One Million Awake

Often the path must be paradoxical by nature, apparently contradicting itself in order to point out the truth. The following is a perfect example of that. It is a quote from the Ashtavakra Samhita (or Gita) 'My son, you may recite or listen to countless scriptures, but you will not be established within until you can FORGET EVERYTHING.' 16.1 So, how would you know this unless you read the scripture (Ashtavakra Samhita) which tells you not to read scripture? Actually, it doesn't tell you not to read scripture, but rather forget all. Often, reading scripture (or other spiritually oriented matter) becomes a pastime to escape the Reality. After all, the scripture is still in the dream world. Who is reading it? Who is contemplating it? This was Ramana's constant question. A large percentage of the time when a question was asked of him, he pointed the questioner back to them-Selves by posing, "Who is asking the question?" The moment you recognize the I Am or I-I ...

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Conditioning - subtle and pervasive. We can call it belief or ideas, mental constructs, habits, it really doesn't matter. The point is that it appears to be there, points upon which we fixate. We believe we ARE or we are NOT enlightened. We believe that there can only be one or ten or fifty enlightened people on the planet at any given time. We believe that everyone is already enlightened. It doesn't really matter what the fixation, whether it is a 'good' one or a 'bad' one - in some way it is still holding us to an angle of vision, a perspective. The question is, "Who the hell said it had to be this way or that way???" People are constantly quoting someone or some scripture to me to prove their point, as if I give a damn! Sure, I love quotes as much or more than the next person. I collect them like stamps or coins, but I also recognize that they give a flavor, they point a direction. I never take them as unalterable Truths. "It takes three mill...

Ryokan, an 18th century Zen monk wrote: " Without a bit of ambition left , I let my nature flow where it will. There are ten days of rice in my bag, and by the fireplace a bundle of wood Who prattles of illusion or nirvana? Forgetting the equal dusts of name & fortune, listening to the night rain on the roof of my hut, I sit, at ease, both legs stretched out." So, the other day I was musing how it might be easier if we just got euthanized at 50 (I'm 52) - you know, something like Soilent Green is People! I mean, a few thousand years ago, (and in some places, much more recently) I would most likely be dead by now anyway. But as humans we have this incredible attachment to living. I'm not sure why, really. We tend to treat death as if it's something to be avoided. You do know it's inevitable don't you. In fact, much of the difficulty is the great struggle to resist death in all its forms. Much of this looks like "There's something wrong!" O...

For some years now, I have had this thought that re-emerges in my head from time to time - "Trigger the 60's virus". Now, to be honest, I'm not sure if this is something that came through me, or if I picked it up somewhere else. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter. In fact, if it came from somewhere else, perhaps it's symbolic that the idea is working...I now have the virus. For those of you who might be old enough to have lived through the 1960's, the summer of love, and all that, there is a recognition, that it was an unprecedented period in history. Although very embryonic at that time, still, there was a sense or foreshadowing of what was to come, and seems to be happening now. The 60's represented a period in history where the existing memes were being deeply questioned. At that time, the principle one was, of course, Viet Nam, however, there were other ideals arising of love versus hate, collectivism versus extreme individuality and independence...

When I look around and see the situation in the world, like many people, my reaction is, "Whoo boy! What a mess!!" Next is the thought of what can possibly be done to improve the situation. But, there is a problem – in order to solve the various crises of the world, it's going to require a significant change in the way people view and act in the world. However, very few are willing to do anything that will significantly impact their own lives. Global warming? "Oh, well, my one little SUV won't make much difference, and I sure love the roominess. I mean, come on, I still need to look good, right?" So, how does one get anything done? How does one make an impact on the world? What would actually cause people to initiate action? And then I came up with it: Pretend that I'm dying. Better yet, pretend that I am a young child and I am dying. Works every time. For instance, a young boy could come up to you in the street, not well dressed, pretty pathetic lookin...

The reality is, you will never be more enlightened than you are right now! It's like happiness. If you're not happy now, nothing, NOTHING will make you any more happy in the future. Nothing will change that - nothing will change who or what you are. Certainly circumstances will change. Circumstances always change. That is the nature of the flow of life. But the moment you depend on some circumstance to make you happy, you're sunk. As Socrates said, "He who is not contented with what he has, will not be contented with what he doesn't have." Enlightenment is the same. Enlightenment is not something to be achieved. It is like happiness - it is what is already present when you let go of their being something wrong, like the idea of NOT being enlightened. When you recognize that the "I" that is seeking, is itself nothing of real substance other than an idea of seeking, and that the sense of Presence, of 'I AM'-ness has always and already been pres...