Hi Steve Smith, I enjoyed your spirited, unspiritual missive of misgivings -- Fred Davis is talking to an ingroup culture called "nonduality" -- there's a saying in Zen:
two thieves who meet each other at night in a rich neighborhood recognize each other instantly... this "thiefistic" recognition is not necessarily theistic... It refers to what Dr. John C. Lilly, or maybe it was Dr. Russel Targ, calls, "state specific communication", which refers to the sharings between people who are, often deliberately, in a somewhat similar altered, hopefully "expanded" states of awareness, comparable to the way jazz musicians often get stoned and improvise music together for hours at high speed in jam sessions -- these sharings may not be at all understandable by observers or participants who are not in similar states at that time -- the writings are designed artfully to guide more innocent minds down the primrose path beyond the unrecognized, limited horizons of their experience to date -- now, this particular piece is superb, which is why I sent it on to Friam, and so is the piece by Jerry Katz, the link at the end -- well, I've been in the priceless jewel donation charity since age 23 in 1965, when I read Aldous Huxley's last novel "Island" -- he died of throat cancer the day John Kennedy died -- so that work has plenty of same kind of crafty suggestions, enthusiastic exhortations, and plain good advice to wrap your mind around. Call me up some evening in Imperial Beach, CA, 10 miles south of San Diego, as I can show you quickly how easy it is to find new levels of awareness in your own mind with gentle playful conversation 619-623-3468 or ask me anything via email ... puzzled, intrigued, curious? within the fellowship of service, Rich On Sat, Mar 16, 2013 at 10:21 PM, Steve Smith <[email protected]> wrote: > Rich - > > I just read through this post/article (twice as "instructed" by the content) > and have to say I mostly feel like I've just been visited by a born again > Christian who snuck through my front door trying to jack me up on Jesus, or > a Carny-Con trying to get me to play his three-card-monty, or Jim Jones > offering me Koolaid! > > The style of writing is at least mildly disturbing... if it doesn't have > exactly the cadence, alliteration and general shape of that of a cult leader > or a con man or a Jesus-Junky, I still feel like I'm being Snake-Charmed, > Stage-Hypnotized, or NLP'd (whatever that would look like). > > I'm curious if you recognize this feature in this particular piece of > writing and/or some of the other things you send us? Do *you* find it at > all disturbing? > > It doesn't really fit into the "normal" styles of discourse such as > Exposition, Argument, Description or even Narration. It is sort of a "come > to Jesus" lead-through, or Coleridge-esque poetry? The closest description > I can find is "Proselytization" or "Faith Healing"... > > I'm not strongly compelled either way on your usual topics of Russo Fusion, > Younger Dryas Cosmic Events, Methylated Spirits (I mean Asparatame), etc... > but this particular article was more boldly and obviously some kind of > proselytizing message... not unlike the Jesus Junkies who strongly suggest > that as soon as you "accept JaiyZuss into your Harrt!" you will suddenly be > happy, free of all worries, in the warm embrace of the creator, the spirit, > the saviour, etc. > > I suspect that Eric (Smith and others) can speak more directly to what I'm > interpreting as "phonolinguistic" features. But I'm curious what you feel > or think about this issue of "style"? > > - Steve > > >> Fred Davis, The Looking Glass: Language as Mirror 2013.03.13: Jerry >> Katz, Nonduality Salon: Rich Murray 2012.03.16 >> >> http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2013/03/fred-davis-looking-glass-language-as.html >> >> >> Jerry Katz via yahoogroups.com >> 8:10 AM PST March 16, 2013 (9 hours ago) >> >> to AdvaitaToZen, iam, NDS, NDH >> >> [email protected], >> iam <[email protected]>, >> NDS <[email protected]>, >> NDH <[email protected]> >> The Nonduality Highlights http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDhighlights/ >> >> #4867 Friday, March 15, 2013 -- Editor: Jerry Katz >> <[email protected]>, >> >> >> >> http://awakeningclarity.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-looking-glass-language-as-mirror.html >> >> >> Awakening Clarity >> Recognizing and Living as Our True Nature >> >> Thursday, March 14, 2013 >> The Looking Glass: Language as Mirror >> Fred Davis >> >> Notice that you are already awake. >> >> Right now, this moment, the only reason you can read these words is >> that you're awake. You're already awake. You're as awake as it gets. >> You're already fully awake. >> >> Given that you're already fully awake, how then could you wake up >> further? Since you're already awake, does that idea even make sense? >> You can't wake up more from where you are right now. And you can't >> wake up again. >> >> If you want to read a book through that body, or watch a video, or >> send it to a retreat