Written on May 12, 2008 by Tom Stine / 1 Comment »
There is no explanation you can give that would explain away all the sufferings and evil and torture and destruction and hunger in the world! You’ll never explain it. You can try gamely with your formulas, religious and otherwise, but you’ll never explain it. Because life is a mystery, which means your thinking mind cannot make sense out of it. For that you’ve got to wake up and then you’ll suddenly realize that reality is not problematic, you are the problem.
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Written on May 9, 2008 by Tom Stine / 4 Comments »
The Tao that can be followed is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth
While naming is the origin of the myriad things.
Therefore, always desireless, you see the mystery
Ever desiring, you see the manifestations.
These two are the same—
When they appear they are named differently.
This sameness is the mystery,
Mystery within mystery;
The door to all marvels.
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Written on May 7, 2008 by Tom Stine / 45 Comments »
How cool! Some of my regular and new readers are having a lot of fun commenting on my recent post, Are All Thoughts Untrue?. I have quite a few responses to make, but I felt it would be more interesting to do another article on thoughts and toss in a little bit on thinking, too. So, here is a random series of thoughts on the subject of thoughts. (Personally, I find it hilarious that we have thoughts about thoughts and thinking.)
- What are thoughts? They are sounds and images passing through awareness. In other words, the sounds and pictures you see “in your head” are all there is to thought. The energy of thought then gets translated into the body and becomes feelings. And really, there is nothing more to it than that. I think. *grins*
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Written on May 5, 2008 by Tom Stine / 3 Comments »
I was going to post a follow-up to the conversation going on at my article Are All Thoughts Untrue? tonight, but the best laid plans of mice and men…. So, I’ll do so tomorrow.
A quick announcement: Anmol Mehta, who publishes a really cool blog on Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen Practice is running a blog carnival. I’m listed, naturally. 
But there are some very cool articles listed by other writers. Check it out at anmolmehta.com!
Enjoy. Namaste.
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Written on May 2, 2008 by Tom Stine / 37 Comments »
A friend of mine sent me the following in response to my article on the Adyashanti Retreat I recently attended:
Still chewing on your premise of not knowing that 2 + 2 will be 4 tomorrow. I have had some discussions with people who seem to be on the path but take it to a ridiculous extreme. For example, a friend of mine claimed the same kind of premise. I said o.k., let me light this lighter next to your arm. I believe based upon past experience and the rules of the world of illusion that you will burn. He said he couldn’t agree that he would burn. He couldn’t agree that the lighter would light. Conceded that may happen but given the fact we’ve both seen the lighter work, just worked and is not empty, it most likely will light. If it does light and placed next to your arm, your arm will most likely burn. One does not ‘know’ the future but can make reasonable predictions as to consequences of the world of illusion.
The world of the formless and the world of form are the same. One arises from another. They are connected. We should resist nothing and be open to everything but ignoring basic principles and observations that repeatedly occur could be done to an extreme and at one’s peril.
First, let me say that I completely agree that there are many people on the spiritual path who take things to ridiculous extremes. I have been one of them. Anything can be taken too far….
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Written on April 30, 2008 by Tom Stine / 3 Comments »
Get 20 “enlightened beings,” 20 of the greatest avatars that ever walked the earth and put them together. The most enlightened avatars from the whole of humanity, get 20 of them in the same room, and start asking them about the thoughts in their heads. And they’re not going to agree. Because that’s not where the Oneness is. That’s not what’s unifying. It’s only if you get down to the fundamental nature of being. Then there could be agreement.
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Written on April 28, 2008 by Tom Stine / 30 Comments »
I finished my second 5 day retreat with Adyashanti last Friday, and I’d like to share with you my experience once again. I will follow the same basic format as the last report, so have fun doing a comparison between the two.
Purpose of the Retreat
As I mentioned in my last retreat report, the purpose of the retreat was to deepen one’s experience of Truth, to experience a true opening or moment of pure awareness, and to possibly experience an abiding awakening. Adyashanti is a big proponent of “awakening in this lifetime, if not now.”
Adyashanti
A middle class guy, he used to work as a machinist before he started the spiritual teacher gig. Serious student of Zen for 15 years. A talented speaker and teacher. A guy who likes playing poker. All these are descriptions of Adyashanti. And while I could list 20 more, none of them would even come close to explaining to you what he is like.
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Written on April 26, 2008 by Tom Stine / 4 Comments »
Welcome home! I came back to Missouri to the warm embrace of my amazing son. It was a pleasure to be around him for a few hours. I felt a tenderness for him that, while I have felt before, feels deeper and richer now. More expansive and loving. And I have always adored my kid.
