culturing dead computers

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Have you ever walked by a mirror and been surprised to see someone wearing your clothes?  I have. 

The largest human organ is the skin.  You're wearing yours right now.  Or did you think that was you?

People often speak of Zen, meditation and Yoga as if they are indisputably helpful (and even mandatory!)  Here is my response, right here on my front page, once and for all.

It may be true that Zen originally meant “meditation” as some say but better to understand that it was originated back in the – what? – stone age?  Bronze Age?  Whatever, that was the best they could do.  Then.  Along with the fallacy of proper Yoga posture “getting” someone “somewhere”, because after all, Yoga was originally just a study in best way to have the body so relaxed it is forgotten (Not posture-focused, but the opposite, forgotten), mediation was a mere mimicking of the RESULT of awakening, which resembled every Buddha statue you've ever seen.  Yet it's only the pre-awake who would conclude that assuming/mimicking the results of something would initiate the cause of that something.  Looking like Buddha won't wake you up, anymore than wearing angel costumes will make you spiritual.  I think it was Saint Francis that woke up as an especially murderous soldier – THAT's what enlightened him.  It is quite often suffering which wakes people up, not being blissful.  Though it can go either way.  In my experience, “spiritual” blissful people are precisely the ones worrying over trying to wake up, achieve enlightenment.  Yet seeking bliss just as likely Prevents their movement.  Finally, some of them worry into such a horrendous depression that they give up the whole fucking thing and Poof!  There it is!  “I was right here all along!”

So says my words here, and I'm sticking to 'em!

L > A book on meditation? What I need is a teacher, not a

L > book.” But I guess a book can serve as a teacher sometimes.
 
Most of the rest of the high level world has given up on teachers, so many burned bridges, so many false gurus that even the word 'guru' has a edgy tint.  “False Messiahs” have been around for a long time, they are even mentioned in the old Jewish and Christian books.

There are not many people who are able to truly translate the words The Middle Way into a path that also includes a teacher.  Most people who attempt this fall into follower role, or Yogi Master (which is just a profession) or some such.

Sometimes the first steps on the path are to find what steps are Not the path.

The path to enlightenment is not Bliss, it is not Love, it is not Perfection.  Those are not steps to awakening.  They are the end – but only labels of aspects of enlightenment but the aspects of enlightenment are infinite and even paradoxical.  No person could live long enough to manufacture the base aspects of enlightenment in their life, like being blissful and thereby producing enlightenment.  Even if they did them all, they'd just be creating another universe, their own!  But THIS universe, to be this universe, to totally wake the f— up to THIS, well, there is just your one true path, whatever you discover in hindsight was it, as soon as you wake up.  But all efforting, all religion, all mediation, all doing-good, they are just you trying to be your own god, that's the most that could ever come of that.

This New Age reveals a constant flight from suffering even though liberation is through suffering.  Not to create more, but whatever suffering one already has, to go through it.  Merely escaping suffering leaves us dull and stupid, scaping around for someone to give us esteem. 

I am writing this for (people) who feel to be a true student, an actual self-explorer, and not a brainiac, suffering-avoider or bliss-seekers.  True students are always courageous, but don't think they are so. 

I do not wish you anything, because I cannot possibly know what is needful for you, and I dare not risk offering something that might hinder you.  Forget that suicide and depression and sadness stuff, by the way.  Dive into it if needful, but don't take it too serious, that is, for instance, “suicidal” is, duh, a bit serious, though I totally respect the *feeling* of wanting to die.  I love dieing everyday.  But don't do the body-death thing.  Have loyalty to all you've ever gone through, all the Yous that have decided to go for it, go for life.

[/lecture mode off]

My heart is with you, in the same way as with my guru.  

I'm not of use to the worldly world anymore.  So I sit.  But I don't meditate!  (well a little)  I once thought it was possible to find a few real people to have with/around me while traveling teaching, but that didn't pan out fast enough and I quit.  I had concluded that awakeness does not value adulation etc., that I could not travel and teach while alone.  I concluded then that I needed companions if I was to be around people.  Why am I writing this?!?  Ha!  I laugh.  I'm a funny guy.  Sitting in any particular moment, no matter where or when, and seeing how incredibly expansive and beautiful a moment is, without it's breaking your heart, *that's* IT.

By the way, in case anything I said is disturbing, Forget It, because once you wake up, everything is true, it's opposite is true, and there need be no words, or many words, or anything.  Only thing left truly interesting for me is other's innerness, ones with the sincerity to look truthfully and bravely, because I share my humanness with them and them only it seems.  Others I appreciate, but these people I share.  So.  Oh, this is cool, I often have the idea of sitting with Adyashanti http://www.adyashanti.org before a group, or do a retreat with, where one of us says one thing that is clearly absolutely true, and then the other says exactly what seems the opposite and that too is clearly absolutely true!  What fun that would be!  Can you imagine a whole weekend of that!?  Every belief would fly out the window on wings of laughter!  The higher truth for a “teacher” is letting go of all truth-beliefs, we can be with each human being and be with what is true with that person in this very moment.  That's the actual teacher role.  To fully see the inner person before them.  And for that person, to be fully seen and loved, maybe for the first time, fully, in their life.  That is a gift from god, it is the one big thing I can say is valuable after waking up.  It is one thing we can say enlightenment is certainly good for - - and it's a gift, a gift for others, not the awake dude, (sorry seekers, it's not about “you”).  So yeah, I really really wish I was more suited for teaching, because doing it is so so so rewarding, and I am a selfish guy.  I love seeing people, be with people, in the full joy of joining!   If I ever thought I needed to be smart or “right” I'd never consider teaching again in my life.  But exercising the vision awakeness' Now provides, and sharing with a human being right with what is real for them, elicits out of empty space a joyous connection of total empathy which is far great than any example of wordly love, yes, even far greater than that stunning feeling of falling in love.  It is so immensely much more!

I love this, and I imagine (someone) will find something useful in this, so what the hell, Michael, press Send!

Love,
Michael

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