From Anthony DeMello:

Spirituality means waking up. Most people, even thought they don't know it, are asleep. They're born asleep, they live aslep, they marry in their slep, they breed children in their sleep, they die in their sleep without ever waking up. They never understand the lovliness and beauty of this thing we cal human existence. You know, all mystics-Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion-are unanimous on one thing: that all is well, all is well. Strange paradox to be sure. But tragically, most people never get to see that all is well because they are asleep. They are having a nightmare.

Last year on Spanish television I heard a story about this gentleman who knocks on his son's door. "Jaime" he says, "Wake up". Jaime answers, "I don't want to get up Papa". The father shouts "Get up, you have to go to school". Jaime says "I don't want to go to school". "Why not?" asks the father. "Three reasons" says Jaime. "First because it's so dull; second, the kids tease me; and third I hate school". And the father says, "Well, I am going to give you three reasons why you must go to school. First, because it is your duty, second because you are forty five years old, and third because you are the headmaster". Wake up, wake up! You've grown up. You're too big to be asleep. Wake up! Stop playing with your toys.

Most people tell you they want to get out of kindergarten, but don't believe them. All they want you to do is to mend their broken toys. "Give me back my wife. Give me back my job. Give me back my money. Give me back my reputation, my success". This is what they want; they want their toys replaced. That's all. Even the best psychologist will tell you that, that people don't really want to be cured. What they want is relief; a cure is painful.

Waking up is unpleasant, you know. You are nice and comfortable in bed. It's irritating to be woken up. That's the reason the wise guru will not attempt to wake people up. I hope I am going to be wise here and make no attempt whatsoever to wake you up if you are asleep. It is really none of my business, even though I say to you at times, "wake up". My business is to do my thing, to dance my dance. If you profit from it, fine; if you don't, too bad! As arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in marshes, and flowers in the gardens."

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), July 08, 2000

Answers

Demello was a Jesuit priest who was multi-disciplinary in his approach to spirituality. Like Thomas Merton, he dabbled much in eastern traditions, and his writings contained in my opinion the best of both worlds. He was ascerbic there is no doubt; but each one of us has our own way of making a point.

I was asleep for many years and am glad to have woken up, to have the opportunity to have an occassional glimpse beyond the mundane of this world, and to the world of things as they truly exist-beyond thought and beyond definition. It is a wondorous thing to wake up each day with a new slate, to not be imprisoned by my past, to not have to judge everything from some skewed point of view. One could get hurt is they "jump" to conclusions, so I try to keep an open mind. It is the open mind that keep me awake; it is the spirit of non-conditional inquiry that keeps me awake; it is the spirit of not needing to have a certain answer that keeps my eyes open.

Wake up!

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), July 08, 2000.

It's irritating to be woken up. That's the reason the wise guru will not attempt to wake people up.

Ah yes. Dispeller of darkness, the guru will wait for you to awaken yourself from this sleep and slumber. He listens for the soul's call, not for trinkets and baubles, but for the diamond-encrusted gems of love and wisdom which all souls seek sooner or later. He waits for sincerity to manifest within the devotee and then brings spiritual food with which to break the fast.

Feed me Master, let me sup in thy divine kitchen, that this soul may never go hungry again.

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), July 08, 2000.

I remember you mentioned Anthony DeMello many weeks ago, on the "What are you reading?" thread. Thank you for the reminder.

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), July 08, 2000.

Once again the old Navajo proverb....."You cannot awaken a man who is pretending to be asleep".

-- fauna (xx@xx.xx), July 08, 2000.

JESUS said 'ask-seek-knock!!it,s work-but very-rewarding! JESUS said->''man shall not live by bread alone,but buy EVERY WORD OF GOD!--THE cares OF THIS WORLD,CHOKE OUT-eternal=life!!

-- al-d. (dogs@zianet.com), July 08, 2000.

Yes,so many think that happiness=fun+fun+fun+fun.Only when the world's pleasures become as dust in our eyes will we be ready to wake up(budh,in sanscrit)birth,life,old age,sickness,death,repeat,in an endless chain of ignorant craving and aversion.Let us commit to breaking the chains this very life!Understanding and compassion is the way!!

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), July 08, 2000.

Fauna:

Your Navajo quote is a good example of how the "truth" is the truth no matter what the spiritual tradition. Those who are asleep include folks who have no room for anyone else's beliefs.

There is no ONE way.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), July 08, 2000.