December 17th, 2009
Published by: Ted Ollikkala
Spiritual Chicken Ted Ollikkala (Spiritual Chicken) Quick Facts
Align the Mind – Gain without Pain We all know the battle of the mind vs. the senses… is the tail wagging the dog or did we simply forget to hitch the mule to the cart? In a sense (pardon the pun), it's the popular theme of mind over matter – a very powerful concept akin to the word of God (logos) that created the world.
Main Areas: Empowerment, Self-realization Career Focus: Author, Speaker Ted Ollikkala developed an intense interest in the process of enlightenment and spirituality in 1981 when, at the age of 23 he was exposed to the writings of Alan Watts, Paramahansa Yogananda, Vernon Howard, and Ram Dass, the yoga practices of Richard Hittleman, the readings of Edgar Cayce, and Paul Bragg’s Miracle of Fasting. An avid traveler, interviewer and photojournalist, he has documented spiritual practices in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Bali, and Singapore. He has written feature articles and interviews with Guy Finley, Alan Watt's son (Mark Watts), Progressive rock Artist Paul Whitehead, Australian musician Orianthi Panagaris, Christian mystic Sister Choo Thomas (Heaven is So Real), Patricia Bragg, Comedian Tim Sample, and others on TEDUCATION.com (70,374 visitors since 2005). Ted is an avid photographer with more than 4,040,434 all time views on Flickr.com/photos/teducation and contributions to National Wildlife Federation and UNESCO Thailand. A former engineer, early childhood education specialist, nursing assistant, holistic artifacts dealer and communication skills lecturer, Ted brings a wealth of experiences and a unique perspective to his writings on spirituality. He currently lives in Singapore and is the owner and main contributing author of SpiritualChicken.com
Now let's say you have any one of a number of nasty habits or New Years' resolutions (current or past) that you're keen on disciplining. They could range anywhere from trying to get in a regimented exercise routine, losing weight, stop smoking or eating meat, sexual abstinence or imbibing drugs/alcohol. Notice that time management, procrastination, spending more time with the kids, etc. are NOT on the list, because these are not bodily functions regulated by the chemistry of the senses. OK, time to get started on this one. The carefully crafted plan is ready for action. The body is present, and the mind is in the driver's seat. The green flag is waving and all of your friends are cheering in the grandstand, some of them hoping to make a bit of money off you! To assist in our handicapping, there is a red hot tip from Mahatma Gandhi that no one who is trying self-discipline should ever forget. It comes from Gandhi's autobiography, 'The story of my experiments with truth' (Chapter 107) when he was experimenting with fasting as a means to purify the mind: "A mind consciously unclean cannot be cleansed by fasting. Modifications in diet have no effect on it. The concupiscence (strong sexual desire) of the mind cannot be rooted out except by intense self-examination, surrender to God and lastly, grace. But there is an intimate connection between the mind and the body, and carnal mind always lusts for delicacies and luxuries. To obviate this tendency dietetic restrictions and fasting would appear to be necessary. The carnal mind, instead of controlling
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the senses, becomes their slave and therefore the body always needs clean non-stimulating foods and periodical fasting."
5. People, - you cannot live without SINNING… So stop feeling guilty.
What Gandhi is saying here is thus:
6. GOD acknowledges you Why not acknowledge Him?
The mind, without being aligned with the authorization of the Creator (Gandhi was essential non-religious, believing in spirituality rather than any particular organized religion), the mind is weak and will be overruled and overpowered by the senses of the body every time. Changing habits without proper 'mind alignment' is akin to torture and nearly certainly doomed to failure. It takes a tremendous amount of self-generated energy (we foolishly call this 'will power') and anal retentiveness to carry out such a program over the body.
7. YOU can be selfish If you want to… 8. Not all PSYCHIC ENERGY is benevolent Some spirits are evil. 9. You don't HAVE TO maintain your body But why suffer needlessly? 10. You can BLAME… But ultimately you're always at fault.
How much easier all of this would be if only we have the Creator's energy doing the work for us! The same message comes across in Christianity from the bible (Matt 11:28-30; NIV) when Jesus says 'For my yoke is easy and my burden is light' because you can 'cast all your care upon him; for he careth for you.' (1 Peter 5:7) Effortless change of habits, successful self-restraint, and practical physical and mental discipline are truly possible for those spiritually aligned with the energy of the cosmos. If this sounds too good to be true, we need only think how difficult it is for a fish to swim upstream. To 'go with the flow' (if you can identify and connect with that flow) is the 'only way to go'. To sum things up: Life lived in the spirit is indeed a breeze.
