Please join Mahasweta Mitra (Shanti, at the AYP Forums) and Doug Sandlin (Kirtanman. at the AYP Forums), co-founders of Living Unbound, and AYP asana instructor Rohini Nellore (Rohini, at the AYP Forums), Sept. 27-29, for a weekend retreat at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in the beautiful Berkshires region of western Massachusetts.
Mahasweta Mitra
We will be offering a weekend introduction to Advanced Yoga Practices (the practices are advanced; you don’t have to be — no previous experience with yoga or meditation is required), and kirtan (yogic chanting / singing). For more information and/or to register.
Doug Sandlin
AYP Deep Meditation and Spinal Breathing are the foundations of the daily practices that we recommend via Living Unbound, and kirtan is an additional and highly-enjoyable activity and practice that is popular with attendees at our retreats. The asanas (body postures) will be led by Rohini Nellore, a certified yoga instructor who runs regular private and group yoga classes, and who has led our asana sessions at other AYP retreats — which always receive enthusiastic reviews.
Rohini Nellore
While this is an Advanced Yoga Practices retreat, the principles of Living Unbound are inherently part of our retreats — we always spend time both inside and outside of the retreat sessions discussing the teachings, techniques and resources that each of us can make use of in our daily lives outside of sitting practices, in order to enjoy peace, freedom and fulfillment — living unbound — ever more completely.
Participants at our other retreats have found them to be enjoyable, inspiring, fun, and in some cases, life-changing.
One of the main reasons for so many people finding benefit in our retreats is that we address the reality of the benefits of practices and perspective that some call spiritual in ways that are truly independent of any traditions. AYP and Living Unbound work equally well for people of all religion, and of no religion; for people with years of spiritual practice, and with none at all.
As always, this weekend retreat will be both fun and profound — and will provide you with tools you can use beneficially, every day, for the rest of your life. Hope to see you there! If you know anyone else who might be interested, please feel free to forward this info — all are welcome.
If you have any additional questions, please use our contact form, or email info@livingunbound.net
~Captain Ahab, in Herman Melville’s classic novel, Moby-Dick.
Many of us may recall Moby-Dick as required reading in high school, and/or at least know the outline of the story:
A Nantucket whaling-ship captain named Ahab seeks revenge for getting his leg chomped off by a White Whale named Moby. Drowning ensues. Moby gets away. The End.
Many people have wondered why Herman Melville ended his somewhat strange tale of Ahab vs. the White Whale on such a tragic note.
What’s the message?
To paraphrase Jed McKenna: What could be the message?
And, by the way, very special thanks to Jed McKenna for pointing out the facets of Moby-Dick which resulted in the video below.
What facets?
Those are best described in the video.
Please take a few minutes to watch — and please let us know what you think.
Suffice it to say that if you haven’t read Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment by Jed McKenna, your views about Moby-Dick may just be changing rather radically in the next few minutes (if you watch the video, that is).
Jed McKenna posits some rather staggering and radical ideas about Moby-Dick, which are highlighted in our newest video.
The most staggering and radical aspect of all, though, it that having just re-read Moby-Dick, and viewing it afresh, per Jed McKenna’s amazing insights — it appears he’s either largely, or completely, correct, with respect to his amazing, Living Unbound-related insights, not only about the story of Moby-Dick, but about the book’s author, Herman Melville.
And even “partially” (correct) would make Moby-Dick an infinitely more interesting and important story than most of us could ever have imagined.
Being a bit about spiritual symbolism ourselves, as well any and all resources that can help us all with Living Unbound, we’re now going to be studying Moby-Dick in greater detail as well, with the intention being to expand upon Jed McKenna’s initial insights.
Jed McKenna is one of the most straightforward and authentic spiritual teachers, ever. Jed tells it like it is: the reality of Living Unbound, and the way to Living Unbound. Jed McKenna is a pen-name, but whoever writes as Jed McKenna articulates Living Unbound in reality with an authenticity and a clarity rarely found anywhere.
Here is some of the very direct and very real wisdom of Jed McKenna:
Suffering just means you’re having a bad dream. Happiness means you’re having a good dream. Enlightenment means getting out of the dream altogether.
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Enlightenment isn’t when you go there; it’s when there comes here.
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It’s ego – the false self – that exalts the guru and declares the teaching sacred, but nothing is exalted or sacred, only true or not true.
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Enlightenment is the unprogrammed state.
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I don’t have something you don’t; you believe something I don’t.
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The point is to wake up, not to earn a Ph.D. In waking up.
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The bottom line remains the same: you’re either awake or you’re not.One day, there it is. Nothing. No more enemies, no more battles.
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There’s nothing left to contend against and nothing left that must be done, and there will never be anything that must be done ever again.
