Guest guest Posted February 16, 2000 Report Share Posted February 16, 2000 I read Arjuna Nick Ardagh's new book, How About Now? Satsang with Arjuna. He's in the lineage of Ramana and Papaji, but he speaks for himself. You don't get the feeling Arjuna's trying to be someone else or to speak as though he were those guys. A lot of people are familiar with Arjuna's first book, Relaxing Into Clear Seeing. I hear it recommended all the time. How About Now? is another book that will push people to the next level. Here's an excerpt or two that I really like: "In the 1960's, when (spiritual) teachers first arrived, there was no way for us to have direct realization. It was next to impossible. You could listen to the right words and repeat them verbatim, but it was not possible until a few years ago to sit firmly in the realization that 'I am awareness, infinite and eternal.' Such realizations were not happening for ordinary Westerners, or at most very fleetingly. The consciousness began to shift in our culture in this decade, in the 1990's. Now, if we seek out teachings of awakening, they are mostly being shared by ordinary Westerners -- people just like you and me. There are very few Indian teachers left. These days, spiritual teachers of note ... are all Western people. There is a new generation now, and it is all up to us. The good news is that if this shift from the identification with form to being formlessness itself can happen to an ordinary Western person with children, a bank balance and the rest of it, it can happen to you, too. There is really no reason left for anyone to be a seeker." ---------- Question: Is it merely a coincidence that Awakening and the coming demise of seeking, parallel the growth of the Internet? It's a side question that some of us may care to ponder. Clearly the Internet plays a role. Without the Internet, it might be asked, would Awakenings spread so quickly and broadly? Here's some more from How About Now?: -------------- "You could come up with the most extreme reason why you think that you can't have this awakening right now: 'Well, I get irritated with my kids.' So do I. 'Well, I get anxious about my financial situation.' So do I. 'Well, when I haven't had enough sleep, I get grouchy.' So do I. "None of this is as it seems to the mind. It has nothing to do with changing anything at all. There is nothing wrong with trying to improve things...(but)...The personality can be fairly neurotic and still this realization is absolutely available to you.... There is a way that whatever is happening in your life, including the worst, can become an invitation to go even deeper into wakefulness. Suffering is probably the best way to reach depths of understanding. Suffering cuts attachment. This is profoundly good news. This is the time right now...when there can be widespread awakening." ---------------------- TWO OM's UP!! I'll quote more from the book later. Andrew Macnab and I, topping off a five hour 'lunch' replete with good food, cigars, and wine (but no women, the massage parlor was closed [laughter]) watched an Arjuna Satsang video. It was good stuff. We liked it because Arjuna is a straight-shooter and he made sense to us. He cuts right to the bone, while being gentle and humorous. We give the video, entitled Beyond Flinching, Two OM's Up. Here's Arjuna's website: http://www.livingessence.com Jerry _ NONDUALITY SALON WEBSITE http://www.nonduality.com http://welcome.to/nondualitysalon MAILING LIST //nondualitysalon HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MAILING LIST //ndhighlights PHOTOS, GRAPHICS, ARTWORK, OTHER FILES NondualitySalon/ NONDUAL PEOPLE http://www.nonduality.com/morea.htm NONDUAL DELIGHTS http://www.nonduality.com/context.htm CHAT ROOM http://www.eScribe.com/religion/nondualitysalon/chat New to Chat? http://dragon.minopher.net.au/WebEd/protocol.