Brain Storm
In the spirit of brainstorming, I throw the following loose-knit splatter at the wall:
Elements that should be an essential part of any "American Awakening" are:
The pursuit of a diamond-like clarity of perception and consciousness. The attainment is one thing (a high thing indeed) but inestimable good can come from an ethic and attitude that encourages even the pursuit of such a thing, which is not currently a goal within American culture (nor even considered as something that exists)
Linked with the above is the pursuit of Self Mastery - of the mind, of the emotions; the ability to Not React!; to cleanse oneself of fever, mania, agitation, and craving…the very things that our culture promotes and encourages. Look at the behavior of so many characters in popular movies and TV shows (if you happen to watch any of them) and you can see the image of "power" and "virility" that is portrayed to our civilization: a bunch of spoiled, neurotic, tantrum throwing adolescents in adult bodies. From this I see that, underneath the purely "entertainment" rationale, our culture idolizes a lack of self-control as a type of power, all because it is more entertaining! (Nietzsche wrote that "weakness seduces because it is more interesting": the masses in general find true power boring for it is calm not histrionic)
Responsibility - by which is meant "Positive Power", not the "Hot Potato" of the blame game. Incorporated in this is responsibility for the environment (alternate fuel technology as a start) and liberation from the "victim mentality" (which some will never want to relinquish, due to the voluptuous pleasure that hides within all accusation)
Liberation - from the phantoms and "mind shadows" that rule our mental, social, and political existence in this age.
A new embrace of the Great Teacher of Solitude…to win independence from the dulling effect of endless diversions and “bright shiny lights” and loud noises and bluster of “civilization”. Only by daring to enter the deserts and voids and jungles within can true treasures be found.
All of the above links together in a very organic way. The goal of one includes the others. Also, to foster a growing mentality that is conducive to the perception of life and the world as something that is Beyond and Above the molds of the purely power-political horizons we have straight-jacketed ourselves in. A vision of life as something that in actuality transcends the small, contingent, all too human forms we transpose on everything in order to bend it to our pre-conceived, brain-washed notions which are fuelled by a desire for power over others (involving fear and insecurity) and our various biological / psychological cravings, and manias….which are fueled by industry and the media and our entire system which profits from them. Much dead skin must be sloughed off. Much be eliminated, not by attacking it tho, but by allowing it to atrophy on the vine. Putting it on ice.
We are the most addicted society. To cleanse ourselves from mania and intoxication will involve, on the more material plane, weaning ourselves willfully from drug addiction, the intoxication of distraction (the basis of our whole economy) and our worship of blind technologism. All of these are drug-like attachments and enslaving dependencies. American culture has no chance of accomplishing any of this as long as it is so totally addicted across the board. Actual chemical dependency makes freeing oneself from the rest practically impossible. Weaning our physical existence from drug dependency and an unhealthy diet and lifestyle is but a preparation for the liberation from sheer animalistic existence.
The Drug War itself must end (along with all our other endless wars) In the political sphere we can remove the criminal element thru legalization, and treat addiction as a medical, not a legal problem. Focus on treatment. Nothing will come of it, tho, without a purposeful and powerful counter-ethic to replace the former focus on self-destruction. For our country, what I myself have in mind is a type of reformed and re-spiritualized Christianity meets an "Americanized" Buddhism, or for the more physically oriented, an authentic yet reformulated type of Tantrism; an earth-conscious, socially responsible, non-governmental Christianity (returned to its roots) combined with the emphasis on self-mastery of the mind and emotions found in Buddhism; good old American-idealized self-reliance meets compassion meets a heroicized ethic of self control, consciousness expansion, and spiritual ascendance.
Tantrism provides interesting possibilities, for it reformulated the Doctrine of Maya (world as an illusion) into a Doctrine of Shakti (female divinity; generative Power waiting to be acted upon) The world as Shakti is the “world as Power”. Since it aims for Immanent Transcendence; i.e. transcendence “here” rather than “there”, plus the simultaneous enjoyment of the world and a free experimentation with its pleasures (as contrasted with the more cerebral Buddhist ascesis) it might be a legitimate source to mine for a movement to “resacralize” the American Mentality. It involves sex, so there you go!