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The you that you think of as you (and that thinks of you as you, and so on) is not you, it’s just the character that the underlying truth of you is dreaming into existence. Enlightenment isn’t in the character, it’s in the underlying truth.
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Wake up first. Wake up, and then you can double back and perhaps be of some use to others if you still have the urge. Wake up first, with pure and unapologetic selfishness, or you’re just another shipwreck victim floundering in the ocean and all the compassion in the world is of absolutely no use to the other victims floundering around you.
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The universe isn’t vague and ignorant. I am vague and ignorant. Something is true, and it doesn’t matter what it is, I’m not going to be false any more. I have not even the slightest trace of the slightest reservation that I would rather suffer and die figuring out what is true than continue this life as a slave to lies and ignorance.
-On the attitude needed for enlightenment
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I don’t see it as my role to save or rescue anybody any more than regular people feel the need to rescue each other from sleeping and dreaming.
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That’s how it is in dreams: thoughts become things practically before they’re thought.
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You can’t manage to avoid your own true nature forever. It’s a wonder anybody manages it at all.
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Who you are has little or nothing to do with you. **
There is no true self. Truth and self are mutually exclusive.
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This is about unknowing. All this so-called knowledge is exactly what stands between seeker and sought.
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The teachers we need will always be there when we need them; no reason to track down somebody else’s.
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The ‘I” casts off the illusion of ‘I’ and yet remains as ‘I’. Such is the paradox of self-realization. The realized do not see any contradiction in it.
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Before enlightenment, I believed my ego was me. Then enlightenment comes along and no more ego, only the underlying reality. Now it’s after enlightenment, and this ego might be slightly uncomfortable or ill-fitting at times, but it’s all I’ve got.
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The idea that your ego is destroyed in the process of enlightenment is roughly correct, but it’s not complete. Before enlightenment, you’re a human being in the world, just like everyone you see. During enlightenment, you realize that the human being that you thought you were is just a character in a play, and that the world you thought you were in is just a stage, so you go through a process of radical deconstruction of your character to see what’s left when it’s gone. The result isn’t enlightened-self or true-self, it’s no-self. When it’s all over it’s time to be a human being in the world again, and that means slipping back into costume and getting back onstage.
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Miracles are nature unimpeded, which is a good way of saying that if you take your hand off the tiller, the boat will steer itself and do a vastly better job of it than you ever could.
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Relax into the moment and let the universe do the driving. If there was a secret to happiness in life, I’d say that was it.
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Trust you develop a little at a time as you learn to relinquish the illusion of control.
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They have abandoned the illusion of control. It doesn’t matter why you do it, just that you do. This is the point of distinction and the root teaching of all major religions.
~On the power of spiritual devotion
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Fear and ego – in other words, ignorance – are keeping your hand on the tiller. Release the tiller for whatever reason, and the steering takes care of itself.
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Everyone’s grooving on the gurus, and everyone’s getting more and more spiritual, but nobody’s waking up.
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Go jump off a cliff. Don’t go near the cliff and contemplate jumping off. Don’t read a book about jumping off. Don’t study the art and science of jumping off. Don’t join a support group for jumping off. Don’t write poems about jumping off. Don’t kiss the ass of someone else who jumped off. Just jump.
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The difference between us isn’t that I’m enlightened and you’re not. The difference between us is that I know it, and you don’t.
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The truth is identical for both of us. I haven’t achieved a better status than you.
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There’s no such thing as instant enlightenment any more than there’s such a thing as an instant baby.
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Simply put, I don’t think. I don’t make choices or decisions. I don’t weigh possibilities and select one over others. Instead, I observe patterns and move with them.
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I used to try to be smart and now I don’t and everything works a whole lot better. Stopping being smart was one of the smartest things I’ve ever done.
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This is it. Not some other time, not some other place. Right here. Right now. I am standing at the exact center of infinity and I see beauty and perfection and absolute delight everywhere and in every thing. The touch of the slightest breeze, the sight of a single star through cloud-swept skies, the howls of coyote pups in the distance and the sheer glory and beauty of it all is enough to tear me to shreds and all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you
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Truth isn’t an idea or a concept. It’s not in libraries or the words of sages. It doesn’t come in a flash of insight or a peak experience. It’s not a feeling of bliss or ecstasy. It’s not a concept to be understood or a feeling to be experienced. It’s not in your heart or your mind. It’s further.
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Spiritual awakening is about discovering what’s true. Anything that’s not about getting to the truth must be discarded. Truth isn’t about knowing things; you already know too much. It’s about unknowing. It’s not about becoming true; it’s about unbecoming false so that all that’s left is truth.
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No belief is true. No. Belief. Is. True.
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One millionth of one percent false is completely false. Everything in duality is false. False as in not true. Not true as in bullshit.