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2000 Report Share Posted February 17, 2000 Jerry - Thanks for sharing this. I particularly liked what he said about suffering as a doorway into insight. Very good stuff. However, I found myself noticing something I want to share. I'm sure this perspective is opinionated and unfair to all involved, but that's never stopped me before :-) There seems to be some kind of new religion forming around nonduality and Arjuna Nick is placing himself as one of the gurus, along with Gangaji, and many others. It's apparently a very reassuring religion. You don't have to do anything. Just learn the lingo. Talk the talk. It's very complacent. You can be your neurotic self. Just tell yourself no effort is involved, so why change anything? Just tell yourself you are pure awareness. Just say you're enlightened because everyone is enlightened just as they are. Then go on the same way. The new religion has a lot of potential. It's great for people who want an easy answer. They can learn key phrases like "I am That" and go on their way, reassured that all is well. I find such reassurance limiting. And from what I've seen of life, such answers don't ultimately "answer" anything, not even for the ones offering them. My perception: easy answers don't appeal. Neither do complex answers. Only questions that deepen until questioning turns into something else... silent reverberating beyond questions or answers. And this yet deepens... The neurotic patterns that I observe are endless repetitions of reactions and beliefs. Saying "I'm enlightened" while continuing to repeat the patterns of perception in terms of the past is meaningless. The past is inherent in the body-mind. Its effect isn't ended by talking the talk or by ignoring it. The work of awareness is ongoing throughout the body-mind system. Although this work is effortless and involves no "me" center, it's urgent and involves all of who one is. Easy answers become an avoidance of the "repetition of thought forms" that is the complacent status-quo. Replacing an old status-quo with a new nondual status-quo doesn't resolve the pattern. Perhaps because it is so easy to talk, people can convince themselves that by talking the talk, that's all that's needed. No - a real breakthrough is involved. Something breaks through the boundaries, shatters the expectations, renders the repetitive cycles invalid. It's challenging and with depth, not superficial and complacent. Breaking with the past involves one's whole being, and isn't something that can be taught. It's the movement of Life itself. I'm sorry for talking about this so much. My apologies. All that is expressed is another opinion, another point of view. No point of view is ultimately "right" or "correct". It's exactly as Lao Tzu said, the more one talks, the further off one is. Love, Dan At 09:52 PM 2/16/00 -0400, you wrote: >umbada (Jerry M. Katz) > >I read Arjuna Nick Ardagh's new book, How About Now? Satsang >with Arjuna. He's in the lineage of Ramana and Papaji, but >he speaks for himself. You don't get the feeling Arjuna's >trying to be someone else or to speak as though he were >those guys. > >A lot of people are familiar with Arjuna's first book, >Relaxing Into Clear Seeing. I hear it recommended all the >time. How About Now? is another book that will push people >to the next level. > >Here's an excerpt or two that I really like: > >"In the 1960's, when (spiritual) teachers first arrived, >there was no way for us to have direct realization. It was >next to impossible. You could listen to the right words and >repeat them verbatim, but it was not possible until a few >years ago to sit firmly in the realization that 'I am >awareness, infinite and eternal.' Such realizations were not >happening for ordinary Westerners, or at most very >fleetingly. The consciousness began to shift in our culture >in this decade, in the 1990's. Now, if we seek out teachings >of awakening, they are mostly being shared by ordinary >Westerners -- people just like you and me. There are very >few Indian teachers left. These days, spiritual teachers of >note ... are all Western people. There is a new generation >now, and it is all up to us. The good news is that if this >shift from the identification with form to being >formlessness itself can happen to an ordinary Western person >with children, a bank balance and the rest of it, it can >happen to you, too. There is really no reason left for >anyone to be a seeker." > >---------- > >Question: Is it merely a coincidence that Awakening and the >coming demise of seeking, parallel the growth of the >Internet? It's a side question that some of us may care to >ponder. Clearly the Internet plays a role. Without the >Internet, it might be asked, would Awakenings spread so >quickly and broadly? > >Here's some more from How About Now?: > >-------------- > >"You could come up with the most extreme reason why you >think that you can't have this awakening right now: 'Well, I >get irritated with my kids.' So do I. 'Well, I get anxious >about my financial situation.' So do I. 