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TAT Forum

December 2021

Convictions & Concerns

TAT members share their personal convictions and/or concerns

Real Love

What is real Love?
Every word in my arsenal couldn’t scratch the surface of real Love

Real Love was here before the first man or woman had the first kiss, before the first mother held her first baby
Real Love will be here after the last blade of grass turns to ash, after the collapse of the universe

Real Love is quiet
Real Love is so quiet that it can be heard by the deaf
Real Love is subtler than air
Real Love can be seen by the blind

Real Love fuels the hatred and warfare of a million men and burns in every funeral pyre
Real Love flows in every glacial stream, in every artery and vein, in every sewer

Real Love is the ultimate safety net
Nothing in your experience could slip through the cracks of Real Love
Real Love has no cracks
As much as you superimpose your fractured stencils onto It
Real Love remains whole

Real Love could be ignored for your entire life
And It wouldn’t mind in the slightest
Nothing could offend this Love

Real Love is playful
It hides from Itself and makes Its own infinite string of games

As you play, play, play
Real Love humors all your make believe and pretense—the ultimate companion
When you are tired of playing
Real Love will let you slumber by folding you back into Itself

Enough!
I will show you Real Love
By quitting this incessant chatter!
Listen!!!!

~ Thanks to Abhay D. Image by Mahdi Nazdul on Unsplash.

 

TAT Foundation News

It's all about "ladder work" – helping and being helped

Downloadable/rental versions of the Mister Rose video and of April TAT talks Remembering Your True Desire (details).

Local Group News

New listing for Aiken, SC:
Looking to start a self-inquiry group ... finding like-minded people to talk about Richard Rose and his teachings either online or in-person in a home setting ... to question what it means to find our true selves.
~ Email .

Update for the Amsterdam, NL Self-Inquiry Group:
The group is not holding meetings currently, but email for information.

Update from the Central Ohio Non-Duality Group:
The Columbus, Ohio self-inquiry group, now known as the Central Ohio Non-Duality Group, has continued to meet virtually on Tuesday evenings at 6:30PM during the Coronavirus pandemic. Please email one of the people's names below if you wish to get a link to the meeting. Meeting format involves discussion of topics of interest to seekers and often bridges from the concerns, questions and interests of the core members in attendance into the topic which we intend to discuss. We look forward to the easing of restrictions to the point where we feel comfortable meeting again in person. ~ For further information, contact , , or . We're also on Facebook.

Update from the Dublin, Ireland self-inquiry group:
We meet every second Wednesday on Zoom. We are working using two different approaches. The first is the standard confrontation approach of people giving an update on what was coming for them in the previous period, in terms of their path. The second is the distribution of a piece in advance for reflection. We will continue in this vein for the time being, using either a general update or a piece for reflection shared in advance. ~ Contact for more information.

Update from the email self-inquiry groups: The Women's Online Confrontation (WOC) group consists of weekly reports where participants can include:      > What is on your mind?      > Any projects that you want to be held accountable for?      > Responses to a selected excerpt (in the previous report).      > Comments/responses/questions for other participants.      A philosophical/spiritual excerpt with two or three questions is included in each report. Based on what we share, participants ask questions to help get clarity about our thinking. The intention is to help each other see our underlying beliefs about who we are.      One rule we try to adhere to is not to give advice or solve problems. The number of participants, to make it work efficiently, is between 4 and 7 including the leader. Currently we have two men's email groups. They (the weekly exchanges, not the participants :-) function like slow-motion self-inquiry confrontation meetings, which has its pros and cons. We alternate by asking each other questions one week then answering them the following week. Participants provide brief updates of highlights from the previous week and optional updates on progress toward objectives that they use the reports for accountability on. Both the women's and the men's email groups welcome serious participants. ~ Contact or for more information.    TAT Press publishes Anima's and Art's book: Always Right Behind You: Parables & Poems of Love & Completion.

Update from the Gainesville, FL self-inquiry group:
The Alachua County library reopened its meeting rooms on July 5th, and we were the first group to meet after the reopening. We decided to change our meeting day from Sunday to Saturday, at the same time as previously (2 to 4 PM). Our first meeting was on July 10th, and subsequent meetings are scheduled for alternate Saturdays with an occasional extra week between meetings due to holidays or the TAT meeting schedule and our group's associated retreats. ~ Email or for more information.

