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The Inner TravelerMeditation Society of America Vol 1 No. 6

In This Issue

A Touch. A Breeze.

Sage Advice

Meditation Tips

Hatha Highlights

Meditative Poetry

Meditation 24 x 7

Suggested Reading

Letting Go

Like a Twig in a Hurricane

Wonder-Full Wisdom

Listening to God

Thanks and Praises

Elevating Art

Opening the3rdEye

Contemplation Courier

[email protected]

Welcome To The Inner Traveler

e have all had moments where we suddenly got it, and therehave also been times when we have had to try hard and long

to understand something before it finally made sense. The InnerTraveler is intended to be a tool that helps point to the missingpieces in the jigsaw puzzle that is life. Our aim is to help you realizethe beauty of your real self, suddenly or gradually, sooner than later.

Peace and blessings,Bob Rose, President

Meditation Society of America

A Touch. A Breeze.By Jerry Katz

hen I was at the Inner Directions gathering in March of 2001,I noticed that certain speakers would invite the audience into

a meditation. You would hear shuffling as many in the audience of500 adjusted sitting positions all at once.

When it was Adyashanti's turn to speak, he made the same invitation

toward meditation, except that he asked everyone to sit exactly asthey were and not to shift in their seats. You didn't hear a sound. Ifa person were listening to that silence, that absence of shuffling,something could have been learned.

First, it would have been noted that 'not shuffling' was not differentthan 'shuffling'. One can imagine that some people were shuffling in

seeA Touch. A Breeze.pg. 2

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Sage AdviceBy Kir Li Molari

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Suspend both belief anddisbelief. Witness.

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Om is the sound of silence.

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What part of Thy will bedone dont you understand?

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You suffer from what youagree to suffer from.

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Witness, flow, watch yourego and suffering go.

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Your inner dialog must stopto pay attention to reality.

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Just Witness.Understanding will come.

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The Bible, Koran, Gita, andthe Upanishads are in your

heart. Silence your mind andtheir wisdom will fill you.

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Contents of The Inner Traveler Copyright2002 Meditation Society of Americaand its licensors. All rights reserved.

fromA Touch. A Breeze.pg. 1

their minds, saying, "I mustn't change my seating position. He wantsme to meditate so I have to think about what I've been taught orgrab my mantra, or... ." Can you hear the mental shuffling?

Second, looking at the silence symbolically, a person could havelearned that meditation requires nothing be done other than knowreality. There's no reason to be excessive in the movement towardthat. To dwell on the movement is to put off meditation. Andalmost any movement of the body or mind is excessive.

When we were teenagers, my brothers and I had an inexpensivetelescope set upon a tripod. We would take it onto the roof of ourapartment house in Santa Monica and look at the moon. It was notthe most sturdy telescope, so if it were tapped slightly, the field ofview changed to something billions of miles beyond.

Meditation requires a movement that slight. A tap. Nothing more.The whole field of view changes from so-called normal life with itsmoods, joys, pains, remembrances and values, to the taste of reality.

Adyashanti, as I understand him, was saying that very little need bedone to enter meditation. A change in seating position won't help.

What is the slight tap required? To spend time describing it is tobring a person into the movement itself and to depart from why themovement is being done.

What does it take to tap the telescope? Not much. A touch. Abreeze.

There is no need to change body or mental posture. There is noneed to move toward something, because that 'something' might bea remembrance, or a device to gain remembrance, but it is not goingto be the taste of reality.

Like Adyashanti, I am giving nothing. Watch. Is there the desire fora method at this point? A need for a way to relax, or a breathingtechnique? A mantra?

Watch, because there may be a slipping away from the taste ofreality. Want large sweeping movements? Shuffling in the seat? Inthe mind?

The invitation is to be exactly as one is. Then the tap -- some mightsay it is the touch of Grace -- and reality is known. That ismeditation.

Jerry is one of the worlds leading disseminators of Nondual concepts.His website is Nonduality Salon:www.nonduality.com
http://www.nonduality.com/http://www.nonduality.com/


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Listening to GodBy Anonymous

he man whispered, "God, speak to me" Anda meadowlark sang. But the man did not

hear.

So the man yelled "God, speak to me" And thethunder & lightning rolled across the sky. But theman did not listen.

The man looked around and said, "God, let mesee you." And a star shone brightly. But the mandid not see.

