Be absolutely open to falling in love with someone you otherwise would
not ever, ever consider allowing yourself to fall in love with, and then
do just that, fall in love with such a person.
If you are the type who believes one cannot force something like falling
in love, that's OK. In such a case, simply allow yourself to be in an
intimate, romantic and sexual relationship with the person. Tell
yourself you are engaging in a self improvement experiment.
If you are an avid vegetarian, fall in love with someone who is an equally extreme carnivore.
If you are a diehard progressive, fall in love with a diehard conservative.
If you believe the sky is blue, fall in love with someone who believes the sky is green.
If you adore Rachel Maddow, fall in love with someone who believes Glenn Beck hung the moon.
If you are a philosopher, fall in love with a pragmatist.
If you are an atheist, fall in love with a Southern Baptist minister.
If you are a late night person, fall in love with an early bird.
And if you find that such an endeavor brings out a certain righteous
indignation in you or a growing need to be "right" all the time or a
certain heaviness or shrillness or even a heretofore unacknowledged or
hidden abusive nature, go to a therapist or a counselor and get some
additional support, now.
And while you are engaging in that, make a habit of getting up an hour
or so before your partner and watch her/him gently sleeping for that
hour or so, every day for several weeks, in silence.
Also engage in potentially contentious conversations with your partner
and make a commitment not to counter anything he/she may say. Instead,
listen deeply, smile and look directly into her/his eyes and listen some
more.
Also, go do some volunteer work. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or a
shelter for abused women, or at the SPCA or a program for neglected or
abused children or at a nearby prison. Then come home and listen to your
partner and look at him or her when he/she is talking and go for a walk
at dusk or a bike ride, in silence.
Adopt a kitten or a puppy if you're able. Play with the puppy or kitten with your partner.
Read to your partner before the two of you go to bed or have him/her
read to you. If your partner falls asleep first, watch him/her during
the first 10-15 minutes of sleep time, again, in silence.
Smile silently and sincerely when friends and family and coworkers tell
you that you have made a monstrous mistake by choosing a partner so
incredibly different from you.
Do not watch those bachelor/bachelorette programs. Watch The Ellen Degeneres Show instead.
And watch your partner sleeping some more.
sage mahosadha
07.07.10
© Raven/Sage Mahosadha
Loving Kindness
Showing posts with label favorite posts of 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label favorite posts of 2010. Show all posts
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Re-post of some of my favorite blog posts from 2010. "Common Blindness in the Face of Uncommon Vision." First posted on 02.16.2010
In his own time, many people did not recognize the historical Jesus
for the sublime spiritual master he was. The same is true for the
historical Buddha. The same is true for Muhammad. And for Laozi. It is a
very safe bet that in every age there have been spiritual masters and
avatars both well known and unknown who were not recognized as someone
with a spiritual gift for all of humankind; and BTW, they were not all
male and many were also exceedingly ordinary even by the most pedestrian
standards.
Why is this so?
In ancient times up until very recently, simple physical proximity was a primary reason for not “seeing” or recognizing a spiritual master who was alive and teaching among the people. If Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad and Laozi each had their own websites, YouTube channel and weekly podcasts, more would have surely been aware of them and their teachings. More would have recognized the clarity they possessed and their teachings would have become much more widespread much more rapidly. My predictions will end there because with every perceived blessing there are surely equally intense challenges.
Still, I am certain there were many in direct proximity to each of these masters and many other similar ones who simply could not or would not see the brilliant person before them. That phenomenon continues to this day and it, of course, is not limited to the realm of spiritual masters and avatars. Check here to see a modern example of what I am talking about.
This phenomenon is caused by a variety of factors. It may be caused most fundamentally by a simple lack of interest or desire in seeing someone who has the particular gifts of a Jesus of Nazareth or a Laozi. It is certainly caused by an apprehension to or suspicion of many or all things perceived to be religious or spiritual especially if the one embodying these traits goes against the ruling conventions around religion and spirituality and/or they are not yet perceived to be a threat to those conventions. It can also simply be caused by being overly engaged in daily tasks and other secular concerns to the degree that one believes there is no time or perhaps no need to pursue anything else.
It is caused by many other causes.
Now, it is one thing to not be recognized or to remain unseen, in the most common sense of invisibility. It is quite another to be clearly recognized, experienced or even intimately known and to then be actively opposed, sometimes precisely because of the razor sharp wisdom and truth you exhibit. It is this latter type of situation that holds particular interest for me. It interests me in part because I have witnessed this occur in my own lifetime and there have always been fascinating aspects to it all.
