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- The Key (A Fairytale) Unexpected Surprises — Chapter 12: (Part 2) - by Submitted on Aug 02, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockAs the man slowly walked away, I faced my own future as well, and I entered the subdued and inviting cave; I had a lot of work to do. I was already adept at the Four Material Calms of - applied and sustained concentration, rapture, equanimity and bliss, and equanimity and mindfulness – but I ...
Views: 720 - The Key (A Fairytale) Unexpected Surprises — Chapter 12: (Part 1) - by Submitted on Jul 31, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI was quiet for a moment so that the man, so self-assured and strong willed and not accustomed to acknowledging the need for help, could reflect on his admissions. I then said, "There are some who must move on, and others who are afraid to move, as our attempted escapes enslave us either way. ...
Views: 721 - The Key (A Fairytale) Goodbye, My Son — Chapter 11: (Part 5) - by Submitted on Jul 29, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockAt that exact moment, a young couple from the village was coincidently walking down the path with some food they had prepared for me. When they saw me emerge from the cave with this creature from hell, they were understandably horrified and dove into the bushes, as they had never seen such a ...
Views: 843 - The Key (A Fairytale) Goodbye, My Son — Chapter 11: (Part 4) - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockMiraculously, I was still alive when I woke up, having slept well. I lit my lamp to see what the monster was up to, and could see the beast slowly licking some tiger bones. It was carefully watching me out of the corner of its eye, and it was perplexed. Last night brought up things that were ...
Views: 788 - Something To Believe In - by Submitted on Jul 23, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockIt's not easy to find something to believe in these days. There is so much information on the internet that whatever we believe in can be very effectively debunked in a heartbeat, leaving us with doubts at best, and at worst; total disbelief. But we can't seem to function as human beings ...
Views: 785 - The Key (A Fairytale) Goodbye, My Son - Chapter 11: (Part 3) - by Submitted on Jul 21, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWe walked from village to village for two years, and eventually reached a thriving village at the foot of a high, snow-capped mountain. According to my water-stained map, this village was only a few kilometers from the mysterious cave. I located the village elder and told him of my intentions ...
Views: 796 - The Key (A Fairytale) Goodbye, My Son — Chapter 11: (Part 2) - by Submitted on Jul 18, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockConqueror and I remained at our vantage point in the foothills until the weather exhausted itself. With the floods beginning to melt into the countryside, and with no signs of my enemies from the north, our journey to the far country and the cave resumed as we headed for lower ground. Each ...
Views: 701 - Aspirations - by Submitted on Jul 16, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe way we live is key to describing what we are, which can be quite different from our lofty ideals of what we are. And if we consider what we should be, what the loftiest ideal for a human being would be, perhaps what Thomas Kelly suggests (as off the wall as it appears) is the answer: "The ...
Views: 570 - The Key (A Fairytale) Goodbye, My Son - Chapter 11: (Part 1) - by Submitted on Jul 15, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockConqueror limped stiffly but was always eager to begin a new journey, loving the spontaneity of adventure as much as I did. Occasional wafts of warm air greeted us as we made our way down the mountain persuading me to take off my fur wrap and tie it to the horse. I wasn't sure where we were ...
Views: 818 - The Key (A Fairytale) Only A Mild Interest- Chapter 10: (Part 3) - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI turned around and walked slowly to the stables. Conqueror knew that it was time to once again leave. We just began walking down the mountain when a soldier appeared without warning and raised his crossbow. The great horse saw him before I did and began running as I swung on to Conqueror's ...
Views: 727 - The Key (A Fairytale) Only A Mild Interest— Chapter 10: (Part 2) - by Submitted on Jul 09, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockSahmad dispatched one of his attendants to summon a physician, while another stayed behind as an interpreter. Sahmad then instructed me to lie down, and he lit two large cones of incense, carefully placing them on my bare chest. He told me to concentrate on the pain that would soon come, as the ...
Views: 773 - Are You On The Right Path? - by Submitted on Jul 07, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockHow can you tell if you are on the right path? There are telltale signs, but before they can be acknowledged, a determination must be made regarding your purpose for treading a path in the first place. Most people don't tread a path through the woods. Instead, they prefer to wander about at ...
