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A wonderful Christmas and a happy Now Year to you dear reader. |
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Question: "From Pure Joy springs all creation, by Joy it is sustained, towards joy it proceeds and to joy it returns."
I saw this small text, which is a tantra asana, a little while ago and it made me think. Yes, It made me think. I(t) wonder(s) about this "Pure Joy". I understand the metaphor of the screen onto and in which the movie appears, the screen being Pure Consciousness, which remains as always unaffected by its contents, the movie or "the many things", all of creation. In my experience the Source from and in which "I" originate every new moment has NOTHING to do with joy, as I can best describe It with or point to It as the word "nothingness" or "void", that what knows joy. Is pure consciousness pure joy? What is pure joy? Is "my" natural state of One Mind as expression of this Mind pure joy, as I realize that there is no other but Myself, thus without the illusion of separation, without fear? Thus being Love or Pure Joy? Answer: All qualities assigned to IT fail to capture IT. Try to replace the words 'Joy' in the above quote with Self, Tao, Emptiness, Fullness, God, IT, Consciousness, or any other label, and see what resonates. All such words are conceptual pointers to That what is not a concept. We can easily call it Pure Joy when we look at the amazing display of galactic fire works, and at the great diversity in which IT shows up to itself. Like Pure Joy, IT is its own reason for being and non-being. Perhaps Unconditional Love resonates when we point to IT with concepts that focus on the unconditional willingness of IT to be everything, from the lowliest creature to the most saintly of saints. It embraces the 'wicked' as well as the 'virtuous' and as such it could also be called 'Total Acceptance.' Or perhaps No-thing-ness resonates as it cannot be called a thing; yet all apparent 'things' have their existence in it. When we learn to ride a bicycle, we are concerned with our balance; once we know how to ride, the concept of balance does no longer come up. Balance is simply there. In the same way, when Self (re)cognizes Self, all labels can be forgotten. Something beyond words knows these words as they arise and subside. This is as much a mystery that eludes all classification, as a simple and clear Presence that cannot be denied. What shall we say about this? Perhaps Thomas Keating came close to expressing this when he said: "Silence is the language God speaks and everything else is a bad translation."
If or when you have a question you'd like to see answered in this newsletter send it to:
author@awakeningtothedream.com Art by: Joanne Honschopp. Title: 'Pure Joy' Visit her at: http://www.jhonschopp.com/index.html Fair Use Notice |
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Presence cannot be any more or less present than
what it is. It is pristine, untouched, and undeniable,
regardless of life’s circumstances and the thoughts of
the mind. Awareness cannot be any more or less aware
than what it is while allowing everything to effortlessly
appear across its surface. Presence of Awareness, Awareness
of Presence—whole and complete, untouched by
time, space, events, or thought. Everything that is, appears
in awareness. Awareness does not pick, choose, or judge
what appears upon or within it. It does not matter what
happens, awareness contains it as it is.
The mind then gets involved and suddenly things appear as what you think about them, but prior to, during, and after that, awareness lovingly embraces all that is, including the lies about who you are. Even while the mind is rebelling against something, awareness shines its light on that rebellion. Some use the analogy of a mirror to describe awareness. It refl ects every-thing clearly without being changed in any way by what it refl ects. You may think, “Okay, I am presence/awareness.” Once you begin to look at this and take it into the mind—the mind will want to turn it into something that it has. Adding that concept onto the “I” thought. “I am aware.” “I am present.” But, if that is what is happening, you’re not “tuning in” so to speak to the actual presence/awareness that is readily available to be seen. Presence/awareness is not in the mind and it cannot be contained in the mind. The thought of presence/awareness, as with the rock, is not the actual. You don’t have awareness; you are awareness. You don’t have a presence; you are presence. The thought of it turns what you actually are into a concept to which the mind can relate. While that is happening, you are the presence/awareness standing in the clear waiting to be discovered. This cannot be stressed enough, everything is just an appearance within the awareness that you are; without exception, everything.
From: John Greven's new book"Oneness: the destination you never left"
Available at: http://www.non-dualitybooks.com/ |
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Now is the Time Now is the time to know That all that you do is sacred. Now, why not consider A lasting truce with yourself and God. Now is the time to understand That all your ideas of right and wrong Were just a child's training wheels To be laid aside When you finally live With veracity And love. Hafiz is a divine envoy Whom the Beloved Has written a holy message upon. My dear, please tell me, Why do you still Throw sticks at your heart And God? What is it in that sweet voice inside That incites you to fear? Now is the time for the world to know That every thought and action is sacred. This is the time for you to compute the impossibility That there is anything But Grace. Now is the season to know That everything you do Is sacred.
~ Hafiz ~
Found at: http://www.allspirit.co.uk/ Translated by: Daniel Ladinsky Art by: Barry Stevens. Title: 'Sacred Centres' Found at: http://www.mandalas.freeserve.co.uk/ Fair Use Notice |
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The secret of life and liberation is hidden right in front of our eyes in plain view. It is present awareness (not the word or the concept, but the actuality), awake to what is: the breakfast dishes, the laundry, the sunlight on the leaves, the barking of a dog, the sound of traffic, the humming of the computer, the taste of tea, the breathing. ~ Joan Tollifson ~ Visit her at: http://www.joantollifson.com Art by: John Delonas Title: 'Christmas Breakfast' Found at: http://cultv.com/artists/johndelonas/default.htm Fair Use Notice |
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