Well, I can guarantee that I did not read the article twice. I quickly discovered that reading just the first semi-hysterical sentence of each semi-hysterical paragraph was quite enough to convey the quality of the content to me.
>From which I am tempted to conclude that mystics see content where many of the rest of is do not. -Doug On Mar 16, 2013 11:22 PM, "Steve Smith" <sasm...@swcp.com> wrote: > Rich - > > I just read through this post/article (twice as "instructed" by the > content) and have to say I mostly feel like I've just been visited by a > born again Christian who snuck through my front door trying to jack me up > on Jesus, or a Carny-Con trying to get me to play his three-card-monty, or > Jim Jones offering me Koolaid! > > The style of writing is at least mildly disturbing... if it doesn't have > exactly the cadence, alliteration and general shape of that of a cult > leader or a con man or a Jesus-Junky, I still feel like I'm being > Snake-Charmed, Stage-Hypnotized, or NLP'd (whatever that would look like). > > I'm curious if you recognize this feature in this particular piece of > writing and/or some of the other things you send us? Do *you* find it at > all disturbing? > > It doesn't really fit into the "normal" styles of discourse such as > Exposition, Argument, Description or even Narration. It is sort of a "come > to Jesus" lead-through, or Coleridge-esque poetry? The closest description > I can find is "Proselytization" or "Faith Healing"... > > I'm not strongly compelled either way on your usual topics of Russo > Fusion, Younger Dryas Cosmic Events, Methylated Spirits (I mean > Asparatame), etc... but this particular article was more boldly and > obviously some kind of proselytizing message... not unlike the Jesus > Junkies who strongly suggest that as soon as you "accept JaiyZuss into your > Harrt!" you will suddenly be happy, free of all worries, in the warm > embrace of the creator, the spirit, the saviour, etc. > > I suspect that Eric (Smith and others) can speak more directly to what I'm > interpreting as "phonolinguistic" features. But I'm curious what you feel > or think about this issue of "style"? > > - Steve > > > Fred Davis, The Looking Glass: Language as Mirror 2013.03.13: Jerry >> Katz, Nonduality Salon: Rich Murray 2012.03.16 >> http://rmforall.blogspot.com/**2013/03/fred-davis-looking-** >> glass-language-as.html<http://rmforall.blogspot.com/2013/03/fred-davis-looking-glass-language-as.html> >> >> >> Jerry Katz via yahoogroups.com >> 8:10 AM PST March 16, 2013 (9 hours ago) >> >> to AdvaitaToZen, iam, NDS, NDH >> >> advaitato...@yahoogroups.com, >> iam <i...@yahoogroups.com>, >> NDS <nondualitysalon@yahoogroups.**com <nondualitysa...@yahoogroups.com> >> >, >> NDH <ndhighlig...@yahoogroups.com> >> The Nonduality Highlights >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/**NDhighlights/<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDhighlights/> >> >> #4867 Friday, March 15, 2013 -- Editor: Jerry Katz < >> umb...@ns.sympatico.ca>, >> >> >> http://awakeningclarity.**blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-** >> looking-glass-language-as-**mirror.html<http://awakeningclarity.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-looking-glass-language-as-mirror.html> >> >> >> Awakening Clarity >> Recognizing and Living as Our True Nature >> >> Thursday, March 14, 2013 >> The Looking Glass: Language as Mirror >> Fred Davis >> >> Notice that you are already awake. >> >> Right now, this moment, the only reason you can read these words is >> that you're awake. You're already awake. You're as awake as it gets. >> You're already fully awake. >> >> Given that you're already fully awake, how then could you wake up >> further? Since you're already awake, does that idea even make sense? >> You can't wake up more from where you are right now. And you can't >> wake up again. >> >> If you want to read a book through that body, or watch a video, or >> send it to a retreat for further clarity or to get some context that >> has the potential to open to the door to further clarity, that's >> great. But before you do, notice that you don't need to read another >> book, watch a video, or go to a retreat in order to wake up, because >> you're already awake. >> >> If you want to do meditation, drum, dance, chant, or what have you, >> for the sake of grounding yourself in that present human experience >> you're having, or calming that unit's mind, so that you can better >> hear yourself talk to yourself, and better watch yourself dance for >> yourself, terrific. Have at it. But, be absolutely aware that you >> can't practice yourself into awakening. You can't achieve what you >> already are. >> >> You're just not who you think you are; that's the only issue here. >> You're undergoing a case of mistaken identity, and all you need today >> is a little light reflected from this mirror, this mirror of clear >> language that