Been busy - but a follow-up on the last post re: Stuart Davis article.

It's funny - I know so much about Indian advaita, and various yoga practices.  I know quite a lot about Western synchronistic magic and meditation.  I am fairly experienced in Christian ecstatic mysticism.  And I am familiar with Tibetan Buddhism, as well as have gone on Vipassana retreats.

But my knowledge of the Zen tradition is limited. 

However, Stuart's description of being in witnessing awareness, while waking and sleeping, and deeper,  describes to a tee where I go in meditation, and have gone, at various times in life.

When I spent six months in India, devoted to meditation, beaches and hiking in the Himalayas (in that order) I reached a point where two things were happening in my consciousness.  


1.  The "witnessing" awareness was fairly constant, in waking, and was also in and out in sleeping.
2.  At the end of the trip, (last month or so, after trekking in the Himalayas), a conscious recognition of non-duality was always present, and arising.  This also lasted into sleep. 

It was quite jarring to have, especially, point 2 above, fall away, after a couple of months back in the U.S.   As well, point 1, as I got busy with the western life, experiencing the "crystalline" nature of awareness, for lack of a better word, comes in moments, rather than for hours and days.

(Then I got into emotional ecstatic mysticism, which was probably a huge mistake, as in these practices you can throw the witness out the window, but I'm not going to go into that now...was useful in terms of a very mind-y person's (me!) emotional growth, but very different that the "empty" awareness state.  A profoundly different transpersonal state.)

At any rate, there was quite the resonance for me, of the description of  witnessing in the waking and dream state.  I know I've heard it before, but I have related my experiences, to a different, Indian model.

So for me, was an "aha - that's me!" moment.

That's it!

In a section of today's post (Go down to "Poor Man's Constant Consciousness?) Stuart Davis weighs in with one of the best spiritual blog posts I have yet seen.  Really, it's awesome.

I'll say more about this later - namely, how it correlates with my own experience. 

But for now, just go check it out.

This particular post is important, but since I am posting it as I think it (real-time posting), it will also be a bit confused. Humor me, if you would, and read this to the end... Given a lot of the various messes that can occur with spiritual teachers, I have been contemplating: 1. the relationship between seeing/being spiritual truth, and the limits of these particular insights - a. judging the VALIDITY of a particular insight b. judging the LIMIT or BOUNDEDNESS of a particular spiritual insight 2. Beyond this, however, there is also additional judgements that need to be made by a teacher - c. The path/practice necessary to realize the spiritual insight d. The recognition of what a particular person/student, needs to "do" or "work on", in order for the spiritual insight to manifest itself most strongly. Ken Wilber states "Each valid mode of knowing consists of an injunction, an apprehension, and a confirmation."   more »

I got an email from Integral University yesterday.  Apparently, I haven't been accepted into the "beta testing" phase of Integral University.  There is simply too high an interest, and they are going with a smaller group.

I sent back an email, asking, "what is the criteria for acceptance?  Given that I work for a company that has an online learning management system, part of my daily job is quality assurance and product design on a Learning Management System, and in my weblog, I have been promoting Integral University, what is the criteria for acceptance?" 

I haven't gotten a response yet, although I still hope to. It's been 24 hours (am I impatient or what? )

Outside of the fact that I've had posts on the Beta, so clearly I'm going to be disappointed about that, there is a legitimate question to be asked:

Namely, on questions of inclusion/exclusion, is the criteria going to be open and transparent or not? 

For example, it could be that for IU beta testing, only 50 people are wanted for this testing (a low number I know, just throwing it out there.) However, 10,000 people want to be beta testers!  Clearly, some people must be excluded.

However, the criteria by which this is done, should be transparent, fair, and communicated to those of us who, ahead of time, are excited by the project, and have been promoting and contributing to the project (in some sense).

It may be as simple as, people who joined Integral Naked as a paying member before December 2003.  That was the cutoff (and that cutoff doesn't include me, as I joined Integral Naked in the latter part of 2004).  It may be those that have managed to attend and pay for workship in Colorado. (Or online).   Both of the above are acceptable, and a simple explanation is all that is required.