And, the man shouted, "God, show me amiracle And a life was born. But the man didnot notice.So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me,God, and let me know you are here.Whereupon, God reached down and touched theman. But the man brushed the butterfly away andwalked on.

The man cried "God, I need your help" . . . andan e-mail arrived reaching out with good newsand encouragement. But the man deleted it andcontinued crying.

Rusty Morgan, who tells us that the author is unknown,shared this. Rusty also shares wise and useful informationabout inner wisdom and alternative health on his website,

www.serendipityhappens.com

Our lovely new logo is now available on T-shirts:http://www.meditationsociety.com/merch.html

Elevating Artords, movement, breath, and sounds, usedas techniques of meditation, have the

potential to stop the flow of chaotic thought andallow the serenity of a higher state ofconsciousness to arise. Art too can have thisquality. Just as art can be a vehicle for meditative,evolutionary states, mediation clears the mindand opens the flow of creativity. We feel gracedthat Chy Marshall and Judy Graniczny have givenus their encouragement and permission to share

their beautiful visionary art. Enjoy!

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WonderFull Wisdom

This is well worth meditating on. It is a quotefrom Bruce Morgen and was part of an exchangethat occurred on the alt. meditation newsgroup:

o-called "realized" folks are not evolvedbeyond their fellow humans, they are simply

and always awake to the nature of maya and ofthat from which maya arises, which is what weactually are.

Bruce's web site has dozens of Wonder-Full pointers toRealization:http://www.atman.net/realization/If you come across something Wonder-Full, pleaseconsider sharing it here. Email your submission to

[email protected]

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Meditation Tips

Self MasteryBy Swami Satchidananda

hen negative thoughts come up in the mind there are two things you can do. Either you can ignorethem or you can face and analyze them. But you should never control, deny, or submerge negative

thoughts. If you can't ignore the thoughts, then face them, analyze them, and question yourself. Forexample, if a fearful thought comes into the mind, first try to ignore it. Because the more attention yougive it, the more it will invite itself in. It recognizes a captive audience! Negative thoughts also gainstrength by having you pay attention to them. It gives them energy that they feed upon and then they willgrow in strength.

First ignore it. How would you ignore it? By putting some positive thoughts into the mind. Thinkpositive thoughts and cultivate the opposite of the negative thought. For example, if a hateful thoughtcomes into the mind, shout from the rooftop: "I love everybody! Everybody loves me!" Keep on

shouting it. And if you keep on doing that, the negative thought may wait for a little while and then itwill get tired and walk out. It will realize that you are not going to give it any attention, any energy, and itwill begin to dissipate in its strength.

But if you are unable to ignore a thought, face it and question that thought, What kind of thought areyou? Why are you here? What do you want to do with me? If you have trouble putting in positivethoughts and if the negative thought is more stubborn, more strong than your new, positive thought, thenanalyze. Question the thought, "Hey, come on, tell me, what is the problem? Why are you bothering me?What do you want to do with me? Why are you here?" Challenge your negative thoughts. Utilize yourintelligence to analyze it and root it out. But never, never suppress negative thoughts. This only feeds thethought which will temporarily go into hiding and then will pop out, with more force, at any time.

If you can, don't act out negative thoughts. Because acting it out will renew the thought or feeling. It issimilar to a desire or habit you are trying to tame. Suppose you are trying to lose weight and so you decideto stop eating all the chocolate you eat. How many times would you have told yourself, Well, I can justeat one. The next thing you know, you are reaching for a second, then a third piece. You may say, "Oh,this is definitely the last piece." Until the box is empty, every piece is the last piece. This is because everytime you eat one more, you are fulfilling the minds desire and strengthening it. Its like disciplining a child.If the child knows they can push the limits, they will. And the next time, they will push a little more and

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a little more. Until you no longer are in charge, but your child is. It is the same with the mind. The moreyou give into the negative thinking or bad habits, the more they grab hold of you. Desires should never berenewed.

Our ancient scriptures used to say that if you want the fire to go out, take the firewood away instead ofadding more firewood. Negative thinking, bad habits, and unwanted desires are like fire. Don't let themget fulfilled, don't give opportunities for them to get fulfilled. Then they will slowly, for want of growth,for want of opportunities to get renewed, they will slowly wither and die. But, if instead, you fulfill themevery time, they become stronger.

