Detachment

In the mysticism of Meister Eckhart, there is the idea of detachement, which along with the Birth, and the Breakthrough form a dialectic for attaining, or rather, realizing mystical union with the One. These three things then are to be experienced in unison, or simultaneously as we seek divine transcendence.

For now, we will focus on the first aspect of this, detachment.


What is detachment? What does it look like practically? And how do we attain to this state? Let's answer each question:

1. What is detachment?

The opposite of this word would be attachment, grasping onto things. So detachment would be the letting go of things, non-grasping. This concept is very similar, if not identical to the Buddhist doctrine of non-grasping. In Buddhism, to have desire, or attachment is to suffer, because it reifies you into the World of Suffering called samsara.

For us, samsara would be the consciousness of the natural, and particularly of that personal world of self-awareness. If we grasp onto our ego, or who we think we are in ourselves, then we become reified, reincarnated if you will into the delusional world, the Maya of our own making. Meaning that in our consciousness, instead of His Presence, and the awareness of the Spirit, we are conscious of the flesh, and of the natural. We thus operate under the natural man, that is the soul, our "i". This is a 'reincarnation' in its true meaning, not in terms of a literal re-birth, but a reifying into the consciousness of the flesh, the natural, and ego-dominated constructs.

2. What does detachment look like practically?

Disinterestedness, or indifference toward self. Doing things simply based on love of God, others, and the expression of God and His will in the moment. Not doing anything for the sake of self, or for self-interest. Charles G. Finney (of the 2nd Great Awakening of the 19th century in America) often spoke of disinterested benevolence, loving God and others without interest to self; holding the goodness and well-being of God, and of others as being of more value than yourself, choosing this as an ultimate end in life.

We may ask ourselves, "In what I'm doing, do I have any self-consciousness about it? Is there any thought of reward for self, or avoidance of punishment?" Is there any thought of, "What's in it for me?" Now, as highly thought of as charities are, and philanthropy is, still, if there's any consideration for 'self', then there is attachment, and the good deeds are done interestedly, that is in self interest, rather than disinterestedly.

Someone who is detached works in the present moment out of love to God and others, with no thought for self. If opportunity arises for self-gratification, there will be a repulsion of such temptation, because there is no desire to reify the flesh, and delusion through attachment to the things of this world.

Denial of self is a not looking down on yourself, it is not looking at yourself at all. This is the attitude of one who seeks detachment from the things of this world. But where is pleasure? Someone may ask. All pleasure is derived in and from God, from Whom all blessings flow.

3. How do we attain a state of detachment?

To be sure, this is no easy task in itself, especially in the beginning. And perhaps for most of us it will be a life-long venture to fully become detached. Remember, this is only one aspect of realization of that Oneness with the divine nature, but it is definitely necessary. Every belief system that teaches any kind of mystical union will stress some form of detachment.

We can view the 'how to' of detachment in at least 3 points: Daily circumstances, self-emptying, prayer and meditation.

1) Daily circumstances: The Holy Spirit works through our day-to-day circumstances to bring about the sanctifying work of abnegation. How does He do this? Through situations and dilemmas that go cross-grain against our psychic dispositions, selfishness and personal prejudices. Now many things the Holy Spirit targets are things that may be quite natural in the eyes of the world. Like pride in our talents, and abilities, pride in our personal accomplishments, etc. Also the things in our soul that are of the flesh, like jealousies, pride, hatred, envy, etc.

These circumstances are meant to 'break' our soulish man, or strike at our soul-life, which is like an outer encasement trapping in the human spirit, and its powerful life. When the Holy Spirit accomplishes this, He can flow out from us, and we won't spoil His work through our life quenching, selfishnesses as it manifests through our mind, will and emotions.

2) Self-emptying: This is where, as Jesus taught us, humble ourselves, to allow ourselves to fall on, and be broken on the Rock, Who is Christ, (instead of having the Rock fall on us, grinding us to powder ~ see Mt 21:44). Also, Scripture speaks of pouring out ourselves, that is, our souls, like water before His face (Lam 2:19). One is reminded of the woman with the alabaster box. She first had to break it before she could pour out the precious contents upon the Lord Jesus (Mk 14:3).

