Why Memberships and Attachments to Groups and Ideologies Block Understanding
Pointers to Reality offered via this series include the words: form-less; limit-less; attribute-less; unfathomable mystery; beyond description; concept-free; non-dual; beyond being and non-being.
Can You see that these pointers offer:
NOTHING that can be grasped by the mind;
NOTHING that can be adopted by a persona;.
NOTHING that can accumulated and regurgitated;
NOTHING that can “gift wrapped,” “packaged” and “peddled” in the spiritual marketplace?
The pointers are themselves a mystery – pointing towards THAT which can be directly known, but is beyond all description, beyond all language, beyond all conceptual understanding. Accurate pointers leave the separate individual with NOTHING to believe; NOTHING to cling to; NOTHING to bow and pray to; NOTHING to accumulate. Pointers to Truth strip You naked of EVERYTHING – anything that is added creates the abyss of separation.
If the Natural State is a tree with foliage, the seeker shows up like a Christmas Tree with a vast array of colourful decorations tied to the branches – streamers, balloons, lanterns, little envelopes hanging from red ribbons. For the “teacher” with pure sight, it is the simplest and most natural thing to show the seeker where the decorations are, and invite the seeker to remove them – to return to the Natural State.
Oh the anguish! To let go of these precious adornments! So colourful! So beautiful! So extraordinary! For sure – this may be a stupendous display; however, the “teacher” is not interested in these irrelevant bells and whistles. If the question is asked: “How do I become free?” the “teacher” will point to the first layer of decorations and say: “De-accumulate.”
Listen – You mistake Yourself as a separate individual and want freedom. The “teacher” is stabilized in the Natural State and can see the adornments that obscure this View. When You have diagnosed Yourself as “sick” or “non-realized”, why do You refuse to take the Ultimate Medicine when it is offered? There is only ONE reason. You are attached to some or other pretty bauble – and refuse to let it go.
Understand this – the baubles to which there is no attachment are easy to toss. It is effortless to give away what you do not want, need, or care about. If You are NOT stabilized in REALITY – You are clinging to SOMETHING; there is an attachment that you are not prepared to relinquish.
So far in this series, many of these “pretty baubles” have been examined and deconstructed: body identification; mental concepts and beliefs; the flavouring of personality and persona identification; the Spiritual Persona solidified by “precious” practices, rituals and beliefs, etc. Let’s examine another “beautiful decoration” that may hook the unsuspecting seeker into false identification: membership / attachment to a group.
Any group must have attributes and the members of the group must share these attributes– otherwise how can it be differentiated? An example of a group is Hitler Youth. What were the attributes of this particular group that defined its members: young people; German; supporters of Hitler and the Nazi Party; blinkered to human rights abuses; racist; ant-semitic, etc. Perhaps this is an extreme example; however, ANY group in existence has a collection of attributes which its members share. For example, the members of a fictional self-help group called Wise Women may have attributes like these: females; interest in personal growth; desire to evolve spiritually, enjoyment of rituals and practices; belief in healing power of crystals; commitment to healing and transforming others. Hitler Youth or Wise Women – from the Advaitan perspective attachment to attributes means that You are filled with concepts and beliefs which block Realization. You are invited to reflect on any group or groups of which you are a member (including spiritual groups), and list the attributes which define membership. Are You attached to these attributes? What personas are being solidified by these attributes? What traits, concepts, rituals or beliefs are You attached to that can be tossed in the bin?
The Natural State is known when You are EMPTY, not when You are full of ideas you think are “good”, “right”, “important” or “valuable”. A beginner to the Advaitan Teaching may be filled to the brim with conceptual nonsense – a Christmas Tree covered in baubles and flickering Christmas lights. An advanced seeker is likely to have stripped away many of the concepts and attachments; perhaps there are only a few decorations left on the branches of the tree. Remember – any addition or attribute creates the abyss of separation that keeps You from knowing the Natural State. Observe Yourself. Ask the “teacher” for guidance. Take the Ultimate Medicine that is offered. Remove the remaining attachments and BE FREE.
Please enter into the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
Now available for those who would attend “The Advaitin Retreat / Four-Day Satsang with floyd” but cannot do so for time or cost considerations:
Andy Gugar attended some 12-14 hours of satsang with Floyd and determined at some point that the Advaita retreat pointers should be accessible to all that might be interested. As a result of that vision and his willingness to defray a large part of the initial equipment and production costs, the entire retreat is now available via DVD or via a downloadable computer file version.
The downloadable file version is available to all and eliminates the expensive international shipping costs and/or the costs associated with the DVD production. Conversely, only 25 sets of the DVD version are available. Also as a result of Andy’s support, the first 25 DVD sets ordered will received a complimentary copy of the “Spirit Journey to Your True Self” CD without charge.
The 4-Disk Video (DVD) Set (or the same retreat available as a downloadable file) provide an entire seven-hour retreat / satsang showing three seekers being guided through all seven steps by floyd. Either version can provide viewers with an “experiential,” step-by-step series of satsang meetings that will move the viewers from
identification with the I
to
abidance as the Absolute
and to
that which is beyond as well.
Some are already using the computer file version and the initial pre-release versions of the DVD sets for meetings in groups in homes, playing the retreat, pausing for discussion, etc.
To find out more or to purchase the DVD set or the downloadable computer file version of the retreat, you may visit the following site:
http://www.floydhendersonopportunities.blogspot.com/
[Option "A" is for the downloadable file version, Option "B" is for DVD orders to be shipped inside the U.S., and Option “C” for international orders].
Comments / clarifications may be sent to louise.advaita@gmail.com – a temporary email address available for the duration of these guest postings.
