soma

Great post as the people of the world search in alcohol, drugs, music, religion, health and science for this experience each drinking from their own well called existence and since it can't be put into words I feel the new spirituality in the wake of this experience, people will become live demonstrations not of ego or superiority, but humbled to the expression of unity.

The question is about miracles and we compare ourselves with ISIS and Scientology, which makes me think the KKK is gaining popularity with this election and not miracles at all. I feel if we want to compare Christianity, our knowledge and desirable qualities with another religion we should pick one that we can learn from. The sad thing is we have many similarities with ISIS martyrs and suicide bombers or people so dedicated to the institution they become narrow minded.

As a Christian I feel enthusiastic hoping creates miracles in the awe and splendor of our lives if we are free from the mental worry, fear and antagonisms that block our observation of them in the tiny actions around us. This freedom does not mean that science is trivia but a miracle in itself as it explains these tiny actions to our mind. May we enjoy the awe and bliss of an open mind, relax in the silence and create the miracles we are waiting to happen.

The great thing about prose and parables are that people can translate their meaning at their level of understanding and progress from where they are at that period, which would change from time to time. I respect Hahn for venturing into Christian culture from his Buddhist background and his view point from a fresh mind.

I think you are on to something because the only saving is to save the Bible from the Fundamentalist and save the Fundamentalist from the Religious Right with their Republican Holy Profit, One way to heaven, Literal interpretations and their Fascist way or the highway.

Lucas, It seems you have struck a great balance between Christianity and Buddhism, similar to Kali and Shiva dancing the dynamics of creation and destruction. Please share your perspective on things because the Kali Yuga has many angles to view things and they are all valid.

It takes a lot of energy to lie, which is going against the flow of energy so going with the flow is being honest and gives us the feeling of freedom in being open to the flow in the moment. Personally I try to go with the flow and don’t trust people who lie to me which is a kind of negative flow, but I don’t think it is good or bad just a different interpretation of the energy in the moment; therefore we can lie with words and silence. A salesman or player can say all the right words externally for his/her greedy desires internally and in the same way an upright person can be silent expressing a power beyond belief. Energy doesn’t lie so I trust the force, which in the long run is neither good nor bad, which means it is OK to lie in certain situations according to the moment. I think we experiment with the flow of energy and that is how we learn because it can be painful so everyone lies; some will say only dead bodies go with the flow. The energy or wisdom of our ancestors is with us if we want it or not in the form of information, family history, characteristics or body type. I think the importance of connecting to our ancestors and our own existence reawakens our connection to everything whether we think this subtle energy is a ghost or energy that is positive or negative propelling and motivating us to act in a certain way. We are the result of our relatives’ actions and the Asian countries use this ancestral force to do great things while we can build and pave over the ancient ways, we can also utilize that energy contained in them to make life better. Inquiring into the cultures and philosophies of the earth, the love energy of hundreds of people who shared their ancestor beliefs, customs and spiritual practices have indebted me to walk the earth with the knowledge and experience that we are all connected to each other and all things with separation only being in my mind. The mind seeking enlightenment, Divinity, spirit, or just high energy in an experience in present time disallowed it so my ego could continue to move matter in its way and control my actions. This quest or spiritual journey was blocking the present time experience I was seeking; therefore, I had to look at my driving force and validate my own ticket for just being in the moment and letting the energy of the universe respond to my inner longing. The one energy that is never destroyed, but just changes form contains in its wholeness the energy of the past, present and future in present time. Our mind in duality is what separates this wholeness putting one thing after another in linear form preventing us from learning and loving our ancestors in the past, present and future at the same time.

We diffuse our energy reacting to our inner stories, our fears, uncertainties and desires to satisfy our senses with gross stimulation, which is alright, but when people want an option there is mindfulness, the continuous awareness of the subtle energies permeating our body, emotions, thoughts and senses, as mentioned more than five. Mindfulness is a cultivated practice to be in the now that helps us to observe the moment, the energy present and our suffering or happiness. It changes a person’s disposition and life or people would not practice it and that is OK because there are many techniques to change a person’s life. I think mindful speech is not just telling the truth in every situation, but being mindful of the situation in a fluid and flexible manner that takes into account our subconscious and our intuition without reason in a deeper perception that does not need, logic, rationalization or the advanced instruments with their clear evidence and proof. It seems to be the subtle perception of the subtle inner energies and relationships that underlie most events. Rom thanks for your comments to keep this thread alive.

Gregorian Chant

The point was that our five senses are limited, we can't see something too big or small, hearing has a limited range also as do our other senses so we perceive the gross energies, but the more subtle energy we need instruments and even subtler we need another way to pick them up.

