Ok. I've done it, with a little help from my friends (thanks Tammy!) and you can listen to it by clicking right here. It's the first one you come to at the very top (dated March 2014).
I trust you will enjoy listening to it and if it ignites any questions in you, please deliver them in the usual way as a 'comment' below.
Dear John, The heart knows how to open and soften, but it doesn't seem to know how to stay that way permanently. What would it take for the heart to open and soften and never ever close and harden again? If the will or the mind cannot be used for that purpose, who or what is going to remind the Heart to stay open and soft, when the Heart is conditioned to close and harden by virtue of habit since years or perhaps since life-times? Truth does not impose, Heart does not think or decide, and the mind or the self cannot be used, so, is the Heart then helpless in this endeavor? Sincerely, Bedri Cetin
Dear John, The core of your teaching resonates so very deeply; however, I have some questions that relates to the rest, which I will state below as arguments, but in fact, they are inquiries: 1) You teach that stones, animals and humans have a different spectrum of consciousness. My understanding is that it is the same mind dreaming them into existence; i.e., they arise in one universal consciousness; they don't have A separate consciousness? 2) You teach that the universe was made by Consciousness being TRUE as an extension of Itself into form. My understanding is that Consciousness UNTRUE projected and created the universe, and all the duality and separation we witness in the universe are symbols or reflections of Consciousness separated from Truth. Duality arose as a result of the original dualism or separation. 3) You teach that the baby was born innocent and that the self develops later. My understanding is that the baby and the body are symbols of separation and were made by Consciousness being untrue, thus the self is already there at birth, perhaps latent. 4) You teach that when the body dies, the Heart or Awareness associated with that body awakens. My understanding is that death is an illusion, such as time, and an illusion cannot bring about Truth or Awakening; i.e., an event in time, such as death, cannot possibly reveal the Timeless. Awakening happens only as a result of full surrender in the Heart, which is a choice of the Heart, and has nothing to do with death, an event in time. Mind and the self survive physical death as pure energy outside space and time? 5) You also teach that we must believe only what we know in our Heart. If you do not know being a stone, or being a baby, or being a dead body; then how do you know the answer to above questions? Much love from Istanbul, Bedri Cetin
Thank you Shanti. I loved this interview. As always there were so many things touched upon that were totally relevant to me right now. Such a powerful transmission through John's words and a lovely exchange between you both.
Dear John,
ReplyDeleteThe heart knows how to open and soften, but it doesn't seem to know how to stay that way permanently. What would it take for the heart to open and soften and never ever close and harden again? If the will or the mind cannot be used for that purpose, who or what is going to remind the Heart to stay open and soft, when the Heart is conditioned to close and harden by virtue of habit since years or perhaps since life-times? Truth does not impose, Heart does not think or decide, and the mind or the self cannot be used, so, is the Heart then helpless in this endeavor? Sincerely,
Bedri Cetin
Dear John,
ReplyDeleteThe core of your teaching resonates so very deeply; however, I have some questions that relates to the rest, which I will state below as arguments, but in fact, they are inquiries:
1) You teach that stones, animals and humans have a different spectrum of consciousness. My understanding is that it is the same mind dreaming them into existence; i.e., they arise in one universal consciousness; they don't have A separate consciousness?
2) You teach that the universe was made by Consciousness being TRUE as an extension of Itself into form. My understanding is that Consciousness UNTRUE projected and created the universe, and all the duality and separation we witness in the universe are symbols or reflections of Consciousness separated from Truth. Duality arose as a result of the original dualism or separation.
3) You teach that the baby was born innocent and that the self develops later. My understanding is that the baby and the body are symbols of separation and were made by Consciousness being untrue, thus the self is already there at birth, perhaps latent.
4) You teach that when the body dies, the Heart or Awareness associated with that body awakens. My understanding is that death is an illusion, such as time, and an illusion cannot bring about Truth or Awakening; i.e., an event in time, such as death, cannot possibly reveal the Timeless. Awakening happens only as a result of full surrender in the Heart, which is a choice of the Heart, and has nothing to do with death, an event in time. Mind and the self survive physical death as pure energy outside space and time?
5) You also teach that we must believe only what we know in our Heart. If you do not know being a stone, or being a baby, or being a dead body; then how do you know the answer to above questions?
Much love from Istanbul,
Bedri Cetin
Thank you Shanti. I loved this interview. As always there were so many things touched upon that were totally relevant to me right now. Such a powerful transmission through John's words and a lovely exchange between you both.
ReplyDeleteThanks Fiona! :)
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