A few months ago I was sitting at my favorite place's monthly Kirtan. When walking in the socially agreed upon action is to immediately kick off your shoes, grab a shaker of your choice ( a rice filled oblong thing in case you were wondering) and find a spot to call your own for the next two hours.
It almost takes me back to a time of walking into First Baptist Church of where ever we resided at the present moment, sliding into the pew, and singing out of a Biblesque Leather on Sunday Mornings.
It almost takes me back to a time of walking into First Baptist Church of where ever we resided at the present moment, sliding into the pew, and singing out of a Biblesque Leather on Sunday Mornings.
However, the silvery blonde haired Sitar player and five Wandering Sadus all dressed in white billowing fabrics that one would only imagine when picturing a tropical beach retreat in some Indonesian island, and twelve peacefully smiling, similarly dressed, on lookers all perched on pillows in an undeniably "they do this all the time" familiar way make sure I know there's a difference.
The most notable being the knowledge that in about 30 minutes if all is done correctly, and by correctly I mean however one feels compelled to, one won't care about what spot they have to call their own because one will be in the expansion of consciousness, the kingdom of heaven, and fully immersed in the realization of there being no I, no us, no anything, much less a Spot. Instead with a blissful smile, one would be the first to say with a Peace that surpasses all understanding...
We are all the Spot, and the Spot is us.
Don't get me wrong. I absolutely cherish the memories of dragging out of bed every Sunday morning, begrudgingly at times but all the same I got up, and got dressed.. In really pretty dresses hand-smocked by my Mom (yes, hand smocked) and standing next to my Dad and Mom singing age old hymns praising the God that so loved the world he gave his only son (let that marinate, would u give up your son for anything...much less a whole world?).
However the catch was to worship only in a way what didn't bring attention to yourself, or resemble any thing like all consuming, all knowing, peace that surpasses all understanding, the kingdom of heaven is within, worship.... And definitely not dancing....or clapping.
If we are worshiping that which created all living things... shouldn't we be ecstatic about it??
At Kirtan, there's an abundance of happiness felt.
(Side Story)
Every month there is an older lady, who happens to be a Shaman, that also happens to be one of those white billowing fabric adorning on lookers I mentioned earlier. And every month somewhere around Ganesha's Chant she proceeds to put down her Drum, go to the back of the room, and spin in a circle for the next half hour... non stop. Now, one might immediately dismiss this as insanity. But think about it. I don't know about you, but I cant spin in circles for thirty seconds, let alone thirty minutes! The point of kirtan is to quiet the mind, and to ultimately reach a meditative state and as some would call an outer body experience... even though its all inner. This woman would probably have way more knowledge in this area than me, after all, she's a Shaman.... but every month, I catch myself staring at her spinning, and spinning, and spinning... and notice that her age has slipped away. She no longer hunches over, she is fluid in her movements, and there is this look on her face. One that would be impossible to describe, but if I tried it would be similar to that of Peace. And I find myself thinking how awesome it must be to be that liberated from all your insecurities, your self doubt, your physical and mental inability, and get up in a room full of thirty strangers, and spin in a circle meditating for a half hour... then I also think How the hell is she not falling over. Seriously tho... a half hour??
If we are worshiping that which created all living things... shouldn't we be ecstatic about it??
At Kirtan, there's an abundance of happiness felt.
(Side Story)
Every month there is an older lady, who happens to be a Shaman, that also happens to be one of those white billowing fabric adorning on lookers I mentioned earlier. And every month somewhere around Ganesha's Chant she proceeds to put down her Drum, go to the back of the room, and spin in a circle for the next half hour... non stop. Now, one might immediately dismiss this as insanity. But think about it. I don't know about you, but I cant spin in circles for thirty seconds, let alone thirty minutes! The point of kirtan is to quiet the mind, and to ultimately reach a meditative state and as some would call an outer body experience... even though its all inner. This woman would probably have way more knowledge in this area than me, after all, she's a Shaman.... but every month, I catch myself staring at her spinning, and spinning, and spinning... and notice that her age has slipped away. She no longer hunches over, she is fluid in her movements, and there is this look on her face. One that would be impossible to describe, but if I tried it would be similar to that of Peace. And I find myself thinking how awesome it must be to be that liberated from all your insecurities, your self doubt, your physical and mental inability, and get up in a room full of thirty strangers, and spin in a circle meditating for a half hour... then I also think How the hell is she not falling over. Seriously tho... a half hour??
