SuperWisdom: Spiritual Radiance for Authentic Independence: Recent Comments

Comment on #182: The Inner Life Meaning of Christmas - Reclaiming the New Testament for Esoteric Scientists

2011-12-22T16:41:53Z

Hello Tony,

It’s not that some role reversal – men at home, in certain economic situations or at any other time, helping with children, house cleaning, etc, - is wrong. It’s the whimpinization of men in general. Men have a natural responsibility, inherent, to take the lead – including even, the first to break the ice after an “argument” -- as one example.

Men’s weakness fosters women’s aggressiveness. But the problem often is, that men hear this high spiritual advice, and go cruel. They take acting like a petty tyrant as a display of strength and/or spiritual maturity. Men need to mature as men, before they can go on to higher spiritual states. Unpopular fact, but true.

We’ll address more of this in a future podcast. It’s a big thing you raise. Important.

Thanks for writing Tony.

Tom Russell

Comment on #182: The Inner Life Meaning of Christmas - Reclaiming the New Testament for Esoteric Scientists

2011-12-22T15:16:03Z

Tom,
For several years I've been noticing a trend in society. A blurring of the gender lines. Roles that were traditionally done by men or women are now being swapped. One example is when the husband stays at home to raise the children while the wife goes to work. Also, the behaviors and attitudes of women have become more aggressive while some of the men are more lackadaisical. How much farther can this imbalance go? Gurdjieff once said that studying truth principles makes men more masculine and women more feminine. Did Vernon Howard speak about this? What is your take on this matter?

Comment on #181: Christ and the Divine River - the 80/20 Principle Applied to the Inner Life

2011-11-12T06:06:24Z

Jan, I just listened to podcast #81, "A Rich Variety of Audience Questions and Answers". Your specific questions are discussed at the start. Very helpful.

I'll only add that it's not our desire to spend our lives asleep - not our true selves. It's our sleeping parts that want sleep to persist.

It can help to withdraw the (false) sense of "I" from it. For example, when you find yourself thinking "why do I desire to spend my life asleep?!", instead observe "there is a desire to sleep". The less "I" in it, the less drama :-)

Comment on #164: The Four Zones of Beingness and the Secret of Spontaneity

2011-11-09T03:52:18Z

Wonderful talk! Clear and so helpful - I loved it :-) Thank you so much.

Tom, the link you gave (to http://www.superwisdom.com/news/) resolves now to an empty page. Do you have a current link to the "The Four Zones" article? I'd love to read it.

Finally, I'd like to share an odd experience. One of the _unnatural_ ways of shifting between zones: sometimes when in a "higher" zone, I find the mind butting in, saying something to the effect of "oh, this is so easy - I can get back here anytime I like - so let's take a break and indulge a fantasy - like how about regret, or anxiety?". Straight back into the depths of the Red Zone then.

But the last time this happened, out of nowhere a quiet but clear inner voice said "thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God". I think I could write a book about what it _meant_ in this context, but suffice it to say it was exactly on target, and stopped the artificial descent back to the Red Zone cold in its tracks.

An odd thing is that I don't recall seeing that phrase anywhere since I read it once in the Bible as a child Delightful :-)

Comment on #154: Finding a True Teacher -- How Great Teachings Get Distorted by Followers

2011-11-06T22:55:10Z

Insight and Question from Tim: In a different recording, Jijo noted that Vernon Howard sometimes came across - on tapes - as being almost vicious. Those who studied with him (like Tom) explained that this was just an attempt to break through students' shells, and that VH was very kind. No matter how rough the talk, it always ended on an encouraging note.

Now as this podcast noted, "rough tactics" (insult, shock treatment, denigration, abuse ...) are common cult indoctrination techniques.

How does one tell the difference? It can be a puzzling question. Approaching the truth requires facing some exceedingly "non-flattering" facts about the old nature.

Decades ago, I became very wary of VH the first time I heard one of his fiery talks on tape. The tone was nothing like his books - it _seemed_ a classic case of "bait & switch", an iron fist in a velvet glove.

In the end, I expect it boils down to this: to recognize truth, you must first become at least a little sensitive to it yourself. I kept coming back to VH because the ring of truth was so ... true. LOL! Words are indeed inadequate :-)

*******

Tom's Response:

Hi Tim,

It is a huge question you pose.
VH lived a very aware and wise life. He was kind. But the group dynamics still produced Group think. It wasn’t all positive. Some things you can only see when “looking back” and with a little more light.

There is only so much any teacher, even a Christ or Buddha, can do. The nature of human beings includes the tendency to put others on pedestals. It limits what we could learn. Some say this is necessary for “beginners” but I now question this.

If you have the time and/or inclination, here is an advanced study of the subject. The author has his cultural lense, but the insights he conveys are truly precious.

http://www.amazon.com/Sufi-Lighthouse-Illuminating-Spiritual-Abuse/dp/1442102624/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320629521&sr=8-1

Tom Russell

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Tim responds (Tom's comments preceded by >):

> VH lived a very aware life. He was kind. But the group still produced

> Group think. It wasn’t all positive. Some things you can only see when

> “looking back” and with a little more light.

Tim: I believe you. While I never had direct contact with Mr. Howard, I corresponded several times with J____ I'm not sure what her position was, but I liked her. She seemed to like me because I came across as sincere to her, and she did grouse some about the group. Insincere students, manipulative students, and so on.

Since the inner _does_ determine the outer, I expect any group of humans to display some pathological group dynamics.

So it goes - just more to be aware of and learn from, I guess. Still, it must have been a wonderful experience to be there :-)

> There is only so much any teacher, even a Christ or Buddha, can do.

