the New Age approach to enlightenment

[happy soul]

Channeled entities teach that we're already perfect, whole, and complete.

Therefore, "it's already finished," we already have what we're searching for. ACIM says, "I need do nothing." Enlightenment is the simple understanding of this.

There was celebrity on TV, who was a meditator, who was talking about his "inner demons." But in doing so, he was recreating past illusions, perpetuating the problem.

If you've had rage in the PAST, don't say, in the PRESENT, "I have a problem with rage." You've HAD rage in the PAST, but if you say you have a problem with rage NOW, you're just recreating the problem.

But if "it's already finished," what about suffering, what about negative emotions? We have to deal with them.

Don't see suffering and negative emotions as a "problem."

J. Krishnamurti says that, if fear (or any form of suffering) arises, and you think, "I must overcome this, I must get rid of this fear," you've just created a conflict, a problem, an illusion.

You don't have to DO anything about suffering when it arises - just let it be, don't make a problem out of it, just observe and accept it, and it will pass.

And in the innocence of that acceptance, there's freedom, peace, and healing - your divine nature.

[barrynu]

Originally Posted by happy soul

J. Krishnamurti says that, if fear (or any form of suffering) arises, and you think, "I must overcome this, I must get rid of this fear," you've just created a conflict, a problem, an illusion.

You don't have to DO anything about suffering when it arises - just let it be, don't make a problem out of it, just observe and accept it, and it will pass.
.

I will view this suffering as Negative Emotion's in my reply.
I think you would have to be a very exceptional individual to be able to observe and let it pass.A problem can arise with this method,where the Emotion is buried and it will always be there causing a stagnation in you and possibly released at a later time on somebody that has nothing to do with it.Its not a real modern day method but will work if you have space and time.
It's a slow process.

Getting stuck in and feeling Emotions will release them Immediately.
Its all about how much time you have to work on yourself and in the modern world we don't all have the time to contemplate.

A problem with releasing Emotions with feeling is projecting them on to other people....so I would say Contemplate,Recognise,Grab it,Feel it and Release it Alone....It can be gone in a flash,accelerated healing.I'v done it and it worked for me very fast.It took just 6 months, and 30 years of bottled up stuff was gone forever and my life was changed.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by happy soul

Channeled entities teach that we're already perfect, whole, and complete.

Therefore, "it's already finished," we already have what we're searching for. ACIM says, "I need do nothing." Enlightenment is the simple understanding of this.

There was celebrity on TV, who was a meditator, who was talking about his "inner demons." But in doing so, he was recreating past illusions, perpetuating the problem.

If you've had rage in the PAST, don't say, in the PRESENT, "I have a problem with rage." You've HAD rage in the PAST, but if you say you have a problem with rage NOW, you're just recreating the problem.

But if "it's already finished," what about suffering, what about negative emotions? We have to deal with them.

Don't see suffering and negative emotions as a "problem."

J. Krishnamurti says that, if fear (or any form of suffering) arises, and you think, "I must overcome this, I must get rid of this fear," you've just created a conflict, a problem, an illusion.

You don't have to DO anything about suffering when it arises - just let it be, don't make a problem out of it, just observe and accept it, and it will pass.

And in the innocence of that acceptance, there's freedom, peace, and healing - your divine nature.

Of course we are already perfect, whole and complete, but the conundrum exists in experientially realising it, instead of just mentally thinking it, accepting it and leaving it there.

A lot of emphasis (too much) is placed upon the 'knowing' which seems to be the be-all and end-all of it and not the actual understanding, which comes from the heart space and it's not just dry teachings and a blind belief in some spiritual idealism.

I have often seen it said; "I am already THAT, so I don't need to DO anything" which sounds for all the world like some kind of conditioned apathy and so they will quote Ramana Maharishi, without realising that he spent like 40 years in meditation and isolation even AFTER realising that he was NOT the body nor the mind...but people like to conveniently skip that part of the story.

A parrot can recite mantras...tongs can join their hands together, but what would they know about the meaning beyond the practice?

There is no 'short cut' to enlightenment and the teachers of old will tell you that...because just as one believes they have found it, the teacher will go "Neti Neti" which means 'you're not there yet, so keep going' until the student has no more thoughts...no more words...but this is not the "New Age" way.

[barrynu]

I had a funny thought that ended in a bit of Wisdom for me.

If we all did what Ramana Maharishi did,there would be peace on this planet because 7.6 billion people would be sitting in caves quiet and peaceful.

Great Idea but not Realistic.......The apes would probably rise

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by barrynu

I had a funny thought that ended in a bit of Wisdom for me.

If we all did what Ramana Maharishi did,there would be peace on this planet because 7.6 billion people would be sitting in caves quiet and peaceful.

Great Idea but not Realistic.......The apes would probably rise

It is funny you mentioned this, because in one of my more lucid conversations with my mother, she asked "what is the evolutionary benefit of sitting in a cave meditating, when one would get eaten by a bear or lion and not try to run away?"