Ten Spiritual Truths You Didn't Know Unchallenged assumptions in a rational, take it for granted world are extremely dangerous. Yet many of us carry on day by day as if we know-it-all, and like a speed bump in the road (what's that in the road, a head?), sooner or later evasive action must be taken to avoid calamity. So watch where you're going, be prepared, and read the scout's code book. Don't leave home without it. Here are ten golden spiritual truths that are hard to argue against, but easy enough to experience for yourself. All it takes is a little observation. Be brave. Experiment a little with life in small ways that don't rock the boat. You will emerge all the wiser and may be able to give someone a 'leg up' someday. 1. Women, - of course you're a GODDESS… Do you really need to pay someone to tell you that? 2. Of course, - ANGELS are talking to you... You just don't know yet how to listen! 3. People, - we're all created from the SAME ENERGY. Were you not aware? 4. People, - the body is powered by THE BREATH. Therefore, breathe deeply!
Staying Spiritually Straight – Correct Use of Tools Many people these days have are proud to acknowledge that they have 'hit the spiritual trail', they've taken up one or more of the various aspects of modern spirituality which are popularly available. In these days of open acceptance and general tolerance of alternate spirituality practices, there are any number of people 2
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who, at any given time – are switching paths, or adding on new ones in their quest for comfort and closure .
getting to the ultimate level, full enlightenment and union with the creator?
• Comfort: from personal problems; including career, health, and relationships.
It seems to me that as many times as the great yogis and other enlightened beings have warned about not being distracted by miracles, powers, and spiritual gifts that manifest as one purifies their consciousness through various techniques (meditation, prayer, fasting, devotion, etc.) this is the general atmosphere that pervades (and perverts) the true essence of spirituality in the new millennium.
• Closure: due to the inability to answer Ramana Maharshi's favourite (supreme) question 'Who am I?', and the Christian failure to account for reincarnation, which results in the uncomfortable theology of eternal damnation in hell. And there are many experts in spiritual fields who are more than willing to bring the seeker down their particular branch. Usually, it seems - they charge 'by the footstep' (or by the phone call, private consultation, or speaking engagement). To mention a few examples, there is the tarot, astrology, auras, channeling, psychiv readings, and various self-empowerment techniques (hypnosis, ESP, creating abundance, manifesting dreams, etc.) All of these fields are quite valid indeed, and dedicated practitioners are able to tap into the ethereal energy and achieve more or less the desired results. Past lives can be known, as can certain future events, ancestors contacted and communicated with, etc. They deserve the fees they charge, as the initiate is not likely to accomplish any of these goals without expert advice. I will call these skills 'spiritual tools'. They are tools that anyone (with a mind) would seemingly have the potential to learn to use, given proper technique, diligence, and skill. However, certain persons are born with these innate abilities, such as the psychic abilities (for example, clairvoyance, channeling, prophecy, etc.) or discover them and develop them to a fuller level of expression at some point in their present incarnation. Naturally, these people would seek to share their ability to use these tools, and generally to make a living at the same time. Some spiritually gifted people sought out fortune and fame on this earth, others were uncomfortable with their gifts but were forewarned that to use them for profit or personal gratification would be illicit. Examples of extraordinary people possessing spiritual gifts include saints of the Catholic Church (St. Teresa of Avila), Indian yogis (Paramahansa Yogananda), 'ordinary psychics and healers' such as Edgar Cayce, Madame Blavatsky, Alice A. Bailey, and best selling authors such as Sylvia Browne and Zak Martin who have been commercially successful. There are a widespread number of people today who claim and demonstrate various psychic and spiritual gifts, tools, or abilities that were previously unknown, uncommon, or quite rare. They are only too happy to take on clients and readers of their books, tapes, etc. whose purpose is to increase wealth, develop psychic ability, control relationships, and so on. But now let us ask the million dollar question. What place do these 'spiritual tools' have in the sincere seekers' strategy for
It's time to set ourselves straight and align once again to the original purpose of the one guiding light, put our material desires for extraordinary comfort, excessive wealth, and control over others aside – and reach out for direct communion and a personal relationship with our creator. These spiritual distractions, nuisances and petty trivialities belong in the lower worlds, the temporary material world of maya and the lower astral planes from whence various astral embodiments often seek to dispel their mischief upon mortals. Make proper use of your spiritual gifts to harmonize with the life force and seek the straight and narrow. Seek ye always to aspire for the highest of the high, the mightiest of the mighty, the eternal and immortal power of love and creation.
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Spiritual Maturity – Growing Up, Wise! Not for the Feint of Heart Seekers of enlightenment fall into several categories, all of which, to the chagrin of those starting out on the path, are nearly mutually exclusive! As a person goes through life, their appetite for self-realization usually increases as they begin meeting influential personalities outside of their familiar (family) circle of close relatives and proximal neighbors.
Published by: Ted Ollikkala
Unity of purpose and commitment to the path are better than axle grease and ball bearings on the road to enlightenment. Spiritually mature individuals have a real head start in that they are able to distinguish and be recognized by genuine cosmic guides whose purpose is to assist the hungry souls who are moribund with the illusions of maya.
