Gaia: Our Divine Humanity

Love is divinity.

http://TEWAHEDORASTAFARI.gaia.com — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:56:46 GMT

Love is the human emotion which inherently connects us to God. We are all born with the sense and feeling of love, and this love is our gift from our Creator, or our connection back to our source of Origin. With out love, you are nothing at all, and as Jesus Christ said, "what does it benefit a man to gain the entire world, but forfeit himself?"

Re: Suffered Too Much For Truth

http://apollia.gaia.com — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:56:12 GMT

Hi. I wish I could take all your pain away! I've often felt much the same way as you.

However, I know words alone probably won't do much, or at least not on a practical level. That's one reason why I haven't spent more time writing replies to your various posts and blogs, even though I am very, very worried about your situation, of being on the streets and all, and I want very much to help.

Anyhow, my PayPal account is close to empty, but, I just sent you $1 to your ChipIn account. I hope I'll be able to send more eventually. And if many others send in even just that much, it will all add up!

You've already gotten more donations via ChipIn than I've ever gotten via PayPal in over a year of asking for them on my website (I only got one donation via PayPal so far, of $3.50!) - and your pod is only one day older than my pod, but has over 3 times as many members (100 more than my pod!). That is some quite impressive success right there!

You clearly have a wonderful ability to network with people, among many other talents, such as your obvious intelligence and insight. You make so many good points in your blog, and your pod, etc

I really hope things improve for you soon!

Apollia

Suffered Too Much For Truth

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:00:04 GMT

I have always searched for the truth. In all areas - religion, relationship, livelihood, always asking.....researching....reaching understandings

that nobody wants to hear. Giving a solution that nobody wants. Have been

left out
marginalized
left alone
rejected
hated
blamed

I have lost all vision, all hope. I am all alone. And not allowed to cry at that, for my tears are an offense to others. Just conform, I m ordered - just take the blame and do what you are told.

I have failed utterly, in everything I have ever needed and desired to do. Even suicide eluded my many attempts. There will be a day when that wont happen again.

MAybe the liars will always win, the cruel and selfish who blame me will always win, perhaps nobody will ever ever listen to such a simple truth. We just want to look good to others here at zaadz, nobody wants to really change anything, let alone themselves. I havent had a good loving conversation in 44 years. I dont know what that is. Everything on this earth is just ........ covert control.

God, let me out of here, this life, this hell. I dont care for myself or my world any longer, as I am dictated to not care.......... every noble intention and desire has been repeatedly cursed in me, cursed until there is nothing left but this anger and loneliness and rage and have to suppress tears.

Re: Give the Heart

http://quietquintet.gaia.com — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:34:49 GMT

I am told that We need to Do something Every day that Scares us.... Lest we Be trapped in our own Comfort Zones Forever.
Never having Been one For Playing in Traffic, and Being One Who Believes that there are greater things in Life to be had Through Spiritual Growth, I have Always Looked For things that are OF the spirit that Scare Me.

Like Loving Openly! Yikes! My mind knows all the potential for damage... My Heart Knows the Pains of Rejection... But I have Lived in a Cage of My Fear Before. It is NOT fun.

So I was thinking that Maybe Jashugan was right. Maybe we must Know our limits... and Live as Mightily as we can within those limits. But I also think that It opens up the Potential for us to Come to the Limits that we think we know, and to Crash Right through them to Something Even higher!

I have trouble with playing with My Friends. I can't Roughhouse or mess around with them... and I feel the Lack of casual intimacy with them detracts from my full experience of them. it is not them that I do not trust... It is Me that I don't trust. I am a very sensual person, and I am afraid that I would Somehow Sexualize the Contact that I have with them Innappropriately. I feel that this would cause misunderstandings and breakdowns of trust on their Parts as well.

But I was told by an authoritative source Lately that I should Bite the bullet and just do it. I was told that My Friends would tell me in no uncertain terms if it was wierd for them. And More than likely, it would only ever serve to Deepen our Friendships.

