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Is that you? Very cool!!

c) more dots, more light. More light means swifter paces! Ready, get set... wait!

ShaktiMama, No offense taken! If you chose not to watch the clips thats fine too! Its not for adults anyway.. That which IS, according to your understanding, is Consciousness, which is you, in other words. So your Consciousness is experiencing All that is Sacred, and there is really no separation then between the Consciousness, the Sacred, and that which IS. There are really no limitations there at all are there? Every thing is contained within the Consciousness, and the the Consciousness is none other than that which IS. Is this the right way to put it? So the question here to you is what is preventing you from living and experiencing the IS now? This very moment? Who is it that imposed a separation? And who is it who can lift this imposition? Is the separation real? If it is, who then makes it real? If it is not real, again, there is really no separation then, is there? If we choose to see it as a lifetime's struggle before we can get closer to that which IS, that is the reality we give ourselves. Most people opt for this route because it is such a universally prevalent attitude. Its like if we dont suffer, we dont deserve to be free of suffering, and so we choose to live in apparent separation from that which IS in order to come back to union with that which IS after we have done enough homework.. Isnt that odd? I am sure there is a much simpler alternative, one that many will not accept because it is simply too direct. And so we carry on with our diligence, laborious and virtuous efforts, and beating ourselves silly over the heads (many see this as a productive endeavor) with an imagined baseball bat! Life can be quite funny like that.. Excellent point A7!! The key is how vulnerable is one willing to become? How much are we willing to let go, to break down our walls?

Ah! So you had a curryful (or colorful maybe?) weekend i see - how wonderful is that?!! Wasn't that much nicer that all this brain-twisting, mind-crunching talk about enlightenment? I totally agree with you that words can be so inadequate when it comes to matters concerning that which is unknowable, for once intellectualized and conceptualized, all things become known, and are therefore past. Enlightenment can never belong somewhere in the past, nor does it exist as some end we can arrive at sometime in the future. In a way, Enlightenment is to wake up, to realize the past is Now, and the future is also Now, right where we are, in this very moment. Perhaps this is the Union that so many traditions ponder and speak about since the dawn of time itself. It is so simple to let go of ding donging between the past and the future, but the bad news is most choose to hold on, for the sake of comfort and familiarity, and also out of fear and ignorance. When i was a kid, my Mom told me a very simple story, one that she hoped would help me understand how we cheat ourselves out of living a full and wonderful life. Of course i never grasped the significance of that story until much, much later, which was understandable, considering how thick i was as a child! Anyway, the story is about a little bug that lived among a huge colony of bugs on the bed of a fast- flowing river, and all their lives are spent in this one spot on the river bed, each clinging on to some weed or debris to keep from being swept away into the big unknown. From birth till near-death, all they do is cling on as tight as they could, and the only time they let go is when they die. And so this is their world. One day, this little fella began to wonder about life, and the mystery of the great beyond that must lie somewhere downstream, at some mystical place that only those who have passed on can access. So he plucked up the courage to ask the local shaman about this, much to the shaman's surprise! Oh young bug, said the shaman, 'there' is not a place you should be thinking about - that is the Great Yonder, a place that is beyond all bug understanding, and once you leave this place to venture forth, you will never ever come back here, you'd be gone forever! And the shaman went on and on, as shamans do, in discourse, on all the reasons why it is such Mystery out there. But thankfully the bug did not buy into any of the garbage that was offered up. And so the day came for him to bid farewell to all his family and friends - he told them all to 'hang tight' (forgive the pun!) - the time has arrived for the big 'let go' and in the blink of an eye, without much struggle, he simply released his grip on that which has been his life, his total security and reality. And the adventure began from that moment on, everything around him just came alive, everything! It was all just one big flow.. he was no longer separated from the current, and this appeared to give him much freedom, and he began to anticipate what great mystery awaits him at the end of his journey. On and on he drifted, until one day he happened to look down, and to his amazement, he suddenly witnessed that on the river bed, as far as his eyes could see, were other bugs just like him, all clinging on tightly to their own little piece of reality in their own little colonies. One day, just for the fun of it, he decided to stop at one of these bug worlds to see if they were any different from him. Upon descending, some of the bugs below saw him coming, and was totally awed! Wow! A god has decided to come today among our midst they thought to themselves! The chief priest was the first to make offerings and do all the rituals to idolize this amazing BUG that has manifested himself from the Great Yonder! And this little bug was totally shocked by the drama that unfolded, but he took it all in. He was worshipped and praised, and idolized, as all so-called Divine Beings are. Just before he left, he was asked to speak to the little colony, and he said to them, listen i am just the same as any one of you here - you are all 'Divine' just like me - but to realize this, the only thing that is required is for you to let go of your clinging, and then you will be free and become one with the great flow! A great silence ensued, and all became quite bewildered by these strange words that this so-called Divine Bug is uttering! They cannot comprehend why this supposedly Enlightened Bug would ask them to give up all they ever knew was their security and reality! After the speech, the chief priest gathered a few elders together, and they pondered the words of the little bug carefully, and decided that he was a false god after all, for he did not speak wisely. Yes it was blasphemy some of the elders angrily proclaimed! How dare he speaks in such an irresponsible and irreverent manner! He must be captured and crucified! They plotted and schemed, and then their plan succeeded. They caught the bug, and tried to crucify him but he overcame their devious plot because the bug had complete understanding and mastery of the workings of the river's energetic currents, and used it to his full advantage and managed to free himself. Whew! that was close, he reflected deeply, better not do that again, he sternly reminded himself as he drifted off. Some of the sympathizers below who saw him ascend the depths agreed quietly among themselves that he was a true god indeed, who had mastery over the elements, the way he ascended into the heavens! They marveled at his power, but were too afraid to take his advice, so they spent the rest of their lives clutching at the own little piece of reality. On and on he floated, unresisting, going wherever the river takes him. After many years, he still had not reached the mysterious Great Yonder. By now, he was old, and time was near for him to depart the physical world. So he then gave up all expectations of seeing this place that his shaman told him about years before. At that very moment, the realization hit him! This Great Yonder is not somewhere downstream, for it lies not outside of him, but in that very act of letting go itself... thats where its at. Aaah... peace and serenity at last! Emancipated, he no longer differentiates between his inner flow and the greater flow of the river, for there was never two sets of flows to begin with.. All the best!