is also you. There is only you, but you tend to get a >> bit cloudy sometimes, and forget that. It comes with the territory >> when your spaciousness contracts around human beings, and it's no big >> deal. It's fine. When you're ready to be clear, you find a bright >> mirror, so here you are, back in front of the vanity mirror. >> >> Vanity, vanity, all is vanity! This is all you, every bit of it -- >> you dancing for you, you preening for you, just you showing off for >> yourself, to yourself and loving it. >> >> >> You think you're the human being reading these words. >> >> You're not. Well, you actually are that human also, but you're not >> that person exclusively. You're the awareness that's reading these >> words through that human being. The human is not reading the words; >> you are. The human is a reading tool for you, just as reading glasses >> are a tool for the human. Reading glasses never mistake themselves for >> being the reader; humans almost always do. >> >> You think you need to wake up. You don't. All that has to occur is >> for you to recognize yourself as what you are. "Awaken" makes it >> sound like something really new and different needs to happen. It >> doesn't. Recognition, on the other hand, is simply about noticing >> what already is. See how much lighter the idea of recognition is, >> versus the idea of waking up? Why make it hard on yourself, when >> you're clearly longing to see/be your true nature again. >> >> Be easy on yourself. How much effort does it take for that human to >> recognize itself in a mirror? None. The same is true for you. You >> just have to be willing to look in the mirror and see the reflection >> instead of the projection. >> >> Stop seeking outwardly for just a few minutes. After all, you have >> all the time in the world! Reverse your attention. Take your plain >> old attention, what feels like your personal attention, and turn it >> around. Look back, instead of out. Notice how easy it is to move your >> attention wherever you want to move it. Notice how whatever attention >> finds, tends to expand. See how easy it is for you to pull globalized >> awareness, meaning the background, unfocused awareness that is always >> running, and reform it into localized awareness. Notice how once >> you've seen what you wanted to see, the apparent localization drops of >> its own accord, once again leaving boundless globalized awareness in >> its stead. It just happens; you don't have to do a thing. All of >> this is working for you. It's always here, always running, and >> certainly always awake. >> >> You have always been awake, always will be, can't not be awake. >> Awakeness is not a trait of yours, it's what you actually are. >> >> Back to the attention exercise. What do you see when you turn back >> and look for yourself? What do you find? Can you actually find >> yourself? Check. Really look. >> >> >> Do you find anything? >> >> Anyone? No, you can't find yourself, because there's nothing >> objective there to see. There's a sense of something being there, but >> there's nothing locatable, because there's nothing objective. But >> certainly there is something there, and it's certainly alive. You can >> feel that, can't you? Isn't there a stirring, perhaps behind your >> eyes, or in your chest, or both. You can feel it, if you let >> yourself. Let yourself. >> >> The we-who-are-you have a word, a sort of name for that undefinable, >> living presence you discover, when you look back and try to find >> yourself and can't. We can't call it something, but neither is it >> nothing, hence we have arrived at no-thing. >> >> This no-thing, this pure subjectivity, this keen awareness that's >> looking out through the eyes of that human you're wearing, is what you >> are. You have been on an endless search for something unfindable. It >> ends when you end it, and not before. >> >> In Nonduality they say, "The eye can't see itself." They mean that >> you are that invisible eye. You can't see yourself, when you look >> back, because you're the thing doing the looking. Let that hit you. >> Let that settle in. Feel it. Right there, that bit of a line, is >> enlightenment in a nutshell. What you've been looking with, is what >> you've been looking for. >> >> You can't see yourself, you can't really find yourself, but you can >> sense yourself. You can know yourself. Right now! In fact, you >> can't know anything else! And you'll never know yourself later. >> There is no later. So notice yourself -- know yourself right now! >> Pay attention to attention! >> >> Notice that I didn't have to say, "Wake yourself up and look for >> yourself." You are always already awake, and you are always already >> here. Ever since you started this so-called spiritual journey, you've >> been looking for "some other level" of awakeness. Listen to me >> closely. There is no other level of awakeness. This everyday >> awakeness that you've experienced