I have Changed alot in my ideas about what is and what is not sex since I developed this fear... So maybe it is time that I start acting on my Changes mmm?

Re: Desire: spiritually useful or spiritually dangerous?

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 23:21:16 GMT

Hi Mana,

Yes, you are right - I do not mean there are good or bad desires; mostly because I was not speaking from the good-bad perspective. I feel that desire is the soul's longing for union with God or the oneness from which it arose.

About whether desire can persist after its fulfillment....I don't think it is possible; because when it is fulfilled - a desire for Oneness, e.g.; can only be fulfilled when there is oneness. And when duality goes, so does the thread that brought about its disappearance.

Perhaps, as Amy points out, it depends on how we are defining desire.

I need help!

http://Filios.gaia.com — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 05:20:01 GMT

This is taken from an E-mail to Praveer (and others):

Lately, I've been listening more to the big-everything with every ounce of my being, and it keeps telling me the same thing; "Show the world the world".
At first, I wasn't sure exactly what that meant, so I made it my point to stay away from the computer and go deep into the heart of that issue, and also Kansas City...
As usual, the city of Fountains and Blues showed me what I need to do.
Today, my buddy Phil and I had our first meeting with the head social worker for the HSC (homelessness services coalition) to discuss a new project, gonzo journalism among the homeless via film and art. We got Corporate backing from H&R Block, however, not much money from them. Our goal with this project, as with any form of documentary, is to raise awareness. We're going to be hosting a gallery that shows art of homeless people, or by homeless people, also featuring the film we are soon going to begin production on. Also, we're going to be publishing a book of writings by the homeless of the greater KC area. So far we have representation from about 80% of the non-profits that work with homeless, so we'll be able to have them at our benefit so people can get involved in whatever level they feel compelled.
On top of that, I leave for Kenya on Sunday to work with the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, and Comfort the Children International to spend time with HIV positive orphans. It's sad; so many people throw money at Africa without looking at where it goes to, just so they can feel good about "pitching in", but these kids aren't a worthwhile investment. The thought process that i read out of that is "Well, these kids are already doomed to die early, why waste money on a lost cause?"... Well, I don't feel that that's what we as human beings should be about...but hey, that's why I'm going, right? I'm planning on taking an ass load of pictures and interviews and compiling it in some form... perhaps another book if I can get the proceeds for it.
As you can see, I feel as though everything is starting to fall into line... perhaps the Mayans were right? The other day, I felt the need to go to Westport, a small part of town here in KC, because I knew that I was supposed to meet someone new... I sat and people watched for several hours, talking to random folks as they walked by. But then something amazing happened! This older gypsy man was walking by and noticed me. Immediately he asked me if I was ok, and then if I was a traveler. "I'm trying to be" I said with dead honesty. He then told me that he was going to help me out, and with that, he pulled out a stone with a line of crystal running through it. I've never been one to buy into the "power" of stones, but I guess this made me a believer, because at once, I felt the power and energy of good vibes pass through me. He told me to keep the stone safe and it would keep me safe, and then called me by my name (which I hadn't told him) and told me to "Do it." I have never had psychic abilities to my knowledge, but somehow I knew to call him by his name (John) and we mused about how we just knew. " Isn't that wild?" he said as he walked away. And it is...the worlds energy is just heating up, and I'm sure you can sense it too, but I just can't sit still any longer, which leads me to my next point;

Phil (who i mentioned before), Cathryn (who is on Zaadz), and myself are ready to help "show the world the world." As we acquire a video camera from the homeless project, and we have begun to realize that KC is pushing us to go (even being so scary), we feel the need to become Gypsies, nomads, outlaws of sorts... to experience what this continent really has to offer, from bums to millionaires, Christians to witches, cowboys to campers, farmers to stock-brokers... from the small towns of Kansas to the sweat shops of Mexico, and the booming metropolis of NYC... and to show it to everyone we can. Filming every step of the way, talking to everyone we can. Go to peace rallies and then to bar fights... see it all. The Ghettos and gardens. "Show the world the world"... i continue to meditate on that; it doesn't say to show the world MY world... but to show us us. Dr. Hunter S. Thompson did that by developing Gonzo Journalism, the mix of participant anthropology and documentation combined, and he's inspired 3 generations so far, and think of how many more to come... But the common man doesn't read anymore if they can help it... but they sure as hell watch TV and films... so imagine, what if HST had had a camera?

