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It is much more obvious in the traditions of the East, but given that non-duality and the whole matter of Spiritual Masters was (is) not so readily accepted in the West, I imagine any Transmission function of a Spiritual Master or Adept or Saint was hidden much more in the West. That is what I meant when I said most Christians exoterics would frown upon this notion - just like they tend to relative to even considering Jesus a Spiritual Master, even though he is called master by his disciples!
Originally posted by dominicus
reply to post by bb23108
Yeah that's a rough one, I'd have to go back through alot of books or do some more research on that one. I figured the Transmitter's were/are a rarity. Many of the testimonies of the Enlightened One's that I've read, the Spirit came to them in solitude at it's own time/discretion .....so off the top of the head, can't name too many.
Will look into it.
Originally posted by bb23108
It is much more obvious in the traditions of the East, but given that non-duality and the whole matter of Spiritual Masters was (is) not so readily accepted in the West, I imagine any Transmission function of a Spiritual Master or Adept or Saint was hidden much more in the West. That is what I meant when I said most Christians exoterics would frown upon this notion - just like they tend to relative to even considering Jesus a Spiritual Master, even though he is called master by his disciples!
Originally posted by dominicus
reply to post by bb23108
Yeah that's a rough one, I'd have to go back through alot of books or do some more research on that one. I figured the Transmitter's were/are a rarity. Many of the testimonies of the Enlightened One's that I've read, the Spirit came to them in solitude at it's own time/discretion .....so off the top of the head, can't name too many.
Will look into it.edit on 20-3-2013 by bb23108 because:
Mansur believed in union with the Divine, that God was within him, and that he and God had become one and the same. Mansur was cut into many pieces because in the state of ecstasy he exclaimed Ana Abrar-al Haq "I am the Abrar of truth". He was executed in public in Baghdad. They cut him into pieces and then they burnt his remains. He kept repeating "I am the Truth" as they kept cutting his arms, legs, tongue and finally his head. He was smiling, even as they chopped off his head. Al-Hallaj wanted to testify of this relationship to God to others thus even asking his fellow Muslims to kill him (Massignon, 79) and accepting his execution, saying that "what is important for the ecstatic is for the One to reduce him to oneness. " (Massignon, 87) He also referred to the martyrdom of Christ, saying he also wanted to die "in the supreme confession of the cross" (Olivier Clément. Dio è carita, p. 41) Like Christ, he gave his execution a redemptive significance, believing as he did that his death "was uniting his beloved God and His community of Muslims against himself and thereby bore witness in extremis to the tawhid (the oneness) of both. " (Mason, 25)
However, as rare as these types of spirit transmission masters are in the East, they are seemingly rarer in the West. Assuming Jesus actually was a spirit transmission master, what was his impulse or "plan" for this to be carried on after his physical death?
It is interesting to consider if there was a line of spiritual realizers in Christianity that tried to carry this function of spirit transmission on, or at least that was the plan - but the direct lineage died out because of having to go too underground with these esoteric teachings, perhaps? Was this something the early Gnostics perhaps were charged with doing?
This is why I asked you if there are other examples like Seraphim because without such living examples of realizers, the true essence of any spiritual tradition can soon become replaced by dogmatic institutionalization and so not be based in the founder's heart-intention. On this note, I will look into what that woman you mentioned earlier teaches or speaks of.
To state the obvious, I find this whole matter of Jesus being a Spirit-transmitting master very interesting. I wonder what Seraphim's peers thought about his transmissions! That account I posted earlier sounded like a very intense spiritual transmission.
The trouble with the do it yourself approach tends to be that most aspirants have to do a lot of seeking before finding the Divine, and even then, particularly in the beginning, it is more experiential and temporal, and so fades into memory.
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
If one is graced with a true master who transmits the Divine, then that gift is given from the beginning because such a master wouldn't be able to offer anything less than what he IS. I imagine there were some followers of Jesus who just were gone in him continuously - having seen the Light from the beginning.
Women often seem more open in that way, because men tend to be more competitive, even about spirituality. I imagine there were some women around Jesus utterly ecstatic. There are certainly traditions for this kind of bhakta in the East - utter dependance on Grace.
It sounds like you are saying that Grace is your master in some very real sense.What if you met someone such as Seraphim when you first starting feeling the impulse to realize the Divine?
Your depth of reception would likely have been quickened. Of course during Jesus' times, the spiritual master, especially a true transmitter of the Divine Light, would have to be very discreet, I imagine. But such a one could greatly serve a one-pointed person.
Originally posted by Angle
What if reaching enlightenment is the same as being obedient to God again.
Yes, and this is especially true in Western cultures. However, anyone who learns any art or science is usually taught much of what they know - so this refusal to acknowledge a true spiritual master has more to do with the ego feeling threatened rather than based on some actual intelligent discriminating conclusion.
Originally posted by dominicus
Many people can't/won't have a Master because the Ego refuses to acknowledge that there is someone who is a "Master" of something.
Yes, both men and women have their strengths and weakness, and in fact, when we notice that we are actually both male and female in terms of our energy, and also at core beyond both when it comes to real spiritual transcendence, it doesn't matter. It's just in the beginning there tends to be a difference in orientation generally speaking - women may be able to relate more to feeling Grace directly (being more feeling based) while men may relate to more the insight approach (being more mentally based). Of course, these are just generalities.
Originally posted by dominicus
I had this discussion with a guy I met at a retreat who was also closing in on Enlightenment. He was adamant that women are more wrapped in ego due to looks, status quo, emotional changes due to hormones, and overall more scattered then men. I simply responded for him to look around, as the retreat had more women than men. Personally I think both sides have strengths and weaknesses that can prevent or be optimal towards the path.