The ancient Hindus realised this and developed the system of Varnashrama or 'life stages' whereby, a person would be 'in the world but not OF the world' up until the age of 50, whereby they would disappear into the forest and spend the last 20-30 years of their life meditating...so even IF a bear or lion was to eat them, there would be no huge loss to society, because they have already passed on their genes anyway...so think of it as 'population control'.

However, when one has reached that stage, what is 'realistic' becomes a relatively moot point anyway.

[barrynu]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

It is funny you mentioned this, because in one of my more lucid conversations with my mother, she asked "what is the evolutionary benefit of sitting in a cave meditating, when one would get eaten by a bear or lion and not try to run away?"

The ancient Hindus realised this and developed the system of Varnashrama or 'life stages' whereby, a person would be 'in the world but not OF the world' up until the age of 50, whereby they would disappear into the forest and spend the last 20-30 years of their life meditating...so even IF a bear or lion was to eat them, there would be no huge loss to society, because they have already passed on their genes anyway...so think of it as 'population control'.

However, when one has reached that stage, what is 'realistic' becomes a relatively moot point anyway.

The Hindu idea makes a lot of sense and I believe it is still at work in our modern World whether our egos want it or not.I lived a normal life(happy atheist) until about 40 and then I got "dragged into the forest".It wasn't a peaceful cave but it got me to an elevated place just like the cave would.

I know others wake up at a similar age so it is a benefit to live and experience the realities of our modern world before you go too deep....I get to experience the two (perceived) different sides.

Originally Posted by happy soul

Channeled entities teach that we're already perfect, whole, and complete.

And yet, another department of the New Age contradicts this. Have a look at the twin flames section where people are incomplete, are born with (or have acquired) partial souls and are searching for another partial soul that meshes with theirs.

Therefore, "it's already finished," we already have what we're searching for. ACIM says, "I need do nothing." Enlightenment is the simple understanding of this.

Another "and yet." I'm no way the same person I was yesterday let alone 10, 20, 30 years ago. I've acquired experiences and knowledge that have affected my approach to living and being. It wasn't finished this morning nor will it be tonight. If the channeled teaching is as you say, something's got distorted through the transmission it would seem.

There was celebrity on TV, who was a meditator, who was talking about his "inner demons." But in doing so, he was recreating past illusions, perpetuating the problem.

Possibly, but why is that any more an illusion than anything else spiritual? The solipsist who is the single consciousness of the universe would say that everything is an illusion. She/he might be right but then...that's what we have to live with. The self-induced difficulties of our pasts return to be dealt with. Less "perpetuating the problem" than giving us a chance to find a solution.

Were this celebrity a business person they'd think differently if determined to stay afloat.

If you've had rage in the PAST, don't say, in the PRESENT, "I have a problem with rage." You've HAD rage in the PAST, but if you say you have a problem with rage NOW, you're just recreating the problem.

But if "it's already finished," what about suffering, what about negative emotions? We have to deal with them.

Don't see suffering and negative emotions as a "problem."

It's one viewpoint. Many "spiritual" people see suffering as essential to understand non-suffering although I don't know how they'd deal with the carry-over. It isn't natural for people to suffer at any level. Suffering is symptomatic of a conflict as I see it. In this case allowing suffering to continue could simply lead to spiritual illness, just as its parallel in the material world leads to ill-health if you don't treat it.

J. Krishnamurti says that, if fear (or any form of suffering) arises, and you think, "I must overcome this, I must get rid of this fear," you've just created a conflict, a problem, an illusion.

You don't have to DO anything about suffering when it arises - just let it be, don't make a problem out of it, just observe and accept it, and it will pass.

And in the innocence of that acceptance, there's freedom, peace, and healing - your divine nature.

This seems a non sequitur. One of those ideas that doesn't tell you how. Unless you deal with suffering which, sure, is a problem, how can you guarantee that it will bring freedom and peace "just like that?" It could just get worse. Saying prayers might help; meditating might help. But isn't that doing something about it - not just letting it be? So....how's it done?

Interesting, though.

♥

[barrynu]

There's nothing wrong with meditation and stilling the thought's but you won't get the whole picture with only this method.

I love my active mind and flowing thought's now,,,at one time they tormented me but I did not take action to silence them or pretend they weren't a problem.....I let them run wild(had no choice) and they ran out of steam in the end.

[lemex]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

It is funny you mentioned this, because in one of my more lucid conversations with my mother, she asked "what is the evolutionary benefit of sitting in a cave meditating, when one would get eaten by a bear or lion and not try to run away?"

You know Devi, for me the bear and lion would be society. There are bears and lions everywhere. You know the Buddha sat under a tree it's said, who needs a cave.

[happy soul]

I enjoyed reading your replies everyone.