posted October 23, 2004 10:56 AM            

I mean no disrespect, but a camel is a camel is a camel. No one mistakes bones for a camel. And vice versa.

posted October 23, 2004 11:01 AM              

love

posted October 23, 2004 11:37 AM              

I am not sure what I meant by Original. Slip of tongue may be.

But an interesting version of Bible that is very clear to understand and has lots of research built in to it is the "New American Bible".

Its available online free: http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/index.htm

posted October 23, 2004 11:43 AM              

I've been dabbling in this Linda Goodman site for a couple of years now - and I must say that this group of people that you have just started encountering at this site are a very wise, intelligent, and fun group. Outside of my church, these knowflakes overall, truly "know." We already have a good level of open-mindedness, truth, and many different perspectives about God and life.We are willing to take on a new view if it so calls us. I can't help but feeling that your preaching to the choir. Perhaps this is the best way you can relate to people rather than an eye-to-eye "hi everybody!" Playing the intellect or "possessor" or knowledge is a great way of impersonally getting to know others, but it inheritantly comes from the ego and creates separation (I'm here and your over there.)which you so eloquently talked about.We not only believe we are separate from God, but each other (I know this because I played (play) this "I'm the expert game" so well to cover up my poor social skills. But my heart's in the right place - which I assume yours is also.)My suggestion to you is to take out another username and try to reveal who you are in this earthly plane. It's safe and a great way to experiment your other earthly personna. I think this GURU entrance is fun, so keep that also - just look at the number of responses so far!

"Master",I've read your posts and looked beyond the flowery words for a new concept or something that I'm pondering currently and to be honest I only found one thing that I'm thinking about, archetypes, everything else I'm familiar with and I'm sure most of the other knowflakes are as well.

You mentioned our "true name comes out of interaction with your lord (archetype). How does someone learn what their archetype is?I realize that someone must be familiar with mythology, Joseph Campbell style.Most people interact in the world and feel that we have a purpose to "do" something. Is it simply a matter of leaving the shore of safety and personally discovering your path or is there a way to discover it beforehand?

posted October 23, 2004 07:55 PM              

Yes, I think you are quite right. There are certainly many false prophets lurking out there in OZ. I think we should always be on the lookout for them, always question our preconceived notions, always think twice about our knee-jerk reactions, always ask -not only others but ourselves too - "why?". Maybe I am cruel and heartless but I feel that those who have Faith in snake oil should have their Faith destroyed. Painful though that may be, consider the alternative.

posted October 24, 2004 04:26 AM              

"In Dune, Paul had an education and training program which selected him out to make him better than what he otherwise might have been" -- Frank Herbert

"A Sufi book(i.e. text) will have to be read in the ordinary way several times. If the mind of the reader is not correctly prepared, he will reject the book, read it selectively, or else indoctrinate himself with the contents. All these results are undesirable . . . Literary passages, teaching instruments, may need much time and various experiences before they exercise their true potential effect upon the human being." -- Idries Shah

"We are not to become reformers of others, but transformers of ourselves."--The Raed

"Remain open. There is something bigger than you know going on here."
-- Iyanla VanZant

posted October 24, 2004 09:56 AM              

if my mind is correctly prepared, how will i know it to be so? if it is not, will i be able to recognize this also?

posted October 24, 2004 01:52 PM              

Its easy than you think. Just be Aware.
When you watch the kids. Watch them, how are they so smart. When you breathe. Be aware. Is life simply inhaling and exhaling. What is partaken in each breath. Pay attention.

Even in silence you could control your mind to go in to the unknown realms.

You will simply know that your mind is prepared when you have nothing but love for everyone. Compassion even for animals. Sooner or later it will come to you.

Even if nothing comes do not worry. Don't even desire for what you should see. But just pay attention to details. Observe nature and ask yourself why should it be this way? For example: its fall now and you will watch birds flying in sky. Ask yourself, where are they going to? Its time for winter and they are migrating to warmer place. Ask, how are they able to navigate? Humans need a map on earth or a sophistaced navigation system in the cockpit? Ask, yet this simple birds, know where to go? And they go year after year to same place exact spot, within 100 metres accuracy.

Well I could go on and on. Also concentrate on Human nature, and try to rectify in your heart your own shortcomings.

Very soon you would see the day when God is talking to you.

Keep thoughts pure so that goodness comes to you. If you desire evil in heart, you would attract those energies also. So every thought you think matters. Every word you speak matters. Its difficult to explain this. But an example that you can observe is best explained by the statement "You are what you Eat."

Meaning eat, junk food and your body fattens up, the WBC that is produced is not strong enough. Eat the fresh things, and you will notice, you're concentration power is more. You are agile. Yours bad chlorestol are low.

PEACE

posted October 24, 2004 02:09 PM              

""how does one go about having a "correctly prepared mind?""

