Insights for August 2014
Still waters. Image by Margaret Gervais
These wise words from Mark Jones, one of my favorite astrologers, (also a teacher, psychosynthesis therapist and poet http://www.plutoschool.com/), from Power of the Circle on Phases, audio recording NORWAC 2012:
“The greatest guide is the light of your personal consciousness.”
“If in doubt, personal truth and integrity will take you through most evolutionary gateways.”
“Principle, dedication, courage, integrity, devotion to truth; you won’t go too far wrong in life with these things.”
“If in doubt, devote yourself to truth.”
I am now reading my second book by Adyashanti, The Way of Liberation:
“…it is essential to understand that a spiritual teacher’s role is to be a good and wise spiritual guide as well as an embodiment of the Truth that he or she points toward.” page 5
“A spiritual teaching is a finger pointing toward Reality; it is not Reality itself.” page 5
“Belief leads to various forms of fundamentalism and shuts down curiosity and inquiry that as essential to open the way for awakening and what lies beyond awakening. A good spiritual teaching is something that you work with and apply. In doing so, it works on you (often in a hidden way) and helps reveal to you the Truth (and falseness) that lies within you.” page 5
“It's like two arrows, the Buddha said. The first arrow is the initial event itself, the painful experience. It has happened; we cannot avoid it. The second arrow is the one we shoot into ourselves. This arrow is optional. We can add to the initial pain a contracted, angry, rigid, frightened state of mind. Or we can learn to experience the same painful event with less identification and aversion, with a relaxed and compassionate heart. Jack Kornfield, The Wise Heart"Meditation is participatory observation. What you are looking at responds to the process of looking. What you are looking at is you, and what you see depends on how you look." Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
“Identity: We are the essence of karmic momentum. It is an unfolding process; thoughts without thinker, sensory without body, experience without self.” Noah Levine, Breitenbush, July 2005
“Awareness, acceptance, forgiveness. That is all you need to know.” Dr. K. K. Tan, Meditation Teacher, Buddhist Library Singapore
"What is the purpose of tranquility? Why should we have wisdom? They are only for the purpose of freeing ourselves from suffering, nothing more." Ajahn Chah, 'Meditation' http://www.vipassana.com/