November, 2021 Bardo Buzz (03-11)

The Joy of Sacrifice

Secrets of the Sufi Way by E.J. Gold

THE SACRIFICE OF HEART

Life of Redemption

It is here that one gathers the will, ability and knowledge to free the centers from slavery to the psyche.

The Thinking Center becomes the higher center, the Center of Understanding. The Emotional Center becomes in its higher state the Feeling Center. The Moving Center and seat of sensations becomes the higher center, the Center of Co-Creation, in which one creates co-motion with the universe, aligning one's own wishes with the universal will. The Center of Automatic Functions becomes in its higher state the Center of Being. With these higher centers in operation, one is now able to be, to feel, to do, and to sense the whole of oneself.

In order to accomplish this seemingly easy task, it will be necessary to first sacrifice one's beliefs, emotions, feelings, thinking and ordinary compassion -- all those imaginary properties of ordinary man -- in order to move into the field of Love itself. While within this magnetic field of Pure Love one becomes Love itself, a catalyst, not an element, and so one cannot experience Love itself as an independently existing force. The catalyst, while profoundly affecting other elements, undergoes no change of its own during interaction in changing other elements from physical combination to chemical fusion.

to be continued...

WHAT IS AN ORB?

by E.J. Gold
-- excerpt by T. Jones

"REAL WORLD QUANTUM EFFECTS can be created by specific sequential actions taken within the Digital Realm, a world at the electronic level which exists next door to this universe. It is possible to reach that realm and to take actions there which cause effects in this dimension and on this planet. Within the Orbs are contained a number of powerful Quantum Effects that automaticaly correspond to what you call "The Real World" -- the world within which you happen to live, along with your organic body and brain.

"Instead of standing still and enacting a ceremony or ritual, you run through the Orb, triggering off a specific and precise set of events similar to those events in a standing-still ceremony or ritual.

"In the virtual world, anything is possible, and so you'll be using unobtainable rarities for the purpose of making magic -- real magic -- in your life.

"The Human World is not the only world in which you live from day to day and from moment to moment, but seldom do people become aware of the multiplicity of worlds experienced unconsciously by them every single hour of every single day of their lives, and far, far beyond, into past lives and alternate realities.

"QUANTUM EFFECTS tend to be very temporary in this world, seldom lasting more than a few years, just due to the nature of the universe -- it isn't permanent. But those Quantum Events are -- from the moment of their creation onward -- permanent and fixed events in the quantum world, often referred to as the Akashic Library, the storehouse of all action, all knowledge and all wisdom. In the Quantum World, there is no wearing-down, no friction -- a complete absence of entropy. Whatever is there, is there forever.

"What you make of that remains to be seen.

"With my Orbs, you have access to the entire spectrum of Akashic Wisdom. It's just a matter of learning how, and that's what coaching is all about."

HOW DO YOU FEEL?
WHAT DOES IT MATTER?

Barbara Haynes

When I first encountered the idea of work on self, I was interested in how it might be accomplished. I began to observe the machine with my ordinary attention and discovered the predictable way in which its life proceeds. I watched as the machine used its energy to do what we have all been taught to do -- manifest our thoughts, emotions,

moods and postures to get what we need, want and desire. How else were those around me to understand my needs, my wants, my desires? And, of course, meeting those human needs, wants and desires is the point, after all, of all interactions we have. But getting those desires met seemed never-ending, without purpose and left me feeling empty. I thought to myself, "There has to be more to life than this."

I delved into E.J.'s book Practical Work on Self. I found exercises in that book and in the Talk of the Month titled Momentum of Invocation -- The Universal Traveling Junk Shop which helped me. The book Invocation of Presence detailed for me a way to harness the energy of my machine.

I have worked, over the years, with the ideas and exercises presented in these books and talks, and I have learned through experience a much better use of the energy generated by my machine's thoughts, emotions, moods and postures. I use this energy as a reminding factor to invoke my presence. Rather than spewing my energy into my environment by expressing myself or letting the energy seep away like a leaky tire, I use that energy to remind myself to invoke my presence. The greatest gift of all is our own machines. They are always with us, always available to remind us to invoke our presence, pay attention and be present to the moment. How I feel changes from moment to moment. It matters because each of those moments is an opportunity to shepherd my energy toward invocation of presence.

