Interview with Bernadette Roberts

Eintrag aus dem Ken Wilber Forum vom 08.10.2004 http://lightgate.net/boards/ Reprinted ith permission !rom the boo" #imeless $isions% &ealing $oi'es% 'op(right 1))1 b( *tephan +odian , .stephanbodian.org-. .n this e/'lusive intervie ith *tephan +odian% ,published in the 0ov/1e' 1)82 issue o! 3456 748R069-% author +ernadette Roberts des'ribes the path o! the :hristian 'ontemplative a!ter the e/perien'e o! oneness ith 5od. +ernadette Roberts is the author o! t o e/traordinar( boo"s on the :hristian 'nontemplative ;ourne(% #he E/perien'e o! 0o<*el! ,*hambhala% 1)82- and #he =ath to 0o<*el! ,*hambala% 1)8>-. 6 'loistered nun !or nine (ears% Roberts reports that she returned to the orld a!ter e/perien'ing the ?unitive state?% the state o! oneness ith 5od% in order to share hat she had learned and to ta"e on the problems and e/perien'e o! others. .n the (ears that !ollo ed she 'ompleted a graduate degree in edu'ation% married% raised !our 'hildren% and taught at the pre<s'hool% high s'hool% and ;unior 'ollege levels@ at the same time she 'ontinued her 'ontempative pra'ti'e. #hen% Auite une/pe'tedl(% some 20 (ears a!ter leaving the 'onvent% Roberts reportedl( e/perien'ed the dropping a a( o! the unitive state itsel! and 'ame upon hat she 'alls ?the e/perien'e o! no<sel!? < an e/perien'e !or hi'h the :hristian literature% she sa(s% gave her no 'lear road maps or guideposts. &er boo"s% hi'h 'ombine !as'inating 'hroni'les o! her o n e/perien'es ith detailed maps o! the 'ontemplative terrain% and her attempt to provide su'h guideposts !or those ho might !ollo a!ter her. 0o >>% and on'e again living in 9os 6ngeles% here she as born and raised% Roberts 'hara'teriBes hersel! as a ?bag lad(? hose sister and brother in la are ?"eeping her o!! the streets?. ?. 'ame into this orld ith nothing%? she rites% ?and . leave ith nothing. +ut in bet een . lived !ull( < had all the e/perien'es% stret'hed the limits% and too" one t o man( 'han'es?. When . approa'hed her !or an intervie % Roberts as relu'tant at !irst% protesting that others ho had tried had distorted her meaning% and that nothing had 'ome o! it in the end. .nstead o! a live intervie % she suggested% h( not send her a list o! Auestions to hi'h she ould respond in riting% thereb( eliminating all possibilit( !or misunderstanding. 6s a result% . never got to meet +ernadette Roberts !a'e to !a'e < but her ans ers to m( Auestions% hi'h are as 'are!ull( 'ra!ted and as deepl( 'onsidered as her boo"s% are a remar"able testament to the po er o! 'ontemplation.

Stephan: :ould (ou tal" brie!l( about the !irst three stages o! the :hristian 'ontemplative li!e as (ou e/perien'ed them < in parti'ular% hat (ou ,and others- have 'alled the unitive stateC Bernadette: *tri'tl( spea"ing% the terms ?purgative?% ?illuminative?% and ?unitive? ,o!ten used o! the 'ontemplative path- do not re!er to dis'rete stages% but to a a( o! travel here ?letting go?% ?insight?% and ?union?% de!ine the ma;or e/perien'es o! the ;ourne(. #o illustrate the 'ontinuum% authors 'one up ith various stages% depending on the 'riteria the( are using. *t.#eresa% !or e/ample% divided the path into seven stages or ?mansions?. +ut . donDt thin" e should get lo'"ed into an( stage theor(: it is al a(s someone elseDs retrospe'tive vie o! his or her o n ;ourne(% hi'h ma( not in'lude our o n e/perien'es or insights. 4ur obligation is to be true to our o n insights% our o n inner light.

