From a site visitor: Your site is fabulous, but why do you take the time to mess around with so many argumentative people who write in and do nothing but whine or complain or criticize?
F.: So, you're writing in to complain about complainers? Ha.
Actually, complimentary e-mails far outnumber the critical or probing or challenging ones, which are the ones that make it into the daily postings. If the compliments were posted, WHO would be filling a site with compliments? And WHO would take offense at the critical remarks? Moreover, neither admirers nor critics are witnessed when e-mails arrive. "Admirer vs. critic" is just more duality...more role assignment. What is witnessed is the re-purified consciousness as it speaks or the corrupted consciousness as it speaks. The re-purified consciousness requires no response. To the corrupted consciousness, the response varies, based on several factors.
Responses are offered to those with a challenging or questioning attitude because that is the starting point for the Advaita "journey." Most persons, post-programming and conditioning, are sheep-like. They are trained to question nothing and to live by blind faith. They are punished for questioning authority and they are rewarded for following along obediently. Since the ability and willingness to "question it all" is at the heart of the Advaita teachings, why would e-mails that are questioning or challenging be ignored? Responses vary, depending on several factors.
If a person writes in and is convinced that he/she has completed the "journey" when the evidence reveals that only half the "journey" has been undertaken, then pointers are offered that could allow that person to realize where she/he really is along the "path"; then, an invitiation might be offered for that person to continue seeking. Which pointers are offered to those on the "path" is determined by where they are on that "journey." If a visitor's words reveal that person is at level two, pointers are offered to allow transition to level three. If one is at level three (which is where most are if involved with "spiritual matters"), then pointers are offered to allow transition to level four.
Therefore, questions and challenges will be responded to while compliments will be read and then deleted. Should you be at the same point as a person being responded to, you might relate to that day's posting. If you are at a different point, you might not. So it is. Please enter in to the silence of contemplation.
