Adyashanti Retires

[ItsNick]

I recently learned that Adyshanti is retiring. I also learned that apparently he has been struggling with chronic pain and PTSD.

I think it's very humbling to admit that, as long as you are human, you are not immune to the suffering of the human realm.
Here's a quote from the letter in which is talks about his retirement and his suffering:

Quote

I have started so many letters for Open Gate Sangha with, “My dear friends.” I do this because it’s the way I feel about all of you. And because I want to close any perceived distance or separation that results from the many projections that we spiritual teachers receive. Because at the end of the day, we are all not only timeless consciousness but also simply embodied human beings with all the strengths and vulnerabilities that come with human incarnation. Enlightenment is not about becoming superhuman, which is a persistent and damaging spiritual fantasy. It is about becoming authentic and real at the most fundamental level of our being. It just so happens that waking up and becoming authentic and real is no small task.

 

Here's the entire letter: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Retirement-Announcement.html?soid=1126600191855&aid=2-xCMqh-t-s

[Leo Gura]

PTSD from what?

But this is a good lesson. It's important for you guys to understand that the end of suffering is nonsense. More Buddhist bullshit.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Leo Gura

[Raze]

20 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

PTSD from what?

But this is a good lesson. It's important for you guys to understand that the end of suffering is nonsense. More Buddhist bullshit.

If it’s possible to reduce suffering why isn’t it theoretically possible to reduce it to the point of being non-existent?

[Leo Gura]

2 minutes ago, Raze said:

If it’s possible to reduce suffering why isn’t it theoretically possible to reduce it to the point of being non-existent?

Because the way you're reducing suffering is by setting up favorable life conditions.

Which you could lose at any time.

You'll understand when you lose your health. All your spiritual bullshit will fly out the window once you lose your health.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Leo Gura

[Raze]

Just now, Leo Gura said:

Because the way you're reducing suffering is by setting up favorable life conditions.

Which you could lose at any time.

But that’s false, you can reduce suffering even in hostile situations, Shinzen Young said he temporarily experienced 0 suffering while in extreme pain when he was studying zen and strong determination sitting.

[Leo Gura]

Just now, Raze said:

Shinzen Young said he temporarily experienced 0 suffering while in extreme pain when he was studying zen and strong determination sitting

This was just a temporary state. He can't keep that up for long.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Leo Gura

[Raze]

15 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

This was just a temporary state. He can't keep that up for long.

But theoretically it could be possible someone could. He also said his default experience of suffering is much less now.

[Danioover9000]

@Raze

3 minutes ago, Raze said:

But theoretically it could be possible someone could. He also said his default experience of suffering is much less now.

   Do you have evidence for some who can reduce their suffering to near zero, or zero? Have you been able to reduce suffering to near zero/zero?

[Wisebaxter]

Surely viewing a situation as good or bad is always a relative way of framing it and entirely dependent on the individual? I've heard Ralston say you can be suffering and still be happy about it, so it MUST be true  Saying this, every time I get a health scare (and there are many as I have crippling health anxiety) my life turns into a living nightmare. I do hold out hope though....listening to Meditations by Marcus Aurelius helps calm my nerves...so this is encouraging. 

@Leo Gura Regarding the PTSD Adya says it resulted from years of intense pain 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Wisebaxter

[Loveeee]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

PTSD from what?

But this is a good lesson. It's important for you guys to understand that the end of suffering is nonsense. More Buddhist bullshit.

Do you plan to get old and die like everyone else ? You don't seem to consider the possibility of manipulating the dream

I'm not talking small manipulations like healing, more like shifting

[Leo Gura]

I'm not gonna die, I'm gonna metamorphosize into an alien consciousness.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Leo Gura

[Hafiz]

All I’ve found is that Arya was at one point a pretty extreme cyclist, and maybe had a bad scrape or two that messed up his spine. Also maybe a strong allergic reaction.

I also know at one point half his face was dropping because of some disease. 
 

I will miss his guided meditations, some of them were so good, I purchased a bunch a few years back.

[Starlight321]

Do you know from what he's suffered?

You can suffer and still be happy if you are aware of the thoughts and feelings so that you are the space around but I think the harder you suffer the harder it is to stay that way or some sickness kills off your mindfulness.

For the feeling of pain itself it is from my experience very dependent on resistence and the degree of negativity up to a certain a degree of pain. It can be ok if you stay with the feeling and it can be very strong pain. But there are situations like when your feet are crushed and that goes for almost everyone out of the window except some rare cases of extreme surrender in a particular case but pain in other cases.

I think the diminishing of suffering to almost zero like the buddha (if he existed) was due to his lack of suffering and trauma in his years before seeking.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Starlight321

[Jodistrict]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

This was just a temporary state. He can't keep that up for long.

He did a sun dance, where you dance in the sun for 3 days, and then after, they put two knives in your breasts and hang you from a tree.    He has taught many HIV patients to live with pain.  

[Leo Gura]

@Jodistrict If I hit him in the head with a baseball bat he will suffer.

Just trust me on this one.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Leo Gura

[Loveeee]

11 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

I'm not gonna die, I'm gonna metamorphosize into an alien consciousness.

So you do plan to get old

You don't have an exit plan 

[Jodistrict]

5 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@Jodistrict If I hit him in the head with a baseball bat he will suffer.

Just trust me on this one.

I'm not sure about that.  When I was studying with him, he would go to the dentist and request no novocaine because he wanted to experience the delicious flavors of sensation.  

[Starlight321]

5 minutes ago, Jodistrict said:

I'm not sure about that.  When I was studying with him, he would go to the dentist and request no novocaine because he wanted to experience the delicious flavors of sensation.  

I don't think that this is comparable because the situation you mentioned is a very controlled situation but having a bigger accident and getting beaten up badly has a different flavour which would cause more resistance and put you in a lower state due to survival mode and it would be much harder ro catch your mind while you need your mind to figure out how to get out of there.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Starlight321

[BlessedLion]

I'm actually very surprised by this, I would think at that level you have trasncended pain and especially PTSD

[Leo Gura]

As I said, this is a good lesson for you guys.