energy to "bless them that curse you"
Matthew 5:44: "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
Spirituality
enlightened master (title)
The title is presently used with little reference to the authentic state.
doing something under 200 might be a necessary stepping stone...
...in order to reach higher levels of consciousness.
Living Buddha, Living Christ, by Thich Nhat Hanh
"On the altar in my hermitage," he says, "are images of Buddha and Jesus, and I touch both of them as my spiritual ancestors" -- Thich Nhat Hanh.
Being Myself, by Rupert Spira
a contemplative exploration of the essential nature of our self -- google books.
a pure heart
Request: I feel like Enlightenment might be an overwhelming goal for someone who's not sufficiently evolved spiritually, and maybe aiming for purity of heart (which is suspect is around LoC 540) is a more realistic and practical goal for this lifetime.
T/F: the ego exists
A core question for spiritual seekers.
Living with Joy, by Sonaya Roman
"You will see immediate results in your life when you use the processes to learn how to radiate love, increase your feelings of self-esteem, and live in harmony with your higher purpose" -- goodreads.
statement: unhappiness makes no sense
Priority request: There are social behavior norms, for example one does not laugh at a funeral out of respect for others, but in an internal way it seems to make no logical sense to close off your joy or happiness for any reason ever. It benefits no one.
The Perennial Philosophy, by Aldous Huxley
"drawing on a diverse array of faiths, including Zen Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Christian mysticism, and Islam—Huxley examines the spiritual beliefs of various religious traditions and explains how they are united by a common human yearning to experience the divine" -- amazon.
Francis Lucille
Francis’ teachings reflect those of his guru: appreciation for humor, art, music, and poetry, intellectual rigor with a “personal” twist due to his training in Mathematics and Physics, emphasis on the body and its feelings -- francislucille.
apology
A regretful acknowledgment of an offense or failure -- Oxford languages.
The Cloud of Unknowing
Calibrated at 705 in TvF, this 14th-century work of Christian mysticism is the inspiration for practices such as Centering Prayer and Christian meditation.
statement: desire impedes getting
Request: Had this realization... that the getting is actually impeded by the desire, that claims credit. It actually happens in spite of the desire. What is the level of truth here?
statement: enlightenment is easy
This seems to be a naïve view from the view of a beginning spiritual student.