the purpose of spiritual practice

The purpose of spiritual practice is to frustrate. The 'you' trying to get free of 'you' is like a dog chasing its tail. Is this not your direct experience? Have any of your efforts to find immutable freedom ever lead anywhere?

Yet, without practice and effort, we seem to remain in separation and suffering. What's going on here? This seeming dilemma cannot be stated more clearly than Nisargatta Maharaj states it:

Unless you make tremendous efforts, you will not be convinced that effort will take you nowhere. The self is so self-confident that unless it is totally discouraged it will not give up. Mere verbal conviction is not enough. Hard facts alone can show the absolute nothingness of the self-image.

the end of suffering

In the imaginary gap between what we think ought to be and what is arising in the present moment lies the grand expanse of human suffering.

This explains why we suffer so needlessly ... we have taken our conditioning to be ourselves ... living out of the past projected into the Now as the idea that things should be different than they are ... and that we are those ideas.

The good news here is that suffering is a gift. Whenever we are experiencing suffering (anger, resentment, loneliness and so forth), we are reminded that we are not seeing reality (the reality about who we are right now) but that we are sleepwalking in a dream about the past.

So, suffering points to immutable freedom ... all we need do is notice. Awareness itself gently washes away untruth and leads us home. We need do nothing.

bob

Whose thoughts are these?

Just notice sometime how you cannot predict which thought is going to appear next in your awareness. If you could predict them you would not allow unpleasant thoughts. If you could control them you would probably choose a very different "thought life" free from envy, resentment, and unforgiveness of others and yourself.

In a like fashion, we cannot control or predict which sound will happen next ... perhaps a bird tweeting, a dishwasher running, or the sound of someone's voice who has just entered the room.

The reason we cannot predict which sound will come next is because we have no control over the matter nor are the sounds 'ours' to control. So it is with thoughts ... they are not yours.

Ahhhh ... the freedom!

bob

seeking revisited

Dear Friends,

In the last post I talked about seeking and the perils of getting lost in it. Seeking can be a trap because "Seek and do not find" is the workout regimen of the ego. On the other hand, Seeking is not bad. Without some of it we would simply languish in disease (no fun for sure). But a question that we forget to ask is: "What are we seeking?"

Mostly we seek for some 'better' future outcome or some relief from the discomfort of the present moment. If we think about it, we see that our seeking is just rooting around in the past for some solace. This is because the future is just the past in drag. What if we sought the Truth? The Truth that does not come nor go. The Truth that does not hide itself. The Truth that just IS ... right here right now.

What are you seeking? What would happen if you found it? How is it different from what's appearing right here right now? An even deeper question is: "Who's doing the seeking". Who are you?
bob

seek and do not find

Thanks to all who shared on "why Jesus was killed" -- great comments!

Those of us involved in spiritual practice (of whatever form) are seeking something: God, the truth, peace, enlightenment, or whatever. Could all this seeking be causing the problem we are trying to solve?

I did a little study about nine months ago on the idea of evil in the Christian Bible. It turns out that the term evil (or Devil, or Satan) is mentioned 563 times; 446 times in the Old Testament and 117 times in the New Testament. That's a lot!

I read each passage in context and concluded that in the Bible EVIL is THE IDEA OF MORE. It began in the garden with Adam and Eve being unsatisfied with paradise and wanting more. Check out your Bible and see if you agree with my conclusion.

So ... I'm suggesting that it is our endless seeking "something more" than is appearing right here right now that is causing our suffering. Said another way: it is our idea of how things ought to be conflicting with how things actually are in the present moment that causes all suffering. In silent meditation we can see this pattern clearly.

Can you see this pattern in yourself? How can it be that what's so right now is not enough? Are we tired of playing God yet?

bob

Why was he killed?

Good morning friends,

Thanks for your comments on "Jesus' essential teaching'. Yes, love and grace are the standard answers to this question. But, think about this: if someone went around professing love, compassion and forgiveness, why would that be so upsetting that he would be killed within a year of sharing that message. Is loving that upsetting! I bet something else was being taught that was terribly really upsetting to to the general community. What was he saying that was so radical that he was summarily killed? Awaiting your comments ...

Bob

Hello Josh,

Your profound questions and doubts about spirituality and Christianity have moved me to start this blog ... a place where we can (and invite others) consider some of the hard questions that most churches avoid because they are in the business of "selling Jesus". They are not places, in general, where a rigorous search for the spiritual truth is undertaken.

Anyway, my first question for you (anyone reading this blog is welcome to chime in) is: What was Jesus' essential teaching? See if you can state it a few words.

Awaiting your thoughts ...