Lovely Discourse!

And congratulations for getting this blog published in a book form.

much love, Rohit

Dear Jasjit.. please do not submit any of my writing in this blog, to the book? Should I have known this book-form would have happened, I would not have opened up so disclosingly on some topics here.

thanks, EM me if theres a problem with my request.

North

Dear North

Don't worry the book is publishing the articles and not the comments. If any comments are to be included ( which is yet to be decided)they will be few and we will exclude any of yours which are too personal. SO rest assured.

Thanks Jasjit; should you want to use any of my comments, please EM me first?

spiritnorth@hotmail.com

But first, congratulations; what a huge achievement be-fruited from the efforts of all of you contributors, on this blog!!

You are all truly amazing women/men; and your topics have been absolutely marvelous, to take part in.

I have learned more than I probably realize from each one of you, this past year... my gratitude always, is yours,

North

Thanks Rohit and North for your warm words.

love

Thank you very much for those great words of wisdom from Osho. I loved the sketch of him beside the title. His eyes are so big, beautiful and mesmerizing.

At am impressionable young age, all I heard about Osho were scandals and accusations, distracting me from listening to his great words and teaching. Now that his physical form has passed on, what remains for us to consider are his words. And how easily the chaff and grain separate. How with every passing year his words are greater and more precious to a journeyman. Such a clear and simple exposition of the strength of self respect and pride and the morass of ego. Thanks again for highlighting this.

Dear Vedant

What greater example of the human ego than the fact that every Master in his/her time is judged/rejected/ridiculed and it is only after his body has disappeared that the human mind can be tamed enough to pay heed to the words. Before that it is all about competing with the man/woman in their times, looking for flaws and shooting holes in their wisdom. Like Osho said disciplehood is difficult because you can never stop comparing yourself to the Master and will go to any lengths to reject and disparage him/her. Even today many go on and on about how scandalous his life/teachings were etc when they have neither been witness to any of their accusations nor have they really read him in any depth.

That is why a Master's love and compassion is called truly unconditional for in the face of such diatribe he/she continues to share and love with such ease.

Dear Jasjit.. good points; and I often wondered the same, for poets/authors/celebrity... how, in life they are mediocerly recognised; after death, they are immortalized.

What is our obsession with dearly departed sages; not embraced when living?

How strange, that death becomes a sword of power... from beyond.

North

Dear Jasjit,

Thank you, first, for such a beautiful sketch of the Master. And for a wonderful post, just the right recipe to keep oneself from scattering in what was a very difficult day - when the shadow of the ego was stalking hard and fast, and the mind roiled in anger and turbulence. Absolutely fascinating, that help comes from the Master, from the teacher, within moments of remembering and hearing that inner voice.

To share a little bit of what I read as the mind wrestled with myriad pictures - this post calmed me within minutes and the excerpts I share here, (from Osho's Zen Tarot) returned me back to silence and calm.

"Beyond mind, there is an awareness that is intrinsic, that is not given to you by the outside, and is not an idea -- and there is no experiment up to now that has found any center in the brain which corresponds to awareness. The whole work of meditation is to make you aware of all that is "mind" and disidentify yourself from it. That very separation is the greatest revolution that can happen to man.
Now you can do and act on only that which makes you more joyous, fulfills you, gives you contentment, makes your life a work of art, a beauty. But this is possible only if the master in you is awake. Right now the master is fast asleep. And the mind, the servant, is playing the role of master. And the servant is created by the outside world, it follows the outside world and its laws.
Once your awareness becomes a flame, it burns up the whole slavery that the mind has created. There is no blissfulness more precious than freedom, than being a master of your own destiny."

Osho from the False to the Truth Chapter 7

"Unless you drop your personality you will not be able to find your individuality. Individuality is given by existence; personality is imposed by the society. Personality is social convenience.

Society cannot tolerate individuality, because individuality will not follow like a sheep. Individuality has the quality of the lion; the lion moves alone. The sheep are always in the crowd, hoping that being in the crowd will feel cozy. Being in the crowd one feels more protected, secure. If somebody attacks, there is every possibility in a crowd to save yourself. But alone? - only the lions move alone.

