Oneness and the American Revolution

On June 12, 1775, shortly after the battles of Concord and Lexington, General Gage, who was the Commander in Chief of the British forces in the American Colonies, declared martial law in Massachusetts. All who laid down arms were to be pardoned with the exception of Samuel Adams and John Hancock who were to be captured and taken to England to stand trial.

On that very same day the Second Continental Congress called for a national day of prayer and fasting that was to be held on July 20, 1775.

Southern historian and physician, David Ramsey described the sacred event: "It was no informal service. The whole body of the people felt the importance, the weight and the danger of the unequal contest, in which they were about to engage; that everything dear to them was at stake; that a divine blessing only could carry them through it successfully."

He also wrote: ".....the time to part being come, the governor of the Universe, by a secret influence on their minds, disposed them to Union. From whatever cause it proceeded, it is certain, that a disposition to do, to suffer, and to accommodate, spread from breast to breast, and from Colony to Colony, beyond the reach of human calculation. It seemed as though one mind inspired the whole."

The Colonies did not get along. They were comprised of a diverse population of nearly 3 million people from countries that had been at war with each other for centuries. Yet they eventually went on to defeat the mightiest military power in the world.

The Continental Army did not have adequate food, clothing or supplies. They were not paid and were purely volunteer. The Colonists did not want to fight this war. The war was imposed on them not by the British,  as some might say,  but by Heaven above.

The Colonists had been practicing Christian Principles of Self Government for over 150 years. They did not view a monarch or a government as Sovereign. The men and women of the American Revolution had long since awakened to the the true source of force and power. This only comes when God is held as sovereign in the heart.

Sadhana For Realizing the Dependently Arising Nature of Creation

This is from one of my favorite sadhana's (spiritual practices). Many think that they need to go to a beautiful place or a mountain to attain higher states. I also know that if I invited you to a mountain, to the ruins or a sacred site or even a short walk out into the desert to meditate most of you would not go- preferring to sit in the air-conditioning while yelling the names of the chakras for some time.

I know first hand that you can experience the dependently arising nature of creation at a Walmart or at a fast food restaurant. You can experience a state of oneness while meditating on a can of tomato soup just as easily as focusing on a beautiful flower.

So we will try this. I will show you how. In this practice, some will experience, or perhaps enter for some time, a state of consciousness of a buddha. The ancients used the word "buddha" to mean an enlightened person who has awakened from suffering born of ignorance. In this state is a seeing of the dependently arising nature of this creation. And it is an appeasement of all obsessions. How long with it last? It all depends. How long would you like to stay awake?

Tonight’s meditation is for the experience of a state of a buddha. Very simply in this state you see the entire Universe in all that you see and realize the dependently arising nature of creation. This experience occurs when the kundalini and the point of awareness meet in the Ajnea Chakra or brow chakra.

We will focus on the brow chakra, visualize a 2 petaled Indigo lotus with a sparkling grey lingham inside and chant Aum for 16 times. Make the ahhhh sound 3 times longer than the MMM when chanting. MMMM helps you to enter the dream realm. If you give more weight to MMMMM than the Ahhhh you may just fall asleep. So ideally Ahhhh is 3 counts, Ooooo is 2, and Mmmmm 1.

Now go get something to eat. Maybe some potato chips or french fries or peanut butter or fruit. Something that is from a plant.

Ready?

We will start a Sadhana For the Experience of the Dependently Arising Nature of Creation.

As you eat whatever food you have chosen, question if it is really a potato, a cup of coffee, a peanut butter sandwich, some fruit, whatever it is you are eating.

For example if you are looking at a french fry, let it tell you its story. See the potato, it was growing in the earth no so long ago. See the field it grew in, the sun shining on that field, the rain, the farmer, the dirt, what the farmer had for breakfast, the truck that brought his morning coffee to the store, the rubber on the tires, the rubber plantation near the rainforest, the monkey howling in the tree, the little girl who was awakened by that monkey, on and on. Wherever that french fry wants to take you, go with it.