I will be slowly coming “down off the mountaintop” of my retreat with Adyashanti over the next few days. I tried last night, after the end of the retreat, to write a few words and respond to some comments here, but I had a difficult time. The Silence this time was very intense, and while I’ve been talking easily with people, I almost need the give and take of dialog to keep my going. When I stare at a blank screen, well, I don’t really mind that it is blank!
In a few days I will post a report on the retreat. Adya was not only healthy for this retreat, but he was in rare form. He was funnier, more engaging, more alive and vibrant than the last retreat, and I’ve never heard a crowd laugh as much on any recording I’ve heard of his (and I have over 150 hours of his record talks). When the recordings of this retreat go on sale late in the summer, I strongly suggest you buy a copy. You will love it.
Glad to be home, though. As Adya is fond of saying, the real retreat begins when the retreat ends. It’s called “my life.”
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Written on April 24, 2008 by Tom Stine / 12 Comments »
I dig awakening. Do you? If so, I’d like to share some cool blogs that are very awakening focused. I’ve learned of these guys over the past few weeks, and they put out some great stuff.
Takuin Minamoto write passionately from his experience. His posts are moving and almost a meditation in and of themselves.
Davidya has a great site with lots of great commentary on the subject of awakening. I found him recently because of a post he did on Adyashanti. He has been leaving some fantastic comments on my post Adyashanti Retreat Report, where he, J Stone and I have been having quite the exchange of ideas and thoughts.
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Written on April 22, 2008 by Tom Stine / 5 Comments »
When you don’t cover up the world with words and labels, a sense of the miraculous returns to you life that was lost a long time ago when humanity, instead of using thought, became possessed by thought. A depth returns to your life. Things regain their newness, their freshness.
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Written on April 20, 2008 by Tom Stine / 4 Comments »
Greetings everyone!
Beginning this evening (Sunday), I’m doing a 5 day silent retreat with Adyashanti and 300 other people near Monterey, CA. So, I will be out of touch for 5 days. I will fire-up my MacBook on Friday evening and start getting back into things. I plan to do another write-up of my retreat experience.
I have a couple of posts prepared, so you will get a little something over the next week.
Until Friday, be well!….. Tom
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Written on April 16, 2008 by Tom Stine / 6 Comments »
In my last video post, I answered the question Why I Write About Spirituality? I really enjoyed answering that question, and it got me thinking about the subject more. Spirituality is a big topic, so I started asking myself a bunch of what questions, such as “What subjects in spirituality do I enjoy most?” and others. As a personal exploration, and to stimulate your thinking, I want to answer those questions for you.
What subjects in spirituality do I enjoy most?
Two subjects really work for me: (1) awakening and (2) practical spirituality. Awakening seems to me the ultimate aim of all spirituality. It is the end, in a sense, of the spiritual journey, even though in another sense it is just a beginning. But completely opening to what we are is the only true goal.
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Written on April 14, 2008 by Tom Stine / 2 Comments »
What is this mind?
Who is hearing these sounds?
Do not mistake any state for Self-realization, but continue to ask yourself even more intensely,
What is it that hears?
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Written on April 12, 2008 by Tom Stine / 39 Comments »
Yes, I know, there are no mistakes on the spiritual journey. There can’t be, if you think about it. The spiritual journey is, to a certain extent, a process of learning. And don’t we almost always learn best from what we often see as our mistakes? But then, if we learn from them, if we grow from them, how could they really be mistakes?
As you venture down the spiritual path, you really start seeing your life as a long curriculum in a giant classroom called Life. No mistakes. Just your individual assignments. I have had my “lessons” to learn, my conditioning to undo.
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Guru Quotes
There is no explanation you can give that would explain away all the sufferings and evil and torture and destruction and hunger in the world! You’ll never explain it. You can try gamely with your formulas, religious and otherwise, but you’ll never explain it. Because life is a mystery, which means your thinking mind cannot make sense out of it. For that you’ve got to wake up and then you’ll suddenly realize that reality is not problematic, you are the problem.
The Tao that can be followed is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth
While naming is the origin of the myriad things.
Therefore, always desireless, you see the mystery
Ever desiring, you see the manifestations.
These two are the same—
When they appear they are named differently.
This sameness is the mystery,
Mystery within mystery;
The door to all marvels.
Get 20 “enlightened beings,” 20 of the greatest avatars that ever walked the earth and put them together. The most enlightened avatars from the whole of humanity, get 20 of them in the same room, and start asking them about the thoughts in their heads. And they’re not going to agree. Because that’s not where the Oneness is. That’s not what’s unifying. It’s only if you get down to the fundamental nature of being. Then there could be agreement.
When you don’t cover up the world with words and labels, a sense of the miraculous returns to you life that was lost a long time ago when humanity, instead of using thought, became possessed by thought. A depth returns to your life. Things regain their newness, their freshness.
