Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong Spiritual Seekers & Enlightenment

I have recently come across a web site which has some interesting statements and interviews.
If like me you have been chasing the possibility of enlightenment for years and only having the odd moment of what it may be like then please follow this thread on the BEYOND HUMAN forum on the LS site
Love & Light
Faune

Hi Faune,
Thanks for the interesting link. The site does seem to be very varied. Some of the content I wasn't so sure about but I did I really like the interview with Sri Ananda Giri. I have never heard of him or the Golden Age Foundation before though - had you? I have always been drawn to the idea of peeling away our ego-based programming as a way of uncovering Truth rather than chasing an ideal or projected concept of what truth/enlightenment might be, which would really amount to more illusion. I recently encountered a Buddhist meditative technique called "neti, neti" which applies that approach to meditating itself. The idea is that you begin meditating with the question "Who am "I"?" Neti (a word which I think is derived from Sanskrit) stands for "not this/not that" and the idea is as you meditate, listening with full awareness for the "answer" to this question, as thoughts/feelings/sensations of any kind appear you calmly identify them as "not me" and turn your attention away from them - accepting them and letting them dissolve into emptiness. By a process of ongoing negation (almost like unpeeling an onion - must be one helluva big onion in my case!!), the idea is that the "real you" or the higher power, that is beyond you, will thereby reveal itself. Have you encountered this technique before? I find it quite challenging at times - particularly as it does really call into question almost every aspect of identity and urges, as you say, to "unlearn" everything we've so far learnt to be and do and think.
It can feel quite isolating too. What I like about what Chunyi Lin says, is that you can put your trust in your "Master"'s guiding energy, whether that be Chunyi himself, or Jesus or Siddartha Gautama or Lao Tzu or simply a sense of unknown powerful presence. I find it heartening that his approach is so open and flexible and reminds us all that there are many paths and many seekers - and many sources of known and unknown support along the way!
best wishes
Ingrid :0)

Faune,

I went to the website you gave and it did sound very interesting. I read and read and read. I also looked into the cost of what it would take to go to India for their 21 day program and it would cost minimally $10,000. Well, from where I am coming from that was not a possibility at least now. Yet I continued to read because it intrigued me. I followed one of their links to the What the Bleep website to read an objective view of it all. What I found was very encouraging. It seems a European doctor began studying this and found that the brain did indeed show notable differences in the left sphere. Also he found the part of the brain that is behind pure joy was immensly enlarged. ( please forgive me if I am not relaying this exactly right as I am doing so from a congested memory.) On the What the Bleep website I found a link to Ron Roth. I was not familiar with him but am so glad I found him. He goes to India once a year to deepen himself, he works in connection with John of God , and best of all he delivers deeksha and resides in the good old USA. His story, manner, and accessibility intrigued me as he is much like Joel Goldsmith whom I studied for several years. He resides in Illinois and if that's too far he does do telephone deeksha. On a final note in an explanation of his last intensive, they had a demonstration of the ancient art of qigong. I am most thankful to you Faune for this great info.

God bless
Marcy

Dear Marcy,
Many thanks for telling us about Ron Roth, I hadn't heard about him before. I have read Joel Goldsmith in the past and have always been fascinated by the mystic roots of monotheism (I'm currently reading a book about the Gnostics and another about Sufism). I think I'll try ordering one of his books.
best wishes
Ingrid

Hi Ingrid,

It's too bad you're so far away, I think we have much in common. When I saw you brought up Sufism, I didn't know if you had read any Meher Baba books. Though I did not feel that personal pull necessary to follow this particular teacher, I do have unending respect for him and did learn much from him . Some of the books I found most helpful were : God Speaks, Discourses, Beams from Meher Baba, and Meher Baba's Calling.

Like all things, if this information appeals to you use it, if not discard.

Talk with you soon
Marcy

Thanks Marcy. I'll look Meher Baba up as I haven't encountered his work before.
Would you have ever read any of Krishnamurti's work?
Also, I recently read a lovely and inspiring book by Satish Kumar entitled: "You are therefore I am: A Declaration of Dependence". It really is a wonderful book and the author, a former Jain Monk who was very much inspired by Gandhi, is also editor of a UK magazine called "Resurgence", itself a very motivating and inspirational monthly which includes articles on spirituality, ecology and the environment. You can look him, the magazine and the book up on Google.
For the record I also find Thich Nhat Hanh's writing to be very inspiring - I particularly liked his book "Creating True Peace" and its emhasis on cultivating mindfulness throughout your life.

lots of love
Ingrid :0)