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buddhism
June 2009 
Sedona Spirit
Balder
Sedona first cast her spell on me years ago, when I was dharma bumming it across the country with my mother and we found ourselves nestled for an evening -- exhausted after a long trip across the desert -- among her soaring red spires and cliffs. Waking in the morning and looking around ourselves in wonder, we quickly agreed this was the place we wanted to settle.
It has been many years since I lived in Sedona -- many years since I have walked and meditated on her smooth red stone, under the muttering ravens and the fragrant juniper pines -- but I still visit there when I am able. I have just returned from my most recent visit, and while I was disheartened, as always, by the relentless commercial development and touristification of the town, I was also pleasantly surprised to find some interesting new facilities there.
Sedona is well-known both as a Mecca for the New Age and a posh getaway for the elite, and it remains a popular tourist destination for vacationers on their way to the Grand Canyon. When I first moved there in the early 1990s, Sedona was beginning to get regular news coverage -- particularly following the Harmonic Convergence in 1987, which brought the New Age to the attention of mainstream America, and with the subsequent popularization Sedona's sacred vortexes by various channelers and new age gurus.
But the "buzz" about Sedona attracted more than tourists and ET-channeling walk-ins; word got out about the beauty and power of this little piece of earth, and teachers and healers and spiritual aspirants came to work and meditate in her open spaces and silences. I recall driving down the road one afternoon and coming across a Shingon Buddhist monk from Japan walking serenely toward Bell Rock in the dead of the desert heat. I stopped to talk with him and learned he had discovered Bell Rock several years ago and visited the U.S. on occasion so he could meditate there. And in my five or six years in Sedona I met Jain nuns, Tibetan monks (a group of whom stayed with us and blessed our house), Apache, Huichol, and Navajo shamans, Korean healers, and many other exceptional individuals who had been drawn by the lure of the red rocks and the spiritual energy in the air.
I appreciate the electic, free spirit of many of the seekers that come to this town (the good-hearted ones among the many hucksters that also abound); but I also have felt that the Sedona scene lacked deep spiritual rootedness in tradition and lineage that could really allow for a lasting flowering to take place there. It has been too much a product of Boomer hype and narcissism. So, I was pleased on my most recent visit there to find that a number of centers with connections to authentic traditions were also beginning to take root.
One of the first places I visited was the Ringing Rocks Foundation. It occupies the old movie theater at the edge of town, but the space has been thoroughly transfigured. The foundation is dedicated to the preservation of ancient healing and shamanic practices around the world, sponsoring educational and informational events, doing field research, publishing a series of quality books on different indigenous traditions, and working to digitalize and preserve ancient teaching texts (such as the Balinese lontars, or palm leaf scrolls), among other things. (I was happy to hear about this latter, after having seen lontars in a terrible state of decay at a friend's house in the village of Ubud).
I do not have a photo of the Ringing Rocks gallery, but it is a beautiful, nautilus-shaped space, with images and sacred implements and masks displayed on the walls. A life-sized Rangda stands in the right corner of the room as you enter the gallery, and was an object of fascination and fear for my son. There is a sandpainting table in the center of the room, and a video is usually running -- chronicling the work of healers such as Navajo shaman, Walking Thunder. The staff on site are helpful and informative, so if you are interested in this sort of thing, I recommend spending a morning or afternoon there. I plan to maintain a relationship with them and will be using some of their resources in one of my classes.
The next site I wanted to mention is one I have long heard about, but which I had not seen yet because it was constructed sometime after my last visit to Sedona: the Amitabha Stupa. Situated at the base of Chimney Rock, it mirrors the shape and coloring of some of the natural landforms and blends in beautifully with the environment. I understand that there are extensive plans to develop a park around the stupa, and the images look quite attractive, but I enjoyed having to climb a ways up the open face of the hill, past dry creek beds and around the twisted shapes of manzanita and juniper, till the stupa stood revealed before me, the body of buddha on the lap of the earth mother.
