As Summer Ends

As summer draws to an end, the world begins to prepare for the harvest season. This metaphor, I find, is a useful one, when we are looking at our spiritual paths. What have we done during the Spring and Summer months of our spiritual journeys? How will we fare at harvest time?

Both Rabbi Jesus and Buddha Sakyamuni taught that, although they would die, their teaching would remain alive in the hearts of humanity. Rav Yeshua (Jesus) taught that his words would remain until a time he called, “the renewal of all things”; and Sakyamuni (Buddha) promised his dharma would remain “until the time when this world contracts”.

Unfortunately, some of the most important aspects of the message given by these teachers of compassion, forgiveness and healing were lost, as future generations of followers misinterpreted the message, incorporated all sorts of primitive and superstitious dogma and exclusivity into it, and turned the simple and powerful Way into religions, instead of what the Masters intended for their teachings to become.

Literalists and fundamentalists often misinterpret the promise of Rav Yeshua, who told his disciples, “In a little while, the world will no longer be able to see me, but you will see me; because I live, you will also live.” (John 14:19)

They believe this passage talks about a literal resurrection, and began to incorporate all of the ancient legends and myths of the god-men of other cultures – from Persia to Egypt, Greece to Asia. Suddenly the true message of peace and hope was obscured, as the Great Teacher, who taught a dharma of compassion that was strikingly similar to the dharma taught 500 years earlier by Buddha, was tragically morphed into Sol Invictus – the Conquering Sun God.

But if we look at the parallel teaching of the Buddha, whose dharma seems to have been the basis of much of Rabbi Jesus’ own teaching, we can see what Jesus meant in the passage from John’s gospel:

And the Buddha said, “It may be that you will think ‘The Teacher’s instruction has ceased, now we will have no teacher!’ Yet it should not be seen like this, for what I have taught you will, at my passing, become your teacher.” (Digha Nikaya 16.6.1)

So both Rav Yeshua and Buddha wanted their students to know that they were not the issue… that they came to illuminate the Way, but that the Way itself was the ultimate teacher.

Now some of the early mystics in the Christian tradition understood this. They knew that the Way was Love Itself – the Eternal Principle (as Buddha taught). St. Athanasius beautifully explained the reason for the mythos of the so-called “Christmas narrative” (which never occurred, but was a repackaging of an ancient legend, told in almost every culture, much like the tale of the Flood). “The meaning of the Incarnation of the Christ,” Athanasius explained, “is that through the Incarnation, God became one of us, so that we could become gods.” Since we know that “God is Love”, what Athanasius was saying is that the reason for the story about Jesus being the “Truly Human One” (often misinterpreted as “Son of Man”) is that he represented the “incarnation of divine love”, so that we could learn our own true natures, and like him, “return to love”.

I am reminded at this point, of the famous quote from A.J. Muste, who noted, “There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.”  Likewise, there is no way to love… Love is the Way.

In both the legend of the Buddha and the legend of the Christ, we find the Teachers preparing their disciples for the inevitable “winter”, when each of them would die, and the Teacher would no longer physically be among them. This demonstration of their “eternal principle” – the idea that they and the message they shared were One – is illustrated in a metaphoric “transfiguration” story in the lives of each Teacher. In the Eastern tradition, we call both Jesus and Buddha “avatars” – fully human and fully divine. From a humanist perspective, this divinity is not about mystical superheroes, but about the Sacred Principle or Eternal Law – Love; or from a more dry, scientific perspective… Energy.

And so it is with all our spiritual teachers… the effective Guru or Teacher, like Rabbi Jesus or the Buddha, ought not be a “religion teacher”, but rather a “spiritual friend” or “spiritual director”. Compassion and reasoning are the flames of a torch which dispels the darkness of suffering and ignorance. Our teachers allow us to light our own torches from theirs, but the responsibility of maintaining the Light is our own.

