Seth Ananda

I think Chuck Norris did it

Lol these are great. I can't wait to try some and get slapped here's mine.. "hey babe, If the universe is nothing but the emptiness of Yin Receiving the Fullness of yang, that pretty much means everything is fucking,... So why don't we?"

Me

He was an Impotent voyeur hooked on Valium. there was very little tantric about him which is my main gripe with him as he said that he was a Tantric master and some how has become the Bench mark for 'Tantra' in the west. and all the tantra is about a 1 hour orgasm stuff pretty much comes straight from his students in poona. Also the Exstasy trade pretty much first started from his students. They used to spike the punch with E so that everyone could -Feel- the radiant bliss of the master... More importantly Not a single enlightened student, but many brainwashed criminals. I would not follow him but I also still think he Kinda had a good influence in some way on the world.

In my old tradition you only usually visualised sex with divine beings as an emergency stage for rerouting sexual energy. It harnesses excessive fire quickly. things like Vase breathing and especially Bhastrica type breathing exercises will eventuate in the sexual energy Internalising and simply cycling between your balls and higher brain centre, but you have to get past the phase where the exercises really build up a massive charge of available sex energy. Usually one should do a lot of just sitting and really meditating on the Sexual energy, fully feeling it as just an energy that is fine all by it self. This really frees you from thinking that because sexual energy is there that you have to or need to 'do' something with it. I highly recommend this exercise as it helps learn patients with sexual energy which also makes you a much better less 'graspy' lover.... If you are choosing to expend some of your energy that way and you can also learn ejaculation control... (just edited an abundance of grammatical and spelling errors.)

Hehehee I have often wondered about this possibility. My only question then would be how does that explain the minds true nature's level of controll over events and even matter itself? The experiences of it says it is behind and interpenetrates all matter... Although the experience isn't fully dualistic either as It always feels like it is me/everything in a cosmic kind of way - or better said that Its wisdom that is so much greater than mine, is somehow my potential Wisdom...

Lol, thanks dude. But... I think Here it is just one persons word over Another. You cannot proove that it is reincarnated Brahmas any more that I can proove that it is God. I have to trust my experience and keep looking as well to see if the experience changes. I have spent the last 16 years learning how see the Light behind everything and how to relate to the consciousness within it. Can you see how the Light Intersects with form and actually flows into it and in a different way supports it very existence? Can you draw the light from something thus destroying its existence? I did this last week to a mole that went dodgy on my back. It dried and went crumbly then fell off over 3 days. Can you Find this light any time you want anywhere and study/relate/play with it and feel it literally behind everything always? I can and you may be able to as well but You cant proove that your Interpretation of it is Truer that mine. My argument is that All (at least theistic) mystics see and relate with the same experience. I easily talk with Sufi's, Hasids, Kabbalists, Alchemists, Hermetisists, Christian contemplatives, and when we come to the actual experiences we all Know exactly what each other talking about and recognise Immediately any brother or Sister that has the Light in them. So my theory that this intelligent light is actually just part of the structure of the universe, like Air, or carbon, But yes is also Inherently empty, completely subject to dependent origination and does not for a second contradict any of the theory of Buddhism as long as Kept within the realm of Relative truth with all the other tangible things that seem to exist but don't really. The Idea still makes me giggle Lol, Yep. Thats the Kashmir Shavite God view, but it also includes being Omnipresent, foundation of the universe and completely transcendent. The universes are Its play, and we are it in our true nature playing with ourself. Being All powerfull means we can do that A completely Fixed Unmoving God is basicly Impotent and stupid and could never cause such an amazing universe. Thats not me trying to insult Advaita, that what the Trika texts say. They spent as much time arguing the with the advaitins as they did with the Buddhists

