This is the second of two messages posted to the 2012 Scenario discussion group at https://groups.yahoo.com/group/2012Scenario/ contextualizing discussion starting out.
Hi again, everyone.
I forgot to mention four matters in the comment I made yesterday and perhaps I could be permitted to do so here since we’re starting out on our journey together. This is a longish post and you may want to read it in parts as time permits. Or not read it. I’m OK with that.
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First, it has happened in the past that some people have either oriented to me or invited me to somehow cast myself as a spiritual teacher. And I have resisted and will continue to resist and perhaps we could just discuss the reasons for that in setting out here.
A spiritual source whom I hold very dear, Sri Ramakrishna, used to say that only a person who held a commission from God was suited to be a spiritual teacher. By “commission from God” he meant at least seventh-chakra enlightenment, which is called Brahmajnana, God-realization, or kevalya nirvikalpa samadhi.
I would go further and say, a person would be advised not to become a spiritual teacher until he or she has had at least the permanent opening of the heart, which is called sahaja (or permanent) nirvikalpa samadhi. The Brahmajnani is still only halfway up the mountain. They are often the figures we’ve seen succumb to sex scandals, maltreatment of devotes, living in luxury, etc.
Examples of teachers with sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi would be Adyashanti and Sri Ramana Maharshi. These two teachers were ascenders to God but an avatar like Sri Ramakrishna is a descent of God into form – a descender – so most people usually don’t talk about their “accomplishment” since they are born already enlightened and merely do sadhana or spiritual practice for the edification of us ascenders. Mata Amritandandamayi and Anandamoyi Ma would be other examples of avatars in modern times; Krishna, Rama, Jesus, and Buddha in ancient times.
A fully-cooked being like Adya or Ramana has God’s commission. What happens if a person “hangs up his or her shingle” before being all the way up the mountain, as Sri Ramakrishna put it, is that they and the student come to grief. He compared the situation to a small snake trying to swallow a frog. The snake cannot swallow the frog and the frog cannot escape so both suffer an agonizing death.
A qualified teacher, on the other hand, he compared to a big snake who swallowed the frog in one gulp. Swallowing the frog, in his usually colorful metaphors, meant leading the student to enlightenment or spiritual fulfilment.
Moreover, a spiritual teacher must take on a student’s karma, which is not a problem for a fully-realized being but can seriously undermine the spiritual life of an unqualified teacher. We’ve probably all heard instances of unqualified teachers having to visit their students on the other side and apologize for misrepresenting themselves, as part of seeing to the karma they have accumulated.
I’m not an enlightened being, even if people may enjoy some of the things I write. I’m led to believe that I’ve experienced enlightenment in other lifetimes but not in this – not even enlightenment at the fourth chakra. which is called “spiritual awakening” or “stream-entering.” I have no business representing myself to you as a qualified spiritual teacher. I am not. I have not received a commission from God and I would pay for misrepresenting myself even while not serving you.
So, if I see people wishing to cast me in that light, I will act in a way that convinces you that I am indeed not a spiritual teacher – stamp my feet, have a tantrum, anything that leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind that I’m indeed not a spiritual teacher.
However I do point people to Adya and Ammachi (Mata Amritanandanmayi) as qualified spiritual teachers. There are others, such as Eckhart Tolle, who lives here in Vancouver. But then there are a lot of unqualified spiritual teachers and some charlatans whom I would not recommend, including some who bill themselves as avatars.
But none of us really needs to worry about that anyways since our spiritual futures are guaranteed by the Ascension that will occur in under two years. It needn’t be an issue for this generation.
But you’ll see little notes from me all over the 2012 Scenario site saying please don’t relate to me as a spiritual teacher and these are the reasons I say that.
We are all adults and equals here. I have no more insight into the great mysteries of life than anyone else may or may not have.
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Second relates to what AA Michael said about “comments” on The 2012 Scenario site and this discussion group, so you can have that information available to you.
I told AA Michael that I had turned off “comments” on the blogsite because I could not keep up with the workload. Did he want me to turn them back on and I quote his response at length so you know what the whole picture is. Where he says “forum,” he means this discussion group.
AAM: No, what we want you to do is keep the forum part of what you are doing, as my partner on Earth, as one of my beloved ones. Part of what has need to take place is a coming together of people who are of like mind and like heart. But even when they are not of like mind and like heart, there is need to be a place for that discussion and that exchange, that stimulation, to take place. Now however, having said that, the forum is not to be dealt with by you.
Steve: Excuse me. I don’t understand what you just said.
