Integralists Bid a Farewell to Anne Gaylor

Anne Nicol Gaylor (November 25, 1926 – June 14, 2015) was an American atheist and reproductive rights advocate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Nicol_Gaylor

She was a founder of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. 

https://ffrf.org

Fighting the good fight of keeping religion and politics separate. 

As Integralists we believe in all religions, and non-religions. 

We celebrate atheism, agnosticism, as well as any and all religions. 

However, we want to keep any religious belief system out of our politics. 

See our 3 basic tenants. 

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-church-of-integralism-three-basic.html

We advocate the AQAL model as the best map for understanding how the universe works. 

https://integrallife.com/integral-post/overview-integral-theory

We advocate The 3 Commandments for assessing the possible mistakes you might make along the way. 

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-second-commandment-love-everything_24.html

We don’t have a system of sainthood. 

Perhaps we should. 

Nonetheless, we can celebrate those people who are examples of fighting against both the injustice of unfair punishment, as well as those who fight against idiot compassion. 

You may identify as an Integralist, or not. 

But, you know in your intuitive heart what is true and real. 

Goodbye, Anne Gaylor, and thanks!

Complete Surrender

At first this seems to be a paradox. 

We must try so hard to reach non-dual consciousness. 

We may try many paths. 

Perhaps within one or more of the 8 limbs of yoga.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali

Perhaps other paths…

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/04/enlightenment-part-5-final-secret.html

Yet, to enter non-dual consciousness we must completely give up any desire for entering non-dual consciousness. 

We must surrender completely. 

From the Bhagavad Gita:

…there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I need to obtain anything--and yet I am engaged in work.

http://www.asitis.com/3/22.html

From Adyashanti, “The Impact of Awakening:”  

Q:  So why do you come and give satsang? (coming together to support each other’s spiritual quest)

A:  I have no idea.  In the morning the sun rises, in the evening it sets again.  Seekers have questions, which gives rise to the teacher and teaching.

(Later)  With the dawning of liberation all motivations drop away.  One does not act out of any reason or motivation; action simply occurs. 

 

Examples of complete surrender…  

My friend Rick describes his own experience in the following metaphor

(I am interpreting here, with his permission):    

It is a huge blank wall, like a wall of stone. 

I am holding on with only my fingertips from a crack in the wall. 

The crack is slowly getting smaller and smaller. 

Until I cannot hold on anymore and I fall into the abyss. 

The abyss of no-self. 

Fantastic description. 

You can feel the fear of letting go. 

But there is no choice, the crack is disappearing. 

My own metaphor:    

I am in a woven cage.  I can see the beauty outside. 

I cannot get there. 

I lean back and close my eyes. 

Floating out of the cage occurs. 

The cage really does not exist. 

It is the fear of my ego-self, keeping me trapped. 

Surrendering completely allows floating out into the beauty.

 

The beauty of no-self. 

There is no longer an “I” to float out… 

I feel the pull to be fully enlightened all the time. 

But, why? 

Perhaps Adyashanti is “There” all time… 

Perhaps Ram Dass’ guru is “There” all the time. 

Whatever “There” is…  

Maybe, like Ram Dass’ guru I’d like to see the future and to be able to predict that 35 guests were coming for lunch.

On the other hand, perhaps we are given exactly what we need. 

We are given the evolution we need for Source to carry out whatever it needs… 

We can crave personal evolution all we want… 

And never be sure our craving is helpful for our evolution… 

So it goes… 

We have our destiny…  And we have exactly what we need… 

And we have no destiny… 

Because there is no I… 

There is always already only Source… 

This thing we call “I” is an illusion. 

But, we can still play this game well! 

We can see behind the game. 

We can bask in non-dual awareness… 

Then put back on that comfortable ego overcoat and walk in the world… 

That is the gift of co-creation. 

Gain Wisdom resting in non-duality. 

Then walk in the world practicing compassion… 

Within whatever your ego overcoat allows to unfold… 

Chop wood…  Carry water… 

Establish a University…

Treat the ill… 

Establish a new religion… 

(Yes, we need you to take up the evangelism of Integralism!)

Help others evolve… 

Or not! 

Resting in be-ing…  Allows informed do-ing… 

We must crave enlightenment… 

Whether or not we realize that we crave this… 

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/02/enlightenment.html

We must completely surrender… 

Seems like a paradox, only from the narrow view of this animal self… 

There is no paradox present within non-duality… 

Namaste

So You Want to Become a Integralist

The great part of our religion is that everything is optional!  

The goal of no goals.  Truth in paradox. 

The Religion for Heretics! 

However, some strong recommendations…    

Step 1:  Commit to The 3 Commandments.

OK, you don’t have to believe there is only One Source. 

Most important of all recommendations, is to learn the mistakes of Love Everything.  

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-second-commandment-love-everything_24.html

Then, make sure you are having as much Fun as possible! 

Step 2:  Take up some contemplative practice. 

Perhaps, drop everything that gets in the way of being in non-dual reality.  

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/03/happiness-prescription.html

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/04/instant-enlightenment.html

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/04/enlightenment-part-5-final-secret.html

Then try walking the world in non-dual reality.

Or, head back to physical reality and wear that comfortable overcoat of ego to walk in the world.  

Do good deeds, practice right action.

Practice compassion, kindness, forgiveness, gratitude. 

In non-dual reality there is none of that.  

You are everything and everyone.

To whom are you going to be nice!   

Step 3:  Develop your Human Interaction skills.

1-Engage in conscious relationship.

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/03/conscious-relationship.html

2-Try eye gazing.

http://www.supernoetics.com/rumi-eyegazing-part-1/

3-Or, the tube experiment of Douglas Harding. 

http://www.headless.org/experiments/the-tube.htm

3-Many of us first had an experience of seeing clearly through the use of certain drugs, now labeled entheogens (LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, DMT, etc).  If that is part of your path try connecting deeply with others through entheogens. 

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/03/favorite-quotes-and-entheogens.html

Step 4:  Start leaning the AQAL model.  

Read Ken Wilber’s, A Brief History of Everything.

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/02/just-stranger-in-strange-land-part-2.html

Here is a summary:

http://www.integralworld.net/helfrich.html

Stop complaining that his model is too difficult! 

Step 5:  Proudly display our Symbol.

Riding on the dashboard of your car. 

Hang a little one around your neck.  Wear it as a pin. 

So we can recognize each other!

Maybe we should invent a secret handshake!

Or not. 

So very little is required in our religion!   

Step 6:  Learn more science. 

We are not lost in the clouds of non-physical reality.

We are not lost in the physical reality of science. 

We participate in the whole enchilada!

My wife says:  “It is not about saving people, it's about serving people.”

You don't have to be enlightened. You are already enlightened.

Walk your path until there is no path.

Source is blind and cannot see.

Source is Us (potential bumper sticker here).

Source must express itself as something to see another part of itself.

Source sees out through all our eyes.

Source feels the rocks breaking in the crust of the earth.

Feels the stars exploding.

When we align with Source we glimpse everything that Source sees...  

Through the 10,000 things that are at the same time horror and bliss. 

Truth in paradox… 

No end goal of complete non-dual awareness.

Choose to rest in choice-less awareness.

Now… Now… Now… 

No goals. 

Only an ever-shifting evolution to greater awakeness. 

Namaste