At some point, parental influence is no longer as dominant as in the formative years, and a tripping point in beliefs is reached as the young seeker expands their field of vision beyond mere ego gratification (peer assistance) and business contacts (co-workers) defined by a particular social, industrial and/or religious structuring. The family religion may be a help or a hindrance to those seeking the ultimate aim of life, which they may at first perceive as self-realization, then enlightenment, then spiritual guidance. If and when particular charismatic rituals and sanctified customs cease to appease the young soul, the seeker becomes vulnerable to the influence of charlatans, fakirs and wannabees who try to dazzle a new devotee with overwhelming waves of mystic sensation. Induced Escapism The initiate may find themselves in all sorts of opulent, nonspiritual circumstances, including chemical (drugs), music (counter-culture) in a naïve attempt at material escapism. Although theoretically grounded, they are literally 'beside the wayside' and these activities mask themselves as cleverly disguised substitutes for authenticity. Upon further maturation, mostly derived from causal experience (trial and error) – the seeker will turn to timehonored, trusted sources of historical inspiration in various fields, such as mind development, philosophical thinking, reasoning, artistic expression, poetry, etc. In these avenues one will meet a bewildering assortment of more sincere, yet equally as discouraged as not fellow seekers who might seem to possess a common heritage. Brotherhood of Unity What started as a personal quest for self-realization now becomes tinged with the possibility of cooperation and vested partnership of a much wider, spiritual community (of which there are many). Such a novice may at last be recognized as latent with potential, although still considered to be a spiritual adolescent. Although the possibility of becoming pigeon-holed by dogma and intricate specialization is a definite reality at this stage and as much a trap as the previously mentioned forms of 'sincere escapism', it is a mark of religious piousness that can be ill afforded in a sectarian world.
Purify and Rinse Expect hard change and loss of self-esteem that was placed too high on the scale during periods of pre-gestated vulnerability. Be willing to lose all that you had gained on the social, industrial, and religious scales of contrived artificiality. Be open to intense cleansing and absolute blind trust. Know that your path has been forged ahead and the way is clear, that there is a guide with experience to help open your heart and astral senses. The spiritually mature is not certain to recognize their embryonic self of eons ago, indeed they are no longer the same person. One ego has been shed and its thin shell lies cast aside for the hungry vultures of the devil to devour. He can walk freely among formerly polarized points of distraction and attraction with a clear focus and open concentration. The foot will not deviate into obstruction nearly as often, nor will adversaries attack a strengthened mind nor continue to fool a foolish heart. The mind is water-tight and iron clad with right purpose, the heart driven by an irresistible, otherworldly passion – and the foibles of man cease to intrigue. The Worthy Opponent – Your Self The one whom you thought was is in your way is gone. The expansion of interconnected circles has brought you to a crossroads of selfish sorts. You emerge spiritually wiser and lighter with one less karmic influence to hold you back. Like a hot knife through butter your soul reeks of desire to join with your creator, and your creator has sent hand picked experts to challenge and nurture you. This should sound like a paradox because it is. No one said that enlightenment was easy. But now that you're here, would you go back? 4
December 17th, 2009
Author's Bio SelfGrowth.com Expert Author, Ted Ollikkala developed an intense interest in the process of enlightenment and spirituality in 1981 when, at the age of 23 he was exposed to the writings of Alan Watts, Paramahansa Yogananda, Vernon Howard, and Ram Dass, the yoga practices of Richard Hittleman, the readings of Edgar Cayce, and Paul Bragg’s Miracle of Fasting. An avid traveler, interviewer and photojournalist, he has documented spiritual practices in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Bali, and Singapore. A former engineer, early childhood education specialist, nursing assistant, holistic artifacts dealer and communication skills lecturer, Ted brings a wealth of experiences and a unique perspective to his writings on spirituality. He currently lives in Singapore and is the owner and main contributing author of SpiritualChicken.com.
Published by: Ted Ollikkala
So it seems to be the same from the Zen point of view about reaching enlightenment. In fact, the phrase "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps" (a favorite of Alan Watts) is simply another means of proclaiming the impossibility of the task. I would like to provide several analogies that convey similar meaning, just to get the point across. Sinking in Quicksand If you saw some hapless soul slowly sinking in a pit of quicksand, would you 1. Tell them to struggle harder? 2. Tell them to move slowly and wait for external assistance? Of course, we all know the answer (2). Right? That's because struggling only serves to hasten the sinking. How about if you were scuba-diving a saw a shark? How about if you were hiking and came across a venomous rattlesnake or cobra? The same theory (walk slowly and carry a big stick) would apply... You are not a Perpetual Motion Machine Do you remember the 'drinking bird' toy from the 1970s that at first glance seemed to be a perpetual motion machine? The bird pivoted at the center and rocked up and down as if drinking water from a cup. Actually, the cycle would continue as long as there is enough water in the glass to keep the head wet, or as long as a temperature differential is maintained between the bird's head and body.