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This isn’t a song we’re singing or a mountain we’re climbing; it’s a dream we’re unweaving.
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Living Unbound Jed McKenna Videos Playlist – 11 Videos, Total
West Virginia is a beautiful, mountainous state in the Appalachian Mountains of the Eastern United States. To say that West Virginia is not internationally-known as a hotbed of leading Living Unbound-related wisdom would be a bit of an understatement. This may be changing soon.
The following quotes are from Nandhi, a yogi from the South Indian Siddhar tradition. These are inspirational words he is sharing with us, to help us all in enjoying Living Unbound, in reality. Thank you, Nandhi for sharing your beautiful wisdom with us.
Climbing above the mind is yoga; to be the multiple reality as oneness is the yogi. Awake to the knowing, realities ascend consciousness to the peak, to simply Be. AUM
The ancient bridge of source and mind is grace flowing as the sacred, to Be. The bridge dissolves in oneness to be the momentum of intent, knowing purpose. AUM
The mind clear as sky to be the universe within, and the vast void beyond the mind as awareness; to be oneness, and the many as one, each thought aligned. AUM
Past burnt to acquire the infinite now, each thought flows empowered of source, merging all thoughts to the thought of One, become Oneness, the sacred One. AUM
Within is the vastness of space that is void filled in the presence as light of oneness; expanded consciousness as the vibrant light, the bliss being be. AUM
Celebrating divinity through each yogic posture as breath, wisdom is tranquility worshipped and the journey to be a light; bliss the awake guide to being. AUM
Merging thoughts to be womb space of void, celebrate realms of all sages, the ancient soul awake to being the celebrated Siva, whirl within breath to be. AUM
Breath, nada and awareness as bhakti fire ascends to the calm third eye perch of the vibrant flame. Yogic grace calms the fire to stillness, delving to Be. AUM
Within breath through yoga is the guru, the ancient presence beyond breath. Aligning silent wisdom with the intellectual offerings, we alight to be bliss! AUM
Each sheath of consciousness pierced, Kundalini climbs as consciousness awakening to dissolve senses into the inner fire of tapas, to be the bliss body. AUM
Propelling the mind to embark on its inner journey, each sheath of consciousness as gratitude to be absorbed through breath surrender, inner fire awakening. AUM
The throb within the atom is the vibrant awareness of the AUM that is also the vast space that holds universes, expanding consciousness to be; simply be! AUM
Our yoga is the lightness that dwells as light. Consciousness flows empowering each thought as ancient intent of all sages to be our now; as grace that alights! AUM
Awakening to each magical moment, time, matter and space converge to the root of thought. In bliss reality, each thought manifests the now. AUM
Celebrating silence with each thought merged with the mantra fire is the enlightened realm. Conscious samadhi is fullness that celebrates void through each breath. AUM
The word ‘freedom’ is most used by poets of every language spoken on planet earth. Above the mind’s rooftop is ananda, wisdom to be; prophet, as joy; ananda! AUM
Alight as the inner music where the mind and breath has merged, the awake joy transcends the mind as the fire of knowing and the surrender. AUM
Scriptures are for altars and not rules to be followed. The sum total of all scriptures written by humans through all ages weighs less than source that is the now. Scriptures guide to higher conscious truth and higher consciousness is independent of need for scriptures.
Stillness and the vibrant stillness of being is fulfilling fire that has the light of knowing and the warmth of inspiration as the sun lit within; So be. AUM
Ascending states of consciousness above the mind is oneness and celebrations of vibrant joys that empower the mind to seek more of cosmic union; so to be. AUM
Beyond sleep and tiredness is the primal grace of inspiration. Beyond being awake is the knowing. Beyond focus is to simply Be. Each breath the breathless Be. AUM
Living Unbound, the Freedom Beyond Imagination of our inherently fulfilled consciousness, aka spirituality, is for all of us, regardless of our religion or spiritual tradition, or our lack of one, or even lack of any previous inclination toward spirituality. Spiritual practices (prayer, meditation, devotional chanting and singing, directed breathing, contemplation, etc.) are universal practices, with millenia of proven effectiveness in facilitating Living Unbound. The effectiveness of these practices is now being verified by recent advancements in the ability of science to measure changes that take place in the brain, and therefore in our overall experience. Spiritual practices are to Living Unbound as diet and exercise are to physical health. Anyone who engages in effective, related activities, gets effective, related results.
“Yoga is not about belief; yoga is about practice.”
~Jesus Christ (~Matthew 11:30), with updated translation as noted, below.
Below, please find a Living Unbound video playlist, which showcases the reality that spirituality, and spiritual practices are for us all. The first video features some brief yet profound comments by “Silicon Valley’s resident enlightened guy”, Adyashanti (originally Steve Gray).