But an arbitrary "thanks for your interest but you have been excluded" without rhyme or reason, isn't really acceptable.  It is similar to an automated letter you receive from the HR depaartment of a company you apply to. 

My own opinion, take it for what it is worth, is it would be better to communicate a transparent criteria for exclusion/inclusion - that would be a better mode of creating community.  Decisions "made from on high", without explanation don't do the trick.

Since there are at least a couple of people connected to IU who read this blog, could you please forward this on to relevant parties? 

I'm also sure that everyone at IU, at the moment, is jammed with work, similar to before all the product release that I've done, but it would be appreciated. 

UPDATE - Check out Vince's comment below - the criteria was the first 250 were allowed, out of the 600 that applied to be beta testers.  Very fair and reasonable, and I appreciate the response.

My girlfriend sends me this.  Being that I'm a white guy, and she is a 1st generation Indian Sikh here in the Bay Area (and a pretty rebellious Sikh - if you know 1st generation Sikh's, you understand that HAVING a white boy friend is serious rebellion), I can drag her to various "spiritual" events, and she will sometimes, with a humorously cynical eye, comment on (incorrect) western interpretations of Indian culture. 

Also - Dishoom baby!

I have finally gotten around to viewing a few more integral bloggers.  I'll put links to them as well.

CJSmith - one particular post I want to comment on, is this one:

"I realize where I could really be heading with this systematic stuff. The priesthood, theologian, and probably psychologist route (with a possible sub-interest in parapsychology, micro-transformative communities, and the like". 

Assuming I am correct, this post is about, after reading "wilber" type stuff - what do I do then?

I would imagine that a great great many people, who get enthused about Wilber, have similar types of thoughts - I certainly did, around the career aspect.  Certainly, I had the inner dialogue about "priesthood, theologian, and probably psychologist."  I still do...


Pongsathorn Blog - for me, it's great to read about how integralism is affecting people who are actually living in eastern cultures.  Also, his last post was about the tsunami, and he was clearly deeply affected.  Go give him some integral love!

He also took on a HUGE integral practice.  Wow...

What's In Your Mind - Very thoughtful posts - and again, a structured list of integral practice. I think we have the means of creating an easy to use personalized spreadsheet here...

Stuart Davis had a quick post,on WhatEnlightenment  without commentary, today.

I had thought of posting on this, but hadn't gotten around to it - or was pretty reluctant, for a variety of reasons, the main one being that a "bad" spiritual authority/student relationship breakup, resembles nothing more than the worst sort of divorces - with all the deepest emotional layers of betrayal, abuse, accusations, etc, exposed.

You can get a fuller sense of the controversy either at What Enlightenment? or at a couple of excellent forums on the controversy at Integral Naked.  I highly recommend, if you have any interest in this topic, to read through these threads.

There are a couple of thoughts that occur to me, that I haven't seen brought up at the above places. So, I'll make these thoughts explicit here.

1.  Like it or not, this is one of the things that blogs excel at - the takedown (justified or not, make your own decision).  From Dan Rather, to Trent Lott, etc, every sets of eyes, ears, feelings, can now be a potential and enduring broadcaster to any of the teeming millions on the internet who wish to read, and listen. 

These type of controversies, and any teacher abuses (and probably some false claims) will get aired far, wide, and efficiently.

Expect more of this, in the future - like anything, this ability will be used for good and bad.

2.  Changing nature of expertise - where goes the hidden knowledge? 

I'm not sure that there is, or can be an "open source spirituality" (should I register this domain?), but it is important to remember that the essential claim of spiritual knowledge, is that the holder of such knowedge HAS it - and by definition the seeker doesn't. 