Of course, we must end this war first, and swing the current towards a discovery of peace, non-interference with the cultures of others, and the positive power of responsibility as the greatest "weapons" in our arsenal. These currents exist already in our culture, as seeds awaiting their chance to grow and spread.
Knowing my aversion to Christianity in general, you may find it surprising to read that I support it in any way. We cannot make any headway towards a spiritual awakening in our culture without building it upon our traditional structures. Christianity must be an essential base for it in America, and original Christianity (non-national, non-political, non-militaristic) with its emphasis on helping the less fortunate, and on forgiveness, is a very necessary and healthy thing for people in general. Whether or not it moves me as an individual is beside the point. For our society it is a good thing, yet it must be cleansed of the current infections it has picked up. In relation to this, the ground is well prepared in this country for understanding the demanding ethic of self-conquest that is promoted by original Buddhism. The two should go together quite well. When our national "will to power" is diverted from its external manifestations, it must find a new outlet - the esoteric, internal dimension. Now is a great time to divert world conquest into self-conquest!
Using the recent “Ted Haggard” scandal as an example (and there are all too many like him) we confront the spectacle of preachers and "men of God" who exercise an influence and authority over their parishioners, only for them to discover that these preachers are absolutely out of control in their own lives, exercising almost zero power over themselves, breaking with a will every "commandment" that they preach. Even worse than this is the horrified refusal of the preacher to face his own true nature. I bring this up only to show the obvious failure of this current corrupted form of "christianity", and the danger it represents to the health of the psyche and its necessity to discover its true nature without fear. These people are denying their complex natures, crushing the greater flourishing within themselves, and actually strengthening the demons inside of them by their beliefs and practices. My understanding of the teachings of Jesus is that he promoted something very different from this.
In an earlier communication I wrote about a hierarchic vision of society, with a beneficial religion for the "masses", within and above which would exist a more involved teaching to a 'caste" of Initiates, which I referred to as "Brahmins". Hindu terminology aside, I do not mean by this anything resembling the rigid and prejudiced system of India. I have in mind an Americanized version of it, meaning a non-class, non-gender, non-ethnic, non-dogmatic “Aristocracy of the Spirit”, composed of individuals from all walks of life who work independently and / or in a loose-knit alliance with other seekers and teachers (those who possess the Brahmin-nature) to promote a consciousness shift (Awakening) in American culture. A good example of the work to be done is the very proposed Project that started these dialogues. From our standpoint, we can promote a vision that is very healthy and beneficial to our society, which can help steer it where we think it needs to go, even as the initiatory knowledge we ourselves pursue is of a more wide-ranging variety, demanding of a more rigorous discipline that leads to insights that cannot easily be shared with those who are not on the same path.
I am currently influenced by a strain of thought called "Traditionalism", which studies the teachings of the esoteric schools and "wisdom traditions" that existed as secret initiatic orders within the larger body of religious movements throughout history. Such societies had a level of its religion for the people in general, yet within the generalized teachings were deeper levels of truth that were revealed to those suited and willing to undertake the rigorous self-work and discipline necessary to achieve initiatic knowledge, which is not book learned, but grasped by effort and experience. The study of ancient texts of these schools reveals a certain general body of knowledge that is similar if not the same from culture to culture, regardless of the context in which they were taught. Wise people see that different peoples and times require different paths to the top of the mountain, and this explains the different approaches, even tho the knowledge always involves a rigorous process of self-discovery, analysis and unraveling of the ego to expose the transcendent and absolute Self in its immeasurable totality within, and an ascendance towards the God-nature that we all possess yet must be worked on to truly activate in a conscious fashion. Initiatory knowledge never ends, but winds like a path thru all of eternity. It is a demanding path, and not for everyone, hence the "outer levels" of the public aspects.