First, we discussed brokenness, particularly that which is affected by the operation of the Holy Spirit through our circumstances. We ourselves fall upon Him, whether motivated by revelation, or by the aforementioned circumstances, to be broken. Then, once we're broken before Him, that is, the hardness of the alabaster box of our soul has been broken, we then are able to pour our selves upon Him, thus losing our soul-life, our self upon His Head. Then as a result , what comes forth when our self is thus poured out, is the fragrance of our spirit-man, and the divine life thereof. And this holy fragrance benefits all who are in the house (Jn 12:3).

This self-emptying is accomplished by seeking Him with all our hearts, and by letting go, giving to Him, anything that we ourselves are inclined to grasp onto, whether legitimate or sinful. We pour it all out onto Him our Beloved Lord, as a libation, a drink offering.

3) Prayer and meditation: We see how all these ways of detaching are inter-related, and overlap. We already touched on prayer in this regard. But anyway, in our daily prayer life, and in meditation, we have opportunity to yield ourselves to Him, to let go.

In prayer and meditation, we quiet ourselves before Him, and this is not easy. We want to think, feel, and we have our own agendas in prayer, a "grocery list" if you will. This is O.K., and certainly He wants to hear our concerns, and issues. I'm not talking about methods of prayer or meditation right now, just the purposes thereof.

Quietness, stillness, just abiding in His Presence, focused on Him, and Him alone. Thinking? Well, we're not advocating "mindlessness", as this is not really possible in ourselves anyway, and its by no means the goal. The Chinese Taoist term, wu-hsi, no mind, doesn't mean not thinking, but a not thinking on purpose. We allow thoughts to come in and out of our mind as clouds drift to and fro in the sky. This should be as free and effortless as breathing itself. But it requires a letting go.

The less of us, the more of Him, just as John the Baptist said, He must increase, but I must decrease. Jn 3.30. Emptiness allows Him to fill us up with His Presence. But in order to empty ourselves we must first let go, this is detachment.

Buddhism and Christian Consciousness

I started reading a book today, Thomas Merton and Buddhism, part of the Thomas Merton series by Fons Vitae. Its going to be a fascinating read.
I've been interested, and have studied for a number of years Buddhist thought, especially as it pertains to esoteric, or mystical application. In this regard, I have often thought how can I apply what I've learned in a Christian context, or incorporate into my Christian consciousness.

The ultimate in Buddhist thought is the Buddha nature in all things, that which is either pure Mind, or pure Emptiness. Well, this isn't so far from the Godhead of Christianity, as properly conceptualized, though It be beyond all conceptualization.
The Essence. The One. That is a couple of titles for what is ineffable.

What approaches this in Buddhism is the Dharmakaya, or Body of Dharma, as the ultimate Buddha-body, equivalent to Nirvana. Dharmakaya is the utmost body of the Trikaya, or three bodies of the Buddha. Thus to experience this is to apprehend, to partake of the divine nature, as 2Pet 1:4 speaks of. There are two lower bodies: Samboghakaya- Body of Bliss, or Enjoyment Body, and Nirmanakaya- Body of Appearance, or Magic Body, or Body of Illusion. These may correspond to our imaginal, and physical experiences respectively. But I wonder...

Though Dharmakaya definitely corresponds to the divine Essence, or even the Father, would not also Samboghakaya correspond to the Son, hence the Logos, and Nirmanakaya correspond to the Holy Spirit, as He renews the manifestation of the Logos on the physical plane in terms of existentiation?

Therefore, as a Christian, I would contemplate this by direct perception, or through faith, striving until one's eyes were opened, on each person of the Trinity, until that each Person is known in terms of its relation to the Essence of deity, which is Ultimate Being, equivalent to the Emptiness, and Pure Nature of Mind, only attainable through enlightenment, that is to say, gnosis.

Thus to realize the Holy Spirit's role to produce and maintain, to renew our physical phenomenal body; to realize the Son's role as giving us access to the Bliss of divinity, and overcoming, triumphant living, and consciousness, dwelling in heavenly realms; and the Father's role in Essence, and Truth beyond all duality, and entification, a true place of whatlessness.

