Humor {(h)yo͞omər}

“One thing you must be able to do in the midst
of any experience is laugh. And experience
should show you that it isn’t real, that it’s a
movie. Life doesn’t take you seriously, so why
take it seriously.” ~ Richard Rose, Carillon

Did You?

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~ Source unknown. Variations appear across the web

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Epitaphs for the Living II

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~ Thanks to BH. See also “Epitaphs for the Living (What’s Yours?)” in the February 2025 TAT Forum. AI art generated by Midjourney on Reddit. “Midjourney is an image generator that lets you explore new ideas that unlocks your creativity.

Henri 2 – Paw de Deux

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~ Thanks to Leeza W. See also Henri 9 – Blight of Spring on the March 2020 TAT Forum.

Inspiration & Irritation

Irritation moves us; inspiration provides a direction

What I Found
Questions and Answers From a Finder Questionnaire

1. What did you find?

Identity

2. What is your general advice to seekers?

Be sincere in expression and specific in inquiry.

3. Answer any or all of the following that you feel are relevant. What are your thoughts/feelings about:

Read More

~ Thanks to Dan McLaughlin. See a short bio. Image generated by chatgpt-picture-generator from the prompt: “Spiritual self-inquiry. What did you find? Identity.”

Review of A Handyman’s Common Sense Guide to Spiritual Seeking by David Weimer

Since most TAT members may not be familiar with David Weimer who is a featured speaker at the upcoming April Meeting, I thought I’d put together a little review of his book:

I can’t remember ever seeing the words “common sense” and “spiritual” used in the same sentence, let alone in a title for an esoteric book. But this is no ordinary book, and it will never be popular, for it was written for only those who recognize the value of commitment, working hard, and taking action on whatever is most important in their life. For those who are desperate, who have a desire, a passion or strong curiosity who feel a direction and the strong necessity to embrace it with an entire life’s effort -if necessary. Some describe that direction as to lead to Ultimate Truth, God, Source, Something Missing—the author identified his as “What is the meaning of life?” But rather than subscribe to a religion, philosophy, guru or teacher, this book is about utilizing everything available to that seeker in order to pursue a single priority in his or her life. “If you can’t go back and you can’t continue in the same way,” then this book has loads of advice to help one determine their own way. And this is where “common sense” comes into it, to first overcome the fear, habits and hesitation in order to commit and to act upon that commitment. One of many inspirational things I found in the book was a single short paragraph, where he interrogates himself:

Q: What do you recommend?

A: This only applies to me, but I’ll tell you. It’s a real big hill to climb. If you don’t go full tilt, maybe you won’t get that second half of a pedal in before inertia and lack of momentum root your tricycle in place. Give it your all. Sacrifice everything else for this. Know it is your right. If you feel like giving up, try one more time. Cry. Pray. Strain in that direction and hopefully something will hear you in this lonely place. Become smarter than the problem; become better, braver and wiser than you are capable of being. Try. The only thing “not spiritual” is not being true to your own best efforts. Adopt a daily practice. Read everything and anything. Go the route everyone earnestly driven goes. Keep a daily journal. Seek enlightened people and find out what makes them tick…. Form your own path.

It must also be noted his insistence on the plasticity of reality, due to the persistent pursuit of one’s will and Ultimate Desire.

As stated as a testimonial on the back cover, I too found the book to have been addressed specifically to me from someone who really cared, in the very best “spirit of friendship.”

~ Thanks to Don A. Image from the Amazon listing.

Isolation Is the Dream-Killer?

“According to Barbara Sher we have to change our common understanding of why we so often fail to bring our dreams into reality – blaming bad attitude, negative thinking or lack of effort. Heartfelt, funny and surprising stories told by a lady who’s been helping other people’s dreams for many decades….”

~ Thanks to Alex S., who commented: “I have heard that Richard Rose used to recommend Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. In the same spirit, the following video may be of interest. TAT members would recognize such topics as knowing what one wants from life, taking action, group work, and being helped on the way. [This is very entertaining! And moving. -Ed.]

The Anti-routine … [What Billionaires Use to Win]

~ Thanks to Isaac H., who wrote: “It resonates a lot with what Richard Rose … advise[s]. He has some other videos about unexamined beliefs being what we really believe and what limit us, too. Of course, he’s focused on making money, not self-definition, but the strategy is similar.” [It may be a good example of how Rose felt the same “laws” apply to financial success and spiritual success … like in Napoleon Hill’s Think & Grow Rich. Hormozi’s “say no to everything other than your priority” is a replica of Steve Jobs’s famous quote (maybe from a college commencement talk): “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” Hormozi covers food fasting but not other forms that may be even more important. -Ed.]