   TAT Press publishes three of Art's books: Solid Ground of Being: A Personal Story of the Impersonal, Beyond Relativity: Transcending the Split Between Knower & Known and Sense of Self: The Source of All Existential Suffering?

The Gainesville self-inquiry group is planning a five-day intensive retreat at Horseshoe Lake Park in Fort McCoy, FL on Thursday-Tuesday, Feb. 17–22, 2022. The theme is "Longing & Doing":       What we long for is our ideal of perfection.       "Do all things for the sake of a higher power, and it will correctly guide your every step.” ~ Richard Rose to Lee W. ~ E-mail for more information.

Update from Galway, Ireland:
Tess Hughes is starting a women's group on Wednesday evenings, 7pm Dublin time, using Zoom. It will begin mid September. Sessions last 90-120 minutes usually. Anyone who's interested in joining can contact .

   TAT Press publishes Tess's easy to read, profound This Above All, the story of her journey of Self-Discovery.

Update from the newly listed GMT Support Group for Seekers:
We meet every Sunday gmt 17.30, live on Google Meet. Rapport and confrontation, talk and exchange. Someone mostly brings a theme, like a text, poem or whatever to set the mood. Then 10 minutes of silent rapport after which everyone gets their turn on the "hot seat" for 10-15 minutes—the group listens to what the person has to say about the theme then asks friendly questions—depending on how many participants we are. The questioning is aimed at providing material for self-inquiry. There have been sessions in which we just chatted, but that is more the exception. ~ Contact

Update from the Greensburg, PA self-inquiry group:
I am meeting every Saturday morning with three of my former Greensburg SIG group participants who are into non-dualist paths, such as Adyashanti and Mooji. There is also another participant, a professional psychologist who is interested in eastern philosphy and who wasn't in my SIG group but makes a great addition to our proceedings. These fellows are sincere seekers. We spend our time discussing our respective paths and comparing notes. Our new venue is a place called the White Rabbit Cafe in Greensburg. I'm hoping that the lull here has ended and that we're ready to be more dynamic again.
~ Contact if interested in local self-inquiry meetings.

An update from the self-inquiry group in Houston, TX:
The backyard patio meetings are now moved to Zoom meetings, which take place at 4 pm on Saturdays. There are 3 active and inspired participants right now. Topics vary from Mr. Rose's writings to "What is on your mind?" ~ Contact for more information.

"Ignoramuses Anonymous" blog
Ignoramuses Anonymous is for seekers to explore questions together…a fellowship of seekers for whom ignorance of the absolute truth had become a major problem. It started as a blog for Pittsburgh PSI meeting members back in 2009. Welcoming discussion on the path.
To get notices of new posts, you can subscribe by RSS feed or by email.

   See the 2020/11/28 post: Four-day isolation retreat at TAT Center, with photos and YouTube clips.

Update from the Lynchburg, VA self-inquiry group:
We have been meeting on Thursday evenings from 7pm—8:30pm, online, via zoom. Norio Kushi, Paul Rezendes, and Bob Harwood are consistent guests. We've also had some other interesting characters show up from time to time. Topics come from readings or questions brought up by our members. These are sent out, along with the zoom invitation each week. Recently we posted some "considerations" for joining our group:
** Try to frame your comments as questions to Norio, Paul, or Bob. Draw these questions from you own experience rather than generalities. Maintain attention and discussion on the question rather than philosophical musings.
** Question other participants, in the spirit of group-assisted self inquiry, but without attempting to lead them to any particular conclusion or bring attention to yourself.
**Allow for and attend to the silence and the space that is always present. When you aren't speaking, see that as your role—to hold that space.
**Question, in yourself, the use of personal story-telling and quoting others—though sometimes both are helpful and appropriate.
**Consider the way in which you are listening. Does it have a quality of acquisitiveness or openness?
**Continue to question your own intention for coming to this meeting and let that guide any comments/questions/discussion.
~ Please contact or if you're interested in being on the email list.

