Travis Eneix

Archive for the ‘Distinctions’ Category

Fanmail Feedback At The Speed Of Information

03 Jun

Tags: Books, Distinctions, Inspirational, On My Shelf
Posted in Books, Distinctions, Inspirational, On My Shelf | No Comments »

There are certain things I simply adore about the information age. One of those things is the ease, and speed, with which I (as a fan) can connect with someone whose work I like. The latest iteration of this phenomenon for me is Mark Hurst, author of Bit Literacy. I found the book a real eye-opener chock-full-’o incredibly useful distinctions and tips for navigating the information age and managing the often overwhelming volume of information the age asks us to deal with.

I wrote a review of the book on Amazon, and the next morning got an email from Mark thanking me. How cool is that! In the ever shrinking and accelerating realm of human interaction that the information age, and its physical expressions like the internet, the ability to connect simply, painlessly, and directly always fills me with a great sense of hope.

The copy I originally read of Bit Literacy was from my local library. After getting the letter from Mark I wanted to show my support, but I still did not want to buy another paper book. The solution? The Kindle app for my iPhone. Bingo. Four bucks later I get to vote with my money for an author I enjoy, and I have the content for easy future reference.

Cheers!

Great Article: How To Choose Happiness

25 May

Tags: Atma Vichara, Distinctions, Inspirational, Random
Posted in Atma Vichara, Distinctions, Inspirational, Random | 7 Comments »

Great article over at Marc and Angel Hack Life, How To Choose Happiness. I don’t personally ascribe to the view that happiness is a state of mind. But, really my opinion is a matter of a different perspective and is not worth quibbling since from one point of view, and definition of the word “happiness” it is a state of mind. Be that as it may, I’ll tell you what really excites me about this article.

I have always been turned-on by the ideal of the Warrior for Peace. It’s a delicious paradox that does not need solving, but whose embrace leads to a rich outlook on life and a useful personal philosophy. In my view, life is a constant battle. Not a battle for survival of the body, although that does happen all to often, but rather a battle of ideologies. Most of us truck through life struggling to put together a philosophy that at first makes our lives better, and as we evolve also makes life in general better. As we soldier along we are servants to, and of, our prevailing philosophy, no matter how haphazardly those may be slapped together. We champion that philosophy in all of our interactions, and the tools we use are the expressions and communications of our beliefs. We use phrases and body language as weapons to wage these battles to keep our set of beliefs strong and alive. For the most part we do this unconsciously and perfectly innocently.

To engage this in an active way is a much more useful way to wage this battle, and allows for us to truly consider what we are championing. We can construct a philosophy of peace and mindfulness (as an example) and pick our words so as to advance that cause. In the inevitable bumping against of our myriad philosophies and belief structures, we can choose an active rather than passive stance. That, to me, is the Way of the Warrior of Peace. It is how a soldier in the army of peace can fight the battle for more peace in this world. Not as a method to dominate another’s set of beliefs, but as a way to test our own and to spread the possibility of such an outlook. Social engineering on the personal scale.

Three Types Of Self-Inquiry Teachers

27 Mar

Tags: Atma Vichara, Distinctions
Posted in Atma Vichara, Distinctions | 16 Comments »

Self-inquiry is the practice of looking directly at the self, by the self. It is an investigation of one’s being, and what it means to be, done by oneself. By this definition, it can be seen that no one can possibly do this for you. Another important distinction to note is that self-inquiry is not an effort to gain something, or to change anything. It is not concerned with adding to, or adjusting the self, but is simply a looking at what/who that self is as it is.

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others. – Gautama Buddha

What a teacher of self-inquiry is not, is a giver of new knowledge, or an adjuster of old knowledge. Bearing that in mind, my own practice of self-inquiry, and the growing number of discourses by people working with self-inquiry, I have so far found three distinct types of self-inquiry teachers. Each individual teacher has aspects of all three, but most seem to focus primarily on one with bits of the other two poking in from time to time.

The Confessor

The Confessor has had some profound, and life altering experience of Self (capital S), or non-dual realization, or supreme bliss, or some such. The experience has cut out the feet of worldly suffering and concern, and shown the TRUTH of reality to them. They usually have only the vaguest idea how this happened. Typically some version of the phrase, “by Grace”, comes forward in their stories. They serve primarily as proof of the possibility of resolving conclusively the question of what/who we are, and the snuffing out of suffering that seems to result.

