Thank you for joining me on this wonderful day.
The following is a clip from my new podcast called Form and Substance.
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Before we start,
I want to say while the following quotes are real quotes by real people and they are really life-changing,
The following narrative is an imaginative dramatization of events.
Now onto the show.
But of course most sleeping people will say that they have an aim and that they are going somewhere.
I'm going to start with the first one,
Which is G.
I.
Gergelyev,
An Armenian-born mystic and spiritual teacher.
As he stands,
He places the book of his teachings titled In Search of the Miraculous down on the dark wooden desk.
Gergelyev,
Incidentally,
Did not write this book of teachings himself,
But felt that his teachings were not possible.
Gergelyev looked up from the corner of his eye at the others seated near him in the book laid in study,
Assuring to himself that he has their attention before continuing,
Saying,
The realization of the fact that he has no aim and that he is not going anywhere is the first sign of the approaching awakening of a man or of awakening becoming really possible now.
Awakening begins when a man realizes that he is going nowhere and does not know where to go.
With that,
Gergelyev bows,
Lowering himself into his seat as another man nods his head in concurrence.
A moment passes in silence.
Eyes scan around wondering who will take the floor next and offer their own perspective on the symposium's topic of awakening.
The head-nodder stands next,
And it is none other than Joseph Campbell,
An American writer and mythologist.
He offers the room a kind smile and meets each pair of eyes with his own before saying,
Pointing up with his index finger,
A teacher's finger.
When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation,
We undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.
He lays his hands flat on the desk,
His eyes clear and discerning.
We're in a free fall into the future.
We don't know where we're going.
Things are changing so fast and always when you're going through a long tunnel,
Anxiety comes along.
And all you have to do to transform your hell into paradise is to turn your fall into a voluntary act.
It's a very interesting shift of perspective and that's all it is.
Joyful participation in the sorrows and everything changes.
Nicky Rowe,
An Australian author wearing a beautiful flowing dress and a flower in her hair crosses her legs at the ankle and lifts her gaze up from the table.
She catches Campbell's eye,
Who nods down his head and lifts a hand towards her in a go-ahead gesture.
He sits,
She stands and shares about awakening in her own words.
You learn who you are by unlearning who they taught you to be.
Self-discovery is the most empowering time of your life.
You remember who you are and you become the best version of yourself.
She pauses and continues softer as if sharing a secret.
But what they forget to tell you is to get to a point of pleasure,
You must face the pain.
I find pain rather beautiful.
It has a chaotic way of shaking up everything we once ignored.
To empower us to move past anything that doesn't serve the best of us anymore.
Once Rowe is seated,
All three,
Gurdjieff,
Campbell and Rowe look towards Ram Dass,
Who sits at the edge of the study.
His back to a wall of books on the floor with his legs folded in the lotus position.
This American spiritual teacher peeks out from closed eyes for only a moment before a knowing smile flits across his face.
He takes his time to unfold his legs and stand to his feet as the others wait patiently.
When Dass reaches the center of the room,
He leans against the desk and with a gentle raise of his open,
Upturned palm and a nod towards Rowe,
States,
Suffering is a part of our training program for becoming wise.
Everything in your life is there as a vehicle for your transformation.
He clears his throat and turns,
Addressing the group as a whole.
The spiritual journey is individual,
Highly personal.
It can't be organized or regulated.
It isn't true that everyone should follow one path.
Start from where you are,
Not where you wish you were.
Be here now.
The work you're doing becomes your path.
Then to your own truth.
In a smooth motion,
He picks up the book in search for the miraculous and cracks it open.
He smiles at each one of his companions then,
With his gaze gently falling onto the pages of the book,
Settles in for a good read.
Thank you to my Insight Timer audience and followers for your encouragement in starting this podcast.
Once again,
This has been Form and Substance.
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Join me for a new episode.
The next will be on the topic of humanity.
Thanks again,
And bye for now.
