I couldn't resist...it seemed like the perfect title since there hasn't been a post since December 5th...I wasn't kidding when I said I was a dilettante blogger! But now, I am no longer silent...
I have so many reflections and observations from the past month, but the one that continues to resonant was this funny thought that floated up during retreat. I loved the retreat by the way...though a "silent" retreat, one is acutely aware of the MP3's that play in one's head minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, looping like a runner on a track...the beauty of the experience is seeing this so clearly, the thoughts are always there, the conversations, the plans, the dreams and this thing called "awareness" is free to listen or be some place else. There is no "making the thoughts go away" just awareness. And after a while, there is a softening, a fondness, and an ease with all the thoughts; a separate peace. There were moments during retreat where I engaged in the struggle with the thoughts and then awareness would arise and I would laugh at the absurdity of the moment...if I were home and I was listening to an actual MP3 recording would I argue, fuss, try to change it or alter it in some way; that would seem foolhardy, it already exists, it has been burned...Ah, burned, imprinted...so the awareness is that thoughts can leave grooves like a worn record. Retreat gives the opportunity to tread lightly in the mind...create some new groovy grooves! I am having fun with the word play and a slight stream of consciousness, so bear with me. I really love the idea of posting on the blog, so I am keeping expectations about the "product" in check so I can have the fun of writing and you, reader, can have the fun of...you get the idea.
Ok, back to the funny thought that floated up on retreat. But before I tell you about the funny thought, I want to tell you a bit about Adyashanti because then the funny thought will make even more sense. Adya, whose name means primordial peace, was the teacher on the retreat. I love Adyashanti. He is a really amazing teacher...spiritual or otherwise. His presence is calming and kind, powerful and free and well, he just make a lot of sense. He is wise and practical, at the same time, and well, I really like the guy. I have a hunch I will continue to go on retreats and read his books...His latest book "The End of Your World" is Adya's "response to a growing need for direction on the spiritual path...more and more people are waking up spiritually and for most of them the question becomes...now what?
Well, this book, a treasured gift from my mother for my birthday, has been an invaluable resource...I went through a powerful awakening in 2006 and I appreciate the candor and observations Adya speaks of in the book. Truly, there is a feeling of "dying into living" and the world ends and something else begins. This is a favorite passage from the book..."I often tell my students that it is necessary to have the courage to question. The courage to question takes real energy. It requires courage to look at something really deeply. It requires focus and attention to look at your underlying patterns, the underlying belief structures of a mental, physical or emotional fixation. If we are being sincere and honest with ourselves, there is an intuitive sense of what we are avoiding. If we can find the capacity to be honest, we'll start to feel in ourselves when we are being called to make effort."
Adyashanti, born Steven Gray, is a spiritual teacher that crosses borders and teaches from a non-dualistic perspective. His website is http://www.adyashanti.org/ Check it out to learn more about this unique spiritual teacher. Here is the funny reflection while on retreat...Adya and his retreats are so unique, I find when describing him to friends that he isn't what one would classically think of as a spiritual teacher...he is modern, has a variety of interests and is funny and very wise and at one point during the retreat listening to this wise, funny man it popped in, a spiritual teacher from my youth...Theodor Geisel...I wouldn't have told you when I was five or 25 or even in November that Theodor Geisel, or better know by his spiritual name "Dr. Seuss" was indeed an unlikey and powerful "spiritual" teacher. Like Adya, simple, wise and funny...some of the greatest awareness came from many of his books...favorites like The Sneetchs with stars on thars, The Grinch, The Lorax, Oh, The Places You'll Go. So Adyashanti and Dr. Seuss, authors, wise men, funny guys, spiritual teachers...no different than physical education teachers, just spiritual education teachers and my hunch is there are lots and lots of "spiritual teachers" around...just take a look around and when you are ready to have the courage as Adya says, "to look at something deeply" then look for that spiritual teacher in the mirror.