'Well, when I >haven't had enough sleep, I get grouchy.' So do I. > >"None of this is as it seems to the mind. It has nothing to >do with changing anything at all. There is nothing wrong >with trying to improve things...(but)...The personality can >be fairly neurotic and still this realization is absolutely >available to you.... There is a way that whatever is >happening in your life, including the worst, can become an >invitation to go even deeper into wakefulness. Suffering is >probably the best way to reach depths of understanding. >Suffering cuts attachment. This is profoundly good news. >This is the time right now...when there can be widespread >awakening." >---------------------- > >TWO OM's UP!! > >I'll quote more from the book later. Andrew Macnab and I, >topping off a five hour 'lunch' replete with good food, >cigars, and wine (but no women, the massage parlor was >closed [laughter]) watched an Arjuna Satsang video. It was >good stuff. We liked it because Arjuna is a straight-shooter >and he made sense to us. He cuts right to the bone, while >being gentle and humorous. We give the video, entitled >Beyond Flinching, Two OM's Up. > >Here's Arjuna's website: > >http://www.livingessence.com > >Jerry >_ >NONDUALITY SALON > >WEBSITE >http://www.nonduality.com >http://welcome.to/nondualitysalon > >MAILING LIST >//nondualitysalon > >HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MAILING LIST >//ndhighlights > >PHOTOS, GRAPHICS, ARTWORK, OTHER FILES >NondualitySalon/ > >NONDUAL PEOPLE >http://www.nonduality.com/morea.htm > >NONDUAL DELIGHTS >http://www.nonduality.com/context.htm > >CHAT ROOM >http://www.eScribe.com/religion/nondualitysalon/chat >New to Chat? >http://dragon.minopher.net.au/WebEd/protocol.htm > > >--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- > >Get what you deserve with NextCard Visa. ZERO. Rates as low as 0.0 >percent Intro APR, online balance transfers, Rewards Points, no hidden >fees, and much more. Get NextCard today and get the credit you deserve. >Apply now! Get your NextCard Visa at ><a href=" http://clickme./ad/NextcardCreative6 ">Click Here</a> > >------ > >// > >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. > >To from this list, go to the ONElist web site, at > www., and select the User Center link from the menu bar > on the left. This menu will also let you change your subscription > between digest and normal mode. > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2000 Report Share Posted February 17, 2000 "Dan Berkow, PhD" wrote: Breaking with the past involves > one's whole being, and isn't > something that can be taught. > It's the movement of Life itself. > > I'm sorry for talking about this so much. > My apologies. > All that is expressed is another opinion, > another point of view. > No point of view is ultimately "right" or > "correct". > It's exactly as Lao Tzu said, > the more one talks, the further off one is. > > Love, > Dan > > Your apologies are accepted Dan. Lao Tzu also offers one perspective as well. He will be making a public apology for everything he has said at the summer retreat. I enticed him by suggesting he could be the main speaker. It is a typical switch and bait tactic on my part. The main event is going to be a magic show by Zenbob in which he will make the audience levitate exactly 9 inches as Jill sings the national anthem in Sanskrit (translated by Tony). Lao Tzu's apology will follow in the original Chinese. Thanks. Love Harsha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2000 Report Share Posted February 17, 2000 Well said Dan. Cannot agree more. Very well put. There is a saying in Zen called Zen-sickness. This is when someone has intergrated the teaching to the point of very clear and even insightful understanding and then start acting in a 'free' way, as if the action is based on the freedom of the non-dual condition. This is very easy to fall into. Thought can project anything -even its own demise as central headquarters - and then experience this projection as not of itself. This is psuedo freedom. Just another projection. I get the impression that there are rather many of these projections doing the round and sincerely believing they are 'it'. As such it is just another form of identification with thought. My sense is that when identification with thought as an entire living condition has been transcended, no more falling back into the fragmented vision of the thought-condition, in any respect, is possible. Thought and