Year: 2012

The ancient Greek philosopher, Thales, had a problem. The people in his community were always making fun of him. They would say, “Philosophy and mysticism are clearly useless since you are so poor. Give up your studies of Nature and get a real job.”

But Thales didn’t care about money or personal comfort – he was interested in Truth and Beauty and the nature of reality. He did not need money to carry out his studies. However, there came a time when he grew tired of all the mocking criticism and he decided to teach the world a lesson in philosophy.

Thales had determined through his studies of nature that there would be a particularly large olive crop. He put together some funds and bought the rights to use all the olive presses in the area. Since no one else was bidding on the presses – and no one minded taking money from the foolish philosopher – he got the rights cheaply. When the harvest came in, the farmers needed to use the presses – and Thales had control of them all. He charged top dollar and made a big profit.

He said to the astonished people, “A philosopher can make money any time it is needed. I choose instead to pursue my studies of philosophy and mysticism and consider this to be the best use of my time.” Then to further press home the point he gave all the money to charity and went back to his researches. No one ever made fun of him again.

Thales is considered the first true philosopher in history and his lifestyle is thought of as the model for all mystics and seekers of truth.

To the mystic, money is like energy – neither good nor bad but useful for accomplishing one’s aims. There is neither sin in wealth nor virtue in poverty. If you need money you should certainly work on getting it and there are many mystical techniques for channeling energy into the achievement of your goals.

The true mystic has two basic goals: to attain Enlightenment and to aid in the Enlightenment of the world. Each mystic can pursue these goals in his or her own way. Sometimes money, even a great deal of money, is required; most of the time it is not. You would never find a Master Mystic loafing on a beach in Florida, drinking Margaritas – unless there is some specific lesson being taught. You do often find Master Mystics appearing as homeless wanderers – also when a specific lesson is being taught. The lesson in these cases is that the world is also very much a Spiritual place and not all material. In the 21^st century mystics have need for financial resources – they need a quiet, sheltered place to learn meditation, they need books to study, they need to browse the Internet, they need a way of reaching people and a way to generate the space and opportunity for people to attain Enlightenment. For some, the resources needed to satisfy their special goals and projects might be large. But for the true mystic the rule is always “be IN the world, but not OF the world.”

Again, for the mystic, there is neither sin in wealth nor virtue in poverty – but likewise there is also neither virtue in wealth or sin in poverty. Each mystic should determine what they require to suit their purpose and feel no shame in their lifestyle whether they choose to dress in lavish silks or simple denim.

Money is a form of energy – nothing more.

I’m a bit of a curmudgeon. I guess I’m one of those crazy mystics bothered by the prospect of spending the next 50 years or so in a world of sleepwalkers. I admit, I occasionally wish for a giant asteroid to crash into the Earth and end all the world’s suffering. Yet, despite all that, I do like people – some people. This is a list of a few of my favorites.

1/            Jesus Christ

There are no good, complete biographies of this man despite the fact that there have been more books, articles, lectures, movies, TV Shows, documentaries, plays, musicals, paintings and every other kind of media generated about Him than any other person in history. Even the Gospels lack real depth about His life and activities. To know Him, requires a personal experience of Him and that requires meditation and prayer as well as reviewing all the available data. It is definitely worth the effort. Jesus is one of the True Lights of the world.

2/            Buddha

As with Jesus, it is difficult to find a good, single source of information about this man. But as with Jesus, it is worth the effort to try. Buddha lived a long life and taught much, so, through study and meditation, it is possible to gain some insight into the thoughts and career of this other True Light of the world.

3/            Benjamin Franklin

I see this man as everyone’s favorite uncle or grandfather. He kept busy all his long life doing fun and amazing things. A true genius, he worked in business, politics, philosophy, science, social commentary, music, activism, community service and was a true revolutionary to boot. An all-around great guy.

4/            St. Joan of Arc

Not some namby pamby, wimpy saint – Joan was a fighter, a leader, a champion. Devoted to God, she followed her vision to the end. Abandoned by her friends, she was martyred at the age of 19 after a stunningly successful military career. She’s the saint for me.

5/            Van Gogh

I’ll make it simple – this is the greatest painter that ever lived. If you don’t love his work, there’s something wrong with you.

