Are you in a hurry today? This Openhand Newsletter "Touching the Void" challenges us to always come from the place of inner stillness - the place of the true self. So if you often feel in a hurry, perhaps it might be advisable to slow down a little and take the time to read it?

• Are you in a hurry today?
• Excerpt from the Tao te Ching
• Duality, oneness or both?
• Be in the flow and only the flow
• “The Way of the Heart”
• Kundalini - the true energy of creation
• The Magdalen Manuscript
• Creating in harmony with the universe

Are you in a hurry today?
When we are following the true energetic flow of the universe, we recognise how every single action is but a small part of an infinite orchestra playing a supreme symphony.

That symphony has but one purpose - to reveal ourselves to ourselves. When we realise this and then surrender to it, we see that every action invites us to find internal harmony between our inner light and darkness.

When we have found this balance, authentic action happens spontaneously in every moment because it is not distorted by the ego and there is great peace and stillness even in the frantic dash of the physical plane.

So ask yourself ‘do you frequently feel as though you are in a hurry?’
If the answer is ‘yes’, contemplate the place of internal stillness - the void - and seek to always act from that place because all 'right action' emanates from it.

In this place, there is no need to hurry.

Excerpt from the Tao te Ching

“Attain complete clarity of emptiness.
Maintain perfect silence.
Amid the rush of worldly comings and goings,
observe how endings become beginnings.
Every creature eventually returns to its origin.
What was before is again after death.
To return to the origin is to be at rest.
This is called “renewal”.
To be renewed is to realise radiant wisdom,
To realise radiant wisdom is to be clear of all obstructions.
If you do not realise radiant wisdom,
you walk blindly off a cliff.
Realising radiant wisdom you become tolerant.
Becoming tolerant your orientation is positive.
Positive orientation is alignment with the Way.
Alignment with the Way yields eternal life.
Be aligned with the Way,
and death of your body will not be your death.”
Lao Tzu

Duality, oneness or both?
Some spiritual teachings would tell us that the full state of enlightenment is to be beyond duality completely. That there is only the experience of oneness. But in my opinion this is not enlightenment. To me, enlightenment is being able hold the duality of being the one life and a finite expression of the one-life SIMULTANEOUSLY (known as 'the true self')...

"Less pain without more wisdom defeats your purpose;
does not allow you to experience infinite joy - which is what I am.
Be patient. You are gaining wisdom.
And your joys are now increasingly available without pain.
That too is a very good sign. You are learning to love without pain;
to let go without pain; to create without pain; even cry without pain.
Yes you're even able to have your pain without pain."
Conversations with God 1 Page 158

True enlightenment (in my opinion) is to be able to experience the all of it, pain, pleasure, joy, love, fear etc. etc. and not be attached or identified with any of it.

If we all reached a monotone state of oneness, then there would be no experience for any of us. All experience comes from the interplay of one thing relative to another. The One Life is unable to observe itself because it is the all of it. Therefore it can only know itself by what it is not. What it is not is the universe. The universe is divided into two - matter/anti matter, father/mother, male/female, yin/yang, Christ/anti Christ. This is the holy Trinity - the One and the two halves of the universe being contained by the One.

Experience is created from the interplay of the two halves of the universe. The One observes itself as a finite expression within the interplay. The finite expression is what the One life is not. From an infinite number of experiences of what the One Life is not, the One Life gets to experience the impossible - infinite potentiality - the place before manifestation at all - what the One Life is.

I believe we have been inadvertently lead astray by many so called Gurus who would teach us to transcend the human condition. We are in our bodies for a reason:

Student: master, I have reached the state of oneness, all is perfect
Zen Master: tell me more...
Student: I am at one with the divine, there is no duality
Zen Master: what else?
Student: I am....
Zen Master: what else?
Student: I........
Zen Master: what else?
Student: (no reply...dissolving into state of oneness)
Zen Master (strikes the student across the face drawing blood)
Student: OOOUUUCCCHHHH!!!!!!!
Zen Master: well who felt that then!

To me the Holy Trinity is the perfect creation. Perversely the trinity is actually a duality - the One Life of infinite potential and the universe of infinite experience. Long live the duality!

Be in the flow and only the flow
Guidance comes from many sources and true guidance - that which is at one with the universal flow of energy - can be distorted when we have personal wants, fear or desire...

"Desire is a judgement of the moment,
saying 'I judge that outcome is better than this one'.
It is caused by fear and ignorance,
not trusting what the universe is unfolding.
It is like applying the hand brake to a moving car,
it leads to fate rather than destiny.
Desire requires effort...
enlightenment requires lack of all effort."
Openhand

All we really need is to feel the abundant love of infinite internal peace. This is the only truth. It is from this place of the void that all flows as it is meant to.

Therefore if we can master our desires, we are truly freed to follow our internal guidance and life ceases to be a struggle. We find the whole of the universe supporting our actions.

"The Way of the Heart"
If you wish to stay in the flow and only the flow, you might like to conider doing the Openhand course “The Way of the Heart”. It is an intensive four day enlightenment course designed to first reveal our true heart’s longing and then provide support in following this calling, confronting and overcoming all fears standing in our way.

The course takes place over the Easter bank holiday 14th-17th April 2006 at the Shekinashram in Glastonbury harnessing the natural beauty and high energy of the area...read more

Kundalini - the true energy of creation
Kundalini is a powerful creative energy that can be released from the base of the spine. This can be done in many ways including (but not restricted to) meditation and loving sexual intercourse.

When we are sufficiently surrendered internally, empty and still, Kundalini can be raised by bringing awareness to the base of the spine and simply following the vibrational movement up the spine with our attention.

The power of the energy is reduced by applying intention to it. In other words if we try to bring it on through visualisations or mindfulness. This creates internal ‘efforting’ and the tightness restricts the flow of energy through the cells.

However when the energy is flowing through the body strongly (not just upwards), consciousness expands rapidly. We get the experience of being at one with all life.

In this place, creative action within the moment is brought into our awareness and we become a channel for creative acts to manifest. ‘Heaven is brought to earth’ so to speak.

In my opinion, this is the secret to all authentic acts of creation. In not trying, wanting or efforting, and when we are not in denial of the subtle truth to be experience around us, right action flows carrying us with it.

If you wish to read more or exchange views with others who have had Kundalini experiences, visit the Openhand forum...Kundalini energy

Recommended reading - The Magdalen Manuscript
by Tom Kenyon and Judi Sion
This is a wonderful short book presenting a channelling purportedly from Mary Magdalen. In it Mary discusses in brief outline the practice of tantric love making that both her and Jesus supposedly employed to catalyse their spiritual evolution through the generation of Kundalini. Is it true? I have no idea - all I can say is that the text sent shivers up and down my spine!

Creating in harmony with the universe
When we truly step onto the path of self realisation and surrender to it completely, we become as one with the whole power of the universe. If we allow her to, the God within us will guide us in every moment. I am often reminded of this in the lyrics of songs - perhaps because many artists are ‘touching the void’ when they write. Here are some of my favourite lyrics which speak strongly to me,

“There’s only so much I can take
And I just got to let go
And who knows I might feel better, yeah
If I don’t try and I don’t hope

What can I say to make you feel this?
What can I do to get you there?

No more waiting, no more, aching
No more fighting, no more, trying...
Maybe there’s nothing more to say

And in a funny way I’m calm
Because the power is not mine
I’m just going to let it fly...”
The Corrs

So what can you do today? Simple. Just let go!

Chris Bourne