for further clarity or to get some context that >> has the potential to open to the door to further clarity, that's >> great. But before you do, notice that you don't need to read another >> book, watch a video, or go to a retreat in order to wake up, because >> you're already awake. >> >> If you want to do meditation, drum, dance, chant, or what have you, >> for the sake of grounding yourself in that present human experience >> you're having, or calming that unit's mind, so that you can better >> hear yourself talk to yourself, and better watch yourself dance for >> yourself, terrific. Have at it. But, be absolutely aware that you >> can't practice yourself into awakening. You can't achieve what you >> already are. >> >> You're just not who you think you are; that's the only issue here. >> You're undergoing a case of mistaken identity, and all you need today >> is a little light reflected from this mirror, this mirror of clear >> language that is also you. There is only you, but you tend to get a >> bit cloudy sometimes, and forget that. It comes with the territory >> when your spaciousness contracts around human beings, and it's no big >> deal. It's fine. When you're ready to be clear, you find a bright >> mirror, so here you are, back in front of the vanity mirror. >> >> Vanity, vanity, all is vanity! This is all you, every bit of it -- >> you dancing for you, you preening for you, just you showing off for >> yourself, to yourself and loving it. >> >> >> You think you're the human being reading these words. >> >> You're not. Well, you actually are that human also, but you're not >> that person exclusively. You're the awareness that's reading these >> words through that human being. The human is not reading the words; >> you are. The human is a reading tool for you, just as reading glasses >> are a tool for the human. Reading glasses never mistake themselves for >> being the reader; humans almost always do. >> >> You think you need to wake up. You don't. All that has to occur is >> for you to recognize yourself as what you are. "Awaken" makes it >> sound like something really new and different needs to happen. It >> doesn't. Recognition, on the other hand, is simply about noticing >> what already is. See how much lighter the idea of recognition is, >> versus the idea of waking up? Why make it hard on yourself, when >> you're clearly longing to see/be your true nature again. >> >> Be easy on yourself. How much effort does it take for that human to >> recognize itself in a mirror? None. The same is true for you. You >> just have to be willing to look in the mirror and see the reflection >> instead of the projection. >> >> Stop seeking outwardly for just a few minutes. After all, you have >> all the time in the world! Reverse your attention. Take your plain >> old attention, what feels like your personal attention, and turn it >> around. Look back, instead of out. Notice how easy it is to move your >> attention wherever you want to move it. Notice how whatever attention >> finds, tends to expand. See how easy it is for you to pull globalized >> awareness, meaning the background, unfocused awareness that is always >> running, and reform it into localized awareness. Notice how once >> you've seen what you wanted to see, the apparent localization drops of >> its own accord, once again leaving boundless globalized awareness in >> its stead. It just happens; you don't have to do a thing. All of >> this is working for you. It's always here, always running, and >> certainly always awake. >> >> You have always been awake, always will be, can't not be awake. >> Awakeness is not a trait of yours, it's what you actually are. >> >> Back to the attention exercise. What do you see when you turn back >> and look for yourself? What do you find? Can you actually find >> yourself? Check. Really look. >> >> >> Do you find anything? >> >> Anyone? No, you can't find yourself, because there's nothing >> objective there to see. There's a sense of something being there, but >> there's nothing locatable, because there's nothing objective. But >> certainly there is something there, and it's certainly alive. You can >> feel that, can't you? Isn't there a stirring, perhaps behind your >> eyes, or in your chest, or both. You can feel it, if you let >> yourself. Let yourself. >> >> The we-who-are-you have a word, a sort of name for that undefinable, >> living presence you discover, when you look back and try to find >> yourself and can't. We can't call it something, but neither is it >> nothing, hence we have arrived at no-thing. >> >> This no-thing, this pure subjectivity, this keen awareness that's >> looking out through the eyes of that human you're wearing, is what you >> are. You have been on an endless search for something unfindable. It >> ends when you end it, and not before. >> >> In Nonduality they say, "The eye can't see itself." They mean that >> you are that invisible eye. You can't see yourself, when you look >> back, because you're the thing doing the looking. Let that hit you. >> Let that settle