There are many different paths and traditions by which people have worked towards this knowledge. Ancient Greece had its Mystery Schools; Hinduism has the different Yogas, and the meditational discipline (and as I pointed out about Tantra, which utilizes very physical practices designed to unlock energies in the body, it could be a good element for body and sex obsessed Americans, who are nevertheless contradictory in their approach: witness the obsession with physical perfection on TV, and the rampant obesity and lack of exercise in the public)
Jewish tradition has the study of the Kabala, which is a very involved system of correspondences and experiences; Islam has Sufism; Christianity has the esoteric knowledge embodied in Gnostic teachings (which we know were a threat to the institutional vision of the Catholic church)
In ancient Egypt the practice of magic was inseparable from religion and spirituality, (which was present in all ancient forms of religion) and this tendency passed to Europe as the Hermetic tradition (Carl Jung accurately calls Alchemy a "psychic / spiritual process expressed in pseudo-chemical language) The practice of magic has its own eastern traditions as well, especially in forms of Taoism, and is a root of so-called fellaheen civilization in the form of Shamanism - the oldest spiritual practice of all, one which is enjoying a current revival (in both shameless and honorable forms) It has been estimated that as many as one out of every ten people or so possesses “shamanistic” tendencies and abilities, however latent, unconscious, or developed. In so-called primitive cultures such people were looked for, and trained; giving them a context for personalities that, in western cultures, leads them to isolation, drugs, and even mental institutions. Such individuals in an ideal “future culture” should be pointed towards a beneficial training and use of their unique abilities in the healing of those around them, such as friends and family. One cultures “neuroses” and even “insanities” are a source of power and reconnection to transcendence for another.
It may sound corny, but we should not discount the currents to be found in modern paganism, mainly what is called Wicca. Certainly there is as much shallowness and hypocrisy and delusion to be found within it as any other religion, yet there are some very sincere spiritual questers within it also, some who are themselves seeking a re-fusion of earth consciousness, social responsibility, and spirituality. Whether we agree with their path or not, they can be great allies to the over-all goal of a healthier, saner America.
Original Buddhism was unique in its rejection of hierarchy between an esoteric and popular teaching, yet after the founder's death (as in so many cases) foreign and diffuse elements crept in, and now that there is as bewildering a variety of Buddhist denominations as there are Christian, the true esoteric core of Buddhism can only be found by a purist approach to its original form. Of course, the teachings also exist in a popular form that promotes an ethic that is highly compatible with original Christianity.
Masonry was supposed to be such an esoteric force for good in American civilization, and the Mason is supposed to a type of "Brahmin" in our culture. It sure exercised a power in the lives of the founders, politicians, and Presidents. Having Masonry in my family, I can attest that it has long ago lost its spiritual root and authority, and is now largely a degenerated "club" atmosphere of good ol' boys who get together to drink or argue or play cards (they can be good at raising money for charity) but there is no longer a source for real spiritual power within them.
I myself am actively engaged on the Magical path, which despite what you may have heard or read is a path of self-transformation, discovery, an energizing of one's true will, and an active identification with one's own “Higher Self” (God-Nature) The path of Magic, in its purest form, is all about Awakening, and taking responsibility and control of one's own power to shape oneself and the world around them. Magic also has an esoteric core (as it did in alchemy) in relation to the “popular” face that degenerated into soothsaying, love potions, stage magic, “witchcraft”, and all the other trappings of lower magic. High Magic is about consciousness expansion, self-transformation, and achieving a more-than-human, or “divine” state.
All of these paths exist to the top of the mountain. They must all be utilized in an effort to transform American consciousness. The goal of each is fairly compatible with the rest, yet since there are so many different natures left to discover themselves, there will be many different routes. You and I and Drew all take separate “paths”, but what we are after is largely the same, especially in the sense of an Awakened America.
The American character at its best is all over the map, and an infusion from different cultures crosses our borders every day. This is why, in my view, an American Awakening must be a composite of different approaches and traditions, each one becoming re-energized for its own followers and “initiates”’ a re-energizing conducted by “Brahmins” within the various disciplines who might just take the time to reach out and correspond with the “Brahmins” of other movements for the purposes of a general and wide spread goal to positively effect the entire society.