Several months ago I watched a conversation between Oprah Winfrey and spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle. In this discourse Tolle revealed that one presumed purchaser of his book had been so completely triggered by Tolle’s book, “A New Earth” that the reader took the pains to mail the book back to Tolle directly---however, not until he had shredded it into a thousand pieces and stuffed those pieces into a certified envelope addressed to the author.
Similarly, Richard Abanes, another person who has apparently been strongly triggered by Tolle’s writings and approach, has written an entire book entitled, “A New Earth, An Old Deception: Awakening to the Dangers of Eckhart Tolle's #1 Bestseller.” In press releases for his book Abanes proclaims that the book is an exercise in taking apart Tolle’s book, A New Earth “paragraph by paragraph.”
And finally, in this same vein, there is a serious internet-based organization that seriously labels Ms. Winfrey “the antichrist” because, among other things, she chose to name Tolle’s book, “A New Earth” as a pick for her influential book club.
Tolle’s experience may seem extreme. It is not. Consider the experience of the gentle Zen Master and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, who in 1967 was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr. He so triggered the Vietnamese government that he was exiled from there, his native land, for more than 30 years. Why? Essentially for teaching non-violence and engaged Buddhism, an expression of Buddhist practice that strives to use the insights from meditation practice and mindfulness to effect positive change in the areas of social, political, environmental and economic injustice.
Of course Eckhart Tolle and Thich Nhat Hanh are just two people, two spiritual masters and they are each very well known. Otherwise they are unremarkable and no different from anyone else.
Obviously there are many more such spiritual masters in the world. Some are completely unknown at least for their spiritual mastery. They are some of the nameless sources of wisdom and Light that coexist among us in every realm and every aspect of our earthly existence. They are suburban housewives; custodians; cubicle neighbors at our places of work; store clerks; CEO’s; members of the world’s armed forces; and high school teachers, just to name a very limited few. Many would be quite amazed at the places where true spiritual masters may be found in our contemporary world. Their platforms and unassuming manner of delivering their wisdom would also amaze if it were revealed.
Why is it then, when the light of the sun is so easily visible from light years away here on earth, that we can so easily not see or especially seek to dim or even extinguish the Light of certain human Suns that shine just as or perhaps even more brightly all around us? Again, there are so many reasons: Jealousy, envy, doubt, judgment, fear, apathy, blindness. The list could become quite lengthy. I however, believe there is one primary reason.
When someone is in denial or some state of dis-ease about his or her own innate divinity, it is then astoundingly easy to come up with a myriad of ways and excuses for denying that same beautiful innate divinity in another. And then if one has even a spark of malice or spiritual or psychological immaturity in them, some drama will then inevitably ensue. And this drama can become all kinds of things up to and including the murder, rape, persecution of someone or the genocide of a group who is believed to be "evil" "bad" "worthless" etc.
But then there is that wonderful thing we have in our experience of Life which we commonly refer to as "grace." And grace is a very beautiful lover to be kissed by. So someone may be engaged in even the persecution of someone or some group for years and some other spark may be ignited and they will see the insanity they have created and then a deeper form of consciousness can be birthed.
© Raven/Sage Mahosadha
Why is this so?
In ancient times up until very recently, simple physical proximity was a primary reason for not “seeing” or recognizing a spiritual master who was alive and teaching among the people. If Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad and Laozi each had their own websites, YouTube channel and weekly podcasts, more would have surely been aware of them and their teachings. More would have recognized the clarity they possessed and their teachings would have become much more widespread much more rapidly. My predictions will end there because with every perceived blessing there are surely equally intense challenges.
Still, I am certain there were many in direct proximity to each of these masters and many other similar ones who simply could not or would not see the brilliant person before them. That phenomenon continues to this day and it, of course, is not limited to the realm of spiritual masters and avatars. Check here to see a modern example of what I am talking about.
This phenomenon is caused by a variety of factors. It may be caused most fundamentally by a simple lack of interest or desire in seeing someone who has the particular gifts of a Jesus of Nazareth or a Laozi. It is certainly caused by an apprehension to or suspicion of many or all things perceived to be religious or spiritual especially if the one embodying these traits goes against the ruling conventions around religion and spirituality and/or they are not yet perceived to be a threat to those conventions. It can also simply be caused by being overly engaged in daily tasks and other secular concerns to the degree that one believes there is no time or perhaps no need to pursue anything else.
