Unreality - Part II

[QUOTING]

In this way, urged on by Lao Tzu, we reverse our perception of all relationships. The Great Reality of the Unchangeable exists in a complete contrast to what we are accustomed to perceiving as 'reality', for that, in deepest essence, does not exist. How many times have you heard yourself saying, 'That is what is important to me, that is my reality, that is my life?'. But if you say things like that, you are not yet living. If only you were! If you perceive things in that way, then, in deepest essence, you do not exist.

Not exist? What do you mean by that? Well, we ask you: can things which sooner or later dissolve and disappear truly be called 'reality'? You perceive these things as reality because you want to; because you keep trying to hold on to them and make them lasting.

If you were willing to realize, very deeply, that this sham-reality is essentially unreal and to let yourself experience that, seen from the viewpoint of Tao, what you think is real does not in fact exist; if you were to experience, in your very soul, the fact of non-being, then you would really be able to enter into your kingship. Then the microcosm would be seen as the reality, and the personality would know itself to be only a projection, a reflected image. If you were to let go of your delusion, if you were to tear off the jester's outfit you are wearing and re-discover yourself as a projection of the Eternal, then this mighty work of radiation would be possible. Then the light would be able to shine in the darkness, wherever darkness prevails.

That is the truth about non-being. And that is why we say, not I, but the God in me. Not I, but the Other One. Not I, but the Father. Just as a projection is caused by the one who projects, so the Son comes from the Father. That is why the Son can say, 'The Father and I are one'.

If you let go of all your self-maintenance, if the delusion that: 'I am this, and I possess that,' is broken in you and taken away from you, if all that has disappeared, then you, too, can say: 'The Father and I are one'. If you dissolve yourself in not-being, if you enter the endura and practice the great self-surrender, if you completely neutralize your delusion of a separate, independent existence, then you will become one with the Other One.

Then the saying will be fulfilled: 'He who is willing to lose his life' -- his self-seeking existence -- 'for my sake', shall keep it'. The personality must begin to respond once more to the law of The Other Nature. That is the mystery of existence: there is an approach to life which, if you adopt it, will enable you to create in yourself the conditions necessary for the reality, the One, to be able to project Itself through you.

So would it no be supremely valuable to make this imperishable One the governing factor in your life? To absorb yourself in it, forgetting yourself, not maintaining yourself, living in a state of not-being. Then everything will come. Everything will be. A mighty light will spread through the dark regions of dualistic existence, as a blessing for many. And the nature of death, with all its horrors, will cease to exist.

If you have understood all this as it is meant to be understood, you will be able to practice wu-wei, not-doing, the endura. This will enable the voice of the Rose, the voice of the monad, to make an impression on the mirror of your heart, even though, at the moment, this mirror is rather tarnished and blurred. Your heart will then begin to yearn for the only possible solution.

This yearning, as we explained earlier, will stimulate the urge towards wisdom. And while you are persevering with your attempts to understand wisdom, until the lawful end is reached, the tarnished mirror will be cleansed by the light and power of The Other Realm. At last the moment will come when you will begin to see 'face to face'. The Great Reality will be revealed first-hand. The religion of 'seeing the invisible' as Paul calls it, will then become a way of life. The science of divine thinking, which reflects itself into the mind, will then lead to the practice of The Great Art.

So, when you understand not-doing, and you practice it as a way of life, everything is set free. Reality, the Absolute Being, can reflect itself into the non-being. Like a new sun, the great glory will spread its dawn throughout the nature of antitheses, which will once more become the Training School of Eternity.

How could one define that joy, that glory? We do not know its name. We call it Tao. Were we compelled to describe it, we would call it 'great'. After 'great', we would call it 'ephemeral'; after 'ephemeral', 'distant; after 'distant', 'That which returns'. For there are mighty forces, wheeling and circling, which hold everything in their embrace. An immense plan lies at the foundation of the divine universe. This plan must be fulfilled. And it will be fulfilled!

[END QUOTING]

End of excerpt from "Before Heaven And Earth Existed, There Was An Indefinite Being" - Chapter 25-II -The Chinese Gnosis - Jan Van Rijckenborgh, Catharose de Pietri
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