Kundalini Splendor

Hi Dorothy,

We held our first Opening to the Infinite half-day virtual retreat last week and the experience exceeded our highest expectations.

The time we spent in guided practice and discussion electrified us with the unimaginable immediacy of direct awakening and transported us into the timeless recognition that we are already awake.

If anyone had any doubt about the transformative potential of the virtual retreat format, we think it’s safe to say that those doubts dissolved in the face of the shift in consciousness that came alive between us.

Since Opening to the Infinite has now officially begun, we’ve been receiving inquiries as to whether it is still possible to register for the 12-month journey.

So, we’re pleased to let you know that registration will remain open until our first Full Day Retreat Session on Saturday, July 14th.

You can learn more and register here:


Opening to the Infinite: A 12-Month Journey into the Miracle of Awakened Awareness

Because we were all so impacted by our first retreat, we also wanted to share a taste of the retreat experience with our larger community of subscribers. We decided the best way to do that would be to simply share two 6-minute audio recordings from last Saturday’s retreat with you.

You can download these audios or listen online by using the links below:

Audio Clip 1: Embracing The Immensity of Awakening
In this audio, Jeff Carreira invites us to recognize the universal source of consciousness and introduces the biggest opportunity of the Opening to the Infinite program as remaining awake to the Truth of who we are for an entire year.

Audio Clip 2: Beyond the Paradox of Spiritual Practice
In this audio, Craig Hamilton explores the inherent paradox that arises whenever we take up spiritual awakening practices - it can’t take any effort to recognize who we already are but at the same time it takes diligent effort to maintain that delicate awareness.

If the audio clips from Saturday’s retreat resonate with you, you can learn more and register for the entire year-long program at the link below:

Opening to the Infinite: A 12-Month Journey into the Miracle of Awakened Awareness

When you do, you’ll gain instant access to the entire audio from our first half-day retreat--and you’ll be able to join us live for our first daylong retreat in a few weeks.

You’ll also begin receiving our weekly study guides to help you digest the in-depth material we’re sharing in the retreats.

If you decide to come along for this journey of awakening, we look forward to being with you soon.

With Love,
Craig Hamilton & Jeff Carreira

To Be Happy

The wild rose springs up among the weeds. Does it feel guilty about its fragrance? Please, friend, never let anyone make you feel guilty about being happy in this troubled world. To be troubled is the nature of the world. To be happy is the nature of your heart. Happiness is not a privilege, but a birthright. Your happiness costs the world nothing, is not extravagant, exploits no one's labor, wastes no energy. Yet its blossoming can heal the air, the water, the soil. Your joy does not come from the world, yet it suffuses the world with a secret light, and touches other hearts.

Fred LaMotte

Note:  Some site "updated" some of my apps, and since then my internet sites have been totally reconfigured.  I have as a result been unable to access my blog for a few days.  The problem is now fixed, thanks to some good friends.
_______

I have been listening to the love songs of
Form longing for formless.

What are these energies
Undulating through our bodies,
Pulsing us into action?
And this “matter” out of which our forms are made—
What are these dancing particles
Of condensed radiance?

Roche, Lorin. The Radiance Sutras: 112 Gateways to the Yoga of Wonder and Delight (pp. 17-18). Sounds True. Kindle Edition.

I never ceased to be delighted by the gorgeous poetry and profound insights of "The Radiance Sutras."   The text is readily available on Kindle.  It repays constant reading and re-reading.  The above excerpt is very reminiscent of the Buddhist saying "Emptiness is form, form is emptiness."  I love such expressions that tell us we are not mere "matter" but rather we are made of "dancing particles of condensed radiance."  This observation is in line with current quantum theory, which has discovered, finally, that we are indeed not composed of material substance but are energy fields which are in constant movement.  Thus modern science ultimately arrives at the same conclusions that the rishis (wise men) discovered centuries ago.  Where did the rishis gain this knowledge?  Obviously they were divinely inspired and received such information from the heavenly realms. 

Note: I have just learned that "he" has signed an executive order stopping this inhumane practice, because of the massive public protest.   It is reassuring to know that the people can have some effect in shaping public policy.