We see, hear, taste, smell and feel gross energy, but at the same time we can experience subtle energy. There is a limit to our senses and this boundary marks the experience of gross life because the subtle energy fields are out of our ordinary range of experience. Technology has shown us that there are subtle levels in our world, which we are not aware of because our senses are limited to the gross strata only. In order to experience the finer energies of life, it is necessary to improve our sense of being by aligning with the soul, Buddhist would call it mindfulness, Christians witnessing and Atheist nature. There seems to be currents of energy that produce anger and divisive thoughts where destructive actions become apparent, and also energy currents that produce love, healing thoughts and constructive actions that bring our attention to the subtle field of energy where understanding the impersonal nature of energy and the interconnected dynamics of everything beyond the senses is beneficial to life. In this state of unity being we learn to love without restriction and accept without judgment because we are not on the level of thinking, which is well-versed and experienced in relative existence. Identifying with our subtle consciousness I call soul, we slowly learn about the energy of life, the value of creativity, healing and love. Releasing negativity, disharmony and violence by any means available, shows us the way to serve the higher power of energy by increasing our knowledge of the finer strata of existence so we can align with it. It is a journey through the layers of the mind leading to a perception that produces good results, good health and good habits, which could be the reason many people have migrated from a wild life to a calm and peaceful one. It focuses our minds into a laser promoting and facilitating the nervous and circulatory systems to invigorate our body and mind. A way the whole or holy self conserves and channels energy that is lost in drifting habits, a kind of healing, an adaptation, absorption and practice of spiritual knowledge to align our minds with our soul. The air is loaded with energy from lightening to the Aurora Borealis, and water is charged with electrical, chemical and mechanical energy. The energy in water as ice has the force to break granite into pebbles; atoms also have energy and we are a combination of atoms, energy and life. A combination of millions of energies separated and disconnected until we unite them in our own life where when we act in harmony we educate, train and marshal our forces into a purpose and stop their meandering nature. This empowerment is the aligning of our minds with the energy of the soul giving direction to a rudderless ship at the mercy of the sea, simply put being mindful of the present moment. No longer drifting aimlessly with the wind, we seem to cultivate our energy to its highest degree of application to improve the faculty of our experience. Energy radiates from us similar to an electrical current giving light to a bulb and when channeled and not short circuited, it is no longer rampant, but focused, connected with our core and the spiritual depths of our being. This consciousness does not judge, just witnesses with the understanding that we are drawn to the power of just being, a consciousness of bliss filling a powerless place with wisdom and knowledge. This requires inner work recognizing where we are influenced by external circumstances and lose energy where temptations are not ignored, but released by changing perceptions, self-image, concepts and one’s life. The resistance to change is witnessed with the recognition that our energy and power are lost in a diffused and unfocused state taking strength from every fiber of our body. Spiritual practice is a natural gift, a living grace that perfects our poise, manner, coolness and reserve in the muscular and nervous systems of our body. Spiritual development doesn’t invite physical health because it is done for spiritual reasons, but the mind and body do benefit, assisting our spirituality as we stand in awe of energy and its perpetual vastness. "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." (Albert Einstein)

Burl, I am sure I will visit someday. I am stretching flying to Korea, Vietnam and China for two months, next month. I lived overseas for twenty years studying the various philosophies and practices in many countries and when I lived in Hawaii visited a different group every week. They vary and I enjoy the diversity, but the work must be done by the individual. I enjoy the Buffets in Vegas, but after awhile window shopping gets boring. We can compare the different tastes, enjoy their aromas but sooner or later one gets tired of circling on the circumference of the circle and desires to go to the center. The spoke from which all these disciplines radiate from. I enjoy Buffets and will continue to go to them and various centers of spirituality, but I don't live to eat, I eat to live. Pentecostal seems interesting so I am sure it will present itself and I will engage in some way. Thanks for the tip.

I am more an introvert so I really like the Quakers because of their silence and the Catholic symbolism, mass and Christian mysticism. I liked it better when the mass was in Latin.

Burl, I think you asked in another thread, but I go to different observances from different faiths and Christian denominations. I went to a mass about 2 months ago. When I go to Korea and Vietnam, I am sure to visit different temples.

I agree...........................I enjoy sitting with Muslims, Hindus, Atheist ect, and when something strikes me as true I acknowledge it and put it in my tool box to make life better.