Halfway to Enlightenment Just One Step More October 19th, 2009
Several Zen-like 'anti-gurus' such as Alan Watts and U.G. Krishnamurti have argued about the futileness of actively seeking enlightenment through strenuous effort, asceticism, or other various disciplines as a waste of energy that could best be put to more practical use. Let me explain further. Perhaps you have heard of the proven mathematical impossibility of never reaching your destination. Let me explain further. Perhaps you have heard of the proven mathematical impossibility of never reaching your destination. Here's how it works. You stand facing a wall. Your chosen objective is to reach the wall by taking steps towards it. But the rules of this game state that every step you take will bring you halfway to the wall. Sounds pretty good so far! So you take the first step (you're halfway to the wall already). Now for the next step... halfway again! But after a few more steps you realize that you're never going to make it!
Or consider this - you set out on a long drive across the country in your automobile. At some point however, you will have to stop to tank up your fuel. Assuming that you have adequate cash and that the gas station has sufficient quantities, you're likely to reach your destination. Notice that this type of journey requires some sort of exchange of commodities, barter, or currency in order to work (you could resort to siphoning gas in the middle of the night, but that's not ethical). Spiritual Currency A spiritual journey requires spiritual currency or bartering. Actually it seems to work like this: the ever-forgiving Being of Creation requires only a small payment in the form of love, devotion, and respect in order to grant you grace and favoritism in answering your prayers of request. But now back to the original conundrum; the whole mistaken idea of being able to gain enlightenment through self-effort of expending sufficient (and exorbitant amounts of) energy in the quest of it. To the anti-guru U.G. Krishnamurti this was sublime folly. He constantly admonished those seeking spiritual advice to simply stop trying - there was nothing to gain by this method. In fact, the method (of expending energy) actually takes you further out to sea and away from your goal. To take it one confounding step further - he also advised against having such a goal. To function in the 'natural state', one needed to clear the mind (thought energy) even of goals. Any goal. 5
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Putting Your Energy to Good Use So how can our thought energy be put to best use? By not worrying about the goal of enlightenment and using the mind for the purpose it was intended - to obtain the basic necessities of life. Anything else is simply diversion. Alan Watts used to talk about (in his audio lectures) those who knew they were living in an illusion (Maya) and those who didn't. He actually took pity on those who had 'awakened' and were firmly committed to the struggle of trying to free themselves from illusion (sound familiar...? Quicksand!).
Published by: Ted Ollikkala
And at the mind level, the familiar words, phrases, and idioms must be used, analysis must occur in the same manner and judgments must be made with the same ethics as has been characterized by the personality, or particular 'mask' that the ego has been wearing for most of its existence. Do we mean to say "You look sad" or "Your body looks sad"? Think carefully about this distinction.
On the other hand, those who went about their everyday life completely rooted in ignorance of Maya, buying into the entire game 'hook, line, and sinker' were actually to be admired, for although they lived in ignorance, they also lived in bliss (ignorance is bliss). They played the game with full intensity, completely absorbed in emotions. How to Unlearn Perhaps it would be wise to consider 'unlearning' some of this devious desire to reach the wall using half steps. Let's go on living our lives with integrity, love, compassion and full-on emotion rather than wasting it on selfish mind-tripping and chasing your own tail. A receptive mind is a terrible thing to engage.
Acting Out Your Life October 14th, 2009
There is a human body. And inside of this fantastic human body, connected to all of the motor muscles, nerves and pain sensors, is a mind. This mind has tremendous recall power. It learns as it experiences the world through the senses of the body that it is connected to, and through various interactions initiated from without and from within. The Self as Performed Identity Most of us are familiar with Freud's notion of the ego, and the metaphysical concept that the ego is an illusion. Let's look into a new meme. Let us propose that 'We have a self'. This self goes with us wherever we go and experiences whatever it can hold onto, and stores away these experiential imprints as a series of memory patterns. Another way of putting this is to say 'We perform our very selves in the world as activities'. In order to maintain its identity, the self must perform, or recreate a series of previously learnt performances each and every day in a consistent, coherent and logical manner in line with the current social circumstances, etiquette and cultural nuances of its environment. The Body Exemplifies the Mind In a typical 'performance of the self', on any given day or time - there must be an integrated display of consistency on at least two levels; at the level of the body, where a sad-moving body exemplifies a sad mind, a happily-moving body implies a happy mind, and so on.
