A Curious and Unfortunate Turning of Events.

When I posted the last two essays, parts one and two ‘an elementary primer’, I had a reason. I’ve had some serious pressures come down on me at times and overwhelm me so that I was unable to maintain my balance and direction. I liken it to being caught in one of those ocean formations where there are waves crossing in various directions which create a cauldron effect so that you are tossed in unpredictable directions and can’t get out. You find things like this among certain rock coves and other locations where incoming waves interact with varying shore depths and then interface with the rocks.

When this happens, I have found that there was something I could do that would draw to me the focus and strength that I needed to get above the conditions. I gave an example of that in both chapters and it was the same example. After a few days of practicing this I was able to meditate again and free myself from certain negative influences that I grabbed at or permitted in order to counteract the discomfort of what I was going through. The alternative is to let it play out and that can involve a lot of time and unpleasantness before the condition changes on its own.

I know there are people who read here, who find themselves in extremis at times and who may suffer more than they let on, given the state of the world at the moment. The scenario that I presented is a way of talking to the inner you while engaged in a ritual with the outer. It’s about talking to your subconscious and implanting positive seeds. It’s about communicating with the higher self/guardian angel and invoking an intuitional flow or a provocation of the subconscious by channeling ‘the’ above, through the conscious self to ‘the below’. It’s a practical application and it works.

The reason I am bringing this up is that I had a strange and unfortunate experience this week with an individual who represents a website that has reprinted my work for; I don’t know how long... a year or more, I think. In all that time there was never anything negative in the exchanges. In fact, it seemed as if the support was unconditional. Imagine my surprise when this individual confronted me over these two postings in a way that I would say was... well, you decide. I’m going to reprint some things that he said to me in emails. I will leave out any indentifying markers of any kind and since I would never name this person or the location where he works, I believe this is perfectly acceptable.

This was the preliminary offering-


“Dear Les,

I read your latest Visible Origami and thought I would communicate some of my thoughts to you. I am no authority, but please listen to what I have to say with an open mind. –I now have this sense that it is impossible to communicate anything that is essential by way of words –any words. Yours, mine or those of others. But I'll try anyway.

About contacting the divine: We ARE the divine. Consequently, no "contact" is at all possible. There's no distinction at all between appearance and essence. Some appearance/appearances are invisible to our ordinary senses, but these still are appearances and are still "at one with" essence. So the question is not: either appearances OR essence.

This also means that there is no mind that is not "connected to essence". Mind is Essence & Essence is Mind. There's no difference –they are not two things. They aren't even "one". No word can possibly express this. Silence is recommended.

This also means that there can be no method, much less one that can "work" ("guaranteed" or otherwise). I have stopped recommending books to people. No book will/can take you to where you want to be. You already ARE "there". Our problem is that we want to be somewhere else than where we think we are. -We don't even know where we are or what we are. The searching is the problem. Stop searching and there's no problem.

Les, there IS nothing but "Nature". There's no "place" to go to –we already are That. We are (what we see as) the dog poo on the pavement as well as the candle & the flame.

Like I said, silence is recommended. This is as close to a "method" that you'll ever get. I've already said too much. Thank you for hearing me out!”


For some reason I didn’t get the first letter so I wound up getting the first two at the same time and this was the second one-


“Dear Les,

You said: It requires repetition and focus but it works.

For what? Not for ultimate realization it doesn’t! -It may well have some mundane effect and in that sense it could be said to ”work”. But ultimate realization cannot be prepared for, there’s no way to it and there ARE no stages. This is not a ”perspective”. It’s FACT. Why do you keep talking about contacting the divine and sowing ever more confusion? Les, the divine cannot BE ”contacted”! If at all it were possible, the divine would contact you, not the other way around. Revelation springs to mind. However, true revelation is utterly unspeakable. We don’t know anything about it. -Round-and-round-and-round...You do want to help people get out from under their minds, don’t you? Then why do you do this, Les? What’s the use of these silly ”spriritual” games?

