From Karma to Shambhala
How We Create & Experience Reality (the Universe)
How We Create & Experience Reality (the Universe)
The entire exploration is an integrated, inter-connected whole. Nothing is randomly thrown in under a general heading merely for the purpose of filling time. It is not information, it is understanding which is important. And who says you cannot have some fun while you are at it.
For those wishing it, a more detailed outline of the topics covered is given below.
Morning Session:
Karma
Once only a subject in esoteric teaching, now the word is in common use but that does not mean it is understood. Here we look at karma as the driving force of evolution and explore its role in obscuring the realization of our true nature as enlightened beings.
Duality vs Non Duality
We are already enlightened beings, we just do not realize it. This lack of realization entrenches us in duality consciousness and out of that arises a seemingly solid, independent, inherently existing world of form we call the universe.
What is this non dual state of absolute reality beyond all words, language, thought and concepts? We cannot explain it away in words but there are hints of what is it like.
Duality consciousness is about words, language, thought and concepts so we can explore it in those terms. Eastern spiritual traditions, Buddhism in particular, speak of the dualistic mind as constituted of 8 types or aspects of consciousness, a model which has been adopted by a number of modern day psychologists. Each moment our lack of recognition of the true nature of reality plunges back into the dualistic state. Thus each moment we create reality, the relative reality of form we perceive as the universe. This seemingly inherently existing world of form, though, has been identified and recognized by mystics, sages and spiritual adepts through the ages as apparitional or akin to a dream. i.e. It "ain't" really "out" there, it's all in your mind.
Afternoon Session:
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
If our dualistic minds obscure our ability to recognize the "clear light" of absolute reality and our inherent enlightened nature, death represents our best opportunity for that recognition. When we die, our dualistic minds become temporarily dormant. If you know what to expect and what to do in the "bardos" which follow life, you can successfully negotiate them and even become liberated when you die. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is like a Frommer's guide to the "after life" states. We'll look at the various bardos and what we can do to get out of cyclic existence.
NDEs
We'll briefly explore the phenomena of near death experiences and what they have to tell us about the continuity of consciousness as well as the real meaning of the "tunnel" NDE'ers report experiencing.
Shambhala
Spoken of as a mystical kingdom hidden away behind massive snow and ice-capped mountain peaks somewhere north of Tibet, Shambhala was celebrated as Shangri-La in James Hilton's novel Lost Horizon. We will explore the myth of the kingdom of Shambhala and the role it has been predicted to play in ushering in a golden age of enormous spiritual evolution on this planet. More importantly, the "heart" of Shambhala is the outward and symbolic representation of the "secret key" within our very own heart centers which is why Christ said the kingdom of heaven is within you.
For those wishing it, a more detailed outline of the topics covered is given below.
Morning Session:
Karma
Once only a subject in esoteric teaching, now the word is in common use but that does not mean it is understood. Here we look at karma as the driving force of evolution and explore its role in obscuring the realization of our true nature as enlightened beings.
Duality vs Non Duality
We are already enlightened beings, we just do not realize it. This lack of realization entrenches us in duality consciousness and out of that arises a seemingly solid, independent, inherently existing world of form we call the universe.
What is this non dual state of absolute reality beyond all words, language, thought and concepts? We cannot explain it away in words but there are hints of what is it like.
Duality consciousness is about words, language, thought and concepts so we can explore it in those terms. Eastern spiritual traditions, Buddhism in particular, speak of the dualistic mind as constituted of 8 types or aspects of consciousness, a model which has been adopted by a number of modern day psychologists. Each moment our lack of recognition of the true nature of reality plunges back into the dualistic state. Thus each moment we create reality, the relative reality of form we perceive as the universe. This seemingly inherently existing world of form, though, has been identified and recognized by mystics, sages and spiritual adepts through the ages as apparitional or akin to a dream. i.e. It "ain't" really "out" there, it's all in your mind.
Afternoon Session:
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
If our dualistic minds obscure our ability to recognize the "clear light" of absolute reality and our inherent enlightened nature, death represents our best opportunity for that recognition. When we die, our dualistic minds become temporarily dormant. If you know what to expect and what to do in the "bardos" which follow life, you can successfully negotiate them and even become liberated when you die. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is like a Frommer's guide to the "after life" states. We'll look at the various bardos and what we can do to get out of cyclic existence.
NDEs
We'll briefly explore the phenomena of near death experiences and what they have to tell us about the continuity of consciousness as well as the real meaning of the "tunnel" NDE'ers report experiencing.
Shambhala
Spoken of as a mystical kingdom hidden away behind massive snow and ice-capped mountain peaks somewhere north of Tibet, Shambhala was celebrated as Shangri-La in James Hilton's novel Lost Horizon. We will explore the myth of the kingdom of Shambhala and the role it has been predicted to play in ushering in a golden age of enormous spiritual evolution on this planet. More importantly, the "heart" of Shambhala is the outward and symbolic representation of the "secret key" within our very own heart centers which is why Christ said the kingdom of heaven is within you.
© Copyright Lorena Loo