The Amitabha Stupa was constructed by the Kunzang Palyul Choling, a Nyingma Buddhist center headed by the American teacher, Jetsunma Lhamo. I have not met her personally, but I understand she is quite a controversial figure, and some of her critics contend that she should not be regarded as an authentic Buddhist teacher (despite the fact that she was recognized as a tulku by the respected head of the Nyingma order). So, my aesthetic appreciation of the site, and my pleasure at the prospect of Buddhist teachings becoming more readily available in Sedona, are not unreservedly expressed. Visiting the site and circumambulating the stupa, I related to it as a Buddhist, not a member of the particular organization that erected it. The organization itself, Kunzang Palyul Choling, is considered by some critics to be more New Age than authentically Buddhist. So, although I recommend the stupa as a beautiful site to visit, at this time I unfortunately cannot give the same endorsement to the organization that constructed it without researching further into the matter. (See comments below for debate and discussion of this question.)
The last site I want to mention is the Sedona Creative Life Center. This retreat facility is, in fact, also a New Age center, but it has hosted several teachers I respect, such as Dr. David Hawkins, Byron Katie, Ram Das, and Natalie Goldberg, and has attracted well-known figures such as Dan Millman, Andrew Harvey, and Hale Dwoskin. It also serves as a venue for music and art, featuring performers such as Stanley Jordan, Will Ackerman, and William Eaton.
When I lived in Sedona a number of years ago, my house was at the crest of a hill overlooking the land this center now occupies. At the time, only the glass chapel was there, hidden among the trees and seldom visited; now the grounds have greatly expanded, featuring a large lecture/concert hall, a number of rooms also suitable for workshops, a library, an art cabin, a kitchen and dining terrace, and a peace garden. The center is tucked down off the dirt road accessing Schnebly Hill, so it is away from traffic and tourist noise, even though it is only about five-minute drive away from Uptown Sedona.
I visited the center only briefly, wandering the grounds, peeking in rooms, and relaxing a moment in the wooden pendopo-like structure in the Peace Garden, but I decided while I was there that I would present a lecture there in 2008. You heard it here first (and I hope you hold me to it!). Looking over the programs offered at the center and at other facilities in Sedona, and scanning the shelves of the book stores, I realize that neither Integral nor TSK have made much of an inroad there. But I aim to help change that... :-)
Access: Public
Thank you for showing me Sedona once again. Our family's short visit there a few years ago, sticks in my mind. The beauty of it is, that even people who don't consider themselves spiritual, can feel the powerful energy there. It's palpable.
You're welcome, Meenakshi. I'm not sure why (I couldn't live there now, just for practical reasons), but when I pulled into town after my several-year absence, I got a tear in my eye. It is a special place.
Great pics and reminiscing, Balder, thanx for sharing.
I'm reminded of a book I have, called The Inward Garden, by Julie Moir Messervy. She
talks about discovering our inner archetypal landscapes, sounds like this is yours.
My family and I recently drove along the north shore of Lake Michigan across the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan. We came upon a small park and boat lauch, where we stopped
and walked along a river until we reached a quiet inlet opening out into the lake. I had an
archetypal moment myself there, the safe harbour opening to vast open possibilities. I
wish I had taken some pictures, next time I will.
Hi, Ecumenicist, that book sounds interesting. I haven't heard of it before but may look for it. I would not have expected a semi-desert landscape to appeal to me so – growing up, I tended to prefer forests and lakes – but I believe you may be right: the way I resonate to the landscape almost has an archetypal flavor. It is interesting, when I lived there, the landscape called poetry out of me in a way similar to the Bible did when I was younger: providing a store of powerful, resonant images through which I could speak about things of the spirit, and under the tutelage of which I could learn more deeply about the Great Mystery of this present arising.
Greetings,
–Regarding Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo and KPC–
Your analysis and travelog of the Sedona area is excellent, until you come to the point regarding your far from informed position regarding Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo and KPC. You mention that she is controversial? What person, of any significance, is not? There is ALWAYS controversy with exceptional people.