Many people are afraid of knowing what their problems are. They just want to swallow a pill and forgeteverything. Instead they wake up with several new problems. They want to be ostriches. When there isdanger in sight, they want to bury their heads in the sand. But that doesnt mean they have solved theirproblems. Once we understand and solve our problems we become masters. There is no other way if youwant to be the master of your mind. No matter how much you try to convince yourself that you dont

want it to go on anymore, it never happens that way. There's no "last" indulgence. It just goes on and onand on. But instead, you should stand firm with your mind: "No, I'm not going to give you what youwant! It's not good for you. These are the reasons why this will not help you."

Explain the pros and cons to your own mind, as you would explain to a patient or your own son ordaughter. You become the doctor or the expert. Talk to your mind as your patient or student, Okay, youare looking for one more piece of cake. You may think that you want it; that it will make you happy. Buthow many times did you try that in the past? What happened? You still werent satisfied; it didnt makeyou happy to have the piece of cake or just have one last cigarette. How many times did you say, that isthe last time. Where is the guarantee that this will be the last time. And every time you did that whathappened, how did you feel afterwards? Terrible. So? Do you want to feel that way again? Talk to yourmind like that. You have to educate the mind and make it understand that by running after things or bynegative thinking, it is not going to bring you closer to peace or happiness.

Question the mind fully. Help it to realize how much energy you lose every time you get involved withbad habits. Remind yourself of all the ill effects that happen in relation to indulging in the bad habit. Andconvince your mind that by developing that kind of willpower, that power of mind, how great it will be.When you really become strong-minded, rather than weak, people will admire you. Present the positiveside to your mind. Argue the pros and cons of what you are trying to do and in this way you can educateyour mind.

The mind can be like a naughty child and you have to be the parent who practices tough love. Itssomething like training a pet; you don't just give in every time. If it doesn't obey you, you have to tell your

puppy, "No, I won't give you the biscuit if you dont obey. If you do, then come and take it. Only whenit listens to you, obeys you, you feel so happy. Not just by giving in. Occasionally, when it really feels toomuch, once in awhile, okay, give a little rope. Don't be too rough also. Training a wild horse or training apuppy calls for a firm hand but a loving heart.

Swamiji is the founder of the Integral Yoga Institutes.For more information, please see the Yogaville web site

http://www.yogaville.org
http://www.yogaville.org/http://www.yogaville.org/


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Letting GoBy Michael Read

rdinary mind is Buddha mind. Ordinary body is god body. Ordinary life is all life.

When the thought arises that you are not, discard it, let it go. When the thought arises that you are,discard it, let it go. When the thought arises that someone else is not, discard it, let it go. When the thoughtarises that someone else is, discard it, let it go.

Treat all thoughts in this manner, discard them, let them go. Persist in this and soon you will see thatwhich you have always been, not that which you imagine you will become.

If you imagine that you are bound, you are bound. If you imagine that you are free, you are free. Truly,neither state is the real state of affairs. You are neither bound nor are you free. You are the infinite selfplaying all the parts, suffering all the pain, enjoying all the pleasure.

Entertain no fantasies about what is real or what is unreal and the natural state is revealed in all its simplesplendor. It is not logical. It is not illogical.

Purpose, meaning what are they? More fantasy! Simply do what comes to hand to do and you are doingeverything.

Combine acceptance with judgement and you wear a heavy chain. Practice compassion mixed with pityand you wear leaden shoes. Allow all things to be as they are and you are clothed in the finest silks, shod incomfortable shoes.

Michaels in-sights are shared on the web at his group,The Way Stationhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/thewaystation

and he can be contacted [email protected]

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Hatha HighlightsBy Bette Rose

Trikonasana (the Triangle)

oga is a way of life, a system for educating the body, mind and spirit. Hatha yoga is designed to tone

the body and nervous system as well as release tension, increase flexibility, and improve balance, bothphysically and mentally. Trikonasana, the Triangle, while providing a complete lateral stretch for the entirebody, requires the practitioner to be not only relaxed, but balanced at the start. The pose can also increasethe feeling of centeredness for those of us who feel off-sides at times.

Begin by standing facing forward, with feet slightly more than shoulder width apart, knees straight, andhead floating above the body, with shoulders relaxed and arms at the sides. Take one complete cleansingbreath. Inhaling, stretch the right arm up beside the right ear, as high as comfortably possible, and noticethe stretch along the right side, while the left arm remains relaxed.