Enlightenment itself is not a myth. It is very very real indeed. However, to imagine that Enlightenment is some goal that is attainable is most definitely a myth, and one that perpetuates Un-Enlightenment. When one finally exhausts oneself from chasing after that which one has never lost, and decides one no longer has the energy to pursue this elusive and illusive thing called Enlightenment, that is the moment of awakening. It is like waking up to the realization that one has been clutching a piece of burning ember one's whole life. The conscious engagement in the process of investigating oneself truthfully and peeling off all the layers of conditioned reactions and responses thru this appraisal can be called the path towards liberation. This is the hard work that one has to put in to un-learn why this piece of burning ember, even though it feels very hot and burning our hand, was after all, only a figment of our imagination, a by-product of conditioning, ignorance and delusion. It is to arrive at the understanding that indeed we can be free of this clutching at no 'thing'. If one succeeds in finally letting go even the subtlest notions of this piece of hot ember in one's grasp, then one can be considered free of delusion, which is none other than a state of Enlightenment. However, there are those who, after freeing themselves from this delusion, decide that life no longer excites them, and they then choose to return to grasping at that which they find seem to make them more 'human', that is, they choose to re-possess this 'familiar and comforting piece of hot ember', because by doing so, it makes them 'alive' and be among the 'living' - because being Enlightened is actually a lonely place to be - then one loses the Enlightenment, and return to perpetuating the wheel of Un-Enlightenment. To summarize, please watch these 3 clips that explains most clearly what Enlightenment is and is NOT. As you reflect deeply on the substance behind the words, you will leave here with a much better idea of Enlightenment. Thank you... and much blessings. All the best. PS. From what i understand, those who have awakened no longer have in them the need to use caustic language and swear words. It is very unbecoming of one who claims to be a teacher, then uses improper language to highlight points. It shows lack of taste and self-respect, and discredits the reader or listener. Absolutely unnecessary, IMO. It reflects on the teachings/system represented in more ways than one. Just an after-thought..

I will pin you down says the ego to the Self easier said than done..

Haha nice one, A7! So when are you opening this new thread eh? Cant wait! All the best!

The 'precipice' is there, pregnant with potential - if you choose to leap over/into this particular one, who can stop you? But i hope you do it with the full realization that there are always other 'gaps' available for you to explore, with slightly brighter horizons. You might succeed in your quest thru experimenting with substances, but i seriously have reservations that you would be any wiser for it. I would rather you consider the healthier and wiser alternatives - like 'killing' the ego thru analytical/meditational contemplation? Please check these clips out for the sake of reflection:-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTb2kp9Y4Is...EB&index=62 Just my thoughts. All the best!

Priceless.. beyond words!! Cheers Steve! Here's one for you.. http://becksphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2..._368_100309.jpg

Then back up again where inverted commas go with the paper clips..

http://mi9.com/datawallpaper/data/16/1235/...ize_800x600.jpg Full circle...

