Topic: By~Jack Kornfield

[Jennifer-]

Morality as taught by way of rules is extremely powerful and valuable in the development of practice. It must be remembered that it, like all the techniques in meditation, is merely a tool to enable one to eventually get to that place of unselfishness where morality and wisdom flow naturally. In the West, there's a myth that freedom means free expression--that to follow all desires wherever they take one is true freedom. In fact, as one serves the mind, one sees that following desires, attractions, repulsions is not at all freedom, but is a kind of bondage. A mind filled with desires and grasping inevitably entails great suffering. Freedom is not to be gained through the ability to perform certain external actions. True freedom is an inward state of being. Once it is attained, no situation in the world can bind one or limit one's freedom. It is in this context that we must understand moral precepts and moral rules.

[Jennifer-]

In spiritual life there is no room for compromise. Awakening is not negotiable; we cannot bargain to hold on to things that please us while relinquishing things that do not matter to us. A lukewarm yearning for awakening is not enough to sustain us through the difficulties involved in letting go. It is important to understand that anything that can be lost was never truly ours, anything that we deeply cling to only imprisons us.

[Nichi]

If we do a little of one kind of practice and a little of another, the work we have done in one often doesn't continue to build as we change to the next. It is as if we were to dig many shallow wells instead of one deep one. In continually moving from one approach to another, we are never forced to face our own boredom, impatience, and fears. We are never brought face to face with ourselves. So we need to choose a way of practice that is deep and ancient and connected with our hearts, and then make a commitment to follow it as long as it takes to transform ourselves.

Jack Kornfield

[Michael]

Awakening is not negotiable

I was attracted to this quote. Julie has Jack's CDs so I probably should take a few with me on my Newcastle trip on Sunday.

The reason this quote caught my eye, is because I saw Decadence last night - a doco on Western Civilisation's demise.

It is quite good, in it's own rambling way - by an Indian actually which is curious. In the film, someone commented on, "The American Way is not negotiable" with agreement, but went further, and said, "It's never been about negotiation, it's coercion."

And so I believe is Awakening - in the final analysis, it's not a negotiation.

[Firestarter]

Morality as taught by way of rules is extremely powerful and valuable in the development of practice. It must be remembered that it, like all the techniques in meditation, is merely a tool to enable one to eventually get to that place of unselfishness where morality and wisdom flow naturally. In the West, there's a myth that freedom means free expression--that to follow all desires wherever they take one is true freedom. In fact, as one serves the mind, one sees that following desires, attractions, repulsions is not at all freedom, but is a kind of bondage. A mind filled with desires and grasping inevitably entails great suffering. Freedom is not to be gained through the ability to perform certain external actions. True freedom is an inward state of being. Once it is attained, no situation in the world can bind one or limit one's freedom. It is in this context that we must understand moral precepts and moral rules.

This is excellent. I have him on the shelf somewhere. "True freedom is an inward state of being."

This is why in the here and now, in 2024, there has been prior, a darkness trying to capture folks in their inner. Its not so easy. Now getting to manipulate people outwardly in action or give them pause yes. But a mind which is free to roam and question, THAT has not been so easy to bridle. But now the walls are closing in on the endgame. To hold humanity hostage at their inner self. We have various forces coming with microchips, and this "uploading consciousness to the cloud" and a promise of immortality will be made an offer. And the various twists, but once the "agreement" is made for any human, be it whatever promise that could benefit them, such as supreme intelligence or defeating karma and living a dream world afterlife. They will be enslaved by that dark force. Consciousness captured. The inner world hijacked. The third eye owned once and for all. The connection to spirit lost.

Now course, could it even go that far, or will the divine intervene to stop the ultimate enslavement? That is what we are looking toward at this point. The subtle slaverly has been going on for years. We stepped into The Matrix and interacted. The WWW got sticky and they removed the prior name "world wide web" so the snare would be forgotten by many. But now, as many plugged in, can they get out in time before its too late?

[Firestarter]

In spiritual life there is no room for compromise. Awakening is not negotiable; we cannot bargain to hold on to things that please us while relinquishing things that do not matter to us. A lukewarm yearning for awakening is not enough to sustain us through the difficulties involved in letting go. It is important to understand that anything that can be lost was never truly ours, anything that we deeply cling to only imprisons us.

Its ALL or NOTHING.

[Dorama no Hiroin]

I gave up pretty much everything and have nothing. Perhaps I am not meant for anything so that's why I got nothing.

[Firestarter]

There is a certain point after losing some stuff, we lose fear. I once lost KIDS. Thats the ultimate fear of any struggling mother. Now all is well now. But back then it was pure unadulterated hell I was in. But now? One thing about it. Im not necessarily afraid to lose things. Lose job, or stuff, or place to live. I dont fear it. I dont want it! But if Im facing an obstacle with losing something, I dont buckle with fear. I already suffered the worst. But I was able to manuever long ago, help get the kids in their dads care. The main move I had to save them from a much worse fate. That actually got them their freedom, for the most part. So she didnt win, in the end. But no matter. Sometimes spirit will strip us so we lose fear. Did you ever see V for Vendetta? He did the same with her.

God is in the Rain.