I have so many reflections and observations from the past month, but the one that continues to resonant was this funny thought that floated up during retreat. I loved the retreat by the way...though a "silent" retreat, one is acutely aware of the MP3's that play in one's head minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, looping like a runner on a track...the beauty of the experience is seeing this so clearly, the thoughts are always there, the conversations, the plans, the dreams and this thing called "awareness" is free to listen or be some place else. There is no "making the thoughts go away" just awareness. And after a while, there is a softening, a fondness, and an ease with all the thoughts; a separate peace. There were moments during retreat where I engaged in the struggle with the thoughts and then awareness would arise and I would laugh at the absurdity of the moment...if I were home and I was listening to an actual MP3 recording would I argue, fuss, try to change it or alter it in some way; that would seem foolhardy, it already exists, it has been burned...Ah, burned, imprinted...so the awareness is that thoughts can leave grooves like a worn record. Retreat gives the opportunity to tread lightly in the mind...create some new groovy grooves! I am having fun with the word play and a slight stream of consciousness, so bear with me. I really love the idea of posting on the blog, so I am keeping expectations about the "product" in check so I can have the fun of writing and you, reader, can have the fun of...you get the idea.
Ok, back to the funny thought that floated up on retreat. But before I tell you about the funny thought, I want to tell you a bit about Adyashanti because then the funny thought will make even more sense. Adya, whose name means primordial peace, was the teacher on the retreat. I love Adyashanti. He is a really amazing teacher...spiritual or otherwise. His presence is calming and kind, powerful and free and well, he just make a lot of sense. He is wise and practical, at the same time, and well, I really like the guy. I have a hunch I will continue to go on retreats and read his books...His latest book "The End of Your World" is Adya's "response to a growing need for direction on the spiritual path...more and more people are waking up spiritually and for most of them the question becomes...now what?
Well, this book, a treasured gift from my mother for my birthday, has been an invaluable resource...I went through a powerful awakening in 2006 and I appreciate the candor and observations Adya speaks of in the book. Truly, there is a feeling of "dying into living" and the world ends and something else begins. This is a favorite passage from the book..."I often tell my students that it is necessary to have the courage to question. The courage to question takes real energy. It requires courage to look at something really deeply. It requires focus and attention to look at your underlying patterns, the underlying belief structures of a mental, physical or emotional fixation. If we are being sincere and honest with ourselves, there is an intuitive sense of what we are avoiding. If we can find the capacity to be honest, we'll start to feel in ourselves when we are being called to make effort."
Adyashanti, born Steven Gray, is a spiritual teacher that crosses borders and teaches from a non-dualistic perspective. His website is http://www.adyashanti.org/ Check it out to learn more about this unique spiritual teacher. Here is the funny reflection while on retreat...Adya and his retreats are so unique, I find when describing him to friends that he isn't what one would classically think of as a spiritual teacher...he is modern, has a variety of interests and is funny and very wise and at one point during the retreat listening to this wise, funny man it popped in, a spiritual teacher from my youth...Theodor Geisel...I wouldn't have told you when I was five or 25 or even in November that Theodor Geisel, or better know by his spiritual name "Dr. Seuss" was indeed an unlikey and powerful "spiritual" teacher. Like Adya, simple, wise and funny...some of the greatest awareness came from many of his books...favorites like The Sneetchs with stars on thars, The Grinch, The Lorax, Oh, The Places You'll Go. So Adyashanti and Dr. Seuss, authors, wise men, funny guys, spiritual teachers...no different than physical education teachers, just spiritual education teachers and my hunch is there are lots and lots of "spiritual teachers" around...just take a look around and when you are ready to have the courage as Adya says, "to look at something deeply" then look for that spiritual teacher in the mirror.
Excellent post. I too am a big fan of Adya. After reading about every book on the planet, his book basically told me what I already knew that there was nothing more to read or seek. Just do. I started a site to spread this news, hope you check it out- spiritnewsdaily.com. If you like adya, you should like enjoy the posts.
ReplyDeletepeace to you,
don
Thanks for sharing. Love the connection to Suess.
ReplyDeleteIt too just makes sense.
Be well,
Amy
Loved the business about not trying to change the CD's we listen in contrast to the way we deal with thoughts. Like Amy, enjoyed the connecting of Adya and Dr. Suess. Thoughtful, insightful piece of writing. Thanks for deepening my midday today. Love you. Mum
ReplyDelete