Hi Xabir. There are many views of God of course, Fixed, Not Fixed, plural, Singular... In Kashmir Shavism God is not seen as Unchanging and unmoving otherwise How would 'He' be Omnipotent? God is seen as an Ultimate Active principle full of Intelligence and Life and Creativity. Thats what I mean by God and that is the experience I have and countless other Mystics have. That's why my slow painful conversion to Buddhism was so difficult, because I know and have a relationship with God yet Buddhism has no room for God in Ultimate truth. The Funny thing is that No matter how much I look at E&D.O. and apply it to God - and It fits perfectly- God is still there. Something like this: Tune in to Divine energy, Divine Energy Increases, Ohh obviously subject to change, change is impermanence, empty and ultimately unsatisfying, lacking Inherent existence, wow God too.., "Hi God", God says "Hi Seth ", Seth says "Do you know that if you are constantly changing you lack inherent existence and aren't Ultimatly real?" God says "Sure but you always know where to find me old friend" and I am like "Damn Its true isn't it" I will always have the experience of God available at a thoughts distance, God just laughs...

Heheh, I just asked this over at Dharma Overground: One of the Things I have been wondering about now Is Relative and Ultimate truth. Is it possible that God/universal Being is in the domain of Relative truth? The Idea really gives me a giggle... I am asking this partly because I and many Mystics from Other traditions have the experience of relating with an Intelligent force that 'Seems' to be behind all events and the universe. My old tradition, Kashmir Shavism, says God Is an Active creative principle that is and is also behind everything. This made it very easy to apply Emptiness and Dependent Origination teachings to 'Him' as 'he' is seen as interacting with everything... The Musing I am having now is that although what I and many others have called God is changing and thus Impermanent and (in an absolute truth sense) Empty, but the experience is real and on going (in a reletive truth sense) just like the experience of having a body or seeming to have a 'self'. lol, Could what some people call God actually be just part of the universe, as much as tables, dirt and sky are part of the universe, yet still completely subject to the teachings of Absolute Truth, Lacking inherent existence, dependently originated and ultimately unsatisfying? This probably sounds strange but I have been applying these ideas, seeing the states I have access to in the light of E & D.O. and yet I still 'Know' exactly where this 'Being' is in the universe, just the same way I 'Know' where my hand is after meditating on my Bodys E&D.O. What do you think? There it is, so what do you think? Could A slightly better explained version of this Let 'God' or some underlying 'Principle' or foundation Exist the way my 'Hand' exists In relative truth Yet still Not be the Absolute Truths of Emptiness and Dependent Origination... (E&D.O.) Still Giggling...

I am not really following you here Vajrahridaya, Your giving me a bunch of examples saying that consciousness is changing with the content but I am not seeing it. If all consciousness (not awareness as that happens within consciousness and I agree is dependently tied to what it is aware off... (states, levels of clarity...)) does is experience what is happening how does that mean it is Changing? It looks to me like the only stuff changing is the stuff inside it. And when you say how aware we are or not of consciousness is affecting consciousness itself, to me that seems ridiculous. We are the ones needing to enlighten not Consciousness. Please give Better/Shorter/succinct arguments please. And another side question. Space in Buddhism? Is it at all like Consciousness? Thank you

I am a great Fan Of Namkai Norbu by the way. I went to a transmission of his when I was younger and hadnt really heard of him and I had a full blown experience of encompassing most of the city block. I could see everyone from kind of like everywhere in the building out of the building, in the gardens, car park, the street, the trees, cars... I would watch people walk up the street turn up the path enter the foyer and turn into the Hall we were in and then I would check with my eyes as they came in to make sure it was the same, and it was. Exactly. Been a fan ever since. Some of the Kashmir Shavite exercises are brilliant for producing this as well

