Guru Voodoo

For every one that actually knows what they're talking about, first hand, there are many thousands who know some rhetoric; and, how to spin it, so that it seems appealing and makes them sound as if they actually know what they're pretending to. Some of these mimic others' words so well, that they really believe that they do know what they're talking about. And many speak of the necessity of following a guru (et al.), a tradition or a book to reach the truth.

I strongly disagree. There are so many confusing and conflicting teachings out there that lead to nowhere. Relying on outside directions only leaves people spinning in circles, going nowhere or wondering which way to go, until they've drilled themselves into deep holes. And keep in mind, that the majority of these spiritual tour guides are primarily just trying to sell you a book, a religion, some prayer beads, a weekend retreat or whatever else they can peddle.

The truth is flagrantly simple and it's right in front of our noses, we're bathed in it all the time; and, it can only be uncovered through diligent personal investigation. No doctrines or words, not even from one of the rare few who do know, can get you there.

As I've said before, there's no obligation to realize the true nature of being. If it makes you happy to dabble, to feel like you're on a spiritual path or safely tucked within a community, or to ignore it all together, that's OK. But if you actually want to get to where the paths allegedly lead, it requires a steadfast personal commitment, and a strong compulsion to know for yourself. No one else can take you there.

It's not bad to compare notes, but that particular understanding can't be given, it can only be earned.

I Glasses

At our cores, once we've cut through all the layers of illusion that we mistake for our selves, we're left with a vacuum. A void, emptiness, a veritable black hole of beingness. And this absence of self is so dazzlingly dark that it burns the retinas of our minds eyes. So we create brightness glasses that filter out the nothingness with shiny somethings that we can identify with, and don them whenever we look inward. This quickly becomes habitual, and we end up wearing them continuously. Then the whole world is viewed through this filter of selfy somethingness, and interpreted and valued accordingly.

When we design our glasses, we fashion them such as to let other people know who we want to be. Thick black rims for those who want to appear intelligent. Little round wire frames for those who want to look artsy. Aviators for those who fancy themselves the adventurous types. Wrap-arounds for the cool crowd, and so on. If you're ever unsure whether or not you've achieved the look you're going for, just gaze into another's glasses. As it so happens, they're all mirrored on the outside, for everyone's convenience.

But with these glasses perpetually pasted to our faces, decisions are made from false assumptions and goals are set based on erroneous reasoning. Societies veer wildly off of their ideal courses, because everyone's views are so drastically distorted by their I glasses. And our shared planet suffers, too - all because people can't abide their naturally nebulous nature.

We, the world and the universe are all full of unknowns and unknowables. The part of our minds, whose job it is to gather everything into nice discernible packages, will never be happy about this. But that aspect isn't destined to occupy the drivers seat, and we're under no obligation to give its wishes undo priority.

Convincing a world full of people to lose the shades that define them and their world (and make them look so cool) may be an insurmountable ambition. But for the rare few who sincerely wish to live a truthful life, it's the only option. And let's face it, it's much better to be cool, than to look cool.

Happily Ever After

People like to feel good. Go figure.

The idea of crossing the finish line and having everything from there on out flow to us and for us, like milk from mother's nipples, is extremely alluring. So we get far-flung fantasies like a permanent state of blissful enlightenment and eternal leisure in heaven, as a divine reward.

And in every day life, we maintain goals that we believe, once achieved, will grant us that sense of peaceful relief that we so crave. If I can just get that promotion, graduate, pay off these loans, find my perfect mate, finalize this damned divorce, complete the remodeling, get our kids through school, whatever – then I'll be able to coast, contentedly.

Right. How many finish lines have you crossed so far? And yet, somehow, contentment still manages to elude you. But, none the less, the fantasy remains in tact. Whether it's making it to the end of life, or just to the end of the week, “happily ever after” is there, just waiting to give us a big hug.

How is it possible that such a far fetched notion, that's consistently proven false, continues to be so widely embraced? What will it take for people to come to the realization that the only happiness available, is that which we can find right now?

Life is awesome. People are entertaining. Nature is inspiring. Chores are blessings. Just to be aware is amazing, to be able to act and interact, even more so.

As a general rule, what do you focus on? Sitting in traffic, are you pissed off at the traffic light, worried about the clock or the fumes, or are you noticing the wind tickling the trees, the person gleefully singing along with the radio or that one over there, who's laughing with her kids? As you tend to your tasks, at work or home, where does your mind usually roam? What attitudes do you nurture as you stand in line? What do you think of in your idle time?

