Aliveness, Eros, & Truth. . . .
. . . .St Francis of Assisi said. .
"Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."
Funny use of words that is. The 'when necessary' part I find meaningful. It makes me wonder how one one would know it was necessary? So I will see if I can offer an answer by the end of this BLOG entry.
The weekend prior to the camp here in Portland I was blessed with getting to meet Robert Thurman. For those unfamiliar with his work he is most noted for being the first non Tibetan monk, is a popular scholar and professor in the USA, has written many marvelous books. . .and yes, he is Uma Thurmans father.
I have read his books, and seen him speak on video many times before. So I had an idea what an engaging speaker the man can be. He speaks with a passion that can only come from a combination of extreme intellectual knowledge, coupled with an absolute sincerity in the truth in which he is trying to relate. That is a tough combination to beat. However, even with that background I was truly blown away by the hour or so of informal speaking he engaged in. Without any notes, pauses, or hints at awkwardness he gave the best Dharma talk I have ever heard. The entire audience was on their seat, laughing, smiling, clapping, HEARING. . . .as a public speaker I was left in awe at what I had just observed.
As the weeks have passed since I have thought of all the speakers and authors that woke up a certain curiosity in me, or opened a new door of understanding for me. I think of Jung, Krishnamurti, Whitman, Dass, Thurman, Leary, and Watts.
Of all of them, none captured my attention the way Alan Watts did. His books have had a MAJOR impact on my life. And his lectures remain one of the most entertaining things you will ever see.
I have to also admit I am somewhat partial. That is, every author or speaker will write and speak in a way which reaches one audience, or "type" of individual, more then others will. This is natural. It is in fact the beauty of diversity. For me that type is the jester, the trickster, what Native Americans would call the coyote. No role stretches the players that confront it more then this. And I will take one of these teachers over twenty of the stoic, stern, moral duty types. None of those more serious types would ever dare pick up the cross of the mystic tricksters. They know it would be way to heavy for them to shoulder.
I remember watching Watts on his black and white television show. With one hand holding a cigarette, and one hand on what looked like a small shot of whiskey, he would stand in front of diagrams he would draw to explain non duality, atman, Buddhism, vedanta, christianity, on a white board, or large piece of butchers paper. He always expressed himself in a rational and articulate way about philosophy, religion, and enlightenment. But there was always a bit of British humor, and wink in the eye.
Hear this:
"The joyous task which confronts an ethic of spontaneity, however difficult it may be, is quite literally to woo people out of their armed shells."
-Alan Watts
If ever I felt I had read a mission statement for my life, that would be it.
Here is a bit more:
"The liberative artist plays the part of Orpheus by living in the mode of music instead of the mode of language. His entire activity is dancing, rhythm for its own sake, and in this way he becomes a vortex which draws others into its pattern. He charms their attention from then to now, absorbing them into a rhythm in which survival ceases to be the criterion of value. It is by this attraction, and not by direction or commandment, that he is sought out as a teacher in the way of liberation."
That is Alan Watts.
You have to love these teachers, they are all that is good in life. So the next time one crosses your path, asking to bum a cigarette, or encouraging you to dance a little. . .buy them a drink at least. It will be good karma.
Alan Watts also wrote a lot about things like Ethics, and Eros. . .
Eros: - "Eros" is a form of Love, a movement towards union/communion, towards rapture and rapport and joyful interpenetration. "Eros" a type of love that seeks fulfillment without injury or violation of some other." IE:Many contemporary anarchists look to Eros as the solution to modern problems.
Watts stated: "When cultural disciplines are in the service of Eros, ethics are transformed from the rules of repression into the technique of expression, and morality becomes the aesthetics of behavior."
Ethics: - "Ethics" are the rules, agreements and guidelines we abide by as we play the games (the cultural disciplines) that make up our lives. We're free to break the rules if we so choose. (Of course this may end the game and the relationships that the game makes possible). An ethical limit must involve a voluntary choice. (There is no ethic of gravity.)
In another book, Watts has written: "All questions of religion and ethics are really questions as to what are optimal game rules."
The function of ethics is not directive, but advisory and suggestive. Their creative use can no more be prescribed than we can write down simple instructions for making masterpieces of poetry or painting
When cultural disciplines are in the service of Eros... i.e., when we live in a society that generates love and compassion with the focus and driven that we now summon to build empires and manufacture baubles to pacify ourselves.... Putting cultural disciplines in service to Eros is the key to creating a society that values connection and communion over control and amusement. This is one way of describing the work of the Healing Carnival: we are developing, and proliferating cultural disciplines in the service of Eros. Our mission is to disseminate cultural disciplines of compassion intimacy and Aliveness.
So that is Alan Watts, always thought provoking, always very clear. I'd encourage everyone to download some of his old talks off the web, or check out his many books. If you come from a Christian background, his books "Christianity it's Myths and rituals", and "Beyond Theology", will be enjoyable and educational.
If you are one of those people who wont read such a thing because you already have your religion, or belief system well set. . .ask yourself what scares you? If what you already believe is true, then it will stand under any rational, intellectual scrutiny. If it's not, wouldn't you want to know?
Any person or group that tells you not read something, or worse, forbids it, is a person or group which has something to hide. Find out what that is for yourself. It is the only way.
St Francis stated: "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."
And I ask, how one one would know when it was necessary to use words?
And I offer, because you will be.
Questioner: You said yesterday that there exists in the human body a hole as small as a pinpoint, from which consciousness always bubbles out to the body. Is it open or shut?
Ramana: It is always shut, being the knot of ignorance which ties the body to consciousness. When the mind drops away in the temporary Kevala Nirvikalpa it opens, but shuts again. In Sahaja it remains always open.
Questioner: How is it during the experience of 'I-I' consciousness?