God, help us to strive to taste and see that you are good, and that we may partake of your divine nature in the exact measure that our faith is willing to go. Thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Apple Seed

Apple seed,
Planted tree
Highest branch,
distant sea
Forgotten hill,
deepened well

O come what may-
this idea conjured forth
The birth
The form
O the forgotten norm I cannot but see,
I cannot but know-

What is here but not found-
What is found but not known.



Leon

His Presence is Near

His Presence is near,

Can you hear His love song?
All along He was here,
Why did you fear as if He would not hear you call?

The fall is by working the law,
Sin begins to gnaw on your soul;
The hole, so dark and black,
Feel the lack of your power to act-
React to His drawing you to Himself.

The Self: let go of you,
And He will be He,
Then there is no need to try;
Die to your i,
Only be as He is He,
and you will be you:
And then you will fly.

Leon

The life that I now live

The apostle Paul said, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ who liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.- Ga 2.20.

What is the true ontological status of one who is a follower of Jesus Christ?

What is the ontological status of anyone, whether a follower or not?

For most people, even many believers, there's a false notion, a delusion that we somehow exist independently of God. Even if theologically they believe that we are contingent upon the Necessary Being, Who is God, they will nonetheless think and act as if they exist in and of themselves.

In the Islamic shahada the statement, La illaha illa Lla, There is no God but Allah, would be an agreeable doctrine to Christians in its affirmation of the monotheistic God, if properly understood. The Sufis took the Shahada to an ontological level, by saying Only God exists, or There is no being but the Being (or Allah). In Islam the ultimate sin, shirk, is to affirm another god besides Allah. Thus to affirm another existent, in the Sufi sense, would be to commit a kind of ontological polytheism, or shirk. So, too, for Christians, if we can believe this, to believe otherwise would be ontological idolatry, or philosophic polytheism to affirm that any other than God truly exists.
This should not seem strange to us, though admittedly hard to comprehend. For to believe it is one thing, but it demands a change of consciousness on our part to experience the Reality thereof.

To be sure, the Scriptures of the Judeo-Christian faith affirmed the monotheistic status of God, and even on an ontological level at least a thousand years before Mohamed came, as Isaiah prophesied, I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside...That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.- Isa 45.5a, 6.

This is the mystery, that God alone exists, that He alone is; and if that is so, what is our ontological status? We do not argue that we are non-existent, neither do we claim to exist. Our existence is relative, and His existence is absolute, He is Absolute Being. And in relation to Him nothing exists! Do you deny this? Do you claim to exist independent from Him? Can there possibly be two existences metaphysically? You and He? Two? This would be a philosophic polythiesm, and thus an ontological idolatry to hold to this. Some would say at this point, He is Three, referring to the Holy Trinity. Yes, there are three, but they are only One in their substratum, in the Essence. It is the Essence of which we speak. Thus the Three emanate from the One, or the Father emanates the Son, and He emanates the Holy Spirit, though eternally (Heb 13.8). One Being, Three Persons, a topic for later.

Paul grasps the ontological importance of God in relation to us in the heading text above. He is talking about his "I", which we may use the small case to indicate our existential "i", as oppossed to the Absolute "I" Who is God.

Paul then says, i was crucified with Christ, neverthe less I live, yet not i, but Christ who lives in me. The life that i now live in the flesh, which is to say, existentially, i live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me...Thus our ontological status is that by Jesus' personal faith (which is how the Greek reads), we subsist in the flesh, that is existentially. Yes, He alone IS, and we do not...., and yet, we do. Why? Because Jesus the Son believes us to, that is He has faith. Faith in what? Faith in faith? Faith in us? God forbid... let God be true, but every man a liar- Rom 3.4a. He has faith, that is, He believes in what He witnessed of us when our particular entity was revealed as a glory and aspect of God, revealed in the Logos (Word). This is what Jesus meant when He said, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God- Rev 3.14b. Thus for Him to exercise His faith concerning us is not to believe in non-existence, but in His Self-Revelation eternally occurring; what He saw in us as we were not, but were yet in Him, was Himself. He witnessed our true self in Himself, and had faith, thus saying, Amen- so be it! And so we subsist in this world to be the beneficiaries of His love and grace poured out on the cross.
Bless God!