conditioning may still arise, but in such freedom they have lost their reality factor, so that they can be seen, recognised and intelligently used by the free condition as and when necessary. The free condition of being is not without intelligence. It stands truly free to make use of all or any human potential for its functioning and is in no way directed, given order or implied in any way by the condition of thought-reality which is the functional reality of the dualistic state. Your brother in the Dharma, Moller Dan Berkow, PhD <berkowd < > 17 February 2000 04:40 Re: Arjuna - 1 >"Dan Berkow, PhD" <berkowd > >Jerry - > >Thanks for sharing this. I particularly >liked what he said about suffering >as a doorway into insight. Very good >stuff. > >However, I found myself noticing something >I want to share. I'm sure this perspective >is opinionated and unfair to all involved, >but that's never stopped me before :-) > >There seems to be some kind of new religion forming around >nonduality and Arjuna Nick is placing himself as one of the gurus, >along with Gangaji, and many others. > >It's apparently a very reassuring religion. >You don't have to do anything. >Just learn the lingo. >Talk the talk. >It's very complacent. >You can be your neurotic self. >Just tell yourself no effort is involved, > so why change anything? >Just tell yourself you are pure awareness. >Just say you're enlightened because everyone > is enlightened just as they are. >Then go on the same way. > >The new religion has a lot of potential. >It's great for people who want an easy >answer. They can learn key phrases >like "I am That" and go on their >way, reassured that all is well. > >I find such reassurance limiting. >And from what I've seen of life, > such answers don't ultimately "answer" > anything, not even for the ones offering them. >My perception: easy answers don't appeal. >Neither do complex answers. >Only questions that deepen until > questioning turns into something else... > silent reverberating beyond questions or answers. > And this yet deepens... > >The neurotic patterns that I observe > are endless repetitions of reactions > and beliefs. >Saying "I'm enlightened" while > continuing to repeat the patterns > of perception in terms of the past > is meaningless. >The past is inherent in the body-mind. >Its effect isn't ended by talking the talk > or by ignoring it. >The work of awareness is ongoing > throughout the body-mind system. >Although this work is effortless > and involves no "me" center, it's > urgent and involves all of who one is. > >Easy answers become an avoidance of the > "repetition of thought forms" > that is the complacent status-quo. >Replacing an old status-quo with a new > nondual status-quo doesn't resolve the pattern. > >Perhaps because it is so easy to talk, > people can convince themselves > that by talking the talk, that's > all that's needed. >No - a real breakthrough is involved. >Something breaks through the boundaries, > shatters the expectations, renders > the repetitive cycles invalid. >It's challenging and with depth, not > superficial and complacent. > >Breaking with the past involves > one's whole being, and isn't > something that can be taught. >It's the movement of Life itself. > >I'm sorry for talking about this so much. >My apologies. >All that is expressed is another opinion, >another point of view. >No point of view is ultimately "right" or > "correct". >It's exactly as Lao Tzu said, >the more one talks, the further off one is. > >Love, >Dan > >At 09:52 PM 2/16/00 -0400, you wrote: >>umbada (Jerry M. Katz) >> >>I read Arjuna Nick Ardagh's new book, How About Now? Satsang >>with Arjuna. He's in the lineage of Ramana and Papaji, but >>he speaks for himself. You don't get the feeling Arjuna's >>trying to be someone else or to speak as though he were >>those guys. >> >>A lot of people are familiar with Arjuna's first book, >>Relaxing Into Clear Seeing. I hear it recommended all the >>time. How About Now? is another book that will push people >>to the next level. >> >>Here's an excerpt or two that I really like: >> >>"In the 1960's, when (spiritual) teachers first arrived, >>there was no way for us to have direct realization. It was >>next to impossible. You could listen to the right words and >>repeat them verbatim, but it was not possible until a few >>years ago to sit firmly in the realization that 'I am >>awareness, infinite and eternal.' Such realizations were not >>happening for ordinary