Note On Translation Of Matthew 11:30: The English Yoke derives from the Greek Zeugam, which derives from the Sanskrit Yugam, which is a verb meaning “to join”, so the English, Greek and Sanskrit terms are essentially identical. The modification isn’t intended to imply any endorsement by Jesus Christ of anything related to yoga, as that term is used in current times, but rather to highlight the universality of teachings related to spiritual union.
“Enlightenment is an ordinary life lived in an extraordinary way!”
“Bliss is like a breeze. As long as you have your hands open, you can feel it flow. Once you try to possess it, it moves away from you!”
“First bring a smile on your face, then let that smile overflow and bring smile on others face, else in the name of service you will only be imposing your ego on others. “
“Pick flowers from all the gardens and make a beautiful bouquet for yourself!”
“Guilt is the greatest sin. If you constantly think about the past and feel guilty, you destroy your present and your future, too. You are designed to move like a freely flowing river. Guilt is like the rocks in the path of the water. Guilt is actually the shadow of the ego.Only when you drop your guilt, only when you are free from the past, will you have enough energy to change your future. As long as you carry the guilt, you will project only your past into the future.”
“Nothing Can Make You Suffer, Without Your Silent Permission.”
“I’m Not here to prove i’m God. I’m here to prove YOU are God.”
“Never turn to a Master for security for that is one thing he will never give you. He throws you upon the utter insecurity of Life because those who have nothing else find God.”
“There is an extraordinary potential hidden inside every human being. If it is awakened it will take you to a much higher plane of consciousness – beyond the limitations of the human body-mind. Experience this super-consciousness, actualize your ultimate potential. This is the only aim of human life – to live the ultimate luxury of enlightenment.”
Living Unbound and the way to Living Unbound have always been here; the misunderstandings of ego-mind simply distorted the original teachings.
Ego is confused about love because ego feels partial and unwhole; love isn’t about filling gaps; love is about radiating the wholeness we each and all actually are now.
Living Unbound
The way to Living Unbound is less like climbing a mountain and more like melting.
When you’re drowning, you can’t save others from drowning; waking up is really the only option.
Love
When in doubt, love.
When not in doubt, love.
Love isn’t the greatest power; Love is the only power.
Love isn’t an emotion; Love is the reality of the freedom of loving all as unbound awareness.
Love is very simple, really; love is that which is uplifting for all involved, in any moment.
Love is reality; only the mistaken ideas called ego are confused about love.
Ego is confused about love because ego feels partial and incomplete; love isn’t about completing our misplaced ideas of our self; love is about radiating the unity that is reality, about loving our neighbor as our self.
Presence is loving, loving is creating; creating is living unbound.
Stop thinking, start loving.
So many of us have it exactly backwards; Love is found by giving it, not by getting and keeping our ideas of it.
Mind
Mind is a sense, not a self.
Thinking mind is a cutting instrument; it cuts, divides, decides.
Thinking is not conscious; thinking is a reaction.
Drop all ideas.
Just jump in.
Judging you lose; loving, we all win.
God is bigger than your ideas.
God is infinitely bigger than someone else’s ideas.
You can’t be bound, you can only think bound.
All evaluation is obscuring inherent liberation; we can’t get freedom; Living Unbound is not an object; we are Living, Unbound.
Ideas are the problem, they have nothing to do with the solution.
Isolation is a state of mind; connection is reality.
There’s nothing to figure out; there’s only living-releasing.
Thinking doesn’t make time real; every moment is a new universe.
Reacting to limited thoughts about limited life is letting the song play you.
Reality
Living Unbound is real; Living Unbound is all that’s real.
Living Unbound is this that we each and all always actually are, now.
You can’t be bound, you can only think bound.
There is only this happening; all else is an artificial concept obscuring the undistorted experiencing of this happening.
This is all.
In reality, there’s only Living Unbound.
Religion
Everything defined as major sin, by any religion, has one basic component: it reinforces the fictitious idea of a separate self.
There is no conflict between science and religion; there is only conflict between misunderstanding about science and misunderstanding about religion.
Living Unbound and the way to Living Unbound have always been here; the misunderstanding of ego-mind simply distorted the original teachings.
Like the middle piece of a jigsaw puzzle uniting two other pieces that don’t inherently fit together, the Unity of Knowing is the bridge uniting Unbound Awareness with the forms of Living Harmony.
God is bigger than your ideas.
God is infinitely bigger than someone else’s ideas.
Time
There is only now; anything else is a form held actively or latently in mind, now.
The term “now” is a limitation of language; there is only the actuality, flowing.
Sages of every discipline have recognized hints of Living Unbound; every scientific and spiritual discipline has those unique few who are willing to dive into the depths of experience and the replicable results of experimentation for all answers, no matter what the cost.
Thinking doesn’t make time real; every moment is a new universe.