Faster and faster the story will unfold and you will see that the entire universe went into the making of the food that you are holding now. Tremendous wonder and gratitude will occur. Soon it will become automatic and you will see the entire creation, the spontaneously growing process that we call the Universe in all that you see.

Now go deeper, ask the question "Can I see anything that is absolute?" The mind will start clocking in a sense. Tremendous gratitude and wonder is born as you see how the entire Universe is related to the simplest thing.

In this way seeing you can enter a state of a buddha. This state is a very functional pleasurable state. There is still a sense of seperate existence - a viewer and a view. However it is an appeasement of all obsessions. You will become highly efficient beings for the most part. This Seeing will help you to realize the dependently arising nature of the Universe.

For some time you will say during this sadhana (spiritual practice) to yourself "I see the french fry, I see it was from a potato. I see the dirt that was on the potato, the field the potato was in, the hoe that broke the soil. the steel factory that forged the hoe. The tree the handle on the hoe was made from, I see the birds in the tree….” and so forth.

It may seem stupid for some time as if you are talking to yourself. You may get bored. Then suddenly it can be like it takes off-this way of seeing and you will see the entire Universe, even in a grain of sand -how everything depends on another.

Buddha told his monks that he was a quail in a previous incarnation. I think about that and watch the quail running about in the desert. They are a lot like man. Quail can fly yet they seem to forget this for the most part and prefer to run.

The contemplation for now is once you reach this state of seeing: Try and see if you can find anything that is absolute or stands alone in this creation.

From a workshop with Dharma Dharini

Obsession With Wealth

At an early retreat the monks spoke of several obsessions that in essence are forms of madness. Among these obsessions are: obsession with a man or a woman, obsession with God and obsession with wealth.

Few consider that an obsession with wealth and the madness born of it also includes obsession with the wealth of others. We are seeing this largely in certain protest movements and political circles with redistribution (socialist/progressive) agendas.

Who would you perceive to be the mad one: The person who has attained prosperity through his or her labor and/or Grace or the one who is there demanding some of that wealth while chattering about fairness and greed?

Sutra of Love and Hate

Many have written with concerns about the political climate in the USA. The American people elected a being who ran on a platform of change which by ancient definition is closely related to hatred. Now more and more people are getting in touch with suffering.

The ancient seers had a way of distilling simple emotions into understandable terms, very much like sutras. It it is mind that takes what is there and builds to an often incomprehensible level.

Below is a sutra of love and hate:
"To love is to accept.
To hate is to desire change."

Years ago, a woman came to one of the retreats and announced that she was an embodiment of unconditional love. She wanted to hug everyone. She wore pink. There was a heart design on her shirt.

Later that day she spoke of her son and how she loved him unconditionally. I asked her what she would change about him if she could. She replied that she wished that he was not so lazy, would get better grades and that she would like to take him to get a hair cut and eat better. Sometimes he is rude to her and she would definately like that to change. As for her beloved husband, she wished he was this and this and this. It was quite a list. In any case that is not unconditional love. It is something else.

Take a moment now and look into your heart, find the desire to change. It is there you will find the hatred that you carry. Who is it that you would like to change the most? Is it you? See these things.

Do not try to change anything that is there as that would just be hating the hatred. Of what good would that be to you to be a hater of hatred? Just see what is there.

Look into your heart once again, and see what it is that you accept, what you embrace. What is it that you can just let be as it is? Is there one thing that is there that you would not change if you could?

This practice is a very ancient an effective way of realizing your condition. Of seeing why it is we suffer and cause others to suffer so. This realization of the condition is the very first step of a mystical, God centered path to enlightenment.

Wealth Blame And Consciousness

I spent some time with an enlightened sanyasi in India who was working for the transformation and enlightenment of several villages.

He told me that when this project was first started, if there was a common denominator in the fallen state of many of the people and in unenlightened societies in general. It was a hatred of, a mistrust of and a blaming of the rich.