FINAL EMBRACE

Christiane Wolters

The parched earth here drank deeply from the waters coming down during this AR (Atmospheric River) Storm during the last 2 days. This uncharacteristically early in the season storm also bent over one of our beloved magnificent and still fully leafed trees, who fell and took with it, almost carefully, a beautiful beloved Juniper evergreen. A lesson in impermanence, again.

On closer look, I can't help but see the embrace in the encounter of those two trees, who have been standing next to each other for decades now. Knowing that the main body of the tree and its brain are underground, with a vast network of roots, mycelium and microbiome, who knows, those two might have communicated for many years, just waiting for the perfect time, the perfect storm.

Neither one of the root balls are anywhere near dislodged enough for the trees to actually die. They are very much alive and simply changed positions, now also touching above ground - finally, maybe, how would we know? Already the birds love being in there, in that embrace of intertwined branches. It reminds me of things I read about trees, even fallen trees, and their functions in the ecosystem.

I am aware that some, maybe most people in our society will simply call musings like this sentimentality, weirdness, wacko, impractical and what not. And I say...how do you know so much of what really is going on underground in these beings that can outlive you by many years? Have you seen some of the images, or read more recently published books or papers about it? Have you opened your senses of perception in a way that might have you consider other perspectives or more expansive truths, some seemingly crazy or radically different?

The automatic and reflexive course of action will be to cut them up, a little sooner now that they are across the driveway. I see that, and there is this: when in Rome, do as the Romans do, even though a driveway does not actually need to be circular, but fair enough.

Let us be aware though, that these two trees are not dead at all. What happened was a perfect move if touching above ground was wanted, to experience a proximity not previously known. I have had encounters like this, of proximity, for the briefest time, and yet, something occurred that was a gift beyond words. A sensing and feeling never before felt, or known it could exist. Death came too soon. A deep gratitude for the encounter persists. So, beloved trees, may this embrace, this touching, be worth the price. In any case, you magnificent beings, you are seen and loved.

CA. October 25, 2021

Caption: CD cover of "Only Sleeping" with the artwork entitled "Me and My Money" by E.J. Gold. This album is only available on CD at OnlyTheBestCDs.com. A tribute to Harry Nilsson, it was recorded in January of 1994 within a few days just following his death. He had just spent the holidays, a few weeks before, in E.J.'s studio with E.J. and the band playing, listening and singing to music. A fine art print of the cover artwork is also available upon request.

"YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT"

Musings of a Labyrinth Voyager
Marvette Kort

What is really important?

Striving for the highest quality?

Quality of what? Life?

Life of what, a dying organic human biological machine?

Life of Being?

Why strive when the Being is already perfect?

So there's a missing link in this puzzle. My awareness is asking the questions, feeling the ever-persistent ticking away of the clock on this organic life I've been given for a purpose.

E.J. has given us methods and the clue that our only real tools are attention and presence. Then if I am with awareness, only when awareness is coupled with attention and presence do I have the link to the Being as all One, there is no other, I am that I am, I am the voidness of the Void.

Therefore, it appears that the root of this problem lies with my awareness. My awareness likes to be busy, multi-tasking, doing something, striving purposefully, making efforts and making progress. My awareness gets sucked into destructive, energy-depleting patterns of frustration, irritation, the trap of perfection, endless details that "go nowhere really".

What does it take to play this life differently? First, I must remember that I am "playing this life". Second, my work wish must permeate everything, even so far as yelling at myself in the midst of a fit of frustration -- Invoke your Presence!

I happened to be near a mirror at the time. Looking deeply into it, I reinforced my wish to sense the strong energy welling up in my gut. I called up my attention to sense and collect that energy. Employing intention with the mantra -- "I wish this to be used to invoke the presence of my presence into the present" -- I sensed moving the energy up the central core and up through the crown. Staying focused and keeping my awareness aligned, I offered this food for the presence of my presence into the present, and sensing the change in my body as my awareness perceived it.