in. Feel it. Right there, that bit of a line, is >> enlightenment in a nutshell. What you've been looking with, is what >> you've been looking for. >> >> You can't see yourself, you can't really find yourself, but you can >> sense yourself. You can know yourself. Right now! In fact, you >> can't know anything else! And you'll never know yourself later. >> There is no later. So notice yourself -- know yourself right now! >> Pay attention to attention! >> >> Notice that I didn't have to say, "Wake yourself up and look for >> yourself." You are always already awake, and you are always already >> here. Ever since you started this so-called spiritual journey, you've >> been looking for "some other level" of awakeness. Listen to me >> closely. There is no other level of awakeness. This everyday >> awakeness that you've experienced every day of your life is the very >> same awareness all the saints and sages have talked about since time >> immemorial. There is only the single awareness, only Not-two! You >> are that very awareness. You've been looking for "some other kind" of >> awareness. Hear me. There is no other kind of awareness. >> >> >> >> It feels like that human body contains consciousness, that it is the >> holder of the most precious thing -- your awareness. >> >> It doesn't. It can't! A human can't hold you! You permeate all >> humans, ever single one of them, inside and out. You've hitherto >> thought that there actually is something called "your consciousness". >> There isn't. >> >> You are "your consciousness," and you are simultaneously everyone's >> "personal consciousness". I say this lightly, because there is no >> personal consciousness. Consciousness is not something you have, it's >> what you are. Nothing can take that from you. When that human body >> dies, you just change channels. Your focused attention goes >> elsewhere. You dial up another dream. >> >> Let's look at the notion that awareness, or consciousness, is >> something you have. It's quite a convincing story. >> >> Shut your eyes for a minute. If you're interested in having that >> long-sought-after spiritual awakening that particular humans been >> going on and on about for damn near forever, then don't just read >> this, do it. Read this all the way through, then close those eyes, >> relax that body, and go through the exercise. >> >> >> >> Notice that without benefit of sight, you can still tell that you're >> alive. >> >> You still know you are, sight or no sight. Imagine you're in utter >> silence. Wouldn't you still know you were alive in the absence of >> sound? Wouldn't you still be able to sense the aliveness within the >> body? Of course. You would know. So, without benefit of either >> sight or hearing, you can still tell that you're alive. The knowledge >> that you are, is not dependent on certain conditions or tools. You >> can't not know that you are. >> >> In fact, if I took that unit you're wearing and dropped it into a >> sensory deprivation chamber, you would still know that you're alive. >> That knowing is not dependent on sensations, perceptions, thoughts, >> memories, or any other information. It's not dependent on anything. >> In fact, everything is dependent on it! That knowing is the only >> thing for which there is no opposite. >> >> That knowing is the One True No-thing. >> >> But that knowing is really knowingness, is it not? You are not a >> static knowing. You are not some kind of grand noun. You are beyond >> noun-ness. You are beyond verbness too, but verb-ness, in a display >> that is constantly shifting, morphing, changing from one extreme to >> the other and back again, evolving and devolving, forward and back, is >> always arising to you, to that-which-does-not-move-but-is-not-static. >> You arise to yourself. We-who-are-you vaguely call that verbness "the >> world," which expands or contracts to suit your purposes. It might be >> a thought, or a room, or it might be a whole universe. Either way, >> whatever arises, is not other than you. >> >> You are what you know, and what you know, you are. >> >> The seeker is the sought. >> >> Notice that knowingness. Become conscious of it, hold it within >> attention -- be the attention -- so that you can come to recognize it >> clearly. Feel it. In the absence of that knowingness, there is no >> world. In the presence of that knowingness, the world arises, fully >> formed. Notice that it doesn't need to wake up, in fact cannot wake >> up, because it's always already awake. See that it's the knowingness >> that's come to know itself. We call this knowingness-knowing-itself >> conscious awareness, versus unconscious awareness, which is still >> awake and alive and aware, but not consciously. Either way, it's you. >> One way you're cloudy, one way you're clear, but there's just one >> thing going on, and that one thing is you. >> >> If you are already home, how would you ever find it by looking for it? >> You'd always be looking away from it. You find home when you notice >> it's where you already are. We don't find it by going; we find it