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Retired from 10 years in the Canadian Navy, and 28 years in the Canadian Diplomatic Service, with postings in Beijing, Mexico City, Sri Lanka, Romania, Abu Dhabi, Guyana, Ireland, Trinidad, and, last but not least, India.

Thursday 15 May 2008

Jim's Guide to Enlightenment



Jim’s Guide to Enlightenment

Note: This Guide is a work in progress, and should be checked regularly for reality updates. The Guru may, at times, speak in riddles: this does not mean that the truth is more distant, merely that the illusion has changed.  The Seeking of the Truth is a Quest, and that quest is Dharma.

Sutra 1: Good works or contemplation should not be indulged for their own sakes: the Universe reveals what is required in your Now.
Sutra 2: Reflection is not solely that which we see in the mirror of Now, but is also the contemplation of why that image is.
Sutra 3: See your reality for what it is, not for what you think it is: this is the first step to making your reality what you wish it to be.
Sutra 4: Do not expect your Path to be smooth.  It will have rocks, slippery portions, and parts that are washed away completely.  Persevere.
Sutra 5: Public self-criticism does not brighten one’s Spark of Brahman: it merely feeds one’s narcissism. 
Sutra 6: If your Path seems to be sprinkled with shards of glass, you should examine each shard to ensure it is not a diamond.
Sutra 7: Authority is granted by the people, and is meant to be constantly questioned by those people.Sutra 8: Faith is not an alternative to thought: the one excludes the other.
Sutra 9: To proclaim Righteousness is to be Unworthy.
Sutra 10: Karma is not a consumer item to be bought and sold.
Sutra 11: To understand our purpose in the context of the Whole, we must focus on our Atman...our connection with Brahman.
Sutra 12: A focus on Now strengthens the Fulcrum upon which rests the Universal Balance.
Sutra 13: The Children of the Guru are the true reflection of his Teachings.
Sutra 14: The greater the complexity of a problem, the more obvious the correct solution becomes.
Sutra 15: One’s Dharma may be obscured by believing in Its exclusivity.
Sutra 16: The true Guru will guide, not preach.
Sutra 17: Do not waste your life seeking to understand the Divine: Brahman lives within you.
Sutra 18: Listen to the vibration of the Universe through the Chakra of your heart and you will resonate with Truth.
Sutra 19: To truly hear and resonate with the Universal Vibration, one must be fully in the Now.
Sutra 20: Sympathy and Compassion should never be about oneself.
Sutra 21: Words of Truth are always illuminated by that inner Light (Shanti) your Spark will recognise.
Sutra 22: Anger directed at you is not necessarily about you: always consider the Source.
Sutra 23: In seeking direction, it is often necessary to stop seeking and Be with the moment: your spark of Brahman will provide.
Sutra 24: Unnecessary baggage obscures the Path: unclutter your mind.
Sutra 25: Remember that a pile of ordure is simply that: Seek not to give it meaning.
Sutra 26: Disdain lessens your Karmic profile: sympathy enhances it.
Sutra 27: Value judgements should be made from within the context of that Value’s singular reality.
Sutra 28: There are times when inaction is the only correct course of action, and understanding the reason for that inaction is more important than any possible outcome.
Sutra 29: To begin to understand the Universal Vibration, one must first still the echoes of Chaos within.
Sutra 30: Language reflects the Truth of one’s Reality: listen carefully when others speak.
Sutra 31: Negative thought multiplies: Positive thought must be nurtured, as it is fragile and ethereal.
Sutra 32: Part of Wisdom is knowing when acceptance is more important than understanding.
Sutra 33: Do not follow those who would interpret the divine for you: your spark of Brahman will lead you to the Path.
Sutra 34: In meditation Inner Clarity can adjust the Illusion of one’s Present Reality.
Sutra 35: Seek not to assign blame: accept it and blossom.
Sutra 36: When spiritual guides speak like fanatics, they are.
Sutra 37: Discard humility that is unwarranted, as it may cloud your perception.
Sutra 38: The Circle of Natraj is not about destruction, but signifies rebirth and renewal.
Sutra 39: The Universal Vibration resonates with the body Chakras: feel the Vibration.
Sutra 40: Stop talking long enough to hear your inner voice.
Sutra 41: In a Universe of Order struggling to balance Chaos, logic must at times be suspended to enable a vision of the Truth.
Sutra 42: Prayer and hope seek to influence tomorrow: experience instead the joy of the Now in which all things are possible.
