According to the likes of Eckhart Tolle and Rupert Spira, it’s quite common for people who are going through a spiritual awakening process to experience the resurfacing of negative traits, which were thought to have been dealt with ages ago. Not only that, but also to experience feelings of fear, hopelessness and vulnerability. This is something that I have been very aware of in my own daily existence for the past few years. However, the fact that I am actually aware of these experiences, is a very positive factor. I decided on this as a theme for a blog post, because I thought it would be very helpful for anyone who is experiencing the same thing as me.
My understanding of why this happens is because the ego (which doesn’t really exist) knows that it is on borrowed time, and does its utmost to stay alive; as long as there is fear and the derivatives thereof, the ego will continue to thrive. Normally, we are so wrapped up in our egoic earthly existence, we get completely sucked in by the “story” being told by the mind. We demonstrate negative traits and feel negative emotions without the awareness of them. Not in the context that is meant here anyway.
I have written in many previous posts about how we are “the witness” to the drama that is going on around us, and not participants in the true sense. So, I feel that it is encouraging to know that even though past negatives may have reared their heads, and doubt and fear have crept in, it is not necessarily a bad thing. Even though these things still don’t exactly feel good, what is good about it is that I am observing these feelings not only within my body, but also as a detached witness who knows that this is not who I am. With this understanding, all such thoughts and feelings pass through and dissolve away. The Self is always exactly as it is; ever still, ever the witness and ever reflecting the light of consciousness.
The world truly does seem to be in chaos, but here is something to consider; another slant on things. Without wishing to bring politics into my blog, I think it is only the most naive of people who do not see by now that the role of the media is to cause fear and mayhem amongst the masses; thus, fanning the flames of division.
But, the truth is that negativity is very loud (“hate screeches”, as Sri Sathya Sai Baba used to say), and peace is very soft and subtle. The egoic mind is easily led, and television news bulletins and sensationalist newspaper headlines effortlessly draw in the masses, like sheep, for their daily dose of brainwashing.
But, take the fragrance of a rose, for instance. There are no words to describe its beauty; it remains silent, yet says so much. What I’m trying to say here is that there is so much positivity to be taken from the amazing world in which we live. There is so much that the beauty of Mother Nature can teach us, if we are prepared to look. The thing is, beauty doesn’t screech; it simply exists as it is, in subtle splendour.
We can also look for our own subtle splendour, that is our essential Being; who we really are. This is the peace that passes all understanding that can only be found within ourselves. Things always seem to be descending into chaos, because hate and fear are always shouting. But, in reality, we are only a witness to that chaos; the eternal witness, to be more precise. The world may sometimes appear to be getting better AND worse at the same time, but remember, for better or worse, the world is in a constant state of flux because it is ultimately an illusion; it is consciousness in motion. The underlying, changeless, absolute truth ( who we really are) is always simply as it is, and is always accessible to us if we will just look beyond the madness.
In my next post I’m going to share with you a very simple exercise that will help you to focus on your inner subtle splendour, and shut out the screeching that wants to spin you a yarn and cause you to lose yourself in the world. Hang in there people, I’ll be back in a few days!
A priest was giving a religious discourse to the inmates of an asylum. He was a few minutes into his sermon when one of the inmates started waving his arms about and shouting, “do we have to listen to this rubbish?” The priest paused, and looked at the support worker who was in attendance and asked, “shall I stop speaking?” The support worker replied, “no, it’s OK, carry on, you won’t hear any more from him; he only has one sane moment every seven years…
Indeed, one sane moment every seven years; that’s something that a lot of people would give their right arms for in this world that seems to have gone completely mad. It is so difficult in this day and age, to keep sane in a completely bonkers world. The problem is that we have all been corrupted by our conditioning, which started at a very early age.
The beauty of Zen, is that once it finds you, you can rest in the natural flow of things as chaos ensues all around. The thing is not to get sucked into the drama, but rather to remain a witness as the drama plays itself out before your eyes. In other words, be the stage, not the play. These days, I’m getting much better at doing this; but I haven’t quite got the knack of never succumbing to the tricks of the egoic mind. Even though I have noticed more and more lately, that everything I need just seems to flow effortlessly to me. I still find myself on occasion playing one of the characters in an unnecessary soap opera. Then inevitably, I have to feel the pain that comes with it before the penny drops and I revert back to the natural flow of the poetry that is Zen.
Don’t listen to the priest (ego), but equally, don’t be content with one sane moment every seven years. Be neither sane nor insane… Be…
Many centuries ago there was a city where the inhabitants had amassed much wealth, all except for one man, who had always been deemed a bit odd by everyone else. He was an old mystic who lived alone on the outskirts. Early one morning there was an earthquake, and the city started to crumble. The citizens were in a blind panic and in their desperation tried to rescue what they could from their wealth of possessions. With their arms full of diamonds, gold, money, artefacts and treasures; all were running for their lives. Amongst all the chaos and clouds of dust the old mystic ambled along with just his stick, seemingly oblivious to what was going on around him.
