A Reality Check-In for my U.S. Spiritual Tribe in Trying Times. Part 12: Looking Within and Beneath the Meltdown
Awakening from The New Age: Is “Enlightenment” simply to finally reveal our True Humanity? I’ve noticed that people’s definition of being “awake” is very subjective. It seems like those who want to awaken others are often just trying to convince folks to see and agree with their perspective, to validate themselves as they teach over others.
Some folks have dedicated their life to spiritual practices of some kind or another, with the goal of somehow “awakening”, whatever that might mean to them, within their tradition or path.
Others want folks to just “wake up” and see it’s all a dream, to not get caught up in any of the duality, but to “transcend” it all, and eventually “ascend”.
There are so many “retreats” and “festivals” happening for those who can afford the time and cost, offering a respite from the world, and an opportunity to go deeper.
But where, ultimately, are we going?
Is “enlightenment” sitting there blissful and smiling, aloof from the world?
Can we heal ourselves back into a state of pure being without reconnecting to the web of life itself?
We still have to chop wood and carry water right?
If realizing our “connectedness”, our ‘oneness in spirit with all life’ is a basic foundation of any true path, then how would that manifest in the real world?
If our very disconnection from that living web of life is the actual block to our awakening, then how does a truly awake person show up in the complex here-and-now world we find ourselves in?
We don’t have many models, but we have some.
Our beloved teachers, maestros and lineage holders of the past, what might they be doing in this world if they were here with us now?
A world very different from more simpler and older times.
For those teachers who are with us now, what are they doing? How are they responding to the world as it is?
That should give us a clue.
While once upon a time sitting in a cave might have been the ultimate retreat and foundation for realization, is that still true?
Paradoxically, is the modern day incarnation of a “spiritual life” simply to merge our dreams and goals with our work into a business that sustains our comfy first world lifestyle within the matrix?
Is “sustainability” what promises to give continuity to our “conscious lifestyle” even if that is really disconnected from the web of life, or even the greater reality of the human race and planet?
Even if we work toward fulfilling our ‘dream-life’ within the matrix, by the time that happens what will the world be like? Will we even want it then?
What if we build it all up only to find out it was on quicksand all along, and things started to dissolve just when the ‘prize’ was in sight?
What if even if we “get there” we realize it wasn’t what we wanted or really needed in hind-site?
Despite all we may have invested in our “dream” what if we someday wake up from it and realize we want a whole other dream altogether?!?
In fact, what IS it we really want?!
I would venture that aside from the peace, joy, awareness, purpose and love that draws us to the paths we choose, that in our natural state we mostly want very human things, very simple things.
I would venture that many who are living-or creating their dream are not as happy as they may seem, even if it all becomes real.
But even if we make it, within a bubble of new age, privileged affluence in a trendy town in a first world country, and even if it is “sustainable” within the rapidly shrinking demographic that would even be able to ever accomplish such a lifestyle, will it really bring us happiness in the bigger picture?
And are those who succeed within that even the people we are going to want to be hanging out with as the coming time unfolds?
How many assumptions are we basing our entire lives on, and are they the solid ground that will hold us, nurture us, and afford us the spiritual, emotional, and physical blossoming that we long for?
If the matrix is not the ground that can truly fertilize our souls, our lives, and our tribes, then what is?
Have we blindly bought into paradigms with both feet, just because they were presented to us as the “alternative” to the dying culture we saw all around us?
Or did we buy into a spiritual alternative that was just another shade or flavor of the same materialistic illusion we thought we were leaving?
Just because everyone around us is continually feeding back to us that “yes, we are on the cutting edge, we are leading the new dawn, the new age, the great awakening,” does that make it real?
Within the spiritual marketplace of the modern world, what does it even mean to be spiritual anymore?
If we are not reaching out to uplift those who are hurting, lonely or forgotten, the vast majority of the world who do not have enough food, hope or education, what to say of having the luxury of spiritual discourse, then how are we using all the gifts we have been given?