No doubt each perspective is a stage

Any ”perspective” would be an illusion, but neither dual nor non-dual is a ”stage”. (This would presuppose the existence of a person, but none such can be said to either exist or not exist.) –Dual/non-dual are just concepts and as such, just part of what is. Same goes for Christ and the Buddha. -Nor are they personal or impersonal. They are beyond that. (Jesus & Gauthama can be seen as ”personal” if we are so inclined.)

As far as what's ultimate and more real, all I can say is, I don't know.

Nor do I!! I cannot know. But I do believe that the ’I’ can, that the ’I’ IS knowledge. But then again, this is just a belief. When we know, we no longer need to believe. We know.


So... I sent back another explanation and I got this;


“Ok, Les, I'll send it again, hoping, now as yesterday, that my comment won't put you off in any way. My point of view is non-dual and the thoughts forwarded in your latest Origami are in the dual mode. –So the potential for misunderstandings are there...here goes:


Dear Les,

I read your latest Visible Origami and thought I would communicate some of my thoughts to you. I am no authority, but please listen to what I have to say with an open mind. –I now have this sense that it is impossible to communicate anything that is essential by way of words –any words. Yours, mine or those of others. But I'll try anyway.

About contacting the divine: We ARE the divine. Consequently, no "contact" is at all possible. There's no distinction at all between appearance and essence. Some appearance/appearances are invisible to our ordinary senses, but these still are appearances and are still "at one with" essence. So the question is not: either appearances OR essence.

This also means that there is no mind that is not "connected to essence". Mind is Essence & Essence is Mind. There's no difference –they are not two things. They aren't even "one". No word can possibly express this. Silence is recommended.

This also means that there can be no method, much less one that can "work" ("guaranteed" or otherwise). I have stopped recommending books to people. No book will/can take you to where you want to be. You already ARE "there". Our problem is that we want to be somewhere else than where we think we are. -We don't even know where we are or what we are. The searching is the problem. Stop searching and there's no problem.

Les, there IS nothing but "Nature". There's no "place" to go to –we already are That. We are (what we see as) the dog poo on the pavement as well as the candle & the flame.”


INSERT; I should say here that to this point this person was at pains to be polite in a formal way and I’ve only left these brief sentences out for the same reason I’ve left all of my responses out which is for the sake of brevity. The point of this is not to explore our back and forth communications but to get the readers take on what they think about what this person is saying to me. Is this person correct? Also, why would this person have reflexively reprinted everything that they received and which often contained very similar thoughts and also why would this person reprint anything from Smoking Mirrors (which was also posted as soon as received and never a negative word about any of it)? There’s a mystery here.


So it continues... I try to explain and then I get another letter.


“Thank you, Les, for your answer! I’m not sure we’re getting anywhere, however, so I guess this sequence is coming to a natural close. But let me just briefly say this:

the difference in perspective of a great many people who have achieved enlightenment by means 'other than' what you suggest is invalid.

I never implied this. There are as of this moment 6.6 billion perspectives But perspectives are based upon perceptions and perceptions are of the body, matter, ”this world”, whatever. But what we’re talking about here is BEYOND perception. So I’m not questioning the enlightenment of a great many people, as you say. Whatever people say, is part of THAT, part of WHAT IS. There’s nothing wrong with that. What I am saying (implying), what I’m driving at, is that there is NO CAUSAL LINK between people’s preparation and their enlightenment. We are UTTERLY helpless and there’s NOTHING WE can do, nothing whatever, to achieve / ”attain” enlightenment. To think that attainment is possible (”I” attained enlightenment), would be to presuppose the existence of a person. -Les, there ARE no persons. As for ”contacting” the divine, it simply is impossible for ”you” to do this. The divine ”contacts” you. -It either stays contained IN you, or it fills you completely, floods you utterly, fully and permanently and spills over into everything you think, see & do. If ”preparing oneself” has any meaning at all, it would not entail adding anything, but rather getting rid of something. But even then there’s no causal link. The divine is perfectly free and unscrutable and will not be prompted or goaded by the use of charms, formulas rituals or substances. -We are like I said utterly helpless and can only long for it, yearn or hope for it, while we continue our patient and compassionate work with our fellow beings, loving them, caring for them.