Cool story. Is this hermit still out of the public eye?
Originally posted by dominicus
Actually, I was eventually put in touch with a Hermit who lives in South Africa, and I would correspond with him almost daily through e-mail. HE would give me certain advice about Observing the Observer and Resting as Awareness and I wouldn't listen for a quite a while. The ego wanted to figure it out itself and refused to see it itself as an illusion. Eventually I gave in to the advice and it panned out, and then after 3 years of advice he told me he has nothing else to teach me. These days, I'd cling to a Seraphim.
Originally posted by dominicus
Yea but like I said many didn't recognize him and were wrapped in their own "story." I did a thread a while back and asked if a Spiritual Master knocked on your door tomorrow and asked you to follow/learn from but leave behind everything, too many people were like " but my kids, my job, mortgage, business, this that etc" I understand having responsibilities, so it's more aimed at those w/o kids or whose kids are grown and independent, some just still cling too much to let go and follow a Christ
Yes, and this is especially true in Western cultures. However, anyone who learns any art or science is usually taught much of what they know - so this refusal to acknowledge a true spiritual master has more to do with the ego feeling threatened rather than based on some actual intelligent discriminating conclusion.
nd in fact, when we notice that we are actually both male and female in terms of our energy, and also at core beyond both when it comes to real spiritual transcendence, it doesn't matter.
Have you seen any esoteric Christian writings or commentary relative to Adam and Eve that would support the notion that they represent the two aspects of the whole body, with the female principle being the tree of life (the physical body) and the male principle being the tree of knowledge (the mind) - and when the two are fully integrated (not split apart), then Jesus can be realized in the center - i.e., the Heart or the Garden itself?
Cool story. Is this hermit still out of the public eye?
I will have to check that thread out. I figure that if someone truly recognized Jesus as master, they would not be able to help themselves. Of course, these days, we are way more complicated by tendency and might not have the free energy and attention for this recognition to move us to drop everything. Of course, that might not be necessary, as you mentioned at one point, as such practices can be done by householders.
Originally posted by On7a7higher7plane
Originally posted by Angle
What if reaching enlightenment is the same as being obedient to God again.
That sounds like a very appropriate conclusion to me, and to quote you I think you've hit the nail on the head here.
I read a book about some true Buddhist monks that are part of a very long tradition going back entire millennium, and even with their entire lives dedicated towards becoming enlightened only a very small fraction of those monks actually become enlightened masters.
I was just saying that people seem to have no problem accepting a teacher for various studies, etc., but when it comes to realizing the Truth, many people think they can do that on their own, and feel that accepting a Spiritual Master (who has realized the Truth) is wrong.
Originally posted by Angle
reply to post by bb23108
Do you mean teacher with spiritual master? For God masters the teacher. Without God the teacher would not know. mho
A good woman can make a man lose his mind in no time!
Originally posted by dominicus
I think I've seen something similar mentioned in Kabballah but not sure. It would make alot of sense, although most woman are also wrapped in ego/mind these days TBH. It's definitely an interesting principle, especially when you consider that at a certain point you need the mind to realize that the mind is limited and a dead end, and to use its wisdom to find the heart, which is its source. Seen it with my own 2, the Ego/Mind unravel from the heart to take its place in the head upon waking, then returning to the heart in deep sleep.
Originally posted by bb23108
The whole body-mind is truly the only identity that we can rightfully call "I" or "me".
edit on 25-3-2013 by bb23108 because:
The whole body-mind is truly the only identity that we can rightfully call "I" or "me"
Certainly no one has ever seen the internal ego-I, as it is just a moment to moment activity, not an actual entity.
It is only until whole bodily integration is the case (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual) that one can fulfill Jesus' core commandments - otherwise there is a dualism set up in the body-mind itself, like two warring parts - body vs. mind, ascent vs. descent, etc..
Well typically people identify the "I" as inside the body-mind somewhere - some point of awareness that is apart from the whole-body mind.
Originally posted by Angle
Yes, what are those claiming it being different? Just ones trying to bring confusion?
Oh, this just points to a need for me to define my use of these terms better. When I say "I" in reference to the body-mind, I am talking about the "I" we refer to in every day language - not who we actually are. Yes, we are beyond the body-mind truly, but for the sake of communication, it makes the most sense to me to refer to "I" as one's whole body-mind, not some ego principle inside the body-mind.
Originally posted by dominicus
Thta's just something that at this point in my life I cannot fundamentally agree with it. I've seen too many times in Union and Enlightenment experiences that I am not the body or the mind, remember pre-existing prior to any physical body, and have a sitting practice where the mind/thinking is let go of and there is not "mind" so to speak.
I know that people refer to the ego as an entity, but it is better characterized as a moment to moment self-generated activity, imo - one of contraction of feeling and the focusing of attention in separation.
Originally posted by dominicus
I have seen it as an Entity,as not I, as the cause of all problems. It's all over the bible too.
Definitely. Again, the "you" that you (as the body-mind we call dominicus) is referring to here, is beyond the body-mind.
Originally posted by dominicus
But until then, it is vital to see that the mind is not you, the body is ultimately not you either
Yes God becomes Obvious as the Unknown, beyond mind, knowledge, etc. Do you have a favorite book you can recommend on this aspect of the way?
Originally posted by dominicus
That's what the cloud of Unknowing does. Unknow everything, all worldly programming that was put into you, and you including unknowing yourself, and eventually then God will become known