Empty of self and desire,
Cleansed of anger and hate.
Bring forth true Heart's fire,
Leave it not to random fate.

"if my mind is correctly prepared, how will i know it to be so? if it is not, will i be able to recognize this also?"

In every Seeker lies,
Truth percieving eyes.
Bright blade hidden beneath,
Conditioning's tarnished sheath.

"and if i wish to embark upon the journey of having a correctly prepared mind, where do i begin?"

posted October 24, 2004 03:22 PM              

You type with your tongue?!

posted October 25, 2004 04:03 AM              

Had a funny response to Pix.

Decided it's best NOT to embarrass IAT... YET.

posted October 25, 2004 09:31 AM            

The rhymes of Mother Goose are tantalizing and full of hidden meaning. I would like to ask who Mother Goose was and what the rhyme: Hey Diddle Diddle, the cat in the fiddle... is attempting to share with us.

Thank you.
Love,

posted October 25, 2004 10:32 AM              

thank you so much for those thoughtful responses. i am so touched! i came here last night with a bruised and heavy heart, and something about your words brought a sweet calm into my being.

posted October 25, 2004 06:33 PM              

For those who are thirsty for emancipation from (nafs) earthly/material desires:

Know that there are people who try to teach you when they have no knowledge except for empty words. They talk about the heart, mind, soul, and they have no idea what these truly are.

Know that you go to a false teacher and ask, "I have this problem. He says, 'Refer to your heart.'"

Then you should ask, "If I could refer to my heart, or if my heart was not sick, why would I come to you?"

Know that your heart is a village situated in two vast valleys. To the right is a connection to the soul that is the mine of righteousness and illumination. To the left is a connection to the nafs (material realm) that is the mine of illusion and corruption.

So, you -- false teacher --, when you tell me to refer me to my heart, do you know where you are sending me?

Know that heart is known as ghalb. It is something that revolves constantly. It looks up to the soul and it looks down to the material realm. The journey is from ghalb to del (illuminated heart).

Know that the people of spirit call ghalb, or heart, a village that is occupied by dogs (sharp teeth), pigs (greed), cats (disloyalty), and foxes (deception). The Guest (God) is repulsed and does not enter that village. You must clean and polish that heart to prepare for the arrival of the Guest.

Know that God says, "All the universes cannot contain me. But I will fit into the illuminated heart of my servant."

Know that when you, false teacher, refer me to my heart, you are referring me to my nafs.

Know that the real teacher teaches your heart to be the guide of the intellect and hosts no desires.

Know that nafs are the result of your upbringing, education, socialization, all prejudices/biases, attachments to dead ideas and traditions, and both good and bad things learned from your limited environment.

Know that you have the potential to discover the infinity of existence. If your illuminated heart works with your mind and your intellect, your intellect will become the eyes of your heart.

Know that nafs also need consultants. One is intellect and the other is fear (emotionalism). When the intellect works with the nafs, it becomes a blind tool. Fear in any of its forms (including blind, reckless bravery) leads to a crooked path.

Know that images (imagination) are blessings sent down from the heavens. The illuminated heart will receive those pictures clearly. One is always in the state of reality. But these images, if they come to a confused heart, will be received in a distorted way. It is only through guesses and illusions that you can make sense of the reality.

Know that you have three elements:

First, the divine spirit from which everything comes.

Second, the jan, the life force in which everything is connected and alive.

Third, the soul/nafs which is born and developed through our deeds and practices. According to your deeds, it can either achieve the state of the soul or degrade down to the level of the nafs.

Know that your beloved(love) will enter your domain when you exercise good deeds and practise actions on the basis of the shariat. Otherwise, you will not receive love, you will receive lust.

Know that shariat is adab -- courtesy, politeness, humility . . . being happy with whatever happens to you, good or bad. The Beloved says to Moses, "Take off your shoes and enter." And Moses takes off his shoes. You cannot enter the domain of love with your shoes on, with your self-interests intact. You must come empty so you get filled up with the breath of love.

Know that esheq (love) is a contract between the beloved and the lover to find unity in the blessed domain. It is a tornado that comes to your heart from the Domain of Unity. Love wants to take you to the Domain of Truth. Love invades, it is not learned. Love tells you to give up all your self's desires and only follow the its shariat so you can find self-realization.

Know that these words have manifested themselves in the real teacher. And they are not manifested in the false teachers. He only says them without understanding and that is why they have no effect.

Know that there is a difference between the words of a darvish and a fortune teller/magician. They both talk about the same concepts. The darvish sees lawful love will shatter into divine love and unity. But the magician says the love will shatter into separation. There is a difference between the staff of Moses and the snake of the Pharoah's magicians.