Was the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche controversial? Certainly. Was he one of the most important Lamas to have ever taught in the West? Was his written works not some of the most important, erudite, meaningful, and influential? Where did Pema Chodron come from? Where did Sam Berchholz? Where did Reginald Ray? What of the work of Naropa? What of the contributions that many students of Trungpa’s have made to the integral movement alongside Ken Wilber? I would submit that ‘Cutting through Spiritual Materialism’ is one of the most important books that any Buddhist has ever written for a Western Audience, and addresses–specifically and directly–the depth of the problems with the New-age, narcisistic, “The Secret’ absolutist types (Green, pluralist, [Wilber, Spiral Dynamics] worldview).
Again, was (is) Chogyam Trungpa Controversial? Did he not drink himself to death? Was he no less a Vidyadhara? Are you so holy, so advanced and enlightened, to be qualified to condemn and disparage Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche? No? If you would respond yes, then good luck to you since your unfounded assertions illustrate behavior, on your part, that belie any claim you could logically make to such a classification based on the published teachings of any of the Mahayana or Vajrayana exemplars one would care to quote. If, however, as I suspect, your answer would be no, then how can you, with any moral, ethical, and even logical justification, disparage Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo?
Jetsunma is every bit as important, and no less controversial, as was Trungpa. Trungpa has passed on. His lineage continues, and is still growing and making great contributions; but, he, the driving force and inspiration, has left this realm. Jetsunma is still with us, and such is cause for celebration and gratitude, as her best and most effective contributions are still ahead of us.
You state that ours is a ‘purportedly’ Nyingma establishment. Are you insinuating that Holiness Penor Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma order, is ‘Purportedly Nyingma?’. Is The 14th Dalai Lama purportedly Gelug? Or the 17th Karmapa ‘purportedly’ Karma Kagyu? Penor Rinpoche *is* “the respected head” that you mention in your quote:
—o—
“I have not met her personally, but I understand she is quite a controversial figure, and from the stories I have heard, I seriously question whether she should be regarded as an authentic Buddhist teacher (despite the fact that she was recognized as a tulku by the respected head of the Nyingma order).”
—o—
If you have not met her, what manner of hypocrisy warrants your disparaging her, and her lineage? You are *purportedly* a Buddhist right? Then on what grounds would you slander a lineage and a teacher on the basis of ‘public controversy’? By leading with this disclaimer that you have not met her personally, your assertion fails before it begins. It is fundamental, in Buddhism, or in any body of ethics, that one not make unfounded assertions that might be slanderous, libelous, and damaging. Yet, by using such a disclaimer, are you any more ethically empowered to do so regardless? Does it make you feel any better, or justify such an assertion in your mind? You say you “understand” she is quite controversial. I’m sorry to say, that from your statements, your understanding is quite limited, and by your own admission (“what I have heard”, and “seems to me”) implies that you admit that you are not sure, and that such understanding is based solely on here-say, and unfounded allegation. Therefore, if you are not sure, then how can you ethically make a potentially slanderous and damaging assertion/accusation that might drive someone from seeking refuge in an authentic Nyingma Lama?
Let me make a very concrete rebuttal to your unfortunate assertion herein: If the head of a Tibetan Buddhist lineage (in this case Penor Rinpoche) specifically, categorically, in writing, and with no ambiguity whatsoever (as is the case with Jetsunma), initiates/invests somebody as a Tulku and, moreover, a Lineage Holder in the Palyul Lineage (and therefore categorically a Nyingma , then there is NO PURPORTEDLY ABOUT IT. It is not a matter for allegation, or claim; Penor Rinpoche’s investment of Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo is AUTHORITATIVE. It is no less authoritative as in the secular appointment of a Supreme Court Justice by a standing President and as approved by Congress. If you challenge such authority, by claiming that a Lama of Penor Rinpoche’s stature would pervert this system, then the entire system of Kama and Terma is UNDONE, and we may as well kiss any authentic Vajrayana Buddhist presence in the world goodbye. So, if you value Vajrayana Buddhism and what it represents to sentient beings, then I would highly recommend that you think very deeply indeed, on the repercussions of continuing this irresponsible mouthing off about Jetsunma’s legitimacy, that not only disparages her, her students, and our mission; but even more importantly, it drives a chisel into the fabric of the very foundation of Tibetan Buddhism itself.
