Thank you for this. I’ve been really struggling with this question lately. You always seem to know when and what I need to hear to make me think for myself. Lots to think about. I’ll definitely be watching this video more than once. Thank you my dear friend
Hi Pete, Peace be with you always. 🕊🙏 Here’s a piece I wrote a few decades back. These days I may change the odd word or title but the message would still remain the same. - - - - - - - Direct Meditative Experience versus Conceptuality & Belief. If you know what Truth is you would neither be a theist or an atheist. To believe or disbelieve are both equally absurd because they are both products of the mind and time bound. We need words to communicate with each other but the word is never the thing. They are like signs/posts that point to something more. All thoughts are in the field of measure and therefore timebound. The other Love, God, Buddha, Christ, Krishna, Amitabha, Allah, Tathagatagarbha, Dharmakaya etc.. is timeless and measureless. . If you look out of your window and see a tree in the distance. Can you look at it without the word? The word 'tree' is not the thing. Its a word used to communicate with nothing more. What it points to is more than the word. You could write 'tree' on your hand but that wouldn't make it a tree. If we decided to call the light in your room 'tree' and I asked you to turn the tree on you would know what I was referring to. So the word is never the thing. Whether that word is Buddha, God, Christ, tree, love, light etc. l If I asked you to imagine a tree you could form an imagine in your mind of something whether intricate or a child like drawing or a plant with its botany etc. But you cannot conceptualise something that is beyond conception. Imagine if you can that you are part of an indigenous tribe living in the Amazon. And you experience 'Christ' (if I may use that word) for real. Which transforms your very being, body, mind, soul, and spirit. How are you going to comprehend and explain what has just happened to you? You're most definitely not going to use Christian terminology and you're certainly not going to use English words are you? You're going to use language from you own tradition to try to explain something that is really beyond explanation. That is all anybody has been doing since the beginning of time. Having experiences of The Dharmakaya/The Unmanifest/God etc. and trying to explain it through there own limitations forming philosophies, religions dogmas and creeds. Knowledge the accumulation of information is by its very nature limited. All thought is time bound and in the field of measure. Energy functioning in a pattern becomes matter.Thought is matter. Any action born of noise produces more noise, more confusion. Acting from a silent minded thinking from a silent mind is completely different from acting from a mechanical mind. That alone can bring about a transformation. Only a mind that is innocent, watchful and a heart that is full can come upon that which is most sacred. When the self is there with all its fantasies and concepts Love is not. When Love is there the self is not. Peace.X Dominic Jai 🙏✌️
This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing…I’m reminded of Jung being asked if he believes in God and he paused and said something like ‘I don’t need to believe, I know’
We indeed allow for others to think for us. I’m wrestling with the idea of converting to orthodox Christian yet I often ask myself… what is the point of converting if I’m not awake? What is the point of following a religion if you are not awake? Sometimes even religion is disguised as a form of self hypnosis. I believe that is what Gurdjieff is referring to… How can you call yourself a Christian when you are not fully awake..
I appreciate your honesty…the etymology of the word religion means to re-link to God…the existence of a religion is to assist you in re-linking back to your source…I think your main question is what do you want to do? What attracts you to Orthodoxy, what draws you towards it?
@@esotericcircle4364 there seems to be from the outside looking in, a spiritual richness to this religion, something I have not seen in others. I feel there are many paths that lead up the mountain, and to hear several people say “this is the only way” comes off dogmatic which unfortunately makes me question it. We could also follow a religion our whole lives and never get a glimpse into awakening. Are you an orthodox Christian? Asking our of curiosity.
