[Please note: The “journey” to Realization has seven, clear-cut steps that must be taken in an exact order. The third step requires that persons first play a religious role or a spiritual role. Both must be transcended to continue, but either (or both) can serve as a step; however, it is far easier to move beyond a spiritual persona than a religious persona.]
TODAY: ANOTHER PAUSE FOR CLARIFICATION
TODAY: ANOTHER PAUSE FOR CLARIFICATION
F.: The Advaita message is currently being offered by use of a variety of approaches:
1. GURU: Some still use the earliest format whereby pointers are offered to those who sit before one playing the role of guru. (If the one called guru is realized, he knows that there is no guru, that he is merely playing a temporary role, and that there is only the inner guru which his pointers invite seekers to employ). He will allow a visitor to speak only to find out if he/she is at level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7. If the visitor is at level two, for example, the wise guru will give pointers regarding level three for that seeker to take into meditation (which is nothing more than finding a place to be quiet and alone and consider the pointers). The guru may allow a certain amount of exchange in order to receive feedback to determine if a protégé is (a) understanding the pointers or (b) missing the points and requiring more clarification, but the approach always sends the protege away to consider...and possibly to shift toward a purer level of the consciousness that We Are.
2. BOOKS: The Realized recognize no books as “holy.” Certain books offer collections of explanations, collections of what some take to be their wisdoms, explanations of ancient terms used by earlier gurus, or a variety of other subject matter.
3. TRANSCRIPTS: Some use collections of actual exchanges that took place between gurus and protégés. The reader can be a third party witness, and if the transcripts are sweeping enough that they include pointers that were offered to those at all levels (1-7), then the protégé might find all the pointers required to transcend each level to Realization. An example would be those which have been most widely circulated, the transcripts of talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE is another example with its transcripts of sessions in which protégés were guided through the steps in sequence.
Some who involve themselves with the Advaita philosophy focus on one of three approaches, sometimes debating which is “right” or “best.” Just as religious persons argue about “the correct dogma,” “the right denomination or sect,” and “the right way to practice the faith,” spiritual personas sometimes debate their various approaches and argue about (4 below) whether one should seek knowledge or (5 below) whether one should worship and be a devotee or (6 below) whether one should always be subsumed in the performance of spiritual activities.
4. JNANA SITES OR MEETINGS: Some meet to exchange or gain knowledge, or some websites post topics and then post entries from persons who are sharing their knowledge and/or opinions.
5. WORSHIP SITES OR MEETINGS: Some meet to discuss the teachings offered by a guru who used the approach that they think was the “right” approach or the “best” approach. Or, some spend time in the quiet, experiencing their devotion to a guru or to that guru’s teachings. Alone or in groups, those at level three worship something or someone or experience their devotion to someone or something. Of course, the realized accept no “right-wrong” or “best-worst” dualities. Too, the realized have transcended any guru-devotee duality and via the inner guru have reached a no-concept, no subject-object, no separation “state.” Devotees think this is the most effective way to reach realization, but what is really “effective”? Pointers that would be effective for shifting to level four a seeker who is fixated at level three would be totally ineffective for another seeker at level two or one who is already at level four. What is “effective” is the ability to detect where on the “path” a particular seeker is and then having the ability to offer pointers that can allow the seeker to transcend the stage where she/he is currently fixed and to shift to the next level, all the way to Full Realization.
6. ACTION SESSIONS: These sessions can involve (a) an individual who takes the action of going through her/his rituals or disciplines or practices or can involve (b) groups gathering to practice their disciplinary actions or to conduct what they call “spiritual practices” or "spiritual exercises."
Regarding those three, it can be said that—while on the “path” to Realization—one can focus on one method or another or can try all three methods. Post-Realization, what need could there be for any of those three methods…or any method? Those who worship or who involve themselves in their spiritual disciplines are generally able to compile very promptly a list of the various benefits they claim to receive from their "doings." The Advaitic questions are, “WHO is receiving any benefit? WHO thinks he/she is helping?” When Full Realization happens, no WHO’s remain. When Full Realization happens and you understand that you are not in the world but that the world is in you, WHO is going to improve the world? So many want others to adopt their practices or beliefs, convinced that together they can change the world, yet none of them can even change the faulty programming that has resulted in “their minds” which are convincing them that there’s a world to change and they are the ones who can do it.