About the Children

Of all the abominations perpetrated by the present administration, perhaps the worst is the current practice of separating parents from their children.  The latter are then often placed in cages, although the overseers call them instead 'walls made of wire."  This of course is Orwellian in the extreme, for they are indeed cages, with concrete floors.  The children are distraught and the traumatized.  The parents are frantic.  Often they are refugees fleeing countries where their own lives are in danger.  We have always had a policy of accepting those who sought political asylum, once they passed certain vetting procedures.  We now have a policy of sustained cruelty to those who would seek haven and refuge on our shores.

Apparently, there simply is no procedure for uniting parents and offspring, once the separation has taken place.  Sometimes the children are left behind as parents are deported, often facing likely death in their home countries.  Currently, 70 children are thus ripped from their parents daily and incarcerated in these detention camps.  This is what we have come to.  We have been told that those who wish to come here are 'rapists and murderers."  I don't think so.

Our governing agencies are out of control.  Their policies are those of dictators rising to power in a fascist state.  Democracy and decency have been cast aside for a policy of intentional cruelty on all fronts.  Many in positions of authority seem to have traded their souls for blind party loyalty.

Any cursory reading of history reveals how practices currently followed by our present government overseers and many supporters follow the playbook of the dictators and fascist leaders who took over in the last century in various other countries.  Their tactics include constant propaganda aimed at the populace (Fox News), suppression of the press (we see this constantly), takeover of the justice system (ongoing attempts here), and other similar activities.

I am wondering if sadism is part of the makeup of our deranged ruler, the man who would be king.  He and his followers appear to revel in the suffering of others.  Something dangerous and indeed terrifying seems to be rooted in his psyche (obvious narcissism and sociopathic delusion) as well as those who support him.

This is a crisis of huge proportions.  We cannot let our democratic principles including our Bill of Rights to be dismantled by the current regime.  We must do all we can to avert the takeover before it is too late.  It can happen here.

"A Parliament of Poets" by Frederick Glasher

The following book is an astonishment.  In it, the author creates an imaginary collection of earlier poets on the moon.  They are there to expose the fallacies of modern technology that takes away the sacred quality of the moon and other aspects of our world.  To do this, he utilizes a cast of characters well known from literary history and gathered from the many traditions of the world, including the great writers of the Western classics, many major poets of the East, and such additional sources as shamanism of various cultures, including South America and Africa.

The result is a brilliant work by a learned and skillful author who relies on twenty years of dedication to the wisdom literature of the various traditions to set against the materialistic focus of modern science and technology.  He utilizes the form of the classic epic as seen in such master story tellers as Homer and Virgil.  One of his primary symbols is the moon itself, long a favorite love object of poets of all eras, now littered with debris left behind by the astronauts in their scientific explorations of its surface.

He calls his central character simply "the Protagonist" and compares him facetiously to Cervantes' Don Quixote, the foolish knight who went forth on his comical steed to tilt at windmills.  Thus the author is both humorous and profound, for he deals with a topic that is primary to our recovery of the numinous quality of human experience, but does it without meaningless bluster and pomp.

Since I spent years studying the writers of the classical tradition, this literary journey was for me a walk down memory lane.  I enjoyed it immensely for it spoke to many of my own concerns.  Some readers will not relate to the authors he mentions, but I think that they may still gain a great deal from exploring this text.  He reminds us that literacy in the finest sense is a primary element in our human endeavor.

You can sample this volume by looking it up on Amazon and clicking "See inside" there.  You will then have access to a significant portion of the text and get a fuller sense of what this brilliant work is all about.

Some may wonder what this book has to do with Kundalini and spiritual transformation.  For me, it represents a valuable step in the direction of awakening, for such reflections are what we can learn to prepare us for the next level, when feeling and personal experience are paramount as we "make our soul" (Yeats).


The Parliament of Poets: An Epic Poem
by Frederick Glaysher  (Author)

“The dark night descends on a soul only when everything else has failed. When you are no longer the best meditator in the class because your meditation produces absolutely nothing. When prayer evaporates on your tongue and you have nothing left to say to God. When you are not even tempted to return to a life of worldly pleasures because the world has proven empty and yet taking another step through the void of the spiritual life feels futile because you are no good at it and it seems that God has given up on you, anyway.