It is caused by many other causes.
Now, it is one thing to not be recognized or to remain unseen, in the most common sense of invisibility. It is quite another to be clearly recognized, experienced or even intimately known and to then be actively opposed, sometimes precisely because of the razor sharp wisdom and truth you exhibit. It is this latter type of situation that holds particular interest for me. It interests me in part because I have witnessed this occur in my own lifetime and there have always been fascinating aspects to it all.
Several months ago I watched a conversation between Oprah Winfrey and spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle. In this discourse Tolle revealed that one presumed purchaser of his book had been so completely triggered by Tolle’s book, “A New Earth” that the reader took the pains to mail the book back to Tolle directly---however, not until he had shredded it into a thousand pieces and stuffed those pieces into a certified envelope addressed to the author.
Similarly, Richard Abanes, another person who has apparently been strongly triggered by Tolle’s writings and approach, has written an entire book entitled, “A New Earth, An Old Deception: Awakening to the Dangers of Eckhart Tolle's #1 Bestseller.” In press releases for his book Abanes proclaims that the book is an exercise in taking apart Tolle’s book, A New Earth “paragraph by paragraph.”
And finally, in this same vein, there is a serious internet-based organization that seriously labels Ms. Winfrey “the antichrist” because, among other things, she chose to name Tolle’s book, “A New Earth” as a pick for her influential book club.
Tolle’s experience may seem extreme. It is not. Consider the experience of the gentle Zen Master and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, who in 1967 was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr. He so triggered the Vietnamese government that he was exiled from there, his native land, for more than 30 years. Why? Essentially for teaching non-violence and engaged Buddhism, an expression of Buddhist practice that strives to use the insights from meditation practice and mindfulness to effect positive change in the areas of social, political, environmental and economic injustice.
Of course Eckhart Tolle and Thich Nhat Hanh are just two people, two spiritual masters and they are each very well known. Otherwise they are unremarkable and no different from anyone else.
Obviously there are many more such spiritual masters in the world. Some are completely unknown at least for their spiritual mastery. They are some of the nameless sources of wisdom and Light that coexist among us in every realm and every aspect of our earthly existence. They are suburban housewives; custodians; cubicle neighbors at our places of work; store clerks; CEO’s; members of the world’s armed forces; and high school teachers, just to name a very limited few. Many would be quite amazed at the places where true spiritual masters may be found in our contemporary world. Their platforms and unassuming manner of delivering their wisdom would also amaze if it were revealed.
Why is it then, when the light of the sun is so easily visible from light years away here on earth, that we can so easily not see or especially seek to dim or even extinguish the Light of certain human Suns that shine just as or perhaps even more brightly all around us? Again, there are so many reasons: Jealousy, envy, doubt, judgment, fear, apathy, blindness. The list could become quite lengthy. I however, believe there is one primary reason.
When someone is in denial or some state of dis-ease about his or her own innate divinity, it is then astoundingly easy to come up with a myriad of ways and excuses for denying that same beautiful innate divinity in another. And then if one has even a spark of malice or spiritual or psychological immaturity in them, some drama will then inevitably ensue. And this drama can become all kinds of things up to and including the murder, rape, persecution of someone or the genocide of a group who is believed to be "evil" "bad" "worthless" etc.
But then there is that wonderful thing we have in our experience of Life which we commonly refer to as "grace." And grace is a very beautiful lover to be kissed by. So someone may be engaged in even the persecution of someone or some group for years and some other spark may be ignited and they will see the insanity they have created and then a deeper form of consciousness can be birthed.
© Raven/Sage Mahosadha
Re-post of some of my favorite blog posts from 2010. "The Joshua Bell Experiment." First posted on 1.10.2010
Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.
The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money, but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
Findings:
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the Metro Station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and people's priorities. The questions raised: "In a common place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?"
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?
This story was shared with me (and others) by my friend Steve Ahnael Nobel.
www.stevenobel.com
The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money, but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
Findings:
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the Metro Station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and people's priorities. The questions raised: "In a common place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?"
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?