E( vie o! hat some authors 'all the ?unitive stage?is that it begins ith the 1ar" 0ight o! the *pirit% or the onset o! the trans!ormational pro'ess < hen the larva enters the 'o'oon% so to spea". 8p to this point% e are a'tivel( re!orming ourselves% doing hat e 'an to bring about an abiding union ith the divine. +ut at a 'ertain point% hen e have done all e 'an% the divine steps in and ta"es over. #he trans!orming pro'ess is a divine undoing and redoing that 'ulminates in hat is 'alled the state o! ?trans!orming union? or ?m(sti'al marriage?% 'onsidered to be the de!initive state !or the :hristian 'ontemplative. .n e/perien'e% the onset o! this pro'ess is the des'ent o! the 'loud o! un"no ing% hi'h% be'ause his !ormer light had gone out and le!t him in dar"ness% the 'ontemplative initial( interprets as the divine gone into hiding. .n modern terms% the des'ent o! the 'loud is a'tuall( the !alling a a( o! the ego< 'enter% hi'h leaves us loo"ing into a dar" hole% a void or empt( spa'e in ourselves. Without the veil o! the ego<'enter% e do not re'ogniBe the divine@ it is not as e thought it should be. *eeing the divine% e(e to e(e is a realit( that shatters our e/pe'tations o! light and bliss. From here on e must !eel our a( in the dar"% and the spe'ial e(e that allo s us to see in the dar" opens up at this time. *o here begins our ;ourne( to the true 'enter% the botton<most% innermost ?point? in ourselves here our li!e and being runs into divine li!e and being < the point at hi'h all e/isten'e 'omes together. #his 'enter 'an be 'ompared to a 'oin: on the near side is our sel!% on the !ar side is the divine. 4ne side is not the other side% (et e 'annot separate the t o sides. .! e tried to do so% e ould either end up ith another side% or the hole 'oin ould 'ollapse% leaving no 'enter at all < no sel! and no divine. We 'all this a state o! oneness or union be'ause the single 'enter has t o sides% ithout hi'h there ould be nothing to be one% united% or non<dual. *u'h% at least% is the e/periential realit( o! the state o! trans!orning union% the state o! oneness. Stephan: &o did (ou dis'over the !urther stage% hi'h (ou 'all the e/perien'e o! no<sel!C Bernadette: #hat o''urred une/pe'tedl( some 2> (ears a!ter the trans!orming pro'ess. #he divine 'enter < the 'oin% or ?true sel!? < suddenl( disappeared% and ithout 'enter or 'ir'um!eren'e there is no sel!% and no divine. 4ur sub;e'tive li!e o! e/perien'e is over < the passage is !inished. . had never heard o! su'h a possibilit( or happening. 4bviousl( there is !ar more to the elusive e/perien'e e 'all sel! than ;ust the ego. #he parado/ o! our passage is that e reall( do not "no hat sel! or 'ons'iousness is% so long as e are living it% or are it. #he true nature o! sel! 'an onl( be !ull( dis'losed hen it is gone% hen there is no sel!. 4ne out'ome% then% o! the no<sel! e/perien'e is the dis'losure o! the true nature o! sel! or 'ons'iousness. 6s it turns out% sel! is the entire s(stem o! 'ons'iousness% !rom the un'ons'ious to 5od<'ons'iousness% the entire dimension o! human "no ledge and !eeling<e/perien'e. +e'ause the terms ?sel!? and ?'ons'iousness? e/press the same e/perien'es ,nothing 'an be said o! one that 'annot be said o! the other-% the( are onl( de!inable in the terms o! ?e/perien'e?. Ever( other de!inition is 'on;e'ture and spe'ulation. 0o<sel!% then% means no<'ons'iousness. .! this is sho'"ing to some people% it is onl( be'ause the( do not "no the true nature o! 'ons'iousness. *ometimes e get so 'aught up in the 'ontent o!'ons'iousness% e !orget that 'ons'iousness is also a somati' !un'tion o! the ph(si'al bod(% and% li"e ever( su'h !un'tion% it is not eternal. =erhaps e ould do better sear'hing !or the divine in our bodies than amid the 'ontent and e/perien'e o! 'ons'iousness. Stephan: &o does one move !rom ?trans!orming union? to the e/perien'e o! no<sel!C What is the path li"eC Bernadette: We 'an onl( see a path in retrospe't. 4n'e e 'ome to the state o! oneness% e 'an go no !urther ith the in ard ;ourne(. #he divine 'enter is the innermost ?point?% be(ond hi'h e