Now exhale as you begin to bend to the left side, sliding the left hand down the left leg, while taking careto keep the right arm in line with the ear, as you stretch over as far as possible. At this point, you can either

keep the legs straight, or as a variation, bend the left knee in a deep, lunging position, to further increasethe stretch and flexibility. Repeat on the opposite side. Begin with 3 to 6 rounds per session. While holdingthe posture, breathe rhythmically, inhaling as you come up, and exhaling as you return to Tadasana(standing).

Always be sure the weight of the body is evenly distributed on each leg, and the body is not leaningforward. Remember, it is a lateral (sideways) stretch and by keeping the energy in a straight line, theflexibility of the spine, hips and legs is maximized, pranic flow is stimulated to all internal organs and thenatural flow of energy is steadied and balanced.

Like most things in life, its easy when you know how! Practice Trikonasana daily and you will experiencean exuberant wave of peace and tranquility throughout your life and understand what centered really

means.Spread peace through Yoga and Meditation

Shanti, Shanti, OM

Bette is the Vice President of the Meditation Society of AmericaShe can be contactedat [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Meditation 24 x 7A Win, Win, Win, Win, Win Situation

A Karma Yoga Tail

By Bob of Malaga

have the best job. I watch people forget about their troubles, ignore their pains, dismiss their misery. Iwatch frowns turn to smiles. I see tears of joy. I'm a chauffeur for a therapist. I'm also his chef, personal

trainer and friend. He is an exceptional therapist, compassionate, loving and has eyes that melt your soul.And, he's only four years old, two feet tall and has an abundance of black, gold, and tan hair. Our friendsat the veterinarian's call Nicky "the perfect pup", and he is. But he's a very ordinary shepherd/terrier mix,an escapee from the animal shelter, and a fine family member.

Nicky is a registered therapy dog and he serves in a modality called Pet Facilitated Therapy. He may beused superficially as a recreational tool to bring joy into some lives, to bring people out of their shells, toreminisce about their pets, reduce stress, lower blood pressure and the like. He has also been used as a truetherapy tool for the occupational, physical and speech therapists and social workers. Last week we went toa multiple sclerosis/cerebral palsy center for a job interview. It is a school for seriously handicappedchildren, from pre-school to young adults. We visited seven classrooms with four to eight children in eachclass. Ninety percent were wheelchair bound with severely crippled bodies, and bright eyes. Nicky and Iwent from student to student, offering them to pet him. Sometimes the children could reach over to pethim, with or without teachers' assistance. Sometimes I had to have Nicky hop up with his front paws onthe wheelchair to get petted, as well as make intimate eye (and sometimes nose) contact.

One little girl, when encouraged to pet him, said "no". The sunlight shone on Nicky's head and glowedgolden. I said, "pet his head, it's gold." She said "gold." I told her, "pet the gold and make a wish." Shesaid "gold" again and struggling with a crippled hand, petted his head, and smiled with satisfaction. Tearsrolled down the cheeks of the attending teachers.

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In another classroom was an extremely handsome young man with a radiant smile although his body wastortuously crippled. He wanted Nicky up on the large tray attached to the wheelchair. Lying on the tray,Nicky looked like the guest of honor at a pig roast, except for the goofy smile that dogs often exhibit. The

young man started laughing, then it turned into uncontrollable belly laughs that became contagious to thestaff. What a great day.

In our hour and a half visit we helped create dozens of smiles among students and staff, and eventuallyparents. Nicky and I both got some needed exercise. His feeling of accomplishment was obvious. For thenext few days, he seemed taller and his chest was puffed out. My personal problems were put intoperspective. Everybody wins. And, I just drive the car.

Nickys training consists of basic dog obedience classes at the local high school evening classes. Nothingfancy. He is familiar with "sit, come, stay, down." Familiar, but often stubborn. He is not finely tuned,robotic, but he knows what to do, can be patient, is a conscious, thinking entity, and always a loving littleboy in a furry suit.

Our experience over the past three years has been visits to nursing homes, a pediatric rehabilitationhospital, and a camp for retarded citizens. Although they were rewarding they were inconvenient (visitinghours or distance). I think at this school, we have found an outlet to serve and be appreciated.

If you have a loving little cat, rabbit, bird, or dog that can sit in someones lap, or a large loving dog thatwould enjoy being petted or talked to from a wheelchair or a bed, and could use a little exercise and achange in routine to help create a stress reducing, joy inducing environment, get involved for an hour ortwo a month. It is an exercise in Karma Yoga and proves the truth of the concept that selfless service isone of the most rewarding forms of meditation practice.