- Werbinox
Elements that should be an essential part of any "American Awakening" are:
The pursuit of a diamond-like clarity of perception and consciousness. The attainment is one thing (a high thing indeed) but inestimable good can come from an ethic and attitude that encourages even the pursuit of such a thing, which is not currently a goal within American culture (nor even considered as something that exists)
Linked with the above is the pursuit of Self Mastery - of the mind, of the emotions; the ability to Not React!; to cleanse oneself of fever, mania, agitation, and craving…the very things that our culture promotes and encourages. Look at the behavior of so many characters in popular movies and TV shows (if you happen to watch any of them) and you can see the image of "power" and "virility" that is portrayed to our civilization: a bunch of spoiled, neurotic, tantrum throwing adolescents in adult bodies. From this I see that, underneath the purely "entertainment" rationale, our culture idolizes a lack of self-control as a type of power, all because it is more entertaining! (Nietzsche wrote that "weakness seduces because it is more interesting": the masses in general find true power boring for it is calm not histrionic)
Responsibility - by which is meant "Positive Power", not the "Hot Potato" of the blame game. Incorporated in this is responsibility for the environment (alternate fuel technology as a start) and liberation from the "victim mentality" (which some will never want to relinquish, due to the voluptuous pleasure that hides within all accusation)
Liberation - from the phantoms and "mind shadows" that rule our mental, social, and political existence in this age.
A new embrace of the Great Teacher of Solitude…to win independence from the dulling effect of endless diversions and “bright shiny lights” and loud noises and bluster of “civilization”. Only by daring to enter the deserts and voids and jungles within can true treasures be found.
All of the above links together in a very organic way. The goal of one includes the others. Also, to foster a growing mentality that is conducive to the perception of life and the world as something that is Beyond and Above the molds of the purely power-political horizons we have straight-jacketed ourselves in. A vision of life as something that in actuality transcends the small, contingent, all too human forms we transpose on everything in order to bend it to our pre-conceived, brain-washed notions which are fuelled by a desire for power over others (involving fear and insecurity) and our various biological / psychological cravings, and manias….which are fueled by industry and the media and our entire system which profits from them. Much dead skin must be sloughed off. Much be eliminated, not by attacking it tho, but by allowing it to atrophy on the vine. Putting it on ice.
We are the most addicted society. To cleanse ourselves from mania and intoxication will involve, on the more material plane, weaning ourselves willfully from drug addiction, the intoxication of distraction (the basis of our whole economy) and our worship of blind technologism. All of these are drug-like attachments and enslaving dependencies. American culture has no chance of accomplishing any of this as long as it is so totally addicted across the board. Actual chemical dependency makes freeing oneself from the rest practically impossible. Weaning our physical existence from drug dependency and an unhealthy diet and lifestyle is but a preparation for the liberation from sheer animalistic existence.
The Drug War itself must end (along with all our other endless wars) In the political sphere we can remove the criminal element thru legalization, and treat addiction as a medical, not a legal problem. Focus on treatment. Nothing will come of it, tho, without a purposeful and powerful counter-ethic to replace the former focus on self-destruction. For our country, what I myself have in mind is a type of reformed and re-spiritualized Christianity meets an "Americanized" Buddhism, or for the more physically oriented, an authentic yet reformulated type of Tantrism; an earth-conscious, socially responsible, non-governmental Christianity (returned to its roots) combined with the emphasis on self-mastery of the mind and emotions found in Buddhism; good old American-idealized self-reliance meets compassion meets a heroicized ethic of self control, consciousness expansion, and spiritual ascendance.
Tantrism provides interesting possibilities, for it reformulated the Doctrine of Maya (world as an illusion) into a Doctrine of Shakti (female divinity; generative Power waiting to be acted upon) The world as Shakti is the “world as Power”. Since it aims for Immanent Transcendence; i.e. transcendence “here” rather than “there”, plus the simultaneous enjoyment of the world and a free experimentation with its pleasures (as contrasted with the more cerebral Buddhist ascesis) it might be a legitimate source to mine for a movement to “resacralize” the American Mentality. It involves sex, so there you go!