This is the purpose of the spiritual journey… At the end of the day, we must become good at one of two things: planting in the spring or begging in the fall. The soil doesn’t respond to our “need”… it responds to the planting and nurturing of our “seed”.

If a spiritual teacher spends all their time talking about imaginary gods, goddesses, heavens and hells, they’ve taken the easy way out. Such discussions have little to do with alleviating suffering.

Living in a monastery, convent, ashram or community will not awaken you any faster. Celibacy will not make your spiritual journey any faster, better, or purer. Wearing a certain kind of clothing, or avoiding a certain kind of food is not a path to holiness or non-attachment.

If you want to become free of suffering, start serving others. Don’t worry about whether you believe in a certain god or someone else believes in something else. Your gods and goddesses (or lack thereof) does not matter at all. The delusion of “difference” is a path of deception. Every person is essentially the same.

I choose to see the “god-concept” as Love or Energy, and believe that all persons are Love/Energy expressing Itself. Taking my queue from my satguru, Santa Maharaj Neem Karoli Baba, I try to remind myself daily that “the best form to worship god is in every form…”

When we focus on serving others… doing what we can to alleviate suffering anywhere we encounter it… then the context of spirituality changes. We see the wisdom in the teaching, “For the hungry person, God appears as bread.” We learn to recognise what is important and what is simply tradition, cultural context and mythos.

We can let go of our need for external saviours, because we become the hands and feet of the Living Christ… the Living Buddha.

And so summer has ended. Labour Day traditionally marks the beginning of closing down our summer traditions and events, and beginning to prepare for the harvest. Luckily, unlike the agricultural world from which I drew this metaphor, it’s not too late for you to plant new seeds of contemplation and compassion.

Consider what you can do to help support someone who is in need today. Reach out. Serve. And you will find peace.

Namasté!

-- dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda

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On Reincarnation…

Earlier, there was a wonderful piece published on a Buddhist discussion board, about reincarnation, and I felt that the subject was worth commenting on, but did not want to post a painfully long response, which was better reserved for a separate post. So here it is...

Reincarnation is one of those things that is somewhat of a paradox. It is further complicated by the fact that it is also not exclusively a Buddhist concept, as it is shared among many of the Indo-Asian cultures. Therefore, there are certain concepts around reincarnation that would surely fall under the category of "religious beliefs", and those I personally reject, since I prefer to follow a path based on reasoning and rational thought, rather than religious superstition.

In the Kalama Sutta, Buddha Sakyamuni is reputed to have said:

“If there is a world after death... if there is the fruit of actions rightly & wrongly done, then this is the basis by which, with the decomposition of the body after death, I will reappear in a good destination, the heavenly world. But if there is no world after death, if there is no fruit of actions rightly & wrongly done, then here in the present life I look after myself with ease — free from hostility, free from ill will, free from trouble.”

This is an example in which Buddha frames his teaching in the context of the beliefs of the people to whom he is speaking. Apparently, these listeners believed in a "heavenly world" or "other side"... not reincarnation. And so his teaching was framed in a way that neither agreed with, not denied their religious superstitions. In other texts, his teaching was framed in the more popular concept (including the superstitions surrounding it) of reincarnation.

These concepts can be tricky in the West, because we (almost as much as the Southeast Asian Theravadans) tend to "make" Buddhism into a religion, because we imagine a void, when we walk away from our personal religious traditions. I've been fortunate not to experience such a void, because I view the spiritual and religious traditions of my personal history to be an integrated part of who I am today.

When I was in the Franciscans, I was often teased about being the most Benedictine Franciscan in the bunch. (For non-Catholics, this was their way of teasing me about embracing seemingly disparate traditions, since a Franciscan is a mendicant -- that is, a beggar, living in the world -- while my spirituality was deeply inspired by the more monastic paths of the Camaldolese [Benedictine hermits] and Carmelite monastics.)

