In order to be free we must ultimately surrender to something greater than ourselves.
Until that time we experience the myriad aspects of suffering that derive from the core experience of separation… fear, helplessness, loneliness, frustration, control, struggle, confusion, feeling lost, longing for “home”, resistance, exhaustion, judgment, etc.
When we begin to tire of the countless mechanisms that we engage in, the multitude of “addictions” that we use to escape from our core existential suffering, [our “shadow”], begin to emerge. At a certain point the suffering can no longer be denied. This moment of truth is the beginning of spiritual seeking. Until that moment we live under the delusion that we have things under control, that we really know what is happening, that everything is OK. Ignorance isn’t really bliss…that too is part of the delusion.
The seeking then begins… the struggle to get free of the suffering. But the very nature of the struggle itself is generated from the same state of consciousness, the same illusion of identity and reality that was the cause of all the suffering in the first place.
Eventually the seeker becomes more and more desperate and begins to taste the deep despair, frustration and helplessness that has always been there and was covered up by the hope of seeking Liberation or Enlightenment.
Here we encounter the frustration, the impossibility, of “trying not to try”, of letting go of letting go, of doing “not doing”, of struggling to stop the mind with the mind. No matter what we do, the “doer” is still there trying to rid itself of itself. The very effort to relax into pure being totally prevents relaxation. We are faced with the ultimate paradox of consciousness, the “Koan of Life”.
When the absolute impossibility of being able to extricate ourselves from the dilemma of separate existence that we find ourselves trapped in reaches its peak, we experience profound helplessness and hopelessness. This is a great gift. When this is truly realized we finally begin to give up. We stop running and for the first time are present in the Now. We cry and pray for help and now we are ready to receive Grace. Grace had been there all along, helping us with our process, but now it can be consciously received. True humility, the prerequisite for receiving Grace and liberation has arrived.
Hearing this is not enough. Understanding this is not enough. There is a temporary satisfaction in grasping this teaching with the intellect. But it must be experienced in order for it to be truly known. Sorry… there is no shortcut. Attempts to “do” humility, to force this state to be, will not work. Feeling frustrated and helpless yet? Good! Feel the frustration, the helplessness…it is the doorway.
Sincere prayer is helpful, as can being in the presence and receiving the help of awakened teachers. Intention is also a most important aspect of this process, but even the level of our intention, commitment and sincerity is itself a gift of Grace. Don’t forget Gratitude, which opens the door to more Grace and is an important part of shifting the habit of negativity.
Ultimately it is only Grace that moves our natural evolution to the ripeness of surrender and consequent liberation. There is nothing that we can do; yet everything must be done nonetheless, as if it will make a difference. The readiness and opening is Grace and when that opening occurs it is also Grace that fills the space created in ourselves to experience Oneness and Liberation from suffering.
Relax into the trust of knowing that “it happens when it happens” and that everything is being perfectly orchestrated.
This is Grace. This is the gift of Deeksha…Grace in a tangible form.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Permanent Enlightenment - Ken joins in a discussion on "Daily Om"
Daily Om Blog discussion
Hello all. I feel moved to answer some of these comments and questions. I am an experienced Deeksha giver and have given thousands of Deekshas. First of all no one is "selling" instant permanent enlightenment. What does correctly represent the Oneness Movement is that the Deeksha will accelerate the PROCESS of Awakening to Oneness. It is true that God, Presence, Oneness is everywhere and in everything. There is nowhere to go, nothing to get and that everything is perfect. It is ALSO true that there is much suffering ignorance and fear all stemming from the basic misperception of separateness. Only a mind and a heart that is not relaxed with "WHAT IS" struggles to finalize an opinion about which vantage point is true. A more expanded consciousness sees that it is all true depending on whether one views from the absolute or the personal perspective.
Deeksha is simply a Gift of Grace. It is able to be received when one fully realizes that nothing we do makes any real difference as there is no real doer. Out thoughts are not our own nor do we have any real control over anything. There may be the appearance of doership, original thought, choice etc. but inquire more deeply and see where the thought or choice or action really came from. "We" don't create any of it. All else is still the separate ego-bound self, thinking it is something real.
The teachings of Golden City point out that everything is Grace including, or especially, Awakening. For those of you that have reported experiences of Oneness or whatever you call it, check to see if, at the exact moment that it happened to you, there was any control or doing on your part. You will find that the doer is what disappears, through Grace, at the moment of Awakening. "Trying not to try" and all the other spiritual efforts are futile as the one doing those efforts is the very one that must disappear to experience Oneness. We do what we do and all of the Sadhana and good intentions have the appearance of having prepared the ground for the Grace of Awakening. This appears to be so from the personal perspective. As with everything else the underlying reality is acausal and atemporal. It all happens when it happens and we get to relax and enjoy the movie.