Of course, we must end this war first, and swing the current towards a discovery of peace, non-interference with the cultures of others, and the positive power of responsibility as the greatest "weapons" in our arsenal. These currents exist already in our culture, as seeds awaiting their chance to grow and spread.
Knowing my aversion to Christianity in general, you may find it surprising to read that I support it in any way. We cannot make any headway towards a spiritual awakening in our culture without building it upon our traditional structures. Christianity must be an essential base for it in America, and original Christianity (non-national, non-political, non-militaristic) with its emphasis on helping the less fortunate, and on forgiveness, is a very necessary and healthy thing for people in general. Whether or not it moves me as an individual is beside the point. For our society it is a good thing, yet it must be cleansed of the current infections it has picked up. In relation to this, the ground is well prepared in this country for understanding the demanding ethic of self-conquest that is promoted by original Buddhism. The two should go together quite well. When our national "will to power" is diverted from its external manifestations, it must find a new outlet - the esoteric, internal dimension. Now is a great time to divert world conquest into self-conquest!
Using the recent “Ted Haggard” scandal as an example (and there are all too many like him) we confront the spectacle of preachers and "men of God" who exercise an influence and authority over their parishioners, only for them to discover that these preachers are absolutely out of control in their own lives, exercising almost zero power over themselves, breaking with a will every "commandment" that they preach. Even worse than this is the horrified refusal of the preacher to face his own true nature. I bring this up only to show the obvious failure of this current corrupted form of "christianity", and the danger it represents to the health of the psyche and its necessity to discover its true nature without fear. These people are denying their complex natures, crushing the greater flourishing within themselves, and actually strengthening the demons inside of them by their beliefs and practices. My understanding of the teachings of Jesus is that he promoted something very different from this.
In an earlier communication I wrote about a hierarchic vision of society, with a beneficial religion for the "masses", within and above which would exist a more involved teaching to a 'caste" of Initiates, which I referred to as "Brahmins". Hindu terminology aside, I do not mean by this anything resembling the rigid and prejudiced system of India. I have in mind an Americanized version of it, meaning a non-class, non-gender, non-ethnic, non-dogmatic “Aristocracy of the Spirit”, composed of individuals from all walks of life who work independently and / or in a loose-knit alliance with other seekers and teachers (those who possess the Brahmin-nature) to promote a consciousness shift (Awakening) in American culture. A good example of the work to be done is the very proposed Project that started these dialogues. From our standpoint, we can promote a vision that is very healthy and beneficial to our society, which can help steer it where we think it needs to go, even as the initiatory knowledge we ourselves pursue is of a more wide-ranging variety, demanding of a more rigorous discipline that leads to insights that cannot easily be shared with those who are not on the same path.
I am currently influenced by a strain of thought called "Traditionalism", which studies the teachings of the esoteric schools and "wisdom traditions" that existed as secret initiatic orders within the larger body of religious movements throughout history. Such societies had a level of its religion for the people in general, yet within the generalized teachings were deeper levels of truth that were revealed to those suited and willing to undertake the rigorous self-work and discipline necessary to achieve initiatic knowledge, which is not book learned, but grasped by effort and experience. The study of ancient texts of these schools reveals a certain general body of knowledge that is similar if not the same from culture to culture, regardless of the context in which they were taught. Wise people see that different peoples and times require different paths to the top of the mountain, and this explains the different approaches, even tho the knowledge always involves a rigorous process of self-discovery, analysis and unraveling of the ego to expose the transcendent and absolute Self in its immeasurable totality within, and an ascendance towards the God-nature that we all possess yet must be worked on to truly activate in a conscious fashion. Initiatory knowledge never ends, but winds like a path thru all of eternity. It is a demanding path, and not for everyone, hence the "outer levels" of the public aspects.