by >> stopping. Any directions on how to get home are by definition >> directions leading away from home. But they are great for tiring you >> out! And it's all good fun, until it's not. >> >> >> >> Take a quick inventory. >> >> What have you been using all these years in your search for >> enlightenment? Awareness. What has been reading the books? >> Awareness. What has been watching the videos, and listening to the >> teachers? Awareness. If you meditate, what is it that watches your >> breath, or your thoughts, or counts, or tries to let go of doing all >> that? Awareness. What is it that prays? Awareness. What is it that >> asks, "Who am I?" Awareness. >> >> Awareness has been in a millennia-long search for awareness. It's >> been looking for some other awareness. Hear me: there is no other >> awareness. >> >> Oneness cannot find otherness, no matter how long or hard it looks, >> because there is no otherness for oneness to find. The definition of >> oneness could be said to be no-other-to-find. If you're searching for >> some other, and there IS no other, how long can you look? If all is >> oneness, where do you imagine you're standing, while you're looking >> for the oneness? In the oneness! >> >> Always! Forever! >> >> So long as you insist on looking forward, so long as you are seeking >> something outside yourself, you'll never find yourself, never hook up >> with yourself, never ever "awaken"! So stop. >> >> Why keep looking for the unfindable? You've been hot on the trail of >> a phantom. STOP! >> >> >> >> Once you sense what you are, once you take that giant leap to the >> utterly obvious and recognize what you are -- that which is looking -- >> there may or may not be a sharp sense of realization. >> >> It doesn't matter. What matters is the simple recognition, because >> either way you display yourself to yourself you're going to need to >> come back to that sensing over and over again. Any bells and whistles >> are just bells and whistles. They're just pleasant distractions. >> >> If the ramifications are not immediately obvious, they will fill in as >> your understanding increases. You see what you need to see when you >> need to see it, not before. Work with what you have, and more will >> come. That's how it works. >> >> You may tell yourself, "It can't be that simple." It is. Your >> recognition starts with seeing the seer -- or rather, not seeing the >> seer! No seer, no seen, only seeing. Only an object can see, only an >> object can be seen, and you, of course, are not an object. All >> objects appear within you, arise to you. You are what is primary. >> There may be lots of other real stuff, a whole world full of it, but >> you are the One True No-thing. >> >> This seeing is so amazing, that you may want to claim it. But who >> will it be, that wants to claim it? That unit cannot hold such seeing >> in its head, cannot store it up for later recall. Only you can behold >> you -- and then only right now. >> >> Realization is all about right now, this moment. Are you consciously >> awake to this current arising? Yesterday's seeing is yesterday's >> dust. Other than being a gnawing reminder, it has no present value >> whatsoever. Freedom is now or never, here or nowhere. >> >> >> >> This simple recognition of your true nature is not the end of your >> apparent journey, but it can be the end of all this compulsive seeking >> you've been doing -- if you let it. >> >> It can be the most important step you never take. Just STOP. >> >> Look at what's looking. >> >> Pay attention to attention. >> >> You can overcome this simple seeing you've, if you want to. This is >> why everyone wants a big spiritual experience. They think if they >> have a flashy experience, they will not then overcome it with >> incessant thinking, but people do it all the time anyway. They think >> that just because they got a big, lazy peek at things, that they can >> stay awake and lazy at the same time. They can't. They sit on their >> haunches, and they get cloudier and cloudier. And that's fine, too. >> But it certainly can't be labeled skillful. >> >> You don't ever go to sleep, but you can most certainly delude >> yourself, and appear to go to sleep. It's what you do. >> >> You are always awake, but you are not always consciously awake. In >> fact, you are rarely consciously awake. And because you've been >> unconsciously awake for thousands of years in that package -- meaning >> the DNA and softer conditioning associated with the body you thought >> you were when you first started reading this -- you'll fall right back >> into unconsciousness, if you don't consistently and actively nourish >> it with conscious light. >> >> You have to be willing to shine truth, even when you don't feel like >> yourself, even when you don't want to, on things, you'd rather leave >> in the dark. You must hold nothing back. Willingness is your bridge >> into being the shining on an ongoing basis. You give yourself to the >> light fully, or you don't give yourself at all. >> >> Don't bother trying to figure any of