Ok, moving on… Have you any idea how many beings have found refuge from suffering by virtue of Jetsunma and her students work? I’ll start with myself, and countless others in Sedona, Maryland, Australia, Taiwan, Mongolia, India, Tibet… Then, lets move on to the animal realm, and ongoing Karma Yoga; are you aware of our Dakini Valley Animal Rescue operation? (http://www.tarasbabies.org/content/section/11/38/) We rescued over 200 dogs from Katrina and placed them all (with the exception of 6 feral pit bulls that we are still working with). We recently took shipment of a couple of dozen dogs that were to be executed, from Taiwan. We rescue Parrots and give them homes, for life (www.garudaaviary.com), after their owners either pass on (are outlived by the parrots as will happen increasingly as boomers age) or realize that these animals are not the fluffy cute pet that they thought, but more like a 2 year old child that remains that way for 50 or more years. Back to humans; We fund the Shedra studies for several monks per year from Mongolia to travel to India to study. We are the principal agency through which the Nyingma Tradition is being restored in Mongolia after being destroyed by the Soviets during their occupation of over 50 years. We support a Nunnery in India and Tibet. We are involved in numerous local outreach operations in the Maryland and in the Sedona area. We maintain one of the largest (if not the largest) Stupa parks in the US in Poolesville, Md. (http://www.stupas.org/maryland_general.html), at significant cost, for the sake of sentinet beings. Jetsunma teaches the Dharma, the legitimate Palyul Lineage Namchu Cycle of Terma from the Palyul Lineage. She also teaches in English, for newcomers to the Dharma, with a deep understanding of the western mind, and its characteristic trappings, foibles, and glitches. She makes the Dharma accessible to many that would otherwise not find the path and be capable of assimilating it; however, the teachings are thoroughly, consistently, Tibetan Buddhist, Nyingma, and Palyul to the core.
It is appalling to continue to hear this garbage, and yes slanderous noise, about one of the most selfless and dedicated champions for compasion in the world, raise its head, over and over again and I cannot stand by without rebuttal.
We are enjoined, in this marvelous Zaadz Forum, to not to attack anyone. I am certainly not attacking you personally. I’m sure you are a fine person. I am attacking your ignorant assertions regarding my teacher. I applogize if I step on toes here, but I cannot let this stand unchallenged.
Best Regards,
–Dragpa Gyaltsen (Chuck Tellechea)
Student of Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo
Kunzang Palyul Choling
www.tara.org
Dragpa Gyaltsen,
I can see I've offended you. I am not going to try to refute anything you are saying, but will let it stand here as another perspective. It is true that I do not know much about her and I am going on what I've heard, both from individuals in Sedona when I used to live there (she moved to Sedona while I was still there) and from things I have read. I would not mind at all if I turn out to be wrong; in fact, I'd be happy about that. One of my teachers is also in the Nyingma school, so I naturally have a close affinity with that lineage. I have not come across anything that would lead me to think Jetsumna is as major a Buddhist figure as Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche was, but I'm open to finding out more.
For now, I will change my comments about KPC to be more open-ended, since you are right that I do not have any first-hand information to go by and my perspective may not be accurate: “I recommend visiting the stupa, but I do not know much about the organization that started it. The information I have come across to date has not been very positive, but here on this blog entry is a student of Jetsumna who feels very differently. So, check it out for yourself!”
Warm wishes,
Balder
Thank you, Balder, for your open ended response to Chuck's entry. It is true Jetsunma has been a controversial figure mostly because she is a woman, a westerner, and she refuses to shadowbox with people who dis her without knowing her. There are many major Buddhist figures who are planting the Dharma in the West without much 'press coverage' in all Lineages and there's no competition or comparison needed, so it is good to simply relax and 'judge by their fruit' as was said in another religion. His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and His Holiness Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche are the ones that recognized her, and Penor Rinpoche is the one that continuously approves of all her activities, so we as students of Jetsunma's have no worries. She is probably about to get creamed in the press again because she is now making “hot mantra music”, again, at the encouragement of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, but it's not the sweet lullaby new age music many people may associate with 'being spiritual', so we've fastened our seatbelts for the onslaught of comments from people who conceptualize 'true spirituality' as only looking certain ways. And we know that there are 84,000 teachings from Lord Buddha because of this difference in karmic mental habit, therefore, it's okay. Jetsunma wants to throw out a wide net so that those who have the karmic connection to the Dharma can link up - and in the west, they can be found listening to music and on myspace, so in her compassion, that's where she'll go, no matter what some may think of her. Here's a link that might blow your mind: www.jetsunmamusic.com. Andrew Cohen interviewed her in Sedona some years ago and there's a strong mutual respect there; I mention this since you are into the Integral approach and I think many of Andrew's readers are; you can search on WIE's site for the intereview. It's a good portrait for an 'out of the mold' tulku.