A contemplation that sums up the essence of spirituality: From day to day, ordinary life is filled with beginnings and endings. As each moment passes, a new one appears to take its place. Waking up in the morning, we rise and go about our ordinary activities of washing, getting dressed, eating breakfast and so on. Nothing in life stands still. Movement and change are the very essence of life and yet our normal tendency is to hold on (or cling) to the belief that everything is fixed and solid. We wish to believe that all we see is real and secure, even though our ordinary experiences tell us that nothing remains unchanged and nothing lasts forever. On the contrary, everything in the world around us is constantly falling apart and requires a great deal of maintenance and effort on our part if we wish to try and hold it together some- how, or in some other respect, to try and resist this unfolding. What happens during this process of change is the great mystery. In some traditions, this process is called "the transitional phase." This phase is the actual MOMENT OF CHANGE, occurring between the end of one phase and the beginning of the next. It is the state of flux itself, the only state that can be called 'real'. It is a condition of great power and potential within which anything could happen. It is the moment between moments. It may span an entire lifetime, like the moment between being born and dying, or it may be imperceptibly short and fleeting, like the moment between one thought and the next. Whatever its duration, however, it is a great opportunity for those who perceive it. Anyone who can be mindful of this and habitually seize this opportunity is called one who is liberated. Such a person has the power of destiny in their own hands. He or she has no need of a priest, guide, guru, teacher, or any other transmission in any shape or form to guide him or her towards the clear light of truth. He or she has gone beyond these props and have seen through all the subtlest hints of dependency. Refusing to be trapped in the false belief that all about him/her is fixed and solid, the liberated one moves with calm and graceful ease through life, confident that changes are now under his/her own directions. He/she becomes the master of change instead of being its slave. To one who fully understands this and develop some skills in its applications, the difficult uncertainties of life become no more troublesome than the intermediate state of the routine of getting up each morning, washing, getting dressed, and deciding what to have for breakfast. This should not be a problem. Similarly, between any encounter and one's reaction to it, there is a transitional phase, an intermediate space, that offers choice to those who can see it. One is no longer obliged to react on the basis of habit or prejudice. The opportunities for a fresh new approach is always present in the intermediate states for those who have learned to recognize them. Such recognition can be stabilized through the practice of mindfulness meditation, which is simply to train in the ability to see these 'gaps' and utilize the potential that lies within. This is the essential message for those who aspire towards awakening. Thats all. (From the writings of Stephen Hodge)

And as a health-conscious Chef of 20 years, i'd say your last sentence is absolutely spot on!

Farting greenhouse gas. Emitting wonderful smells my neighbor's kitchen.. ******* (A7 - it was rather challenging to remain equanimous after reading that!! Thank you! )

We devour ourselves Around the same time each year Excess indulgence.. or - We devour ourselves Around the same time each year Chew, munch, chew, munch...burrrp!

Shuffle step to three Count eighty four prayer flags flitting in the breeze..

Perhaps you were thinking about the Areca nut? Widely used by mystics where i come from.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Areca_nut

You are very welcome H Just a note about that interesting point you raised about how everyone's perceptions create the world.. This is the main reason why the understanding and practice of "Compassion" is so central to all the Buddhist traditions. Without this pillar, it is very easy for one to lose the focus - especially nowadays where there is such a global energy shift happening! Almost every corner we turn someone is offering 'mind/body/spirit tuning' of some sort. Unfortunately, for many who have tapped into these kind of fringe practices and have gained a little bit of 'shift', it makes them feel as if they have been given a license to act crazy without having to be accountable to nobody. So i think its quite detrimental in some ways because it creates a lot of vanity in those that have managed to see a bit of progress, and for those who try and try yet not able to taste any 'juice', they become disappointed and resort to more drastic and twisted practices just to taste the power that others so talk about. This gives birth to a very hazardous cycle of events i am afraid to say. In another thread, Vajrasattva mentioned about the similarities between 'playing' with energy and handling a razor, so it would be good to take heed. But on the Buddhist/Taoist path, where there is a major focus on Compassion, there seems to be less cases of people who abuse their realizations and misuse the gifts that may be given them after years of cultivation. For these people, the fruits of the path are generously and freely shared with others, because it is in the sharing that true happiness begin to blossom. This may be one positive way to address the craziness, or at the very least, it plays a part to help keep the shift in some sort of balance. Just some thoughts... All the best!

For one who assumes the role of a spiritual wayfarer, all things are seen with 'new' eyes - therefore, in a sense, every unfolding can be labelled 'radical'. Its a good way to be, because it forces one to focus in the present moment, the only wonderful moment, rather than swinging from the brittle branches of the past or from the silken threads of the future. Gentleness is a nurturing gift. Nurture this precious gift gently... Thank you for the reply.

A brief intro of Zen Meditation: It briefly mentions the workings of the "ego". Enjoy.. .... .... Understanding how/why we(or the ego) "entangle" the "self" and how to untie these self-created knots.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX7-PEb3aGU...EB&index=12 .... .... All the best!

A green sun rises partly obscured by the clouds tinted crimson and pink..

Perhaps a good place to begin would be to know what it is about the condition/s that one is sure of..

The ego is a man-made construct. In many ways, meditation and contemplation will lead one to the awareness of all the "Props" we all use to sustain this ego. The most subtle of these "Props" are none other than our thoughts.

Himalayan Salt Crystals fact sheet (could well be advertising, but worth a read anyway, i think): http://www.himalayanlivingsalt.com/salt_facts.htm

Things i can not hear Shall not be called things henceforth Listen to Silence...