Metapysical Stuff #4
Jaye C. Beldo writes for the Konformist, Disinfo.Com, ViewZone, Dream
Network, UP! and other venues on and off line. He can be reached at:
Netnous@Aol.Com
11-27-01
Greetings,
The following review is of a book I most recommend because it dares to
suggest that we incorporate a multi-dimensional perspective to address our
current world crisis. The author advocates rebirthing, a form of breathwork
which facilitates the release of stored trauma in our physical, emotional and
mental bodies. Having done ten sessions of rebirthing with a certified
rebirther, I can say that it is some of the most positively powerful,
transformational work I've ever done. As a result of these sessions , I am
more relaxed around others, more grounded, present and less fearful. What
more could one ask for these days? A 4-WD Lexus I suppose.
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. In spite of the consensus
negativity, a lot of positive vibes are filtering into the world right now.
It is up to us to integrate and actualize these vibes into our surrounding
environs. I still advocate abstaining from T.V. and newspapers for intuitive
well being and preservation. Speaking of integration, I also recommend the
works of Sri Aurobindo to augment/accelerate spiritual evolution. I recently
picked up a copy of the Dictionary of Sri Aurobindo's Yoga, compiled by M.P.
Pandit, published by Lotus Light. It sufficiently summarizes the key
concepts of Aurobindo's Integral Yoga. While most yoga philosophies
emphasize the up and out approach to enlightenment/liberation, Integral Yoga
suggests that we bring down the higher planes of awareness (Supermind)
through ourselves and out into the world. A much needed approach in my
opinion considering how many people use yoga and meditation as a means of
escape, no different really, than misuse of drugs and alcohol.
Another book I recommend is Healing Mantras by Thomas Ashley-Farrand who
describes how mantras can protect us from negative influences, balance our
energy fields and ground us in the here and now. He provides an astounding
array of mantras, along with correct pronunciations (most crucial with
mantras) and how to practice these healing intonations on a daily basis.
I'm officially taking a long and much needed hiatus from book reviewing
to concentrate on my novel 'A Stab in the Light' this winter. It is about a
freelance writer trying to get his foot in the New Age publishing door and
the White Light sleaze balls/con artists he meets along the way. It's
ultimately about murder, mayhem and, of course, unconditional love!!
All the best this Holo-day season no matter what facet of the spiritual
fractal you choose to groove on!
Sincerely,
Jaye C. Beldo
= = = = = = =
Dark Night, Early Dawn
Book Review
by
Jaye C. Beldo
Netnous@Aol.Com
Christopher Bache may be the world's first Cosmosopher. In his
refreshing and innovative book, Dark Night, Early Dawn: Steps Towards an
Ecology of Mind, he articulates transpersonal realms with a convincing
intimacy, revealing a universe that is alive, intelligent and directly
accessible within ourselves. The author has taken great care to share many
of the entheogenic, meditative and philosophical experiences he has had which
assist in fore-lightening the inevitable global/galactic revolution to come.
The timing of his work could not be better. One only need look at current
sociopolitical urgencies to appreciate Bache's efforts to move transpersonal
psychology beyond its self referential orbit into more effacing, collective
trajectories. Dark Night, Early Dawn offers a much needed alternative,
encouraging us to explore a connection to a cosmos which may require the
very ego death of the human species as a prerequisite for its realization.
In order to fully realize the transition, Bache suggests that we abandon
what remains of the Newtonian, mechanistic world view, i.e., the threadbare
3-D illusion that our consumer society depends upon for its own self-
perpetuation. He suggests that we assist, through such things as rebirthing,
holotropic breathing and meditation,in the realization/integration of
multi-dimensional world where spiritually advanced beings exist. These
beings can offer us compassion, wisdom and a kind of infinitely broad,
celestial panorama which encourages us to adopt a more life affirming
perspective on what appears to be a severely limited human future at
present.
Nemeses abound however at current time, dedicated to making sure
that such a marvelous realization as described above will not take place.
Paranormal debunkers such as Paul Edwards, are devoted to discrediting the
claims of those who believe in rebirth, for example. Edwards insists that the
last two thousand years of philosophical development with its emphasis on
linearity and so called 'rationality' is the end all, be all of human
intelligence. Bache makes sure to point out the weakness of Edwards's
argument and does so quite convincingly. He observes: 'If reincarnation can
be proven to be true, then the modern Western philosophical paradigm will
crumble because rebirth contradicts the core assumptions of that world view.'
Such a remark enables one to perceive the unconscious fears which motivates
people like Edwards, not to mention Martin Gardner and the CSICOPS cadre as
well, who may very well be threatened by how integrated multi-dimensional
awareness is becoming. Just imagine the CSICOPPERS all doing holotropic
breathing and what kind of resistances within themselves they would have to
deal with!
Fortunately, Dark Night, Early Dawn does not dwell on the 'infallible'
3-D consensus delusion and the organizations that continue to promote it.
The author shows a balanced approach to transpersonal work and offers the
reader an effective way to traverse a living, intelligent cosmos and come
back home not only intact but spiritually integrated in a deep and lasting
way. Citing the works of Stanislav Grof, Ken Wilber and Robert Monroe, as
well as visionary mystics such as Teresa of Avila, Bache offers us a useful
as well as fascinating means to explore the worlds these people describe so
vividly. The author also shares his own inner experiences in which he
himself connected with these spiritually evolved worlds:
The time of rebuilding was suffused with an inner luminosity that
signaled a profound awakening in the human heart. It was not the
overwhelming brilliance of diamond luminosity that shines forth from
individual awakening, but a softer luminosity that reflected the same
reality but more gently present and more evenly distributed throughout the
entire species. The whole of humanity was going to go through the
death/rebirth experience, and the substance of awakening for the group was
the same as for the individual, though realized more slowly and in
smaller increments.
With insights such as described above, it is apparent the Bache has
prepared himself sufficiently enough not only to share this kind of profound
information with us but to inspire us to safely explore these transpersonal
worlds as well. I found his as well as his students's journal entries to be
most revealing and informative.
Sri Aurobindo once observed: 'At present mankind is undergoing an
evolutionary crisis in which is concealed a choice of its destiny." Books
like Dark Night, Early Dawn will assist us in not only seeing the choices at
hand beneath the surface of our culminating crisis but also how we can
influence whatever destiny we collectively and perhaps competently choose for
ourselves as a result.
Dark Night, Early Dawn is published by State University of New York Press.
Check out their web site at:
http://www.sunypress.edu
© 2001 Jaye C. Beldo
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