Views: 708 - The Key (A Fairytale) Only A Mild Interest— Chapter 10: (Part 1) - by Submitted on Jul 05, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockSahmad began the secret instructions, "Close your eye and pay close attention so that you can precisely remember these directions. They are complicated but essential, and any deviation could prove disastrous. And remeber; opening the centers should be done every time you begin your inner work. ...
Views: 805 - Five Roadblocks to Meditation, and How They Apply to Westerners - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe first hindrance to meditation is desire for sense stimulation. This can range from obsessive sexual lust, to compulsive socializing, to addictive intellectual pursuits. In the West, we tend toward the addictive intellectual pursuits because we have usually disciplined ourselves regarding ...
Views: 1651 - Meditation -The Deeper Aspects - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWhen we begin meditation, we might begin with a mantra, or a word, or perhaps concentration on the breath. We do this to replace the never ending cycle of thoughts and emotions that circle round us day and night. We replace our everyday thoughts with one new thought so that we can break this ...
Views: 715 - The Key (A Fairytale) Blue Shadows — Chapter 8: (Part 2) - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock"Surface happiness comes and goes," A John continued, "no different than breathing in and breathing out. We cannot breathe in always, we must eventually breathe out. The deeper happiness, however, is constant. If we are continuously lost in the surface happiness, and the temporary pleasure it ...
Views: 777 - Affairs of the Heart, and the Ending of Sorrow - by Submitted on Jun 16, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWhen we think of heart, we think of our emotions. In the context of this article, however, heart means the summation of all that we are; our emotions, our thoughts, our bodies, and our minds – and the affairs of life that we all share. Affairs of the heart always begin with a solitary ...
Views: 677 - The Key (A Fairytale) Blue Shadows - Chapter 8: (Part 1) - by Submitted on Jun 15, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThis group of men had become my family, and leaving them was difficult. I went through the motions of following the schedule for the next few days, but halfheartedly, faced with the reality of striking out on my own again with Conqueror, my solitary companion, and once more following a restless ...
Views: 777 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 7: A Step Above Oblivion (Part 5) - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI couldn't make out what it was at first, but then to my horror I discovered what was now curled in my robes; a large cobra! This was no imaginary ghost; this was real. I could hardly breathe. I immediately launched into the inner work to keep my body still, but it was impossible to concentrate ...
Views: 746 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 7: A Step Above Oblivion (Part 4) - by Submitted on Jun 11, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThis I didn't want to hear. But knowing that it was best to follow a John's advice, I made my way to the cliff and carefully peered over the edge staying as far back as I could. There, one hundred feet below were teeth-like jagged rocks that would impale anyone unfortunate enough to fall from ...
Views: 775 - The Secret Of Being - by Submitted on Jun 09, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWhen we cannot just "be," then we have to be "something," and when we have to be something, we have to set goals. When we set goals, however, we are never satisfied until the goal is reached, and therefore, it is only when there are no goals that we can just "be." Just being has its ...
Views: 569 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 7: A Step Above Oblivion (Part 3) - by Submitted on Jun 08, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe swelling was getting worse. I said to a John as he dressed my wound, "I would like to understand kamma more completely, just in case I don't make it." "Your mind will never comprehend kamma fully, for it is very complicated - its tentacles reach in all directions. Only your heart can ...
Views: 747 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 7: A Step Above Oblivion (Part 2) - by Submitted on Jun 06, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockA John was tireless, and continued with his story, "These forest dwellers made another tremendous breakthrough. They discovered ‘kamma,' the part of us that continues after death. What continues after death is rather complicated so I will go slowly. Whenever you act, this act is remembered by ...
Views: 753 - Interdependant Origination - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe Buddha introduced a number of things that are unique to all religions and spirituality. Two of these are The Four Noble Truths and Interdependent Origination. The Buddha claimed that one could not attain enlightenment without understanding both of these intuitively, or with the heart, and ...
Views: 917 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 7: A Step Above Oblivion (Part 1) - by Submitted on Jun 02, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock"In the moments before death," a John began, "your whole life will flash before you and you will be able to see each separate moment simultaneously, noticing where you did well and where there is room for improvement. The reason that this only takes a fraction of a moment, which is a complete ...