'annot go at this time. &aving rea'hed this point% the movement o! our ;ourne( turns around and begins to move out ard < the 'enter is e/panding out ard. #o see ho this or"s% imagine sel!% or 'ons'iousness% as a 'ir'ular pie'e o! paper. #he initial 'enter is the ego% the parti'ular energ( e 'all ? ill? or volitional !a'ult(% hi'h 'an either be turned out ard% to ard itse!% or in ard% to ard the divine ground% hi'h underlies the 'enter o! the paper. When% !rom our side o! 'ons'iousness% e 'an do no more to rea'h this ground% the divine ta"es the initiative and brea"s through the 'enter% shattering the ego li"e an arro shot through the 'enter o! being. #he result is a dar" hole in ourselves and the !eeling o! terrible void and emptiness. #his brea"through demands a restru'turing or 'hange o! 'ons'iousness% and this 'hange is the true nature o! the trans!orming pro'ess. 6lthough this trans!ormation 'ulminates in true human maturit(% it is not manDs !inal state. #he hole purpose o! oneness is to move us on to a more !inal state. #o understand hat happens ne/t% e have to "eep 'utting larger holes in the paper% e/panding the 'enter until onl( the barest rim or 'ir'um!eren'e remains. 4ne more e/pansion o! the divine 'enter% and the boundaries o! 'ons'iousness or sel! !all a a(. From this illustration e 'an see ho the ultimate !ul!illment o! 'ons'iousness% or sel!% is no<'ons'iousness% or no<sel!. #he path !rom oneness to no<oneness is an egoless one and is there!ore devoid o! ego<satis!a'tion. 1espite the un'hanging 'enter o! pea'e and ;o(% the events o! li!e ma( not be pea'e!ul or ;o(!ul at all. With no ego<grati!i'ation at the 'enter and no divine ;o( on the sur!a'e% this part o! the ;ourne( is not eas(. &eroi' a'ts o! sel!lessness are reAuired to 'ome to the end o! sel!% a'ts 'omparable to 'utting ever< larger holes in the paper < a'ts% that is% that bring no return to the sel! hatsoever. #he ma;or tempation to be over'ome in this period is the temptation to !all !or one o! the subtle but po er!ul ar'het(pes o! the 'olle'tive 'ons'iousness. 6s . see it% in the trans!orming pro'ess e onl( 'ome to terms ith the ar'het(pes o! the personal un'ons'ious@ the ar'het(pes o! the 'olle'tive 'ons'iousness are reserved !or individuals in the state o! oneness% be'ause those ar'het(pes are po ers or energies o! that state. 7ung !elt that these ar'het(pes ere unlimited@ but in !a't% there is onl( one true ar'het(pe% and that ar'ht(pe is sel!. What is unlimited are the various mas"s or roles sel! is tempted to pla( in the state o! oneness < savior% prophet% healer% mart(r% Eother Earth% (ou name it. #he( are all temptations to seiBe po er !or ourselves% to thin" ourselves to be hatever the mas" or role ma( be. .n the state o! oneness% both :hrist and +uddha ere tempted in this manner% but the( held to the ?ground? that the( "ne to be devoid o! all su'h energies. #his ground is a ?stillpoint?% not a moving energ(<point. 8nmas"ing these energies% seeing them as ruses o! the sel!% is the parti'ular tas" to be a''omplished or hurdle to be over'ome in the state o! oneness. We 'annot 'ome to the ending o! sel! until e have !inall( seen through these ar'het(pes and 'an no longer be moved b( an( o! them. *o the path !rom oneness to no<oneness is a li!e that is 'hoi'elessl( devoid o! ego<satis!a'tion@ a li!e o! unmas"ing the energies o! sel! and all the divine roles it is tempted to pla(. .t is hard to 'all this li!e a ?path?% (et it is the onl( a( to get to the end o! our ;ourne(. Stephan: .n the 'Experience of No-Self' (ou tal" at great length about (our e/perien'e o! the dropping a a( or loss o! sel!. :ould (ou brie!l( des'ribe this e/perien'e and the events that led up to it. . as parti'ularl( stru'" b( (our statement ?. realiBed . no longer had a D ithinD at all?. For so man( o! us% the spiritual li!e is e/perien'ed as an ?inner li!e? < (et the great saints and sages have tal"ed about going be(ond an( sense o! in ardness. Bernadette: 3our observation stri"es me as parti'ularl( astute@ most people miss the point. 3ou have a'tuall( put (our !inger on the "e( !a'tor that distinguishes bet een the state o! oneness and the state o! no<oneness% bet een sel! and no<sel!. *o long as sel! remains% there ill al a(s be a ?'enter?. Fe people realiBe that not onl( is the 'enter responsible !or their interior e/perien'es o!