Update from the New York City self-inquiry group:
The New York City Self-Inquiry group meets by Zoom every Monday from 6-8 PM EST. The link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3098361863?pwd=anY5OFlMT0pNMld6VXJDb0Z2SjY0UT09. For those joining by phone, the number is +1 929 205 6099 US (New York), with Meeting ID: 309 836 1863, and Passcode: 895478. More details, as well as our weekly discussion topics, are available on our MeetUp page (link above) and via email at .

Update for the Online Self-Inquiry Book Club:
The book club is meeting weekly to discuss previous TAT Forums as they are the focus for the Beyond Mind Beyond Death II project. It’s also meeting monthly on Richard Rose's Psychology of the Observer: The Path to Reality Through the Self by John Kent and will sync up with the new ProBoard book club discussion board on the Kent publication. Upcoming meeting schedule:
> Saturday 10/2: John Kent Thesis Chapter 2: Literature Revue
> Sunday 10/3: April 2009 Forum: If a feeling in a poem sounds familiar have you experienced it before? What does that familiarity mean with mystical feelings?
> Sunday 9/19: Feb 2009 Forum: Does the knower need to be known to get what you want out of life?
> Sunday 10/10: May 2009 Forum: Do you agree or disagree with the responses to the questions about “the subject at hand”?
> Sunday 10/17: June 2009 Forum: Do you have a conviction of commitment to the spiritual path and a simultaneous lack of ability to act in that direction?
> Sunday 10/24: July 2009 Forum: Are you backing away from untruth or approaching the Truth?
> Saturday 10/30: John Kent Thesis Chapter 3: Introduction to the Albigen System
> Sunday 10/31: August 2009 Forum: Is there a solution besides trying to squash personal/global problems and trying to ignore personal/global problems?
~ For more information on book club participation, see the meeting website (link above). TAT Forum readers are welcome to drop in any time.

Update from the recently listed Online Video Confrontation Group:
The Monday Night Online Confrontation Group is going strong with a core group of participants and room for a few more. Now meeting at 7:30 pm EST (previously at 7 pm), using the online video conference platform from Zoom. The goal of the group is to practice confrontation/group self-inquiry. ~ If you're interested, email or .

   Isaac and AJ interviewed Art Ticknor on their Plant Cunning Podcast series, where they "invite herbalists, ethnobotanists, farmers, mages, fungi experts, community organizers and all kinds of other interesting people to the microphone to share their wisdom and experiences with us": Self Realization with Art Ticknor.

Update from the Portland, OR self-inquiry group:
A small group of us meet most Sundays at a coffee shop. The format for our meetings is to give each person 20 minutes or so to talk about whatever is coming up for them in their practice and to answer questions from the others. ~ Email for more information.

Update from the Raleigh, NC Triangle Inquiry Group:
The group is starting up again after a hiatus, now with Zoom online meetings. ~ Email for details.

Update for the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area TAT Center:
Bob Fergeson spent a year as resident teacher before returning to Colorado in March. Mark Wintgens continues as our chief-seeker in residence and invaluable caretaker. He is looking forward to hosting retreats and meetings for local group members as well as all TAT seekers. And TAT is looking forward to the possibility of hosting the August 2021 TAT meeting at the Center. ~ Email for information about the TAT Center.

Update from the Richmond Self Inquiry Group:
There isn't a Richmond self inquiry group at the moment…it never really got off the ground. I'm considering a few different approaches for round three, but it'll be at least a few months away before that takes form. ~ Email for information about future meetings and events.

Update from the San Francisco Bay area self-inquiry group:
See the Shawn Nevins interview by Iain McNay of Conscious.tv, kicking off the publication of Shawn's book Subtraction: The Simple Math of Enlightenment. ~ Email for information about upcoming meetings and events.

   TAT Press publishes Shawn's Images of Essence: The Standing Now, which features his poems with photos by Bob Fergeson, The Celibate Seeker: An Exploration of Celibacy as a Modern Spiritual Practice, Subtraction: The Simple Math of Enlightenment, and Hydroglyphics: Reflections on the Sacred, which features his poems with photos by Phaedra Greenwood.

