ATTD NewsLetter 021

Q & A

Question: Some actors in the play will awaken to the dream while others will not.

Does the Self cast some people in a role that precludes the possibility of Awakening or is there an even playing field for all?

If realizing our unreality is desirable, does this suggest a purpose to the game or is our state of awareness of no real significance in the big picture?

Answer: When I use the metaphor of the actor I always mean the One playing all the roles. What you call the actors are what I call the different roles or masks of the One Self.

These 'masks' will never wake up, it is always the One waking up to ItSelf. This waking up reveals that there is no separation anywhere and thus no separate individuals with either relevant or irrelevant states of awareness.

Realizing this or not realizing this is both the One Self appearing as this cosmic play. In this game, Awakening may seem desirable and to be the game's purpose, but realization has no special merit.

Whether waking or dreaming, it is all THAT. Like many different ornaments all made of Gold. Whatever form or shape gold assumes, it is always nothing but go(l)d. No ornament can become more true to its essence by changing shape, nor can a seeker become more THIS by changing her/his role to finder. I understand that it may seem so, but this is by itself the illusion, which, of course, is again only another modification in Awareness or in the way IT appears to ItSelf.

There is only THIS and no one to get IT, but (and here is the good news) also no one to be excluded from the party.

If or when you have a question you'd like to see answered in this newsletter mail to:
author@awakeningtothedream.com

Happy New Year

New Year's Eve comes in the middle of retreat. It is the millennium, the turn of the century. We celebrate in silence. I go to bed at 10 p.m., and wake up in another era. New Years Day, 2000: Wind and clouds blowing in the sky, fast. Beauty is here when we stop looking elsewhere.

From: 'Awake in the Heartland' by Joan Tollifson.
Visit Joan at her web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~wakeupjt/

You Are That

This is the teaching of Uddalaka to Shvetaketu, his son.

As by knowing one lump of clay, dear one,
We come to know all things made out of clay -
That they differ only in name and form,
While the stuff of which all are made is clay;

As by knowing one gold nugget, dear one,
We come to know all things made out of gold -
That they differ only in name and form,
While the stuff of which all are made is gold;

As by knowing one tool of iron, dear one,
We come to know all things made out of iron -
That they differ only in name and form,
While the stuff of which all are made is iron -

So through spiritual wisdom, dear one,
We come to know that all of life is one.

In the beginning was only Being,
One without a second.
Out of himself he brought forth the cosmos
And entered into everything in it.
There is nothing that does not come from him.
Of everything he is the inmost Self.
He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.
You are that, Shvetaketu; you are that.

When a person is absorbed in dreamless sleep
He is one with the Self, though he knows it not.
We say he sleeps, but he sleeps in the Self.
As a tethered bird grows tired of flying
About in vain to find a place of rest
And settles down at last on its own perch,
So the mind, tired of wandering about
Hither and thither, settles down at last
In the Self, dear one, to whom it is bound.
All creatures, dear one, have their source in him.
He is their home; he is their strength.
There is nothing that does not come from him.
Of everything he is the inmost Self.
He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.
You are that, Shvetaketu; you are that.

As bees suck nectar from many a flower
And make their honey one, so that no drop
Can say, 'I am from this flower or that,'
All creatures, though one, know not they are that One.
There is nothing that does not come from him.
Of everything he is the inmost Self.
He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.
You are that, Shvetaketu; you are that.

As the rivers flowing east and west
Merge in the sea and become one with it,
Forgetting they were ever separate streams,
So do all creatures lose their separateness
When they merge at last into pure Being.
There is nothing that does not come from him.
Of everything he is the inmost Self.
He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.
You are that, Shvetaketu; you are that!

From "The Chandogya Upanishad."

Awakened Poetry

Fragment On Nature

Goethe

Nature!
We are encompassed by her;
impossible to escape from her
and impossible to come nearer to her.
The most unnatural also is nature.
Who sees her not on all sides
sees her truly nowhere.
At each moment she starts upon a long, long journey
and at each moment reaches her end.

She lets every child enlarge upon her,
every fool judge her,
thousands pass heedlessly over her seeing nothing;
yet she has friends among all
and has her recompense from all.

Even in resisting her laws one obeys them;
and one works with her
even in desiring to work against her.
Love is her crown.
Only through love does one come near to her.
She has isolated all things
so she may bring all together.
All is eternally present in her,
for she knows neither past nor future.
For her, the present is eternity.

Quote of the moment!

I am the light that is above them all.
I am the All.
The All came forth from me,
and the All returned to me.
Cleave a piece of wood: I am there.
Raise up a stone,
and you will find me there.

_{From the Gospel of Thomas}

Smile of the moment!

OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY

December 1
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue. There will be lots of spiked eggnog and a small band playing traditional carols...feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus to light the Christmas tree! Exchange of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Patty Lewis
Human Resources Director
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December 2nd
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES

In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that, Hanukkah is an important holiday that often coincides with Christmas (though unfortunately not this year). However, from now on we're calling it our "Holiday Party." The same policy applies to employees who are celebrating Kwanzaa at this time. There will be no Christmas tree and no Christmas carols sung. Happy Holidays to you and your family.

Patty Lewis
Human Resources Director
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December 3rd
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES

Regarding the anonymous note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table, I'm happy to accommodate this request, but, don't forget, if I put a sign on the table that reads, "AA Only," you won't be anonymous anymore. In addition, forget about the gifts exchange-no gifts will be allowed since the union members feel that $10 is too much money.

Patty Lewis
Human Researchers Director
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December 7th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES

I've arranged for members of Overeaters Anonymous to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women closest to the restrooms. Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with the gay men; each will have their table. Yes, there will be a flower arrangement for the gay men's table. Happy now?

Patty Lewis
Human Racehorses Director
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December 9th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES

People! People! Nothing sinister was intended by wanting our CEO to play Santa Claus! Even if the anagram of "Santa" does happen to be "Satan," there is no evil connotation to our own "little man in a red suit."

Patty Lewis
Human Rat races
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December 10th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES

Vegetarians! I've had it with you people!! We're going to hold this party at Luigi's Open Pit whether you like it or not, you can just sit at the table farthest from the "grill of death," as you put it, and you'll get salad bar only, including hydroponic tomatoes. But, you know, tomatoes have feelings, too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them right now...! Oh how they scream and scream and scream, you hear me? Hope you all get drunk and sick!!

The Bitch from Hell
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December 14th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES

I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patty Lewis a speedy recovery from her stress-related illness. I'll continue to forward your cards to her at the sanitarium. In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay.

Happy Holidays!
Terri Bishop
Acting Human Resources Director