AAM: Yes, I know. Let me explain. What we would like you to do is have only one forum, not multiple forums [there used to be a forum on the blogsite], one place for people to gather and to discuss whatever it is that is on their mind and in their heart. What we want you to do is to select several people who have your deepest trust and admiration, that you know are anchored in their hearts, but also in their balance. Balance is very important in this undertaking. And a commitment to not address questions or discussions that they know not about. So we were suggesting today that you would have a team of about 5 or 6 moderators and let them handle this job for you.
Steve: All right. I appreciate that advice.
AAM: It allows the joining together and the building of a community to continue. But it does not put that onus upon your shoulders. Because our intention is not to exhaust you. We are in the final push. But part of our promise that you and I have stuck long ago, is that you would see the fruition of this enfoldment, of this shift. Now I do not want you to have to be dragging your physical body, or your mental body, to the finish line. So I seek to assist you, and I will help you with the choice of these trustworthy individuals.
So this mentions why I closed down comments on the site and what AA Michael asked me to do instead: that is, create this forum and allow this to be the place where people come for stimulation, an exchange of views, contact, etc., rather than through comments on the blogsite.
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A third matter I wanted to mention briefly as we set out on our journey is that I’m going through the same energetic fluctuations we all are and, unfortunately, I can be really, really tired at times. But whether tired or not, I try to keep up my output because that is my work and my service to the New Age. AA Michael in my reading the other day through Linda Dillon said:
“Dear friend, I know you are tired, I know you are overwhelmed, I know you are exhausted. And so while we speak this day, not only I, but my beloved Archangel Raphael and my sister Archangel Gabrielle, fill you with their energy as well so that you may feel rejuvenated, refreshed and prepared to go on.”
I nearly wept. I was so glad that he could see that and that he promised to send help. Yes, I am bordering on exhaustion a lot these days. Why I don’t know. I seek assistants but not many people seem to last more than a few weeks and finding assistants means I need to train people, administer, etc., and constantly training and administering, etc., only adds to the overall workload.
So there is a part of me that looks forward to disclosure as much as anyone else because, hopefully, I’ll be able to rest for a while.
You may hear me feeling somewhat serious and sober these days. It’s just because of tiredness. I’m not meaning to offend anyone or talk down to people. I hope my sense of humor returns but it’s tough being humorous when you’re tired. I could use a good night’s sleep. But even saying that invites more work – a flood of emails with tips on how to sleep, etc., which I then must read and respond to. More exhaustion. It’s a bit of a Catch 22. And I don’t know the way out.
I have limits that I need to observe or I’ll fall flat on my can and, like Mark Huber, succumb to a heart attack or stroke and not return to public life after that. I don’t want to go that route.
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A fourth matter concerns email and is meant more for new readers. I try to read my email each day but it is climbing to levels that are almost impossible to see to on a daily basis. I need to get emails from the Observer Corps because without their help I could not produce The 2012 Scenario. Of course their suggestions need to be on topic.
I spend very little time on Facebook. No sense leaving me a comment there. I use Facebook and Twitter merely to serve people who want to read articles via those media. I don’t actually go there much.
On email generally, I ask that you mail me sparingly if at all possible. If I don’t get back to you, I’ve read your email but am seeking to keep the work to a minimum. Can we let no reply = “no thank you” unless I just haven’t had time to get back to you? That would be helpful.
I ask people who have added me to their distribution lists to take me off please. Targeted email suggesting articles is great but being on distribution lists where many items are not on target is not helpful to me. I don’t need to see the latest astronomical picture or hear the joke about the rabbi and the minister. But I also don’t want to offend you by asking to be removed from your distribution list.
Another favor: please forgo writing back to me and saying only “thank you.” That multiplies the mail I must read. Let’s consider “thank you” understood and not needing to be said. We are all adults and we are all involved in important affairs such as we may never have been involved in in the past. This time is important beyond all others and invites our utmost effort.
If you have questions about what’s coming down the pike, there are mentors here who may be able to answer them for you.
There is also a wonderful compendium of information at First Contact, https://www.angelfire.com/space2/light11/fc/fc-index1.html. It would be a great blessing if people would actually read that reference work. When you ask me a question, all that happens is that I go there and search on the pages for an answer. You could do that too.
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I’m trying to be real straight and won’t return to these subjects again – I hope there won’t be a need to. But I needed to say it once. Pardon my tired tone. Tone does bleed through no matter what we do to have things be otherwise.
OK, I’m off now to continue with my part of the work, which is to cover what’s happening at this time and what’s coming down the pike over there on the blogsite – and to rest as much as I can until these times of energy fluctuation are done with.
Thank you for listening. Even if I do not participate, I do read what you say here and I do know so many of you and am tickled pink when I hear someone standing forth in their magnificence.
Namaste,
Steve