And that's what we want to do... but finding the means is hard. Money is tight with 3 college drop-outs who want to change the world. And now I turn to you, not for money, but for help. We need to figure out ways to cut costs, to find sponsorship and exposure, and as a PR major I understand that networking works best... who do you know? how can you help? I beg of you, help me on my starting block of my mission, and help me show the world the world... something tells me that the world needs itself, and since we are one, I need you.

I know it's a lot to ask, but please! help me.

Sleeping by the way-side of tomorrow,

Christian

Re: We are each other's saviors

http://hopelessromanticguy.gaia.com — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:50:08 GMT

Too many people complain about what is wrong in the world and the governemnt and choose instead to withdraw and do nothing, they often call this makign a statement, but what they are doing is removing the potential they contain to change the world by cutting themselves off from it. I believe that God calls us to be saviors and ambassors of goodness and purity. There is so much Love and Goodness and true Enlightenment that people never even glimpse because we never let them see.

Re: Give the Heart

http://manalivinglove.gaia.com — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 10:28:39 GMT

So true, Meenakshi. Love certainly never leaves us, nomatter how hard we try to turn out backs on it. Ofcourse, free will reigns. People are free to turn away from love as long as they want. But love will always be what they REALLY feel (although it may be so covered up by egoic reactions and ideas that it's hard to sense).

You sound like you must be speaking from experience. I'm sure. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Give the Heart

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:50:45 GMT

Very interesting, Mana.

I think it's a process of opening the heart. Love is an energy that will begin the opening...what we sometimes forget is that through the opening, we will go through times of vulnerability, strength, joy, happiness, unhappiness, feeling alone, feeling together, and all that comes in the way.
Forgetting that, at some stage of the expansion, we think love lost its way or we did, and withdraw.
Only to play that game again. For once it begins, love is relentless!

Give the Heart

http://manalivinglove.gaia.com — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:22:37 GMT

For relationships to really work, I have found, the people involved in the relationships need to know who they really are. And they have to be willing to BE who they really are. When that is the case, we can give our hearts. Otherwise, what we give is the image of ourselves that we believe in. An unreal persona can't have a relationship with another unreal persona. In fact, an unreal persona can't even have a relationship with a person who knows who they are. There need to be two people who have their real hearts in it for a relationship to truly work.

Relationship is about giving ones heart. To do that, we need to know who we are. And I believe, to know who we are, we need to love. So it is really circle: we love, we come to know who we are better, then we are able to love better... and it goes on.

But there are so many misconceptions about what love is in the world. So many people think that they can love without being vulnerable, without being implicated. To some extent, that may be true. But really, love is about the heart. If you wont wear your heart on your sleeve, people cannot have your love. Not really. So, if we want real love and relationship, we need to be willing to get real, get vulnerable, give our heart and emotions.

This is something the world really needs now. We need more of the people to be who they are, to give their heart. We need one another. So let's start loving, and giving our hearts. That is the only way this humanity will be fed, and be happy.

Love,

Mana

Invoking the human heart

http://manalivinglove.gaia.com — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 08:59:25 GMT

Yesterday, my teacher read me an article he wrote called, "Santuary for Delicate Flowers". It described how, because the human heart is delicate, if you want to really experience the beauty of human beings, you have to love them, and love them well. Otherwise they will not give you the best of their heart. This was incredibly inspiring to me. Indeed, if we want to see the best of people, we have to be an environment in which such "delicate flowers" as human beings can grow. If we want to be surrounded by love we have to be love.