Bob is a Reiki Master/Teacher.He is one of the senior advisors to the

Meditation Society of America,and can be contacted [email protected]


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Thanks andPraises

e are honored andhumbled by being

privileged to have the help ofso many fine people inputting The Inner Travelertogether. Mary Belli RN hasbeen consistently gracious indoing proofreading, andEunice Culpepper M.D.,Ph.D., has been patient andskillful in making many of theeditorial decisions. Throughtheir selfless actions, Rev.Prem Anjali Ph.D., KellyBlazes, Peter Sweeney, andBruce Morgen have facilitatedthe sharing of this timelessknowledge by our blessedcontributors. Judy, Ronnie,Verne, Stan, and Mark havebeen examples of real Karmayoga. Their efforts have been

inspiring. We send you all ourlove and appreciation.

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MeditationMessage Board

or questions, answers, orto share your experiences,

visit our Message Board athttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/

meditationsocietyofamerica

Chy Marshall did the art for the Meditative poems,our new logos, and the art found on pages 6 and 8.

Meditative Poetry

By Carol P. Butler

Opposites

The wheels of time are turning,And my mind is daily churning

Of negativity.

I am always yearningFor better ways of learning

To be more positive.

So I must be more discerningAnd keep my mind returning

To the present moment.

Carol is one of the Meditation Society of Americas senior advisors.

Her poetry is intended to inspire meditation.She can be reached at:

[email protected]

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Meditative PoetryBy Chy

My True Self

Clearing clutter from my mindAnd taking time to look inside

I find.My true self.

Long forgotten, but ever patientWaiting there to greet me

I encounterMy true self.

Unencumbered by outside caresWith mind and spirit free

I embraceMy true self.

Through the gifts of peace and love

I find acceptance withinI become.My true self.

Chyrel Marshall is an artist and Creative Director of MecaCorp.

She can be reached [email protected]


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Like a Twig in a Hurricane

By Andrew Cohen

urrender means we don't know what's going to happen. When we surrender we give up needing to

know. If surrender is genuine, that means in the very depths of our being we don't know what's going

to happen.

Something extraordinary occurs when we allow ourselves the freedom to not know because it is then that

everything opens up. It is then that the experience of life becomes profoundly joyous and unthinkably

mysterious. Not knowing what's going to happen means ceasing to always insist upon knowing what the

future will bring. When we surrender the need to know, we discover that things often work out in

marvelous and unexpected ways that we could never have previously imagined. Only when we transcend

the need to always be sure of what's going to happen in the future, will there be room for that which is

extraordinary and miraculous to reveal itself.

What would the experience of life be like if we were no longer seeking for any security whatsoever from

the future? Everything would open up, everything would become possible. Why? Because we wouldn't be

waiting any longer for the experience of life to become complete. When we realize that everything is

possible, then the way we respond to life begins to break boundaries. All that was fixed is undone as that

which was previously unthinkable becomes known. Many talk about surrender, but the truth is very few

seem able to surrender to the degree necessary to achieve Liberation.

Genuine surrender is unconditional, absolute and always liberates. That means you have let go of

everything to such a degree that you have found the very center of it all. You know, you see, you

actually feel that that is where you abide at the very center. True surrender means you have found

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it. You always know that thats where you are. Even physically you feel that that is where you abide.

The reason you are no longer preoccupied with the future is because the experience of life has

become so rich, so full and so mysterious. If surrender is genuine, this revelation is always being

reaffirmed. Over and over again you will recognize, Yes, this is true." Its a knowing that is

absolute, a knowing that is constantly being affirmed and reaffirmed.

Surrender is dynamic and explosive because it isliberation. When you truly say, Not my will but

Thy will be done," and mean it, then something very big happens. The life of the personality comes

to an end and a life that is truly unknown begins. If this has not happened in a way that is

unmistakable, mysterious and profound, then one has not yet surrendered.

Only if you have let go to the degree that you feel your life is actually being taken away from you,

literally swept away, can you know for sure that surrender has occurred. It's as if you have been

picked up by a hurricane and thrown around like a little twig, having lost control of your destiny.

In the end, you will discover true happiness because you are not trying to hold on any longer.

Indeed, it is ecstasy to be thrown around when you are not holding onto anything. Realize that it is

only because you try to hold on that you suffer so much.