I agree with the statements posted that suggest ‘Original Sin’ is a mental condition and not a sin of disobedience, an honest mistake in the interpretation of Paul or Genesis. We can make allowances for personal inferences and Christian diversity. The Celtic Christianity did not baptize babies, but had an observance to bless the new being, I like that recognizing consequences in duality, but not emphasizing guilt with Baptism washing away original sin. In my personal interpretation I feel from the soul perspective we discover all things are pleasing because we see them in the big or whole picture where opposites come together like the beauty of the rose and the hazard of the thorn. I don’t feel the soul, spirit or subtle consciousness experience is wrapped up and captivated by the pain and distortion experienced on the material plane. I feel ‘original sin’ is an attempt to describe the change of our point of view from the grand picture of the Infinite to the small picture of the finite in its symbolism. In our finite existence we all suffer and feel distressed importing and exporting difficulties into our mind on our limited planet while the infinite puts forth a much larger picture that stretches us beyond our thinking. I feel mindfulness for Hanh, which is probably just my speculation on my meaning, is to import healthy concepts and thoughts that keep us absorbed in the big picture, living the life of nature or our dharma in the moral nature of the infinite without the interference of our preferences. Witnessing through the soul’s view point we act with integrity, flexibility, and as satisfying as a rose that appeals to all so we don’t express a grumbling complaint or resistance to other people’s devils, original sin or what we feel is an immature belief. We can accept things in mindfulness the way they are, but can try to change the things we don’t agree with or change ourselves in the process. I feel mindfulness creates a natural magnetism, a kind of charisma where we don’t need better facts, but better understanding to find an open channel to come to grips with someone’s beliefs that we might disagree with. The sovereignty of nature seems to teach us these lessons calming us in our disturbances without generating better facts or arguments, but calming us so we can see them ourselves.

I like the concept of dharma and the different meanings and how they can be applied to the individual, religion or society. I like the dharma meaning for an individual as the management and regulation of life using our intentions and purpose to measure our aspirations. I feel both Jesus and Buddha gave us teachings to enhance our life and make our problems less annoying; therefore, we have individual, religious and societal dharma. To deepen our understanding of our different realities, the world, our mind and self we need a variety of experiences. The Christian doctrine or dharma starts with ‘Original Sin’ where Christians see all humans starting with a sin from birth; therefore, Christians are encouraged to put their faith in one God and their salvation in Jesus Christ who died for their sins even though Christians are baptized in the Holy Spirit. This creates a clash with authoritarian legalism, rules, sins and punishment and the spiritual liberty presented by Jesus. Some theologians have contradictions to the Genesis interpretation of Adam and Eve and original sin. Buddhists consider us as good and sinless from birth and they exhort compassion for all beings as there is suffering in the world. Science does not think that evil was transmitted from every parent to every child like a genetic disease because they found no evidence of this in the genes. They found a universal moral code, or dharma factor in our species beyond the dharma of our religions according to the findings of Marc Hauser, a substratum of everything. I feel this substratum we can call as Jung did the collective unconscious or pure consciousness. We see and experience the differences between the East and West without one being better or best, just different as we all look at this substratum through different lenses, angles and interpretations by our religions and societies. No need to go into societal dharma. I believe in the spiritual liberty presented by Jesus. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Matt. 5:8)

I am looking for the paper I wrote, but am limited because I am staining my desk, book shelves and other furniture for my office and can't get to the hard drive it is on. I really don't know where it is, I feel I was talking about unity, and how duality in unity contains the opposites of good and evil and that they both work together as two sides of the same piece of paper, then I used Satan as an example of a devoted angel doing God's work prosecuting Jonah. Jonah passed the test, deepened and expanded his devotion in the process growing closer to God from the ordeal. Sorry, I am in the whale right now, experiencing labor pains and hope to be reborn again.