Anyways, back to the post....ADHD remember...
So in between chants I emerged from the infinite realm of the meditative mind and immediately my ADHD took over... I use to think my wandering never ceasing to stop mind was a major defect in life. However, I now see the blessings I have received because of it. Things that I have been led to or noticed only because I found myself wandering away from the crowd, or following a thought for way longer than one should. I have started to instinctively notice the little whispers of source that pop up in what others would call a mere coincidence. And have grown to love these instances and most importantly trust them.
Stay with me...
During this break in chanting, I flipped through the song book and came across a translation that read "I didn't know anything, So I remembered you". And in that moment, I literally felt the proverbial light bulb come on.
Of course Awakening isn't something to be obtained. Every time I have taken a step up the ladder of spiritual awareness, there's never been this since of Learning something new. Instead I have been met with sense of something very familiar. A Cosmic Duh you could say... And if Spiritual Awakening comes from a familiar place, somewhere you remember, then hasn't it always been there?
So how can we obtain something we have already, always, had?
We can't. The only way I can ever have peace, or true happiness, is by realizing everything I need to have these experiences, these things I am told every day I must seek from somewhere other than myself, is by actually searching, discovering, learning, loving, and trusting the Consciousness inside myself.
During this break in chanting, I flipped through the song book and came across a translation that read "I didn't know anything, So I remembered you". And in that moment, I literally felt the proverbial light bulb come on.
Of course Awakening isn't something to be obtained. Every time I have taken a step up the ladder of spiritual awareness, there's never been this since of Learning something new. Instead I have been met with sense of something very familiar. A Cosmic Duh you could say... And if Spiritual Awakening comes from a familiar place, somewhere you remember, then hasn't it always been there?
So how can we obtain something we have already, always, had?
We can't. The only way I can ever have peace, or true happiness, is by realizing everything I need to have these experiences, these things I am told every day I must seek from somewhere other than myself, is by actually searching, discovering, learning, loving, and trusting the Consciousness inside myself.
I can not look to anything, or anyone to tell me how to obtain these things.
Jesus said " Look here nor there, For the Kingdom of Heaven is Within"
I see more truth in that statement since the start of my Kirtan and Meditation Practice than I ever did in my 22 years of attending an organized religions sanctuary every Sunday. I am somewhat perplexed by that considering the later of the two is the Christian Organization that preaches and lives by the words of Jesus Christ. However it is the absolute truth in my experience. I don't by any means think there are no spiritual experiences that occur in Churches, nor do I mean to say Churches are bad. I am simply saying that in my life, in my experience, reading the words spoken by Jesus Christ after I began my meditation practice was similar to a book being translated from a language you can somewhat read, into your native tongue.
I believe the problem with Organized Religion is it creates separation. Obviously. It creates room for more ego and selfishness to transpire. When in reality the message of every great saint and Jesus Christ, or Allah, or Buddha, or Krishna has been one thing. Love one another, have compassion for everything, and Love God.
It might surprise you to know that my practice in Kirtan and meditation in general has strengthened my love for Jesus Christ. I see JC in a whole new light... Pun intended.
After all he did say. "When thine eye is singular thy whole body shall be full of light"
Sounds legit to me.
A few weeks after this particular Kirtan, I was looking through quotes about spirituality and made this Picture Quote from a paragraph I'd found from an unknown source. I instantly loved it as it was the perfect description of what I was trying to say to a friend about the earlier song lyrics. Fast-forward another couple of weeks and I downloaded an Audio book from Adyshanti called "The End of Your World" based off of the suggestion of the same friend I was at Kirtan with and showed the picture quote to. As I was listening to this book I suddenly heard the words being spoken seen in the picture below.
Pretty cool "Coincidence" if I say so.
Namaste
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