Lessons of the election

Today I want to talk about the lessons of the election from an enlightenment perspective. Many times, reachers of the path denigrate life in the world as a distraction. They believe the path to enlightenment is best achieved by isolation from the world in which the student can learn the secrets of enlightenment. There may be some truth to that for some, if not many. The real key to enlightenment is understanding and knowing who you really are.

That said, the world is not your enemy. THere are many things in it to experience and enjoy. The key is to understand that none of it defines who you really are.

This is the meaning of the first verse of the Tao. (see the link for Lin yu Tang) It says:

The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;
The Named is the Mother of All Things.

Therefore:
Oftentimes, one strips oneself of passion
In order to see the Secret of Life;
Oftentimes, one regards life with passion,
In order to see its manifest forms.

This is the key. TO see the secret of life, you must be objective and silent. However, to see the manifest forms, one must look with passion. Note that he adds:

These two (the Secret and its manifestations)
Are (in their nature) the same;
They are given different names
When they become manifest.

They may both be called the Cosmic Mystery:
Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper Mystery
Is the Gate to the Secret of All Life.

When you really understand the nature of the mystery-that it exists as both the secret and the manifestations and that they are really the same thing, one will be a lot farther along on the journey.

The election, with all of its energy-positive and negative, is one of the purest forms of the manifestation. We, as a society, actually created this from the Tao.

By looking at what happened and examining the flow of thoughts and energy, you can see how the people of the world manifested this entire election season.

It is one of the best examples of an expression of the Tao I know.

Feel it and know it.

Peace

A new day

It is election day and like many others, I have been caught up in this year's election fever.

It looks like Obama will win. I am pleased.

ALl is good