This story was shared with me (and others) by my friend Steve Ahnael Nobel.
www.stevenobel.com
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Re-post of some of my favorite blog posts from 2010. "My Song of Freedom." First posted on 9.30.10
I
One day my heart and eyes just opened up and I woke up and realized a few things. I realized I am a 50 y.o. Black gay man in America. I realized a generation of my gay male brothers succumbed to AIDS in the 80's and 90's. I realized a generation of my Black brothers were incarcerated in the 80's and 90's. I realized I am very wise and very intelligent and... very lucky and that many people cannot deal with that. And I realized, I don't care anymore. Hallelujah!
II
One, just one way I can look at my life is through this lens: A good deal of my adult life has been comprised of people, mostly men but not exclusively so, having significant issues with "things about me," letting me know it and then trying to run a big ole trip on me because of it. And for a long time it worked.
III
Some Black, straight people have tried to run a trip on me about being gay and smart. Both of those are somehow seen as "trying to be White." Oh Lord have Mercy don't let me go there. Some White straight people have tried to run a trip on me for being Black and smart. Many Asian Americans have just tripped and didn't know what to think about me. But since I was smart I got some respect. But most of them still wouldn't want me to date their son or daughter, sister or brother. Some White gay people have tried to run a trip on me for being black and smart and for not believing my gay identity is the most amazing and wonderful thing about me. Christians have tried to run a trip on me for not being "one of them" and for being gay. Alternative spirituality people have tried to run a trip on me for being Black and smart and wise and learned and confident and happy and not needing their guru nor teacher nor their teachings to reach the awarenesses I have reached.
IV
A different neo-Advaita person or student of Ramana Maharshi defriends me on facebook almost every week for God only knows what reason(s) because they never say why. At some point I had to just look at all of that; laugh, cry, then laugh some more and then cry some more and finally just realize-- you know what, this isn't really about me. This is their stuff. And you know what else, I'm not going to carry it anymore. I have enough of my own stuff to carry.
And for those moments I liberate myself from all the knowledge of everyone being one and everything being good and nothing existing and nothing being real and I simply celebrate my Black, Gay, Smart, Wise, Lucky Self. That's right-- mySelf, Myself, I, I, I, I... I love me, just the way I AM... Me , MySelf and I, baby. Now, you go deal with that! (big gay black, finger snap in a circle!)
V
This is my Song of Freedom... And I have realized that too many people have died so that I may be free. And Free I am. And Free I shall remain... Now, I'm not talking about no political freedom nor freedom from social constraints nor freedom from an enslavement created in and enforced by the minds of men. I'm talkin' 'bout freedom with a Capital "F" y'all. That's what I'm talkin' about. And when I got me a taste of that Freedom. Well, whew, there may be valleys and there may be peaks; there may be good days and there may be not so good days. But this is not a Freedom that can ever be threatened by the pull of the moon nor the threat of war or not even by death. This is a Freedom that can only be known about from the inside out. And once it is known, there ain't really no talkin' to be done anymore. This Freedom is beyond all that; its beyond words and concepts.
But you know what? I'm gonna talk about it whenever I can, because I can. And when a whole bunch of us are talkin' about it, then a song will be raised to the heavens. And like Bob Marley says, who I share a birthday with...Hallelujah...when that happens--- it will be a Redemption Song. It will truly be a song of Freedom...
VI
Yes, the guards were all imagined, the prison gates are no longer locked and all our attorney fees have been paid in full. Come join me in Rumi's field that is beyond right and wrong and where we will look into each others eyes forever and know that there is nothing more beautiful than either the other who is looking back nor the reflection we see, nor the field itself...
Won't you help to sing... this songs of freedom... 'cause all I ever have: Redemption songs... Redemption songs.
One day my heart and eyes just opened up and I woke up and realized a few things. I realized I am a 50 y.o. Black gay man in America. I realized a generation of my gay male brothers succumbed to AIDS in the 80's and 90's. I realized a generation of my Black brothers were incarcerated in the 80's and 90's. I realized I am very wise and very intelligent and... very lucky and that many people cannot deal with that. And I realized, I don't care anymore. Hallelujah!
II
One, just one way I can look at my life is through this lens: A good deal of my adult life has been comprised of people, mostly men but not exclusively so, having significant issues with "things about me," letting me know it and then trying to run a big ole trip on me because of it. And for a long time it worked.
