Esoteric secrets.

The body and mind are very delicate instruments. Most of the time we, as ordinary sentient beings, live in a coarse, comical world of caricatures: we write the script, acquire the part, and then act it out.

To be able to understand the nature of reality, we have to grow up, be stable, and be decent human beings. Therefore, the mind has to have clarity, the emotions have to be tamed and our hearts have to be truly open. This is not achieved through guess work, or reading books. It has to be experienced.

The esoteric teachings are secret. They are secret because they cannot be misused. They could damage this delicate mind and body, and so they are secret out of compassion. In fact, they are “self secret”, meaning that even if you heard these teachings, they would be ignored – they wouldn’t register. These teachings need a commentary in order to be understood.

Of course, we all want those sort of teachings, but we have to be ready for them. We have to be prepared. For example, one key element would be seeing the world as a sacred place, and all beings as deities: we therefore give the world the appropriate respect, even though it is all an illusion. Basically it is all Guru Yoga…but we have to fully understand what that is, before we jump to conclusions. A correct understanding of devotion and compassion are essential.

Devotion is the supplication of a greater power than we have at this present moment. We may think we have a storehouse of knowledge, when it may actually turn out to be a junk shop!

If we merely approach this as speculation or entertainment, then we will only get more confused, and we will suffer – and probably cause much suffering for those around us. Working for the benefit of those around us (compassion) overrides our own inclinations!

From Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. Chogyam Trungpa.

It is important to see that the main point or any spiritual

practice is to step out of the bureaucracy of ego. This means

stepping out of ego’s constant desire for a higher, more

spiritual, more transcendental version of knowledge, religion,

virtue, judgement, comfort or whatever it is that the particular

ego is seeking.

One must step out of spiritual materialism. If we in fact practice it,

then we may eventually find ourselves possessed of a huge

collection of spiritual paths.

We may feel these spiritual collections to be very precious.

We have studied so much.We may have studied Western philosophy

and Oriental philosophy, practiced yoga or perhaps studied

under dozens of great masters.

We believe that we have accumulated a hoard of knowledge.

And yet, having gone through all this, there is still something

to give up. It is extremely mysterious! But unfortunately it

is so. Our vast collection of knowledge and experience are

just part of ego’s display, part of the grandiose quality of ego.

We display them to the world and, in doing so, reassure ourselves

that we exist, safe and secure, as spiritual people…

…instead of beautiful antiques we created a junk shop!

Be prepared,

Tony