Today, I am "part" of neither group. And according to some of my detractors, I am somehow magically no longer in the unbroken succession of the apostles. One troubled young man even wrote me last night to tell me how "offensive" my piece was on the Pathways to Wisdom.

So we have this tradition of believing in reincarnation... or not. For some of us, reincarnation is a reference to the non-dualistic nature of the numenal world.

From a scientific perspective, we know that the universe is held in place by gravitational pull. Another word for "gravitation" is "attraction". Isn't it interesting that in the present day, there is so much buzz about the "law of attraction" -- an ancient principle, which has been the foundation of the New Thought tradition, and at the core of Buddhism and esoteric Catholicism and Judaism for generations? What is another word for "attraction"? Love. Right?

Buddha called love the "Eternal Principle". In the Persian mythos, we read about the quvat-i-jazibah -- the Primal Force of Attraction from which the universe was created. All of this coincides with our scientific understanding of gravity and the Big Bang Theory.

This is also how the mythos surrounding Rabbi Jesus as the "Son" (Sun) of God came to be, through the manipulation of Emperor Constantine, who worshipped the Sun God (Sol Invictus), and modified his superstitions to fit into the Christian narrative.

So for those who embrace a non-dualistic philosophy, such as the Buddhists, Advaita adherents in Hinduism, Religious Scientists in the West, and such visionary Catholic monastics as Thomas Merton, Swami Abishektananda and Anthony de Mello, there is not "us" or "me" -- these are simply the labels we place on transient phenomena -- there is only Love (or God, or energy, or Emptiness, etc.). And therefore, "you" and "I" are part of the same "stuff" that has been born thousands of lifetimes before, and will be part of the same "stuff" that exists in future lifetimes.

I don't personally invest any time or energy contemplating the idea of reincarnation, because it doesn't matter. The only thing that is "reincarnated", in my opinion, are our habits and thoughts. The personality dies when we die. Reincarnation, it seems to me, was the ancients' way to further their explanation of the effects of karma. Ultimately, it was a primitive attempt. And like most primitive ideas, it was corrupted by superstition, legend, and fear.

I have no ego-need to imagine that I will be reincarnated. If, when I die, that's it for Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda, that's fine. On the other hand, if reincarnation is real, then it is my desire, like that of Theresa Lisieux and other Bodhisattvas, to return to this world over-and-over until suffering exists no more. In Theresa's words, she wanted to "spend her heaven doing good on earth". For me, the ideal is captured in the words of the Rule of Life for the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path, which I read and offer each day as I awaken:

THE BRIEF RULE

Sit in your cell as in paradise;

put the whole world behind you and forget it;

like a skilled angler on the lookout for a catch

keep a careful eye on your thoughts.

The path you follow is the Dharma of Compassion --

never abandon that path.

If you've come with a novice's enthusiasm and can't

accomplish what you want, take every chance you can find

to chant the sacred Mantra of Chenrezi:

OM MANI PADME HUM

in your heart; if your mind wanders as you chant

don't give up but hurry back and try again.

Above all realise that above all else, you are

in the presence of Divine Perfection;

you hold your heart there in wonder

as if before your sovereign.

You are that Sovereign, for it is written,

"The sovereign domain of the Enlightened One

is within you."

Empty yourself completely;

sit waiting, content with the gift of Silence,

like a little chick tasting and eating nothing

but what its mother brings.

With all your heart,

as the sun rises and sets each day:

Vow to do all you can to end the suffering of all beings;

Vow to uproot endless blind passions and attachments;

Vow to penetrate the Dharma Gates beyond measure;

Vow to realise your birthright as an Awakened and Anointed One

for the good of all sentient beings, and as a caretaker of all Creation.
Namasté!
-- dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda
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When grief comes… Moving beyond mythos to Love

As I write this, my aunt is actively dying, peacefully at rest in the care of hospice nurses in a Philadelphia hospital.  She was one of the relatively few people to genuinely inspire and influence me as a child, and later as an adult.

