October 2006
Message from Wayne
Hello my loves,
I am not a Buddhist, nor a Hindu nor a Jew. Not much of a humanist either. In fact, other than tall, fat and bald, I would be hard pressed to say exactly what I am. Of course, I am not tall compared to most pro basketball players; and compared to some of the people I see on the beach, I'm not all that fat either; and I do have more hair than a lot of men...and that sort of sums up the problem inherent in labels.
Labels, like all knowledge available to the human organism, are based on comparisons, and comparisons are all about context, and context keeps changing. Nothing is fixed. Everything keeps moving around. It is enough to drive you crazy. Just when you thought you knew something, someone comes along and rearranges things, and that dreaded uncertainty slides right back in again. This is both the good and the bad news. With uncertainty comes insecurity, and insecurity causes agitation, and agitation moves things around. Movement is the basis of change and change means life.
I am a big proponent of LIFE. In fact, I am such a big proponent of LIFE that when people come to me and ask me what they should do, I generally advise them to breathe. They often assume that this answer means I did not understand their question and so they explain further - "No, breathing happens independent of me, I want to know what I should do."
So the question for today is: What DOESN'T happen independent of you?
And while you are pondering that, don't forget to breathe.
With much love,
Wayne
Upcoming events with Ramesh Balsekar
Daily Talks in His Home: 9AM Sindhula, N. Gamadia Rd. #10, Bombay, India
Helpful info for people planning to visit Ramesh can be found in the Ramesh Balsekar section of the advaita.org website
Events with Wayne Liquorman
Further details are available on the advaita.org website: http://advaita.org/aftalks.html
NYC
November 10-12
Contacts: Jim - 718 543 4189 or Daniel - djhnd@nyc.rr.com
Sedona, AZ
December 1-3
Contact: Karen 928-284-0777 angelgirl@sedona.net
Marin County (San Francisco Bay Area)
January 12-14, 2007
Contact: Ellen 415 902 1713 egarris@ix.netcom.com
Talks in Wayne's Home
927B Sixth St., Hermosa Beach, CA (Check advaita.org website for times or call
310-376-9636 for a recorded announcement.)
These talks are broadcast LIVE over the Internet. Live broadcasts can be accessed free from the advaita.org website thanks to the continuing support of the members.
The Advaita Press store
New book by Ramesh
A Personal Religion of Your Own by Ramesh S. Balsekar
Softcover, 83 pages $11
Ramesh is relentless! He keeps hammering us with his basic concept: that we are the product of vast Universal forces. Our actions, which we claim to be OUR actions, are in fact directly related to our genes and conditioning over which we have no control. The simple acceptance of this results in a state of peaceful being that Ramesh discusses in this finely focused book.
New on DVD
Seeking Peace of Mind by Ramesh S. Balsekar
DVD $24
This is a new DVD of a Talk given by Ramesh at the Kovalam India Retreat. This event was formerly available only on VHS tape. Running time: 1 hour 15 minutes
To order click here http://advaita.org/store/index.htm and then Latest Releases
Bhakti and Jnana are One by Wayne Liquorman
DVD $24.00
This is a new DVD of a Talk given by Wayne in 1997 in which he discusses the common misconception that Devotion and Self Inquiry are separate and exclusive of one another.
Running time: 90 minutes
This event was formerly available only on VHS tape.
To order Click here http://advaita.org/store/index.htm and then click LATEST
RELEASES or go to the www.advaita.org website, click on Advaita Press Store
and then Latest Releases and you will find this item as well as videos about
Ramana Maharshi, books and a video about Nisargadatta Maharaj as well as DVD's
of both Wayne and Ramesh.
Office manager position to become open in early 2007
Beginning in the early part of 2007, the Advaita Fellowship will need a new office manager (after many years of dedicated service our beloved Donna will be moving to Hawaii!).
Duties are computer intensive...email, order processing and basic bookkeeping, along with shipping and receiving, and interfacing with customers and the hosts for Wayne's Talks. The position carries a small salary for about 25 hours per week of work. The office is in Hermosa Beach, California.
If you are interested, or know of someone who might be interested, please contact Donna at fellowship@advaita.org
Become a member and support the teaching
If you have not yet joined the Advaita Fellowship but would like to become a
member, click the following link:
http://216.86.195.102/members/register.asp
or visit the advaita.org website and click Become a member
Members, via their TAX DEDUCTIBLE monthly donations, help to make the Fellowship financially viable and ensure the continued free presentations of the Teaching via the web site, webcasts, newsletters and free Talks in Wayne's home.
In thanks for their support, members receive unlimited access to the Fellowships online archives. These archives contain hundreds of streaming videos of Ramesh and Wayne as well as transcripts of many of Wayne's Talks. New items are added constantly.
A living gem from Ramesh (previously unpublished)
"Going beyond" means going beyond opinions and beliefs, virtue and vice; beyond the mental constructions of the mind -- to realize, not intellectually but through intuitive insight and conviction, that they are all void of reality.
February 20, 1990
Poem
Became The Meal
One day while watching a spider
complete a successful hunt -
darning an extra small robe
for an especially reluctant
guest -
I thought,
Wow, and this is one infinitely small
part of a vast happening
called life
Suddenly,
I couldn’t move . . .
and became
the meal of my own
imagination
Gary
More poems and letters can be found by visiting Seekers Corner at
http://advaita.org/afseekerupdate.htm