Ego vs. Personality For although the ego can act in any manner it chooses, this is not to the ego's advantage! For an ego to maintain credibility in the world of social interactions, it must display a more or less consistent and predictable personality. People will not trust an unpredictable, hence unstable person displaying multiple personas. They will shun, ostracize, or lock such a him or her away. The only people who seem to be able to get away with putting on different personas (personalities) are Hollywood actors and actresses, but even many of them don't have a very wide repertoire and wind up becoming typecast. Other people have a 'public' and a 'private' persona (repertoire of two). Now back to the story at hand. Body and Self as Narrative Constructions A narrative is the telling of a story. Each human being's story (or self) is reconstructed daily from laid-down memory patterns stored in the human mind, and performed in the material and social physical world. Furthermore, not only must a mind/body entity (we're getting more abstract here, so watch out) perform its story in the world, it must also respond properly to external stimulus. The entity's learned or conditioned response patterns (behaviorism) are deeply ingrained (burned) in the mind. They operate out of the conscious realm, on autopilot (the subconscious). Grounding Your Stand An entity's mind must be in reasonable working order to function properly in society. A malfunctioning mind will not properly animate its body, and again the human entity will be dismissed, not for unstableness of persona, but for plain old 6
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unresponsiveness indicating lack of concern, lack of caring, or inability to cope.
friendships - but he wouldn't have considered those people as having as friends to begin with, so it never bothered him.
Therefore, to hold your ground and meet the status quo in society you must:
The Enlightenment of UG Krishnamurti
1. have a well-established (and unique) persona 2. animate your body properly Now, we have seen that both of these factors are regenerated (or booted up, as it were - for you computer geeks out there) daily. The only long-term variable appearing in the temporal mind-body equation is the soul. Funny, we haven't mentioned Him yet!
UG Krishnamurti (everyone called him simply U.G.) achieved worldwide cult status and a strange 'non-following' for the last forty years of his life up until his death at the age of eightynine in 2007 (read his obituary*). UG never stopped proclaiming that all of religion, including the greatest enlightened beings of all time, Jesus, Siddhartha Gautama, J.Krishnamurti, Ramana Maharshi - and all aspects of the 'guru-business' including the Vedic literature - was a false and deceiving facade that did more harm than good.
So, to put it all together what do we have? We've got body mind - ego - personality, and soul. Out of these five, which one would appear to be the most permanent? The Camel's Back Are you ready for the jaw buster, the straw that's gonna break the camel's back? Here it comes... What keeps the heart beating and the breath oscillating when the ego and persona shut down at night? The body is on 'standby' mode, the mind is on autopilot (again), yet there is still much regulation going on in there! Furthermore I ask you, "What 'grows' the body as it develops from an embryo into a fully formed adult human?". It wasn't your mind because in the womb you didn't have one (due to insufficient mass of brain cells). Suffice to say that by process of elimination there must be something (or someone) providing instruction and energy from within (there is no external nourishment going on in these circumstances). We can call it the soul, and take it from there. You'd better take care of your soul, because it's the origin of everything that you 'think' you are. (I think, therefore I am bah!). If you are unable to contact your soul then I suggest you learn how ASAP. Send a request to God, the person in charge of all the souls on earth (and then some).
Life is a Joy - Avoiding the UG Krishnamurti Syndrome October 3rd, 2009
UG Krishnamurti in a nutshell Anyone who comes into contact with the ultra fascinating life-story and circumstances of UG Krishnamurti (not to be confused with J (Jedda) Krishnamurti) is in for a ride straight to the gates of whatever you define as your hell. In fact, it's like being alone in a car in the back seat, blindfolded! There is no bigger shock in life than to discover that what you have been fruitlessly searching for all of your life, your 'Restaurant at the End of the Universe' - simply doesn't exist! This is putting it 'nicely'. The way it comes out of UG's mouth has caused in people prolonged depression and suicidal actions: "There is no power outside of man. Man has created God out of fear." Many simply can't take it. UG spoke with authority and conviction. He loved to be blunt, and it cost him many
UG was adamant that buying in to any of the innumerable spiritual disciplines and/or methods actually took a body further away from what he insists is the natural state. UG himself lived in that natural state, the state without awareness of self, ever since his 'Calamity' transformation in 1967. This is the highly sought-after state of enlightenment called moksha. Make no mistake about it, UG himself, once proclaimed in his own portfolio (scrapbook) as "One of the most brilliant speakers that India has ever produced" was one of the most highly qualified candidates on the planet during his lifetime for induction into the spiritual hall of fame. He had a extraordinary passion for seeking the truth and exposing what
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he considered frauds, in a loving attempt to save people from themselves. He loved to ridicule seekers who came to him by saying such things like "We are all at 25 Sannidhi Street, and you are asking me "Where is 25 Sannidhi Street?" when they asked for enlightenment. The simple act of uttering this question was to UG the ultimate nonsense ("Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see"). The syndrome that I seek to sooth is the first phase of reaction to the ideas of UG Krishnamurti. The curious attention seekers who followed UG to no end and demanded audiences with him wherever he went kept it up for fifty years. What was the mystique behind UG's enlightenment (UG himself jokingly renamed the book written about him as 'The mistake of enlightenment')? The Cure Exposure to the non-God / power of man / there-is-nothingto-attain philosophy is enough to rock the very foundation of your existence. But it need not be this way. There is a cure. Let us take a look at the technique UG used to gain attention and force people to look inward, outward, and start seriously questioning their own existence. For conventional guru-ism (or what UG called 'the business of spirituality') to survive, to be successful - it needs good marketing. It needs a self-replicating meme that feeds upon itself to keep bringing the customers back. It doesn't matter, says UG - that the process doesn't yield results! "You gurus", he said - "you all sit there meditating and abstaining from sex. To what end? You're still sitting there and you haven't got anything. How long will it last?" A closer look at UG's techniques
Taking Revenge on UG
UG himself could have lived a normal life. It was certainly within his means and he never hesitated to do what he wanted to do. But let's look what he allowed to happen. Basically, he encouraged - however directly or subtly, a circus atmosphere which surrounded and constantly descended upon his entourage.