And every one of you is born a lion, but the society goes on conditioning you, programming your mind as a sheep. It gives you a personality, a cozy personality, nice, very convenient, very obedient. Society wants slaves, not people who are absolutely dedicated to freedom. Society wants slaves because all the vested interests want obedience."

Osho: One Seed Makes the Whole Earth Green

In thanksgiving, remembrance and love... for the lights and signposts on the path and the Amazing Grace that manifests in each moment...

love
S

Dear North

I guess firstly much of the recognition in hindsight comes from the power of nostalgia. The way we love to romanticize even our own pasts. Nostalgia is proof of how we love to eulogize what is gone, even dress it up to be that which it may not be and always judge our present in its reflection. Ideal way to never connect to the present and always find it wanting.

As for Master's, their wisdom and their lives it is our inability to 'accept' Grace and divinity which makes us particularly violent and aggressive towards them while they live. Precisely because the world is our mirror the Master is more so that. It is our fear/disgust of our own manipulative selves/ego/stubborness/depravity that we cannot help but reflect it on to the Master. Why so? because he/she threatens our comnfort zone (i.e the murky playground for our mind/ego)so the violence of the ego has to be turned onto the Master.

The most telling sign is that those who are closest to an enlightened mind/soul almost always niether acknowledge nor recognize the being (particularly family/friends and often even so called followers). Once again if you look closely you can see that their derision actually couches their fear of not wanting to accept that the one whom they have also seen as vulnerable and flawed has now won his/her battle and transcended that (illusory mind) which they fear to even engage with. The anger at their own inability to open the door of truth turns into a resistance/derision of him/her who is so close, observable and evident too.

Ultimately my dear it is nothing but singular and collective expressions of the irate ego. :)

Dear Sukanya

In choosing and connecting some of the most incisive and powerful words of Osho you reflect how deeply this post and his being have influenced you. It also mirrors how this comment has come directly from your heart. I feel like celebrating your victory (and you know what I mean) and of course hugging you warmly.

Much love

Dear Jasjit,

That was a wonderful and inspiring extract from Osho. One can never get tired of reading it because everytime you read it the feeling of gratitude for being a part of this wonderful Universe fills you and as this feeling grows the ego dissolves away more and more and what takes its place is an overwhelming feeling of warm affection for the self.

Sukanya, how are you? Hey thanks for the extract. Personality and indviduality -what a brilliant distinction Osho has made between the two. I vote for individuality for that is where our real personality lies.

Dear Jasjit,

It all comes from the Divine Grace; I didn't do a bean - either choose or connect, the grace brings it to us as part of the blessings each day, all one needs to do is to turn to it and open oneself with faith and honesty. Does that make sense? Just like the tremendous blessing that was given to me to help turn around and begin the inner journey - the help and guidance that continues to come from you, from this blog. Each day, each moment tests me, the shadows stalk continuosly, the pressure almost never lets up and fear challenges one all the time. Yet, each day is beautiful, each moment in itself brings so much that one can only wonder..

"There is no blissfulness more precious than freedom, than being a master of your own destiny.."

No words can describe it, nor can gratitude be expressed adequately, except possibly just melting into constant awe and wonderment. For nothing explains it all. See this - This is from the message today:

"You are not accidental. Existence needs you. Without you something will be missing in existence and nobody can replace it. That's what gives you dignity, that the whole existence will miss you. The stars and sun and moon, the trees and birds and earth - everything in the universe will feel a small place is vacant which cannot be filled by anybody except you.

This gives you a tremendous joy, a fulfillment that you are related to existence, and existence cares for you. Once you are clean and clear, you can see tremendous love falling on you from all dimensions.