Update from the Washington DC Area Self-Inquiry Discussion Group:
[This group was previously listed as the Rockville, MD self-inquiry group.] We've been meeting monthly at Rockville, MD Memorial Library. While the library is closed for public health reasons, we're participating more in a weekly online book club. Forum readers are welcome to participate. ~ For more information, please email or see the website http://firstknowthyself.org/virtual/.

Members-Only Area

A password-protected section of the website is available for TAT members. The area contains information on product discounts for members as well as a substantial amount of helpful and historical information, including audio recordings, Newsletter archives, Retrospect archives, policies, conference proceedings, business meeting notes, photographs, and suggestions for ways to help.

TAT's August 2019 Workshop was titled Beyond Mindfulness: Meditation and the Path Within and included three guest speakers who each led separate workshops. The following audio recordings are now available in the members-only website area:

• "Mindfulness. Is it just another spiritual buzzword?" with Bob Cergol,
• "The Path of Direct Sensory Perception" with Bob Harwood, and
• "The Art of Mindfulness is the Passion for Truth" with Paul Rezendes.

TAT's June 2019 Spiritual Retreat Weekend was titled Between You and the Infinite. The following audio recordings are now available in the members-only website area:

• "Coming Home (aka The End of Seeking)" by Don Oakley, and
• "What's in the Way?" by Eshwar Segobind.

TAT's April 2019 Spiritual Retreat Weekend was titled Once in a Lifetime is Now. The following audio recordings are now available in the members-only website area:

• "Recognizing the Human Dilemma" by Norio Kushi,
• "Strategies for Self-Realization" by Bart Marshall,
• Untitled session by Paul Hedderman, and
• "A Session in the Now" by Paul Rezendes.

TAT's August 2018 Workshop was titled Beyond Imagination and included three guest speakers who each led separate workshops. The following audio recordings are now available in the members-only website area:

• "Nurturing What We Are" with Jenny Clarke,
• "The Art of Seeing" with Norio Kushi, and
• "Seeing Through Imaginary Traps" with Shawn Pethel.

Please us if you have questions. (Look here for info on TAT membership.)

Amazon and eBay

Your Contributions to TAT News

TAT founder Richard Rose believed that working with others accelerates our retreat from untruth. He also felt that such efforts were most effective when applied with discernment, meaning working with others on the rungs of the ladder closest to our own. The TAT News section is for TAT members to communicate about work they've been doing with or for other members and friends. Please your "ladder work" news.

 

Humor

"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

We enjoy presenting humor here from TAT members and friends. Please your written or graphic creations. Exact sources are necessary for other submissions, since we need to make sure they're either in the public domain or that we have permission to use them.

 

Inspiration & Irritation

Irritation moves us; inspiration provides a direction

Please your thoughts on the above items.

 

Reader Commentary

Encouraging interactive readership among TAT members and friends

Thanks to Brett S. for the Reader Commentary question for the December TAT Forum, which is:

If your life was something you purchased on Amazon, what would your review be?

Responses follow:

From David L:
The lifetime I purchased for myself on Amazon before incarnating this time around… well, I should have inspected the merchandise more closely. Caveat Emptor!

That’s my first reaction anyway. But I really have gratitude… lots of it, for the vehicle that my Great Self directed my small self (or soul) into. A very humdrum, checkered external life constrained into a series of mediocre worldly accomplishments—who knows what I could have done if I’d been more normal?—in order to conserve energy and stamina for internal accomplishments completely behind the scenes. A great deal of doing. One major Guru, three minor ones, about eight groups, and five different therapists and healers over the course of 40 years of frequent catharsis, dealing, step by tortured step, with a lot of wounded-child, etc. consciousness. TAT would embrace them all, although I think only implicitly. Lots of stuff I went through, and strategies I used, I get the feeling Richard Rose would likely have shaken his head in pity over. But TAT, over the course of the 12 or so years I’ve been involved in it, has become an important aspect of the work I keep doing. A remark Bart Marshall made some time ago in a talk somewhere sticks with me. When it comes to your own life, in the awakened state “you might as well be watching a movie.” [I suspect he could just as well have added, “…like something you’ve never seen before. That’s how detached you get from it.”] I don’t yet have that perspective on my Amazon purchase, but I hope I will someday!