every day of your life is the very >> same awareness all the saints and sages have talked about since time >> immemorial. There is only the single awareness, only Not-two! You >> are that very awareness. You've been looking for "some other kind" of >> awareness. Hear me. There is no other kind of awareness. >> >> >> >> It feels like that human body contains consciousness, that it is the >> holder of the most precious thing -- your awareness. >> >> It doesn't. It can't! A human can't hold you! You permeate all >> humans, ever single one of them, inside and out. You've hitherto >> thought that there actually is something called "your consciousness". >> There isn't. >> >> You are "your consciousness," and you are simultaneously everyone's >> "personal consciousness". I say this lightly, because there is no >> personal consciousness. Consciousness is not something you have, it's >> what you are. Nothing can take that from you. When that human body >> dies, you just change channels. Your focused attention goes >> elsewhere. You dial up another dream. >> >> Let's look at the notion that awareness, or consciousness, is >> something you have. It's quite a convincing story. >> >> Shut your eyes for a minute. If you're interested in having that >> long-sought-after spiritual awakening that particular humans been >> going on and on about for damn near forever, then don't just read >> this, do it. Read this all the way through, then close those eyes, >> relax that body, and go through the exercise. >> >> >> >> Notice that without benefit of sight, you can still tell that you're >> alive. >> >> You still know you are, sight or no sight. Imagine you're in utter >> silence. Wouldn't you still know you were alive in the absence of >> sound? Wouldn't you still be able to sense the aliveness within the >> body? Of course. You would know. So, without benefit of either >> sight or hearing, you can still tell that you're alive. The knowledge >> that you are, is not dependent on certain conditions or tools. You >> can't not know that you are. >> >> In fact, if I took that unit you're wearing and dropped it into a >> sensory deprivation chamber, you would still know that you're alive. >> That knowing is not dependent on sensations, perceptions, thoughts, >> memories, or any other information. It's not dependent on anything. >> In fact, everything is dependent on it! That knowing is the only >> thing for which there is no opposite. >> >> That knowing is the One True No-thing. >> >> But that knowing is really knowingness, is it not? You are not a >> static knowing. You are not some kind of grand noun. You are beyond >> noun-ness. You are beyond verbness too, but verb-ness, in a display >> that is constantly shifting, morphing, changing from one extreme to >> the other and back again, evolving and devolving, forward and back, is >> always arising to you, to that-which-does-not-move-but-**is-not-static. >> You arise to yourself. We-who-are-you vaguely call that verbness "the >> world," which expands or contracts to suit your purposes. It might be >> a thought, or a room, or it might be a whole universe. Either way, >> whatever arises, is not other than you. >> >> You are what you know, and what you know, you are. >> >> The seeker is the sought. >> >> Notice that knowingness. Become conscious of it, hold it within >> attention -- be the attention -- so that you can come to recognize it >> clearly. Feel it. In the absence of that knowingness, there is no >> world. In the presence of that knowingness, the world arises, fully >> formed. Notice that it doesn't need to wake up, in fact cannot wake >> up, because it's always already awake. See that it's the knowingness >> that's come to know itself. We call this knowingness-knowing-itself >> conscious awareness, versus unconscious awareness, which is still >> awake and alive and aware, but not consciously. Either way, it's you. >> One way you're cloudy, one way you're clear, but there's just one >> thing going on, and that one thing is you. >> >> If you are already home, how would you ever find it by looking for it? >> You'd always be looking away from it. You find home when you notice >> it's where you already are. We don't find it by going; we find it by >> stopping. Any directions on how to get home are by definition >> directions leading away from home. But they are great for tiring you >> out! And it's all good fun, until it's not. >> >> >> >> Take a quick inventory. >> >> What have you been using all these years in your search for >> enlightenment? Awareness. What has been reading the books? >> Awareness. What has been watching the videos, and listening to the >> teachers? Awareness. If you meditate, what is it that watches your >> breath, or your thoughts, or counts, or tries to let go of doing all >> that? Awareness. What is it that prays? Awareness. What is it that >> asks, "Who am I?" Awareness. >> >> Awareness has been in a