All the best to you and thanks for posting the pix of the Amitabha Stupa; so many people visit there from all over the world and that is why Jetsunma wanted to build it there, so that the millions who come through Sedona receive Amitabha's blessing. For a recording of the prayer to Amitabha you can download for free to play for those sick or dying you can go to www.palyulradio.org.
May all your merit increase and bring you to full liberation!
Ani Alana
Student of Jetsunma's since 1983 (yes, old age is finding me fast)
Thank you, Ani Alana, for the additional information. On my part, I would not, and do not, object to Jetsumna being either a woman or Western Buddhist teacher; in fact, I welcome the changes in the West that are transforming some of the old cultural structures that have prevailed in the East. On other blogs (particularly with Hokai) and forums here on Zaadz (for instance, the Integral Institute forum), I have been discussing the possible future evolution of Buddhism, especially as it encounters postmodernism and as Integrally minded Buddhists work towards reform. I also do not object to “hot mantras.” If you look on a previous blog post, you'll see I've included links to several modernized chants that Lama Surya Das (another Western teacher) has put out. (I have one of Jetsumna's early CDs in my collection; I'll check out the link you've recommended when I get home.)
H.H. Penor Rinpoche and H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche are obviously very exceptional teachers. I do not believe that human beings, even enlightened masters, are infallible or incapable of making mistakes, so I wouldn't suspend judgment just because of a good recommendation by a respected authority (the Buddha himself advises against this in the Kalama Sutra), but I do have to agree that a positive recommendation from these exceptional individuals is an important thing to consider when evaluating Jetsumna as an “authentic Buddhist teacher.”
Best wishes,
Balder
Thanks for the links to the I-I forum (a group who truly enjoy words, clearly) and Hokai and also the YouTube links. The new media is so amazing in its usefulness to grow communities of like minded people and be able to form friendships worldwide. When I have some time to sit and read I will check out the discussions on I-I as bringing Dharma to a new culture and the transformations it will necessarily undergo, while retaining the purity of the Buddha's living transmissions if of great interest to me.
Thanks again, and am happy we've met.
Ani alana
Balder,
Thanks for your subsequent posts and clarifications therein; however, your blog entry’s text, regarding Jetsunma and KPC, remain unchaged (and I cleared my cache). Though your response to my rebuttal is greatly appreciated and appropriate, its effects are similar to an editorial retraction on page 15 of a newspager, given an inaccuracy on page 1.
Regardless, I am not offended personally. I am but a conduit, and don’t take myself very seriously :)
What I do take seriously is my Teacher, our Lineage and Sangha, and working towards assisting, in any way that I can, for humanity to embody, collectively, an ever greater unfolding of spirit in this realm of form towards an ever greater scope of compassion and care.
As I said, towards the end, my objection was with your assertion, not with you. I am glad that Ani Alana has also posted. I am also a diligent student of Wilber and have read all of his major works. Additionally, I take part in WIE’s monthly Salon in Washington DC. As Ani Alana metioned, Andrew Cohen and Jetsunma have a great deal of respect for each other. I spoke with Andrew a couple of months ago, when he taught in DC. He asked me to make sure that I conveyed his warmest regards to Jetsunma.
Please come visit us some time.
Regards
–Dragpa
Hi, Dragpa,
I actually did drop by KPC to visit (the location is familiar; I used to live further down the road, under Lizard Head rock), but it appeared the center was temporarily closed because of a mold issue. I hope that's all cleared up. No fun!