From Miriam K:
**** Happy to Recommend

Pretty satisfied customer as a certain degree of contentment has been found with this life. Fell short of five stars as enough information has been obtained to sense there is more on offer - can't seem to find a way of knowing or recognising the full potential from this life to give it a five star rating yet. For the most part this life has been a hell of a ride, the contentment isn't always there but there are things in life that feel very right to be spending my time doing - until that changes I will keep going as I am. The 'instructions of use' for this life have been a bit vague and I have had to take guidance from others which have ultimately told me I need to find my own way. The journey continues and more of the potential may be revealed (or maybe not). If not revealed, I will have hopefully lived and explored the experience of being alive as much as I can and challenged the notions that are holding me back from being who I truly am or living as I'm meant to live. It's not over yet - the show goes on.

From Vince L:
This is the intriguing life of a failed mystic whose failure is, paradoxically, the result of deluding himself into believing he is a failure. He has spent most of his life obsessed with feelings of failure, but also of deprivation and inferiority as well. What makes this life interesting is how he has put himself in a psychological straightjacket but yet has committed to pull himself out of it in a relentless manner. This life does not yet realize that there is no such thing as failure and continues to act as if there is such a thing. I recommend that you purchase this life because you'll find it an endless source of amusement. Keep this on top of your desk at work as a reminder of the futility of our individuality and any effort to sustain it.

From Mike Gegenheimer:

=> Original advertisement:

FREE Lifetime of suffering and joy. No preview available, begins happy, ends in apparent death. Lifetime appears to have content, which may be examined and viewed only by recipient. Confusingly beautiful appearance quickly fades. Mirror provided to allow viewer to see through themselves to Essence. Caution: despite Golden Find available in each Lifetime, viewer may find lifetime content to be vacuous. Fear reaction may be encountered, but overcome and ignored.

Inquire within for details, seek others for user advice, for support seek Grace, available 24/7/365

Return Policy: nothing to return to; but may be transmitted

Payment: pay forward

=> Feedback: “After I looked at my lifetime I found I was living a lie believed to be me; now only I Am, free from death,” “A timeless Gift awaits if you look,” “It seemed to take a lot of effort, but it was worth it to try, even though I found there was nothing doing, nothing to do,” “When lifetime first arrived, who knew Life was unknowable – thanks, Grace, for the Gift and opportunities to pay forward.”

From Tess Hughes:
This life, surprisingly, has turned out to be wonderful in the end. There were times during it when I wanted to throw it away, never because it was boring but because it didn’t make any sense and it was very painful. There were times when there were series of painful events which, at the time looked like nothing short of living under some kind of deliberate malevolent force. There were phases of giving up, trying to be accepting of this awful fate that had been delivered to me and comforting myself with whatever I could find at the time: listening to talks by charismatic gurus, retreats, meditation, reading and reading, and so on.
In fact, at various stages along the way, had I been asked to do this exercise of writing an Amazon style review, I would have given all the different ratings from one to five stars with a full rationale for the star rating at the time. Whatever state I was in I thought that was it.

Eventually I gave up on all ideas of any practise or hope for anything other than making the most of what I had in this life. And I was aware that I had all the privileges that anyone could have in this life, health, good relationships, lived in a lovely place. I stopped looking for anything more from this life.
It was after this decision, maybe about a year later, that I came upon a group that got my interest and hope reignited.
This hope was due to a shift in my understanding of what life is about, and an appreciation of the potential that is hidden in mundane life. Hope returned but in a rather measured kind of way.
This led to a phase of serious and unremitting self-inquiry. This inquiry amounted to looking deeper and deeper into the thoughts, emotions and actions that I had been unconsciously living with and by up to this time.
Eventually this deep searching contributed to a breakthrough, what might be called a spiritual experience, that changed my understanding and the experience of my life. It turned everything on its head, so to speak.
All is well, for everyone, in the end.
How could I not give this life anything less than the full five stars.