This is something I would love to talk about here, because I feel it is extremely important to all human relationships. As much as we love, is how good our relationships can be. Because, if we love people truly, we bring out who they really are (if they will allow it, that is). And by loving truly, we also be who WE really are. And when two people come together and be who they really are, that is MAGIC. It is so beautiful. Because people are beautiful.

Please post any comments, ideas, or questions you have about this.

Love,

Mana

Re: We are each other's saviors

Thu, 24 May 2007 20:26:42 GMT

Hey Mana,

I love this post.

I completely agree that is it truely beautiful. There was one part that really stood out to me : "You draw them into a higher level of awakening by the love you give." This happens to be something i try to accomplish in my life, and what others have shown me. Universal Love is truely what this world is made of, and is what helps us.

Blessed me,
Much Love and Light,
GL

Re: We are each other's saviors

Wed, 23 May 2007 21:15:24 GMT

Hi, Mana.

What a lovely post.

I remember going to Indian Springs, south of Atlanta, one morning to draw water from the rock there. It's a popular place, and oftentimes people will bring their whole families, empty milk jugs and so forth. Very communal.

I stopped at the top of a set of little stairs that leads down to the grotto and said a prayer, as is my custom, and a woman called out to me.

I walked over to her, and she said, "Brother, bless me."

I smiled at her and said, "We bless ourselves with every breath." I took her hands, and we had prayer together. Then we laughed and rejoined the others waiting by the water.

It is a beautiful time to be here,

John

We are each other's saviors

http://manalivinglove.gaia.com — Wed, 23 May 2007 21:03:25 GMT

To get us started, here is a very beautiful piece written by Amadon, about how we can liberate one another through love and soul recognition. I HIGHLY recommend that you read this piece, if you are to read anything I've posted. It is so inspiring and beautiful, and gives such an excellent explation of how any of us can liberate each other, through love, through seeing. It is called "We are each other's saviors"

Enjoy,

Love,

Mana

"Imagine waking up on your honeymoon morning --
perhaps from a deep sleep, or even a bad dream --
to find the loving gaze of your true lover. You
certainly would be very happy to awaken into such
a beautiful reality, wouldn't you? In that case, your
partner is drawing you into a higher level of awaking
even as they lie there with you, gazing lovingly at
you. No words can describe the value of being seen
and loved in that way.

By loving, by appreciating the true Self of others,
you create for them the same happy heart-heaven
into which you awakened that honeymoon morning.
In exactly that manner in which you were drawn into
love by being seen in love, you draw others into love.
You draw them into a higher level of awakening by
the love you give.

We are all each other's saviors -- at least, we can
be. The title "savior" may sound grandiose, but in
fact, to the extent that we have rejected illusion in
ourselves, and to the extent that we have accepted
the responsibility to hold onto Reality, we become
saviors by virtue of those choices. Our mind is such.
Our radiance is such. Our certainty is such. Our
loving is such.

The right way to relate to our fellow human beings
is by giving love and true recognition. Take respon-
sibility to be generous with energy and light. That
giving is, in itself, our liberation from illusion, our
salvation AND our saviorhood, all rolled into one.
Advancement or elevation into "savior" status de-
pends ENTIRELY on that love-commitment, that
loving focus, that love-holding, that love-giving,
that love-living, that continuing to be the light.
The recognition -- the seeing of the Being. Only
true and appreciative seeing reminds both the
seer and the seen of who they are.

So you see, it is not that you become a savior by
withdrawing from the world entirely, by going to a
cave in isolation for long periods of time. In reality,
quite the opposite is the case. You become a savior
just as much by the way that you hold your con-
sciousness during the course of your ordinary living
as you do by the way that you hold it in prayerful
seclusion.