I have now modified my original blog entry – not to completely retract what I said, because I still need to research more, but at least to qualify my objections a bit more. I have also referred readers to the discussion we are having if they want more information.
I think it's great that you are involved in Integral as well as your Buddhist practice. As I mentioned in my blog, Sedona does not yet have a strong Integral presence, but it seems like it is a good place to seek to establish deeper roots. There may be some there who are dissatisfied with the often uncritical, Green spirituality that prevails there; and it might be good also just to begin to push in that “frothy,” creative environment for more critical thinking among those who may still be swimming in some version of spiritual escapism and romanticism.
About Andrew Cohen: I am more familiar with him than I am with Jetsunma, and I am not particularly impressed with him. There are elements to his work and teachings that I respect, but there are also a number of things that I find problematic. Again, I do not object to innovation or pushing the boundaries of tradition or establishing “new” forms of spirituality – I'm a student of both TSK and the Diamond Approach – but a number of ethical and other controversies swirl around him, and in this case, I believe there is a real fire behind all the smoke. I do not completely dismiss his work, but again I could not recommend it without certain reservations.
Best wishes,
Balder
hi balder!
the world gets smaller ; )
i love sedona! i've enjoyed many wonderful days at the creative life centre practising the sedona method, and exploring the area around sedona. i can't think for the life of me why people have sought to imbue the place with “extra” spiritual qualities - its natural beauty is more than enough for mortals like me!
you're right about the new-age blah there, and the touristic exploitation of the indian mythical history is pretty rank… but when the sun rises on the awe-inspiring view from bell rock, with the only thing breaking the silence being the occasional birdsong and one's own breathing, it is hard not to feel deeply grateful for being alive, and energised by the sight and the scale of the place alone. (not sure about the vortexes - i have nothing to report there!)
i have so many fond memories of sedona, and look forward to revisiting as soon as possible!
regarding the sedona method - i disagree with some of its metaphysical underpinnings, resonating as they are do with several traditional indian beliefs which i cannot endorse (separateness is an illusion, we are all one, life is a dream that never was, the ego should be transcended, sensory perception of the world is an illusion etc), in the same way that i disagree with some of the the truth claims of buddhism (as you know!). however, when intense enquiry, profound partner exercises, deep quieting of the mind, and natural beauty are combined, the effect for me has been profoundly ectstatic and joyful - whatever my metaphysical beliefs. since the absence of belief in the metaphysics has not inhibited me in any way from experiencing the joys of enlightenment, i look forward to a time when the real benefits of contemplation can be enjoyed culturally in a way which does not require the alienation any part of human consciousness.
in response to the sensibilities offended above, i have zero respect for holiness, lineage, tulku status etc in of themselves, and you describe andrew cohen in an admirably measured way (although i cannot say i find no value in it whatsoever, i would have found it hard to avoid the phrase guru-worshipped charlatan - in my younger days certainly ; )
this doesn't mean i think we should reinvent the wheel in all matters, dismissing everything older than last week because it is old, rather that it would seem sensible to discriminate (as you do with cohen and kpc) in selecting which wheel is most appropriate for the knowledge which we now have at our disposal, and which is most appropriate for the situation at hand.
and why is it that lots of buddhists or followers of buddhism in my experience get so touchy about their beliefs or sacredness of a particular teacher or lineage being questioned (you being a notable exception), when they train to be unruffled by all that is arising and compassionate to all beings? this seems (generally) consistent with meditation unsupported by psychotherapy, or simple uncompensated mammal in-group allegiance.
meanwhile, in sedona, the birds sing on and the rocks stand tall, unaware of the metaphysical postulations flying around their neighbourhood! a truly amazing place…
thanks for reminding me!
best wishes
adam
a nice start to the day:
bell rock view
Thanks for your considered response, Adam. I think the offense gets taken at people making assumptions based on gossip and hearsay. It happens in politics and it happens in religion and it happens in the office workplace; my teacher, Jetsunma has said, “If you are gossiping, you are WRONG; even if your are right, you are WRONG”. And here we find ourselves in a culture whose media machine thrives on gossip. I dont' think Buddhists get any more touchy about their beliefs than other groups, especially, I have found the Christian right. But as the Buddha teaches, we are all in our own karmic bubble and only experiencing the karma of our own minds, so if gossip and disparaging others/ourselves keeps flashing up in our experience, guess what we've been probably doing for aeons and now reaping the harvest?