Yes, Siddha Yoga... it has real shaktipat, it follows the teachings of Abhinavagupta and Kshemaraja, has many scholars of the Kaula tradition, some of the most important ones on earth in fact that practice it. So incomplete? That would be your opinion. Swami Muktananda started practicing the practices of the Tantraloka in secret towards the end of his life, but fully taught the 36 tattvas and the teachings of the Shiva Sutras. He had incredible Siddhi's and realization, etc. He was a great yogi of high realization within the Shaivite system. But you are entitled to your opinion. Sorry Vajrahridaya I dont know how to do the proper quote thingy. Yes It does have proper Shaktipat, my first teacher within the tradition was Authorised and taught to give it by Muktananda and he taught and Authorised me to do the same. Interestingly The source or Connector for Shaktipat as given By Muktananda is Muktananda's guru Nityananda. Nityananda was not a Kashmir shavite. Muktananda Loved the Shavite teachings and did a lot to spread awareness of the teachings as he felt they mirrored his experiences closley. Nevertheless His base was in the strongly Vedic view of the universe as taught by Nityananda. He never had a Kashmir Shavite teacher and worked it out as best he could just reading the texts. This is why I said he has an Incomplete understanding of Kashmir Shavism. He did meet Swami Lakshmanjoo and they loved each other but that does not equal a complete understanding of the system. And I dissagree with you saying that consciousness changes with the content. Consciousness is the Field the content happens in. Anything can happen in side it but consciousness remains the same, just simply experiencing whatever is within it. My argument for this is that we are Conscious 'of' something which Implies a separation from the content. In the process of realising Turiya one sets about to regain awareness of consciousness in all its states. Often one starts with dreams as its easier there to hold awareness of consciousness than the next stage - Unconsciousness and deep sleep. It is only unconscious from the point of view of the waking state which cant really remember even much of sleep let alone Deep sleep or unconsciousness. So you can remain Conscious right through waking, dreaming, deep sleep and so called un-consciousness. And in all these States Consciousness does what it always does - Just is aware of everything that is happening. Without changing. Just because you from the limited waking state perspective cant remember being conscious in the other states doesn't mean that you are not, or that consciousness is some how Changing. My example should cover that of the dream memory you loose as you awaken. Here you were obviously conscious in the dream and had just enough to know it was there at awakening but lost the memory of it nonetheless. If Turiya was established you would loose no memory of anything, ever. And all the content would be continuously changing within everlasting consciousness And I too talk with Gods and Goddesses, and Saints, and Bodhisattvas, and to my Inner being but the difference I feel as to when I Focus my attention On God, capital G, Parama Shiva, The Whole... I know who I am talking too and I know who Talks back. It is completely different. So your answer doesnt cut it for me... And say for argument sake That it did, why would a Bodhisattva (promoting a universe without an underlying Deity) pretend to be God? wouldnt it be far more Enlightening for me, if he didnt answer thus showing me the truth that there is no God. Its like saying that you me and gold are having a conversation and I ask you a question and Gold steps in the way and pretends to be you and answers himself. Sorry I don't buy it.

Lol, I think you should fly to Italy and tell Namkai how he is 'suposed' to act. Gold, you are good for a laugh and sometimes have nuggets of Gold (good sized ones) among your diatribes, but sometimes you just sound like you stopped taking your Medication recently . Mind you I have noticed the Insecurity you mentioned in the Dzogchen community's. I think this is because the people involved are glad that they are in what they are told is the Highest teaching and yet are fully aware that they dont really understand it and are worried that they are doing it 'wrong' - It is supossed to be an Instant awakening path but they know they are not awake... How come I cant walk through walls or rainbow body yet? It is supposed to be the easiest thing in the world... that creates a lot of second guessing oneself. Its not my place to tell you how to act and please continue if its really satisfying for you, but I do think you would probably have much better conversations with others if you stopped calling everyone Morons and Idiots and dick heads. Also everyone can get a bit preachy at times but you often manage to take it to whole new levels... I think you know what i am talking about. anyway have fun.