millennia-long search for awareness. It's >> been looking for some other awareness. Hear me: there is no other >> awareness. >> >> Oneness cannot find otherness, no matter how long or hard it looks, >> because there is no otherness for oneness to find. The definition of >> oneness could be said to be no-other-to-find. If you're searching for >> some other, and there IS no other, how long can you look? If all is >> oneness, where do you imagine you're standing, while you're looking >> for the oneness? In the oneness! >> >> Always! Forever! >> >> So long as you insist on looking forward, so long as you are seeking >> something outside yourself, you'll never find yourself, never hook up >> with yourself, never ever "awaken"! So stop. >> >> Why keep looking for the unfindable? You've been hot on the trail of >> a phantom. STOP! >> >> >> >> Once you sense what you are, once you take that giant leap to the >> utterly obvious and recognize what you are -- that which is looking -- >> there may or may not be a sharp sense of realization. >> >> It doesn't matter. What matters is the simple recognition, because >> either way you display yourself to yourself you're going to need to >> come back to that sensing over and over again. Any bells and whistles >> are just bells and whistles. They're just pleasant distractions. >> >> If the ramifications are not immediately obvious, they will fill in as >> your understanding increases. You see what you need to see when you >> need to see it, not before. Work with what you have, and more will >> come. That's how it works. >> >> You may tell yourself, "It can't be that simple." It is. Your >> recognition starts with seeing the seer -- or rather, not seeing the >> seer! No seer, no seen, only seeing. Only an object can see, only an >> object can be seen, and you, of course, are not an object. All >> objects appear within you, arise to you. You are what is primary. >> There may be lots of other real stuff, a whole world full of it, but >> you are the One True No-thing. >> >> This seeing is so amazing, that you may want to claim it. But who >> will it be, that wants to claim it? That unit cannot hold such seeing >> in its head, cannot store it up for later recall. Only you can behold >> you -- and then only right now. >> >> Realization is all about right now, this moment. Are you consciously >> awake to this current arising? Yesterday's seeing is yesterday's >> dust. Other than being a gnawing reminder, it has no present value >> whatsoever. Freedom is now or never, here or nowhere. >> >> >> >> This simple recognition of your true nature is not the end of your >> apparent journey, but it can be the end of all this compulsive seeking >> you've been doing -- if you let it. >> >> It can be the most important step you never take. Just STOP. >> >> Look at what's looking. >> >> Pay attention to attention. >> >> You can overcome this simple seeing you've, if you want to. This is >> why everyone wants a big spiritual experience. They think if they >> have a flashy experience, they will not then overcome it with >> incessant thinking, but people do it all the time anyway. They think >> that just because they got a big, lazy peek at things, that they can >> stay awake and lazy at the same time. They can't. They sit on their >> haunches, and they get cloudier and cloudier. And that's fine, too. >> But it certainly can't be labeled skillful. >> >> You don't ever go to sleep, but you can most certainly delude >> yourself, and appear to go to sleep. It's what you do. >> >> You are always awake, but you are not always consciously awake. In >> fact, you are rarely consciously awake. And because you've been >> unconsciously awake for thousands of years in that package -- meaning >> the DNA and softer conditioning associated with the body you thought >> you were when you first started reading this -- you'll fall right back >> into unconsciousness, if you don't consistently and actively nourish >> it with conscious light. >> >> You have to be willing to shine truth, even when you don't feel like >> yourself, even when you don't want to, on things, you'd rather leave >> in the dark. You must hold nothing back. Willingness is your bridge >> into being the shining on an ongoing basis. You give yourself to the >> light fully, or you don't give yourself at all. >> >> Don't bother trying to figure any of this out, or you'll end up right >> back on the same hamster wheel from which you just hopped off. You >> don't have to figure anything out. Let the mind live in uncertainty. >> Let the body do what it does. You do what you do: just watch, just be >> alert. You are not the watcher, you are the watching, you are the >> alertness. >> >> But when you're watching as conscious awareness, instead of >> unconscious awareness, then what you see will change. Look at any >> human life and you'll see lots and lots of hopeless, blind patterns, >> compulsive energy patterns