Thoughts From A Mystic

An exerpt from AWARENESS by Anthony DeMello: "Every time you are unhappy, you have added something to reality. It is that addition that makes you unhappy. I repeat: You have added something...a negative reaction in you....And if you examine what you have added, there is always an illusion there, there's a demand, an expectation, a craving." p.109 AWARENESS, Image books, Doubleday. copyright 1990 After reading this excerpt, consider my previous post about Martha and Mary. Notice how Anthony's way of phrasing the cause for Martha's dis-ease (Martha's outburst clarifies it) shows that it's NOT what Martha was doing (she could have been sitting alongside Mary, and STILL have been troubled), which was the cause of her dis-ease (she felt a great burden in her toiling), but what she added to it (thoughts and feelings). Mary, on the other hand, was simply participating; an attentive listener, who, in the moment, had no concerns about anything else. "So d...

"But Martha was distracted by all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things' but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.' Lk. 10.40-42 Interpretation- Jesus is lovingly directing Martha away from her distracted way of life, and is guiding her to focus on the 'one thing' that is necessary (exemplified in Mary's way of being). Martha can easily be seen as a prototypical 'every-person', in today's post-modern world of information. In this world people are fantasy images of their true nature...they're 'thought people', lost in their own shadowy fantasy worlds. Post-modern people believe they control their lives (think about what guides your daily...

I was reading an entry (Sept. 17, 2007) from 'A blog of mystical searches', and found this; "Last week, I attended a "Living the Questions" DVD seminar... That week's lesson on the DVD included an interview with Marcus Borg, in which he was asked whether it was necessary to believe in a literal resurrection of Jesus in order to be a Christian. He said no. Afterwards, during the discussion period, the pastor... mentioned that this statement could be shocking or controversial in some circles,... But no one in the room seemed fazed at all. I was surprised to discover that I wasn't alone on this matter. There really [are] other people in churches besides me who see religion in unorthodox ways." It can be a little shocking to discover that what we think is not free from the conventional thoughts of our compatriots. There's usually an underlying belief that our 'uniqueness' separates us from the rabble; that in some ways we've outgrown the...

"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." Mt 6.6 Interpretation- Jesus is commenting about 'one's secret room'; a deep place within a person, where no one but God can see. It's how one is directed from this deep place within, that determines how we think, speak and act in the world. Too often, people believe it's what they think , say or do that are the guidelines for determining if they are doing God's will. Of these three only think is an inner process, but that's not deep enough. It's how our heart sees and directs us that matters. It's one's ' heart orientation ' that clarifies whether we are aligned with our will, or Reality (God's will). If we are self-focused, we will be aware of thoughts, feeling and perform actions that try to protect and serve self. We will be alienated from...

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven." Mt 6.1 Interpretation- Attention/Action focused on rewards received from man (in this case, trying to earn points within society, through righteous displays in public) will disallow the 'good reward' that is given only from God (in private). Wholeness, and the benefits thereof, are not available to those who live and pander for rewards in the fragmented world of man. Reality and man's fragmented (illusory) world, conflict for people's attention. In this passage, Jesus is clarifying the only place where the 'good reward' is found. Matthew

"You have heard it said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Mt 5.43-45 Interpretation- As people, we are to unconditionally love EVERYTHING. This is God's way- 'for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.' Unconditional love implies total acceptance of what IS. Any judging, or dividing up of Reality into categories of either 'acceptable' or 'unacceptable', immediately brings alienation from God and His kingdom. A person can choose to live in REALITY and enjoy the wonders that are freely given, or choose to live in an imagined, FANTASY world (which that person is desperately trying to control.) One chooses every moment...

"You have hear that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also." Mt 5.38-39 Interpretation- Jesus is 'fulfilling' Old Testament regulations, by pointing to a deeper integration of the Law into a person's heart. Resisting evil, which is clearly an imperative from a legalistic view, is now overturned with a deeper orientation from the heart- that of acceptance and love (this will be clarified in other passages). Jesus is directing listeners into compassionate acceptance, which goes hand in hand with unconditional love...as God loves. This shift into compassion is even more important today. Weapons technology magnifies the effect hatred and violence have on our 'neigbors' (and this beautiful planet we ALL live on.) Jesus, in his brilliant insightfulness, cuts to the core of how we should 'see' with our hea...