Nothing in religion points away from religion. Everything in the Advaita teachings point away from Advaita and away from all concepts, including the assumption of personas as identities which claim that “I am a Gatherer of knowledge”; “I am a Disseminator of jnana”; “I am a Jnani”; "I am a Guru"; “I am a Devotee”; “I am a Bhakta”; “I am an Action-Taker,” “I am a Doer of Spiritual Activities”; “I am a Worshipper”; or I am a Teacher.” Should you find that You Are none of those, you might reside in the “I Am” until such time as the “I Am That” is also realized. [You may see the posting for 17 April 2006 for more].
7. COMBINATIONS: [Such is this site] The “forum” aspect of this site is not allowed to supersede the "pointer/consideration" aspect. This approach attempts in its limited way to use the earliest method of sharing the Advaitic teachings: questions or comments are accepted; pointers are offered; reactions are not recognized; occasionally responses are offered since they can reveal what clarification needs to be provided for those who have missed the points; and then always the invitation is to go into the silence and to contemplate rather than to react. (That said, links on this site can connect visitors to a variety of other sites that use different methods or that deal with one particular level. Why? A person at level two might not find here on any given day what is required for the shift to level three but might find on another site what is needed to shift to the next stage.)
Pointers on this site will almost always be rejected by persons. Pointers on this site will almost always inspire persons to want to debate the pointers. Personas will always respond in ways that defend their false "state of being-this" or "state of being-that." The site does not enter into such exchanges for that approach is not in alignment with the ancient method that “worked” to whatever degree anything can “work.” Why? My Cherokee grandmother taught me an ancient rule called the “Three-Moon Rule”: after a pointer was offered, protégés could not argue or debate or react for seventy-two hours. They had to take the pointers into meditation, which originally involved no humming or burning of candles or wicks, no goal of being totally-out-of-touch, and no element of chanting or worship; instead, the purpose was to take the time to sit still, to be quiet, and to contemplate each pointer that each ego-state disagrees with and find how the pointer might actually reveal something that could move the seeker beyond her/his current fixated position on the “journey” and into the next level. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
TOMORROW: A response to a person at level three, offering clarifications that might allow other visitors to avoid misunderstandings and to move to their next level.
1. GURU: Some still use the earliest format whereby pointers are offered to those who sit before one playing the role of guru. (If the one called guru is realized, he knows that there is no guru, that he is merely playing a temporary role, and that there is only the inner guru which his pointers invite seekers to employ). He will allow a visitor to speak only to find out if he/she is at level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7. If the visitor is at level two, for example, the wise guru will give pointers regarding level three for that seeker to take into meditation (which is nothing more than finding a place to be quiet and alone and consider the pointers). The guru may allow a certain amount of exchange in order to receive feedback to determine if a protégé is (a) understanding the pointers or (b) missing the points and requiring more clarification, but the approach always sends the protege away to consider...and possibly to shift toward a purer level of the consciousness that We Are.
2. BOOKS: The Realized recognize no books as “holy.” Certain books offer collections of explanations, collections of what some take to be their wisdoms, explanations of ancient terms used by earlier gurus, or a variety of other subject matter.
3. TRANSCRIPTS: Some use collections of actual exchanges that took place between gurus and protégés. The reader can be a third party witness, and if the transcripts are sweeping enough that they include pointers that were offered to those at all levels (1-7), then the protégé might find all the pointers required to transcend each level to Realization. An example would be those which have been most widely circulated, the transcripts of talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE is another example with its transcripts of sessions in which protégés were guided through the steps in sequence.
Some who involve themselves with the Advaita philosophy focus on one of three approaches, sometimes debating which is “right” or “best.” Just as religious persons argue about “the correct dogma,” “the right denomination or sect,” and “the right way to practice the faith,” spiritual personas sometimes debate their various approaches and argue about (4 below) whether one should seek knowledge or (5 below) whether one should worship and be a devotee or (6 below) whether one should always be subsumed in the performance of spiritual activities.
