Samadhi Again

When the drop falls into the ocean, it disappears and only the recognition of the ocean is left behind. This experience is shocking. The recognition of the Vastness is beyond the capacity of any language to express, even though most of those few beings who experienced this, attempt to express the inexpressible anyway.

Within the domain of spiritual seekers at times there exists a certain immature keenness to experience Samadhi, or they want Kundalini to be activated. This desire can be seen, without the slightest understanding what happens even on a physical level.

When the individual approaches deeper Samadhi states, a very powerful current of electricity can be set free also. This electricity is of such intensity, that the question may arise how can one live on a day-to-day basis with such currents moving through the body.

Therefore, a gradual approach, steady daily practice and focus is advisable. Daily training must take place for years so that the body becomes capable to deal with what happens when Samadhi explodes.

Leaving October 9 For Paris

Time to say "bye bye" is approaching again. We are leaving Mount Shasta on October 9. If any last minute services are wanted, this is the last chance before we say Au Revoir.

The four cups

As we engage in the quest for spiritual teachers, we desire to find the teacher of the highest quality, with the highest realization and the greatest integrity. To this we are entitled. However, as the quest to find such a person is on, perhaps spiritual teachers too have a shopping list of what they would like to see in a student. Just to keep the perspective, I wish to point this out. So, as we are looking at teachers and get ready to place a quality degree on them, let us take a look at ourselves to determine what kind of seeker we are, if we are.

The other day I read the following by a woman named Sister Khema.

“Lord Buddha compared listeners to four different kinds of clay vessels. The first clay vessel is one that has holes at the bottom. If you pour water into it, it runs right out. In other words, whatever you teach that person is useless. The second clay vessel he compared to one that had cracks in it. If you pour water into it, the water seeps out. These people cannot remember. Cannot put two and two together. Cracks in the understanding. The third listener he compared to a vessel that was completely full. Water cannot be poured in for it's full to the brim. Such a person, so full of views, he can't learn anything new! But hopefully, we are the fourth kind. The empty vessels without any holes or cracks. Completely empty.”

Thank you: I appreciate your appreciation

This week I have become increasingly aware that a kind of quantum leap is taking place in the way that my writings are traveling. One moment my articles are in one place and the next moment they are in five others. Thanks to the Internet and what Alvin Toffler calls the Information Revolution.

My special thanks go to Emmanuel Moulin in France who has published my Samadhi article and other writings in French on his very popular website http://www.meditationfrance.com/. It has 30,000 readers per month and if you visit, that will be 30,001. A little French knowledge will be good. He also placed Raylene’s book Between the Visions, which became L’Emergence de la Femme Divine in French on his culture page http://www.meditationfrance.com/journal/culture.htm along with the book’s endorsement by Penny Slinger who has written fabulous classics such as “Sexual Secrets.” That book is a must-read if we understand that sexuality is actually an art to be learnt.

Also, thanks to Deeshan. He just posted a quote, again from the Samadhi article, on his Wisdom of The Day page, http://www.deeshan.com/ in between Hakuin, Poonjaji and others. Foolishly I am asking myself: Does this mean I am becoming wise? A perfect chance for the ego-mind structure to do some hijacking. If you have read my previous articles you will know what I mean.

Also, my gratitude goes to Devi who also published my Samadhi article on her http://canadianhindu.blogspot.com/.

This article has been published in Magical Blend Magazine, a national publication last year and I want to thank Publisher Michael Peter Langevin for that.
http://www.magicalblend.com/magicalblend.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5

It also ran in the Lotus Guide http://www.lotusguide.com/ in an altered version this spring. This is a magazine that has a circulation in California. Thanks to Rahasya Poe.

While I am astounded at the fact that this article has put on global running shoes, I have observed also the self-arising nature of the process wherein this article so effortlessly created itself. I merely did the keyboarding. This article has been translated into French by Olivier Vinet, into Japanese by Aya Horinouchi and into Spanish by Monica Kemper. I thank you from my heart.

This concludes my song of gratitude for the day. It is a blessing to have heart-felt support on the way. The things that are significant in life, we cannot achieve them without the help from our friends and those beautiful beings who appreciate us.

Endurance

By Andreas Mamet
© 2006

Once upon a time there was a man who had a big dream. He wanted to bring into full outer manifestation a land that would make fantasies real and put smiles onto people’s face.

His project existed on a huge scale and required immense amounts of money. It was an amount so huge that he approached 302 banks to lend him the money. Each bank manager turned him down flat, laughing at the impossibility of his unrealistic project. It was the 303rd bank that gave him the money.

This was the beginning of Disneyland.

How many people can we think of to act upon the grounds of such endurance and determination? Such people do exist. Edison required the creation of 2,000 versions of the light bulb before he found that formula that brought forth the light.