that are just running themselves, with no >> one at the wheel, and no good end in sight. You'll see a long trail >> of unskillful living, a long trail of suffering. If you're willing to >> really look at the patterns, they will start to change. >> >> These patterns are very specific, so each one has to be shined on by >> the light of your conscious awareness, in order for it to be remedied; >> in order for there to be clearing. Awareness colonizes the body one >> bit, one seeing at a time. >> >> >> >> Don't try to fix that unit. >> >> You can't anyway; that body is operating on its own. You are not its >> minder. It's doing what it does until it does something else. Let it >> -- it will do so, regardless. It won't do something else, until it >> sees that what it's already doing isn't helpful, isn't skillful, isn't >> beneficial to the well being of the unit and the world. But once it >> does see that, once it truly and thoroughly sees it, then that >> penetrated pattern will thin, recede, drop away of its own accord. >> There will be clearing. It may happen quickly, or it may happen >> slowly, but once an unskillful pattern has been fully penetrated, it's >> days are numbered. >> >> This process of bringing light to all of your dark corners is what we >> call embodiment. Slowly, sometimes excruciatingly slowly, you will >> begin to "live up to your seeing," so to speak. There's no rush. >> When you're done with that body, you have seven billion more to turn >> to. >> >> Your willingness to be consciously awake to this present arising -- is >> critical. Will you stand as awareness, and see things as they are, or >> stand as a hypothetical center of consciousness, and see things as you >> want them to be? In every moment you ally yourself either with >> experience, or thinking. You have a history of voting for thinking. >> It'll take some work to shift that default position. It'll take a lot >> of willingness. >> >> This willingness must extend all the way down. Even when you revert >> to feeling like you are that human character again, you have to be >> willing take that character's thinking into inquiry. You have to be >> willing to remain forever open to doubt, to embrace uncertainty. >> Sureness will be a thing of the past, but living in the mysterious >> unfolding of yourself is so much more satisfying. >> >> Ask yourself again and again, "Is what I'm thinking really true, or is >> it a belief, an opinion, a position?" >> >> Again and again, as you touch truth through actual experience -- as >> you find truth through continuous inquiry--that touch will bring a >> longer, stronger, more profound experience of what you always already >> are -- that which knows that you are. >> >> Eventually the inquiry becomes less formal, and more spontaneous. You >> won't have to take your thoughts about arisings through formal >> inquiry. Life becomes constant inquiry. Delusion arises, it's >> questioned, penetrated, and it drops. Pop, pop, pop. Like everything >> else, it just happens effortlessly. >> >> We-who-are-you call this effortless living abiding. We call it >> abiding enlightenment, because you are then consciously living in the >> awakeness that you know yourself to be, and operating within the world >> as that awakeness. >> >> Did this nudge you out of cloudiness, and back toward clarity? If it >> did, be willing to read it again. If it worked at all for you the >> first time, it'll permeate deeper as you reread it. Repetition is the >> mother of clarity. >> >> © 2013 Fred Davis >> All rights reserved. >> >> Thank you to Jerry Katz for sending this out in his fine newsletter, >> Nondual Highlights. >> See his appearance here as a Guest Teacher. >> http://awakeningclarity.**blogspot.com/2012/04/sparks-** >> before-explosion-special-**guest.html<http://awakeningclarity.blogspot.com/2012/04/sparks-before-explosion-special-guest.html> >> Thursday, April 5, 2012 >> The Sparks Before the Explosion: >> Special Guest Teaching by Jerry Katz >> >> Posted by Fred Davis at 12:06 AM >> >> within the fellowship of service, >> >> Rich Murray, >> MA Boston University Graduate School 1967 psychology, >> BS MIT 1964 history and physics, >> 254-A Donax Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932-1918 >> rmfor...@gmail.com >> 505-819-7388 cell >> 619-623-3468 home >> http://rmforall.blogspot.com >> >> ==============================**============================== >> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >> to unsubscribe >> http://redfish.com/mailman/**listinfo/friam_redfish.com<http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com> >> >> > > ==============================**============================== > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > to unsubscribe > http://redfish.com/mailman/**listinfo/friam_redfish.com<http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com> >
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