Please  your thoughts on the above items.

Reader Commentary

Encouraging interactive readership among TAT members and friends

A reader wrote that what would make the Forum more interesting would be:

Hearing from people who are searching—and have questions instead of those providing endless advice and “answers.” What challenges they are facing. What their doubts and questions are. How they perceive their path is going. What they are doing in their lives. Where they think they will end up, etc., etc.

Can you help make the Forum more interesting?

The Reader Commentary question for the April TAT Forum from Erick L. is:

Do you think that the price of enlightenment is worth everything?

Responses follow:

From Peter O Doherty:

Good question. Last night I was watching the movie Castaway with Tom Hanks. If you have not seen it, long story short, he gets on a flight he didn’t have to get on, the plane crashes, and he spends years on a remote island trying to survive and figure out how to get home. Eventually he does, only to face the reality of having lost the love of his life. The one love that helped drive him to survive.

My point is I think we are all trapped on our own remote island, all trying to get home. We are all suffering in our own ways, all with our own unique stories. All trapped by our own narrative.

But Life has brought us to a place where we are lucky enough to know that there is a possibility of getting home. Most people don’t get that gift. The truth is I don’t know what the price of enlightenment is worth because I don’t know what enlightenment is. So, for me I don’t know the answer to your question. But I do know to trust life. To let it unfold how it wants. That’s a trust that had to be earned. That for me as painful as it was at times was a price worth paying. So just like the Tom Hanks character at the final shot of the movie, he was standing at a crossroads not knowing where he was going. Not knowing which road to take and where it would bring him.

If we are truly honest with ourselves, we don’t know where we are going. Who knows what the day will bring. Every day we wake up, we awaken at the same crossroads.

So, God’s speed to you on your journey, and I hope you do get home. Then you will have the answer to your own question.

From Bruce R:

The thoughts I have in regards to the question “do you think that the price of enlightenment is worth everything?”  I would say yes it is as all is unreal except the Truth. 

From Isaac H:

This question is not framed clearly to me. I might rephrase it: “Do you think that enlightenment is worth the price? Even if the price is everything? 

 What is the price of enlightenment? What is enlightenment worth? Do you know what it costs? Do you even know what enlightenment is? I don’t. I’ve heard this and that, but “enlightenment” is still this idea of something that happens to me that solves all of my problems. I think that’s really a fantasy. What is it actually that you want? What is it specifically that you are searching for?  Freedom from suffering? Cosmic awareness? Supreme power? For me, I could say, direct knowledge of what I am at my essence. Or, I could say, “Full Satisfaction”. Franklin Merrell-Wolff describes what he found as that, and he said it was worth the price and more. I think “Full Satisfaction” would inherently be worth anything it would cost.

But I am not sure that anybody can know in advance what enlightenment is, or what it will cost. Perhaps people have intuitions for certain things, like Art Ticknor says how during a retreat he realized that for him to have a shot, he would have to be completely celibate. But did he know then what that would cost him when he went home later and told his wife? 

I think it may be more helpful to ask, “what am I willing to give up, and what am I not willing to give up?” Shawn Pethel sat down and did this, and he says it helped clarify everything. There are certain things he wasn’t willing to give up.

I wish that I knew exactly the price of “enlightenment”, and what exactly I would have to do to realize it. Maybe that’s just a cop-out though; maybe I already know. They say, ultimately you have to give up your attachment to mind-body you’re currently identified with, which in a way, is everything. To me, that’d be a relief, honestly. Isaac is getting old. 

From Lena S:

No! When you ask for the worth of something, you ask for some value equivalence.
There is nothing that could be equated to enlightenment -in value.

However, if one asks “For what might one abandon all of life’s joys, opportunities and fulfillment?”
Then one might answer “That which in essence, is more important than anything of value.”

From Jon N:

I guess I see enlightenment as death rebirth like caterpillar and butterfly.
In that case, I think like UG Krishnamurti that it’s biological.

Maybe I like to think of the price of everything as meaning gotta be willing to give up all illusions for reality.
The one thing not to give up may be integrity or the desire to know reality or something. It gets confusing when taken literally.
I think on one level it does even mean giving up morality. Integrity I think is not conventional morality. Maybe integrity is also just an idealistic concept.