energ(% emotion% and !eeling% but also% underl(ing these% the 'enter is our 'ontinuous% m(sterious e/perien'e o! ?li!e?and ?being?. +e'ause this e/perien'e is more pervasive than our other e/perien'es% e ma( not thin" o! ?li!e? and ?being? as an interior e/perien'e. Even in the state o! oneness% e tend to !orget that our e/perien'e o! ?being? originates in the divine 'enter% here it is one ith divine li!e and being. We have be'ome so used to living !rom this 'enter that e !eel no need to remember it% to mentall( !o'us on it% loo" ithin% or even thin" about it. 1espite this !a't% ho ever% the 'enter remains@ it is the epi'enter o! our e/perien'e o! li!e and being% hi'h gives rise to our e/periential energies and various !eelings. .! this 'enter suddenl( dissolves and disappears% the e/peren'es o! li!e% being% energ(% !eeling and so on 'ome to an end% be'ause there is no ? ithin? an( more. 6nd ithout a ? ithin?% there is no sub;e'tive% ps('hologi'al% or spiritual li!e remaining < no e/perien'e o! li!e at all. 4ur sub;e'ive li!e is over and done ith. +ut no % ithout 'enter and 'ir'um!eren'e% here is the divineC #o get hold o! this situation% imagine 'ons'iousness as a balloon !illed ith% and suspended in divine air. #he balloon e/perien'es the divine as immanent% ?in? itsel!% as ell as trans'endent% be(ond or outside itsel!. #his is the e/perien'e o! the divine in ourselves and ourselves in the divine@ in the state o! oneness% :hrist is o!ten seen as the balloon ,ourselves-% 'ompleting this trinitarian e/perien'e. +ut hat ma"es this hole e/perien'e possible < the divine as both immanent and trans'endent < is obviousl( the balloon% ie% 'ons'iousness or sel!. :ons'iousness sets up the divisions o! ithin and ithout% spirit and matter% bod( and soul% immanent and trans'endent@ in !a't% 'ons'iousness is responsible !or ever( division e "no o!. +ut hat i! e pop the balloon < or better% 'ause it to vanish li"e a bubble that leaves no residue. 6ll that remains is divine air. #here is no divine in an(thing% there is no divine trans'enden'e or be(ond an(thing% nor is the divine an(thing. We 'annot point to an(thing or an(one and sa(% ?#his or that is divine?. *o the divine is all < all but 'ons'iousness or sel!% hi'h 'reated the division in the !irst pla'e. 6s long as 'ons'iousness remains ho ever% it does not hide the divine% nor is it ever separated !rom it. .n :hristian terms% the divine "no n to 'ons'iousness and e/perien'ed b( it as immanent and trans'endent is 'alled 5od@ the divine as it e/ists prior to 'ons'iousness and a!ter 'ons'iousness is gone is 'alled 5odhead. 4bviousl(% hat a''ounts !or the di!!eren'e bet een 5od and 5odhead is the balloon or bubble < sel! or 'ons'iousness. 6s long as an( sub;e'tive sel! remains% a 'enter remains@ and so% too% does the sense o! interiorit(. Stephan: 3ou mention that% ith the loss o! the personal sel!% the personal 5od drops a a( as ell. .s the personal 5od% then% a transitional !igure in our sear'h !or ultimate loss o! sel!. Bernadette: *ometimes e !orget that e 'annot put our !inger on an( thing or an( e/perien'e that is not transitional. *in'e 'ons'iousness% sel!% or sub;e't is the human !a'ult( !or e/perien'ing the divine% ever( su'h e/perien'e is personall( sub;e'tive@ thus in m( vie % ?personal 5od? is an( sub;e'tive e/perien'e o! the divine. Without a personal% sub;e'tive sel!