Theos-Talk Archives (February 2000 Message tt00020)

.


> The Idea that we have been in the midst of a shifting spiritual
> awareness, as
> one of the goals, of the those that guide humanity on its
> evolutionary path,
> is filled with intuitive power and insight. Thanks for sharing.
>
> Louis

re: "in the midst of a shifting spiritual awareness..."

A story:  In 1967, the retired Abbot of the oldest Zen monastary in Japan,
the only one admitting no foreigners, visited my teacher and I was
privileged to sit-in on several of their sessions.  The Abbot was 'wise,'
and very childlike, spoke no English at all, had a translator.  In
comiserating with my teacher about having to be among heathens in 'the
West,' he commented, to paraphrase:  Bodhidharma brought the 'spirit' of Zen
to Japan.  It took it over 200 years to develop a 'form,' which we today
call 'Zen.'  That 'spirit of Zen' has left Japan and is now in the West,
specifically in the USA, which is why you (my teacher) have to be here.
(When asked if 'it' would assume the same 'form' here, he replied,
laughingly), "No, it will not, and the 'form' it will take will not begin to
reveal itself for quite a long time."  This story came to mind in reading
your post above.
All the best,
Barrett Culmback





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