“This, says John, is the beginning of blessedness! This is the choiceless choice when the soul can do nothing but surrender. Because even if you cannot sense a shred of the Beloved’s love for you, even if you can scarcely conjure up your old passion for him, it has become perfectly clear that you are incapable of doing anything on your own to remedy your spiritual brokenness. All efforts to purge your unspiritual inclinations have only honed the laser of attention on the false self. Unwilling to keep struggling, the soul finds itself surrendering to its deepest inner wound and breathing in the stillness there.

“The only action left to the soul, ultimately, is to put down its self-importance and cultivate a simple loving attention toward the Beloved. That’s when the Beloved takes over and all our holy intentions vaporize. That’s when the soul, says John, is infused passively with his love. Though his radiance is imperceptible to the faculty of the senses and invisible to the faculty of the intellect, the soul that has allowed itself to be empty can at last be filled and overflow with him.”

From Mirbai Starr’'s introduction to her translation of "Dark Night of the Soul"
by John of the Cross

(picture from internet)

A concert to honor Matthew Shepherd

June 15th Livestream Event!

THIS FRIDAY! Join Us in Los Angeles for "Considering Matthew Shepard" from Anywhere in the World!

We are excited to
announce that we will
be streaming "Considering Matthew Shepard" live from Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, California, on June 15th at 8:30 p.m. Pacific Time.  The concert will be on our YouTube channel, so be sure to mark your calendars to join us on tour!

You can hear it on the Conspirare YouTube Channel

We will share updates online at the CMS Tour Page & Conspirare Facebook.

Are you in Los Angles or know someone who is? Please see below for special friends & family pricing for the live performance and invite your friends!

Note: Craig Johnson and his partner Philip Overbaugh are among my most beloved friends.  Craig is a brilliant composer/conductor whose has won an Emmy Award for his outstanding work.  Phil is a gifted architect and together they are a most creative and loving couple.
It is now 20 years since Matthew Shepard, a very young man, was captured by a pair of bullies in a Wyoming bar, driven to a lonely country road, tied to a fence and left to die.  He was not discovered until some 32 hours later and by then he was found dead.  This horrendous deed is the basis for the gorgeous music that Craig has composed in his honor.  This piece is a tribute to Matthew and to all who have suffered shame and abuse because of their sexual orientation.  Do listen to the livestream if you cannot attend the concert.

                                                      And to that shining star-place 

Roche, Lorin. The Radiance Sutras: 112 Gateways to the Yoga of Wonder and Delight (pp. 40-41). Sounds True. Kindle Edition.

This one of the most beautiful descriptions of the passage of the Kundalini energies from root to crown that  I know of.  Roche calls it the "life force," as indeed do many others.   The original text says this current becomes "ever more subtle as she rises."  Sometimes, at the beginning of the opening, the currents are as strong at the crown as they are at the root.  As time progresses, the energies do indeed become ever more subtle, everywhere in the body.  The gratitude that one feels is for being allowed entry into this sacred world of experience, in which one indeed feels deep connection with the divine reality and all that is. 

Explanation of this dialogue: "The Bhairava Tantra is framed as a conversation between lovers, Devi and Bhairava. Devi is the Creative Energy permeating the universe. Her nature is power, strength, and might. Bhairava is the infinite consciousness that embraces her. In the initial verses, Devi is speaking from within her awe at existence. She assumes the body of a seeker of truth and dares Bhairava to reveal to her the secrets of yoga. Rising to the occasion, Bhairava accepts her questions as beautiful and invites her to accompany him on the path of intimacy with all life. In verses 1– 23, they converse back and forth in this way."

Roche, Lorin. The Radiance Sutras: 112 Gateways to the Yoga of Wonder and Delight (p. 13). Sounds True. Kindle Edition. 

 

Somehow I'm Always Held
by Jeff Foster
[Listen to Audio!]

In my short time on this planet, I have known great sorrow, plunged into the depths of oceanic despair, been thrown so deeply into my loneliness that I thought I would never return.

I have tasted the ecstatic joys of meditation, the fierce intimacy of love, the savage pains of heartbreak, the excitement of unexpected success and the blows of sudden failure.