First, who was your teacher in Kashmir Shavism? were you raised in India? I am just looking for a background for understanding as there are many schools in the west with an Incomplete understanding of K.S. Such as Siddah Yoga. You experience Dependent origination within consciousness but Consciousness itself doesn't change. You say we were not always conscious but are you talking about Consciousness itself or the present individual content within Consciousness? Before you answer that too quickly, Have you ever had a dream that was amazing and that you wanted to hold but felt it slipping away as you woke up no matter how much you wanted to remember it? Could this be a nightly microcosm of the experience at birth and death? Consciousness Itself does not Change during this experience. Only its content. Oneness which Buddhism seems to deny. Have you ever merged with a lover during Lovemaking, experiencing fully being them...? what about the universe? If there is no foundation of oneness for the unitive experience how can It be experienced? And a bigger question for me again is about the experience of Personal relationship with Divinity. Buddhism cant even come close to Answering this one but the Experience is real. In deep prayer, where does the guidance come from? where does the decent of Grace and the miracles it bring come from? when we listen enough to allow God to speak to us, who's voice do we hear - And we do hear a voice. You cant easily write off these experiences had by millions of mystics within the Theistic traditions. Have you had any of these experiences? For me Kashmir Shavism is still the only tradition I have found that can answer all these questions... Funnily enough I love Buddhism and plan to spend the next 10 years or so studying Dependent Origination and trying to realise emptiness. To me it seems like the most brilliant and achievable system available. I actually have faith now that I can achieve Enlightenment in this life My Kashmir Shavite teacher is too far away for real consistent guidance (in Delhi) even with regular Phone calls and Email. And there is no support of a Sangha here.

Not always true. You should meet the types that the Dalai Lama and his monks hangs out with.Many are the ultra rich who pay millions to fund there trips out here, and put them in mansions for there stay and feed them while they do there Dharma work here. I know one woman who does just this. She is so wealthy it is not funny, and she is filled with Vampiristic neediness, selfishness... well she is one of the worst people i know. I know murderers who are nicer people than Her. But you should see the unlimited Kindness and tolerance and patience the monks show her over the sometimes Month or two that they stay with her. And when they leave she looks 15 years younger and becomes a much nicer person for a period, yet the monks seem as happy as ever... Loving kindness just charges up the circuits and pumps out good vibes. A practitioner is deliberately sending out the good vibes to anyone, vampire or not and is happy whoever gets it as the benifit and strengh of the practice is in the giving of it, not in the storing of it away...

Ok I have a question. Kashmir Shavism says that Consciousness is absolute as it is what experiences everything. Abhiniva Gupta never lost an argument with the different schools of Buddhism in Kashmir partly with this point. No matter what you say about emptyness or lack of an absolute, the Shavite simply asks "how do you know?" and the answer is Because you are conscious of it. So even if you fully realise emptiness it is still realised within Consciousness. Same with Lack of self. Same with Dependent origination. Same with any argument or philosophy anywhere. How do you know? Doesn't this Make Consciousness the Absolute structure you are trying to say does not exist? How do you Know?

Great thanks We are not Free, we are Entertained...

Charlie Is a Force to behold...

Durkhrod, you live in australia! this is the easiest place in the world to wander... you can stop by the various Dharma centres and do bits of work for them, you can beg in the city's - One 'professional bum/homeless person who sits down in dirty clothes on the street in Melbourne sometimes makes 1500 in a day. If you wore your monk robes sitting there you would rake it in... And you could then give what you dont need to those who do. Seriously go overseas for the fun if you want but really, every thing is here. I wandered for years in Aus. It was awesome Enjoy!

Hi. This my martial art. Marco Vesse learned from Master Yang (in sydney) who teaches Yang Mian which is master Yangs family style of Mian Chuan. They call the various 'steel' forms steel rather than Iron because steel retains flexibility and movement but is tougher again than Iron. For instance, unlike some Iron palm techniques where the hand basicly becomes a useless truncheon of martial power, The steel hand practitioner can still for instance play guitar while he smashes bricks into dust or gently stroke his baby to sleep while also being able to poke his finger through a mans skull. Marco Vesse from what I know has simply added a bit of wing chun chi sau like exersises and some Chen style Tai chi influences to the astounding frame work of Yang Mian. Peace.