% e 'ould not even spea" o! an impersonal% no<sub;e'tive 5od@ one is ;ust relative to the other. +e!ore 'ons'iousness or sel! e/isted% ho ever% the divine as neither personal nor impersonal% sub;e'tive nor non<sub;e'tive < and so the divine remains hen sel! or 'ons'iousness has dropped a a(. :ons'iousness b( its ver( nature tends to ma"e the divine into its o n image and li"eness@ the onl( problem is% the divine has no image or li"eness. hen'e 'ons'iousness% o! itsel!% 'annot trul( apprehend the divine. :hristians ,:atholi's espe'iall(- are o!ten blamed !or being the great image

ma"ers% (et their images are so obviousl( naive and eas( to see through% e o!ten miss the more subtle% !ormless images b( hi'h 'ons'iousness !ashions the divine. For e/ample% be'ause the divine is a sub;e'tive e/perien'e% e thin" the divine is a sub;e't@ be'ause e e/perien'e the divine through the !a'ulties o! 'ons'iousness% ill% and intelle't% e thin" the divne is eAuall( 'ons'iousness% ill and intelle't@ be'ause e e/perien'e ourselves as a being or entit(% e e/perien'e the divine as a being or entit(@ be'ause e ;udge others% e thin" the divine ;udges others@ and so on. :arr(ing a hol( 'ard in our po'"ets is tame 'ompared to the !ormless notions e 'arr( around in our minds@ it is eas( to let go o! an image% but almost impossible to uproot our intelletual 'onvi'tions based on the e/perien'es o! 'ons'iousness. *till% i! e a'tuall( "ne the unbridgeable 'hasm that lies bet een the true nature o! 'ons'iousness or sel! and the true nature o! the divine% e ould despair o! ever ma"ing the ;ourne(. *o 'ons'iousness is the marvelous divine invention b( hi'h human beings ma"e the ;ourne( in sub;e'tive 'ompanionship ith the divine@ and% li"e ever( divine invention% it or"s. :ons'iousness both hides the 'hasm and bridges it < and hen e have 'rossed over% o! 'ourse% e do not need the bridge an( more. *o it doesnDt matter that e start out on our ;ourne( ith our hol( 'ards% gongs and bells% sa'red boo"s and religious !eelings. 6ll o! it should lead to gro th and trans!ormation% the ultimate surrender o! our images and 'on'epts% and a li!e o! sel!less giving. When ther is nothing le!t to surrender% nothing le!t to give% onl( then 'an e 'ome to the end o! the passage < the ending o! 'ons'iousness and its personall( sub;e'tive 5od. 4ne glimpse o! the 5odhead% and no one ould ant 5od ba'". Stephan: &o does the path to no<sel! in the :hristian 'ontemplative tradition di!!er !rom the path as laid out in the &indu and +uddhist traditionsC Bernadette: . thin" it ma( be too late !or me to ever have a good understanding o! ho other religions ma"e this passage. .! (ou are not surrendering (our hole being% (our ver( 'ons'iousness% to a loved and trusted personal 5od% then hat are (ou surrendering it toC 4r h( surrender it at allC 9oss o! ego% loss o! sel!% is ;ust a b(<produ't o! this surrrender@ it is not the true goal% not an end in itsel!. =erhaps this is also the vie o! Eaha(ana +uddhism% here the goal is to save all sentient beings !rom su!!ering% and here loss o! ego% loss o! sel!% is seen as a means to a greater end. #his vie is ver( mu'h in "eeping ith the :hristian desire to save all souls. 6s . see it% ithout a personal 5od% the +uddhist must have a mu'h stronger !aith in the ?un'onditioned and unbegotten? than is reAuired o! the :hristian 'ontemplative% ho e/perien'es the passage as a divine doing% and in no a( a sel!<doing. 