Example of the Confessor tone:
Said the river to the seeker, “Does one really have to fret about enlightenment? No matter which way I turn, I’m homeward bound.” – Anthony De Mello

The Coach

The Coach has had a profound, final insight into the nature of all that is. They lack the roots of worldly suffering which seems to affect all of mankind. (Sense a theme here?) This occurred while (perhaps because?) they were actively pursuing a path of inquiry, or a path occurred to them as a result of their insight. Either way they are left with a method, if not a goal, to point towards the experience. By the nature of self-inquiry no one is able to hand out the results, but all can discuss how those results appear for them, and a Coach has some facility in helping to keep their “students” on target with the inquiry. Unlike typical teachers they cannot hand out the answer, but they can herd one along the way to one’s own realization.

Example of the Coach tone:
You don’t have to understand that or develop a new narrative about who you are, what you are and what your relationship with life is. Simply bring your personal consciousness into direct contact with the you-ness of you, the I of you, the sense of being you, the sense of self that is always here. – John Sherman

The Carrier

This type of self-inquiry teacher may, or may not, have had a big opening experience or a life altering realization. What they definitely have is a knowledge of the path, its tenants and some of the stories of realizations that other sages, realizers, and teachers of the path have had. They carry forward the possibility and the methodology of the teaching. The Carrier’s role is not so much to assist others in their own realization, or to bear witness to what self-inquiry has resulted in for them, but rather to pass the flame of burning desire for self-inquiry on fanned by the recorded proof of those who have made the journey before. They are also the historians and scholars of self-inquiry.

Examples of the Carrier tone would include lots of attributions of quotes, and statements referencing past teachers, saints, sages and gurus.

The first two types of teacher (the Confessor and the Coach) both tend to have a strong flavor of uniqueness about them. You will often hear something like a term followed by the qualifier, “… as I use it.” or preceded by the qualifier, “What I call…” The third type (the Carrier) often does not have much of that self-distinguishing tone.

As I mentioned before, no single teacher is free of any of these three types (or styles) of teaching. They all have all three. They all also have a focus. That focus can make what they are saying, and how they come across very unique.

I want to say that I sincerely believe that none of the above teaching types is better than the others. Whatever works is good, and each teacher is inherently confined to using the style available to them. Likewise each seeker is inherently bound to profiting from the method which most suits their particular disposition. The only thing left to do is hope that the right seeker encounters the right teacher, and has the luck and determination to follow their personal path to its conclusion.

Of course, since what is being discussed is the self, it ultimately doesn’t matter. No matter whether you feel drawn to investigate the self actively, or not, obviously doesn’t change the self which you already always are.

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. – Gautama Buddha

All of this is just how it appears to me, so take it for what it’s worth. (Which may not be much.) For further excellent reading on the types of spiritual paths one can follow, check out Four Paths to Freedom – Which Is Your Root Path? over at Mommy Mystic. Great stuff!

The Committee

16 Mar

Tags: Atma Vichara, Distinctions, Jobbery
Posted in Atma Vichara, Distinctions, Jobbery | No Comments »

We are all capable of being different people in different times and places. We take on roles to suit our current needs, and the needs of the situation. The student. The teacher. The husband. The gamer. The cook. The teacher. The couch potato. At anytime each of us can be any of these, and dozens more. We can even be more than one at once, if needed.

Voice Dialogue is a type of psychoanalytic therapy pioneered by Hal & Sindra Stone that actively calls out these distinct roles and examines their world views with an aim toward integration and mental health.

Genpo Roshi adopted Voice Dialogue to Zen practice as the Big Mind process, with great results. Some are even calling the Big Mind process the fourth turning of the Wheel of Dharma in Buddhism.

You can experience this yourself, immediately, by simply taking time to consciously check in with one of your roles. One of Genpo Roshi’s analogies is that we are each actually a company filled with employees and each has a particular job to perform. You can imagine yourself as the Controller, or CEO, calling another employee into your office for a meeting. Call in whomever you would like to, and have a check in. If you do this out loud, or in writing, you might be surprised as each voice you use in the two sides of the conversation takes on a unique phraseology, personality, set of goals, and opinions. Genpo Roshi suggests that most of us run this company in a very haphazard way with most of the employees not really being clear on what their job is, what their title is, and what duties they are to perform. By talking to the voices with intentionality, and naming their roles specifically, they each (a part of you) get a better handle on what they are supposed to do. Perhaps they even get a feeling of confidence and empowerment from having their actions acknowledged, directed and accepted.

Recent events in my life have expanded on this idea for me.

I was recently laid off from my job. That has turned out to be a great thing, but at the time there was not a small amount of ruminating about what my life would become. This real life event helped me to realize a big distinction between real life companies, and our internal companies of our distinct voices/roles.

In the real world you can cut back on the numbers of employees if the fiscal environment requires. (This is what happened in my case.) You can also fire an employee causing a negative impact on the operation of the company.