Andrew Cohen is a teacher of enlightenment. He is the author of numerous books and is thefounder of the magazine What Is Enlightenment? This article is an excerpt from Andrews book,Freedom Has No History Moksha Press. For more information:http://www.andrewcohen.org

The art on Pg.1 and for this article are by Judy Graniczny of ArtGrafx.Judy can be reached [email protected]
http://www.andrewcohen.org/http://www.andrewcohen.org/


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Opening the 3rd EyeBy Bob Rose

magine what your life would have been like if you had kept your eyelids shut for your entire lifetime.

Your eyes would have worked perfectly and yet your sense of vision would have gone to waste.Similarly, not using your 3rd eye is keeping you in the dark in relation to enjoying the wonders and wisdomof your sense of mystic sight.

Every one of us had our 3rd eye fully open when we were babies. We were effortlessly able to witness theglory of the universe from its subatomic nature to its multi-galactic infiniteness. Through conditioning byour parents, teachers, and peers, we started a process of covering our 3rd eye with layer after layer ofillusion. As an example, lets imagine that at one month of age we were laying in our crib looking at thepaisley patterned dance of energy that life is. Our mommy stuck a stuffed doll in front of our face andsaid, Look at the piggy, look at the piggy. We then started the process of recognizing that particularshape and associating it with the label pig. We also might have been introduced to the concepts of color,texture, size, and other things. Baby, look at how pink and fuzzy the nice little piggy doll is. And this

began our habit of replacing direct perception of reality with a perceiving, labeling, reacting physically,emotionally, and mentally process. And we went further and further away from an unfiltered pureexperience of living life as it takes place. As we aged, we also added a thought analyzing method ofjudging, comparing, and commenting on every thing our senses brought our attention to, and we got lessand less in touch with Now.

The result of this process is similar to putting shutters on a window. No light comes through and thosewithin can only imagine what is on the other side of the shutters. Unfortunately, this really leaves us in thedark about what is real and what life is really about. Just as you cant adequately describe an orange toanyone who has never seen the color orange, or has not tasted one, you cannot understand what a 3rd eyevision is like from reading about it, or hearing it described by someone who has them. You will have toexperience it first hand. So, the experience of divine perception, astral sight, aura awareness, mystic vision,or whatever other esoteric label you put on it, will remain only a theory until a way is found to actuallyopen the 3rd eye.

Every time you sit in meditation and do the 3rd eye technique, you remove one of the shutters coveringyour inner window of wisdom. It is often compared to peeling away layers of skin from an onion. Thiscontinues until there is nothing left. And in this No-thing, there is everything. And we return to the puredirect perception of the glory and wonders of the universe we beheld as a baby. But now, we have theunderstanding that only comes with maturity.

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The 3rd Eye Meditation Technique

To begin, place yourself in the place and position that you have found to be most advantageous tomeditation. Relax your mind, body, and emotions. Command your mind to cease its chatter, youremotions to stay in a serene mode, and your body to not disturb your meditation in any way. Focus your

attention to the sound and feeling of your breath coming in and going out. Return to your breathawareness if you witness that you have lost your focus. At no time during your meditation should youchastise yourself about anything. So, for example, if you lose your attention and then realize this, justaccept it without commenting. Return your attention to your breath and then continue with yourmeditation.

Close your eyes. Place your attention on the area between your eyebrows. After a short time, a point oflight will present itself in the center of your inner field of vision. Keep your focus there. For some people,it will be beneficial to raise your eyeballs as if you were looking up at about a 25-degree angle. For others,just directing their attention upwards will be easier and less distracting. After some experimentation, gowith one of the ways exclusively. In the beginning of 3rd eye practice, it may help to place your thumb atthe outer edge of one eye and your middle finger on the outer edge of the other, while placing your index

finger at the mid-point between your eyebrows. This gives you a point of focus to place your attention. Italso allows you to prevent your eyelids from fluttering. This commonly occurs, and can be distracting untilyou get used to the sensations that accompany this technique.

Let the light come to you. Be available to be filled. The more you continue practicing this meditation, themore layers of the veil of illusion will peel away and Reality will reveal itself to you. As you perceive theTruth, your understanding of the delusional concept that you are apart from the rest of the universe willlose its grip on you, and the knowledge that you are a part of all and everything will become undeniablyapparent. Your chattering mind will eventually dissolve in the unspeakable transcendent light of love thatis now and forever within and without you.