> The nature of human beings includes the tendency to put others on pedestals.

> It limits what we could learn. Some say this is necessary for “beginners”

> but I now question this.

Tim: "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him." Seriously, of all the authors I've read, I think Krishnamurti wrote most clearly on this particular topic. Paraphrasing, yes, a true teacher can point the way, and if you do your part by following instructions, as best you can, great. But to go on to praise the teacher as the greatest of men (etc) is plainly foolish. Love the destination, not the map.

But I don't know. I have yet to meet anyone in person with real interest in these matters, and my few attempts to get others interested bore no fruit (except to teach me, the hard way, that nothing useful can come of it unless _they_ express real interest first).

So I have no direct experience of relationships between true spiritual teachers and students. I don't see any use for putting anyone else on pedestal - except, perhaps, to the extent that it may be a step in the direction of acknowledging that _something_ far higher than my present nature exists, and is _possible_ for a human to experience. But even then not a step _purely_ in the right direction. A step at an angle to the goal, moving closer in one dimension but farther away in another. Surely it would be better to move directly toward the goal?

>If you have the time and/or inclination, here is an advanced study of the subject. The author has his cultural lense, but the insights he conveys are truly precious. Amazon.com: Sufi Lighthouse - Illuminating Spiritual Abuse. (See link above)

Tim: Thank you for the link! I always had a fascination with televangelists, and think I developed a keen sense for snake oil hucksters at a young age - LOL ;-) Reading that book will be right up an old alley for me.

Please let me close by thanking you for all the resources you make available at the SuperWisdom sites! They've been a true joy and inspiration to me. I wandered off the path for many years, and it's so refreshing to hear you and Fred discuss these matters freely and informally. It rekindled a spark in me I feared may have died. Of course that's priceless.

Best wishes,

Tim

Comment on #181: Christ and the Divine River - the 80/20 Principle Applied to the Inner Life

2011-10-10T14:56:59Z

Thanks so much for this wonderful reminder. If only I had you two perched, one on each of my shoulders, constantly reminding me of these priceless truths and bringing me back and back again to the river of now. I wonder if you might do something on how to remember to be aware, moment to moment. Apart from getting someone to follow me around with a cattle prod all day, I need something to counteract my inability to stay "awake" for more than a few moments. And then, when I do manage to snap out of my stupor, I spoil it anyway by a combination of "How long can I make it last?" anxiety - which is completely not the spirit, I know - and a kind of "Look at me, Mummy, I'm being spiritual and getting it right" self-satisfaction - again, totally off beam. Often I feel like Prince Rilian in C.S. Lewis's "The Silver Chair", under the sorceress who would seize his kingdom's evil spell. But I know the sorceress in this case is all too me. Any tips on eluding my own desire to spend my life asleep would be more than gratefully received.

Comment on #179: Money and the Meaning of Life - A Liberating Discussion on a Sensitive Subject

2011-07-26T17:41:28Z

Dear Tom and Fred, This was a invigorating podcast. What I was hearing from my heart, during the podcast, was value. Society attacks those who wish to live by their own energy. I have wasted a lot of energy trying to follow their ideas about success and what is valuable. Here, I must concur with Jijo about these life-long, learned insecurities. For those of us who have many "talens," these insecurities seem to worsen and are not being properly expressed. They worsen becaused I have been misled and have placed everything as a competition. Thank you for providing a greater platform for expounding what comes naturally and creating a more visionary perspective on money and the true values of life. I would like to thank Gina for her question. Keep playing music. Randall

Comment on #179: Money and the Meaning of Life - A Liberating Discussion on a Sensitive Subject

2011-07-25T16:22:12Z

Tom and Fred, this is a tremendous topic with endless connections!

I read Jacob Needleman’s “Money and the Meaning of Life” fairly recently and I also concur with your recommendation. It has many insights on this vast topic.

A couple things stand out from the book; the first is the story of King Solomon. I would go into it, but I think it would be better if it was read from the book itself. Did you have any thoughts about the old Legend of King Solomon?

The other part that really stood out to me was when one of Prof. Needleman’s students shared and insight. He had instructed his class to observe themselves when they made their purchases and were in the process of shopping. Well one of his students (a female) said she was fighting with her husband about a shopping spree and all the money she spent when in the midst of the argument she realized what she was doing. She remembered for example when she bought one of the belts she was thinking this will make me look younger and more dangerous. She started realizing that she was trying to cover up insecurities. The purchasing of clothing was a temporary fix to a deeper problem that only insight and awareness could heal.

This made me think very deeply about my own hang ups and insecurities that have been put on my throughout my life; I was not born with the hang ups so why did I keep carrying them? The retailers want us consumers weak, asleep and insecure so we waste our dollars on worthless merchandise. The light of consciousness is the only way out.

Anyway thank you again for the great pod cast and by the length of this comment you can tell it is a topic that touches me deeply.

Jijo

Comment on #178: Sex and Spirituality - The Wondrous World of Relationships Part 2

2011-07-20T17:37:41Z

Tom and Fred, This was an incredible podcast. So many of us, growing up, did not have the freedom and gentle instruction about sex, maturity and Love. We missed out on some things, but through you helpful insights, we are gaining momentum in the areas. I am, personally, much older in life, but I am finding that age really has nothing to do with wanting and obtaining wholesomeness and love. Sincerely, Randall

Comment on #176: Centering Back to the Supreme Source - A Treasury of Metaphors and Analogies

2011-04-11T14:30:48Z

Tom and Fred,

Podcast #176 rang so true that it provided an opportunity to rise above comment or process. Thank you,

Randall