6/            Beethoven

I suppose there are some better all-around composers – Mozart comes to mind. But Beethoven did something that no one else in any field has ever been able to do before or since his time. Beethoven generated the entire story of humankind – all the fear, anguish, love, passion, potential and joy of our crazy species in one breathtaking presentation – the glorious 9^th Symphony. The music is our greatest achievement. Nothing comes closer to truly representing humanity than this work. If aliens ever come to Earth and ask us what we’ve ever done to deserve life, we can confidently play them the 9^th Symphony and they will go away satisfied and awestruck.

7/            Shakespeare

An unparalleled genius. The greatest writer of all time – period. Yeah, some of his plays are weak and at times the writing seems rushed. But his weakest work is better than most peoples strongest. His choice and development of theme, his insights and understanding of the human condition, his use of imagery and language mark him as an immortal. If he had worked in ancient Egypt, Greece or Rome, he would have been declared a god.

8/            Dostoyevsky

Shakespeare is the greatest writer in general, but Dostoyevsky is by far the greatest novelist of all time. Reading Dostoyevsky is like talking to a god – you just sit back and marvel at the supreme brilliance of thought and word.

9/            Jacques Cousteau

Not a super genius, not an immortal, not a world savior – but holy crap what an interesting, exciting and original human being. A combination scientist, inventor, philosopher, adventurer, conservationist, humanitarian, educator – with a burning passion for his subject – the ocean.  There has been no one else that combined such an extreme level of expertise with such brilliant communication skills. He showed us clearly and spectacularly the beauty and mystery of the sea. Some of the greatest pleasures of my life involved watching his TV programs and dreaming of joining him on the ship “Calypso” in a life of adventure.

10/         T.E. Lawrence

Soldier, poet, archaeologist, adventurer, maker of nations – he packed a lot of excitement into his short life. Maybe not as brilliant as Franklin or as passionate as St. Joan – but he truly lived a life worth living and gave the world much to think about.

11/         Jane Austin

She’s not Dostoyevsky. She’s not really even a Dickens or Hardy. Her books are not those big ponderous, “important” works of literature. But, damn, she’s a good read! And more than any other author I find myself going back to her books year after year, just to enjoy the pleasure of her company. She is genuine, imaginative, and confident and gives the reader exactly what she promises. I always read her books with a smile from beginning to end. Maybe more than all the people on this list she is someone I wish I could have met and talked to.

I’ve had several dreams lately of a Zombie Apocalypse.

I’m with a group of survivors hopelessly trying to fight off the onslaught of zombies bent on eating our brains and converting us into one of the mindless horde. Of course there is no way to escape the inevitable: the sheer number of attacking zombies seals our fate. The government, such as it is, has collapsed, there is no rescue possible, and it is just a matter of time before we are consumed.

Pretty scary stuff.

But I’ve come to realize that the Apocalypse is already upon us. We’re surrounded by zombies right now and they are thriving. Their numbers are growing and they will soon over take the world.

Current estimates place the population of the world at about 7 Billion people.

By my calculation there are 6 Billion sleepwalking “normals”; 250 Million zombies; 1 Million sorcerers who strive to create as many zombies as possible out of the sleepwalking population; and about 750 Million awake or partially awake individuals.

Now 750 Million partially awake individuals sounds like a lot – and it actually indicates more people awake today then have existed in the past 20,000 years combined. However, wakefulness has traditionally come upon the world very slowly. Whereas it appears that zombies are multiplying quite rapidly.

By my reckoning, the zombie population will double every 5 years. So, in 2017 there will be 500 Million zombies. In 2022, there will be 1 Billion zombies. In 2027, there will be 2 Billion zombies. In 2032, there will be 4 Billion zombies. And by 2037, in just 25 years, there will be 8 Billion zombies – at which point the world will be lost.

People on Earth, under normal circumstances, wake up very slowly – maybe a few thousand per year – and this could be our downfall. Since sorcerers can only make zombies out of the sleepwalking masses, our one great hope will be to wake people up as quickly as possible.

To prevent a Zombie Apocalypse, more people than ever have to be awakened as quickly as possible.

So, anyone who is reading this blog who wants to help the human species –WAKE UP!

Wake yourself up as soon as possible.

And then, go out and wake everyone else up. The more awakened people there are, the fewer sleepwalkers there will be that can be converted into zombies.