Reflection of Glory

O Man, Who walked the shores of Galilee,
What reflection do you have of me?

The new nature who walks within,
Free of guilt, and free of sin.

To turn the pages of a mirror,
is to see your face disappear;
In place is the Love,
displaced is the fear.

O Mirror, Who walked the shores of Galilee,
What reflection do you have of me?

The Face of the Father:
But could it be?
I in Him, and He in me.

To mirror the pages of a book,
You must see, you must look;
Not to gaze on what once was,
Nor on what should be,
But on the Face of Eternity.


Leon

Infancy Gospel

Your Glories are Your own,
revealed to Your Self Alone;
What steps can I take to be annihilated in You?

Where am I at?
Where is my entity fixed?
In Your mind, Your omniscience:
Somewhere between I Am, and I am not.

I am the color Grey:
A harmony of White, Holy as the Ancient of Days;
And of Black, impoverished toward the Light for which I beg.

One: Alone in transcendence, Independent of the worlds;
You are Unknown, You are not found;
Ain-Nothing, Where?

A Birth, and a Son:
A Father is revealed in His Revelation;
A mystery is reveiled in Its concealing.

A Book sent forth, a scroll unfurled:
We sent it down with Holy lips;
A wind rushing passed, a Herald gone forth:
I prophesy the coming of the Holy Ancient One.

A Birth, a nativity: O Holy Silent Night.
In Bethlehem?
No. In your heart.
Where is He that is born King of the Jews?
For we have seen His star in the east, and are come for to worship Him.

Come and see:
In the former stall for animals,
for the beast nature;
There is no place for Him in the Inn of this world:
It is filled up with lusts, and distractions;
Only in the lowly place have we prepared Him room.

See? we have provided straw and a manger in our lowly stable.

Lay Your blessed Holy head down upon the straw which we provide;
Sleep that deep and Holy sleep,
Your eyes shut as our eyes awake.

I enter into your rest:
let me be your Infancy Gospel.

The Babe cries, uttering forth the vowels of creation;
The Babe awakens, and smiles;
My heart is illumined by His love.

I have wine to drink, and bread to eat:
Will you not join Me in My feast?

I have been depraved, and so deprived I myself in this foolish fast.

Why?
Toward what end has been this pallid languishing?

Toward the night, I saw not the Light as if it were dimly lit:
I said, How can I come in clothes so tattered and torn, smelling of rotted flesh so rancid?

Yet sought I comfort in the brothel,
enticed by the warm red light that shone upon Salome.

What can I give you on this my birthday?
Up to half my kingdom would I give for this dance.

That will not do, nor would it suffice:
that you should pay me only half a price:

This is what I ask, nay, what I demand:
Serve up now the head of the Baptist in your hand.

For all that will do, and only all would suffice:
give me all your soul, all your life,
bound up as it is in the words he preached:
Repent ye, the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Do you not know, and can you not see?
This brothel is a church for the damned.
Do they bow?
Do they worship?
O yes, they bow and worship:
These filthy dreamers having eyes full of adultery!

Flee!
Get you out, leave your garment in her hand,
her bloody hand:
This whore shall not drink of your blood from her cup.

He lifted my face to His,
With one kiss He set me free:
His lips drink deep the wine of shame and suffering.

The Bread I give is My flesh, Which I give for the life of the world; This cup I pour is My blood, Shed for the forgiveness of sin.

I am brought to Your banqueting house,
A bountiful feast;
I have become your house of wine:
O taste and see that the Lord is good!

I stumbled out of the house of wine, and staggered into the Night:
Where did I go?
Where will I be found?

Stupified, intoxicated from the wine:
The room spins, swirling round as I take in all colors:
My grey is polished to a reflective plane.

Silent Night, Holy Night:
I emerge as the Light.

Shining forth from the dark:
A Word of all words, letters spanning A to Z;
When I saw Him, I swooned at His feet as dead;
Fear not.
His hand reaffirms me again:
I Am the First and the Last, glad you could join Me in this repast.



Leon Bahrman