On Sep 3, 2009, at 1:19 PM, Rick Archer wrote:
I don't think it's possible on FFL to mention the topic of seekers
becoming finders without it pushing someone's buttons.
There's some justification for that, in that many who reported great
experiences or Awakening did so to bolster their egos or attract
followers. Also, some folks' definition of enlightenment is rather
exalted and would exclude all stages of awakening other than the
final one. Also, there's a tendency to dismiss claims of awakening
in those whose personalities we may not like, or who appear so
ordinary.
Rick, my comment had nothing to do with liking or not liking
some of these-called "awakened." Except for one or two people,
one of whom I am friends with, the other who is Michael Goodman
(enough said, I trust) I don't know for sure who the others are...but
I'll bet I could guess by the way some of them act.
Funny you should mention ordinariness. The highest
complement someone who's Jewish can give someone
else is to simply refer to them as a "mensch," which
basically translates into "human being." How much
more ordinary can you get than that? It basically means
that someone is a good guy, or gal. No superlatives, no
attempt to exalt anyone or try to proclaim anyone's
superiority (while at the same time subtly putting down others,
all while claiming to be "humble.") I don't see a whole lot of
"menschness"amongst those making these claims...just another
way to convince others that while these exalted souls might
*look* angry, stressed-out, seem to have difficulty forming
friendships and have almost non-existant relationships (sometimes)
with their children, and generally like they're not having too
much fun in life...that it's all good, that's just their outward
manifestation, that they really are "special" and it's your
problem if you can't see that...you're not evolved enough.
And if their kids wind up messed-up or on drugs,
well, they're not evolved enough either.
Am I missing something?
Sal