Sutra 43: Fear destroys logical thought: it is extraneous to your personal Now and cannot dwell there.
Sutra 44: Love is a microcosm of the Universal Balance, and one must be vigilant against the intrusion of Chaos.
Sutra 45: Always be mindful that Truth is approachable by many different paths (Dharma), and is our ultimate destination.
Sutra 46: Aum.  To clearly see Dharma one must understand that Brahman is Truth as it is the Path, as it is.
Sutra 47: Fable is often easier to accept than Truth: examine content through the lens of Dharma.
Sutra 48: Do not permit a difficult problem to affect your feelings adversely.  Either nothing can be done about it, or a solution or alternative can be found.  That solution will not be found through lamenting, but through thought.  Let it go by accepting it, or solve it through clear thought.
Sutra 49: Right thought is food for the Atman, which cannot overindulge.
Sutra 50: Take care not to assume that your Dharma is catholic: Dharma varies with individual realities.
Sutra 51: Mindfulness permits contemplation of various levels of the Now.  Explore.
Sutra 52: Multiple realities are a fact. A different reality exists for each of us. I am not the same in your reality as I am in mine.
Sutra 53: Aum.  Clear your mind to enable right thought: Chaos seeks confusion.
Sutra 54: Recognise Illusion, but embrace Truth.
Sutra 55: Multitasking diminishes each component: it is a reactive function, not contemplative.
Sutra 56: Understanding is not an epiphany: it is a form of mental focus that is receptive to the Universal harmonic.
Sutra 57: Reality is not always what it seems: look at Reality obliquely to avoid being overwhelmed.
Sutra 58: Positive thought attracts positive results: tap into the Flow.
Sutra 59: Never seek to impose your Reality upon others: Reality to you may be Illusion to them.
Sutra 60: Your opinions are, to others, the street map of a different reality.
Sutra 61: What is said is often different from what is heard: communicate your thoughts clearly, and seek clarification of the words of others.
Sutra 62: It is not always necessary to follow: often quiet contemplation will provide the Way.
Sutra 63: Seek to find the Wonder in all tasks: Brahman in all things.
Sutra 64: A stumble is simply a fortuitous reminder to focus on the Path, not the horizon.
Sutra 65: Treasure each breath as a means of being in the Moment.
Sutra 66: Total immersion in the Now results in macro adjustments to the normal Time/Space parameters.
Sutra 67: Life is like photography: we must use the negative to develop. 
Sutra 68: If Peace is the default setting for the Human Condition, the time has come to press Reset.
Sutra 69: One must first understand oneself to truly understand others.
Sutra 70: One’s Dharma  must not consist of a series of waves of the Sea of Life: it must be a constant reflection on the tranquil surface of Reality.
Sutra 71: You should never discard your dreams until they become a part of your reality.
Sutra 72: A whisper often seizes the attention more effectively than does a thunderclap.
Sutra 73: The simpler a thing seems, the more complex it really is.
Sutra 74: The Path is our Home, and Now is the beacon that leads us there.
Sutra 75: Seek to make your Life the perfect Koan: Let it answer the Question it asks.
Sutra 76: Martyrdom is not a desired State: Understanding is.
Sutra 77: Life is but one position on the Dharmic wheel: that position is Now.  Experience it fully: be aware.
Sutra 78: Understand that, at times, Dharma requires serendipity, but that such travel must, by definition, be in This Moment.
Sutra 79: Truth requires no embellishment: be concise in Word and Thought.
Sutra 80: Hatred lessens the Light of your spirit: Love amplifies that Light.
Sutra 81: Tolerance clarifies the same Dharma that anger obscures.
Sutra 82: Truth may be as easily recognised by its absence as by its Presence.
Sutra 83: Do not think with your heart: your mind could atrophy.  Thus, do not love with your mind, as your heart knows itself best.
Sutra 84: Dharma is a journey: choose your travelling companions carefully.
Sutra 85: Those who seek to assign Name and Visage to Brahman do not understand the Universal Balance.
Sutra 86: The Rough is as valid as the Polished: Truth is recognised by Content, not Packaging.
Sutra 87: The language of religion is fractious by nature: Reformation to one is Heresy to another, and Infidel to one is Believer to another.
Sutra 88: The Dance of Natraj is real: listen to the music.
Sutra 89: One cannot conceive the inconceivable through faith, or the suspension of intellect:  one can only follow the Path, which is the Quest for Truth and Knowledge.

