when I saw Adya in Manhattan a few days ago, he said some of the same things, but it sounds as if he brought out more things to the fairfield group. I would like toa ttend one of his silent retreats someday. In California, where he is very popular, the retreats are by lottery since so many want to attend.
He was so easy to be around and to listen - a lightness and ease and humility combined with wisdom. I liked it . I have that stillness inside, but still don't perceive it in a way I would call being Awakened. I thought maybe the no thoughts was a symptom of getting older! --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Rick Archer" <rick@...> wrote: > > Nice account of the evening by someone: > > > > John and i were blown away- Adya is amazing- so simple and clear- no fancy > stuff- and the crowd was great- there were about 350 people- we're going > back tonight and taking our neighbor- there were a few questions and really > good ones- one gal i know asked one- she said she has had so many > experiences of emptiness but was bummed that she is still a seeker - yeah, > that is true, and i loved her honesty- Adya told her to look within to find > herself- she said she just couldn't find herself- he kept with her and when > she kind of frustratedly said that there just wasn't something that was > there, he said BINGO! and she got it- so simple- he told her that that > emptiness doesn't seem like a great thing at first but to keep being with > that- and a kind of devotion to that develops- great- that is the deal- > eventually, and he said he didn't want to say this now and to forget he said > it but it is true anyway... eventually that emptiness is found to be > everything- fullness- all that is- > > i am making it sound not fabulous, but he was- his simplicity and true > humility and naturalness were amazing- > > this was like ointment for this gal- i was so happy for her. he said that > each of us can see that within ourselves any and all the time, and we can > also see it in our loved ones and friends and then also in everyone and > everything. he brought it down so that it was completely accessible to > everyone there. > > one guy started it out by asking about addictions- he goes between Peace and > addictions- Adya was completely non-judgemental- beautiful- talked about > the shadow side being just as important as the Light side- both duality- > and when we sit in the Light, we have to embrace the Dark, or the Dark will > come knocking on our door so that we can see that the jewel of Emptiness is > also found even in the Shadows- He told him to keep asking himself what he > really wanted from the addiction- deep- it helped the guy a lot, and it > addressed 'embodiment', which was great for the Bonder people who were > there. I walked out with one of them. she was prepared not to like him but > loved him after. > > Another was totally a head guy- obvious- Adya got him to see the Space- to > acknowledge the realization of that. Soothing and freeing. > > When he was talking, he said that it is interesting that when he sometimes > will tell the people at his retreats, 'ok, now let's meditate'- all of a > sudden there is a lot of shifting in seats and movement to get comfortable > for the meditation- he laughs and says that it is so funny because they are > getting READY to find what is already here- that was a cool thing! > > and so true! > > The Gita stuff was intersting... Krishna showed Arjuna the whole trip, but > Ar. wasn't quite ready for all the shadow stuff. The war was about the war > of not wanting to let go- when we awaken, we let go of not only the bad but > also the good- and that is the hard part- like Arjuna having to kill his > relatives (the good parts about life that we are attached to). > > > > Since so many people go to the domes, i don't know who was there who go and > who don't- i think it was well mixed, and there were people there that we > know and many we have never seen before and a good mix of our age and > younger- I'll be interested to see tonight how many are repeats and how > many new- I completely recommend that anyone go. Can't imagine anyone > being put off by him. > > > > Oh yeah, he also talked about the infinite variety of awakenings and also > how an awakening is just the beginning- it is walking through the portal and > not the end. He said some have huge blown awakenings, and that is lovely > but also can trap them, cuz they deep down keep referring to that big one- > and there is a kind of attachment to it in their being. And some just have > an, 'Oh, for goodness sake, well, i'll be darned' kind of awakening- > adorable of him'- and said that these kind can be easier, cuz there is no > attachment to the initial breatkthrough. Quite refreshing. > > > > He said that when he was in his twenties, he had completed his Buddhist > training and felt so good about being a Buddhist and had his mandala beads > on his wrist. One day he started having some thoughts that perhaps he was > identifying himself as something- as a Buddhist. The next day, the beads > caught on something and they went flying all over the floor. Stillness > moved! >
