> > > > > Wnat I *do* want badly enough to spend the > > > > > time day after day doing program is to no > > > > > longer be overshadowed. > > > > > > > > You aren't really. Its just a trick of the mind that you > > > > believe > > > > the duality- that there is something external to you. Its a > > > > common > > > > trick of the mind by the way; everyone falls for it at some > > > > point ;) > > > > > > I know you mean it in the nicest possible way, > > > but Jim, I get REALLY REALLY tired of hearing > > > that kind of formulation. It isn't helpful or > > > inspiring. It's my working assumption on an > > > intellectual basis, but it doesn't undo the > > > trick. If it did, I'd have become un-overshadowed > > > many years ago. > > > > See? Attachment. > > so say we all...
Actually, not all. The "there is a path to enlightenment" / "there is something wrong with you that must be corrected if you're not experiencing enlightenment" paradigm is *very* popular, but far from the only approach. These days I resonate more with the Ramana Maharshi approach. It's more real, and in my opinion more effective at producing realization. If someone in a satsang given in that tradition tried to claim that they'd really like to be enlightened but just "can't" because... they'd be cut off after "because" and reminded that they already ARE enlightened. After a while even the most attached person gets the point. It's a little like people who are unwilling to give up a long- time grudge or neurosis. They don't want to give it up because they get *mileage* out of it. "Oh woe is me...I'm not enlightened because..." It's a way of getting attention and prolonging the non-realization of enlightenment. If everyone around you stops rewarding you for whining about not being enlightened, maybe you'd drop the whining and just realize that you're already enlightened. That's the theory of this approach, anyway. I've seen it work wonders. And it was certainly more pleasant to be around than the traditional "you're not enlightened because there is something wrong with you" approach. Unc To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/