Once you stop being locked into viewing reality from just one perspective, you will start to be free from

habitual reactivity. 3rd eye experiences put you in that position. You will recognize that nothing more thana show has been playing out before you in what you considered real life. And, just like when you are atthe theater, you may be interested to some degree with seeing how the plot turns out, but knowing that itis all just a story, you wont take it any more seriously than a show. The constant anxiety and fear that isattached to a singular ego centered view of life will end and be replaced with the bliss of effortlesslymerging and identifying with all of creation.

Once a chick has pecked its way out of its shell, it knows that there is a lot more to life than was within itsdark confines. Mother Nature, Grace, then gives the chick strong wings that let it fly to the heavens. The3rd eye meditation technique has the potential to be the beak you use to break out of your shell, as well asthe wings to transport you to the infinite, eternal, universal divine reality that is your birthright.


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Suggested Reading

Spiritual Enlightenment

The Damnedest ThingBy Jed McKenna

Book review by Bob Rose

ell, Jed has gone and done it. Hes let the spiritual cat out of the bag. Now everybodys going toknow the reality of Enlightenment. And that is, that it has nothing to do with mystical visions,

orgasmic bliss, or superpowers. Its simply about waking up.

Like the Zen masters of old who would smack their students on the head with a stick, he interrupts ourdream state with a combination of actions, words, and thoughts. His methods have the effect of pullingthe rug out from under us and upsetting the house of cards we have erected in the false belief it will keepus (our ego/body/mind) safe.

Jed has several ways he brings his students to Enlightenment. One is a task he assigns that brings one fromdream to reality that is called Spiritual Autolysis. It consists of writing done something true. Deceptivelysimple, it is absolutely one of the hardest things to do. To state a truth, it is necessary to have discarded allthat is false. Talk about learning experiences!

Jed is probably the most open teacher anywhere in sharing the thoughts an Enlightened being has aboutlife, mysticism, teaching, spiritual development, and all the other supposedly secret and unspeakableinsights of those who Know. He strips away the glitter from the substance so we are left with the nakedTruth. Absolutely honest and fearless, Jed demystifies the most mystical experience possible Enlightenment in a humble, humorous, and yet deeply profound, way. Using references to video gamesand movies as easily and effectively as citing Plato and Buddha, he brings the heaviest topics lightly down

to earth.

His methods have achieved a high success rate and claim a quick turnover time approximately 2 years orless from asleep to awake (done). By sharing his thoughts in this book, Jed has made a valuable short cutto transcending illusion available to those just starting their quest for Enlightenment as well as to long timeseekers. There is no doubt that all who read this book will not only enjoy it as a good read, but gainvaluable insights into whats needed for their own path to Enlightenment.

Jeds book is scheduled for publication in April, 2002. For more information:www.WisefoolPress.com

W
http://www.wisefoolpress.com/http://www.wisefoolpress.com/


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from The Nature of Insightpg. 18

this question, none of them will ever be fully adequate. That is because no way of approach ornonapproach to resolution will ever fully be able to transcend time, space, culture, and the identity of theone who offers the "true" way to approach, or not to approach. All teachings are events occurring in time,presented by someone with an identity, and are understood in relation to other events. The insight thatreveals the basis for all relationship can't be a product of events in time, and can't be the property of aspecifically identified person or creature (who is only an object in a relational context, no matter howglorified).

Thus, only from one's own being will the insight come. And only as one's being will the insight be"known." Not known as a subject nor an object, but known as being prior to birth and death. Referencesto this insight are found in all the major religions, and yet it is the property of no religion.

What seems to make insight difficult to grasp, is that nothing is gained or changed with insight. One's lifeand the universe are not-two, but this isn't known by gaining some new knowledge nor changing a specificsituation in a desired direction. So, insight, as we're discussing it here, isn't a gain of new knowledge, nor isit an outcome of an activity.

Insight ends the sense of existing as a being apart, and all of the contents internalized or "owned" by sucha being. That ending is the knowing that such a scenario (of an entity who went through experiences andstates of being) never took place. Thus, it is frequently discussed as the ending of illusion. Sometimes, it isdiscussed in terms of fulfillment or flowering. Yet, in reality, it is only "what is." It is like a scientificequation in the sense that it isn't the achievement of a happy new picture, just the recognition of the waythings actually are. It is not like a scientific equation in the sense that it doesn't formulate relationships, it ishow relationships are known as relationships. It might be likened to an operation that clears away acataract. None of the scenery is changed, but the new clarity changes the entire sense of reality. Unlikevisual seeing, this "knowing" isn't of an object, and is the dissolution of the sense of a separate subject.