If you are unhappy with what I do then you shouldn't post it


I will not post the primer. I think you are well-intentioned but that you effectively are leading people ”astray” by what your saying in this primer (’astray’ is also part of ’what is’). -So I will not post it.

I'm in contact with something that is present and which over a long period of time has effectively guided me

I am in no position to comment upon this; I can only hope that it is a guidance that makes you feel blessed and loved and that it would make it ever more easy and natural for you to shower blessings and love on our fellow beings. You are holy, beautiful and worthy of being loved. -Unconditionally. As you are. WHATEVER that is. I hope you understand that by now. This is also what you would want to pass on to others, in fact, it is the ONLY thing you can pass on to the myriad beings. If a ”perspective” seems to help in this regard, then go with it. If not, drop it. I can’t think of more to say. All the best!”


And so, I replied, saying:


“It's not possible for me to comment about this with a person who is convinced they are right to the exclusion of all other input or viewpoints. I don't agree with what you are saying and neither do the masters whose work I respect.

My sites have the highest content of intelligent and spiritually aware people of anywhere I have seen on the internet and surely one of them would have said something before about my misleading them. I will make your communications to me the subject of my next posting so as to see what the readers think of your beliefs concerning me. Of course I will not mention any names or the like.

It appears you may have had some sort of an event in your mind that has done something to you because no one switches their positions so quickly, or you may have been threatened by someone concerning your publishing of my work. It's fine, I understand.

I am surprised to see such a totalitarian viewpoint in connection with spirituality and never suspected I would run into it with you. I wish you well and thank you for the time we interacted.

I'll be moving on.

Aloha and be well,”


So... I got this,


“Dear Les,

I am not a person. I am nothing in particular. All input is welcome. There should be no exclusion of anything. But all viewpoints are not of equal value. Some of them spring from confusion, others from clarity. I have not ”switched position” and I’m not aware of any ”event” in my mind, let’s say: recently. What I said to you comes from the deepest levels within me and was communicated to you with sincerity. There are no threats as far as I am aware of. None. I fully intend to continue posting your work, the Smoking Mirrors articles as well as the other ones. You are more than welcome, now as ever, to submit your work to me. I wish that you would continue doing so. Again, all the best!”


Well... I had decided in my last communication that I wasn’t going to send this person any more of my work and leave the situation be. I’ll explain about that at the end. So... then I got this,


Les,

I have noticed that you have posted a Smoking Mirrors article without sending word about it to me. -In view of the recent misunderstandings between us, I now wonder whether this was intentional on your part, or just more of the same technical (?) trouble that we’ve had lately. Please clarify.


So, I said this...


“I just thought I'd leave it be for the moment. My tendency is to back away from contention and conflict; unless I can't avoid it, such as in real life situations. It's not a reflection of any judgments on my part. I've always been inclined to do this. So... it's more of a normal reaction for me and shouldn't mean any more than that. It's reflex. I don't really want to go into it any deeper because I don't really know why anyway. It's just how I respond to certain things. I don't like having them on my mind because I probably don't understand them either.

You're free to repost anything you want, of course. And if it's that important then I'll send them along again.

Warm Regards,


visible”


And he replied;


“Well, Les, conflict (just like pain & fear) is a vital part of life and it’s difficult to see how we can grow and mature without it. I guess what’s important is how we deal with it, rather than avoiding it when it’s there. Resisting it, we are frozen in time and will not transcend it. Facing it, something good will come of it – we’ll remember who we truly are. We all struggle with this; I’m no better than the next guy.

By talking to you about leading people astray, I was trying to remind you of the great responsibility of teaching certain things to people, and implicitly of the dire karmic burden that will accrue when someone does this without being qualified to do it. In general terms, precious few are, and the safest option is to be silent and continue working on oneself.

Regarding ”contacting the divine”, you can be fairly sure that whatever you think you have gotten into contact with is not the divine. We human beings have an enormous potential for fooling ourselves and for settling for the lesser instead of aiming for the Highest, Which is completely beyond experiences, appearances and perceptions. The Masters have done their homework. Now it’s up to you, me & the rest of us to do this too. Devotion to any master will not save us. Nobody can save us. We have to go deep and be very, very serious. Substances, ”powers”, ”experiences”, fireworks & flashes are just childish games that most certainly will hold us back. I too have been dawdling & delaying on my way home and I am ashamed of myself because of all the precious time I’ve wasted. -Like I said, I’m no better than the next guy.