Know that to obtain illumination is not impossible. All the tools are placed in you. You must fast, you must pray, and above all, have good deeds. Fasting was the way of Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed. It is not only deprivation of food, it is fasting ears, tongue, eyes, and stomach on all illusions, distorted pictures, and words of temptation. Prophets always were fasting. When you stop garbage from entering, you will allow the wholesome to manifest in you. That is why the prophets had visions. That is also the potential you have. Green (color of God) is your color, grace is your name, and healing is your hands.

Serenity,

posted October 25, 2004 06:53 PM              

How often do you think one should fast? I just came off of a fast two weeks ago. I went 11 days without food. I'll do it again in the future, maybe not for that many days. But I agree that fasting is important.

posted October 25, 2004 09:19 PM            

As to teachers. I am unclear as to what you're referring to. See, if we are all one, and hence are God in human form as one entity experiencing life through many entities, then couldn't God speak to whomever through any one? I mean, a teacher that is not speaking complete truth could be revealing a certain truth that the student needed at that moment in order to progress. Like, you might ask a questions which is unclear, and the person answers in their own way, but the answer answers a different question you had but hadn't asked. Couldn't this be attributed to God understanding what you meant and somehow intervening?

I am also unsure what you meant by the power of words. "He only says them without understanding and that is why they have no effect." I'm sure the effect is dependent on the receiver, not necessarilly the giver.

posted October 25, 2004 10:24 PM              

When will this spiritual teacher come to help me? Anytime soon?

posted October 26, 2004 03:09 AM              

I am pleased that your heart has been lightened somewhat.
Poetry, as San Juan knew, could be an effective way of transmission. It can also be lacking in some respects.
And it seems remiss of me to allow any further confusion to enter into the weave of this particular event-space.
It is perhaps worth remembering Lady Jessica's words at this point: "When strangers meet, great allowances should be made for differences in custom and training."

""how does one go about having a "correctly prepared mind?""

Empty of self and desire,
Cleansed of anger and hate.
Bring forth true Heart's fire,
Leave it not to random fate.

Comment: The first step in preparing oneself is to examine and clean the self-nature of it's many and various lower desires. One must , of course, be willing to do so. To admit to, and to examine, one's self, in all it's parts and then to give up every part.
This is very difficult for most of us. Even if we wish to give up some parts of ourselves there will, usually, be some aspect that we wish to cling to. It is this that ultimately prevents Union from occurring.
God is Merciful and permits us to cling to our illusions for as long as we wish to do so. In this time we are in the realm of "random fate", we are from God but not, as yet, with God. When we give up the desires of the lower self we move to the realm of heart's guidance, of moving with God.
Such distinctions are, of course, not absolute. We have, always, some knowledge of our heart. The journey is to the perfection of that knowledge and it's action.

"if my mind is correctly prepared, how will i know it to be so? if it is not, will i be able to recognize this also?"

In every Seeker lies,
Truth percieving eyes.
Bright blade hidden beneath,
Conditioning's tarnished sheath.

Comment: God, in his Infinite Mercy and Compassion, has seen fit to place within every human being sufficient provision to seperate the true from the false. But the necessities of descent into this realm and the accumulation of various aspects of conditioning (not to mention the desires of the flesh) ofttimes mask that seperative blade.
This, more often than not, means we require external intervention. The intervention of a teacher or physician in order to assist us in clarifying and seperating the true from the false.
Until such time as we have become capable of doing so on our own.
Of course, whilst a guide may provide us with the necessary information we will still have to do the work of cleaning ourselves.

"and if i wish to embark upon the journey of having a correctly prepared mind, where do i begin?"

Hurry now, scrub the mirror-bright,
Look within to find the inner light.
There is never a time like the Presence,
Past-future desires hide the Essence.

Comment: There is no time like now for beginning the Work. The Heart is like a two-sided mirror. One side is turned to the world and has accumulated much dust in the form of past history leading to tangled desires which mingle as a trinocular vision of past, present and future. We are blind, in fact, to true reality.
The other side of the Mirror points always towards the Divine Light which shines continuously upon it. However the transmission of that light is always obscured for as long as we allow ourselves to retain any aspect of the lower self and it's accumulated desires and conditionings which are rooted in both the history of the flesh in it's evolution as an animal form and in the history of the mind in it's evolution through our life to date.
When the mirror is scrubbed clean we can see that there is, in fact, the Light of Essence both within and without. That, hidden from our eyes, the Lord is ever-present, co-emergent, transcendent and immanent and in constant creation.

Enough for now...other work beckons me for a while.

posted October 26, 2004 03:41 AM              

May your prayers be answered.

posted October 26, 2004 05:03 AM              

i've been following this thread and what the master says makes TOTAL sense to me cuz as he says it's manifest in him but you sound like your just blabbering bout something you don't know what the heck are u saying anyway? you ain't no teacher

am i rite or am i rite?