This "knowledge gap", or perhaps "being gap", depending - will get more and more separated from the corresponding "power gap" that traditionally is associated with the knowledge gap.  This is, simply, inevitable.  (This may not be a universally good thing.  One aspect of surrendering to universal truth, from a place deep in the gut, is to COMPLETELY SURRENDER.  Without challenge by an other, this is very difficult.)  The point is that the tension between modern power relationships and differently defined spiritual power relationships will be exposed. This exposure will be by the people IN their spiritual communities, who feel this tension in themselves, and their relationship to the power structures in their spiritual community.

4.  The nature of profound awakenings, and a note of caution.

Profound awakenings are, really, overwhelming to the ego.  From my own experience, there is a sense of KNOWING what is so - and you can see it, like seeing the red of an apple in your hand.  It is OBVIOUS. 

If the revelation you are seeing is at odds with "what is expected" in society, so what?  You see the truth.  Your vision is clear.  You are "doing the right thing". 

While I've heard stories of Andrew Cohen over the years, I've never met the man.  But even given the stories on What Enlightenment and other places, I don't get a sense that he isn't being true to his vision.   But how does a person "temper" in some sense, the spiritual visions that fill him, and what those visions ask one to do?

It would be useful to have some type of epistemology for REVEALED TRUTHS, but of course, there isn't.  There are individuals, attempting to put the truths they know and see, into practice.  Heroically, even.  Even if the world doesn't understand, and they hurt other people in the process.

I've linked to blog into shape before, but this post really does lay out the basics of cardio and weight training - clearly and concisely.  The description covers the basics that I've read about in every exercise plan I have looked at.

Missing would be diet and stretching, but the exercise portion is covered, in about 10 short paragraphs.  You can buy books that go on about the same basic program, that go on for 10 chapters!

It's worth a look. 

I was reading over at Numinous Non-Sense, and I see that Vince has started ordering stuff about Ramana Maharshi. 

And then, being practical, coolmel points out that most of Ramana's teachings are available at his site, without cost.

I have a special place in my heart for Ramana. I spent two weeks at Tiruvanamallai, and both the visit and the place played a role in a two month "enlightenment" experience for me.

I'll be linking to Ramana's site in the "Spiritual" category, but I highly recommend, to any who may read this, to check out some of the materials.

Personality, not values, make the marriage.

At the end of last year, I blogged on the similarities of "open source" and, for lack of better words, "spiritual source".  Today I come across someone fairly well-known, also making a social connection to open-source.

Kos asks, "What does this have to do with politics? Not much. But as the Propagannon types have shown, dozens (hundreds) of people waging open source journalism can sometimes be more effective than understaffed newsrooms filled with overworked reporters trying to meet deadline

When I'm asked about blogging's legacy, I talk about open source. Open source politics, open source activism, open source journalism -- the aggregation of thousands on behalf of a common cause. Bloggers and their opinions might be mildly interesting, but the ability to pool our efforts on issues that capture the collective imagination is what really gets me excited."

I could ask the same question. "What does open source have to do with integral knowledge and awareness?"

I would answer, for interaction with the world, quite a lot.  Modes of knowledge and best practices can be easily put together if we pool our efforts.  I'm hoping that "Integral University" will have the platform to encourage hundreds if not thousands of participants and contributors.  But if not, I'll say this again, the "Integral Visioning" platform is a promising step in this direction.

As has been discussed here before, as well as by many other integral voices, the integral life is...busy.

I've been researching the best ways to cut down on the "busy-ness" aspect of activity, while still maintaining a decent level of productivity, and a way to combat my inherent ability to procrastinate.

There have been a series of post over at How to Save the World, by Dave Pollard, regarding a book by David Allen called "Getting Things Done". 

It's an interesting series of posts - so much so, I'm going to be getting the book myself soon.  Like Dave, I'll be giving it a try - unlike him, I doubt I'll be as successful, but I'll blog about it here - "the troubles with integrals", or some such..

Dave's saga is below:

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

Post 4

Saw this.  Thought it was cute!

I quick link to the JobHuntersBible site page on personal assessments, with a large variety of assessment tools.