Aunt Irene was one of those people who moved through hardships, possessed an incredible entrepreneurial spirit, took ownership in her circumstances and then did something about them.

She achieved a personal level of success that has always made her one of my heroes, along with my father, my partner Craig, Blessed Mychal Judge and His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

Several folks, with well-intentioned hearts, offered their words of consolation last night, when we were told by the doctors that Aunt Irene would be dead within an hour of their removing her from life-support. In their sincere wishes, they often said things like, "You'll see her again one day..." and "She'll be in a better place in heaven...", etc.

But while the sentiments and sincerity behind such wishes are very comforting and much appreciated, such superstitious concepts themselves are without merit or comfort for me, since I consider such ideas primitive, baseless and delusional.

"But how can you believe such a thing as a monk and priest?" some inquired. Don't you believe that Jesus died so that we could have eternal life?

No. I believe that if the stories of Jesus' crucifixion actually occurred, which I am not convinced is the case at all, then Jesus' died because the authorities murdered him. Period.

There was no magical plan for "eternal life". No zombie-tricks on the third day. Simply a brutal and horrific murder, much like the murders being carried out by the United States in Iraq, Afghanistan and in the False Flag Operation Bush ordered against the World Trade Centre on September 11th, 2001.

As a Successor to the Apostles, I believe the mythos of Rav Yeshua (Jesus the Nazarene) has significance, but also believe most organised religions have missed that significance by a longshot.

The Jesus Metaphor is a story about Incarnate Love.

Love, they say is stronger than death, for it is the Eternal Principle. Although love cannot stop death from happening, no matter how hard death might seem to try, it cannot separate people from that Universal Love. Neither can it separate us from the loving memories we hold of the departed.

When someone we love reaches the end of their lives, they die. Period.

There is no magic playground like the the religious and superstitious would hope. But that doesn't mean love has not triumphed in the end over death. This is the message of the great spiritual masters... Jesus didn't do the alleged zombie trick, it was his memory that lived on beyond his death, in the hearts of his Beloved. Love conquered death.

Love Incarnate, represented metaphorically in the person of Rav Yeshua, could not be killed when the physical body was beaten and killed. The body died, but Love lived on... and continues to live on today.

That is the message of the Eucharist... that the Divine Love, which became incarnate in the person of Yeshua, is accessible every time we come together to break bread. That because Jesus was not the Christ alone, the Living Body of Christ is manifest in and as each of us, because the "Body of Christ" is Incarnate Love.

Of course, the desire to manipulate, distort the truth and control the masses, by the original institutional churches (the Roman and Orthodox Catholic sects), and later by the further distortions that occurred in Protestant spin-off sects, only served to further obfuscate this celebration of truth that occurred within the context of a sacred meal... something which occurred every time bread was broken between friends.

The result was that instead of learning the Way to end suffering, we perpetuate that suffering, with absurd and primitive tales of imaginary places, such as "heaven", where the "good people" are rewarded. The concept is actually vulgar in my opinion, for anyone to have the hubris to suggest that we should worship their imaginary god, who is a big enough asshole to only allow a limited number of beings (and worse yet, that all of those beings must be "people") into their childish notion of "paradise" or "heaven".

I would never consider worshipping, let alone smiling at any deity who was such a spiteful, judgmental prick.

But of course, that story exists because, despite their claims to have been created in their god's image, we know that these unsophisticated, irrational and superstitious primitives actually created their gods in their own images. So a petty people ended up with a petty god.

As for me, I remain unconflicted about living my vows faithfully as a Buddhist monk and lama, along with my responsibility and vows to uphold the Way of the Apostles. I am a disciple of Buddha and of Rav Yeshua. I am a disciple of the Ways of the Ancient Peoples, who embraced all of life as sacred, but who had not yet codified the concepts of this groundlessness and eternal principle into the metaphoric representations of gods and goddesses.