4. JNANA SITES OR MEETINGS: Some meet to exchange or gain knowledge, or some websites post topics and then post entries from persons who are sharing their knowledge and/or opinions.
5. WORSHIP SITES OR MEETINGS: Some meet to discuss the teachings offered by a guru who used the approach that they think was the “right” approach or the “best” approach. Or, some spend time in the quiet, experiencing their devotion to a guru or to that guru’s teachings. Alone or in groups, those at level three worship something or someone or experience their devotion to someone or something. Of course, the realized accept no “right-wrong” or “best-worst” dualities. Too, the realized have transcended any guru-devotee duality and via the inner guru have reached a no-concept, no subject-object, no separation “state.” Devotees think this is the most effective way to reach realization, but what is really “effective”? Pointers that would be effective for shifting to level four a seeker who is fixated at level three would be totally ineffective for another seeker at level two or one who is already at level four. What is “effective” is the ability to detect where on the “path” a particular seeker is and then having the ability to offer pointers that can allow the seeker to transcend the stage where she/he is currently fixed and to shift to the next level, all the way to Full Realization.
6. ACTION SESSIONS: These sessions can involve (a) an individual who takes the action of going through her/his rituals or disciplines or practices or can involve (b) groups gathering to practice their disciplinary actions or to conduct what they call “spiritual practices” or "spiritual exercises."
Regarding those three, it can be said that—while on the “path” to Realization—one can focus on one method or another or can try all three methods. Post-Realization, what need could there be for any of those three methods…or any method? Those who worship or who involve themselves in their spiritual disciplines are generally able to compile very promptly a list of the various benefits they claim to receive from their "doings." The Advaitic questions are, “WHO is receiving any benefit? WHO thinks he/she is helping?” When Full Realization happens, no WHO’s remain. When Full Realization happens and you understand that you are not in the world but that the world is in you, WHO is going to improve the world? So many want others to adopt their practices or beliefs, convinced that together they can change the world, yet none of them can even change the faulty programming that has resulted in “their minds” which are convincing them that there’s a world to change and they are the ones who can do it.
Nothing in religion points away from religion. Everything in the Advaita teachings point away from Advaita and away from all concepts, including the assumption of personas as identities which claim that “I am a Gatherer of knowledge”; “I am a Disseminator of jnana”; “I am a Jnani”; "I am a Guru"; “I am a Devotee”; “I am a Bhakta”; “I am an Action-Taker,” “I am a Doer of Spiritual Activities”; “I am a Worshipper”; or I am a Teacher.” Should you find that You Are none of those, you might reside in the “I Am” until such time as the “I Am That” is also realized. [You may see the posting for 17 April 2006 for more].
7. COMBINATIONS: [Such is this site] The “forum” aspect of this site is not allowed to supersede the "pointer/consideration" aspect. This approach attempts in its limited way to use the earliest method of sharing the Advaitic teachings: questions or comments are accepted; pointers are offered; reactions are not recognized; occasionally responses are offered since they can reveal what clarification needs to be provided for those who have missed the points; and then always the invitation is to go into the silence and to contemplate rather than to react. (That said, links on this site can connect visitors to a variety of other sites that use different methods or that deal with one particular level. Why? A person at level two might not find here on any given day what is required for the shift to level three but might find on another site what is needed to shift to the next stage.)
Pointers on this site will almost always be rejected by persons. Pointers on this site will almost always inspire persons to want to debate the pointers. Personas will always respond in ways that defend their false "state of being-this" or "state of being-that." The site does not enter into such exchanges for that approach is not in alignment with the ancient method that “worked” to whatever degree anything can “work.” Why? My Cherokee grandmother taught me an ancient rule called the “Three-Moon Rule”: after a pointer was offered, protégés could not argue or debate or react for seventy-two hours. They had to take the pointers into meditation, which originally involved no humming or burning of candles or wicks, no goal of being totally-out-of-touch, and no element of chanting or worship; instead, the purpose was to take the time to sit still, to be quiet, and to contemplate each pointer that each ego-state disagrees with and find how the pointer might actually reveal something that could move the seeker beyond her/his current fixated position on the “journey” and into the next level. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
TOMORROW: A response to a person at level three, offering clarifications that might allow other visitors to avoid misunderstandings and to move to their next level.