My comrades in the wild days most have crashed, burned and many died even though they had solid Christian up bringing, the problem is Christianity concentrates on rules and punishment or sin shaming. It has overlooked and has failed to see the importance of nurturing the awareness of our own being in the world and beyond in order to discover the Divinity within ourselves, which is one of Jesus’s main areas of interest. When we come to an understanding that the Divinity within is a Divine consciousness connected to everything, created out of God’s pure consciousness, then all circumstances can truly be seen as either positive or negative with pain, suffering, happiness, joy, evil and Satan working together for our education. At the same time we can’t justify killing, rape, hurting others, holding slaves, letting people starve and the other torments in the world as being good. These are indications that our world is divided with people thinking they are better or more righteous than others, and it is sad that the church helps to perpetuate this paradigm. We will continue to witness this brutality on others and ourselves if we don’t make a meaningful shift in our own paradigm as an individual, as a religion and as a society. Usually, this does not happen until we experience some sort of suffering from a disease, disaster or personal shock that changes us and makes us aware of the truth that we are coming to terms with. Severe suffering not only brings an impressive transformation, but also makes us stronger for a better future, but we are the ones who have to renovate our thoughts if we are a church member or not. When the church continues to hide pain behind prayers, it is better to sit on the beach and contemplate the situation than sit in a church and think about being at a beach. We are better off thinking about a painful truth than the hidden, political lies the church feeds us, the church needs to change and stop telling us what to do and not do, but help us open up and build a relationship with the physical, mental and spiritual realms that are all around and inside us. The Gospel of Thomas tells us that Jesus said: "Split wood, I am there. Lift up a rock, you will find me there." God is in everything including ourselves so everything has magnificence; the problem is that not everyone can see it especially our ministers, nuns and priest. Priest and ministers are in the same boat as we are, but many of them have not been educated in mindful peace so they hold their desires out of fear of mortal sins or hell and when the dam burst they abuse children. I feel the church is at fault for not educating us in the art of self awareness and creating an atmosphere of fear instead. In Nevada and the US we are at the top of the list for teen pregnancies, rape, suicides, drug use and abuse and Palin's daughter, the spokesman for abstinence is a good example on how frustration doesn't work. We limit sex education, when I taught Biology in Nevada, I was told not to teach the reproductive system as if it was evil. Europe with a good sex education program has less teen pregnancies and Germany with a lower drinking age has less binge drinking because young people are educated and act responsibly. We want to get high so why not talk realistically about drugs, sex, and drinking, their positive and negative factors so they don't control our mind and we can see clearly what we are doing. In the sixties I did research on the government research at that time for a genetics class. LSD was singled out as Public Enemy Number One by the press, but their false propaganda that LSD caused permanent insanity was not believed so they doubled down with the frightening prospect of couples giving birth to physical and mental freaks because acid had scrambled their chromosomes. I found and demonstrated that the study was flawed. It didn't work and drug use increased. Jesus came to help us deal with the basic problems of an average day in our life; for example, how to deal with fear, worry, anger and nervousness while putting together meaning, purpose, usefulness and happiness. Christianity similar to other commonplace belief systems is used a lot to justify extremism, dogma, fanaticism and atrocities that lead us away from a deeper sense of happiness and meaning. I solute the Buddhist for their morality and deep-rooted sense of fitting and piecing together our involvements, connections and consequences with nature and humanity by integrating an all-embracing awareness with scientific knowledge and the spiritual experience of wholeness and unity, Christianity needs to do the same instead of just giving a rule, commandment and its punishment.

I wish my country and religion honored and respected peace like other countries. I don't think naming our missals peace keepers does the trick. We have some Chinese calligraphy we are going to frame and hang in our new house that comes from a Chines story that Buddhist love. It says,"The fisherman with patience get more than fish." The story continues where the fisherman makes business ties, social relationships and family harmonious and prosperous because of his peace of mind. Steve driving from Reno to Vegas I passed many Brothels in the small towns one even had a Billboard with just the word Brothel on it. Prostitution is legal in Nevada except in Reno and Vegas where it is illegal. The legal ones are very strict where the rules are like a monastery without the 4hrs of meditation and frequent doctor visits and test. The illegal prostitution in Reno and Vegas is more brutal, violent and mean minded. I don't desire it, but I don't judge either how people find love and peace crude or subtle.

According to the Mayo clinic. The veins around your anus tend to stretch under pressure and may bulge or swell. Swollen veins (hemorrhoids) can develop from an increase in pressure in the lower rectum. Factors that might cause increased pressure include: Straining during bowel movements Sitting for long periods of time on the toilet Chronic diarrhea or constipation Obesity Pregnancy Anal intercourse Low-fiber diet Hemorrhoids are more likely as you get older because the tissues that support the veins in your rectum and anus can weaken and stretch with aging. It seems hemorrhoids are caused by external or physical factors or pressure. Peace of mind is a state that seems to be where the negatives and positives are both accepted so if one had hemorrhoids and accepted them in peace, the pressure would subside; after all, dis-ease, disease is not at ease; therefore peace is healing. Peace is always present, but at many times we are not, so like any desirable state of mind, it requires some focus, even if that effort entails consciously choosing to be still, meditating, watching the breath or going for a walk. Our situation affects our mind, but it doesn't control our mental state because we can make choices for our mental well being and health. To choose peace is not easy or the lazy way out because it can be tough at times like 4 hours of meditation,but I would rather meditate for four hours than go through worry and stress as a way of life. The outcome for meditating and worrying is quite different, but everyone must find their unique way as meditation is not for everyone. There are many things we can do to create peace of mind I think Buddha and Christ were trying to bring this experience into our lives, to be proactive where peace inside brings peace outside. I needed 4 hours when I was young, energetic and wild, but now I can get by with just mini meditations or focus here and there. This move with deadlines, high temperatures, signings, picking up trucks, drop off deadlines and having a house empty and clean on time was worst than any 4 hour meditation, but with mini meditations I made it with a smirk on my face. All paths lead to unity where opposites are at peace residing within and outside us, and it doesn't matter what route because peace is everywhere in wholeness.