Insight isn't a relationship or process, it is how processes and relationships can be perceived as such.Thus, it isn't a perception or experience, it is the context that forms perception, experiencing, and memory.

Because insight isn't a process, it's not for or against any of the contents of a particular line of reasoning,religious organization, meditational technique, or any other human activity or nonactivity. Sometimes,insight is discussed as beyond morality or judgment.

In light of our discussion, we understand that insight isn't arrived at, nor is it constructed. It isn't a matterof trust, acceptance, trying, or not trying. It is before any of these kinds of processes begin, isn't disruptedby them, and doesn't depend on them.

Although you are "this", the statement that you are "this" doesn't confer insight. Only when no attempt ordesire is focused on "objects" like words, persons, activities, qualities, experiences, appearances, memories,or ambitions, is "what is" unobscured and self-evident. "What is" is never truly obscured, it is simply thatbeliefs form distractions and structure a kind of "ignorance" (in the sense of ignoring the way thingsactually are). Although "this" isn't an external truth, it also isn't inside of you. It has no inside or outside,and this seems to make it very hard to find.

Dan Berkow's comments occur in the context of practice as psychologist and teacher, enjoyment of sharing expressions of directawareness

of truth, and interest in the internet as a communicative medium. His e-mail address is:[email protected]


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Contemplation CourierPresent Guest Editorial Vol. 1 No. 6

The Nature of Insight

By Dan Berkow Ph.D.

nsight, in the sense being discussed, isn't the result of what happens in a life, insight is how a life isperceived as a life. It is how past, present, and future can be known as unfolding and interrelated

events. Yet insight or "knowing" itself has no past, present, or future. Thus, insight is the basis forperception, but isnt itself perceived. Sometimes "this" is said to be apperceived, beyond subject/objectdistinctions, to be understood only as "the unknown knower." Yet, none of these nor myriads of otherdescriptions will ever be fully adequate, as "what actually is the case" truly transcends conceptuality.

People are drawn to insight by difficult life circumstances and problems that don't resolve easily, or whichtend to repeat in new forms even after "having been fixed." Difficulties or suffering aren't part of life bymistake, but serve to show the limitations of inadequate versions of identity.

A sense of identity is maintained while things are generally going well enough, but is questioned whenthere is perceived an internalized sense of stuckness or friction that is basic to that identity. That stucknessmay be the result of "inner tension" or conflict, or may be experience in relation to apparently imposed lifecircumstances, events, and relationships. People generally look to something to help them cope with,adjust to, eliminate, or fix these situations. That people tend to do this is natural, and is part of life.However, insight isn't part of life -- it is how life presents itself as life through perception. Insight isn't aprocess, it is how processes can be perceived.

Insight doesn't eliminate or fix, it is a shifting of the context for perception of events. Events perceptuallycome and go, but insight is before "coming and going" started. So, insight is "your original being," notknown in the same way as an identity that is constructed through relationships is derived via memory.

Insight doesn't depend on memory. Insight is prior to memory, although it doesn't interfere in theprocessing of memory.

Insight often is discussed as a shift in identity, because the identity that depended on memory is no more.Eliminating or fixing aspects of one's ongoing identity and relationships are activities within the samecontext that produced the identity. Insight is the recognition that perceived problems, and the attempts tofix or eliminate the problems, all express a developed sense of identity.

Because "I" can't perceive without "my identity" which is "my past", anything I act to change will continue"my identity." Realizing this means the inability to act in a way that brings "real resolution", and theinability to avoid action in a way that brings resolution. One can neither act nor refuse to act, and this is"the beginning of insight." It isn't an avoidance of stuckness, but a going into and through stuckness.

One now *knows* that "who one is" doesn't really develop, isn't a process, isn't formed over time, andtherefore doesn't depend on having or fixing problems.

So, the reader may well ask, how am I to *really* understand this "insight" that is "my being," even beforethis body was born? Of course, this is the question that religious teachers, philosophers, shamans, healers,and others have addressed since time immemorial. And no matter how many ways are devised to address

see The Nature of Insightpg. 17

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