Deeksha is not the only way that Awakening can happen. But if Deeksha appears in your life and it feels good then simply say yes. No need to philosophize. Just say thank you and recognize that no one enlightens anyone else yet the appearance may look like that, just as a healer never really heals unless the person is ready to be healed. Yet it appears as if they "did" it. In fact, the whole play of inner and outer, cause and effect is just an appearance, at the level of outer form, of the synchronicity and coherence of all that is. Nonetheless, keep doing whatever you are doing. As they say in Zen, "First there is a mountain, then there is NO mountain, then there is..."
It is all paradoxical to the dualistic mind.
I hope this helps clear some of the confusion. There is nothing to be confused about. Only the unclear mind creates confusion for itself in an attempt to alleviate its underlying fear. Likewise there are no problems save the resistance to WHAT IS.
As far as the money goes. It is good to give back when something of value is received. It increases the ability to receive. And let it be known that the people in India are doing very good humanitarian projects with the money they receive and are in no way collecting excess funds that are not being used.
One final note. Deeksha is real and its effects are profound. I suggest that those forming opinions without having direct experience check it out before passing judgment. I have seen miracles.
Check the websites. www.onenessmovement.org www.onenessuniversity.org or my new blog www.onenessutah.blogspot.com We will soon have a website as well. Although my time is limited I am open to sincere dialogues and will occasionally travel to share all of this.
Namaste,
Ken
Hello all. I feel moved to answer some of these comments and questions. I am an experienced Deeksha giver and have given thousands of Deekshas. First of all no one is "selling" instant permanent enlightenment. What does correctly represent the Oneness Movement is that the Deeksha will accelerate the PROCESS of Awakening to Oneness. It is true that God, Presence, Oneness is everywhere and in everything. There is nowhere to go, nothing to get and that everything is perfect. It is ALSO true that there is much suffering ignorance and fear all stemming from the basic misperception of separateness. Only a mind and a heart that is not relaxed with "WHAT IS" struggles to finalize an opinion about which vantage point is true. A more expanded consciousness sees that it is all true depending on whether one views from the absolute or the personal perspective.
Deeksha is simply a Gift of Grace. It is able to be received when one fully realizes that nothing we do makes any real difference as there is no real doer. Out thoughts are not our own nor do we have any real control over anything. There may be the appearance of doership, original thought, choice etc. but inquire more deeply and see where the thought or choice or action really came from. "We" don't create any of it. All else is still the separate ego-bound self, thinking it is something real.
The teachings of Golden City point out that everything is Grace including, or especially, Awakening. For those of you that have reported experiences of Oneness or whatever you call it, check to see if, at the exact moment that it happened to you, there was any control or doing on your part. You will find that the doer is what disappears, through Grace, at the moment of Awakening. "Trying not to try" and all the other spiritual efforts are futile as the one doing those efforts is the very one that must disappear to experience Oneness. We do what we do and all of the Sadhana and good intentions have the appearance of having prepared the ground for the Grace of Awakening. This appears to be so from the personal perspective. As with everything else the underlying reality is acausal and atemporal. It all happens when it happens and we get to relax and enjoy the movie.
Deeksha is not the only way that Awakening can happen. But if Deeksha appears in your life and it feels good then simply say yes. No need to philosophize. Just say thank you and recognize that no one enlightens anyone else yet the appearance may look like that, just as a healer never really heals unless the person is ready to be healed. Yet it appears as if they "did" it. In fact, the whole play of inner and outer, cause and effect is just an appearance, at the level of outer form, of the synchronicity and coherence of all that is. Nonetheless, keep doing whatever you are doing. As they say in Zen, "First there is a mountain, then there is NO mountain, then there is..."
It is all paradoxical to the dualistic mind.
I hope this helps clear some of the confusion. There is nothing to be confused about. Only the unclear mind creates confusion for itself in an attempt to alleviate its underlying fear. Likewise there are no problems save the resistance to WHAT IS.
As far as the money goes. It is good to give back when something of value is received. It increases the ability to receive. And let it be known that the people in India are doing very good humanitarian projects with the money they receive and are in no way collecting excess funds that are not being used.
One final note. Deeksha is real and its effects are profound. I suggest that those forming opinions without having direct experience check it out before passing judgment. I have seen miracles.
Check the websites. www.onenessmovement.org www.onenessuniversity.org or my new blog www.onenessutah.blogspot.com We will soon have a website as well. Although my time is limited I am open to sincere dialogues and will occasionally travel to share all of this.
Namaste,
Ken
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