Jenci
19th November 2011, 14:05
What you truly are is prior to all things. Prior to all thoughts, concepts, ideas, even life itself. Everything which arises within what we truly are, is secondary.
Any word I use to describe it therefore cannot be it. I can say what it is not (the mind, body, thoughts, ego, concepts, beliefs, feelings) or I can point towards it using pointers or signposts such as Enlightenment, Awareness, Consciousness, God, Source, The Real, The Self, The Truth...... but these are all secondary to that which is primary. They are not it.
To illustrate - let’s call Enlightenment "London".
We live out in a small remote village and we want to experience London as so many have told us of its wonder and vastness. We have an idea of what it is like because we have been told so much but we are restless because we haven’t experienced it yet.
We get in our car on our search and we are on the M11, a 3 lane motorway, and we see a large blue signpost which says London 30 miles.
But some of our friends are on a different road. This is the A10, it is narrower with only two lanes, but they also see a signpost that says London. But this one is green and this one says 25 miles.
So which one is London?
One London is green and 25 miles, the other blue and 30 miles, one is on a narrow road, the other on a wide road.
Neither of these Londons seem to live up to what we have been told but those of us on the big road, think this must be it because of the size of it. We have been told to look for something big.
So we stop the car at the big blue sign and get out at the side of the road. Destination reached!
We call our friends on the other route and we tell them we know what London is and its big, blue, 30 miles with 3 lanes of traffic. Disappointed, our friends know they can’t have found the real London yet, so they press on. But at least now they know what to look for now – surely if they stay on this road, the lanes will widen and the signs will turn from green to blue..................
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Signposts are the best we can offer to those who are seeking. Nothing secondary can ever be what is primary. If we stop at the signpost, we miss the destination. (This can happen a lot in religions)
The signposts – the teachings – are all pointing towards the Truth but they are not the Truth themselves.
If a signpost doesn’t resonate with you, then I suggest you leave it. There are plenty of other expressions of the way to the Truth. There’s no right or wrong, rather just what needs to be heard at the place you are at right now. If you stay here trying to understand this, you may miss the next post which is literally hitting you on the head with a signpost that you need.
Even if we could agree that the way to London is a sign with the number of miles on it but it doesn’t matter if the sign is blue or green, then even this is no help if our other friends are standing at LAX airport heading to London and the number of miles are irrelevant. They need a flight and gate number!
Teachers will often change the signposts so people don’t get fixated on what they are looking for. Sometimes the signpost will need to be changed to suit where the individual is at that time. Often the teachings may appear contradictory because of this.
Ramana Maharshi used to teach in silence as he felt it was the best way to point the student what they really are. But this didn’t resonate with all, so sometimes he would use words to teach. Neither is right or wrong, just what was needed at the time.
The Truth is flexible and has a flow to it. It is not rigid and fixed and there is room for all the signposts to be here. :o
Jeanette
Any word I use to describe it therefore cannot be it. I can say what it is not (the mind, body, thoughts, ego, concepts, beliefs, feelings) or I can point towards it using pointers or signposts such as Enlightenment, Awareness, Consciousness, God, Source, The Real, The Self, The Truth...... but these are all secondary to that which is primary. They are not it.
To illustrate - let’s call Enlightenment "London".
We live out in a small remote village and we want to experience London as so many have told us of its wonder and vastness. We have an idea of what it is like because we have been told so much but we are restless because we haven’t experienced it yet.
We get in our car on our search and we are on the M11, a 3 lane motorway, and we see a large blue signpost which says London 30 miles.
But some of our friends are on a different road. This is the A10, it is narrower with only two lanes, but they also see a signpost that says London. But this one is green and this one says 25 miles.
So which one is London?
One London is green and 25 miles, the other blue and 30 miles, one is on a narrow road, the other on a wide road.
Neither of these Londons seem to live up to what we have been told but those of us on the big road, think this must be it because of the size of it. We have been told to look for something big.
So we stop the car at the big blue sign and get out at the side of the road. Destination reached!
We call our friends on the other route and we tell them we know what London is and its big, blue, 30 miles with 3 lanes of traffic. Disappointed, our friends know they can’t have found the real London yet, so they press on. But at least now they know what to look for now – surely if they stay on this road, the lanes will widen and the signs will turn from green to blue..................
*****************
Signposts are the best we can offer to those who are seeking. Nothing secondary can ever be what is primary. If we stop at the signpost, we miss the destination. (This can happen a lot in religions)
The signposts – the teachings – are all pointing towards the Truth but they are not the Truth themselves.
If a signpost doesn’t resonate with you, then I suggest you leave it. There are plenty of other expressions of the way to the Truth. There’s no right or wrong, rather just what needs to be heard at the place you are at right now. If you stay here trying to understand this, you may miss the next post which is literally hitting you on the head with a signpost that you need.
Even if we could agree that the way to London is a sign with the number of miles on it but it doesn’t matter if the sign is blue or green, then even this is no help if our other friends are standing at LAX airport heading to London and the number of miles are irrelevant. They need a flight and gate number!
Teachers will often change the signposts so people don’t get fixated on what they are looking for. Sometimes the signpost will need to be changed to suit where the individual is at that time. Often the teachings may appear contradictory because of this.
Ramana Maharshi used to teach in silence as he felt it was the best way to point the student what they really are. But this didn’t resonate with all, so sometimes he would use words to teach. Neither is right or wrong, just what was needed at the time.
The Truth is flexible and has a flow to it. It is not rigid and fixed and there is room for all the signposts to be here. :o
Jeanette