Wake up now and perhaps the world will be saved.

I often say that there are peculiar forces at work in the world that are harmful to humans. People ask me if I really believe these are actual demonic forces or if I am speaking metaphorically.

Well, the truth is that demons are real – they just aren’t exactly what the average person thinks they are.

I’ll explain.

There is an ancient energy field in the universe that masks the actual appearance of and nature of the world. This field is called variously the Veil of Illusion, Maya, World Glamour, and so on. It is something that clouds the senses, interferes with perception and generally deceives people into believing the world is one way when it is really another.

Most mystical philosophies speak of this Veil of Illusion. Many people who have heard about it, however, believe falsely that it is a negative force – something set up by some arch deceiver or universal enemy of humanity. This is not the case. The Veil is not evil. It is a natural function of our universe much like gravity or reincarnation. It simply exists and we must work with it. If it has any moral attribute it is good, for it protects us psychologically from discovering more of the world than we can emotionally accept. Also, for those on the Path, it offers a way to strengthen us as we evolve spiritually.

The problem is not the Veil.  The problem is that other intelligences in the universe – physical, biological beings with different appearances and psychologies – use the Veil against us. They take advantage of our perceptual difficulties and pretend to be divine or demonic personalities in order to exploit us. They are NOT superior beings, gods, angels or demons as such – they are just other life forms that want to use us for their own purposes.

How can this be? Take an example from recent, human history. When the Europeans first encountered the inhabitants of the Americas and the pacific islands, were they not thought of as deities? And did those Europeans not shamelessly take advantage of the natives to gratify their own desires?

The natives eventually learned the truth and we also must learn the truth. Ongoing meditation helps us break through the Veil of Illusion and gives us greater insight into the nature of the universe and its inhabitants.

Here is a test to help you determine whether the being you have made contact with through prayer or more direct means is really spiritually divine or just a fraud. God, whatever you perceive God to be, is NOT a wish granting genie. God works for your spiritual evolution not your material comforts. Anything that offers you material goods in exchange for your service is a false god.

Recently, a whole pack of celebrities led by the likes of Oprah Winfrey have made it seem that god will give you money and fame if you only learn to pray properly. The book called The Secret  is  big advocate of this. In many interviews Oprah has stated that she prayed to her god and received jobs in movies and television and as a result has become rich and famous.

What god is she praying to?

The 6 million people who died in the Holocaust prayed to their god for life and it was not granted to them. The untold millions of people around the world who have been kidnapped, enslaved, tortured and murdered also prayed for life and it was denied them. Were they all just bad people? Should they have read The Secret before suffering? Were they all just praying to the wrong god? Or are people like Oprah just so much more worthy than everyone else that their genie-god will grant them their wishes.

Oprah’s god gave her money, fame and power. But what did she have to give in exchange?

There are demonic forces in the world. They pretend to be spirits, angels, demons and even Jesus or Satan if it gets them what they want. They might make it possible for you to get money and glory but they will expect you to pay for it – and their price is your humanity and your future development.

When the Master Jesus was in the wilderness someone offered him all the kingdoms of the world if he would bow to that being. Jesus rightly turned him down.

Learn to meditate and learn to be aware of what is actually going on in the world.

It is usually assumed that enlightened people must be more tolerant of those still in the dark. This is true in a sense – tolerance comes out of boredom with arguments and practices people use to preserve their sleeping state. And people will try anything to keep from Awakening. Just think of what you do when you’re sound asleep and need to urinate, or the alarm clock goes off – your dreams take on all sorts of strange shapes to keep you sleeping just a little longer. People like to sleep – not just physically but spiritually as well. When someone tries to bring light into the world and finds themselves surrounded by whole armies intent on preserving the darkness it is so much easier just to say OK – you go your way and I’ll go mine. This appears to be tolerance – a tolerance laced with pity and sorrow for the state of the world.

For every one person who is struggling to remain partially awake in the world there are probably a thousand people intent on putting them back to sleep and keeping everyone else asleep as well. These people act more out of ignorance and self-deception then evil – though there are clearly certain people who actively choose to lead the assault on enlightenment. Sleeping people are easy to control. You know exactly where they are and they’re defenses are minimal.