There were times when I thought I'd never make it, times when my dreams had been shattered so thoroughly I couldn't imagine how life could ever go on. Yet it went on, and sometimes I found humility within the devastation, and out of the ashes of imagined futures often grew new and present joys, and no experience was ever wasted.

I have come to trust life completely, trust even the times when I forget how to trust at all, trust that life doesn't always go according to plan, because there is no plan, only life, and even the times of great uncertainty hold supreme intelligence, and sometimes you have to fall to stand more fearlessly, with greater kindness.

And somehow I am always held, in a way I cannot explain and do not want to. I may be crushed yet again before too long, I may experience further seemingly insurmountable challenges and heartbreaks, but somehow I am always held. Somehow I am always held.


About the Author: Jeff Foster is an author and spiritual teacher from England.

The above picture is Patricia at the recent Detroit festival of electronic music.  Picture was taken by   @nicklphoto
  
Our Friends

If we are lucky, we have at least one dear friend we have been close to for many years.  This is the person we admire and love and who has been with us for all the ups and downs of our own lives.

Patricia Lay Dorsey is such a friend for me.  Of all the people I know, she is the one I most admire for what she has done in her life and made of her own destiny.  I first met Patricia some 20 years ago when we were both living in San Francisco.  We met through a mutual friend and used to meet at a coffee shop just halfway between the two of us.  There we would write poetry and discuss the affairs of the world.

Patrica has progressive M. S. and I have watched this challenge take on ever more serious consequences over the years.  When we first met, she was using a cane but that did not stop her from traveling on Bart to the East Bay to go to jazz concerts, which she loved. Actually, she only came to S. F. during the winter months, for she wanted to escape the extreme weather of Grosse Pointe (near Detroit) where she lives with her husband the rest of the time.  Ultimately she progressed from a cane to a walker and then a scooter.  She loved taking photos but it was only later that she polished her skills so that she began to be featured in exhibits,  written up in such publications as the N. Y. Times, Vogue Italia, and others.

Patricia loves music, both classical and contemporary (such as electronic dance music.)  She has become more and more skilled at photographing her surroundings and events such as the annual Detroit electronic musical festival.  She loves the ambience and dances with her upper body, seated on her scooter. She attends the entire festival from start to finish.

A few months ago she had a major setback when she got the flu and was left much weakened.  She spent several weeks in the hospital and in rehab and spent her time there photographing all her helpers of all levels, from the doctors to the folks mopping the floor.

Gradually, she got her strength back and went home.  However, she no longer had the strength to drive her outfitted van and was much discouraged.  However, she had her van outfitted with hand controls and took lessons to learn how to use then and also started exercises to improve her strength.   She has progressed now to the place she is ready to start driving alone soon.

When Patricia goes to the Detroit electronic festival she is famous as "Grandma Techno."  The young people love her and honor her in every way.  She has done a most fascinating portfolio of this event that is available (with other portfolios) on Instagram at @PatriciaLayDorsey.instagram   Look her up.  You will love what you see.  (To view pictures on Instagram, you must join but that is easy and then you will be give access to the site).

I nominate her for woman of the year, for her talent, her tenacity, her love of people and because she is my friend.

Anam Cara Meditation Foundation
Perennial Wisdom For The Soul's Journey
June 8, 2018

Wisdom of the Tao
Tao Te Ching, v. 22

"Surrender brings perfection"
The crooked become straight
The empty become full
The worn become new
Have little and gain much
Have much and be confused

So the Sage embraces the One
and becomes a model for the world
Without showing himself, he shines forth
Without promoting himself, he is distinguished
Without claiming reward, he gains endless merit
Without seeking glory, his glory endures

The Sage knows how to follow
so he comes to command
he does not compete
so no one under Heaven can compete with him

The ancient saying,
"Surrender brings perfection,"
is not just empty words
Truly, surrender brings perfection
and perfection brings the whole universe.

Tao Te Ching, The Definitive Edition, Jonathan Star, trans. p.35



Upcoming Events
Calm Abiding - Living in the Presence - Oct. 26-28, 2018. 6pm Fri. - noon Sun.
Wisdom House, Litchfield, CT
Registration is now open. Space is limited, please register early via the registration link below.