6'tuall(% . met up ith +uddhism onl( at the end o! m( ;ourne(% a!ter the no<sel! e/perien'e. *in'e . "ne that this e/perien'e as not arti'ulated in our 'ontemplative literature% . ent to the librar( to see is it 'ould be !ound in the Eastern Religions. .t did not ta"e me long to realiBe that . ould not !ind it in the &indu tradition% here% as . see it% the !inal state is eAuivalent to the :hristian e/perien'e o! oneness or trans!orming union. .! a &indu had hat . 'all the no<sel! e/perien'e% it ould be the sudden% une/pe'ted disappearan'e o! the 6tman<+rahman% the divine *el! in the ?'ave o! the heart?% and the disappearan'e o! the 'ave as ell. .t ould be the ending o! 5od< 'ons'iousness% or trans'endental 'ons'iousness < that seemingl( bottomless e/perien'e o! ?being?% ?'ons'iousness?% and ?bliss? that arti'ulates the state o! oneness. to regard this ending as the !alling a a( o! the ego is a grave error@ ego must !all a a( be!ore the state o! oneness 'an be realiBed. #he no<sel! e/perien'e is the !alling a a( o! this previousl( realiBed trans'endent state. .nitiall(% hen . loo"ed into +uddhism% . did not !ind the e/perien'e o! no<sel! there either@ (et . intuited that it had to be there. #he !alling a a( o! the ego is 'ommon to both &induism and +uddhism. #here!ore% it ould not a''ount !or the !a't that +uddhism be'ame a separate religion% nor ould it a''ount !or the +uddhistDs insisten'e on no eternal *el! < be it divine% individual or the

t o in one. . !elt that the "e( di!!eren'e bet een these t o religions as the no<sel! e/perien'e% the !alling a a( o! the true *el!% 6tman<+rahman. 8n!ortunatel(% hat most +uddhist authors de!ine as the no<sel! e/perien'e is a'tuall( the no<ego e/perien'e. #he 'essation o! 'linging% 'raving% desire% the passions% et'.% and the ensuing state o! imperturbable pea'e and ;o( arti'ulates the egoless state o! oneness@ it does not% ho ever% arti'ulate the no<sel! e/perien'e or the dimension be(ond. 8nless e 'learl( distinguish bet een these t o ver( di!!erent e/perien'es% e onl( 'on!use them% ith the inevitable result that the true no<sel! e/perien'e be'omes lost. .! e thin" the !alling a a( o! the ego% ith its ensuing trans!ormation and oneness% is the no<sel! e/perien'e% then hat shall e 'all the mu'h !urther e/perien'e hen this egoless oneness !alls a a(C .n a'tual e/perien'e there is onl( one thing to 'all it% the ?no<sel! e/perien'e?@ it lends itsel! to no other possible arti'ulation. .nitiall( . gave up loo"ing !or this e/perien'e in the +uddhist literature. Four (ears later% ho ever% . 'ame a'ross t o lines attributed to +uddha des'ribing his enlightenment e/perien'e. Re!erring to sel! as a house% he said% ?6ll th( ra!ters are bro"en no % the ridgepole is destro(ed?. and there it as < the disappearan'e o! the 'enter% the ridgepole@ ithout it% there 'an be no house% no sel!. When . read these lines% it as as i! an arro laun'hed at the beginning o! time had suddenl( hit a bulls<e(e. .t as a remar"able !ind. #hese lines are not a pie'e o! philosoph(% but an e/periential a''ount% and ithout the e/periential a''ount e reall( have nothing to go on. .n the same verse he sa(s% ?6gain a house thou shall not build?% 'learl( distinguishing this e/perien'e !rom the !alling a a( o! the ego<'enter% a!ter hi'h a ne % trans!ormed sel! is built around a ?true 'enter?% a sturd(% balan'ed ridgepole. 