turq, in spite of being pronounced such and in spite of certain experiences, I don't think of myself as enlightened, nor do I worry about it for now or the future, nor do I lack experiences of deep delight in life as it is and welcoming that for others and if possible, helping other have that. But at a certain point one realizes that life is just going on all by itself, one only needs to ride the waves. Or watch the waves or walk in the breaking surf or whatever. It's a life rife with paradox IMHO. Except when it isn't (-:
________________________________ From: turquoiseb <no_re...@yahoogroups.com> To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2013 11:47 AM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Free Man In Paris, v3.01 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long <sharelong60@...> wrote: > > turq, I often encounter devoted and long term TMers who > even currently enjoy spending time with their children > and grandchildren. As regards living for enlightenment, > many of the sidhas I know are living for the sake of > living itself, the richness of it, just riding those > waves of life. Yes, they engage in a particular activity > to develop themselves more, but isn't that part of being > human? Only for those who believe that life is not fulfilled in every moment, and that there is something "more" to achieve. > For example, don't you yourself engage in activities to > develop as a writer? Other than writing itself? Never. > Anyway, you sound angry in your last paragraph. Were you? The only reason I'm replying is that you are the fourth person to have gotten their buttons pushed by two little words, "Fuck enlightenment." When I saw the reactions in Message View, I honestly had to go back to reread the original piece to figure out what they were talking about. There was not a *microgram* of anger in me as I wrote that. It is simply how I feel about enlight- enment. It, the reverence for it, and the desire to attain or realize it simply have no place in my life. I felt no emotion whatsoever writing those words, because the concept of enlightenment holds no interest for me whatsoever. It was as meaningless an aside as if I'd said, "Fuck ketchup." > If yes, why? Irrelevant. Someday you should learn that the fact that someone does not necessarily have to feel the same way about things as you do. Enlightenment, schmitenment. I've never seen -- or experienced -- any evidence that it does anything for anyone other than the person who is experiencing it. It's a *completely* subjective experience, of no benefit to any other human being. Living in hope of "attaining" or "realizing" that? What a waste of life. But living in hope of doing something nice for someone else? Now that's something worth living for. Given a choice between spending a little quality time with Maya or being enlightened, and I'd go for Mayatime anytime. Given a choice of spending time with any supposedly enlightened being in history -- including the original Buddha -- and I'd go for Mayatime anytime. In all honesty, if you had ever had long flashes or periods of enlightenment, you might feel differently about it. I have. I prefer Mayatime, and here-and- now-time, anytime. > ________________________________ > From: turquoiseb <no_re...@yahoogroups.com> > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2013 4:59 AM > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Free Man In Paris, v3.01 > > I was having dinner with a friend from work last night in a small > restaurant on the Ile St. Louis, and it turned into an interesting > opportunity to teach, and to learn. My friend is someone I work with -- > another American ex-pat, a former jazz pianist turned tech writer, > originally from San Francisco but living and working here in Europe for > the last dozen years, so we have a lot in common and lots to talk about. > But we wound up talking about none of those things because two people > came in and sat at the small table next to us. > > They were an older woman (but younger than either of us) and a young > girl (who we learned was 12). The girl heard us talking in English and > started a conversation, and I'm glad she did. It turns out she is from > Atlanta, brought here by her grandmother for her first trip to Europe. > The grandmother is doing this because the young girl is an aspiring > artist, and she wanted her granddaughter to have the experience of > seeing this place and its art close up, in person. > > And they both turned out to be charming. Both were so open to > suggestions as to what to see and where to go while in Paris, and my > friend and I both benefited from hearing them talk about the things > they'd seen so far. It was like being able to experience them for the > first time ourselves -- all the excitement, all the wonder. > > It was a charming evening, and I hope that we were able to steer both of > them to some sights and experiences they will enjoy and cherish, and > that will inspire them as they inspired us. My biggest "take away" from > the evening, however, was seeing the joy in the young girl's eyes, and > in her grandmother's at having been able to help put it there, and > looking forward to being able to do the same thing some day for Maya. > > Fuck enlightenment, or realization, or any of the things that people > here seem to "live for." If there is anything that'll inspire me to keep > on keepin' on for another few years, it's the idea of being able to show > Paris and other cool places to Maya for the first time... >