Thank you Mikaelz for such a good and prompt reply. And particularly thank you Xabir for that Ingram chapter. That is a Great article - at least for me. seriously this has been killing me... I have read the crystal and the way of light and many other of Namkhai's books. I love his one, just called Contemplation. And yes, the similarities of Dzogchen to Kashmir shavism are astounding in places. Saraha even wrote poetry including shavite sages... I also like the Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and his sons Tsoknyi rinpoche and Yongey Mingur Rinpoche. I have Daniel Ingrams book waiting for me at the store. I really cant wait to read it now. Thanks heaps everyone again.

Argh! This thread is mirroring the conversation I have having in my head the last month. I have done most of my training in Kashmir Shavism and I love it. But I really like the Dependent origination and Emptiness teachings of Buddhism as well. I have been over to 'Dharma Overground' alot as well as 'Awakening to reality' and 'Interactive Buddha' trying to Figure out what the similarities or differences are. Are the Buddhists just being stubborn trying to hold their realisation above everybody elses? Was Buddha just an Arrogant prat who barely finished 6 years of training In the vedic school (not nearly enough time to get a solid realisation of the Hindu Enlightenment) before running off and starting his own thing? Or did He really go above and beyond? If Emptiness is the ultimate reality how does anything make any sense at all? why would things rise and fall or why would things exist dependently anywhere. How does the Buddhist view explain That sense that we are meant to learn certain things at certain times? The universe to me seems have an inherent Genius in its timing of events... If there is no Intelligence guiding it how does this work? When I Commune with God/Intelligence I feel like I am communing with the very wisdom of existence and its guidance is Always right. Where is this in the Buddhist world view? Could it be Buddha mind? What about Consciousness itself? Does it contain everything it is aware of, including the experience of Emptiness and Dependent Origination? In Shavism they would say yes. Consciousness is the ground/God that all change happens on/in. Buddhism seems to be saying there is no ultimate reality, only an ultimate realisation. Please correct me if mistaken. Then I get more confused by other Buddhists. Lama Zopa said in a letter that if by 'God' you mean a being that is responsible for your happiness then that obviously does not exist as that ball is in our court. But if buy 'God' you mean an Infinite mind penetrating the universe then that "God' does exist. I really dont Know. I know my level of experience, but what level does that go too? Can you really go past having a friendship with the universe? Is it all just delusion? Emptiness meditation seems to really cut out some of the problems the Ego can get caught in. For me it is working better than anything I have come across in terms of letting go of false self, self grasping, reactions... Its really great. Also some of the Dzogchen stuff seems like it really helps get one anchored in Being in a very stable way. Sorry for this rant. I think my only option is to stay open and just practice. I really get excited studying Emptiness and Dependent Origination. I feel Like there is a real chance of realising the Nature of mind - as Emptiness- for me in this life time. And it feels like it would be a very useful realisation to gain. That's it! My new goal is to Experience the full realisation in both Schools. Then I will report back and tell you If they are compatible or not. Buddah/Brahma Bless you all and may nothing/something dispel my illusions for the sake of all sentient beings!

Not particularly worried as I grew up hunting and trapping and can pretty much survive with a small knife, a plastic bag and some string. I also know which directions to head in a disaster far enough away where nature is still alive and teeming. Yummy.

Nice point about Buddha and his students Gold, thanks. Another point is what about Jed? how many of His? He should read Halfway up the Mountain. Then again he would probably say "That's what I have been saying" without applying it to himself... Angry Intellectuals on a Spiritual Authority trip are Hilarious...

Hi every one. I am sorry if this has already been covered else where. Are they The same or Similar Techniques? John Chang and Wang Liping seem to me to be probably the most respected Masters at TTB's and their systems seem to be considered 'guaranteed learning' (if you put in the work). Are the schools open to westerners? If they are different, has anyone here studied both? Are there dodgy or fraudulent teachers to avoid?.. I have read many conflicting reports on the subject over the last year here. Thanks everyone