thanks for the view of Bell Rock. Lived in Sedona 9 years and was daily amazed at how the changes in light made it a new experience constantly.
hi alana
hmmm… on the subject of flavours of gossip and hearsay (in general, not to do with this blog)
i heard a definition of gossip once along the lines that it includes anything you wouldn't say about a person in their presence. i might also include anything which is not proven as being objectively true, but which is disseminated as such.
and some other forms/vehicles for it
misinformation
disinformation
insufficient information
misunderstanding
information given and received in good faith but which is incorrect
information given in good faith which is accurate but which is rejected on defensive grounds and labelled as gossip
delusion
received wisdom
communication error
myths
religious lore
legend
lots to choose from!
i don't think buddhists get more touchy than other groups either, and yes fundamental christians can be especially sanctimoniously defensive in my experience, as can those who don't like irreverent cartoons of their heros (i haven't seen many buddhists rioting because of cartoons of the buddha recently, although it is against the law in thailand for example).
in any case, i respect the sincere intentions of anyone to be compassionate - i was teasing a bit in pointing out the defensiveness i have encountered from buddhists which doesn't seem to square with mindfulness! (defensiveness meditation?)
i'm not sure about the karma model - i don't yet have enough evidence or reason to go there with you, nor can i currently recommend buddhism as a sufficient future cultural template for various reasons … but we can agree that the red rocks do good things to human beings! i saw snow there once - that was strange and beautiful!
best wishes
adam
Hi, Adam,
What a surprise! Another lover of that amazing landscape. I'm in full agreement that nothing needs to be done to “inject” spirituality into that environment; it is already quite a sacred space, in my view and experience, just as it is. It is the first place I had sustained mystical experiences and insights – arising in the context of long hours hiking in the canyons and sitting in the pregnant silence of the red rocks. I was meditating at the time (structureless Krishnamurti-style practice of choiceless awareness and inquiry), but the setting for my practice appears to have magnified the power of my experiences.
Interestingly, some Tibetan teachers I worked with in Virginia were describing the effects of different types of landscape on meditation, and they named “red rock areas” as powerful but potentially disruptive and difficult settings for practice. I am not sure what particular criteria they relied on to come to these conclusions…
I am not very familiar at all with the Sedona Method, but I suppose I ought to check it out. I've been meaning to and just haven't had the time or opportunity. From what little I've been exposed to, it doesn't hook me right away. Other “new” practices attract me more.
Anyway, thanks for letting me know about this thing we have in common. As a flute player, I imagine you must have played a few notes on the side of Bell Rock. If not … well, someday you should! I used to go up there on early mornings to meditate and play to the canyon walls. A wonderful way to start the day before heading off to work…
Best wishes,
Balder
As a native Arizonan I can only be horrified at the thought of one more ‘spiritual’ philosophy moving to Sedona, but why not, everyone else has. The beginning of the end of the natural Sedona was crushed by the Harmonic Convergence and anyone that goes up there now and thinks they see or feel spiritualism is creating it in their own minds. True, it is still stunning. But to look at Sedona without looking at the framework and history of Arizona is just tourist crap. Though we still take drives up there, albeit during the week only, because on the weekends the line of traffic extends 60 miles back to to north Phoenix, it will always break my heart a little to see what has become of it. And come snowbird time in a month or so one can forget about even trying to get up there till May.
I prefer to remember the time spent there with my girlfriend as a teenager when the little art, crystal and leather vendors only occupied an intersection, and the woman from the Apache tribe sold necklaces on the wooden boardwalk. The food was either a hamburger and a beer or a cheap, cheezy Mexican restaurant with to die for red chili & machaca taco’s. The bats swung deep to drink the water from the pool in the backyard at dusk – and a hike was one of the many awe inspiring hikes in Arizona (I could name several that one gets the same awestruck feeling.)