UG would have a ball with this essay if he were to read it. It's the very stuff of what he was made of. So now let's take one final aim to gather back the self-esteem of shattered hopes, and an put an end once and for all to the delusional 'UG Krishnamurti Syndrome'.
To be a member of UG's inner circle was a great honor for these 'non-disciples', who UG refused to teach or enlighten. He said that he had no gifts to give. This non-giving (go away, I have nothing to give you) is actually a very clever use of reverse psychology, of which UG was an absolute master. It heightened the desires of those who came wanting. In essence, what this 'peek-a-boo' (now you see it now you don't) mentality actually does is allow us to 'glimpse the sugar without actually tasting it' (to paraphrase UG's own smiting criticism of fellow guru-mate J. Krisnamurti). UG was a master of whetting the appetite and then withdrawing the palette. He made no excuses for it. UG destroyed the confidence in people and shattered their beliefs. However, they kept coming back! UG kept telling them to go home and don't come back. But they had nowhere else to go. They were destitute and had lost their self-esteem.
We start by looking at the man himself. This self-proclaimed 'bomb-dropper', who teased people by saying "You don't want enlightenment - it will explode every cell in your body and cause intense pain. No, you don't want this!" was actually a very happy and contented person. His charisma was extraordinary. Not only was he handsome, intelligent, an expert lecturer, an accomplished practitioner of oriental spiritual disciplines since an early age - he was also of auspicious birth. Numerous experiences confirm psychic pre-awareness and prophecies of his ability. I won't go into them here, you can read about them in his books. Ingenious Psychology! Don't be fooled, UG had mystic powers, yet he failed to explain them and/or simply shrugged them off as being nothing more than 'scientific phenomena'. But one thing UG failed to account for was the power of the human mind not only, in his words "To invent God" (where there was none)", but to manipulate the energy of creation. To bring into 8
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being contentment and an end to suffering. To cease desiring through the act of being indifferent. Indeed, UG Krishnamurti was a master at these things. He lived well, with extreme integrity and was not afraid of life or dying. He inspired and continues to inspire thousands who would need orientation in their spiritual disciplines. The ingeniousness of his marketing method ensures a healthy skepticism and will enable seekers to jump-start their journey with renewed enthusiasm by un-learning the unhealthy practices that detract from the goal. Make no mistake about it - life is for the living and the zest for life is one that UG Krishnamurti wholeheartedly embodied.
Emotions - How to Stop Them From Running My Life?
self-perceived versions of niceness. Such a person is not being authentic with their emotions. They are merely 'saving face' and attempting to avoid conflict. 'Right intention' and proper emotions flow from the spirit, and are constantly regulated in our own ongoing feedback / control mechanism (the brain). These emotions are updated instant by instant, and must be allowed to flow freely and find expression. Caged and frozen emotions are roadblocks to success. To control emotions, one must practice detachment, one benefit learned through various meditation practices. This means to step into the 'third person' point of view and observe yourself having an emotional experience, but not identifying yourself with it. The experience will move on and so can you with your life.
August 20th, 2009
Emotions run in the basement of the brain. To rise above these primitive and petty masks that overshadow your being, you need to operate from a different center. If the basement is flooded, seek shelter on a higher floor. The water may rise, but so can you! We can never escape emotions altogether, and shouldn't expect to as they serve as self-correcting blinders in the navigation of unknown circumstances. Life without emotions (both positive and negative ones) is meaningless. Classification of Emotions The dualistic nature of the mind gives rise to differentiation, most commonly embraced as the classic struggle between good (the positive, the desirable, life enhancing, pleasure seeking) and evil (the negative, the undesirable, life destructing, pain seeking). Any emotion, both positive or negative, can be abused by the 'emotee', or conversely over-saturate its victim with paralyzing effects.
