I'd Lie for You

Look into my eyes - you will see, what you mean to me. 

Search your heart, search your soul, 

and when you find me there, you'll search no more. 

Don't tell me, it's not worth trying for. You can't tell me it's not worth dying for. 

Yeah, I would fight for you, I'd lie for you, I'd walk a wire for you; I'd die for you!

You know its's true: Everything I do, I do it for you. 

(Bryan Adams, Do It For You)

I have always loved the song. Maybe it is Bryan Adam's amazing voice, maybe it is the love expressed in this song, or just maybe it is the martyr sentiment that could be appealing to my spiritual ideals. I remember though that the "I'd lie for you" part of the song made me wonder, shouldn't truth be always part of the Way? Today I feel differently about it. There is a Way; the Way is clearly defined and can be recognized by everyone. The Way always heals and always has the "best" for everyone in Mind, though individual egos - ours included - may suffer a bit for a step or two. The Tao will tell what to do every step of the Way; you probably will never have to lie, but going into each moment you have to be absolutely open to anything.

I remember Jed McKenna's, "Enlightenment the Damnedest Thing" in which he describes his personal enlightenment process and how, almost magically, a little ashram formed in rural Iowa. One day an Indian woman appeared seemingly out of nowhere and said that she would be the new housekeeper. McKenna claims that Lord Krishna told her so, and that she does her job with a professionalism and determination that now the entire household evolves around her. But he also added, perhaps only half-jokingly, that if Lord Krishna told her so, she would also slice him like sushi. I had to laugh when I read this, but understood  what he alluded to. The Way just is. I know that I have the highest moral standards, but if I had to lie for you, I would.

Life is Just a Stage

Imagine that your life is just like a movie, and you are an actor playing a role. Will you still care so much about your life? How would your perspective change?  Whatever your roles are in this plot, you know that in the end it is not real.  Even if you play a bad guy in the movie, you won't feel guilt but instead you will be proud of your performance. As you know, good actors win movie awards, it is not important whether they play the villain or the hero.

The psychologist E. Graham Howe once said that every completed life needs to be applauded, no matter what. This is certainly true. Think of our egos as the roles we play. You never know why people do the things they do, everyone is a product of their environments. Will an actor have an opinion about the character he is playing in the script? Certainly not. He just knows that he brings a script to life, but deep down inside he knows who he truly is.

Just imagine the incredible peace you are feeling when one day this personality blanket will be lifted from you. If you want to interact in this world you have to have a persona that binds you, otherwise you would be just drifting off in a different world. Jed McKenna once described an awakening process when he felt he was disassociated with his persona but then he realized that in order to come back he needed one, so he merged with his own because, as he said, he kind of liked it. So it is not that you are any different from others when you discover that you are just an actor, you are still very much in it, but this realization that life is just a stage gives a peace of mind that you always can change movie plots at your disposal. It also gives a curiosity to see the next chapter unfolding and an intensity to live your life in a way that you will be recognized in the next Music Academy Awards.

Our life is just like these movie scripts.  We are asked to play accordingly.  We are assigned roles but they are just there to discover who we truly are. When you reach this realization you are naturally willing to let go of your agenda and merge with the Flow. Your mission in life is to bring your Self to the fore and your life script was written just to make that happen.  You are perfect, complete, and shining eternally!  Discover the real You as you stand in the spotlight under the rolling camera. Believe us, the One who wrote your script is the best director in the industry.

By Su Zhen and Christian

Spell Out What You Think You Know

Jed McKenna writes in 'Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing' that he used to write furiously in his intense self-discovery journey. But he also said that as fast as he wrote down his insights, he trashed them as he soon realized that he had already outgrown whatever he discovered before.

I would echo Jed's insistence that writing down your insights is useful along our spiritual journey. I started my blog in 2008, so I am now in my 5th year of writing. My path has definitely taken me to places I would never have expected when I started out. In fact, I have a hard time even remembering what motivated me to start my blog in the first place. Yet, I still feel very connected to everything I wrote about even in the earlier years, so I would take a different take than Jed and would argue that you should keep a trail of your writings, which is easy to do these days when you are blogging.