Once we have set a goal for ourselves, then to retain the focus and keep on track is the main ingredience for success, whether the goal is to reach heaven or to leave hell.

One of the most inspiring books I have seen described the rejection letters for the greatest and most successful pieces of literary art. Can you imagine the feelings of the publisher who initially turned down the first Harry Potter book and let it pass on to the next company???

Whatever your dream or goal, surround it with determination and follow it by activating the capacity to endure the unendurable.

And, on occasion, know how to ask for help.

The Psychology of Hidden Human Realities

By Andreas Mamet
© 2006

The Psychology of Meditation is intimately intertwined with the Psychology of Hidden Human Realities. Unless we place the mirror of self-reflection before us, and dive into our hidden realities, the ones that in actuality are vibrantly alive beneath the surface of our existence, we shall not find completion.

The Psychology of Hidden Human Realities in fact is a vast domain, comprised of many different compartments. However, what connects all those compartments is the truth that all our thought and behavior modalities are programmed.

These programs were installed at a very young age by parents, teachers and the media. Since the programming started early and the individual had no way of recognizing or deflecting what was done, by the time we are 20 years old, the programs are solidly in place and determine much of our behavior without us being able to track the origins. This is comparable to a hidden program running on a computer. It is active, yet we do not see it on the desktop.

The premise of Gurdjieff’s work is that the existence of all our programming is what keeps us in deep sleep (all the while believing to be awake, because of the movements of our minds and bodies) and that only by engaging in active effort to make conscious and then break, our behavioral programs, that we have a chance to take direct insight into the True Reality of Our Being. In a sense all true mystery schools are attempting to break our man-made programming, even though most of them would not even define the process in this particular manner.

Since the process of meditation is one of looking inward and cultivating awareness of whatever we come across, the process is bound to uncover the Hidden Human Realities.

Therefore, we shall traverse, within our own being, all the realms of heaven and hell. We carry inside the polarities of existence. We have access to light and darkness, to good and evil. There is inside a potential sage and also a potential, raging Genghis Khan.

Who gets activated and which direction we take is a question of whether we choose to awaken or not. The more we choose to remain unconscious as a soul and live without self-reflection, the closer we will remain in the lower realms of human behavior.

If we choose to awaken as a soul, we will ultimately transcend the lower expressions of humanity and begin to activate wisdom, compassion and kindness in action.

In doing so, we will accomplish our purpose in life, which is to experience the flowering of our soul and the infinite ways of expressing this flowering.

Expansion meeting Contraction

By Andreas Mamet
© 2006

When the expanded state of being meets the contracted state of being, when illumination meets the shadow, a very specific set of psychological responses is set in motion.

Upon contact with the expanded state of being, the contracted state of being is forced into a response. It will look at the expansion and will either feel “This is what I want to happen to me also. How can I go about and become … this?” In this scenario the contracted state will seek to learn and activate the modality of expansion. In other words, the response is humble and it allows its own desire for growth to be given room.

Or, the other alternative is that the shadow will look at the illumination and respond from a competitive angle. In that case, the shadow will say, “Oh, who do you think you are? Whatever you can do, I can do and much better.” The shadow is actually overwhelmed by the presence of illumination and does not believe that this reality is possible for itself. Therefore, it must deny the reality of illumination. Not only that, it may in some form or other, attack illumination. In this situation the shadow will seek to lessen the light, so it can be more or not appear to be less.

The former response is heart-based. The latter response is ego-based.

Both responses seek to dissolve the contrast but because the heart-based response seeks to merge with the light, it expresses humility, honoring and respect.

In simple terms it can be said that if a person is heart-centered, it will be easy to be happy for another’s happiness, fulfillment and success.

If the heart-centeredness is absent and a person operates from the usual ego-mind structure, then envy and jealousy will dictate the responses and the person will need, as said, others to be less in order to appear to be more. We are face-to-face with a soul shrinker. Which is a dangerous thing to be.

Therefore, as one evolves and deepens as a human being, it becomes important to recognize who belongs to our inner, spiritual family and who does not. Members of our spiritual family will root for us and encourage us. They will cheer us on on our path to greater existential depth and will also support our outer success.

It is advised that we identify people who need us to be less so they can be more and divorce ourselves from them as swift as possible.

At the same time those who cheer us on and are happy for our happiness, they need to be treasured and surrounded with our gratitude. They are gems and they represent the true meaning of friendship.

Hope and Meaning

The process that restores unto a human being hope and meaning represents the ultimate healing. It is also an expression of genuine power. A person who is capable of allowing that process to stream through her is connected with the deeper core of life and operates in a modality that is precious and rare. At the same time the existential satisfaction experienced in letting this process stream through one’s being into the world is unmatched in intensity by any worldly success or achievement.

Be kind and real

Be kind. Be real.
Be real in your kindness.
Be kind in your truthfulness.