You internal company can do neither of those. In the company of You, you are stuck with all of your employees, for better or worse. No matter how dire the sparsity or resources, nor how harmful to the interests of the company an employee becomes, you simply cannot be rid of them. They can’t go anywhere. You can certainly tell them they are fired, but at best they just skulk off to the basement, or some dark corner, and inevitably reappear at improper times. Often these returns from the shadows will be surprising, scary, or explosive simply because you allowed yourself to believe they were gone. It doesn’t work. You are stuck with your set of employees. All of them.

In my pursuit of spirituality, discipline, and my hodgepodge of religion; my trying to be a better person, I have often “fired” an unwanted employee. Greed. Fear. Anger. Sloth. Lust. Jealousy. No matter how many times I fired them, or how loudly and resolutely I yelled when doing so, the buggers always returned, and nearly always at the worst possible moments.

It doesn’t work.

So, I am opting for a new policy. I hear by declare an end to all firings, lay-offs, and suspensions in the company of Me. Henceforth my employees, when they do their jobs at inappropriate times, and in unskilled ways, will not be let go. Instead they will be named, acknowledged, and explained their proper realms of authority, and will be assigned to teams as needed.

Take Anger, for example. My employee, Anger, is really good at his job. Really, really, really good. Top notch. No doubt. I seriously don’t think there is a better Anger anywhere else, and frankly I am lucky to have him. A truly valued employee. However, he does sometimes (often) jump to the job when he is not actually needed. I recognize this now as an eagerness to do his job, and not a lack of skill. In fact the failure is not his. It’s mine (the Master of the company). He simply had not been explained his list of duties, and who he needs to check with before going into action, who gives him his assignments. So, I spoke with Anger, and made sure he knew how much I enjoyed his work and how good he is at it. I also explained that he was to check with at least one of a list of other employees before springing into action: Fear, the Protector, Righteousness; Justice, Liberty, Fairness, the Controller, or me. Whenever Anger feels like he should go into action, he is to check with one of those first, and if he gets an order to act from one of those he is to do so full bore, and with no reservation. So far he seems to like the arrangement, and he is getting the hang of it. There are still times we he gets over zealous, and acts without approval, but he’s learning. Doing a bang up job.

The same type of arrangement, differing only in particulars, can be made with any of the employees as needed. And, each voice, no matter how refined or privileged is to always remember that, at the end of the day, they are all employees equal on the value scale. None gets paid more than any other.

So, that’s the new deal. This company is moving forward, and it’s taking every single one of its employees along. No exceptions.

A Day (And Night) Of Decapitations

24 Feb

Tags: Atma Vichara, Distinctions, Inspirational
Posted in Atma Vichara, Distinctions, Inspirational | 3 Comments »

I recently had the privilege of attending a Headless workshop with Richard Lang. But, that’s not how the day started.

It was February, Friday the 13th (just two Fridays ago) and it was also the release day for the latest in the line of Friday the 13th movies. My brother, and I, had a long standing tradition of seeing the Friday the 13th movies on opening day. We decided to resurrect the tradition on this particular occasion. We saw the 2pm showing, which was pleasantly uncrowded being in the middle of the day. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the movie, but such things were definitely more thrilling as a kid. One thing that the movie did have lots of was decapitations, of the involuntary type. That contrasted well with the evenings event, since they involved voluntary decapitations.

The drive to Berkeley was slow, the rain had proved (again) to be a problem for Bay Area drivers, and there was a minor accident on the Bay Bridge which had traffic backed up all the way to the city. It also didn’t help that I had left the city at 5:30 on a Friday. What would, on off hours, have been a 25 minute drive ended up being just under an hour. I assumed that my late arrival would not be too much of a trouble since I was going to a spiritual workshop (they’re supposed to be filled with nice people, ya know), and as it turned out I needn’t have worried. The rain, and it’s complications, was true for everyone else. Folks were milling around and chatting when I got there. Richard was talking animatedly amidst lots of smiles with some people he obviously already knew. Since I was there by myself I made my way to a chair in the second row and settled in.

Richard spoke with one of the organizers. I gathered that quite a few people who had reserved places at the workshop had also been delayed. We were going to wait for a few minutes to give them time to show. Richard stood at the front of the room, hands in pockets, and waited with a slight shyness about him. After a moment our eyes caught and he came over to introduce himself. He was making a point to meet everyone. When we shook hands and I introduced myself, he smiled, “Oh, Travis, yes we’ve corresponded. Great! Fantastic! And, here we are meeting in person, face to no-face.” He beamed a nearly impossibly wide smile and pumped my hand enthusiastically.

That phrase turns out to be an important one for Richard, and he used it many times (to good effect) during the workshop. After the attendees who had been delayed by the rain more than I arrived, Richard started in.