Westerners, or at most very >>fleetingly. The consciousness began to shift in our culture >>in this decade, in the 1990's. Now, if we seek out teachings >>of awakening, they are mostly being shared by ordinary >>Westerners -- people just like you and me. There are very >>few Indian teachers left. These days, spiritual teachers of >>note ... are all Western people. There is a new generation >>now, and it is all up to us. The good news is that if this >>shift from the identification with form to being >>formlessness itself can happen to an ordinary Western person >>with children, a bank balance and the rest of it, it can >>happen to you, too. There is really no reason left for >>anyone to be a seeker." >> >>---------- >> >>Question: Is it merely a coincidence that Awakening and the >>coming demise of seeking, parallel the growth of the >>Internet? It's a side question that some of us may care to >>ponder. Clearly the Internet plays a role. Without the >>Internet, it might be asked, would Awakenings spread so >>quickly and broadly? >> >>Here's some more from How About Now?: >> >>-------------- >> >>"You could come up with the most extreme reason why you >>think that you can't have this awakening right now: 'Well, I >>get irritated with my kids.' So do I. 'Well, I get anxious >>about my financial situation.' So do I. 'Well, when I >>haven't had enough sleep, I get grouchy.' So do I. >> >>"None of this is as it seems to the mind. It has nothing to >>do with changing anything at all. There is nothing wrong >>with trying to improve things...(but)...The personality can >>be fairly neurotic and still this realization is absolutely >>available to you.... There is a way that whatever is >>happening in your life, including the worst, can become an >>invitation to go even deeper into wakefulness. Suffering is >>probably the best way to reach depths of understanding. >>Suffering cuts attachment. This is profoundly good news. >>This is the time right now...when there can be widespread >>awakening." >>---------------------- >> >>TWO OM's UP!! >> >>I'll quote more from the book later. Andrew Macnab and I, >>topping off a five hour 'lunch' replete with good food, >>cigars, and wine (but no women, the massage parlor was >>closed [laughter]) watched an Arjuna Satsang video. It was >>good stuff. We liked it because Arjuna is a straight-shooter >>and he made sense to us. He cuts right to the bone, while >>being gentle and humorous. We give the video, entitled >>Beyond Flinching, Two OM's Up. >> >>Here's Arjuna's website: >> >>http://www.livingessence.com >> >>Jerry >>_ >>NONDUALITY SALON >> >>WEBSITE >>http://www.nonduality.com >>http://welcome.to/nondualitysalon >> >>MAILING LIST >>//nondualitysalon >> >>HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MAILING LIST >>//ndhighlights >> >>PHOTOS, GRAPHICS, ARTWORK, OTHER FILES >>NondualitySalon/ >> >>NONDUAL PEOPLE >>http://www.nonduality.com/morea.htm >> >>NONDUAL DELIGHTS >>http://www.nonduality.com/context.htm >> >>CHAT ROOM >>http://www.eScribe.com/religion/nondualitysalon/chat >>New to Chat? >>http://dragon.minopher.net.au/WebEd/protocol.htm >> >> >>--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- >> >>Get what you deserve with NextCard Visa. ZERO. Rates as low as 0.0 >>percent Intro APR, online balance transfers, Rewards Points, no hidden >>fees, and much more. Get NextCard today and get the credit you deserve. >>Apply now! Get your NextCard Visa at >><a href=" http://clickme./ad/NextcardCreative6 ">Click Here</a> >> >>------ >> >>// >> >>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. >> >>To from this list, go to the ONElist web site, at >> www., and select the User Center link from >the menu bar >> on the left. This menu will also let you change your >subscription >> between digest and normal mode. >> >> >> >> >> > > >--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- > >GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9 percent >Intro or 9.9 percent Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! ><a href=" http://clickme./ad/NextcardCreative4 ">Click Here</a> > >------ > >// > >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. > >To from this list, go to the ONElist web site, at > www., and select the User Center link from the menu bar > on the left. This menu will also let you change your subscription > between digest and normal mode. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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