Guest guest Posted October 21, 1999 Report Share Posted October 21, 1999 At 09:41 AM 10/21/99 -0400, you wrote: >"Linda Callanan" <shastra > > >Hello Satsanghers: Dan: Hello Linda ... > >If you don't mind I would appreciate some thoughts/opinions on a >conversation I had last evening. A friend mentioned that her yoga teacher >who naturally is non-dualistic will no longer use phrases "like God Bless >You", will not speak of SatGurus or anything that separates him from being >God. This approach to spirituality seems to be giving her a bit of a >problem as she knows that we are in essence God but also feels that God is >more than she. D: There is only "what is", "Truth", "God", "One" or "Brahman" -- "what is" functions as love, always giving all of itself to itself - only always Itself. Whatever is spoken from "what is" awareness is Love itself speaking. So the importance is the awareness. If "God bless you" is spoken from love-awareness, then All is well :-) Please let's be careful in looking at this - decisions beforehand that "I will only speak this way" or "I will never speak that way" seem to involve the illusory separated self in planning what will or won't express from "what is"... Speaking freely from "what is" -- who is to say beforehand how that Love will express, what words will be used, how It will arise? Criticizing One for speaking whatever arises from the heart of love-awareness, such criticism is based on what? > >I look at it as one still has a need of God's grace and the SatGuru's >blessings until there is no longer any ego perception of "I", "Mine" etc. >Until one no longer has to think "I am God" or "I am One" because he simply >is just "that". Absolutely! "What is" has no need to sit around the house, sipping tea, thinking blissful thoughts such as "I am One,I am All" and also has no need to hear such thoughts from mortals. > >There is probably no 'right' or 'wrong' answer to this but since most of us >believe in the 'oneness' of our souls I was curious as to how my fellow >satsangher's feel about the role that grace, God, Guru plays out on their >journey. Grace, God, Self *is* the journey, is the journeyer, is the destination, and is the Show seen along the roadside! --- with love, Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 1999 Report Share Posted October 21, 1999 >"Dan Berkow, PhD" <berkowd > >At 09:41 AM 10/21/99 -0400, you wrote: >>"Linda Callanan" <shastra >> >> >>Hello Satsanghers: > >Dan: Hello Linda ... >> >>If you don't mind I would appreciate some thoughts/opinions on a >>conversation I had last evening. A friend mentioned that her yoga teacher >>who naturally is non-dualistic will no longer use phrases "like God Bless >>You", will not speak of SatGurus or anything that separates him from being >>God. This approach to spirituality seems to be giving her a bit of a >>problem as she knows that we are in essence God but also feels that God is >>more than she. > >D: There is only "what is", "Truth", "God", "One" or "Brahman" -- "what >is" functions as love, always giving all of itself to itself - only always >Itself. Whatever is spoken from "what is" awareness is Love itself >speaking. So the importance is the awareness. If "God bless you" is >spoken from love-awareness, then All is well :-) Please let's be careful >in looking at this - decisions beforehand that "I will only speak this way" >or "I will never speak that way" seem to involve the illusory separated >self in planning what will or won't express from "what is"... Speaking >freely from "what is" -- who is to say beforehand how that Love will >express, what words will be used, how It will arise? Criticizing One for >speaking whatever arises from the heart of love-awareness, such criticism >is based on what? Glo: Agreeing with Dan is always a safe bet. The only additional thought I had was to wonder if your friend's dilemma is really about God or being comfortable to differ in opinion from her yoga teacher. If s/he has put the teacher on some pedestal tell them to put Dan there. Kidding, yet I am truly in awe of so many people who are "God appearing here to bless me" and I know the Grace of "that happening" well ... still you might tell her it's just ok for her to realize that the yoga teacher may not be perfect and all wise, etc so what?... When we start expecting anyone to like "be something other than human" ..its our mistake, not theirs. Even if the teacher seems to be wanting to make this point of view into a belief, this can be turned into an opportunity for your friend to drop having such right/wrong expectations of others AND herself in matters of relative unimportance. My fall back position is that I'd rather be happy than right. If what this is about is just a matter of choice of words, how important is that? >> >>I look at it as one still has a need of God's grace and the SatGuru's >>blessings until there is no longer any ego perception of "I", "Mine" etc. >>Until one no longer has to think "I am God" or "I am One" because he simply >>is just "that". > >Absolutely! "What is" has no need to sit around the house, sipping tea, >thinking blissful thoughts such as "I am One,I am All" and also has no >need to hear such thoughts from mortals. Darn, I just love to sit around the house sipping tea and thinking blissful thoughts. Glo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 22, 1999 Report Share Posted October 22, 1999 >D: There is only "what is", "Truth", "God", "One" or "Brahman" -- "what >is" functions