Welcome to World
Dharma
Instinct For Freedom: Finding Liberation Through Living
Exploring the Nature of Consciousness
The Mysterious Nature
of the Cosmos
And the Preciousness of Freedom.
Led by Alan Clements
Assisted by Jeannine Davies
Introductory
statement by Alan Clements
Warm greetings.
Let me begin with a short piece from my book that speaks to
the soul of this course.
We are in
a miracle. And if we are to progress as a species we
need to re-inspire the urge for open-ended adventure. We need
to explore the nature of consciousness and develop a more liberated
relationship with as many dimensions of reality as possible,
while remaining respectful of our humanness, both in the world,
and further out as we explore the cosmos.
"Favor the
question, always question." Elie Weisel said. "Do not accept
answers as definitive. Answers change. Questions don't. Always
question those who are certain of what they are saying. Always
favor the person who is tolerant enough to understand that
there are no absolute answers, but there are absolute questions." Such
is the challenge of embracing the Dharma today.
This is how
we become pioneers of consciousness, spiritual mavericks. Such
people challenge consensus reality and often go against conventional
standards of what is thought to comprise happiness. As rebels
who are not concerned with fitting in, they are watchful to
see if they have been seduced by a preoccupation for power,
fame, and distraction. A pioneer treasures personal sovereignty
and supports others in accessing their own. They seek the treasures
of the heart without neglecting their basic human needs. They
challenge dogma and blind conformity.
Pioneers
also question their investment in spiritual practices to determine
if they are working. Clearly, it takes courage to confront
self-deception and investigate pleasant or culturally sanctioned
experiences. It takes courage to recognize when one is in devoted
collusion with a spiritual tradition or teacher, compromising
one's integrity and suppressing feelings of discontent. Mavericks
keep a watchful eye on conceit, with its ingenious skill for
hoarding power and control. They have the heart to resist the
mirage of spiritual grandiosity, courageously lifting the veils
of inauthentic certainty. They are willing to stand naked in
the fire of the unknown.
Our innate
Dharma intelligence is within each of us. This instinct for
freedom touches us in the ineffable language of the heart.
We sense it as an intuitive pulse -- a divine inner perception
that arouses us to make the unseen visible, bring clarity to
the unknown, and ignite meaning in a world of suffering. The
Dharma means accepting the gift of being alive and being willing
to transcend life's illusions. It is a mystical calling -- rooted
in wisdom and supported by compassion -- that encourages our
highest human ideals and voices our grandest vision for all
of humankind, while being firmly rooted in our natural freedom,
right now. The Dharma life is a genuine and intelligent exploration
of the full spectrum of the human condition. The Dharma is
our birthright. It is our quest for existential authenticity.
It is my
belief that we are just beginning to understand the structure
of consciousness and the nature of the cosmos. We are children
in the universe. Let us reignite a dedication to what Joseph
Campbell called "the soul's high adventure." This is our time
on earth. Let us enter life, not escape it, evolving the highest
intelligence possible, both individually and together.
This is our
challenge: in the words of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's incarcerated
Nobel peace laureate, and the leader of her country's struggle
for freedom and democracy:
"A quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of
an intellectual conviction of the need for change in those
mental attitudes and values which shape the course of a nations
development. A revolution which aims merely at changing official
policies and institutions with a view to an improvement in
material conditions has little chance of genuine success. Without
a revolution of the spirit, the forces which produced the iniquities
of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant
threat to the process of reform and regeneration. It is not
enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights.
There has to be a united determination to preserve in the struggle,
to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths, to resist
the corrupting influences of desire, ill-will, ignorance, and
fear...A people which would build a nation in which strong, democratic
institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against
state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own
minds from apathy and fear."
We are
excited to be embarking on this course with you.
Alan Clements
and Jeannine Davies
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