III
Some Black, straight people have tried to run a trip on me about being gay and smart. Both of those are somehow seen as "trying to be White." Oh Lord have Mercy don't let me go there. Some White straight people have tried to run a trip on me for being Black and smart. Many Asian Americans have just tripped and didn't know what to think about me. But since I was smart I got some respect. But most of them still wouldn't want me to date their son or daughter, sister or brother. Some White gay people have tried to run a trip on me for being black and smart and for not believing my gay identity is the most amazing and wonderful thing about me. Christians have tried to run a trip on me for not being "one of them" and for being gay. Alternative spirituality people have tried to run a trip on me for being Black and smart and wise and learned and confident and happy and not needing their guru nor teacher nor their teachings to reach the awarenesses I have reached.
IV
A different neo-Advaita person or student of Ramana Maharshi defriends me on facebook almost every week for God only knows what reason(s) because they never say why. At some point I had to just look at all of that; laugh, cry, then laugh some more and then cry some more and finally just realize-- you know what, this isn't really about me. This is their stuff. And you know what else, I'm not going to carry it anymore. I have enough of my own stuff to carry.
And for those moments I liberate myself from all the knowledge of everyone being one and everything being good and nothing existing and nothing being real and I simply celebrate my Black, Gay, Smart, Wise, Lucky Self. That's right-- mySelf, Myself, I, I, I, I... I love me, just the way I AM... Me , MySelf and I, baby. Now, you go deal with that! (big gay black, finger snap in a circle!)
V
This is my Song of Freedom... And I have realized that too many people have died so that I may be free. And Free I am. And Free I shall remain... Now, I'm not talking about no political freedom nor freedom from social constraints nor freedom from an enslavement created in and enforced by the minds of men. I'm talkin' 'bout freedom with a Capital "F" y'all. That's what I'm talkin' about. And when I got me a taste of that Freedom. Well, whew, there may be valleys and there may be peaks; there may be good days and there may be not so good days. But this is not a Freedom that can ever be threatened by the pull of the moon nor the threat of war or not even by death. This is a Freedom that can only be known about from the inside out. And once it is known, there ain't really no talkin' to be done anymore. This Freedom is beyond all that; its beyond words and concepts.
But you know what? I'm gonna talk about it whenever I can, because I can. And when a whole bunch of us are talkin' about it, then a song will be raised to the heavens. And like Bob Marley says, who I share a birthday with...Hallelujah...when that happens--- it will be a Redemption Song. It will truly be a song of Freedom...
VI
Yes, the guards were all imagined, the prison gates are no longer locked and all our attorney fees have been paid in full. Come join me in Rumi's field that is beyond right and wrong and where we will look into each others eyes forever and know that there is nothing more beautiful than either the other who is looking back nor the reflection we see, nor the field itself...
Won't you help to sing... this songs of freedom... 'cause all I ever have: Redemption songs... Redemption songs.
Re-post of some of my favorite blog posts from 2010. Eckhart Tolle on Choice. First posted on 1.14.2010
"Choice implies consciousness - a high degree of consciousness.
Without it, I have no choice. Choice begins the moment I dis-identify
from my mind and its conditioned patterns, the moment I become
Self-present. Until I reach that point, I'm unconscious, spiritually
speaking.
This means that I'm compelled to think, feel, and act in certain ways
according to the conditioning of my mind. Nobody consciously chooses
dysfunction, conflict, and pain. Nobody chooses insanity. They happen
because there isn't enough conscious Self-presence to dissolve the past,
not enough light to dispel the darkness. I'm never fully here in the
now because I'm either time binding with the past or the future. I have
not quite woken up, meaning I'm not fully Self-conscious yet. In the
meantime, my conditioned mind is running my life. As long as my mind
(with its conditioned patterns) runs my life, what choice do I have?
None. I'm not even there yet, and I won't be there until I become
Self-conscious. The mind-identified state is severely dysfunctional. It
is a form of socially acceptable insanity. Almost everyone is suffering
from this illness in varying degrees. The moment I realize this, there
can be no more resentment or guilt. How can I resent someone's illness
or my own? If I'm primarily run by my mind, I will suffer the
consequences of my mind identification, and I'll create further
suffering for myself and my loved ones. I will bear the burden of fear,
conflict, problems, and pain. The suffering that I'm creating is my
mind's false attempt to make me feel safe by ignoring, denying, or
repressing that which I'm experiencing."
~Eckhart Tolle "The Power Of Now"
~Eckhart Tolle "The Power Of Now"
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