I have a hard time figuring out what “good” means, if it even has a coherent meaning.
I think part of what keeps me bad is a clinging to good. That clinging to a dualistic notion of good creates its opposite, “evil”.
I would like to get to a point of really being a good person. Gurdjieff is reported to say something like a reasonable goal is to become “good christians”.
I have seeking enlightenment vs seeking something more like maturity or goodness as a conflict.
While goodness and enlightenment are both hard to define, goodness seems a little less abstract and more reasonable for where I am at.

“Maya” can turn anything, including “enlightenment” into a glittering illusion to pursue, not much different than chasing money or status. 

From Anima Pundeer:

Discovering your real identity is enlightenment. How life gets lived is rooted in what you believe yourself to be. If you are here and reading this Forum, then you have started to question if the purpose of your life is simply to live by the rules of nature, driven by desires, fears, and instincts.  The spiritual angst is no longer something that you have read about. It is real, and you can feel it at the cellular level. Life and its fruits are not satisfactory enough. There is always that underlying pain from where life gets experienced. 

It just requires an honest look at your own state of being and then the question of what price you’d be willing to pay will not arise.

From Shawn Nevins

The safest bet is to pay the price for whatever it is that you really, really want.  It will take time to sort through your conflicting desires.  That exercise is worth it.  You needn’t be paralyzed by the exercise, and expect perfect clarity.  Begin with what is likely the answer and work towards it.  The work will lead to more clarity about your wanting, and with more clarity the passion behind the work will increase.

From Mahesh I:

What one refers to when using the word ‘enlightenment’ plays an important role in trying to answer this question. A few years ago, I perceived it to be some sort of an expanded state of consciousness that could be achieved with good past karma, grace, grit and will. In that framework, thinking about effort vs payoff, made sense, and I often engaged in that sort of analysis. The idea of ‘more’ made it easy to say “Yes!” (more the merrier, right?).

However, after spending some time seeking the enlightenment experience, it eventually became clear that the path is of retreating back to one’s true nature, and becoming what one really really is, as D.E. Harding would say. With this recognition, if I may take the liberty to rephrase the question, I’d word it as: “Do you think that the price of becoming who/what you really are is worth everything?”

This question confronts the reader to admit that they may not be who/what they think they are. It’s not as fun as expansiveness, in fact it’s disorienting and possibly nauseating. If we get past that and find ourselves still longing to find out, then we may choose to confront the question every day and say ‘yes’ to it. We may recognize that this is indeed a losing game, and if we still want to play, then, we may be worth it.

From Bob C.

The premise of the question reveals the asker’s balking at whatever price he thinks he has already paid. If he’s tracking revenues versus expenses then he’s applying the wrong yardstick, running the wrong operation, or simply in the wrong business. Maybe he’s thinking he should cut his losses and stop throwing “good money” after bad [results, aka lack-of-rewards].

It’s just the wrong question to ask. Finding one’s ultimate definition is priceless. One cannot put a price on it. No currency exists with which it can be purchased, hard or abstract. It is simply one’s inner-most calling. How can one ignore it? I say that it is impossible to ignore. The question is more about how does one hear this calling and how does one respond to it. The masses hear it as a call to build an identity in the world, and in the mirror upon which they gaze each, and every day. The masses hear it as calling them to acquire things, both physical and abstract, i.e. money, possessions, and most of all – experiences! – but also status and position. Enlightenment adds nothing to you.

My advice to the asker of this question is to forget about premiums and discounts. Forget about enlightenment. The question he should be asking is: Is he living his life true to himself? If not, then he is just digging himself deeper into debt. Living life true to yourself doesn’t cost anything, except personal risk – the risk that you lose something you mistakenly believe defines you.

From Leonard S:

[Capital letters A through G refer to points on Richard Rose’s “Jacob’s Ladder” diagram.]  If “everything” refers to the exchange of The-Projection-Of-Untruths with (G): ABSOLUTE TRUTH: Enlightenment, Sahaja Nirvikalpa Samadhi, then HELL YES!