I sat there thinking of my humble friends from the Indigenous Mountain Communities, living close to the elements and often in freezing cold, wearing sandals without socks, and eating just potatoes, and then pondered my friends living spiritual lives in the first world.
I mean, while all the books say we “need to be humble”, my friends in the mountain communities have never read a friggen spiritual book in their lives, and probably never will, yet are down to earth, connected with Pachamama, naturally beautiful without a single bit of bling, and are the most naturally spiritual people I have met.
What if our desire to awaken was just like a river that simply wanted to have it’s dam removed finally, so it could flow again, and reconnect to the waters and oceans of life all around us?
If so, then where and how would our river truly flow?
How can we be of service?
What if the purpose of our river was not only to revel in it’s own beauty and take selfies with other rivers on the way to the next cool event on a parched earth, but to nourish, to feed, to water life…
to uplift the lonely drops that have forgotten they are part of the river too, to grow plants for the hungry, remind the flowers on the riverbank of their beauty, and provide relief for the thirsty?
With Warmest Regards
from a Bright Sunny Day
Deep in the Heart of the Peruvian Andes,
Sanan
I want to show some appreciation to this writer just for bailing me out of this type of issue. Just after browsing throughout the the web and meeting concepts which are not beneficial, I was thinking my entire life was well over. Being alive without the presence of solutions to the issues you have resolved as a result of your entire write-up is a crucial case, and ones that would have badly damaged my career if I had not encountered your blog post. Your good capability and kindness in handling every aspect was invaluable. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t discovered such a stuff like this. I’m able to now look ahead to my future. Thanks a lot very much for the reliable and sensible help. I won’t hesitate to endorse your web blog to anyone who wants and needs guidelines on this subject.
I would like to show my thanks to this writer for bailing me out of this crisis. Because of researching throughout the internet and coming across techniques that were not helpful, I believed my life was gone. Living devoid of the strategies to the problems you’ve solved through the website is a critical case, as well as ones which may have in a wrong way affected my entire career if I had not discovered your blog. Your personal understanding and kindness in touching everything was priceless. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t encountered such a subject like this. It’s possible to now look forward to my future. Thank you so much for this expert and amazing guide. I will not think twice to propose your blog to anyone who needs tips on this matter.
I have to show my affection for your generosity in support of persons that have the need for help with this one area. Your special commitment to passing the solution all through turned out to be definitely informative and have all the time empowered individuals like me to get to their ambitions. Your personal insightful publication denotes a lot to me and still more to my colleagues. Thank you; from everyone of us.
I wanted to write a note to thank you for these marvelous recommendations you are sharing here. My particularly long internet investigation has finally been recognized with professional information to go over with my friends. I ‘d believe that many of us readers actually are undoubtedly fortunate to be in a fabulous network with many brilliant individuals with very helpful points. I feel very much privileged to have come across your entire site and look forward to tons of more exciting minutes reading here. Thanks once more for a lot of things.
This really answered my downside, thanks!
I used to be very pleased to search out this web-site.I wished to thanks in your time for this wonderful read!! I positively having fun with each little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to take a look at new stuff you blog post.
}You now have the advice that will help your fashion and style in a noticeable way. Fashion is more than the clothing you wear – it is the way you feel! Be fashionable by wearing what you enjoy.
Здравствуйте!
Как можно приобрести диплом Вуза в России без предоплаты на сайте? Мы готовы доставить его в любую точку страны.
http://saksx-attestats.ru/
Получите документ об образовании по выгодной цене с доставкой по РФ и оплатой после получения.
Закажите диплом ВУЗа с доставкой по всей России без предоплаты и с гарантией качества!
Temp mail This was beautiful Admin. Thank you for your reflections.
allegheny county real estate Very well presented. Every quote was awesome and thanks for sharing the content. Keep sharing and keep motivating others.