Osho God is Dead: Now Zen is the Only Living Truth

Could it be more amazing? Thank you, and all I pray for now is that I never ever again lose sight or the feel of this, inspite of all the times that I slip and fall, despite all my lapses.. May I never forget what all of you and the blog have brought into my life..

love

s

Dear Sukanya

That is the whole point. When we surrender to the Truth of Grace, its omnipresence and as OSho repeteadly reminds us, that we MATTER to Grace then we don't really need to do a 'bean' as you say. It happens! all happens! the connectivity the learning, the abundance of messages around us to help us course correct and the love with which we are relentlessly guided. Imagine all that getting lost and found and getting lost again only to be finally found...nothing but the play, reminding us that when we are part of the cosmos how can we ever get lost..where is there to go...so what is the great fear?

Trust the love and design which guides you and every moment of fear, failing and falling will be replaced by the wonder of the trajectory.

love and blessings

Hi Chaitali,

Thanks, I am well. As always, love being on the blog, its like my virtual sanctuary. You all just make it better every day. Have been reading quietly all along through the months, as my own work moves, the blog continues to work its magic.

thanks and love
sukanya

So it is, Jasjit. One is not "afraid" any more, the Grace makes sure that wonderment never ceases, and all else fades into oblivion. . The Master ensures the connectivity, the medium, the teacher - all is as it should be..Thank you

Dear Jasjit & Sukanya,

I'm enjoying this thread & posts of both of you very much.

It's a kind of being in an e-commune. ; - )

much love, Rohit

Ah Rohit yes the joy of an e-commune is a great gift to us all. What blessed times we live in where a simple click of the mouse opens up wonderous vistas. :)

Jasjit, thanks for the response.. sorry it took me a while to return. Been doing some "designing" and time-pressed, to visit all my favorite blogs!!

Ego, ego... I often contemplate on why/how we developed such a deceptive self-tool?

Inherent with the human spirit some say; others say, a mutation of the spirit(I do.)

What happened to Mieke and Harb? They were posting here regularly, then fell off the map.

Love,
North

Hi North

Hmmm...why the ego. Let me try and share my understanding. Firstly let us begin with the premise that NOTHING in the world is without reason, thus part of the cosmic design and sanction. In fact all is part of an acutely brilliant mechanism (of awesome scientific precision)which we can and do call Intelligent Design.

Within that, the ego has a very specific/powerful/integral role. It comprises identity and identification for the journey that we take on in the body. It sets parameters of who we are both inside and outside, helps us create boundaries within a sea of human and other life forms and within that sharpen the tools and intentions for our particular drama/role in a given lifetime. Externally it is the trigger for identities like family, community, religion and nationality too. Ego is say a system which codes identities and within that, then it is mathematical that when we include something we have to exclude too. At that level you can see why everything- family, religion, race, community all end up becoming for most such an exclusive space that they exploit, denigrate, manipulate, violate and even kill to protect such identities.

Internally ego is a protective covering. Here too it works on a slightly different principle. All hurts, violations, suppressions etc experienced by our heart (largely and specifically in childhood) teach us protection through the ego. We reject, fear, mistrust, use anger, aggression etc to shut out the possibility of hurt. the victim psyche and its manipulative ways are the most powerful underlying levels of the ego which is instinctively protecting its turf-the heart which fears pain and rejection.

Therefore you will find that underlying the most egotistical/aggressive mind is a very fearful heart. A heart which has genuine reason (always rooted in childhood experiences and perceptions hence the inner child is the only way to heal)to feel that it will be rejected and damaged in myriad ways. The powerful ego scientifically protects a deeply hurt psyche.

Why do we not let go of the ego? Precisely because the mind which has nurtured and created this ego keeps telling us- I protect you! if you let go of me then you will be detsroyed by all the others around you. Thus a spiritual path is nothing but the attempt to heal the heart, infuse it with faith in Grace and its protection and invoke a powerful rebirth of your inner wisdon/divinity which will have the strength to love and validate itself in the face of any/all external oppression. Only then does the ego disappear totally for it has no reason left to be. Like Osho says in this post, self-respect and pride are in fact antidotes for the ego because they are rooted in witnessing the wonder and power within, coming home to that truth and freeing yourself of the negativity and crassness of all the messages that the external world has given to wreck your self-esteem....especially from loved ones like parents, siblings and lovers.

