Joy Greco e-mail me at : lodpress and visit our homepages at: http://users.intercomm.com/larryn/ & http://www.freeyellow.com/members/zg888/ Hope you enjoy them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 15, 1999 Report Share Posted February 15, 1999 Gloria shares: The spiritual path is the way of surrender, the more one has faith in life and living it as an adventure, the easier it is to just accept ones journey will all of its ups and downs. In this state one is prime for awakening because he or she naturally witnesses and because of this will ride out the awkening as it comes. Then when the right time comes the hows and whys get filled in. It is very common that this will occur. This is a very natural awakening, those who are not overly left brained can simply surrender into the process and come into their higher awareness casually yet effectively. I see this happen a great deal with folks who write to me and also people I find drawn to me over the years. We are living at a time when we can easily bring forward those life experiences from the past which will gently guide and direct the awakening. Faith is really the key element to start this, when one works at boosting the soul intention by focusing on putting God first in all things, it does become quite natural to simply open up to the interior workings of spirit. While it still may be a challenge on several levels, it is one guided by grace and inner knowing... one simply knows he/she is in the right place in time and all is well. > > > As my "spontaneous sadhana" took less time then is required to study Vedanta > or the Buddhist sutras, I consider it a blessing to have been "illiterate" > regarding paths, systems, religions and Kundalini. It would have made me > compare experiences with the "norm" of the path, possibly leading to debates > and disagreements or fear of "doing it wrong", all resulting in adverse > conditions and more conditioning. As an analogy, I see paths, methods etc. > as an antidote to the damage wrought by personality-based society. Many > antidotes are poisonous themselves when taken in excess > > Jan > > ------ > To from this mailing list, or to change your subscription > to digest, go to the ONElist web site, at and > select the User Center link from the menu bar on the left. -- Enter The Silence to Know God ... and... accept life as the teacher. Gloria Joy Greco e-mail me at : lodpress and visit our homepages at: http://users.intercomm.com/larryn/ & http://www.freeyellow.com/members/zg888/ Hope you enjoy them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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