August 20th, 2009
Negative Emotions Fear, lust, greed, disappointment....
Cutting Through Crap Spiritual Whack-A-Mole
hate,
depression,
sadness,
Positive Emotions Love, happiness, compassion, empathy, contentment.... Neutrality and Abuse Negative emotions are meant to protect us from our environment (including other 'emotees'). In and of themselves, negative emotions (in the right proportions) can indeed be helpful (and life saving). People get carried away with the chemically self-induced effects (drug use, jogging) of certain positive emotions like euphoria and love. They become addicted to these emotions and not only crave them but seek fulfillment at the expense of the emotions of others. Cultivation and regulation No one likes a 'goody two shoes', the well intentioned person who puts on their false face and traipses around spreading
Material psychologists and self-help authors have long prospered in their profession by embedding their clients into the old game of 'Whack-A-Mole' whereby once one (costly) problem has been addressed and cured, another pops up (from the same mind). There is a better way. Rather than using a 'niche approach' to correct faulty thinking problems, why not cut straight to the root? Think of the life force that flows through a tree. Although receiving energy from both ends; water and nutrients from the roots, and chemical energy from sunlight (photosynthesis) at the tips of the branches - ask yourself in which direction does a tree grow? Seed growth begins from the bottom and pushes upwards towards the light. Now think about the human brain. Its basic behavioral patterns are laid down in childhood. Successive layers of experiential conditioning further enhance or complicate optimal functioning. At some point, when behavior modification becomes necessary (due to inappropriate ability to handle circumstances, both internal and external) where should the problem be addressed? 9
December 17th, 2009
Sigmund Freud advocated regression techniques back to the moment of birth, while Carl Jung took it one step further (or backwards) to the ocean of disembodied Collective Unconsciousness that we're all supposedly tapped into. Modern Self-Help Techniques Many of the so-called self improvement techniques and books available on the market these days unfortunately still advocate a niche approach. Let's face it, professionals enjoy showing off their talent by being specialists / experts in their field. This is quite easy to do when the field is small and limited. Such pigeonholed specialists actually end up providing a disservice to their clients and readers. This is because of the endless chain of cause and effect that permeates the human thinking process. Band-Aid therapy for hemorrhage results in lots of leaks. Best to get a fresh flow of energy and flush out the system.
Published by: Ted Ollikkala
And another thing, there were definitely subjects not offered at the time that would have made you a very different person than the one you are today. Mind training, creativity, analytical thinking, yoga and meditation. For elementary school aged students? That's right. How about conflict resolution, entrepreneurship, and accounting? There are people in this world who received the right type of education at an early age. They come from the two extremes of life - the very rich and the very poor. Rich people have private tutors, like-minded associates, and non-traditional private schools. People in poverty, while likely receiving no formal education - got what they needed as they went along in the school of life, the living breathing classroom of community, family and culture. Not necessarily television, either, which is an unregulated educational distraction.
The Spiritual Psychologist Enter the cosmic psychologist; the One who made the brain and sustains it with life force. If a home appliance is sputtering and sparking, there may be a poor connection. We'll replace the entire frayed electrical cord with a fresh conduit and connect it straight to the source. What am I saying here? Simply to bypass the mending and splicing of the branches (throw out the self-help books) and look to the root for power. When a person's body and mind have been purified and strengthened, then he/she will be ready to handle the increased amounts of life force that will wipe clean the irrational associations formulated in the brain and provide spiritual guidance. Do not put your faith in man, he is only mortal. Trust the infinite power of the timeless creator to set your thinking straight.
My Missed Learning Opportunities - Can I Go Back? August 20th, 2009
The Problem with Education Think about your early, mostly ignorant education. The one that was cooperatively forced upon most of us at an age when we were wholly and unreservedly impressionable. It was done 'for our own good', even if we didn't know why. Expected to endure endless hours of externally imposed discipline and bombarded by well-intentioned teachers, we somehow struggled through those formative years, emerging almost none the wiser. What If Now here's the good news. What if, you ask yourself - what if you could take what you know now and go back and get 'retaught' only those areas of subject matter that you yourself deem valuable (and invaluable). That's right - not everything you learned in K-8 was valuable. Some of it was pure abstraction with no practical use in your world. Now it's 20 or 30 years down the road, it still hasn't been used, and is never likely to.
For the Rest of Us The answer for the average person on the planet is really quite simply. Part-time or full-time home-schooling. For yourself! It's inexpensive and practical, and a win-win situation for all parties concerned. If you decide to teach your own children (or even someone else's), you would be able to introduce proper subject matter to those in whom you have a vested lifelong interest. Simply being a teacher is one of the most powerful means of learning what you need to know. In this manner, you can absolutely revisit your own education with a much more developed sense of integrity and passion for learning, a sure recipe for success (and fun). For those of us without children, yet who have a strong desire to learn, consider this: create your own 'home university'. Set up a customized curriculum, select the subject matter, and dedicate a fixed schedule of study. Create a system by which to monitor your progress (you need not give yourself assessments if you don't want to) but definitely try to test out practical applications (this is the most exciting test of new knowledge). Life is about improvement, so what are you waiting for?