*

Editor's comment: TAT Foundation Press publishes Tess's This Above All: A Journey of Self-Discovery.

From Dan G:
Too small and unsure how to use it, but addicting! 3/5

Had this for nearly 40 years and still use it everyday. But still have no idea what it’s for. They clearly put NO effort into user-centered design. And Customer support doesn’t respond timely to inquiries and is cryptic at best. Attached is a picture: what is anyone supposed to do with this? I mean the feet are even UP!?!

It’s highly addicting though—I keep thinking something good is going to happen. There does seem to be something almost magical there. It’s hard to put a finger on that or if it’s even real. I’d recommend the spiritual aspects of it—not the ego-inflation parts—they’re too few and far between to be worth the time.

All that said I love it, it’s my favorite possession. I fear the day I have to part with it. That almost sounds like I’ve developed a kind of unhealthy relationship with it - maybe I have???

From Alex A:
I purchased The Life of Alex on Amazon because it appeared to offer some very interesting possibilities, and experiences. And boy! I was not disappointed.. this had everything from several deaths and near deaths, to a couple of births and rebirths, all in the same lifetime! Of course along the way there were all kinds of upsets, travails, sorrows, bouts of guilt, and ugly acts, along with numerous successes, joyful moments, wonderful friendships, and pervading it all, a deep sense of peace. Threading its way throughout was a search for “the way home”, as if there was an innate understanding that life was an ever changing vista seen through the windows of a train destined for ‘home’, but stopping at every possible way-station along the way. With time rapidly running out, would the destination be reached or would the main character be doomed to plunge into oblivion?

I’ll leave that for you to find out for yourself!

Highly recommended 4.5 stars

From Sarah L:
If my life was something I purchased off Amazon, I’d be much more interested in who did the purchasing, how it was advertised, and what the equivalent of Amazon and Jeff Bezos were in this scenario. In terms of a review, I’d say something along the lines of:

3.5/5 stars. Non-linear narrative, a bit confusing, mostly maddening, sometimes joyous little character to play in a grand but equally odd show of mysterious origins. Cons include not being able to switch characters or leave the stage to investigate the audience and who was responsible for the production overall.

From Art Ticknor:
Art's life is arguably a dream occurring in two primary states: the waking-dream state and the sleeping-dream state. The sleeping-dream state may be closer to Reality since it has fewer restrictions than the waking-dream state. For example, I can see through walls, pass through walls, converse mind-to-mind without speaking, and fly without a plane in dreams.

Richard Rose identified three primary moods in dreams: acquisition/seduction, fear, and nostalgia / the "language of the soul." If I purchased or otherwise acquired this audio/video/etc. experience, I don't have any memory of doing that. Ditto for choosing it out of fear. Nostalgia I'd say is the force that drew me back Home—to a conscious connection with what I am before and after life.

Having found, after 25 or 26 years of conscious searching, what Franklin Merrell-Wolff termed Full Satisfaction in this life (see his poem titled "Nirvana"), I'd rate this life-experience as 5 of 5 stars. And I'd let readers of the review know my conviction that, on their death bed, they would not regret having made finding the truth of what they are their #1 objective even if they hadn't yet discovered it. Like the acorn striving to become an oak tree, it's the ultimate form of becoming for these hands at the ends of rays of consciousness streaming from the Source of all.

From JK:

My Life Review for sale on Amazon

This life for me for as far back as I can remember was an exploration of what is means to be alive igniting a curiosity to experience and explore.

The following question arose: “Why am I here and for what purpose?”

In the search for the answer to this question a pursuit for happiness followed. Fulfilment was sought by exploring, over the years, meaningful connections in my family and my childhood community, friendships, courses of study to find a meaningful career, a meaningful intimate romantic relationship, artistic pursuits, travel, psychotherapy, yoga, a secure job, giving birth to my son and buying a home. Following this an exploration of healing modalities to fill up the void inside that none of the latter could fulfil. A search for understanding outwardly in the world for a sense of security and belonging and a path of self-healing to understand the existential angst I felt through each pursuit as they failed my expectations one after the other. Bringing me further away from any real connection, security, or joy inside my being.