Our thoughts and our feelings are well within our power to either choose, or let loose. Sometimes the boat steers itself just fine, and life gets stale if we never wander into uncharted waters. But when we see that it's piloting itself toward a rock or a reef, maybe a little guidance would be appropriate. Or when it's hung up on a shallow shoal, perhaps, hop out, put your shoulder into it and set it free.

There's simply no sense in waiting around for circumstances to do what they surely won't. Where do you want your mind to be? How do you want to feel?

For my part, as if I have anything to say about it, I wish you a “happily ever now”.

When Clothes Want to be Naked

Humans have a bit of a conundrum. We all have egos – beliefs about who and what we are; and, we all want (for lack of a better term) to know the mind of God. The problem is that people think that they are their egos; or perhaps more accurately, egos think that they're people. And, the ego clearly can't know what it's like to be without itself.

But slews of fanciful notions are spun about how we can keep our egos, and still experience full freedom from them. And people buy into these fantasies, flocking to them in sky blotting droves. Any intelligent person, making an honest assessment, could see the fallacy of it, but the allure is so strong that it's glare obscures common sense.

If I were to claim that one could remain dressed and be naked at the same time, no one would entertain the thought for a second. But if my clothes had a strong desire to be naked, they'd line up to listen to lectures and buy self help books and CDs that promised to teach them just how to achieve it.

Funny - until you consider how many people consistently stake their spirituality and spend their savings on snake oil, whose hawkers claim that they'll allow egos to effortlessly slip into selfless awareness.

The End of the Line

“I'm on a quest for the truth.” “I'm on a path to spiritual enlightenment.” “I'm seeking union with my god.” However it's conceived or phrased, many people feel like their on a great journey to some high and idyllic destination, where they'll find, or be granted, some ultimate reward. But I've got breaking news. Whatever the path is, it leads to where you're standing, right now. As long as it's thought of as a destination or a goal, that very conception keeps pushing it away. It's similar to how water pushes floating fluff away, as you reach for it. But the fluff isn't really the goal, it's just another distraction. What everyone really wants, is to feel their connection to the very water that they're already immersed in. It may take a lot of work to shed all of the preconceptions that obscure the reality, but the end of the line is always, and can only be found, here, now.

Question(s) D'jour

This is for all of faith. Not just of religious faith; but also, for anyone with any other kind of spiritual belief system. If they're too scary to field, then just ignore them. But if you're willing to test your faith, they're the most crucial questions you could earnestly try to answer.

Understanding that faith, by definition, is belief in the unprovable:

Why do you harbor your beliefs?
and
Why do you believe what you believe?

Chocolatey Goodness

People have many erroneous notions of who and/or what they are. Discovering our true nature is a mater of peeling away the layers of illusion and delusion to find the very essence of being. Getting to the creamy center – or is it chewy hazelnut, maybe something fruity … ahh, perhaps it's amaretto infused chocolate. That one sounds the best to me; ergo, that must be what's there. Notions of just what the center is, are some of the most insidious obstructions to our honest acceptance of who or what we are.

I often tell my students that the most important thing that they can do is nothing. But that's really not quite sufficient, for the average seeker. It's pretty much impossible to do nothing, long and completely enough, for all of the false ideas to evaporate on their own. The mountain of suppositions and beliefs that we tote around needs to be systematically deconstructed. And this is only possible for someone who has an earnest desire to know the truth, regardless of the consequences.

Unfortunately, most would rather be reassured that their beliefs are accurate. They think they just need one final bit of knowledge to pull it all together. Or they feel that, if they could just get anointed by someone divine enough, their faith would solidify to the point that the heavens would open up and glory would rain down, washing them wholly (or would that be, holy) pure. Perceiving themselves as being on a path toward _____, is enough to make them feel spiritually adequate. Where as, the truth can only be found, here and now.

People are so accustomed to being something and feeling such and so and to aspiring toward whatever, that, to give that up, seems like it would be the end of it all - the final curtain. And, in a sense, I suppose it is. But it's only the last hoorah for a conglomeration of ideas. The ground isn't pulled from under foot, the body doesn't disintegrate, the mind isn't left a lifeless vacuum - life goes on. It's just seen through different eyes, digested in a different manner and acted upon with a different attitude.

So then, “what's at the core?” the mind will query. I could say nothing or emptiness. I could say contentment or understanding. But anything I'd say would just get tossed onto the pile of flotsam and jetsam that needs to be shoveled away in order to uncover the answer.

The easier question to grapple with; in fact, the one that needs to be answered - time and again - is, “what isn't there”. And I'm sorry to have to report, as painful as it may be to hear, that it isn't amaretto infused chocolate.