As the consciousness was raised and the ignorance (that was very often behind the suffering of poverty or financial lack) was uprooted and states of Oneness were experienced, the people began to respect, bless and be happy for the more fortunate.

Thus the karma improved and poverty or material lack fell away. Laws of cause and effect were realized and personal responsibility was taken for ones actions or inactions and decisions. Many people began to discover their destiny-the life's work that brings the being joy. They too enjoyed an increase in prosperity.

It has long been realized by enlightenment cultures if there blaming there is not enough focus on the internal condition of suffering to help the person become enlightened. To blame is a game of the ego. There is a theme in the USA of blaming the rich. This dangerous pastime can lead to a retrograde culture and bring suffering to the land. History shows this.

The Golden Age is a period of prosperity and enlightenment. It can help a spiritual seeker's state to consider for a moment perhaps the wealthy are beings who have entered the Golden Age which is a state of consciousness as well as an astrological event.

When consciousness raises more and more wealthy people will emerge. As consciousness lessens the ego moves in and there is a great tendancy to try and lay blame. In general the individual or society falls deep into debt.

The Universe As A Sacred Horse

Brahadaranyaka Upanishad means the Great Forest Books. It begins with the description of the Universe as a Sacred or Sacrificial Horse:

"The head of is verily the Dawn; the eye of the Horse is the Sun; the vital force, the Air; the open mouth is the fire named Vaisvanara (lightening); the trunk is the year; the back, Heaven; the belly, the sky; the hoof, the earth; the flanks, the four directions; the ribs, the intermediate directions; the limbs, the seasons; the joints, the months and fortnights; the feet, the days and nights; the bones, the stars; the flesh, the clouds; the half-digested food (in the stomach), the sands; the arteries and veins, the rivers; the liver and spleen, the mountains; the hair, the herbs and trees; the forepart, the rising sun; the hind part, the setting sun. Its yawn is lightning, His body shakes, it thunders, he makes water -it rains, his voice is indeed all voices."

To meditate on and assume the divine qualities of the horse, the speed, the dynamic nature, devotion, power, faithfulness, grace, courage, strength is to realize an ultimate truth beyond the five senses, to enter Brahmaloka, the highest of the heavens.

Enlightenment and Debt

Before going to Satyaloka there was about 6 months of intense preparation. Somewhere in this blog is a list of the sadhanas (spiritual practices) that we adhered to. The monk that had come to help us prepare told me to also please be sure that I was out of debt. Material debt attacks personal power. It can be a great hindrence to spiritual development and liberation. Consider versions of the Lord's Prayer. "Forgive us our debts."

Just as the microcosm impact the macrocosm, the macrocosm deeply impacts the microcosm. There is personal karma, village karma, national karma and so on. If you think the debt of your country is not affecting your own spiritual development, think again. How are you separate? National debt can be a huge obstacle to transformation and enlightenment.

Take for example the United States. The federal government has not had a budget for over 2 years. Have you been able to adhere to your own household budget due to rising costs?

Consider for a moment that it took 42 presidents 224 years to run up $1 trillion dollars in foreign held dept. In the three some years that the current president has been in office the federal debt has increased by over 4 trillion dollars. This is more than the total national debt accumulated by all the United States Presidents in USA history from George Washington to George Bush combined.

During this short time, statics say the federal government has borrowed an additional $35,000+ for every American household. That is close to $45k for every full time private sector worker. In 986 days following the 2008 election, the debt increased at an average rate of over 4 and a quarter billion a day.

Do you ever stop to consider how this will impact your children and their children and their children and so on-the sins (karma) of the fathers?

"Blessed are the young for they shall inherit the national debt." Herbert Hoover


Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/herbert_hoover.html#ixzz1nVOMTlfN

To see the USA national debt real time visit http://www.usdebtclock.org/.

To see a global comparison on how your country measures up click on the title of this post or visit http://www.economist.com/content/global_debt_clock.

Be aware that among the obstacles to transformation and enlightenment, large material and karmic debt are among the largest and most formidable.