OR … if is it implying enlightenment may be a loss, (G) could be referred to as an ABSOLUTE loss. I don’t see it as a Loss. (G) is certainly not for the masses. 80% will never consider (going For G) and will remain TRYING to be HAPPY as points A, B, C, D, or E … 99.999% will never consider (G) and will remain TRULY HAPPY with the Hope of God’s Bosom (F). Less than 0.0001% will have a “PUSH” away from (F); these individuals will know Between-ness and will have a shot at truth.
* ABSOLUTE, (G): “In sahaja nirvikalpa samadhi, the mind is dead, resolved into the Self, like a river discharged into the ocean – its identity lost – and which can never be redirected from the ocean, once discharged into it.” – Sri Ramana Maharshi (Talk 187)

From Patrick K:

It is probably worth everything because it probably is Everything. This question comes up a lot in self-inquiry, highlighting the “fear” of having to lose all, to become who we truly are. Alfred Pulyan’s quote of “nothing of you shall remain” comes to mind. Also there are those in self-inquiry groups who feel that they have to hedge their bets on enlightenment because of a fear of awakening, that it may be too much of a shock to the system that they fear a psychological breakdown. But is the loss of self that bad really? Don’t we have to face it eventually? (Just like the title of Stephen King’s short story “Everything’s Eventual”), found here: Stephen King – Everything’s Ev – King, Stephen_4223.pdf.

Anne Geraghty, author of “Death, The Last God”, mentions about a phenomenon in nursing homes that many of the old folks have to go through called “terminal restlessness”; Terminal Restlessness and Delirium at the End of Life. I sense that this is the massive instinctual fear of death of their “sense of self”. People who experience this tend to come through it and a peace comes over them and they can finally face the dying process. So I lean towards the benefit of facing this as early on as I can, no need to prolong it.

I see an argument for the benefit of self-inquiry, in that it trims away the accumulated false sense of self and gets me more aligned with the reality of my situation as a vulnerable human being, whereas those who awaken without having gone through a self-inquiry process may have a much more traumatic experience because that experience will have to go through the “lens” of a false sense of self which may completely distort their experience, mentally and emotionally. I have to say that I am not without fear of course, awakening to me ultimately suggests seeing beyond the earth man paradigm into the source of existence itself that is beyond time and space. This, to me, would involve going beyond the five senses, going beyond mind and intuition, into the great unknown. The gnostic image of the man sticking his head beyond the earth man paradigm of the five senses is the image that sticks in my mind about it. Awakening aside though, I agree with Richard Rose, that a life of inquiry (process of self analysis),astrology.jpg (646×497) will prove its worth along the way, and in the end whether you get enlightened or not, you will have no regrets about it. Becoming lost in confusion/misidentification/life roles versus becoming aligned with truth, there’s no comparison here; the former to me feels completely unsatisfying and the latter at least offers relative satisfaction with the possibility of permanent satisfaction.

From Paul Constant:

If a seeker asks me this question, I would offer caution: spiritual seeking is not an excuse to wreck our relationships with friends and family or destroy our livelihood.  An attitude of between-ness is wise, such as wanting enlightenment at all costs–intensely applying our life energy towards Truth–but not giving a damn.  It’s an understanding that we live in a phantom world but nonetheless play our part.  With this attitude, seekers having the strongest desire and curiosity will conclude that finding our true identity in enlightenment was worth everything.

Other Commentary

ChatGPT is the Blue Pill, by Gus R:

In case you missed Paul Rezendes and the ChatGPT conversation in the February 2025 Forum, it was repeated in the March issue but with the addition of editorial notes, as 17 separate critiques on the computer’s responses.

Paul’s first question challenged the computer with “Can AI go beyond thought?” to which the computer admitted “AI is far from capable”. But as the exchange moved to non-duality, awareness and wholeness, Chat obligingly dove in. In ChatGPT conversation mode, the machine strategy appears as one to relate to whatever the human said through adding and reinforcing as a very agreeable conversationalist (see Critique #2 in February’s version).

The Reader Commentary question for next month, the May TAT Forum, is from Dan G:

In “The Pregnant Witch” story, Richard Rose describes a reaction:

For a second, I felt a flash of fear, and a strange rush occurred like a chill throughout my nerves. I thought, “I had better get myself braced for this show.” I reminded myself that I was witnessing an illusion that was somehow being projected upon me, and knew that I did not dare to indulge in belief.

What could he have meant by “I did not dare to indulge in belief”? Is this a legitimate response to all fear? How do you know if an illusion is being projected upon you?

Please  your response to one or more of the questions by the 25th of April, and indicate your preferred identification (the default is your first name and the initial letter of your last name). “Anonymous” and pen names are fine, too.

PS: What question(s) would you like to ask other TAT Forum readers?

Q: What are your thoughts on this month’s reader commentary? Please your feedback.

Richard Rose described a spiritual path as living one’s life aimed at finding the meaning of that life. Did you find anything relevant to your life or search in this month’s TAT Forum?

Image by Efrem Efre on pexels.com. 