There are many different paths and traditions by which people have worked towards this knowledge. Ancient Greece had its Mystery Schools; Hinduism has the different Yogas, and the meditational discipline (and as I pointed out about Tantra, which utilizes very physical practices designed to unlock energies in the body, it could be a good element for body and sex obsessed Americans, who are nevertheless contradictory in their approach: witness the obsession with physical perfection on TV, and the rampant obesity and lack of exercise in the public)
Jewish tradition has the study of the Kabala, which is a very involved system of correspondences and experiences; Islam has Sufism; Christianity has the esoteric knowledge embodied in Gnostic teachings (which we know were a threat to the institutional vision of the Catholic church)
In ancient Egypt the practice of magic was inseparable from religion and spirituality, (which was present in all ancient forms of religion) and this tendency passed to Europe as the Hermetic tradition (Carl Jung accurately calls Alchemy a "psychic / spiritual process expressed in pseudo-chemical language) The practice of magic has its own eastern traditions as well, especially in forms of Taoism, and is a root of so-called fellaheen civilization in the form of Shamanism - the oldest spiritual practice of all, one which is enjoying a current revival (in both shameless and honorable forms) It has been estimated that as many as one out of every ten people or so possesses “shamanistic” tendencies and abilities, however latent, unconscious, or developed. In so-called primitive cultures such people were looked for, and trained; giving them a context for personalities that, in western cultures, leads them to isolation, drugs, and even mental institutions. Such individuals in an ideal “future culture” should be pointed towards a beneficial training and use of their unique abilities in the healing of those around them, such as friends and family. One cultures “neuroses” and even “insanities” are a source of power and reconnection to transcendence for another.
It may sound corny, but we should not discount the currents to be found in modern paganism, mainly what is called Wicca. Certainly there is as much shallowness and hypocrisy and delusion to be found within it as any other religion, yet there are some very sincere spiritual questers within it also, some who are themselves seeking a re-fusion of earth consciousness, social responsibility, and spirituality. Whether we agree with their path or not, they can be great allies to the over-all goal of a healthier, saner America.
Original Buddhism was unique in its rejection of hierarchy between an esoteric and popular teaching, yet after the founder's death (as in so many cases) foreign and diffuse elements crept in, and now that there is as bewildering a variety of Buddhist denominations as there are Christian, the true esoteric core of Buddhism can only be found by a purist approach to its original form. Of course, the teachings also exist in a popular form that promotes an ethic that is highly compatible with original Christianity.
Masonry was supposed to be such an esoteric force for good in American civilization, and the Mason is supposed to a type of "Brahmin" in our culture. It sure exercised a power in the lives of the founders, politicians, and Presidents. Having Masonry in my family, I can attest that it has long ago lost its spiritual root and authority, and is now largely a degenerated "club" atmosphere of good ol' boys who get together to drink or argue or play cards (they can be good at raising money for charity) but there is no longer a source for real spiritual power within them.
I myself am actively engaged on the Magical path, which despite what you may have heard or read is a path of self-transformation, discovery, an energizing of one's true will, and an active identification with one's own “Higher Self” (God-Nature) The path of Magic, in its purest form, is all about Awakening, and taking responsibility and control of one's own power to shape oneself and the world around them. Magic also has an esoteric core (as it did in alchemy) in relation to the “popular” face that degenerated into soothsaying, love potions, stage magic, “witchcraft”, and all the other trappings of lower magic. High Magic is about consciousness expansion, self-transformation, and achieving a more-than-human, or “divine” state.
All of these paths exist to the top of the mountain. They must all be utilized in an effort to transform American consciousness. The goal of each is fairly compatible with the rest, yet since there are so many different natures left to discover themselves, there will be many different routes. You and I and Drew all take separate “paths”, but what we are after is largely the same, especially in the sense of an Awakened America.
The American character at its best is all over the map, and an infusion from different cultures crosses our borders every day. This is why, in my view, an American Awakening must be a composite of different approaches and traditions, each one becoming re-energized for its own followers and “initiates”’ a re-energizing conducted by “Brahmins” within the various disciplines who might just take the time to reach out and correspond with the “Brahmins” of other movements for the purposes of a general and wide spread goal to positively effect the entire society.
- Werbinox
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