When a reader digs up an old piece I sometimes think that I would probably put the point a little differently today, but I still resonate with each story line. The biggest surprise over the years has been how connected you as a reader are to my thought process. Sometimes I see old notes being dug up exactly at the time when I think about this theme myself. Actually, this site is called zeitgeistinMA and that connection is exactly what the word zeitgeist refers to; there is a mysterious mental connection between all of us - the prevailing spirit of the time.

So I would very much encourage you to start your blog. Sure, it may take some time to connect with others but don't underestimate how important it is to put your thoughts on (virtual) paper. Also, try to imagine how you likely will influence others with your thoughts over the years. I just checked my cumulative visitors and they have exceeded 10 000. That is a nice milestone, don't you think? I am currently in the process of writing my first book and I can't wait to connect with you via a new medium.

Spiritual Transitions

During the global financial crisis our economic experts were caught like deer in the headlight. They had never seen a global meltdown like that, and they had no theoretical tools to deal with it. After all, their premise had always been that markets are efficient and the financial system had always been thought of as the grease in the wheels, so how to get out of the mess when the financial system happens to be cause of the crisis?

The spiritual journey is similar. You are not where you want to be and just reading book after book that tells you how it will be like once you are 'there' is, well, not very helpful. You are here and not 'there'. Jed McKenna in 'Enlightenment - The Damnedest Thing' pointed out that it might not be very helpful to just pretend that you are already there, hoping that eventually you will be. No, you are here so please find your unique way to take the next step. Ignore the so-called experts, they are not in your shoes and they can't help you. Only you can find your unique solution to your problems; actually, exactly that happens to be your mission.

Jesus and Buddha are described to have battled their personal demons the moment before the final curtain lifted. You may have a similar psychological experience, or you might not. The trick is not to get lost in the 'I must not' trap, but rather make your decisions moment by moment. There is nothing to be afraid of - please accept who you are and see what unique choices you can come up with to get from here to 'there'. The Tao is always there and gives you perfect feedback on whatever your struggles might be. Question everything and leave no stone unturned. You don't need to mimic Jesus or Buddha, they already did their job, we need you to show up instead. One decision at a time is the motto, and don't worry, every mistake is a perfect opportunity to try again. It's your transition, please have fun with it.

Five Observations along the Way

Jed McKenna in "Spiritual Enlightenment - The Damnedest Thing" encouraged each spiritual aspirant to write down a few things that they have discovered as truth. I came up with  a few observations along my path. Perhaps you can add yours as well.

The Tao Heals
There is a Force behind the scene that gets you home. Never resist anything in life. As the ego takes a backseat in the presence of this magnificent power, the Tao does the driving  and everyone benefits.

The Christian Power of Healing
 Never ever turn again your brother or sister. This does not mean that you should repress your drive. There is always a creative outlet that lets you channel your drive without the need to turn against anyone. Support your brothers and sisters as best as you can. As you lift others you really lift yourself.

The Use of Willpower
There are some activities that you need to cut out as they are just not helpful to progress along the Way. Just because you like something doesn't mean that it is good for you. In the same vein, sometimes you have to do stuff that you don't enjoy. Let the Tao help you discriminate. As the Gita says, "Something that taste like honey in the beginning, will be poison in the end, and something that tastes like poison in the beginning, will later taste like honey.

The Power of Intention
 Your energy is boundless, but if you are scatter-brained, the different forces will cancel each other out. Focus your aim like a laser on what you need to achieve and mountains will crumble in your presence.

The Need of Action
 There is a sin against the Holy Gost and that is not showing up in life. Leave the judgement on success or failure up to higher authority, but always, always, put your best foot forward in whatever you do.

Give Up Sainthood

Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom,
And it will be a hundred times better for everyone.
Throw away morality and justice
And people will do the right thing.
(Lao-Tsu)

 In a similar vein,  Jed McKenna, the saga from Iowa, writes in 'Enlightenment - the Damnest Thing' that "he has seen people much smarter and braver than him breaking their ships fatally on the rocks because they were too full of themselves to release control". Beware spiritual ego!