I’m glad you posted about it Balder, it is beautiful and I have only the utmost respect for you, but it is telling and ironic to me that even though you described it’s magnificent splendor incredibly well, this blog came down to an argument about the spirituality of those who ‘visit’ or sell their version of spirituality in Sedona, Arizona.
Love and Warmest Regards,
Sea
Hi, Sea, I hear you. Sedona has changed a lot since I was first there (1988), and I can imagine it has changed much more compared to when you used to visit it (I'm imagining in the '70s or early '80s?). It hurts to see what has been lost, and what has been kitsched over. I imagine your feelings as an AZ native are even stronger. But I disagree with you that anything “spiritual” that one might feel there is simply all in the head. Well, let me qualify that. I don't believe there is anything particularly “magical” or supernatural about Sedona – I'm not a believer in vortexes – but there are elements of the landscape there that are still awe inspiring and transporting, and just the aesthetic impact of the environment, coupled with the silences and the remote places you can still reach if you're willing to hike, can indeed open up one's spiritual/intuitive faculties. Many places in nature can do this, and I am not imagining here a special supernatural energy. But some places speak to us more than others – and for me, Sedona spoke directly to my heart and nourished me for many years.
About “using” Sedona to sell spirituality – well, guilty as charged. I haven't done so yet, and I'm not positive I ever will do so, but since I do plan on lecturing and leading workshops in the near future, I admit Sedona attracts me as one place I'd like to do that.
Warm wishes,
Balder
Dear Balder, of course you are correct about the landscape. One would have to made out of ice not to be moved spiritually or otherwise. I really should learn to engage my brain before my passionate opinions inadvertently offend those who would like to experience the awesomeness of Sedona first hand. It became a worldwide phenomena and one can’t turn back the hands of the clock. I feel the nourishment of the soul there as well and will be up there next week to celebrate my girlfriends birthday. There is a great Thai restaurant off the 89. I may even take gander at the sites you mention. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!
Take Good Care,
Sea
Balder: “I have not met her (Jetsunma Lhamo) personally, but I understand she is quite a controversial figure, and some of her critics contend that she should not be regarded as an authentic Buddhist teacher (despite the fact that she was recognized as a tulku by the respected head of the Nyingma order).”
Oh, dear Lord! Are you not allowed to say that? Dear friend, how could you insult good sensitive people by spreading a gossip based on a rumour that sprang from a blabber? Just kiddin', of course. You know my preference for lineage and training in formal practices etc. but samaya is obviously not for everyone.
Don't you dare changing a single letter of your quite decent and civilized post.:-) At least not because of anyone's reactions. Dragpa Gylatsen's arguments are just a bit naive at best.
Comparing Jetsunma Lhamo to Chogyam Trungpa is ridiculous, but it also has no meaning: was/is Chogyam Trungpa beyond reproach? For some of his students, perhaps in some ways - and not necessarily, not in this century - but not for anyone else. Further on, is anyone's authorisation a “proof” or “warrant” of anyone else's authenticity? Of course not. It's solely a semi-public (and sometimes just private) recognition, done with certain purpose in mind, as an investment (indeed “to invest” is a verb used for authorisations). An authorisation is nothing more or less than a permission to the person, and a recommendation to the public (plus, a political move for the conferrer, not without social and economic consequences). It works somehow in traditional societies, with numerous control mechanisms, though not without problems as we know from beginnings of all Buddhist lineages. It works with waning legitimacy in our own time, being understood as another form of endorsement. I'm not discussing the specific example here, of which I know close to nothing, but the general notion. That Andrew Cohen and Jetsunma Lhamo have great mutual respect should mean absolutely nothing to any third party.
Of the teachers who have created most problems, and are still doing that unchecked by “higher authorities”, how many have NOT been authorised by this or that grandmaster? Spirituality is very much religion, religion is very much politics, and politics is very much finance (and this is not to be critical). Some authorisations are obviously questionable, but rarely backfire on the conferrer - how so? Of course…:-) And then students develop these “ethical” sensitivities and dare tell you to mind your unethical speech? Whatever.
Let's move on.
P.S. sorry for further ruining your landscape-inspired post. Bucolic and pastoral considerations are far down on my list of priorities.
Godspeed,
Hokai