PEACE LOVE YOGA: Vigilant

Burnt To Ash

"All Inquiry is meant for one purpose; to take you experientially into the unknown as efficiently as possible. Once you get there, simply be still because inquiry has delivered you to its destination. The rest is up to Grace. Do not hold onto any knowledge that comes your way. Even the greatest revelations much not be clung to, or you will end up with a head full of memories and a heart empty of substance. The truth is ever new, existing only in the now. The highest truth is beyond knowledge and experience. It is beyond time and space, and beyond beingness, consciousness, and oneness. Just remember that all direct path techniques are meant simply to undermine, to cut away, the one who is performing them. No matter what spiritual path you've walked or what teachings you've followed, they must lead you back to no path and no teaching. A true teaching is like a blazing fire that consumes the itself. The teaching must not only consume you, but consume itself as well. All must be burned to ash, and then the ash must be burned. The, and only then, is the Ultimate realized. True Enlightenment destroys enlightenment. As long as you can refer back to yourself and say, 'I'm enlightened', you not. Enlightenment is authentic only when there is no one left to be enlightened. Even to say 'I am nobody', is one too many. There's a point when you intuitively realize that to be Free you have to give up your attachment to Freedom. You have to quit asking yourself: Is it still there? Am I okay? You have to decide to never look over your shoulder again to see if you're free or if others know you're free. You just have to let yourself burn there - no matter what. This isn't something I can help you with. I can tell you what you need to do, but you have to do it. In the beginning, teachers can help a lot. But the deeper you go, all they can do is point, and clarify, and tell you what you need to do. Only you can take this step. Nobody can push you in to this place."

- Adyashanti

No Expectations

A spirit that lives in this world

and does not wear the shirt of love,

such an existence is a deep disgrace.

Be foolishly in love,

because love is all there is.

There is no way into presence

except through a love exchange.

If someone asks, But what is love?

answer, Dissolving the will.

True freedom comes to those

who have escaped the questions

of freewill and fate.

Love is an emperor.

The two worlds play across him.

He barely notices their tumbling game.

Love and lover live in eternity.

Other desires are substitutes

for that way of being.

How long do you lay embracing a corpse?

Love rather the soul, which cannot be held.

Anything born in spring dies in the fall,

but love is not seasonal.

With wine pressed from grapes,

expect a hangover.

But this love path has no expectations.

You are uneasy riding the body?

Dismount. Travel lighter.

Wings will be given.

Be clear like a mirror

reflecting nothing.

Be clean of pictures and the worry

that comes with images.

Gaze into what is not ashamed

or afraid of any truth.

Contain all human faces in your own

without any judgement of them.

Be pure emptiness.

What is inside that? you ask.

Silence is all I can say.

Lovers have some secrets

that they keep.

(Rumi)

7.9.08

Vigilant ~ closely observant, watchful, keeping awake, opened-eyed awareness.

Came across this word recently. Sometimes it carries a negative connotation. However, I like the word in regards to being closely observant of myself, and my actions.

I've continued to see my teacher/body-worker/ healer/Daoist master, on a regular basis. He has told me to stay away from ice cold beverages and foods. No ice-cream, slurpees, smoothies, cold-lattes, or leftovers...nothing. Keeping in line with having an open mind, I'm willing to experiment. And, the funny thing is, just days after he told me this my refrigerator broke down. Hmmmmm. Strange stuff like this has been happening to me lately.

Before having an appointment with him I went out to lunch with several yoga students beforehand. Alas, for dessert a small scoop of ice cream was set in front of me. So...I relented and enjoyed the scoop of ice cream. What could it hurt? When he saw me he said..."you've been eating cold stuff". How did he know exactly? Busted!!

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) partaking in ice-cold anything is not recommended. Which is interesting. From what I gathered it's connected with energy stagnation in the body. Now, I'm not here to warn anyone away from consuming ice-cold food products. I just enjoy learning various healing traditions and it's something I have never been aware of. Don't mind the simple sacrifice to experiment and observe how it feels the body.

If anything, I enjoy learning...experimenting. I've taken to learning more about Chinese Herbs as well. Fascinating.

I mean there IS something to the longevity and health exhibited here. C'mon...when an 88 year-old is practically skipping past me on a hike...ummmm...you take notice. One of the most unbelievable things I've witnessed since landing here in Taiwan.

There is more to the story however. I've had to become vigilant with maintaining balance. Somehow, I had gotten so used to a state of imbalance that it was feeling normal...but at the same time...not feeling quite right. My practice has to change. Everything. I've known this for a while. Call it denial...call it whatever. I'm still in the process of learning and honoring what is before me.

How wonderful is it to receive just what I need at the right time. All I have to do is be open, be aware...be vigilant.

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PEACE LOVE YOGA

R. Sharath Jois

Burnt To Ash

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Vigilant

7.9.08

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