This has a lot of good information, with personality tests, skills assessments, I've been looking around at a variety of pages, and this is one of the better ones.  I particularly like that the Myer's Brigg's personality assesssment test is mentioned.  For me, this was a pretty accurate tool, when I did the self-assessment.

the small "test and advice" commentary is well-done.  With a wry sense of humor, but practically grounded.

It's interesting to experiment with a couple of these.  You can get a good sense of common themes that come up for you,  again and again, with different tests.

I've been thinking a bit about the place of blogs in an integral practice - how can blogs be useful, given their unique "type" so to speak?

First off, let's start with the negative.

In silence, awareness, and being-bliss, there is the radiance shining. 

Blogs, for the most part - are the opposite of that.

"Notice me! Notice me!" said the blogger.  After all I (and not the I-I) have something to say!"

Not to mention, blogs are a very mind-y enterprise. 

In this sense the "level" that is touched by a blog, as by reading in general, is a pale reflection of reality - spiritual, emotional, physical.

I believe this is why most spiritually related blogs, don't have, say, the ongoing rat-a-tat-tat repetition that is seen in the political and technical blogs. 

As that "thinking" mind, begins to become transparent, and awareness shines through, there isn't a need to live there, but much more a wish to simply "be".  Be with the breath, be with the awe of silence, with the surfaces of physical reality revealing worlds in their transparency.

So how does this help?  What's the usefulness, for practice, for understanding?

I can still think of a few things -

1. Open education and debate.

There are several challenges in living an integrated spiritual life - and some controversies.  Blogs, and also group posting boards, are good ways to educate and get new points of view in the "how-to" of this, that we are living.

Examples:

I've mentioned it in a post, before, but I will again -

a.  Right attitude to spiritual surrender, contrasted with spiritual cultism.  Healthy independence, versus stubborn ego.

Here is Spiritual Safeguards.

This is a site that speaks of the danger of cults - from many angles.

It would go too far for me - while there is a list of "healthy" spiritual practices, this particular site is pretty fear based, and the "healthy" spiritual practices, well, aren't really a list of practices per se, but instead a nice set of values (no practices) and a nice, well laid out, restricted, box - have fun playing...

So this dichotomy - the healthy, functioning interdependent ego, or the rigid stubborn ego?  What are the signposts for the edges?


b.  Spiritual bazaar, or stick to a practice? 

I'll tell the truth - I tend to LIKE mixing and matching, trying new spiritual practices - mainly because slightly DIFFERENT forms of transcendence are encountered.  (I've mentioned this previously).  I have an unfortunate habit (like my habit of cool tech gizmos) of looking for the "next big thing". 

Luckily, I still maintain a base sitting practice.  But it's easy to get distracted...

c.  Teachers as CHARISMATIC DEMI-GODS, or teachers as ordinary humans? 

If you've seen as many teachers as I have, there are sometimes where - well, you are just blasted by the spiritual power.  You can be drenched, really, with power, melting sweetness, etc. 

And yet, the same "spiritual athlete", for lack of a better word, can be an absolute abusive cad.

But, I've also been around "ordinary" teachers.  That's fine too, but I don't get nearly as jazzed or inspired.  It's like, "yeah, so what?  30 years of meditation, to kvetch at Spirit Rock?"

At any rate, all the above dichotomies - all can be usefully discussed in web logs.  A lot of people contributing, openly sharing and learning, and the natural obsessiveness of blogs, I believe can provide a more grounded mental understanding of the above, and point people to the best solutions, as people share their experiences.

2.  Shared experiences and personal stories  - I know, I just used this, but it's true.  I'm fighting with my girlfriend - how do i reconcile this with spiritual practice? What really is enthusing me, inspiring me? What is getting me down, and what's a challenge? 

Personal stories become beloved stories that inspire, amuse, and occasionally gross you out.


3.  Good practical information

Or how to get from a to b, to c.  How to exercise right, eat right, meet new people, etc.

4.  Outpourings of creativity, love, beauty. 






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