Let’s join, Les, in going deeper and being ever more serious and committed to the way home, gathering in the flock as we do so.”


And this person adds as a postscript that my work will be now turned over to someone else to post as he sees fit.

I’d already begun to feel that this person was being extremely presumptuous because this person doesn’t know me at all, except through my writings and, if he had been paying attention while reading them, then this person would have seen that I present things from a variety of perspectives to engage the reader in thought, to provoke response and possibly self-inquiry. Apparently, I’m not qualified for this and apparently I’ve never had any contact with God. I won’t analyze this but leave it to the reader to speculate on.

So... I basically told this person that I thought they were wrong and presumptuous and various things but I was growing exceedingly weary of the whole exchange. I’m not into endless dialectic and mind numbing exchanges about nuance and the like. I just state my piece and people can take it or leave it.

So... I got this...


“Les,

We are at the ”end of the road”. This is the last time you’ll hear from me. -Reading through your last answer, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to answer you. However, what I’ll say next is an effort to remind you of the kernel of sanity that still is in you so that you could get out of the insidious current of delusion that is holding you back. This will likely be in vain and the effort may be wasted on you.

When I said ”You are holy, beautiful and worthy of being loved. -Unconditionally.”, I wasn’t referring to the Pied Piper of Hamelin (that is your present, self-chosen identity & function), but to something else, of which you obviously are entirely unaware of. ”You” are severely deluded. You need to do something about this.

”You” said to me: ”you are the 'only' person out of thousands with whom I have communicated concerning the specific subject under discussion who has taken this position so I will go with the majority view on what I do.” –I may also be the only person ”out of thousands” who has told you that ”You are holy, beautiful and worthy of being loved. -Unconditionally.” Please remember this.”


Mercifully, this seems to be the end of it. As you can see, this is already going on for a long time here and I spared you my responses because they were pretty much along the lines of what you’ve read here for years. Otherwise we would be at about double the length of the whole affair.


Addendum;

For the last week I’ve been having a series of events that sort of funhouse mirror this. Yesterday I got a letter from another source who reposts my work at a very busy site; much busier than the one under discussion. He said, “I love it!” meaning the latest Smoking Mirrors... “but, I have serious problems with the no plane hitting the building.”

I’m thinking, “What?” because I didn’t say that and wouldn’t so I wrote back to clarify and got the reply that this person had misread what I’d said and he was sorry about that, he’d just gotten up etc.

Also I’ve gotten a couple of letters from readers saying that I shouldn’t be talking about certain things because they don’t exist... the implication was that only what we see and hear is real and this was in relation to my latest radio show. The problem here was that the person said that I said and mentioned things that weren’t. I wrote back to inform the person of this and then heard back that it was true that I hadn’t sent these things but that he was embellishing because I might have well been saying this or that because all these things are grouped together anyway... weird.

I’m thinking a particular planet came into conjunction or opposition with another and in my case the result was a flare-up of confusion about what I do which in all cases I wasn’t doing anyway. I’m not doing anything differently than I ever have. Also people are confusing one blog with another and not realizing that they are separate presentations.

Well... I’ll just go on as I always have. It makes no difference to me if someone reprints my work or not... but it is ‘my work’ not theirs and they don’t pay me and I didn’t solicit their attention... they came to me.

Why have I gone to the trouble of presenting this here today? It gives you the opportunity to let me know if you think I’ve been leading you astray, even as it begs the question of why you are coming along then? (grin)

I’ve said it so many ways but it isn’t always clear to everyone. I am doing this according to intuitional provocation. What I say comes out of it and I’m not inclined to argue about it or defend it. It gets said and the reader can take it or leave it. That’s that, that’s it. It’s free as well. Finally... I’m not leading anyone anywhere and I’ve been at pains to discourage those who are looking for someone to manage their life for them. I’ve had to do this at regular points over time and I always will.

In any case... this may prove entertaining or laborious (I apologize if it is the latter) but it should spark some interesting replies.