Views: 946 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 6: Skeletons and Snakes (Part 3) - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockMy breathing became labored, and as the poison worked its way into my heart, I wished that I had begun my quest when I was much younger, before the wars. I also wished I had paid more attention to the robed man who warned me to sweep the path! When key seekers speak, it is never for conversation ...
Views: 748 - Ever Wonder What Buddhist Monks are Chanting? - by Submitted on May 31, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockTo give you a tiny sampling, a flavor of what Theravada Buddhist monks chant every morning, following are a few stanzas of the Buddha's exact teachings in his native Pali language (with translations), which have been precisely kept intact by his order of monks for over 2500 years, or since three ...
Views: 793 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 6: Skeletons And Snakes (Part 2) - by Submitted on May 29, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI walked back to where a John was waiting and told him about the skeleton. He said he was well aware of the tragic situation and then told me the rest of the story. "Soon after the woman died, her body was placed in a sealed box and stored beneath one of the huts to cure, for it would take two ...
Views: 781 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 6: Skeletons and Snakes (Part 1) - by Submitted on May 26, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWe made our way through a peaceful countryside where we were always given the utmost courtesy and respect from the villagers. There were many days; however, when we didn't run across any villages and were forced to fast (a John was very strict about not picking and eating fruits and coconuts, or ...
Views: 759 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 5: Fertile Soil (Part 4) - by Submitted on May 25, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockA John began by instructing me to sit cross-legged on the ground, while he stuffed some straw just under the tip of my tailbone, but not too much - he cautioned that too much straw would surely cause my legs to fall sleep. Then he tucked my left heel between my legs and placed my right foot on ...
Views: 729 - The Times Are A Changin’ - by Submitted on May 25, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockIt's never easy when what we have been accustomed to is pulled out from under us. We see the warning signs, perhaps for a long time, but we just don't pay attention to them. Then, one day, when everything suddenly changes, we feel blindsided. We feel abused, hurt and rejected in some way because ...
Views: 708 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 5: Fertile Soil (Part 3) - by Submitted on May 23, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock"To curb both of your curiosities," he said, "I will briefly mention the roadblocks, but they will be difficult for you to grasp at this stage of your development. At any rate, there are ten roadblocks that prevent you from your key. By overcoming the first three, you will establish Stream ...
Views: 808 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 5: Fertile Soil (Part 2) - by Submitted on May 21, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockA John replied, "Your selfless service in helping others during the end times of your sphere has rewarded you with an opportunity to exist without the burden of a body, but still able to enjoy the senses of sight, hearing and thinking. Without deeper understanding however, your return to a ...
Views: 713 - Looking For The Only Happiness - by Submitted on May 20, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWhen a Buddhist monk or nun ordains, they give away everything. They give away their relationships, their families, their business career or job, house, car, clothes – everything. They trade it all for three simple robes and a begging bowl, and perhaps a chance to see the "Dhamma" -- a catalyst ...
Views: 630 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 5: Fertile Soil (Part 1) - by Submitted on May 19, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe auspicious night finally arrived, accompanied by a brilliant moon playing in a deep, black sky that was busily spewing out its myriad diamonds. A silvery-white glow suffused the entire forest as we made our way to the meadow under this immense canopy of stars, and only the bubbling of a ...
Views: 734 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 7) - by Submitted on May 19, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI thought you were going to the community," a John said, his eyebrows Raised. "Yes, yes, I am on my way," Moosawa stammered, looking surprised. "But isn't it in the other direction," a John inquired." "Of course, I should have known that," said Moosawa. A John tried to ease the key seekers ...
Views: 705 - Political Evolution - by Submitted on May 14, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockA political evolution is stirring. People are beginning to break free. But in order to understand this progression, we must look at what we were just yesterday, before we decided to think for ourselves. We must look at it because no matter what we do or what we think, the evolution is taking ...
Views: 1011 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 6) - by Submitted on May 14, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockI found the dog lying almost dead near the path. A crossbow arrow, a type not used by the villagers, had silenced him. Somebody was after me, and apparently wanted the bounty all for himself. My instincts told me to slowly back away and move toward the denser part of the forest, but just as I ...