The awesome work of avatars, bodhisattvas, saints,
sages, parents, lovers, and friends throughout time
has always been this: to resonate the truth for
those who otherwise would not strongly feel it;
to offer Reality-awareness in the face of delusional
consciousness; to remain hot in the chill. This is
what avatarhood, bodhisattvahood, sainthood,
motherhood, fatherhood and friendship are ALL
about. Until all sentient beings have been liberated,
until then there will be avatars, bodhisattvas, saints,
moms, dads, and there will be friends. GOOD friends
are those who hold that candle for us.

However, all too often, what happens is that would-
be bringers of higher consciousness allow them-
selves to deviate from the higher conviction that is
so helpful and necessary. For example: Imagine you
have a friend who really thinks they are an absolute
loser, doomed -- and you try to convince them
otherwise. Really, the effectiveness of that conver-
sation depends, in part, upon your ability to main-
tain your own conviction on the matter. Sometimes,
you'll labor along for an hour or two trying to con-
vince your friend that they're okay, but then there
comes a point where you begin to believe their
bleak story. Some of your zeal, your optimism, be-
gins to deflate. You feel discouraged. You begin to
think that perhaps they ARE a loser. Oh, dear! The
teacher has been taught, but the student has not.

Obviously, blowing hot and cold is not very helpful.
If one is to be a good influence, one must remain
so. The way that saviors stay warm within a chilled
and chilling reality -- a reality that is always tending
to share its delusion with you and thereby chill your
own vibration -- is through not buying into the chill,
but remembering and seeing the other IN SPITE OF
IT. That's the challenge of motherhood, fatherhood,
avatarhood, bodhisattvahood. It's the challenge of
friendship -- at least, of GOOD friendship.

All progress lies in the combination of the rejection
of illusion and the acceptance of Reality. That is how
one enhances one's effectiveness as a salvatory
influence in the sphere of relationship. That is our
essential responsibility as parents, lovers, and friends.
And the discharge of that responsibility depends on
our will -- our will to do so, to be so, to live and love
so."

Amadon is the founder of the Living Love Fellowship. If you want to read more writing from him, visit the LLF's blog here on zaadz at http://livinglovefellowship.zaadz.com/blog

Re: Desire: spiritually useful or spiritually dangerous?

http://quietquintet.gaia.com — Wed, 23 May 2007 17:25:59 GMT

Perhaps, There is a Trouble here, With the Definition of the Term Desire?
I think it may be Very Common to Mistakenly interchange The Concept of Desire, and the Concept of Want.

I think Maybe Desire is a Motion of the Soul Choosing any Given Thing or Experience in your Life.

And I think Want is Something Lower than this, Perhaps A Decision made that is Not a Wholistic decision. Like wanting Shoes.
A Person Who is Poor, and Cannot afford Shoes, Who must Walk from place to Place, and Bare the Pain of Blisters on the feet may Have a Legitimate Desire For Shoes.
But When I Go to WalMart and I see Some Bright Green Lace Up Sandals, I might want those Sandals... but I don't Know if it could Properly be Called desire.

Re: Desire: spiritually useful or spiritually dangerous?

http://carlasanders.gaia.com — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:44:53 GMT

Desire is a blessed and powerful energy. I hope to speak simply and briefly because I LOVE desire.

Desire is a feeling of being alive. Desire is a creative surge forward. Desire is a calling out to myself, and to divine. We speak of Divine Longing... is this me longing for the Divine, or Divine longing for me?

Desire ,while grounded deliciously in my sensesand awakened in body mind spirit and emotion, Desire calls me into spirit, and transcendence. Let me know God in my body, let me feel the full force of craving. Let my craving be answered with breath, sound, movement.

Wah Mah Chi.

A Christian minister who performed my son's wedding said "God's love for us is Erotic. God Desires US."

I can go for that.

Desire is spiritually useful because it points us in the direction of God. It is our answer to God calling.

More than Metaphor to me.