And inspired by my Aunt Irene, it is my intention to continue to speak the truth I embrace, and share it with those who truly desire peace.

In fact, it is my intention to find a means of relocating back to the Greater Washington, D.C. area, securing the funding to create a truly post-denominational, post-religious, post-sectarian intentional community of people dedicated to CHANGE... dedicated to bringing about TRANSFORMATION and PEACE.

We'll call this "The PEACE Project" -- with PEACE being an acronym for our principal focus:

• Partnering with Communities
• Educating the Next Generation
• Assisting the Poor and Marginalised
• Caring for the Sick and Dying
• Empowering Servant-Leaders

My gratitude goes out to the people of Christ's Home Retirement Centre, where Aunt Irene made her home for the past couple years, and to my cousin Jeannie and Aunt Martha, for their being there so often for Aunt Irene.

Yes, our hearts are heavy with selfish sadness over the hour when Aunt Irene will leave her body and return to Love. We will grieve for ourselves, not for her, because she will cease to exist. All phenomena are impermanent, and that realisation still stings, when those to whom we still hold attachments are taken from our grasp.

But the only way to prevent suffering is to move toward that grief and sit in it mindfully for a time... allowing it to wash over us, as we gently acknowledge it, and move through it. Grief, like all phenomena, is impermanent too. And as it passes, we will emerge a little stronger, a little clearer, and a little lighter than before.

And there will be work to be done.

Namasté!

-- dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda

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What’s troubling you?

Any time we learn something, it changes, if only imperceivably, everything. We'll never look at anything in life the same, as a result of whatever it is that we've learned. And since we are always learning, that means that every breath brings with it an entirely new perspective.

Resentment and anger also change everything, especially ourselves. Yet you and I can only be as upset as we are willing to allow our perceptions to control us.

Consider this... right now, think of one thing that you are presently angry about or hurt about. Now ask yourself, do you prefer agitation, hurt, anger or fear to peacefulness? Of course not. The good news is that once you've decided... really decided... to let go of those ideas that give rise to fear in all its manifestations (anger, resentment, hurt, sadness, depression, anxiety, jealousy, etc.), once again, everything changes.

We often think that being open-minded or tolerant means accepting those who have differing opinions, views or ideas from us. But we limit that definition to include those who are presently engaged in disagreement with our own views, perceptions and ideas. We seldom consider that open-mindedness naturally includes open-heartedness, if it is authentic. Therefore, an open mind is a forgiving heart.

Every time we judge someone else, we are interiorly judging ourselves -- either for something we've done or something we believe we have the capacity to do. Interiorly, we recognise the delusion of dualistic thought, and so we know that if something or someone angers us, then it is a reflection of something within us to which we are reacting. That's a difficult concept for many of us to really grasp. Blame is always easier, when placed on someone else.

But there is no "someone else".

There's only us... no "them". Only this... no "that".

When a memory or thought is filled with pain, we might find it difficult to let go of. But when we realise that it's our attachment to the thought or memory, and not the event itself, which is causing us to suffer, our road to recovery is certain and clear.

Now I know there are some, whose delusion of being "realists" is now telling them that what I am suggesting is absurd. (It's always rather interesting that quite often, these are the same people who don't find it absurd at all to imagine that the story of a virgin birth, walking on water or raising from the dead after being brutally murdered. And they wonder why I consider them delusional!)

Those people are likely saying that no one in their "right mind" would ever bring suffering upon themselves. The fact is, those people are right... no one in their right mind would do such a thing.

The problem is that we are often inexperienced at being in our Right Mind. Instead, we function from the "monkey mind" -- the delusional realm of ego, which usurps the Right Mind, and substitutes itself.

Living in the Right Mind is the only way to resolve those things which trouble us. Living in the Right Mind comes from sitting in silence and observing without judgment, all the thoughts that travel through our minds, as we try to slow down, relax and empty ourselves of the constant chatter of the monkey mind.

