The story of the master with the stick

 There have been cases reported when the state of enlightenment descended on people who were close to dying. For a few days at least they could experience what it means to step out of the “body, mind, world” matrix. Near-death experiences also abound and the descriptions of how liberating it feels to step outside of this earthly self experience all seem pretty consistent. Alas, for most of those who return this freedom soon gets overridden by the identification with self once again. The question now is to how to experience this freedom, not some time in the future, but here and now. Listen to the story of the master with sticks. Maybe it can be of help.

 

A zen master came to a spiritual retreat where seekers had been practicing for weeks. They had been instructed in mindfulness lessons that encouraged them to become “conscious of the one who is conscious”, an introduction to the higher prevailing energies often referred to as Awareness. Many aspirants already had powerful satori experiences, but these moments of Grace came and went, so they were eager to learn from the master to remain in that state. “When you are conscious of the one who is conscious,” the master said, you can be sure that Awareness eludes you. In Consciousness, the observer and the observed are one. There is no mental commentary reporting on this fact!” 

 

Back to square one! The master said, “Open your mind, open your eyes, open your heart!” Can you feel this frequency being downloaded from a higher dimension?” Most students felt it. “Whoosh!” The master hit a female student sitting in the front row with his stick on the back of her head. “You are tuning into my frequency now. What will you do when I leave this room? Find this frequency within!” When he had hit her, the energy of her projecting into him got released for a microsecond. Being aware of this clinging energy she didn’t jump back on it. With everyone meditating she sat there with a still mind and radiating energy. She had crossed over.

 

The master continued with his lecture. “Open mind, open eyes, open heart. Look at this tree in front of you, do you see its treasure?” The students looked up. “Whoosh!”, a hit to the forehead to the student sitting in the middle row. “You are looking for the treasure. You want something. The treasure only reveals itself when the self is not!” Once again, the student recognized the clinging energy at the moment of impact and refused to get back on this conditioned energy train. Suddenly he saw the diamond pearls hanging from the tree he hadn’t noticed before. Lost in the beauty of the here and now the light descended on him also.

 

“Open mind, open eyes, open heart! Now to the easiest part of the program. Just open up to the love emanating in this room.” The master put his stick away. The students saw the two free spirits meditating with the light shining on them. They figured that’s what unconditional love must look like, a little hit to the head is an act of love and compassion, not punishment. As they opened their heart to the moment, they too became part of that higher dimension energy flow that now flooded the room. 

 

Some teachers give you answers, and they are the commercially sound ones because the student will be sure to come back to get more. The true teacher leaves you with questions because only “you” can become aware of the conditioned energy that has ruled us for eons and help “you” to step out of it. The conditioning will always be back. The master with the stick will be unable to perform his miracle again because now the conditioned mind expects it, but just maybe some of the former students are now in a position to perform it on their own and help others to join. That’s how we gain freedom before it’s too late.

 

#conditioning #zen #awareness #awakening