by Michael Mamas | Friday, November 1, 2013 | Announcements, Mount Soma |
I go largely by feel, by ‘intuition’ if you prefer that word. (Of course, it must always be tempered with the intellect.) I feel clearly that it is the right time to have a powerful deep meditation retreat this winter.
Interestingly enough, when I last spoke with jyotishi, Sanjay Rath, he enthusiastically advised that we have a retreat at that time… “The timing is perfect!” He was delighted to learn that it was already planned! He said it is a very important retreat for people to attend, will be incredibly powerful for those individuals and for the entire world. Major transformation could result. Things should really, really take off!
It always fascinates me… how jyotish can be so precise and how Sanjay so often, from his calculations, concludes exactly what I feel from within my being. It seems that everyone here at Mount Soma senses a powerful wave coming.
If you can attend the Deep Dive Course, do yourself and the world a favor by making it happen… I hope to see many of you then.
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
by Michael Mamas | Thursday, October 31, 2013 | Mount Soma |
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
by Michael Mamas | Monday, October 28, 2013 | Spirituality |
You know how sometimes you can just take a step back and see another’s behavioral pattern? Doesn’t it sometimes feel like you wish you could just snap them out of it? Remarkably, it often seems most everyone can see that person’s pattern… except that person! Around and around they go, as if they are spinning around in circles on the surface of a behavior bubble, seemingly getting nowhere, unable to break, or even see, their all-consuming pattern.
I call that pattern a karmic bubble. Everyone has their own karmic bubble. Though their essence is certainly rooted in something that transcends the karmic bubble, it is the karmic bubble that seems to run their life. In fact, they cling to it. They believe in it. It is what makes them feel safe. It is ‘their truth’. It is as if they are one with their karmic bubble!
In spite of what you may like, you cannot pop that bubble. They cling to it too tightly. They defend it with emotion and rationalization. It would be unbearable if it ever popped. They cannot even see that it is a bubble. They cannot see it is their karma. Often, they are convinced it is their dharma!
To help a person move beyond their karmic bubble is a subtle art. It is a finesse. It is delicate. It must be done carefully, respectfully, and humbly. You cannot allow yourself to be self righteous, simplistic, patronizing, or too aggressive. At best, you are a catalyst to their own natural self-correcting process. All too often healers, spiritual advisors, therapists, counselors, and the like are far too presumptuous regarding the clarity and certainty with which they see another.
There are only two things in this world: karma and dharma. Karma is simple cause and effect. No free will there, though it may seem to you like you are free. Dharma is living in accord with your true nature… that which transcends the karmic bubble and is totally free. Karma binds. Dharma frees.
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
by Michael Mamas | Thursday, October 17, 2013 | Spirituality |
I was asked the following question:
I have been reading your discourses for almost a year now as my wife follows your group, somewhat. Some of your writings are very good. I have been to India and became an initiate of Maharaj Charan Singh Ji (Surat shabd yoga). In their teachings they say that a perfect saint sat guru will not charge money for spiritual teaching.
This has made it difficult for me to put much faith in your teachings. Could you comment on this for me? I like you and enjoy most of what you say.
To which I respond:
In a perfect world, a perfect Saint would walk into a perfect grocery store and take what food his family needed and not be charged. That is not the way of this world.
However, I do give away a great deal. The website is free as are educational videos, articles, free lectures, online meditation instruction. The list goes on. A number of people with little or no money who live at the ashram at Mount Soma do so for free. But the ashram does require money to run. Those who have money give money. It is simple pragmatics… common sense really. As far as I am concerned, all my teachings are free. Of course, someone needs to pay for the room, food, water, heat, etc.
In closing, please consider that there may be opportunity for exploration in the things I say that you don’t like… perhaps even more than in what you do like.
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
by Michael Mamas | Wednesday, October 16, 2013 | Spirituality |
Last night, a television news program was discussing the rise of atheism. They were unsuccessful in their attempts to determine why it was happening. To me it is very simple: The spiritual understandings of modern day religions make no sense. The rationale is that you must ‘have faith.’ Such ‘faith’ is a rationalization for oblivion.
On the other hand, true spirituality makes perfect sense. However, mainstream religion has compelled the rational to throw out the baby with the bathwater, turning their backs on spirituality and becoming atheists. The leading theologians of our time need to step up to the plate, admit that they do not understand spirituality, and revamp their dark ages throwback perspective.
We can thank the atheists for standing up and saying, “The emperor has no clothes!” May they inspire a much-needed renaissance in spiritual understanding.
I am sending to following to the news program in hopes that they read it on the air:
The reason for the rise in atheism is very simple: Modern day religions make no sense. Being a very spiritual man with a scientific background, this deeply saddens me. The essential teachings of the world’s religions have been twisted beyond recognition. We can at least thank the atheists for standing up and saying, “The emperor has no clothes!”
© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.