All aggression and violence comes from a raging ego under which lies a raging heart, bleeding helplessly. That is why merely following God/religion/chants/meditations/virtuous principles etc have limited effect. One must find the root to healing the individual pain first and then the illusory mind (in which rests the belligerent self-protective ego) becomes clear and easy to tame.

Hating the ego, judging and suppressing it can never work. Embracing all within you and understanding its roots is the only way. So what I work with is helping people to go beyond the sacred and profane- stop judging the ego as a horrendous demon which they have been cursed with, for in doing so they will never be able to either find its roots nor purge it. Accept your ego, see it in clarity and then you will find the vision of its roots and they lie in your scars. Instead of glaring at the ego, tend deeply to the scars and all will come together as it should.

Sorry its a bit long :)
love

Hi North, Hi Jasjit,

I am here North lol, still reading and learning from this most interesting site :) Investigating my own ego :)

Jasjit, i got hold of the video of Ingmar Bergman, Autumn Sonata this week. Am going to watch it this weekend if i can. Will be back at you somewhere next week :)

See you again within short.

Dear Jasjit; that was the most splendid explanation! I am exactly on that road/path this past year. Though, I have many scars to tend to; I do so with an awareness, of being open to undig, the almost undiggable deep roots. I have had plenty to dig. But, I have always enjoyed gardening, and take on the task, with anticipation of a one day, rootless; fruitful journey of self-love, as the constant gardner.

Dear Mieke, enjoy your investigations; and your creativity, glad to hear you are still here... lol

North

Hi Mieke

Glad you found the film, you will love it. look forward to hearing what you think of it. :)

Dear North

Actually if you have a friend who has a DVD you too should borrow a copy of Autumn Sonata and view it. I know it will move and heal you deeply for many things will resonate with you and it is the most brilliant portrayl of how deeply a mother/daughter relationship carves the pysche. The film is made by Ingmar Bergmen and stars Liv Ullman and Ingrid Bergmen. I think it's the last film of both the Bergmens and was released some 25 yrs ago.

Meanwhile dig away joyously for you have the tools, the will and the courage to find freedom.:)
love

The movie sounds fab; and I know for a fact, many of my crippling-roots, are motherly-seeded. She does have a way, of making me feel "small"

Thanks, will see if i can find it here....we don't even have a book store! lol

North

Hi North,

If you are not able to find the movie, i will send you my dvd after watching it.

Much love,
Mieke

To explain a bit further, i got hold of a Swedish version with English titling through the Internet, so you are able to watch it too.

Perhaps you can then, after seeing it give it to a friend of yours or someone in your own family and they can pass it on, and so on :)

Dear Jasjit and North,

I have seen the movie Autumn Sonata yesterday. Synchronistically on the first of September, the day autumn starts here in our part of the world :)

It moved me deeply and naturally brought back a lot of memories that brought the tears in my eyes and still do while writing this.

I sat quietly for quite a while after watching the movie. What to do with all those feelings, just let them be. Then i remembered a poem that was once posted on Intent Blog. I looked it up and read it again and to me it explained it all once again :)

So hereunder:

People are often unreasonable
illogical and self-centred;
forgive them anyway

If you are kind, people might accuse you
of selfish ulterior motives;
be kind anyway

If you are successful you will win
some false friends and some true enemies;
succeed anyway

If you are honest and frank
people may cheat you;
be honest and frank anyway

What you spent years building
Someone could destroy overnight;
build anyway

If you find serenity and happiness
they may be jealous;
be happy anyway

The good you do today
people will often forget tomorrow;
do good anyway

Give the world the best you have
and it may never be enough;
give the world the best you´ve got anyway

You see, in the final analysis
it is between you and God;
it never was between you and them anyway.

Anonymous

HI Meike, et al,

Awesome poem, Mieke!! I will see if I can get the english version of the movie here.. if not, I'll take you up on your offer of the sub-titled one(wink.)