this out, or you'll end up right >> back on the same hamster wheel from which you just hopped off. You >> don't have to figure anything out. Let the mind live in uncertainty. >> Let the body do what it does. You do what you do: just watch, just be >> alert. You are not the watcher, you are the watching, you are the >> alertness. >> >> But when you're watching as conscious awareness, instead of >> unconscious awareness, then what you see will change. Look at any >> human life and you'll see lots and lots of hopeless, blind patterns, >> compulsive energy patterns that are just running themselves, with no >> one at the wheel, and no good end in sight. You'll see a long trail >> of unskillful living, a long trail of suffering. If you're willing to >> really look at the patterns, they will start to change. >> >> These patterns are very specific, so each one has to be shined on by >> the light of your conscious awareness, in order for it to be remedied; >> in order for there to be clearing. Awareness colonizes the body one >> bit, one seeing at a time. >> >> >> >> Don't try to fix that unit. >> >> You can't anyway; that body is operating on its own. You are not its >> minder. It's doing what it does until it does something else. Let it >> -- it will do so, regardless. It won't do something else, until it >> sees that what it's already doing isn't helpful, isn't skillful, isn't >> beneficial to the well being of the unit and the world. But once it >> does see that, once it truly and thoroughly sees it, then that >> penetrated pattern will thin, recede, drop away of its own accord. >> There will be clearing. It may happen quickly, or it may happen >> slowly, but once an unskillful pattern has been fully penetrated, it's >> days are numbered. >> >> This process of bringing light to all of your dark corners is what we >> call embodiment. Slowly, sometimes excruciatingly slowly, you will >> begin to "live up to your seeing," so to speak. There's no rush. >> When you're done with that body, you have seven billion more to turn >> to. >> >> Your willingness to be consciously awake to this present arising -- is >> critical. Will you stand as awareness, and see things as they are, or >> stand as a hypothetical center of consciousness, and see things as you >> want them to be? In every moment you ally yourself either with >> experience, or thinking. You have a history of voting for thinking. >> It'll take some work to shift that default position. It'll take a lot >> of willingness. >> >> This willingness must extend all the way down. Even when you revert >> to feeling like you are that human character again, you have to be >> willing take that character's thinking into inquiry. You have to be >> willing to remain forever open to doubt, to embrace uncertainty. >> Sureness will be a thing of the past, but living in the mysterious >> unfolding of yourself is so much more satisfying. >> >> Ask yourself again and again, "Is what I'm thinking really true, or is >> it a belief, an opinion, a position?" >> >> Again and again, as you touch truth through actual experience -- as >> you find truth through continuous inquiry--that touch will bring a >> longer, stronger, more profound experience of what you always already >> are -- that which knows that you are. >> >> Eventually the inquiry becomes less formal, and more spontaneous. You >> won't have to take your thoughts about arisings through formal >> inquiry. Life becomes constant inquiry. Delusion arises, it's >> questioned, penetrated, and it drops. Pop, pop, pop. Like everything >> else, it just happens effortlessly. >> >> We-who-are-you call this effortless living abiding. We call it >> abiding enlightenment, because you are then consciously living in the >> awakeness that you know yourself to be, and operating within the world >> as that awakeness. >> >> Did this nudge you out of cloudiness, and back toward clarity? If it >> did, be willing to read it again. If it worked at all for you the >> first time, it'll permeate deeper as you reread it. Repetition is the >> mother of clarity. >> >> © 2013 Fred Davis >> All rights reserved. >> >> Thank you to Jerry Katz for sending this out in his fine newsletter, >> Nondual Highlights. >> See his appearance here as a Guest Teacher. >> >> http://awakeningclarity.blogspot.com/2012/04/sparks-before-explosion-special-guest.html >> Thursday, April 5, 2012 >> The Sparks Before the Explosion: >> Special Guest Teaching by Jerry Katz >> >> Posted by Fred Davis at 12:06 AM >> >> within the fellowship of service, >> >> Rich Murray, >> MA Boston University Graduate School 1967 psychology, >> BS MIT 1964 history and physics, >> 254-A Donax Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932-1918 >> [email protected] >> 505-819-7388 cell >> 619-623-3468 home >> http://rmforall.blogspot.com >> >> ============================================================ >> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >> to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com >> > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