Views: 787 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 5) - by Submitted on May 12, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe forest was deliciously cool now, waiting silently, reverently for the day ahead, while lively birds and animals greeted the new morning with their familiar cries. The trail was a lush, fragrant tunnel of large ferns, bamboo groves, and tropical flowers surrounded by endless trees, foliage, ...
Views: 671 - What Lies Beneath Our Consciousness? - by Submitted on May 10, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockBelow our conscious mind is a stream of subconscious, emotional activity. Buddhists call this stream the Life Continuum Consciousness, or the Bhavanga. Sometimes we call it just karma. It is what remains with us from lifetime to lifetime and impels us to do what we do, whether they are good ...
Views: 603 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 4) - by Submitted on May 08, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock"So, you are ready to renounce everything," a John said. Then he smiled and added, "Words are spoken with ease, my good friend, compared to the actual experience of this discipline, although there are some key seekers who live in the forest quite comfortably. Some live without irritation; not ...
Views: 1157 - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 3) - by Submitted on May 06, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockJust then a villager walked out from behind a tree with the long, heavy blade of a razor sharp coconut cutter loosely hanging in his hand. One of the soldiers laughed and drew his sword. Behind him, two other villagers, a boy and a woman, emerged with their blades, and the other warrior drew ...
Views: 731 - Three Secrets To Happiness - by Submitted on May 04, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockWhen you do good, you get good in return; when you do bad, bad things happen to you. Doing good expands and loosens the heart; doing bad restricts and tightens the heart until the heart shrivels and dies. Then there is just a shell left, full of hatred and fear. Discipline is the first step in ...
Views: 487 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 2) - by Submitted on May 03, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock. . . And so began a ten-year friendship with this little man and his constant grin, as we wandered the forest together in search of the elusive key. "I know where to find plants and insects to eat," I said, trying to be helpful. A John shook his head in disagreement, "Those who are ...
Views: 718 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 3: Broken Wings (Part 6) - by Submitted on May 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock"Now King, I'll ease your curiosity a bit. Listen closely. The Great Weapons you will master through this inner work are three: A concentrated mind, an investigative mind, and an insightful mind. Concentration is your sword. Investigation is the skill of wielding the sword. Insight is the ...
Views: 740 - Buddhism: From The Top, Down - by Submitted on May 01, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockInterest in Buddhism usually begins with either the philosophy or psychology of Buddhism. Or maybe the esoteric nature of Buddhism, Buddhist meditation, or Buddhist wisdom. But the morality aspects of Buddhism are typically overlooked and frankly considered dull and boring. Keep in mind, ...
Views: 1020(1 vote) - The Key (A Fairytale) - Chapter 4: Nothing Left To Lose (Part 1) - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockFor five long years, I did fine by myself in the forest, but when I came upon Maradin and her cottage, everything came apart. It was my first real challenge and I wasn't up to it; I could still be easily duped and victimized by the grand illusions of the world. I was so disheartened that I sat ...
Views: 758 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 3: Broken Wings (Part 5) - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond Rock"What do you mean, ‘mistaken identity?' Was Maradin lying about who she was?" "In an indirect way, yes, she was lying without knowing it. You see; it was not Maradin that you were in love with; the real object of your affection was something deep inside of her cleverly disguised as Maradin. ...
Views: 763 - Are We Really Hiding Behind Our Religions? - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockThe Catholic Church is losing folks. A recent survey reveals that 6 out of 10 Catholics feel that they are out of touch with Catholic views. Much of this might result from the pedophile cases and views on contraception and illegal immigration, but I have a hunch that this is merely the course of ...
Views: 4381 - The Key (A Fairytale) — Chapter 3: Broken Wings (Part 4) - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2008 from E. (anagarika eddie) Raymond RockConqueror was lying motionless next to the black horse. I saw immediatelty that their injuries would eventually prove fatal, but only after many long days of agony . . . and I could never let that happen. I retrieved the fiance's knife, as the black horse continued to struggle trying to get up ...
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