We like hearing from you! Please email your comments, suggestions, inquiries, and submissions.

Sign up for notices of TAT’s four annual events, other virtual events, and free monthly Forums on our contact page.

Founder’s Wisdom

Richard Rose (1917-2005) established the TAT Foundation
in 1973 to encourage people to work together on what
he considered to be the “grand project” of spiritual work.

Zen
Essay from Carillon: Poems, Essays & Philosophy of Richard Rose

We talk of Zen in regard to a Truth System, or a system that will lead to Reality, and we use Zen terminology at times. Sometimes the use of these Zen aphorisms, such as “no-mind,” become easy slogans for a rationalization for laziness or spiritual procrastination.

Some say: “What is the use of talking about Truth when many writings on Zen tell you that there is nothing you can do about finding Truth or Reality.” These people have the idea that life if futile, and that all we should do about it is meditate—with the chance that we may stumble upon the awareness of Reality.

However, regardless of the writings to which they refer, no man writes or teaches if he thinks it is futile to write without some assurance that it will result in action. We must discount writers that write for cleverness only, or to merely impress readers with their complex mentality.

Zen is not complex. It is made complex by the many different types and levels of ignorance. The simple Truth is written in many different ways to encourage the vision of minds of widely variegated perspective and perspective-potential.

The Truth is not in Zen alone. The Truth is found in the minds of men if they look deeply enough. It is not regional, or resident only in some geographic focus. It is not inaccessible to certain races. It is inaccessible to those who are undetermined, only. We find that enlightened men have emerged from almost every religion. The quality of such men was not religiousness by traditional standards. The quality of such men was in nearly all cases an undaunted courage of enquiry.

I chose to work under the banner of Zen because down through the ages it amounted to a system of pure enquiry, putting little accent on ceremony and dogma. I also chose it because of my connection with Zen teachers who manifested a better facility for communication on matters esoteric, than did any of my contacts in Western religious circles.

To be continued….

Definition of Terms

Index of many of the key terms and principles in Rose’s work, with brief definitions, from Richard Rose’s Psychology of the Observer: The Path to Reality Through the Self by John Kent.

Jacob’s Ladder © 2001 Richard Rose. See this transcript of a talk on the topic by Rose.

Homing Ground Update

… A spot on earth where people can do retreats and hold
meetings; where the emphasis is on friendship and the search.

January 2025:

As we look to 2025 for a new year of TAT Retreats and Friendship on the spiritual path, there are a few important updates to share. 

Since 2019 when we first moved into the current TAT Center, this home away from home has been developed and supported by many. Through donations, workdays, and the ongoing efforts of our caretaker, the property has served as a retreat center, a spiritual library, and a gathering place for friends. It would be difficult to sufficiently put into words how grateful we are for these efforts, contributions, and time together at the Hurdle Mills TAT Center, and for all who continue to support and have played a part in making the TAT Center a reality. 

To enhance the ability for TAT to provide a center for meetings and retreats, after much careful consideration, discussion, and engagement with TAT members for input, we have strategically decided that, while the current TAT Center is very good, it is not as well-suited for the future as we would like.  In the spring of 2025, the TAT Center will be for sale, and we will transition the 2025 quarterly TAT Meetings and Retreats to Claymont (Charles Town, WV) and other retreat facilities. A committee is actively looking at properties to find a future home for TAT. 

A unique piece of land with a purposefully built retreat center building, acreage for solitary cabins, and a modest caretaker home is the view we have in mind. A place that feels more like a quiet retreat center than a large suburban home, and one that requires less ongoing live-in maintenance than our current home are additional items that have been discussed. The net is cast widely, but we are focusing on the Appalachian Mountain range for property searches, seeking the right balance of solitude and accessibility. 

The right property will come when it is meant to, and we look forward to that next chapter for TAT. In the meantime, many have expressed a fondness for the Claymont center, and we intend to hold retreats there until a new property for TAT is found. Over the next few weeks, we will finalize dates for TAT’s 2025 Meetings and Retreats and announce them through January’s Forum and share them on the TAT website. 
​
A very special thank you to all who have been involved in creating and supporting the Hurdle Mills TAT Center during the last five years, and likewise to those planning TAT’s future home. We look forward to the coming year of TAT Meetings and Retreats and very much hope to see you there. 

In Friendship, 
Michael, Shawn, and Mike
[our current trustees]

Did you enjoy the Forum? Then buy the book!
Readers’ favorite selections from seven years of issues.
Beyond Mind, Beyond Death is available at Amazon.com.

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