Blessings to all,

Carla

Re: Desire: spiritually useful or spiritually dangerous?

http://manalivinglove.gaia.com — Tue, 22 May 2007 11:50:16 GMT

I would like to take this thread in a slightly new direction, which is to think about HOW desire can be used for spiritual growth, and relationship.

Desire creates a great deal of energy, and stamina, and driving power.

So for example, in a relationship, where there is great desire, there is great energy, and that can create an ecstatic relationship, an ecstatic communion between people. If you've ever experienced a really high energy exchange with another human being, or group of human beings (which I'm sure most people have) you can appreciate that. If you take that far enough it can become something truly spiritual. (if it is handled rightly/ethically/lovingly of course, otherwise it will tend to kill itself off. Either the relationship will become flat over time, or the energy will be used in very negative ways, thereby lowering the energy and tone of the relationship).

And the same is true in our relationship with God. When we approach our spiritual practices with desire and passion, we do so with great stamina, and energy. And that energy is increased because of the connection with God that desiring God creates.

Energy is related to conciousness. In many traditions energy raising practices are used to raise our consciousness. Meditation, yoga, tantra; all of those are examples of that. When our energy is high, our consciousness tends to be high. When we are sleepy, for example, we tend to be less clear, more grouchy, more prone to lose our temper, or be insecure, or depressed, or whatever our personal tendency is. Whereas when our energy is high every seems crystal clear, we feel ecstatic and generous, and full. Energy, when raised high enough, can turn into God communion, and eventually God union. So, by increasing energy, desire is also increasing our consciousness; and, if it gets high enough, creating the experience of unity.

So we have excellent reasons to allow desire in our lives, and even fan the flames of desire. It can improve our relationships with each other, and with God, dramatically; and it can heigten our consciousness and enliven our lives. It is a quality of life decision.

Here is a link to an article about how energy and consciousness are related. It explains it really well, far better than I have: http://www.soulprogress.com/html/ArticlesFolder/Articles/EnergyandUnderstanding.shtml

Here is a quote from St. Francis about desire and energy:

WILD FORCES

There are beautiful wild forces within us.

Let them turn the mills inside
and fill
sacks

that feed even
heaven.

And here is a beautiful excerpt from another article about desire and energy raising, by Amadon:

How desire becomes Self-realization

"What I am pointing you towards in my teaching on desire is esoteric knowledge; it is not available on the street. I am revealing to you a cosmic secret. Here's another piece for you. . .
Desire never ends. It does not end with Love-union, and it does not end with God union, or with Self-realization. Desire just rises to a higher level, that's all. But at that level, desire is not a torment, really, but rather an END to torment.

A person who scales the mountain of desire eventually comes to exist in the flow of continuous outpouring. That person, if they persist in such outpouring, finally becomes radiance itself. That person is totally fulfilled in the very circle that desire realizes. What is realized in such great desire is not just Love-union with some human beloved; it is the blending of Self with All that Is.

Life is a circle, my friends. Your ups and downs are created because you periodically withdraw yourself from the circle. Someday, when you have joined with life, when you are married to life, when you commit yourself to life body and soul, you will ALWAYS be a circle. Thereafter, everyone who sees you will resonate you and refresh you. Thereafter, the circle you're involved in with your rug, your teacup, your Kleenex, will enliven you. Thereafter, you will always be in communion. You will be part of a stable system, a sustainable ecology, as it were. With every exhalation, you will be breathing out everything that you are, and with every inhalation, you will be breathing in everything that is for you. This realization, the realization of Oneness, is a sustainable and achievable goal.

Until that day, WORK. Work more or less successfully, but work persistently. And know, along the way, that your destiny depends on the balance between your efforts to go up, and your efforts to go down. At whatever level that balance places you, that is your state. Whatever the range of your tolerance for energy, that determines the ceiling on your well-being.

Ask yourself these questions:
'How far do I allow myself to go up before I head down?'
'How far do I climb up before I get antsy and decide to blow the energy off?'
'How far down do I let myself sink before I turn around and head back up?'