This makes on that day one point on the side of my work wish and zero on the side of the organic reactive machine. However, this conflict is relentless thus, my focus and intention must continue hour by hour, minute by minute, because as E.J. has said -- "You can't afford the outburst, not even one." His admonition is so true for one on the path of building finer bodies, the map of which E.J. gives us in his book, The Seven Bodies of Man available at Gateways Books.

This book is currently the focus of the regular recurring Wednesday evening Zoom meeting at 7:00 p.m. PST facilitated by long-time students of E.J. Gold - David Franco and Iven Lourie. Zoom codes for this weekly event are posted in the chat of the simultaneous broadcast of the Zoom meeting on livestream. Everyone is welcome to join Zoom.

Additional note: For an in-depth explanation of the "Invocation of Presence" exercise, a most potent and fundamental method for those serious about being able to work, refer to The Invocation of Presence by E.J. Gold, currently available as a private edition spiral bound book at Gateways Books.

DIABLO 2 AND VOLUNTARY IDENTIFICATION

excerpted by Michele Marie from E.J.'s blogs: "The Art of Voluntary Identification" and "What Happens When You Die?"

"DIABLO 2 is at best a simple escape mechanism, similar to a movie, play, dance, music or a good book. It's an escape, pure & simple, and all escapes are about equal in guilt-factor -- those who are keeping you in your cage don't want you to escape, not even into your own inner self. You can turn the experience into a full-on meditation experience, if you know how to do it."

"In order to fully identify, you'll have to MAKE YOURSELF CARE.

It's always better if you automatically care about a videogame, but that's very unlikely, except at first, when it's all new, but like marriage and a new job, the novelty soon wears off, and you're left with what remains, whatever that is.

If you're attracted easily by appearance, you'll be easily led away from the screen. Full Voluntary Identification is NOT automatic, NOT easy and takes a few MONTHS to get hold of and YEARS to MASTER, just like any OTHER form of meditation."

"IDENTIFICATION is a major crime in Fourth Way Schools, I'm told. Well, I'm here to tell you that as long as you're AFRAID of IDENTIFICATION, you'll never get free of its hold.

You need to confront it directly, and that means VOLUNTARY IDENTIFICATION, and there's no better way, nor more pleasanter way, to commit VOLUNTARY IDENTIFICATION than to thoroughly and completely give your life over to the glorification and understanding of the life of your D2 Character and its life, loves and aspirations."

"The idea is to "retire from the organic world" as much as possible, and one way to do that is to escape to another, parallel, world, and that would be the world of D2, which Tolkien called 'Middle-Earth'."

"Think of the SELF as an actor, but the CHARACTER is the specific PART in a play, with its own definite lines, actions and reactions."

Divinely Inspired

Jewel McInroy

Over the years I have worked with the practice of transforming food. When I eat with attention and presence, I've found the food becomes imbued with those substances and becomes alive in a real way. As a result, in a small way, the creation comes to life. The energy the food provides when eaten this way fuels my Work efforts, as I am sensitive to the sensations of the live food within my body for a period of time after the meal.

E.J. has recently stressed the importance of eating in this way. He said "the infusion of this energy is of benefit to the creation as a whole."

I recently attended the online Zoom meeting to read and discuss exercises from "Every Day a Holy Day". The exercise being worked with was "Meal Time". I was drawn to the following part of the exercise - "When your plate is served, see the food on your plate. Acknowledge its willingness to be consumed and used by you."

I initially experience gratitude to the food when doing the exercise. Moreover, as I eat, my thoughts go to the totality of people and circumstances that make it possible for me to eat this food -- the farmers who maintain the land and plant the crops, the workers who harvest, the many people who make up the supply chain to take it from the farm to the store, the store personnel, the person who shops, and the cook who puts it on the plate.

It's staggering. And humbling. I work to wrap my attention, presence and gratitude around all of them. My obligation is to make my very best efforts to eat it consciously with the understanding that we are all one and the energy created by my small efforts is of benefit.