What does this have to do with sugar buying zombies? Well, I call anyone who easily succumbs to society’s command to stay asleep a zombie. I might tolerate them because they are clearly weak and pathetic creatures – but I don’t respect them. I am, however, less tolerant of the agents of “zombification.” Whether they understand their actions or are deceived – by themselves or others – I don’t care. They are the enemy. They must be resisted and if possible put out of commission.

The prevailing theory is that the leading forces in the zombification process have at one time experienced enlightenment and have made a deliberate and conscious choice – perhaps out of fear or self-loathing – to return to the darkness and keep everyone else in there with them.

Another theory is that although these leaders are enlightened they are choosing to set up challenges and obstacles for others so that only those strong and courageous enough to pass the tests will be awakened.

These agents of darkness are everywhere – in government and politics; organized religion and entertainment; education and law enforcement; and in big business.

Sugar is big business.

It is a nice and comforting commodity in low doses but in high quantities it is one of the most dangerous substances on the planet. It is highly addictive and is a big factor in the zombification process.  Sugar eating zombies do two things that are favorable to big business – they consume endlessly until the day they die and they go along with any plan to keep their supply of sugar active.

Sugar has been linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, macular degeneration and tooth decay. It contributes to alcoholism, tobacco and other drug addiction, personality disorders, aggression, low self-esteem and decreased intelligence. Yet this product is available everywhere, it’s cheap and it is regularly given out to children.

Think of the industries that use sugar extensively – soft drinks, alcohol, tobacco, bakeries, confectioners as well as illegal drugs. It is used to feed cattle and other animals as well as in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. Sugar is everywhere and its debilitating effects can be seen by anyone who takes a good look at society.

Once, sugar was a luxury. Then in the 18^th century it became more widely available. By the 19th century it was considered a necessity around the world. The demand for sugar unleashed major economic and social changes. These include colonization of tropical islands and nations where labor-intensive sugarcane plantations and sugar manufacturing could thrive; and the slave trade and the use of indentured servants to perform the hard work involved in the cultivation and processing of sugar. The millions of people transplanted for these uses created the modern ethnic mix of many nations that have been settled in the last few centuries.

The history and impact of sugar is scary and it continues to shape our society. But people do have a choice – they can bow down to the whims of the agents of darkness and become sugar buying zombies or resist as best they can and move a step at a time into the light.

A student once asked me if I was enlightened. I said “what is that?”

He went on to explain in detail all the various types and phases of enlightenment bringing in arguments and quotations from Zen Buddhism, yoga, and Christian mysticism. He was getting pretty animated so I stopped him in the middle of a sentence and said, “No, no, no – What is THAT?”

He looked at me, mouth still open, brain in mid-thought. Then he looked at himself and the Light came upon him.

Many people wonder about enlightenment and I wish I had that student’s intellect and tenacity to pour through all the literature on the subject and pull up quotes and arguments on what it is, what it might be, what it looks like, how it feels …

Enlightenment isn’t an intellectual concept at all. It isn’t something you can study and research – although thousands of people through the centuries have done just that and have written whole books and encyclopedias on the subject. Enlightenment is more of a state of mind – a frame of reference for living – It is a way of being and a process of engaging in the world condition. It’s an IS-NESS of the world. The whole universe is enlightened, the stars are enlightened, the earth is enlightened. We exist wholly in the midst of enlightenment all the time. Enlightenment is the NATURAL order of all.

To ask if someone is enlightened is completely the wrong question – yet, also the question that must often be asked.

The real question should be “How are you NOT enlightened?”

Imagine, if you can, that we humans are magnificent works of art. Like sculpture carved by a divine hand. We are extraordinary wonders of the universe. Unfortunately, through some horrible and bizarre process, we have become covered and encased in “stuff” – nasty stuff, bad stuff – crap. But inside all that crap we are still creatures of light. The great artist, Michelangelo, was once asked how he created his incredible sculptures. He said he looked at the marble and then cut away everything that WAS NOT the statue.

For us it is the same – we are all born to be enlightened but we are encased in a mess of “stuff” that dulls us into the zombie like creatures most people present to the world. Our job is – or at least I think should be – to get rid of all the dull stuff in our lives and let our true light shine free.

So, am I enlightened? Let’s say I’m not NOT enlightened.