Now consider this... if you allow these words to inform you... everything changes from this moment forward!

That is an exciting proposition, and an opportunity for you to achieve something greater. Embrace that potential and have a great week!

I will be away for my usual summer break, at the South Jersey shore. I am uncertain whether I will have Internet access while I am there.

Be gentle with yourselves, and know that you are appreciated and loved.

Namasté!

-- dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda
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The Yoga of Compassion

Yesterday, one of my students was chatting with me on Facebook and asked me whether I thought it was necessary for him to begin practicing hatha yoga or kali natha yoga (the yoga style developed by and based on the teachings of Ven. Tenzin Yangchen (Ma), one of the teachers who had the most profound impact on my life.

In response, I told them that for the student of the Dharma, these forms of physical yoga are fine, as means of training and conditioning one’s self to better hold the energy of the practice itself. But I do not believe they are necessary, or even the most effective means of spiritual attainment.

Physical yoga is a very difficult means of raising kundalini energy.

My root guru always taught, as did the Buddha and the Christ, that the more perfect way of raising spiritual awareness and attaining liberation is by serving others: feeding the poor, caring for the sick, providing for those who are in need or hurting. This raises kundalini in a way that no asana can accomplish alone.

Compassion is the highest form of yoga.

From the Dharma talks of Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda, O.C. – spiritual director of the Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path, and founder of The Spiritus Project. He is the author of several books on the Crazy Wisdom tradition of Buddhist dharma, including: The Dharma of Compassion and Awakening (available from Lojong Press).

BEYOND SINGING…

“The affairs of the entire world,” His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama reminds us, “are now internal affairs.”

This was the prevalent thought that returned to me again, and again as I had the privilege of listening to Beyond – Buddhist and Christian Prayers – an album featuring a spiritual message from the legendary Tina Turner, and the vocal talents of Dechen Shak-Dagsay and Regula Curti.

Inspired by the admonitions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Swiss-Benedictine Abbot Martin Welin, these amazing women bring to music the potent reminder that interreligious and interspiritual dialogue can deepen our individual spiritual quest, by cultivating a more mindful awareness of the shared values across all cultural and belief systems worldwide.

Regula Curti (a Christian) and Dechen Shak-Dagsay (a Buddhist) began to understand their own spiritual journeys, and recognised a desire to find the commonality between their seemingly different paths, much in the same way that pioneers in the field of interreligious dialogue -- Thomas Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh -- did decades earlier.

Of course, for me, as a non-sectarian, post-denominational contemplative monk, whose spiritual path is heavily-influenced by my own Buddhist-Camaldolese-Benedictine heritage, I found myself sitting in a pool of grateful tears, as I listened to the interwoven prayers from the Buddhist and Christian traditions -- in a music that transcends the traditions themselves and cuts to the core of the Dharma of the Christ and the Buddha Dharma perfectly... and the deepest (non-academic) levels.

Tina Turner, another of my personal inspirations, sets the tone for the work of these amazing women, with a spiritual message that says it all. Drawing inspiration from the work of Deepak Chopra, the ancient spiritual texts and masters from many different cultures and traditions, and interwoven with her own deep, raw and encouraging spiritual experience and wisdom, Tina Turner bowls us over with the reminder:

Nothing lasts forever, no one lives forever, the flower that fades and dies, winter passes and spring comes, embrace the cycle of life: that is the greatest love. GO BEYOND FEAR Beyond fear takes you into the place where love grows, when you refuse to follow the impulses of fear, anger and revenge.

BEYOND MEANS TO FEEL YOURSELF Start every day singing like the birds – singing takes you beyond, beyond, beyond, beyond We need a repeated discipline, a genuine training to let go our old habits of mind and to find and sustain a new way of seeing...

...Sing – singing takes you beyond, beyond, beyond, beyond TAKE THE JOURNEY INSIDE OF YOU.