6s a :hristian% . sa the no<sel! e/perien'e as the true nature o! :hristDs death% the movement be(ond even is oneness ith the divine% the movement !rom 5od to 5odhead. though not arti'ulated in 'ontemplative literature% :hrist dramatiBed this e/perien'e on the 'ross !or all ages to see and ponder. Where +uddha des'ribed the e/perien'e% :hrist mani!ested it ithout ords@ (et the( both ma"e the same statement and reveal the same truth < that ultimatel(% eternal li!e is be(ond sel! or 'ons'iousness. 6!ter one has seen it mani!ested or heard it said% the onl( thing le!t is to e/perien'e it. Stephan: 3ou mention in D#he =ath to 0o<*el!D that the unitive state is the ?true state in hi'h 5od intended ever( person to live his mature (ears?. 3et so !e o! us ever a'hieve this unitive state. What is it about the a( e live right no that prevents us !rom doing soC 1o (ou thin" it is our preo''upation ith material su''ess% te'hnolog(% and personal a''omplishmentC Bernadette: First o! all% . thin" there are more people in the state o! oneness than e realiBe. For ever(one e hear about there are thousands e ill never hear about. +elieving this state to be a rare a'hievement 'an be an impediment in itsel!. 8n!ortunatel(% those ho rite about it have a a( o! ma"ing it sound more e/traordinar( and bliss!ul that it 'ommonl( is% an so !alse e/pe'tations are another impediment < e "eep aiting and loo"ing !or an e/perien'e or state that never 'omes. +ut i! . had to put m( !inger on the primar( obsta'le% . ouls sa( it is having rong vie s o! the ;ourne(. =arado/i'al though it ma( seem% the passage through 'ons'iousness or sel! moves 'ontrar( to sel!% rubs it the rong a( < and in the end% ill even rub it out. +e'ause this passage goes against the grain o! sel!% it is% there!ore% a path o! su!!ering. +oth :hrist and +uddha sa the passage as one o! su!!ering% and basi'all( !ound identi'al a(s out. What the( dis'overed and revealed to us as that ea'h o! us has ithin himsel! or hersel! a ?stillpoint? < 'omparable% perhaps to the e(e o! a '('lone% a spot or 'enter o! 'alm% imperturbabilit(% and non<movement. +uddha arti'ulated this 'entral e(e in negative terms as ?emptiness? or ?void?% a re!uge !rom the s irling '('lone o! endless

su!!ering. :hrist arti'ulated the e(e in more positive terms as the ?Kingdom o! 5od? or the ?*pirit ithin?% a pla'e o! re!uge and salvation !rom a su!!ering sel!. For both o! them% the eas( out as !irst to !ind that stillpoint and then% b( atta'hing ourselves to it% b( be'oming one ith it% to !ind a stabiliBing% balan'ed an'hor in our lives. 6!ter that% the '('lone is graduall( dra into the e(e% and the su!!ering sel! 'omes to an end. 6nd hen there is no longer a '('lone% there is also no longer an e(e. *o the storms% 'rises% and su!!erings o! li!e are a a( o! !inding the e(e. When ever(thing is going our a(% e do not see the e(e% and e !eel no need to !ind it. +ut hen ever(thing is going against us% then e !ind the e(e. so the avoidan'e o! su!!ering and the desire to have ever(thing go our o n a( runs 'ontrar( to the hole movement o! our ;ourne(@ it is all a rong vie . With the right vie % ho ever% one should be able to 'ome to the state o! oneness in si/ or seven (ears < (ears not merel( o! su!!ering% but (ears o! enlightenment% !or right su!!ering is the essen'e o! enlightenment. +e'ause sel! is ever(oneDs e/perien'e underl(ing all 'ulture% . do not regard 'ultural rong vie s as an e/'use !or not sear'hing out right vie s. 6!ter all% ea'h pesonDs passage is his or her o n@ there is no su'h thing as a 'olle'tive passage.