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Published by: Ted Ollikkala
21 Spiritual Sticky Notes to Improve Your Life August 20th, 2009
Here is a set of Spiritual 'Sticky Notes' that can be used to empower your thinking and encourage 'right action'. These twenty one inspirational quotes can have a profound effect on your life. Think of them as a spiritual 'kick in the pants'! PEACE Peace is not simply the absence of violence. It is also the elimination of any intention to harm living things or cause undue suffering. A person at peace brings those around him or her closer to God. PREFERENCES The key to really getting started in life is going beyond the 'I want I want' stage and downgrading those perceived needs into preferences. Not only do preferences provide more options, they reduce dependency on desire. Try it. INSECURITY Low self-esteem, sense of isolation, and lack of confidence. Sound familiar? All of the ingredients for a bungling existence. Insecure people need a spiritual guide to help them find the path. Without a path it is dark and dangerous. DISAPPOINTMENT I always believed that those who never expected much were somehow less disappointed. Avoidance of disappointment, however, does not contribute to the satisfaction quotient - they are different ball games entirely. MATURITY Social conformity does not necessarily constitute spiritual maturity. In fact, the more spiritually advanced you are, the more childlike you become. And a controlled childhood is so much better than a reckless one prone to fatal mishaps. SILENCE Ask not, want not. Be content in your being. Through silence you can hear the inner voice, and not until. Thought cessation as well as vocal inactivity constitutes true listening.
DESTRUCTION Practice destruction wisely; it has a core purpose. Out with the bad (air) in with the good... Don't destroy what you still need, but do clear out room for enhanced efficiency. Remember also that 'less is more', and simplicity rules. This implies that downsizing is a good thing. To downsize you have to thoughtfully destroy. INTELLIGENCE High amounts of indulgence in rational thinking can take the fun out of life, and at times substitute non-activity when there should be action. Be mindful (!) of how much time you spend thinking ~ and of course which things you think about. DOGMA Fixed, rigid beliefs and closed minds have gotten more people killed than all of the world wars combined. It also makes for unpleasant living with your neighbors. LUST When experiencing unsuppressed sexual desires for a body, do remember that its material existence is temporal. That body is a 'snapshot' of flesh in the aging process between birth & death. 11
December 17th, 2009
Published by: Ted Ollikkala
THE SACRED There is nothing that isn't sacred. Period. Treat everything you encounter with awe & wonderment (I know you'll want to argue about this one!). BEAUTY Inner beauty or outer? Are you biased by gender (male or female)? Don't try to own or claim beauty (look but don't touch) - just appreciate it. Try to create beauty wherever you go. HUNCHES Learn to act on your hunches and flashes of inspiration. The path to enlightenment depends very much on developing this skill so that you are directly in tune with the guiding voices of wisdom. RATIONALITY One can not expect to be completely rational all the time. Sometimes it takes a warped mind to ease in the data of new experiences. The simplest way to go crazy is to be stubbornly sane. ACCEPTANCE We all want to 'belong', seeking the approval of others to do so. Actually, the underlying foundation is that we all want to be loved, whether we admit it or not. Acceptance is a reciprocal process. Once accepted, one must return the favor by accepting others. MIRACLES
INTEGRITY
They exist but are rarely seen by mortles. A mortle is like a chuckle, someone who is not serious about the meaning of life.
Find me an honest man! In ancient Greece, Diogenes Spent His Days Walking the streets Of Athens with a lighted lantern - looking for an honest man. That was BC, c412-323! He still hasn't found one.
TIME How to explain again that it's not linear and cannot be held? Most of the 'time' we project out of it. We're thinking in the past (self-correction) or in the future (goal setting).
What is YOUR personal criteria for finding honest people? AUTHENTICITY
Very rarely does the average person make full use of the moment, at which point time simply ceases to exist. Ask any artist or musician - who are quite intimate with it.
A genuine person, although exhibiting the taste and flavor of a personality, must be ego-less - tuned in to the energy of the One who made the world and orchestrates its movements.
MONEY
Each of these bits of 'Sticky Wisdom' (in the form of yellow post-it notes) can be easily shared with friends on all of the popular social networking sites.
Who needs it when you have a roof over your head and food in your belly? GULLIBLE PEOPLE People are so gullible it's not funny. We've lost the capacity to think things through and make rational, logical decisions. In this hodgepodge world we have outsourced our brains to the mass media and put our faith in military style operations.
All content, including photo collages copyright 2009 Ted Ollikkala, Singapore.
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