A friend invited Texas Buddha to hear Guru Chohan Chhala who claims to channel the ascended masters and to lead his followers to a higher plane of consciousness. TB politely declined.
“I thought you had an open mind,” the friend responded, “Guru Chhala has been known to levitate and perform other miracles.”
“My practice is quite different,” responded Texas Buddha. “I do not seek to levitate. I practice so I can come down to earth. Life is the only miracle I need.”
“But Guru Chhala has reached the seventh level of enlightenment. Don’t you wish for higher consciousness?”
Texas Buddha slowly shook his head. “Those who seek higher consciousness or esoteric secrets are like foolish kittens climbing a tree. In their giddy pursuit of height they do not realize how far they are removing themselves from their true habitat. They only realize their plight when they cannot get back down to anything that really matters in their everyday lives.”
Jim, the message in this post seems contrary to what I normally hear from you, which is more like, ” A sign one doesn’t get it is when he thinks he has it.” 4/18/13–09:22 CDT
Bob, When I wrote this piece I was thinking of the story of Buddha touching the earth. Buddha refused to talk about angels and devils and such things and called people back to awareness. I understand the point of the Texas Buddha story to be that religion that leads us away from our ordinary experience and into esoteric realms may uproot us from the life we can actually live. Do you see that message as problematic?
Jim,
I see your point, and I think it’s easy to miss in the story for me because, at the moment, I’m wrestling with something else the story might infer. I think we must not confuse the “fires of home” with the “call of the wild.” The former imprisons us in comfortable safety, while the latter resonates with who we are. Kittens must grow up, and the time comes to climb the tree and hunt, as we were made to do. 18:48CDT, 4/19/13
Bab,
I appreciate your thoughts. Do you mind saying more about what you mean by “fires of home?”
Jim
Jim,
One could think of it as where we are welcome and comfortable; where we grew up; the familiar; that culture, family and “faith” into which we were born and that would hold us and encourage us to stay, not wander or search or explore. The fire is the warmth and light that draws us like insects buzzing around a flame. 4/20/13–07:57 CDT
Okay, thank you Bob. My first image when you said “fires of home” was of a burning house. I get the right image now- like the fireplace the family gathers around. You are thoughtful as always.