tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3719024566754743654.post4564002216906420190..comments2009-02-18T09:39:05.301-05:00mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10978313265796058909noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3719024566754743654.post-78195511863591497632009-02-18T09:39:00.000-05:002009-02-18T09:39:00.000-05:00Hey Duff,<BR/><BR/>Great Comments. I'm currently set to post some ideas on this concept referred to as 'permanent enlightenment' since I believe that an ego-self in pursuit of such a concept can only engage permanent suffering.<BR/>Very true. All the games seem to adhere to the same hierarchical paradigm of learning and stages and states of learning. I am aware of the "therapy game" since as a licensed psychotherapist I play by those rules (but not too seriously). I suppose the question is can one achieve the outcomes desired by going outside the paradigm of hierarchical learning? Or make up one's own rules to playing that game? Hmmm.....<BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/>mikeSMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10978313265796058909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3719024566754743654.post-22940799217973981972009-02-18T09:30:00.000-05:002009-02-18T09:30:00.000-05:00Hey Crazy!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the kind words. Yes, clearly, any "awakening" or "enlightenment" must occur with one or more. I truly believe that enlightenment is with and through others. Individual experiences are fine, but Truth (cap T) is for the many and can never be 'realized' by the one. <BR/>More on that in future posts<BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/>mikeSMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10978313265796058909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3719024566754743654.post-91807068586825217152009-02-18T00:14:00.000-05:002009-02-18T00:14:00.000-05:00I've done Big Mind with Genpo Roshi on an Integral Life Practice weeklong course that I attended back when I worked for Integral Institute.<BR/><BR/>The process was pretty good, but I certainly didn't get any sort of permanent enlightenment from it. It wasn't that memorable for me really as an experience, to tell you the truth.<BR/><BR/>I got more out of the ego voices than the higher voices, and would have preferred one-on-one to a group format, or a format that involved switching off as facilitator.<BR/><BR/>Genpo Roshi struck me as a kind-hearted, honest man who had truly gained some deep enlightenment. Now I recognize that many people have done so, and many are very ordinary humble people outside of traditional Buddhist hierarchical lineages.<BR/><BR/>The process didn't seem to me to require any transmission from some enlightened dude in order to facilitate effectively. The hierarchy seems to me to be disempowering and continues to further the competitive, finite enlightenment game, as you mention.<BR/><BR/>If we truly desire enlightenment for all beings, then our methods must empower all beings to do it for themselves with as little instruction and complication as necessary.<BR/><BR/>I did not have a big, dramatic enlightenment experience with Big Mind, although other people reported wonderful experiences. Unfortunately, like most seminars, there was no followup. There was also a host of other experimental techniques, making effectiveness impossible to identify.<BR/><BR/>I find the Core Transformation process I work with now both more effective (at least intuitively and from what I've experienced with myself and about 20 clients), more practical (it aims to change specific unwanted emotions and behaviors), and more empowering (seminars involve trading off facilitation in pairs, thus teaching you to be your own guru). It's no panacea either, but it's better.<BR/><BR/>I also don't care for Bill Harris's hyped-up marketing. I purchased Holosync way back when, and got on an endless stream of marketing hype sent to my mailbox every week. Personally, I see his style of marketing (which wasn't invented by him, but by our culture of separation) as an obstacle to enlightenment.<BR/><BR/>I also agree with the critique of the finite enlightenment game in this post, at least in terms of needing credentials or to be a lineage holder to be enlightened.<BR/><BR/>I saw Dr. Sha speak tonight in Boulder. He's like the Chinese Tony Robbins of Soul Healing. He's obviously motivated to help others heal, but just as obviously manipulates others to give him more money. He said that if you buy one book, he'll sign it; if you buy two books, he'll sign them and give you a 5 second soul healing. As if there's something wrong with your Soul's ability to heal itself! As if Dr. Sha has some magic power that you do not or could not have! This is just as much nonsense as Catholic priests having a closer connection to God than the average peasant, and the reason for the Protestant Reformation.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, this critique of the enlightenment game is also a critique of the academic game (to be correct or intelligent you must be recognized and have gone through a Ph.D. program, etc.), the therapy game (to be helpful to another human being you must have gone through extensive schooling, have an office with 50 minute sessions, speak the right jargon, etc.), the criminal justice game, and many, many more games we play.<BR/><BR/>Keep going deeper with this critique. I like the direction it's headed. But ask it about other areas of life and culture as well.<BR/><BR/>For example, selling food is in many ways MUCH worse than selling spirituality. Food used to be free and totally abundant. It was a sacred act to find food, cook it, and feed another human being (or animal). Now it is totally desacralized. Etc. etc.<BR/><BR/>None of us are free from this deeper critique, spiritual teacher or not.Duffhttp://precisionchange.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3719024566754743654.post-25734987951294252112009-02-16T10:23:00.000-05:002009-02-16T10:23:00.000-05:00Thank you always for these wonderful musings about ego and enlightenment!<BR/><BR/>I was thinking: there's a phrase that goes something like, 'May I be enlightened so that I may help all sentient beings.' That means that our priorities should be helping people first, enlightenment second. In other words, as long as we are helping people we must be on the right path, tingly enlightenment buzz or no. Oooh I love that tingling feeling too, but if we get our priorities backwards we could end up becoming enlightened villains.<BR/><BR/>You're spot on Mike, keep up the good work (and don't let this comment get to your ego's ears)!Crazy Pianisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06475090983026326458noreply@blogger.com