I was invited to a Buddhist Temple in Mesa, AZ to attend a weekly meditation gatherings and talk by Shane Wilson, a Buddhist minister and a Theravada meditation teacher, who leads these sittings weekly in the temple.
Temple is very traditional, with the altar of big white statue of Buddha and many symbolic objects and offerings. There is a Theravada monk there who takes care of the temple, conducts ceremonies and chanting.
I was offered to have a little talk about Direct Pointing - guiding inner inquiry we do with people in Liberation Unleashed ( www.LiberationUnleashed.com)
I worked with one young fellow who came first time to the temple, and never heard about LU (Liberation Unleashed), or me, or this method.
It was interesting to see the interplay of the characters in this experiential sharing. The young guy was able to see that self is not the real object, but only on the intellectual level, as the resistance from the mind to see it deeper was so great. And it is understandable, because realizing anatta (no self) is not a first glimpse, but total surrender of the whole being to the truth, and it seems like it happens when one is in a special place: a place of exhaustion of seeking, a place of hunger not for spiritual practice, spiritual states and insights, but for seeing what is really true. At the same time, first glimpse is very important insight, either it happened through meditation, inquiry, self-help modalities, sports, or just in the middle of a daily activities. Its especially has a value, if its noticed. I pointed to the young fellow not to disregard the importance of the understanding that “I” does not exist as a separate entity, that “I” is an illusion, created by the mind. The young guy will go on practicing meditation until he is in the place when the being will be ready to see it without any doubts. The value of meditation is undeniable for some of us to arrive to the place of surrendering.
As I was leaving the temple, one of my new friends, the regular member of this meditation gatherings, said that the monk, hearing my work with young fellow, said: “Elena teaches deep Dharma”.
This not only touched me, it stroke me, as I never saw myself as a teacher. I don’t have any formal initiations, except I practiced Theravada meditation for some years, and then used guided inner inquiry to wake up to reality of no self/anatta. I am humbled and glad that i can just translate my experience through my personality, ability to communicate and articulate, and keep the focus of the inquirer in a way it became effective to see and resolve this mind paradox.
The only intent here is to keep helping others in this inquiry, as it helps to stop perpetual spiritual search, and start living out of our true nature.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be liberated
from the illusion of the separation
and all the impurities of the mind.
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