Ramana: This consciousness is the key which opens it permanently.
.
"Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."
Funny use of words that is. The 'when necessary' part I find meaningful. It makes me wonder how one one would know it was necessary? So I will see if I can offer an answer by the end of this BLOG entry.
The weekend prior to the camp here in Portland I was blessed with getting to meet Robert Thurman. For those unfamiliar with his work he is most noted for being the first non Tibetan monk, is a popular scholar and professor in the USA, has written many marvelous books. . .and yes, he is Uma Thurmans father.
I have read his books, and seen him speak on video many times before. So I had an idea what an engaging speaker the man can be. He speaks with a passion that can only come from a combination of extreme intellectual knowledge, coupled with an absolute sincerity in the truth in which he is trying to relate. That is a tough combination to beat. However, even with that background I was truly blown away by the hour or so of informal speaking he engaged in. Without any notes, pauses, or hints at awkwardness he gave the best Dharma talk I have ever heard. The entire audience was on their seat, laughing, smiling, clapping, HEARING. . . .as a public speaker I was left in awe at what I had just observed.
As the weeks have passed since I have thought of all the speakers and authors that woke up a certain curiosity in me, or opened a new door of understanding for me. I think of Jung, Krishnamurti, Whitman, Dass, Thurman, Leary, and Watts.
Of all of them, none captured my attention the way Alan Watts did. His books have had a MAJOR impact on my life. And his lectures remain one of the most entertaining things you will ever see.
I have to also admit I am somewhat partial. That is, every author or speaker will write and speak in a way which reaches one audience, or "type" of individual, more then others will. This is natural. It is in fact the beauty of diversity. For me that type is the jester, the trickster, what Native Americans would call the coyote. No role stretches the players that confront it more then this. And I will take one of these teachers over twenty of the stoic, stern, moral duty types. None of those more serious types would ever dare pick up the cross of the mystic tricksters. They know it would be way to heavy for them to shoulder.
I remember watching Watts on his black and white television show. With one hand holding a cigarette, and one hand on what looked like a small shot of whiskey, he would stand in front of diagrams he would draw to explain non duality, atman, Buddhism, vedanta, christianity, on a white board, or large piece of butchers paper. He always expressed himself in a rational and articulate way about philosophy, religion, and enlightenment. But there was always a bit of British humor, and wink in the eye.
Hear this:
"The joyous task which confronts an ethic of spontaneity, however difficult it may be, is quite literally to woo people out of their armed shells."
-Alan Watts
If ever I felt I had read a mission statement for my life, that would be it.
Here is a bit more:
"The liberative artist plays the part of Orpheus by living in the mode of music instead of the mode of language. His entire activity is dancing, rhythm for its own sake, and in this way he becomes a vortex which draws others into its pattern. He charms their attention from then to now, absorbing them into a rhythm in which survival ceases to be the criterion of value. It is by this attraction, and not by direction or commandment, that he is sought out as a teacher in the way of liberation."
That is Alan Watts.
You have to love these teachers, they are all that is good in life. So the next time one crosses your path, asking to bum a cigarette, or encouraging you to dance a little. . .buy them a drink at least. It will be good karma.
Alan Watts also wrote a lot about things like Ethics, and Eros. . .
Eros: - "Eros" is a form of Love, a movement towards union/communion, towards rapture and rapport and joyful interpenetration. "Eros" a type of love that seeks fulfillment without injury or violation of some other." IE:Many contemporary anarchists look to Eros as the solution to modern problems.
Watts stated: "When cultural disciplines are in the service of Eros, ethics are transformed from the rules of repression into the technique of expression, and morality becomes the aesthetics of behavior."
Ethics: - "Ethics" are the rules, agreements and guidelines we abide by as we play the games (the cultural disciplines) that make up our lives. We're free to break the rules if we so choose. (Of course this may end the game and the relationships that the game makes possible). An ethical limit must involve a voluntary choice. (There is no ethic of gravity.)
In another book, Watts has written: "All questions of religion and ethics are really questions as to what are optimal game rules."
The function of ethics is not directive, but advisory and suggestive. Their creative use can no more be prescribed than we can write down simple instructions for making masterpieces of poetry or painting
When cultural disciplines are in the service of Eros... i.e., when we live in a society that generates love and compassion with the focus and driven that we now summon to build empires and manufacture baubles to pacify ourselves.... Putting cultural disciplines in service to Eros is the key to creating a society that values connection and communion over control and amusement. This is one way of describing the work of the Healing Carnival: we are developing, and proliferating cultural disciplines in the service of Eros. Our mission is to disseminate cultural disciplines of compassion intimacy and Aliveness.
So that is Alan Watts, always thought provoking, always very clear. I'd encourage everyone to download some of his old talks off the web, or check out his many books. If you come from a Christian background, his books "Christianity it's Myths and rituals", and "Beyond Theology", will be enjoyable and educational.
If you are one of those people who wont read such a thing because you already have your religion, or belief system well set. . .ask yourself what scares you? If what you already believe is true, then it will stand under any rational, intellectual scrutiny. If it's not, wouldn't you want to know?
Any person or group that tells you not read something, or worse, forbids it, is a person or group which has something to hide. Find out what that is for yourself. It is the only way.
St Francis stated: "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."
And I ask, how one one would know when it was necessary to use words?
And I offer, because you will be.
Questioner: You said yesterday that there exists in the human body a hole as small as a pinpoint, from which consciousness always bubbles out to the body. Is it open or shut?
Ramana: It is always shut, being the knot of ignorance which ties the body to consciousness. When the mind drops away in the temporary Kevala Nirvikalpa it opens, but shuts again. In Sahaja it remains always open.
Questioner: How is it during the experience of 'I-I' consciousness?
Ramana: This consciousness is the key which opens it permanently.
.
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