One disturbed citizen stopped and said to the old man, “what are you doing? The city is crashing down around us and we are trying to rescue what we can of our wealth, but you are just walking with your stick, as if you are taking a morning stroll.” The old mystic laughed and said, “the stick is my only possession. You have all measured success by the impermanence of objects, I on the other hand have the greatest wealth of all; awareness, which I carry within me. But you are right about the morning stroll, I always take a walk at this time of the morning.”
As the flustered man continued running the old man shouted, “you can’t have a painting without the canvas!”
Indeed, you cannot start a painting if you do not have something on which to paint. In the same way that it is a complete and utter waste of time to base your life, values and ambitions etc. on objects; even if they are objects of wealth. The important thing is to prime the canvas (inner world) before chasing objects in the outer world. Without these foundations in place there is nothing to support us when our own personal world comes crashing down; which it invariably does from time to time. The old mystic was a realised soul and remained completely unmoved by the chaos around him.
The nature of the egoic mind is such that it can never be satisfied. So, whether you crave left-handed spanners or vast amounts of money, the ego’s thirst for these things will never be quenched. Seek first the Secret Garden of the Soul; once you are centred within this awareness, worldly objects can then be enjoyed as they were meant to be enjoyed, without fruitless obsessions.
As you know, if we see a snowflake in the UK the whole country grinds to a halt, and today we have a little more than that (hope you like the pics and short video of my back garden). So, it is appropriate, that since my place of work sits up on high ground six miles from here, and my place of work is shut because of the snow, I have got the chance to write a blog post called, “The Man On The Hill”. It is an old Zen parable, but I have put my own spin on it and will relate it in my own way of speaking.
Three friends were out walking, and in the distance, high up on a hill, they could see a man, seemingly just standing there. As they walked, they started to speculate amongst themselves as to what he was doing. The first man said, “I think he is looking for his dog”. The second man said, “no, I think he is looking for his friend”. The third man said, “no, you are both wrong, I think he is just getting some fresh air”. As they walked, they continued to have the discussion and eventually they found themselves following the path leading up the hill.
After a while they reached where the man was standing and curiosity got the better of them. “Excuse me”, said the first man, “but we couldn’t help but wonder what you are doing, are you looking for your dog”? “No, I’m not”, came the reply. The second man spoke up, “then are you looking for your friend”? “No”, came the reply again. The third man then asked, “are you just enjoying the fresh air”? For the third time, the man answered, “no I’m not”. The three friends, completely baffled, then asked, “If you are not engaged in any of those things can you please tell us what you are doing”? “I’m just standing”, replied the man.
“Just standing”, could be “just chopping wood”, “just washing up”, “just cutting the grass”, but what the man is really saying is, “I’m just being”. The three friends are typical of the monkey-like chatter of the egoic mind. It didn’t even occur to them that the man could be “just standing”, they had to pigeonhole what he was doing. So, they created several imaginary stories as they speculated their way along the path. It is no coincidence that there are three of them; the three friends being symbolic of the holy trinity of the physical world. We can also relate the three friends to the three states that we experience in this world of matter; waking, dream and deep sleep. The man “just standing” represents the “God-state” of Turiya, which exists beyond all triads.
This is what makes Zen so wonderfully unique in relation to other religions. Zen, “The Experience of Pure Knowing”, will awaken within you when you are ready. A Zen master will simply give you the key to open up the knowing that has always existed within you. Whereas, a teacher of religion will fill your head with knowledge based on the past. Knowledge = Non-sense; Knowing = God-sense.
I will just finish off by sharing with you something rather ironic that occurred to me as I was pondering writing this post. All the great spiritual masters who founded the religions of the world, were exceptional souls who broke the mould. They did not follow the crowd; on the contrary, they were inspirational leaders and exceptional individuals. But to be a follower of an organised religion means that you have to be the exact opposite of the religion’s founder; in other words you have to conform to convention. To be a Christian for example, you have to be an Anti-Christ, you have to become a sheep and follow the crowd. Christ himself did not advocate hierarchy; all were equal in his eyes. Now there are hundreds and hundreds of Christian cults and sects, all run by committees and people (mainly men) with titles, who dictate to the masses in accordance with their own limited understanding. This is an indication of the man-made, egoic nature of organised religion. I have written many times about this. The spirit evolves via the adventure of experience, not by conforming to outdated, fear-based, man-made rules, regulations and rituals. CAN I GET AN AMEN? Maybe not…
According to the likes of Eckhart Tolle and Rupert Spira, it’s quite common for people who are going through a spiritual awakening process to experience the resurfacing of negative traits, which were thought to have been dealt with ages ago. Not only that, but also to experience feelings of fear, hopelessness and vulnerability. This is something that I have been very aware of in my own daily existence for the past few years. However, the fact that I am actually aware of these experiences, is a very positive factor. I decided on this as a theme for a blog post, because I thought it would be very helpful for anyone who is experiencing the same thing as me.
Author - Richard F Holmes 