a tendency to shine: “… If you want to wake up, the first thing you need to seriously consider is that you are asleep and everything you take as real is a dream …” ~ Adyashanti
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” ~ (attribution at bottom of post)
Regardless of the attribution, this quote’s essence has been expressed by many who are wisdom teachers or “spiritual path illuminators” … or those with direct experience … one such luminary is Adyashanti who says: “… Because of an innocent misunderstanding you think that you are a human being in the relative world seeking the experience of oneness, but actually you are the One expressing itself as the experience of being a human being. …”
We offer Adya’s work (or “teachings”) often … the last one was his poem The Eternal Song from his book of poems My Secret is Silence: Poetry and Sayings of Adyashanti …
In this book Adya uses poems to share the essence of The Mystery …as Maya Apolonia Rode’, the editor, says in the Introduction: “… each chapter of this book highlights a theme that follows a general movement of the spiritual journey that begins with the spiritual search and culminates in the dance of true non-duality…” …
Maya goes on to add that “… In the first chapter, “A Tendency to Shine,” Adya speaks to and about the spiritual seeker. He invites you to “wake up” from your conceptual dream-world, to look beyond the ideas and beliefs that cause suffering, and to discover the radiant light of awareness peering through your own eyes in this very moment. You are what you have always been looking for. You are the love that you have always wanted. …”
And, in Adya’s own words the “theme” of this 1st chapter is his above quote (in this blockquote) re “… innocent misunderstanding …”
To appreciate this theme, today we offer Adya’s poem with the same title as the chapter …
Take a pause … read … take a pause … reflect … pause … reflect even deeper … enjoy 🙂
A Tendency To Shine …
I Am the aware presence.
Everything in existence
is an expression of what I Am.
If you prefer smoke over fire
then get up now and leave.
For I do not intend to perfume
your mind’s clothing
with more sooty knowledge.
No, I have something else in mind.
Today I hold a flame in my left hand
and a sword in my right.
There will be no damage control today.
For God is in a mood
to plunder your riches and
fling you nakedly
into such breathtaking poverty
that all that will be left of you
will be a tendency to shine.
So don’t just sit around this flame
choking on your mind.
For this is no campfire song
to mindlessly mantra yourself to sleep with.
Jump now into the space
between thoughts
and exit this dream
before I burn the damn place down.
~ Adyashanti
This poem, A Tendency To Shine, is excerpted from the chapter Eternal Song.
Maya also adds in the Introduction that “… Each poem is followed by sayings that serve to further illuminate its message …”…
For this poem, A Tendency To Shine, here’s Adyashanti’s additional sayings (aside from the opening quote):
Cease cherishing beliefs. If you could follow this
one simple instruction to its absolute conclusion,
you would be enlightened, free, truth-realized.* * *
God doesn’t play by the rules.
Our teacher page on Adyashanti provides more information about his background and teachings, plus you’ll find blog posts, video posts, articles, books, DVDs, and more … about, and from, him.
All italicized text above (including the poem, A Tendency To Shine), is from Adyashanti’s book My Secret is Silence: Poetry and Sayings of Adyashanti …
=== ==== ===
About the attribution matter for the quote “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” here’s what Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s Wikipedia page says:
This is attributed to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in The Joy of Kindness (1993), by Robert J. Furey, p. 138; but it is attributed to G. I. Gurdjieff in Beyond Prophecies and Predictions: Everyone’s Guide To The Coming Changes (1993) by Moira Timms, p. 62; neither cite a source. It was widely popularized by Wayne Dyer, who often quotes it in his presentations, crediting it to Chardin, as does Stephen Covey in Living the 7 Habits : Stories of Courage and Inspiration (2000), p. 47. Such statements could be considered paraphrases of Hegel‘s dictum that matter is spirit fallen into a state of self-otherness. Or any number of thousands of similarly vague quotes by hundreds of predecessors.
Variant: We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.
=== ==== ===
As we get in touch with – or foster – our tendency to shine one of the natural outcomes is to be kind and deeply appreciate the oneness of us all … and in that spirit let us minimize (& hopefully dissolve) the current humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine … by helping in whatever way we can … and to that end here are some options:
1) NPR: Want to support the people in Ukraine? Here’s how you can help
2) Washington Post: Here’s how Americans can donate to help people in Ukraine.
3) Go Fund Me: How to Help: Donate to Ukraine Relief Efforts.
4) USA Today: Want to support the people of Ukraine? These apps and websites can help you send money.
— — — —
We are all facing financial challenges but IF your situation allows you to donate and help then please do so …
THANK YOU!
=== ==== ===
May you cultivate or deepen your tendency to shine … and …
May you remain safe and healthy as you navigate these troubling times.
Images: (edited and logo added): Featured and 1) Stoneman by darksouls1, Pixabay License, 2) Sunrise at lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables in Queenstown, New Zealand by MountainSeal, 3) Colorful autumn sunrise in the mountains by jojjik, 4) Beach Campfire on Lake Superior by Wirepec. &4 purchased from depositphotos and 3 from 123rtf. These are for use only on our website/social channels (these images are not permitted to be shared separate from this post).