We meditated 1 hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner and again at midnight so the four hours were in intervals. I never got them and never heard other monks complaining. When I could sit in full lotus it is very comfortable for the legs, anus and a straight back. The Ashram is a power house so mentally people are dealing with their mental garbage and unloading, but there is no external tension, which I think causes hemorrhoids.

The Vedic, Buddhist, Sufi, science and other philosophies have made me a better Christian in my mind and I am grateful for the experience they have lead me to, like you I try to share the experience and stay grounded in it as my teachers from around the world have demonstrated. I also feel the intellect has to be quieted by answering or searching out all questions it brings up so it will be quiet and we can hear the rose talking to us as Rom described so well. There are so many thoughts in the infinite and I am glad you acknowledge their importance. I like Zen and how they shock us to the experience by totally confusing the mind in duality with a paradox. I also feel Christianity is evolving from devotion to a Deity that has been used to exploit people's devotion to a true experience from multiple practices, may they be intellectual, physical, service, devotion, piety, art, sports or whatever. It is a good observation that my writing is mushy, my mind seems to be more flexible and instead of just forming concrete images it seems to enjoy the abstract and disintegration into no thing, nothing...............of importance. It is hard to talk about the abstract so many ministers talk about the Devil more than Eternal Wisdom creating a fear to manipulate their congregation. Why not introduce them to the thought that Lucifer is a devoted Angel acting as a prosecutor like in Jonah and the whale where fake piety is exposed or true devotion is strengthen instead we Christians honor fake piety and praying for others to hear, but that is OK, it gives us something to do. Like some Buddhist, Hindus, Carmalites, Trapist, and Sufis we can learn to just master pure being.

I like the philosophy of the Vedas, the Iranian Poet Rumi a Sufi, Jack Kornfield a Buddhist, Deepak Chopra basic Hindu, Evelyn Underhill Christian, Richard Rohr Christian, ST.Theresa of Avila Christian, Thomas Merton Christian, Alan Watts, Frifjof Capra Tao of Physics, Michio Kaku physicist, Emerson Christian, Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhist, Matthew Fox Christian, Pema Chodron Buddhist, Bruce Lipton Biologist, Caroline Myss Christian ect, Thomas Keating Christian

There are many people with physical strength that are saturated with knowledge and mental power that celebrate and are pleased with the mind and body, but miss the opportunity of experience in a deep, perpetual way acquainted with the source of energy that gives us life eternally. This appreciation is not just a caring, but a genuine, profound integration and merging with the infinite affection, peace and joy that encompasses us internally and externally. Yes all religions have their narratives and they are beautiful stories, but not very intellectual, their philosophy is more intellectual because the stories are myths and parables that are interpreted at different mental levels. The lower levels believe the stories literally and are inspired to be good, but God in the form of Divine energy is not a naïve; untried, inexperienced reality that is separate from our being expecting us to bow down; on the contrary, God is connected to our being bringing us together with everything in harmony and agreement with our own identity. The extent of free will for the mind is to service our goals and desires that are present mentally and physically, but the freedom of will in the soul chooses to see in the mind's eye useful ways to serve humanity in a spirit of unity. When we function as an organic system our biological programming takes over our free will and we just react to desires, actions and consequences, but when we learn from our appetites, simulations and pleasures we are able to reinvent and redesign ourselves with awareness. Moving our consciousness from a lower to a higher level of reality, remakes our character by setting ourselves free from discord and helping us to let go of what we are at odds with. The intellect must be satisfied before one can go beyond it so study is important, but after an experience beyond the limits of mind and body one can experience the stories not on the surface, but at the source, which is the purpose for the stories. Meditation is not for the lazy, it is not chanting a mantra, saying a rosary or closing the eyes to separate ourselves from life, but a process to enhance our perception, more intelligent than stories about a person who is in tune with the intelligence of the Creator. The stories are good they bring people to God, but they don't put people in God, intellectually we can repeat the quotes and stories of Shiva, Krishna, Buddha and Christ, but we need to know the truth in our own experience. “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”(Attributed to Einstein)