This issue is a dream come true for most egos.
Many books on spiritual development, including some about the Diamond Approach, talk about the difficulties and ordeals one must confront on the path – the challenges and sacrifices needed to gain entry into spiritual realms and dimensions being one of them.
The dilemma for many students of the Diamond Approach seeking spiritual experiences is this: It’s too easy!
An outlandish claim? I think not.
I’m not saying enlightenment is a snap, but access to spiritual experience is relatively easy and uncomplicated.
I think four significant factors support access to spiritual experiences and states for students of the Diamond Approach.
Before I list the factors, let me say that the spiritual experiences I am referring to are not feelings, emotional states, intuitions, mental insights, or beliefs and convictions one has been brought up with.
I’m referring to living, immediate, consciousness-altering experiences like unity/oneness, the substance of the soul, the dissolution of self, cosmic awareness, and many others.
These four aspects of the Diamond Approach allow students easy access to spiritual states:
- The wisdom of the inseparable synthesis of the psychological and spiritual.
- The unique and precise spiritual technology that allows psychological inquiry to penetrate into deeper spiritual dimensions
- The organic transmission of spiritual states from teacher to student. The simple way to understand this is – essence calls to essence.
- The Diamond Approach has no agenda of prescribed steps, a designated process for unfoldment to a particular spiritual state, nor a posited ultimate goal. The Diamond Approach supports each student’s unique process of unfoldment. This reflects the understanding that true nature is always present and trying (for lack of a better word) to arise in our consciousness.
A fifth significant factor has more to do with the Diamond Approach student than the teaching or the teacher. This is the student’s sincerity which manifests in part as a love of truth and the flame of the search.
It is often said, because it’s very true, that spiritual experiences are a dime a dozen. Accessing spiritual experiences is fairly easy, but allowing ourselves to be transformed by them can be challenging. As is the commitment necessary for integrating the actualized into human life. This is the process from state to station.
The problematic part with ease of access to spiritual states is this: it plays right into the ego mind’s reification of experience and endless addiction to seeking pleasure. This is not a “game-ender,” as many individuals’ consciousness has been transformed. but it can’t be “done.” It can, however, be allowed. Think of all the times we have read or heard – surrender, surrender, surrender.
In the world of Looney Tunes, Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny are the perfect characters to illustrate the concept of ego activity and monkey mind. Elmer Fudd, the ever-persistent hunter, embodies the ego activity. He is always on the hunt, trying to catch Bugs Bunny, and always convinced that he is right and justified in his pursuit. His strong ego drives his actions, often leading him into humorous and frustrating situations. His mind is restless, always planning the next trap or scheme to catch Bugs, much like the monkey mind that is unsettled, restless, and easily distracted.
Bugs Bunny, on the other hand, represents monkey-mind. He is whimsical, capricious, and always on the move. His mind swings wildly from one idea to another, like a monkey swinging from limb to limb. He is constantly outsmarting Elmer, using his quick wit and creativity to escape from Elmer’s traps. However, Bugs also has a strong ego. He is confident and self-assured and believes he can outsmart Elmer at every turn. This ego activity often leads him into trouble, as he underestimates Elmer’s persistence and determination.
The interactions between Elmer and Bugs perfectly illustrate the constant battle between the ego and monkey mind. Elmer’s ego drives him to continue his pursuit of Bugs, despite numerous failures. His monkey mind is constantly coming up with new plans and schemes, never able to settle or find peace. Bugs embodies monkey-mind with his quick thinking and constant movement, but his ego also gets him into trouble, as he often underestimates Elmer’s determination. This dynamic between Elmer and Bugs provides a humorous and relatable illustration of ego activity and monkey mind.
So, the more things change, the more they remain the same – that wascally wabbit still needs to chill out and allow transformation, i.e., allowing grace.