I heartily recommend adding this amazing work to your personal collection, and encourage you to share in supporting the work of these dedicated and beautiful women.

For more information, visit them at: http://beyondsinging.com

Namasté!

-- dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda

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Shaking my head… and going off to camp!

It is, at best, tiresome. These so-called “learned men” from the Catholic Church and other Christian cults have little or no problem recognising that the ancient myths of the Persians, the Greeks, the Celts and the Romans were all just that – primitive stories, created by an ancient people to explain various phenomena, of which they were largely ignorant scientifically-speaking.

Yet somehow, when these same “learned ones” are presented with the simple, historic and irrefutable facts:

• That the legends and myths found in their scriptures are simply thinly-disguised plagiarisms of earlier mythos, gleaned from Persian, Egyptian, Celtic and other “pagan” sources – particularly the myths and legends surrounding Moses and Rabbi Jesus the Nazarene.
  
• That attempting to justify their religion, by ascribing superstitious and spurious “divine attributes” to scientific findings is a sign of serious lack of scholarship.
  
• That recent studies across the United States demonstrates that our prisons are made up of 65 percent Catholics, 26 percent Protestants, 4 percent Muslin, 2 percent Jewish, 2 percent “pagans” and 1 percent “irreligious” (with 1/2 of 1 percent claiming to be atheists). Therefore, there is clear and empirical evidence that “religion” does not improve morality at all, and may, in fact, contribute to the detriment of society.
  

Put succinctly by one colleague, attempting to base morality on religion is like using a cap-gun to shoot foxes molesting chickens! All you do is ultimately scare the chickens more, and little is done to effectively stop the problem.

Prejudice and intolerance are two of the organic diseases of the religious – particularly those of the self-described Catholic and Christian cults. By allowing for the increased inculcation of superstition as a substitution for reasoning, these individuals will ignore the simple historical facts and resort to such petty and sophomoric rants as claiming that because someone like me doesn’t subscribe to their immature ideologies, I must be “an immoral, baby-killing, derisive scourge on humanity”.

Interestingly, I cannot recall one time in the history of the world, when an atheist group started a war to prove their spiritual superiority. Yet I have no problem listing hundreds of wars, resulting in millions of deaths, caused by the Catholic Church and other “spin-off” Christian sects, Muslims, and Jews.

Interestingly, I don’t recall a single instance of an atheist blowing up the offices of Pro-Life or Right to Life doctors, and yet can recall dozens of murders of that very nature, done by “Christians”.

My suggestion to those compelled to thump their bibles and rely on their mystical super-heroes as a mainstay of their spiritual lives do so privately and communally, among those inclined to share such beliefs. But don’t imagine for a moment that you can invite me to read your blogs, your articles, and your diatribes, and then expect me not to respond.

And expect, even less likely, that your petty name-calling will result in my backing down from your mindless accusations.

One really does have to get up much earlier than that to fuck with me.

I have no problem respecting and even embracing the spiritual traditions of others. In fact, I celebrate the traditions of the Catholic, Anglican, Quaker, LDS, Unitarian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh traditions particularly, while actively practicing many of the traditions of the Celtic and Romany esoteric traditions, and living a spirituality that is deeply based on the Buddhist, Native American and Esoteric Catholic mystical traditions.

I do not believe in or recommend the belief in literal “gods” or “demons” – and I never have. I don’t pretend to imagine that such myths as the virgin birth, trinity, or other such nonsense is anything other than the primitive ramblings of an ancient and ignorant people, adopted from older and equally ignorant myths and legends.

One need not accept these ideologies to embrace compassion, and for me, that is what my work as a successor to the apostles and successor to the lineage of lamas is all about.

Before attacking me, however, I would recommend that these ill-formed clerics take a few minutes to read about the work I’ve done for 29 years, while they played church and dress-up. That can be done at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Namaste!