as love, always giving all of itself to itself - only always >Itself. Whatever is spoken from "what is" awareness is Love itself >speaking. So the importance is the awareness. If "God bless you" is >spoken from love-awareness, then All is well :-) Please let's be careful >in looking at this - decisions beforehand that "I will only speak this way" >or "I will never speak that way" seem to involve the illusory separated >self in planning what will or won't express from "what is"... Speaking >freely from "what is" -- who is to say beforehand how that Love will >express, what words will be used, how It will arise? Criticizing One for >speaking whatever arises from the heart of love-awareness, such criticism >is based on what? Speaking of 'what is' functioning as love moves right into the other issue with which my friend was concerned....she feels no compassion or love coming from this person at all. I would definitely agree with you that 'what is' can only function as love. As we journey through life it appears that everyone is searching for love on what ever level is appropriate to the consciousness. Sometimes though when one moves into the journey of spiritual seeking and begins to be aware of the detachment of 'unconditional love' the ego will lead one to a stance of being 'above' having to interact with love on a personal level. I'm not sure what one bases criticism of others for speaking from the heart of love-awareness on but it appears to me that such criticism is the root of much of the violence between religions. >Grace, God, Self *is* the journey, is the journeyer, is the destination, >and is the Show seen along the roadside! I like that......and what a Show it is. --- with love, Dan Thank you for responding. Namaste, Linda All paths go somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights, perceptions, and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and subside back into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not different than the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of the nature of Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always Present. It is Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart to be the Finality of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the Truth of Self-Knowledge, spontaneously arising from within into It Self. Welcome all to a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 22, 1999 Report Share Posted October 22, 1999 Hi Gloria, Your point about not agreeing with the teacher is a good one.....this teacher has a need for his pedestal and tolerates no disagreement unless he is in the mood for philosophical argument. My friend has reached a point where she knows it is alright to disagree. That freedom is allowing her to explore her own views and awareness. After moving from the Judeo/Christian system of being separate from God to the non-duality of yoga she is now working to find her own truth. >Glo: Agreeing with Dan is always a safe bet. The only additional thought >I had was to wonder if your friend's dilemma is really about God or being >comfortable to differ in opinion from her yoga teacher. If s/he has put the >teacher on some pedestal tell them to put Dan there. Kidding, yet I am truly >in awe of so many people who are "God appearing here to bless me" and I know >the Grace of "that happening" well ... still you might tell her it's just ok >for her to realize that the yoga teacher may not be perfect and all wise, >etc so what?... When we start expecting anyone to like "be something other >than human" ..its our mistake, not theirs. Even if the teacher seems to be >wanting to make this point of view into a belief, this can be turned into an >opportunity for your friend to drop having such right/wrong expectations of >others AND herself in matters of relative unimportance. My fall back >position is that I'd rather be happy than right. If what this is about is >just a matter of choice of words, how important is that? What a peaceful world this could be if we all chose happy over right. Every day I see more and more what a play of consciousness this world actually is...if it's all a fictional play 'right' becomes simply an interpretative act. >> >>I look at it as one still has a need of God's grace and the SatGuru's >>blessings until there is no longer any ego perception of "I", "Mine" etc. >>Until one no longer has to think "I am God" or "I am One" because he simply >>is just "that". > >Absolutely! "What is" has no need to sit around the house, sipping tea, >thinking blissful thoughts such as "I am One,I am All" and also has no >need to hear such thoughts from mortals. Darn, I just love to sit around the house sipping tea and thinking blissful thoughts. Glo Thank you for your insights. Namaste, Linda All paths go somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights, perceptions, and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and subside back into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not different than the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of the nature of Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always Present. It is Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart to be the Finality of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the Truth of Self-Knowledge, spontaneously arising from within into It Self. Welcome all to a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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