@@Theheartofgnosis I am not an Orthodox Christian, I am an ordained United Church of Christ pastor who was deeply impacted by my mentor from seminary named Charles Ashanin who was a genuine mystic from the Serbian Orthodox tradition…I’m a Perrenialist who believes very closely with your belief…the 4th Way and Teilhard and Whitehead have been a tremendous help…I follow my bliss and in doing so I find peace…you will too…
We do not have enough Will even to decide. To follow Christ's way we must develop that Will. Paradoxically it is a matter of humbling our ego so that G-d's will shines through as our Will. But most of us are not ready to live in that much humility. To start we must learn to observe our ego self and then recognize how to set that aside. The Kingdom is among us but we both separate from it and long for it at the same time. Contemplative prayer is a starting place. To abide in the pure, peaceful, unneedful presence of Christ is to recognize that we share G-d's love.
Christians/Catholics play the right tapes over and over. Religion makes a better machine And it's so much easier to just regurgitate the bible than it would be to practice Gurjeiff.🤔
In an age of AI we must be ever careful about our decisions…what energy is directing us here and there? An algorithm guides so much of my day, I’m numb to it now…bless us both today on our journeys🧙🏾♂️
You may be familiar with Paul Kingsnorth, he has much to say about "The Machine" as many of our great writers have. I recently went back to the Church of my youth, in many ways as a counter measure to its pernicious effects, the machines effects, Heidegger said in the 70's: "Only a god can save us now." It's more or less where I'm at. Anyway, thanks for responding to my comment. Cheers, and Vaya con Dios, mi amigo
Great thank you Pete. Tough questions. The robot mind doesn't want to hear. The deeper Self feels quickened. As Gospel of John says, 'Work while it is day, for the night is coming when no man can work', which is perhaps the same message!
@@esotericcircle4364 I mean am I doing enough to help those that need help? Did I do enough for mom? Am I doing enough to help Kim? Am I doing enough to help my true friends ? People in the community that are less fortunate? How do you know you’re doing or have done enough?
Throwing out a few thoughts.. Someone once said, only Christ can live the christian life.. Jeanne Guyon said, an action is only worthy of as much praise as its source.. And another someone said..theologians argue and disagree..all mystics agree.. I'm not sure about that but I see the kinda sorta of its aim..that in the Spirit all is One without intellectual divisions
Eternal life isn’t automatic, it’s a developed permanence…the energy or grace we need to gain that state is free to all…there’s the issue: how to access that energy…blessings on your journey my friend 🌻
I think it's crap. For me to consider myself a Gnostic Christian and though I am no Adept. There's a lot of overthinking going on in the initial question and the answer I'm hearing. Sounds more like fighting so hard against the indoctrinated mind it leaves one in deep despair for nothing. Trying to attain the spiritual Christ consciousness is no easy task. Christ said Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All." ..................................................
This passage is about self observation and thinking for yourself…indeed it is no easy task, that’s why the question is asked…Gurdjieff isn’t for everyone, that is true…blessings on your journey, and above all peace to you and all within you…
True…applying the teaching is the difficulty…faith and grace and mercy are at our feet at any given time, but I need help learning how to ‘pick it up’ and apply it to my life…for instance loving my neighbor, forgiveness of someone who hurt my child or being generous when I’m in need…it takes more than just knowing these in our mind, it means applying them in our heart, in our ‘nous’…blessings on you and your journey 🙏🏼
So, to be a true Christian is paradoxically to not be Christian, but rather just be. This resonates with me. Appreciate you sharing.
You’ve got it…
Thank you for this. I’ve been really struggling with this question lately. You always seem to know when and what I need to hear to make me think for myself. Lots to think about. I’ll definitely be watching this video more than once. Thank you my dear friend
You’re welcome dear friend, prayers for you guys!
Hi Pete, Peace be with you always. 🕊🙏
Here’s a piece I wrote a few decades back. These days I may change the odd word or title but the message would still remain the same.
- - - - - - -
Direct Meditative Experience versus Conceptuality & Belief.
If you know what Truth is you would neither be a theist or an atheist. To believe or disbelieve are both equally absurd because they are both products of the mind and time bound. We need words to communicate with each other but the word is never the thing. They are like signs/posts that point to something more. All thoughts are in the field of measure and therefore timebound.