Profound meditation unfolds the direct experience of Living in the Presence, knowing the Infinite as your Self and keeping the company of the Divine through everyday life. During this retreat, through meditations, empowered mantras, chanting and teachings, you can learn to access what lies beyond the mind – the boundless love, power, joy, compassion and creativity of the One – your true Self – and discover how to live each day in its wise, loving Presence. The traditional means for Shaktipat Diksha are part of the retreat and facilitate awakening Kundalini, your innate power of Consciousness to directly know the Divine within.

We will be in silence during meals and breaks from Friday night through Sunday morning to support the mind entering a state of Calm Abiding, resting in the profound stillness that eases the mind and heals the body. The program will include time for Q&A and discussions about practices and experiences.

Like a broken gong be still, be silent.
Know the stillness of freedom
Where there is no more striving.
Buddha, Dhammapada

To register click here.

 Lawrence with Om Kali Ma yantra

AC Meditation Hall

Thursday Night Meditation Sessions -Everyone is welcome! Thurs. evenings 7:15-8:45
Led by Lawrence Edwards. Includes meditation instruction, discussions, chanting, and meditation. Open to everyone, fee: donation. Click here for more information.

Anam Cara Meditation Foundation


Thank you all for your notes of appreciation for our newsletter. It's great to hear from you!

Everyone has the heart to be a true friend of the soul, an "Anam Cara." By embodying that ideal we may serve to help others to find love and compassion within themselves and the world.

Our highest nature is always manifest in relationship - to all other beings, to the environment, community, loved ones, and in relation to our own body and mind. Becoming mindful of the quality of our relationships allows us to learn where the light shines and where it needs to shine more. The ideal of Anam Cara is to continuously endeavor to expand the depth and the inclusiveness of the loving kindness we bring into every relationship, every moment, every breath.

If you have any suggestions, comments or sharings, for our newsletter please don't hesitate to e-mail me and I'll do my best to respond.

The Anam Cara Meditation Foundation is a 501 (C) 3, non-profit educational organization dedicated to teaching meditative practices. Our non- denominational programs are open to all. There are free meditation instructions and downloadable audio files of guided meditations on the meditation page of our website.

Thank you for the many ways you have shown support for Anam Cara . Because of your gifts we can offer free programs and instruction to thousands of people. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to Anam Cara please click here and you'll see the donation button on the bottom of the page. Your donations will support ongoing free programs, expanding our website resources, and making meditation practices freely available to everyone. Thank you for all your support!

A special thank you to our generous supporters who give donations and make regular pledged donations.

I look forward to welcoming you in person to our programs.

With all my appreciation and love,
I thank you all.
May all beings know complete freedom from suffering and may all our actions reflect only wisdom, compassion, patience and love.
Lawrence Edwards, PhD
Founder and Director
Anam Cara Meditation Foundation

All newsletter contents copyrighted 2018


Link to Additional Resources

Lawrence Edwards, PhD, Founder & Director | Anam Cara Meditation Foundation, Armonk, NY
914-219-8600 | info@anamcara-ny.org | www.anamcarameditation.org
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Anam Cara Meditation Foundation | 2 Byram Brook Place, Ste 2, Armonk, NY 10504

Love––Ted Murray

The gates to love are now wide open. You can choose to bathe in love or you can keep the door of your heart closed and not allow the love to come in. No longer do you need to seek fulfillment in the love of one special person. That option is still available, yet you don’t want to limit your love to one source. Instead feel the love that is in the atmosphere itself. Recognize your own capacity to love unlimitedly.

When your heart is wide open it allows a flood of love to enter constantly, but it never tries to hoard it. The love flows out immediately to share with others. This keeps your heart constantly strong, clean, pure, and nourished with the freshest, most vibrant quality of love. Anything that is held and bottled up too long turns stale, and it is the same with love. Stagnant water gets contaminated while briskly flowing streams are constantly purified. Allow your heart to simply bathe in the universal flow of love that is ever expanded whenever it is shared.

Love and Light,
Ted

Dear Dorothy,

Have you ever been in the presence of someone who is in the process of transitioning out of physical form, and yet they seem more vibrant and alive than most people whose physical body is completely healthy? When someone knows that death is simply a transition into the next phase of existence and realizes what incredible light and love is on the other side, the energy that they exude is so pure it is indescribable.