THOSE, my friends, are destiny-determining questions."

Enjoy!

Love,

Mana

Re: Desire: spiritually useful or spiritually dangerous?

http://manalivinglove.gaia.com — Tue, 22 May 2007 11:11:39 GMT

You are right, Minaakshi, that the Buddha was talking to specific people, at a specific time, when he said those words. And it's easy for things to be taken out of context and made into dogma. The same thing happened with Jesus, and many others. The reason I mentioned it was because, since it has become dogma, that particular dogma needs to be addressed; because, I believe, it is causing pain. Those particular words (as they have been interpreted) have had a powerful effect on thousand of Buddhists, who have weakened themselves incredibly, and slowed down their spiritual awakening, by trying to kill their desire.

I also agree with the thing you said about discovering where desire really comes from, and going with that. People are definitely substituting their real, heartfelt desires with desires for things that are far less soul-fulfilling and satisfying. It is only when we get in touch with our TRUE desire that we find the true power and usefulness of it.

I think that it would be easy for people to misunderstand what you said as meaning that if your desires lead you to acheive what you want they are good, and if they do not they are not. I'm sure that is not what you meant, but I thought it would be worth bringing it up, to avoid misunderstandings by anybody. Obviously, there are small and greedy desires that can be fulfilled, and we can even feel a certain gratitude when they are fulfilled (although not the true and deep and spiritual gratitude that you are talking about), and those desires are still not good desires. And then, there is the desire for God, which may be fulfilled, and yet STILL exist. I believe that the desire for God, and the desire for one another, continues on even after it's fulfillment, or at least it can. And when it does it is very good.

Are we on the same wavelength?

Love,

Mana

Re: Desire: spiritually useful or spiritually dangerous?

http://manalivinglove.gaia.com — Tue, 22 May 2007 10:56:35 GMT

Dear Amy,

I agree that the thing about letting go of your obsession with enlightenment was probably a good thing. There are times when we can get ourselves onto a treadmill of seeking that is not entirely helpful. At that point it's time to do something else. An enlightened master said (and this is paraphrasing, because I can't remember his exact words) something like: I was fortunate, in that I never desired enlightenment. I only ever desired to be a good lover; and in learning to do that I found enlightenment. That caused my path to be much faster than many others.

When it comes to the thing about defining and confining oneself: being willing to take risks, love risks; to put your heart on your sleeve, make gestures of love that you would normally withhold -- these things are ways to break out of that rut. When you have ideas about who you are, and you go about your days living as those ideas, you become fearful of the parts of yourself that are outside of those ideas. You do not want to express passion, for example, if you do not think of yourself as a passionate person. Or, if you think of yourself as weak, you will avoid being emotionally invested and vulnerable, so as to avoid getting hurt. To take the risks that you wouldn't normally take, in a good spirit, can really challenge the false self-identity that you hold.

Seeing as we've gotton totally off the topic of desire, maybe we should carry on this conversation via personal messaging, or else start a new thread about self-identification. What do you think? Let me know.

Love,

Mana

Re: Desire: spiritually useful or spiritually dangerous?

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Sun, 20 May 2007 19:29:13 GMT

One thing that we often forget when talking about what Buddha said, is that he was on earth as a teacher for many years; and that his teachings were personal, for the people he spoke to, and not intended to be dogma.

That said, they have been passed on for generations, and not only through the Buddhist religious sangha, but through general reading, because they resonate with so many, and have stood the test of time.

So- my answer to your question would be- if our desires are satisfied, and we can stay in gratitude when they are, then they are helping us achieve what we really want. If so, how can they be dangerous?

And if we go after what we desire, and on achieving that, are still unfulfilled, still full of desire, then all we have to do, is to go within and find out what we really seek!

When we reach the awareness of where desires spring from, they become the lights on the path, showing us where we are going; and all thoughts of danger, shoulds and shouldnt's, struggle and suffering, flow away.