DISQUS

Sorry Andrew, I accidently deleted your comment in the comment moderation system. I am not sure if I read the whole thing as I only saw a snippet of it.
What I read was, "This article reminds me of the saying, 'Tollerance in a virtue, [something?] is a sin'".

Would you write it again?
Cheers.

Yes, thanks Andrew.
I have heard that quote before, and it is very appropriate to this message. "Towards" is always more powerful than "away from". With all the money and research in the United Nations I would have thought they'd have figured that out by now!!? Oh well.

John, I was not able to find any info relating to "Anadagiri's response" to "the Freddie story". Can you post a link to this here?

Thanks,

Jonathan

I wish to make it quite clear I am not "against" the Deeksha / Oneness Movement. I am not "for" it either. My suggestion is if people feel attracted to it then they may like to try it out. My exploration here is simply one of looking at various potential issues that might exist within the movement, or at least surround it.

Understood.
... and apology accepted. :-)

John,
I shall do a search for Anadagiri's response online.
In my experience, a quick search on Google turns up quite a lot of Oneness Movement / Deeksha related material that states things along the lines of what I have mentioned already (i.e. that doing the 21-day process etc will enlighten the participant, and that sort of thing). I accept that this may or may not be the way Bhagwan presents the work he is doing --- that this may just be the way many potentially over zealous followers present the work he is doing.

I wish you all the best this moment has to offer.

With love,
Jonathan

Hi John,
I gather you're comment is in reply to Andrew's one?
In regards to "no one promising enlightenment", are you making this statement purely within regards to Deeksha and the Oneness Movement? Assuming you are, I will say that I have heard and read people saying that doing the 21 day Deeksha process will result in the participant being enlightened (either immediately, or over some time later if they have deeper karmas and issues to work through first). I've also seen it publicised that receiving Deeksha (not necessarily just once) will not only facilitate a person reaching an enlightened state but will even take them "beyond enlightenment"...and this is just here within the small community of New Zealand.

You suggest I look at the facts? Actually I don't think we are dealing with facts here. In my experience, what we are dealing with is the comments, fantasies, desires, hopes, and wishful thinking of a wide range of people promoting, receiving, seeking, supporting, and even falling out with, the Oneness/Deeksha Movement.

Be well.

Jonathan

I have realised that there are many interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita and hence many versions of it in translated form. So my comments above are not directed at the Gita per say, in its original and uninterpreted state. Rather my comments and observations are directed toward this particular man's interpretation of the text.

I mentioned that I see parallels between this and the Bible. Again, the Bible and what people make of it is a matter of interpretation. It is the interpretation that I see as being limited and less than what the original text/words were conveying.

I trust this is clear, and I have edited the above article to reflect this more accurately.

Okay James... I've watched it.
I like it.
I highly recommend it.
Yet another effective way of getting across the message that we live in a world out of balance. May this inspire people to look at our their own inner life and world is out of balance... inspiring them to take whatever actions are required to restore that balance... and may the planet (as our collective Mirror) shift accordingly.

Thanks James for the heads-up on that one.

Okay. Thanks for that tip. So who did produce this movie? Yourself? Someone you know?
I would like to know. Cheers,
Jonathan

Cool. Thanks James. I'll check it out tonight and let you know my impressions. Cheers,
Jonathan

Thanks James.
My brother lives on Waiheke. It was him that gave me the link to your site. I think he got it from Timothy Moon (a friend of his also on the Island). Thanks for the link to your other blog. I shall read it with interest.
I get over to the Island now and then and I may take you up on your invitation to meet up. Thanks.

Thanks Fallon. Glad you enjoy them.

Diana, FYI... I shall post an article on the nature of gratitude and appreciation as I seem it... shortly. Keep an eye out for it... I suspect it is one you will enjoy.

Thanks Andrew and Diana.
Glad you like the blog.

Enjoy 2006 !!

Done.

Don. Nice to hear from you. I give thanks for your taking to time to connect.
Yes... I agree, taking people's opinions personally will usually result in pain. This can even be the case with apparently "positive" comments, for a number of reasons. In my experience, the key here is to take nothing personally; remain aware and alert to the moment; and remain humble enough to "look into the mirror" that is presented by "the world around me" in every moment.

You are welcome to print out this article and give a copy to your son.

Blessings...

Jonathan

Thanks Andrew. Got the email and I will be reading the document with interest.
I should perhaps make it clear that I do not wish to imply that all "holy scriptures" are ego-distorted and manipulative, such as my experience of the two texts I have mentioned.

The translation of the Gita that I was referring to is by an Indian dude that always strikes me as looking rather miserable (my judgement of his appearance, I know)... I don't recall his name... but I understand he is the main guy behind the Hare Krishna movement. Most Hare Krishna establishments I have visited have his picture around the place.

I suspect that in all instances where I have poked my nose into the B. Gita it has always been one of these Hare Krishna editions. If this guy I have mentioned is A.C. Bhaktivedanta then you were correct with that guess. I must say I did get the impression that what I was reading may have been very much slanted by the translator, and that other translations might be very different. I found it have to imagine that such a famous and influential text would --- in its original language --- be so distorted. Although, then again, the Bible is by far one of the most influential "holy texts" and it's pretty distorted (in my experience) so popularity is no way to determine if such a text might be twisted or not.

Without doubt I have experienced great enjoyment and consciousness expansion through reading and exploring various texts and scriptures. I am certainly not writing all such things off based on the one experience I have mentioned in this article.

J

Great. Glad you found it useful. Part Two... well, haven't written it yet, but the data is there (archived somewhere in my Mind) so I'll write it done soon.
J

In truth, in my experience, there is only one "I", so to speak.
Yet, of course, if you perceive there to be more than one "I" then so it is.
I am both. I am neither. I am the activity. I am the stillness. I am no-thing, and yet with that I am all.
Apparent duality, through the perception of the ego, implies separation. Thus reconciliation is called for... to re-unite. Yet through the Vision of God the duality never was... never is... and never could be. Reconciliation with God is the reconciliation of this "duality" you refer to. Of course it's only a change in consciousness... for what is simply is, yet what is perceived... well, there's no saying just what that might look like... for the one "I", as an extension of "God", has infinite creative intelligence.

Blessings...

J