When that person knows that the only thing left is the sharing of love and is completely open to receive love and share it, the exchange is simply perfection. When you know that the only legacy that really lives on after your passing is the love that you have shared, then everything else loses all meaning. How wonderful your life will be when you choose to live at every moment with this realization of the essence of love and the pure desire to simply share your heart openly with everyone you touch.

Love and Light,
Ted Murray

(image from internet)

The Dancer

She looked into the mirror
and did not like what she saw:
an old woman, bent,
and shuffling as she walked.

But inside, her spirit
was dancing, dancing.
She paused for a moment
and then became the partner
of the dance and her feet
never touched the ground.

Dorothy Walters
April 29, 2018

from:
InnerNet Weekly: Inspirations from ServiceSpace.org
 

Seven Stages Of The Ego
by Rumi, as told by Elif Shafak


The first stage is the Depraved Ego (Nafs), the most primitive and common state of being, when the soul is entrapped in worldly pursuits. Most human beings are stuck there, struggling and suffering in the service of their ego but always holding others responsible for their continuing unhappiness. If and when a person becomes aware of the ego’s abased situation, by starting to work on himself, he can move to the next stage, which in a way is the opposite of the previous one. Instead of blaming other people all the time, the person who has reached this stage blames himself, sometimes to the point of self effacement.

Herein the ego becomes the Accusing Nafs and thus starts the journey toward inner purification.

In the third stage, the person is more mature and the ego has evolved into the Inspired Nafs. It is only at this level, and not anytime before, that one can experience the true meaning of the word "surrender" and roam the Valley of Knowledge. Anyone who has made it this far will possess and display patience, perseverance, wisdom, and humility. The world will feel new and full of inspiration. Nevertheless, many of the people who reach the third level feel an urge to dwell here, losing the will or the courage to go further. That is why, as beautiful and blessed as it is, the third stage is a trap for the one who aims higher.

Those who manage to go further, reach the Valley of Wisdom and come to know the Serene Nafs. Here the ego is not what it used to be, having altered into a high level of consciousness. Generosity, gratitude, and an unwavering sense of contentment regardless of the hardships in life are the main characteristics accompanying anyone who has arrived here.

Beyond that lies the Valley of Unity. Those who are here will be pleased with whatever situation God places them in. Mundane matters make no difference to them, as they have achieved the Pleased Nafs.

In the next stage, the Pleasing Nafs, one becomes a lantern to humanity, radiating energy to everyone who asks for it, teaching and illuminating like a true master. Sometimes such a person can also have healing powers. Wherever he goes, he will make a big difference in other people’s lives. In everything he does and aspires to do, his main goal is to serve God through serving others.

Finally, in the seventh stage, one attains the Purified Nafs and becomes Insan-i Kâmil, a perfect human being. But nobody knows much about that state, and even if a few ever did, they wouldn’t speak of it.

The stages along the path are easy to summarize, difficult to experience. Adding to the obstacles that appear along the way is the fact that there is no guarantee of continuous progress. The route from the first to the last stage is by no means linear. There is always the danger of tumbling back into earlier stages, sometimes even from a superior stage all the way down to the first one. Given the many traps along the way, it is no wonder that in every century only a few people manage to reach the final stages.

About the Author: Excerpted from Elif Shafak's Forty Rules of Love.

(image from internet)

The Love Imagery of Mystic Poetry

This observation was originally posed to accompany John O'Donohue's poem 
 "Betrothed".

Some might mistake this poem for a description of sexual love between two human lovers. It is not. Rather, it is a description of the spiritual energies that are aroused in the self when the human fuses with the Divine Love Source and the Beloved Within becomes an experienced reality, not a concept or an idea.

Mystics of all ages have used the imagery of love to describe the relationship between the Divine and the Human: this fusion of self and other often carries a quasi-erotic tone, for it is rapture felt in the body. When the Kundalini is in proper alignment, one may feel this bliss intensely. If one is not in proper alignment, the opposite effect may take place.

One mystic said to me, "Kundalini is God moving through your body."

Because

Because I had no one to lead me. . .

Because I heard no voice
telling me how to go. . .

Because no book or article
was there to inform me...

I fled into myself
and there found
the treasure I was seeking.

Dorothy Walters
May 1, 2018