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 Site Updated June 2008 |
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What is the Self?
Considering the inordinate time and effort
spent in the search for happiness one might expect the world to
be overflowing with happy people. Why isn't it?
Because we are looking where it isn't.
Where is it then?
In the cave of the Heart the sages say.
Meaning?
Within yourself. It is not 'out there' in
the world.
OK, what is it then?
Your innermost Self,
whole and complete limitless awareness.
Sounds great, very non-dual,
but I've been around. What's the catch? To realize
it do I have to get a guru, join his or her vast organization
and work day and night doing 'selfless service' to burn off my
karma? You need to know that I have great karma and it doesn't
help; I'm still dissatisfied who I am. Perhaps you're going
to suggest that I tithe to keep the guru jetting around in the
lap of luxury 'awakening' people? Forget it, I'm still paying
off my Visa for all the weekend enlightenment intensives I've
taken the last few years. And it so happens that everyone I've
met who has had an awakening has fallen back to sleep, myself
included. Maybe you'd like me to become a 'devotee' of one of
the recent crop of avatars? Don't bother. Avatars are a dime a
dozen it seems. Every person with a couple of epiphanies under
his or her spiritual belt is an an avatar these days. I also hope
you're not going to try to sell me on tantra. I fell for that in India in the Eighties
and all I got for my trouble was veneral disease, a lot of heartbreak
and a unholy cravng for sex. And for God's sake don't tell
me there is someone out there who can 'transmit' enlightenment
at will; if that were possible the whole world would be
enlightened by now. I've been blessed with more than my
share of shaktipats, satoris,
epiphanies, and fleeting samadhis
direct from the third eyes of all the so-called 'great masters'...
and I still don't know who I am.
Finally, if you ask me to 'surrender' I may become violent;
it's one of the most despicable cons in the guru's bag of tricks.
You are
fed up! However, I appreciate your point of view.
What's to appreciate? I'm just very cynical
about the whole spiritual business.
As well you should be. The world rightly suffers
from an intense spiritual hunger and when you have a need people
rush to fill it. Part of the problem stems from the fact
that there are so many different opinions about the nature of
enlightenment. And since no one can agree on what it is, there
is no way that a seeker can dispassionately evaluate the many
teachings and teachers vying for attention. The modern spiritual
world is like a a huge unregulated stock market. Any one can sell
anything without fear of consequences. But buyer beware! Any fool
who has 'awakened' or 'seen God' can hang out a shingle and start
'teaching.' And when this happens you are likely to swallow some
self deluded person's beliefs and opinions as truth. Guru has become
just another profession these days, a cozy limited identity offering
the prospect of wealth, power and adulation. There is nothing
spiritual about spirituality. What you're feeling is reasonable.
Don't worry, I'm not an avatar, I don't want your money and I'm
not a guru.
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