The other Love, God, Buddha, Christ, Krishna, Amitabha, Allah, Tathagatagarbha, Dharmakaya etc.. is timeless and measureless. .
If you look out of your window and see a tree in the distance. Can you look at it without the word? The word 'tree' is not the thing. Its a word used to communicate with nothing more. What it points to is more than the word. You could write 'tree' on your hand but that wouldn't make it a tree. If we decided to call the light in your room 'tree' and I asked you to turn the tree on you would know what I was referring to.
So the word is never the thing. Whether that word is Buddha, God, Christ, tree, love, light etc.
l If I asked you to imagine a tree you could form an imagine in your mind of something whether intricate or a child like drawing or a plant with its botany etc. But you cannot conceptualise something that is beyond conception.
Imagine if you can that you are part of an indigenous tribe living in the Amazon. And you experience 'Christ' (if I may use that word) for real. Which transforms your very being, body, mind, soul, and spirit. How are you going to comprehend and explain what has just happened to you? You're most definitely not going to use Christian terminology and you're certainly not going to use English words are you?
You're going to use language from you own tradition to try to explain something that is really beyond explanation.
That is all anybody has been doing since the beginning of time. Having experiences of The Dharmakaya/The Unmanifest/God etc. and trying to explain it through there own limitations forming philosophies, religions dogmas and creeds.
Knowledge the accumulation of information is by its very nature limited. All thought is time bound and in the field of measure. Energy functioning in a pattern becomes matter.Thought is matter. Any action born of noise produces more noise, more confusion. Acting from a silent minded thinking from a silent mind is completely different from acting from a mechanical mind. That alone can bring about a transformation.
Only a mind that is innocent, watchful and a heart that is full can come upon that which is most sacred. When the self is there with all its fantasies and concepts Love is not. When Love is there the self is not. Peace.X Dominic Jai 🙏✌️
This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing…I’m reminded of Jung being asked if he believes in God and he paused and said something like ‘I don’t need to believe, I know’
Blessings to you as well...
Grace and Gratitude 💛 💫 🙏
Blessings on your journey my friend 🧙🏾♂️
Thank you For sharing this.
Thank you my friend🌞blessings on your journey 🧙🏾♂️
🙏thank you
Blessings on your journey my friend 🧙🏾♂️
Thank you for this video ❤❤ Lots of good points to think about and reflect
Thank you my friend🌻🌻🌻
Blessings to you Pete and all who listen
Blessings on your journey 🧙🏾♂️
We indeed allow for others to think for us. I’m wrestling with the idea of converting to orthodox Christian yet I often ask myself… what is the point of converting if I’m not awake? What is the point of following a religion if you are not awake?
Sometimes even religion is disguised as a form of self hypnosis.
I believe that is what Gurdjieff is referring to…
How can you call yourself a Christian when you are not fully awake..
I appreciate your honesty…the etymology of the word religion means to re-link to God…the existence of a religion is to assist you in re-linking back to your source…I think your main question is what do you want to do? What attracts you to Orthodoxy, what draws you towards it?
@@esotericcircle4364 there seems to be from the outside looking in, a spiritual richness to this religion, something I have not seen in others.
I feel there are many paths that lead up the mountain, and to hear several people say “this is the only way” comes off dogmatic which unfortunately makes me question it.
We could also follow a religion our whole lives and never get a glimpse into awakening.
Are you an orthodox Christian? Asking our of curiosity.
@@Theheartofgnosis I am not an Orthodox Christian, I am an ordained United Church of Christ pastor who was deeply impacted by my mentor from seminary named Charles Ashanin who was a genuine mystic from the Serbian Orthodox tradition…I’m a Perrenialist who believes very closely with your belief…the 4th Way and Teilhard and Whitehead have been a tremendous help…I follow my bliss and in doing so I find peace…you will too…
We do not have enough Will even to decide. To follow Christ's way we must develop that Will. Paradoxically it is a matter of humbling our ego so that G-d's will shines through as our Will. But most of us are not ready to live in that much humility.