My first exposure to Douglas Harding’s headless way was after I’d read an article that appeared in What is Enlightenment? magazine. (They have recently changed their name to EnlightenmentNext.) The article was a few months after Douglas passed away, and was a tribute to his many years of dedicated work sharing what was, for him, a terribly simple and hugely profound mystical insight. After reading the article I did a Google search, and came upon Headless.org. There I was exposed to the finger pointing experiment. Richard started the workshop with the same experiment. Prior to getting things started, Richard had asked for folks to share something about why they were there that night. I said that I had done some of the experiments on my own, loved the work, and wanted to experience them in a group environment. My desire was completely satisfied.

The first time I had done the finger-pointing practice, I was sitting at my desk at work. When I turned my pointing finger in toward what I am, what I was looking out of, I remember blurting out, “Oh, you have to be f*cking kidding me.” Made for a bit of a scene. The experience was as fresh, and more powerful, with a group of fellow people unabashedly staring a the tips of their fingers. As Richard said several times during the workshop, “This experience is completely non-verbal, non-emotional, non-rational. But, it works.” We can all express exactly what the experiment discloses in our own language, but the moment itself is expressionless. Which is kind of the point. In that moment you are directly staring into what the Zen Buddhist call your Original Face. The effect is momentous, an without a thinking component.

Richard drew a useful distinction here. This is that we have, in a way, two lives. We have our public life, which we share with everyone and everyone can see. Then, we have our private lives, which is were we can be truly what we are and which no one else can ever see. One of the paradoxes of life is that while our public lives can be, and are, extremely distinctive with no two exactly alike, the raw non-verbal experience of who we are privately is teh exact same for everyone. This distinction is what Richard calls “being the One, and the many.”
For me, this non-experience of simply pointing directly at yourself gets to the root of one of the core principles of all of the world’s mystical/spiritual traditions (and most of it’s religions), which is that ultimately in the quest for finding your true identity, place in, and relation to reality; you’re on your own. No one can do this for you. The Buddha said, when nearing his death, “Monks, you must work out your own solution to suffering. Please work very hard.” When someone else points there finger in your face it’s just a confrontation. It’s only when you do it for yourself that you can see what is revealed as the truth of you.

The other really profound thing about the experiments that Douglas, Richard, and others have come up with to explore the truth of being headless is how silly and simple they are. One feels foolish pointing at one’s face, or peaking through a face sized hole cut in paper, or staring at a strangers face through a tube, or at their feet. They seem like children’s games. In a way, they are precisely that. They are methods for looking at the original, open, un-separated and fully connected state we all started in. Not as a way to return that state, and regress to some infantile personality, but as a way to re-inhabit that state with fully formed adult awareness and sensibility. It is precisely their simplicity which is their strength. It is how they can bypass years of habitual conditioning. It’s also an echo of the words of many, many great sages down through the ages who have repeatedly told us how simple seeing reality is, how much of a non-issue enlightenment is.

The workshop continued with the single eye, spinning the world, the tube, the no head circle, and a variation of the mirror. Richard weaved them all together while sharing stories about Douglas, stories about his own sharing of this insight, and fielding questions (and soliciting reactions) from the audience. He also welcomed responses to questions from workshop members by other workshop members. (If you know me at all you will be unsurprised that I was very willing to speak up. I also managed to do some good listening too. I can be good when I try. Heh.) Several times Richard lapsed into a semi-awkward shy silence, and while it was obvious that he can get nervous in front of crowds he was not only improvising the workshop, he was also doing a damn fine job of it! It is rare in these circles to find someone coming across so genuinely and with such skill. He had the crowd rolling with laughter several times too, which supports a pet theory of mine that mystical insight has a strong tendency to foster one’s abilities as a stand-up comedian.

All in all, one hell of a day.

I would like to close with the following quote from the Headless website:

Living From The Truth

There’s no occasion in our working or leisure life when it’s inappropriate or inefficient to live from the truth. Agreed that the truth, so easy to see, is so hard to keep on seeing. But is life without it less hard? Is life lived from a many-sided lie a practical proposition? Let’s remember, let’s take courage from the fact that our practice isn’t changing our lifestyle, but noticing how we’re living in any case as this Empty fullness, as this truly amazing union of perfect freedom and total involvement.

It’s never practical or healthy to live from a lie of any sort, but when that lie is about one’s essential Nature - look out! Or rather, look in! Attend, as if for the first time, to the one Spot in the world that only you are in a position to inspect, to the Point that only you have inside information about, and witness its immediate explosion to world-wide dimensions. (Douglas Harding. Look For Yourself.)

Archive for the ‘Distinctions’ Category