Sutra 90:  The “Mountain” Sutras

Sutra 90i:  Aum.  A man climbed a mountain to see where he was: he was nowhere.
Sutra 90ii:  Aum.  A man lived his life beside a mountain: the mountain was a part of his life.
Sutra 90iii:  Aum.  A man believed a Mountain was God.  He was right.
Sutra 90iv:  Aum.  A man believed that God lived on a Mountain.  He was both right and wrong.
Sutra 90v:  Aum.  A man did not believe in God: he was right.  Another man believed in God: he was not wrong.
Sutra 90vi:  Aum.  Mountains are mountains: you may interpret your Dharma to view them as obstacles, or as an Illusion reflecting your Reality.
Sutra 90vii:  Aum.  To a man standing on his head, the Mountain is a granite hole in the Sky.
Sutra 90viii:  Aum.  For a man with his head in the clouds, the Mountain is invisible.
Sutra 90ix:  Aum.  For a mountain it is sufficient to be a mountain: for a Man it is never sufficient to see the mountain for what it is.

Sutra 91: The “Grounding Chakra” echoes the Universal Harmonic to achieve Balance.
Sutra 92: What is this talk of Past and Future?  They are simply aspects of the Now with different temporal loci.
Sutra 93: Do not speak to me of Reality: it is a personal concept that varies with the Observer.
Sutra 94: Do not simply observe the changes: live the changes.
Sutra 95:  Law should not be used as a moral bludgeon, but as a Tool to facilitate understanding.
Sutra 96: The Politics of Fear is not a method of social Control, but a Mirror of Intent.
Sutra 97: A moralistic and punitive society seeks Control, not Truth, thus obscuring the Path.
Sutra 98: The more garish a signpost is the less likely it points to the Path.
Sutra 99: Lesson outcomes may be far different than the Intent of the Teacher.

Sutra 100: The “Lotus” Sutras

(Note: These pay homage to the ancient Buddhist White Lotus Sutra of the Devine Dharma)

Sutra 100i:  Past and Future enfold the Now as the Lotus petals enfold its stamens.
Sutra 100ii: The Lotus is a parable that illustrates the Harmony of the Aesthetic with the Functional.
Sutra 100iii: The Lotus symbolises the Universal Third Eye: contemplation opens the Gateway.
Sutra 100iv:  Meditate upon the Lotus: its form symbolises the Flame of Brahman, as well as the flames in Natraj’s Circle of Destruction.
Sutra 100v: While the life of the Lotus is transitory, the concept is Eternal.
Sutra 100vi: By virtue of the existence of the Lotus, that existence is validated: that is our lesson.
Sutra 100vii: The Lotus represents a Cosmic Nexus through which we may glimpse the Truth.
Sutra 100viii: The perfection of the Lotus illuminates meditation as the Spark of Brahman illuminates the Atman.
Sutra 100ix:  Those who see only God in the Lotus are short-sighted.
Sutra 100x:  The Lotus conceptualises the Now.

Sutra 101: Seek not an external Answer: it lies Within.
Sutra 102: Dwell not on Yesterday’s mistakes, focus instead on what you can accomplish Now.
Sutra 103: Sometimes the only beauty to be found in transitions is the fact of their transitory nature.

Go well, and in peace, 
on a Path that is ever clear.






The Ancient Hippie

The Ancient Hippie
Natraj dances with us all.

Welcome, and Namaste

Greetings fellow travellers,

For you American friends visiting, you will notice that this old Canadian uses Canadian English in this blog: kindly bear with me. As I blog primarily on subjects that are vitally interesting to me, I appreciate all feedback.

As I tend to be a bit of a language usage freak, I will, as required, edit obscenity and rude comments. That said, I welcome your opinions and discussion.

May your Dharma be clear

Peace

"If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended:
That you have but slumb'red here,
While these visions did appear."


Puck’s epilogue to A Midsummer Night’s Dream