To start we must learn to observe our ego self and then recognize how to set that aside. The Kingdom is among us but we both separate from it and long for it at the same time. Contemplative prayer is a starting place. To abide in the pure, peaceful, unneedful presence of Christ is to recognize that we share G-d's love.
@@KeithFail2 wonderfully written my friend 🌻blessings on your journey 🧙🏾♂️
Christians/Catholics play the right tapes over and over.
Religion makes a better machine
And it's so much easier to just regurgitate the bible than it would be to practice Gurjeiff.🤔
@@patrickconnolly2654 nicely said…
The machine brought me here.
Now what? To be or not to be?
The Hamlet machine? The readiness is all.
In an age of AI we must be ever careful about our decisions…what energy is directing us here and there? An algorithm guides so much of my day, I’m numb to it now…bless us both today on our journeys🧙🏾♂️
You may be familiar with Paul Kingsnorth, he has much to say about "The Machine" as many of our great writers have. I recently went back to the Church of my youth, in many ways as a counter
measure to its pernicious effects, the machines effects,
Heidegger said in the 70's:
"Only a god can save us now."
It's more or less where I'm at.
Anyway, thanks for responding
to my comment. Cheers, and
Vaya con Dios, mi amigo
@@thomassimmons1950 you are welcome, thanks for listening and caring enough to comment…blessings on your journey my friend 🧙🏾♂️
Great thank you Pete. Tough questions. The robot mind doesn't want to hear. The deeper Self feels quickened. As Gospel of John says, 'Work while it is day, for the night is coming when no man can work', which is perhaps the same message!
Nick! Thank you my friend…I want to know, not just believe, to co-exist with my creator as creation is occurring…
But I always wonder if I’ve done and am still doing enough
You mean enough service work?
@@esotericcircle4364 I mean am I doing enough to help those that need help? Did I do enough for mom? Am I doing enough to help Kim? Am I doing enough to help my true friends ? People in the community that are less fortunate? How do you know you’re doing or have done enough?
being-parktdolg duty, that seems like the beginning, and what is lacking.
Yes, nice connection to Beelzebub…
Throwing out a few thoughts..
Someone once said, only Christ can live the christian life..
Jeanne Guyon said, an action is only worthy of as much praise as its source..
And another someone said..theologians argue and disagree..all mystics agree..
I'm not sure about that but I see the kinda sorta of its aim..that in the Spirit all is One without intellectual divisions
Eternal life isn’t automatic, it’s a developed permanence…the energy or grace we need to gain that state is free to all…there’s the issue: how to access that energy…blessings on your journey my friend 🌻
I think it's crap. For me to consider myself a Gnostic Christian and though I am no Adept. There's a lot of overthinking going on in the initial question and the answer I'm hearing. Sounds more like fighting so hard against the indoctrinated mind it leaves one in deep despair for nothing. Trying to attain the spiritual Christ consciousness is no easy task. Christ said
Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds.
When he finds, he will become troubled.
When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished,
and he will rule over the All."
..................................................
This passage is about self observation and thinking for yourself…indeed it is no easy task, that’s why the question is asked…Gurdjieff isn’t for everyone, that is true…blessings on your journey, and above all peace to you and all within you…
@@esotericcircle4364 right so the wisdom is asked Are you a Christian?
@@paulgallimore7082 I mean this with all sincerity: I don’t know…I know want to be, that’s all I know
If you want to be a Christian study the Bible.
True…applying the teaching is the difficulty…faith and grace and mercy are at our feet at any given time, but I need help learning how to ‘pick it up’ and apply it to my life…for instance loving my neighbor, forgiveness of someone who hurt my child or being generous when I’m in need…it takes more than just knowing these in our mind, it means applying them in our heart, in our ‘nous’…blessings on you and your journey 🙏🏼
Very good Pete. Thanks. Which page in the book?
Thank you my friend 🧙🏾♂️