The collapse of identities to any of the above began the commencement of a search for “Truth, Reality, God”. I began first by reading different material to previously, studying different practises, meeting, and learning from interesting and realised people and attending events with enlightened individuals that ignited a questioning of my previous perceptions and the shift once more of my curiosity from the above focus of what it means to truly BE alive....

See JK's complete response.

From Don A:
I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into with this purchase! I wasted ALL my time on this guy! This guy had no idea what he really really wanted in life until his 60's! And then it could have been about certainty in life, or not; God or Self; everything or nothing. What a disaster—he claimed he wanted dozens of things and got nothing, a life with nothing to show! Even quipped about a life of “going into some desert without any path to follow.” Didn't know even if he was an adventurer or a fool. And get this: his motto was “Who am I?” Christ, talk about betting on a loser! Everyone else thought he was a pain in the you-know-what and couldn't stand him, either. And this is what I got stuck with, no returns, no cancellations, no replacement! Unfortunately anymore, with Amazon it's life with no idea what you're getting into.

From Anima Pundeer:
I think I’ll give it three stars … does not meet my expectations, too many surprises, aches, and pains. But then the glass is never half full or half empty. Life is what it is. Mine is not any different from how it is meant to be. I do like to complain though.

Will I want to exchange it? No. Each moment is perfect the way it is, including my complaints.

   TAT Press publishes Anima's and Art's book: Always Right Behind You: Parables & Poems of Love & Completion.

From Sarah J:
I have no memory of ordering this item and I did not pay for it.

And I still have no idea what it is. It seems to take a different shape each time I look, sometimes even within a single glance. I wonder if I’m supposed to laugh or cry.

Right now I’m done being curious about it because trying to understand has become infuriating....

See Sarah's complete response.

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?

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

Sign up for notices of TAT's four annual events and free monthly Forums by email 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.

Between Between the hours of dusk and dawn       There comes a hint of voices in between. A voice that hints that I am drawn       To play some ritual behind the scene. Between this … Love doth interpose       So that it parts the chain of precious thought And like a trumpet roars and blows,       And blows to pieces … this our sacred spot. In between the pieces now I hear       The sounds, “Come over, come, come over now,” Between the Space when Time is near       I hear the gods … and think to bow. Between the art of love and hate,       Between the doubts between hope and despair, Between the minutes we create,       Are seconds dead, and spaces vast and bare. Between-ness always is, is ours,       Like drowning sailors drifting on the sea, We cling to wastes and call on powers,—       To th’ earless arch look prayerfully. Between the horns of Paradox       Like drunks, we think,—to think that we can choose, To earn from Faith a bitter pox,       And learn that all to get, is all to lose. * ~ Thanks to Shawn Nevins for constructing the graphic image (from images by Gert Stockmans, Marina Abrosimova, Live Bruce, Kate Hliznitsova, Billy Pasco, and Heike Mintel he found on Unsplash.com) and for his suggestion of pairing it with "Between" by Richard Rose, from Carillon: Poems, Essays and Philosophy of Richard Rose.

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. December 2021: Around 15 people gathered at the TAT Center for an informal gathering in November. There was a tour of the grounds, as well as lots of good discussion. We plan that 2022 will welcome a full-blown gathering at the TAT Center, thus fulfilling one of the goals for the property. We're almost at 6% of our fundraising target for the year, so there's still 30 days to make progress. Thanks to all of you who have contributed this year and in past years! Monthly contributions are a great way to support the TAT Center if making a larger one-time donation seems too much. If you're so inspired, click the Donate button below, then check the box for "Make this a monthly donation" as in the example below:   Let's bring this to life! "The job is upon us," Richard Rose said, "and it is worthwhile." To contribute to the TAT Center, mail a check made out to the TAT Foundation to: TAT Foundation PO Box 3402 Roxboro, NC 27573 Big checks, little checks, all are welcome. Or use the PayPal link above (though we lose 2.2% of your donation to PayPal fees). * See photos and more on the Homing Ground page. * In friendship, Shawn Nevins on behalf of the TAT Trustees

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