North

Oke North, hope you are able to find it.
Otherwise always welcome :)

Have a nice weekend all

Dear Mieke

The poem is beautiful and without your words you have been able to express how deeply and at how many levels the film journeyed through you. It is a masterpiece and then Bergman was a rare one in being able to scrape beneath the most subtle layers of intimacy, emotion and relationships. I saw this film when I was in my early 20s and it had moved me so much that I had started a list of my 10 favourite films and of course it topped. recently someone gifted me a copy and I watched it all over again. Only this time its brilliance and truth hit me at an entirely different level.

How deeply a mother carves her child, especially the self-esteem that we carry and how then that self carries our whole life was profoundly captured.

love

the problem is, mieke, that your world (of course likewise each one of us) exactly represents something by which you are as of now less than God or One or whatever you call it. then by continuously giving to and taking from it, even by "creative, corresponding dialogue" with it as i call it in my book in other words, finally you come in complete correspondence with it, annihilating both it and yourself in the process. What again remains then is God or One or what you call it.

hi north! i am here - here, there and everywhere and so nowhere lol.

Dear Jasjit,

Thanks for your comment. As is always with timeless movies and timeless books, when you see or read them again after a while you always gain other insights :)

And i agree with your last paragraph but i guess you understand too that there are many facets that can also carve deeply in your soul. For instance the relationship father - daughter, even father-in-law versus daughter-in-law, to mention just a few that i had to deal with.

In the period that I was in the beginning of my twenties we indeed lived in a very patriarchal society and i must say that my father and mother were very progressive for their time. But still i remember one remark from my father when i went to live on my own during that same period against their will:
"Do not come back with a fat belley (pregnant)"

Now if that does not put you in a square prison box and carves your soul.... At least it did this to me. But as i was very frank to my father and mother we talked this over and after a few weeks we were living on a friendly level again.

But that was not the case with my father-in-law, he just humiliated me in such a way that i now still have the scars on my soul. But that is such a long story that i will not bother you with it. It does not bother me either anymore. That is the advantage of getting older :) Let it be...

Just to tell you how i got wise through experience and how i believe everyone does in the course of his or her lifetime.

love

Dear Harb,

Great to read a comment from you again here :)

Of course you are right and this creative corresponding dialogue (in its many expressions) has helped me a lot during my lifetime and then when you look back at it as a whole, you remember those highlights and say to yourself: "life isn´t that bad at all" :)

Cheers!

mieke, hello, you are now in a one long aha moment!

your above post reminds me of a small poem which sprung from nowhere in my mind yesterday:

jo beeti so vadhia beeti
jo beetegi so vadhia beetegi
jo beet rahi hai us nun kion gavaie
aa peg laie

[what has passed was good
what is yet to pass will be good too
why waste what is passing
let us drink to/celebrate it]

so cheering back!!!

Hi Mieke

Here's another film of Bergman that I think will strike a powerful chord. Don't know why it came to mind for you but then it must be synchronicity. It's called Scenes from A Marriage. Amazingly stark film, terse and with a knife like intensity. I remember when I saw it many years ago I could not fathom how a film with no sets, outdoor locations or other characters (except a husband and wife in dialogue) could capture it all so powerfully and completely. Hope you find it.

Love

Hi Jasjit,

I will go and see if i can find that one too.
Thanks :)

Dear Jasjit,

Found it! Have ordered it but they did not have it in store. Will take between two weeks and a month.
In the meantime i have already read some reviews. Looks very heavy lol

Love

Mieke Great that you found it. As for it being heavy...well yes I guess all really turgid, subtle selves must appear 'heavy' but I guess when one's awareness has understood distance, then strangely the drama at play before you unravles truth and depth in a refreshing way. I guess because the emotional self does not get entangled with the object one is watching there is a general feeling of heightening awareness and 'freedom' at a whole new level. So no, I don't think you will find it heavy at all, in fact it will just open some windows and light up some shadows quite effortlessly and you will have as Harb said another wonderful 'aha' moment. I think :)

Thanks Jasjit, you are probably right :)

Will certainly be back to tell you about it!