Adrian
asked
Rose Rosetree:
Hi Rose, This question is about your book, Seeking Enlightenment in the Age of Awakening. Do you think there should be a standard for spiritual teachers? Or do you think we are all spiritual teachers, in our own way?
Rose Rosetree
What an important question, Adrian: Thank you.
First of all, each of us is allowed to set our own personal standard for spiritual teachers. Living where and when we do, each of us can consider ourselves to be fully authorized to choose, and aren’t we fortunate to have the right to make our own decisions about this?
Only what else is true? When it comes to our beliefs and choices in life, consequences! We receive consequences.
Consequences flow from just about any belief, any choice. That’s especially true when it comes to religion, spirituality, personal growth of any kind.
Having served as a spiritual teacher for more than 50 years – yowza! – I’ve seen plenty of consequences. For that reason, I strongly encourage every spiritual seeker to use discernment when it comes to choosing your current teacher.
FUNNILY ENOUGH, I JUST PUBLISHED SOMETHING TO HELP
This blogpost is up on Goodreads, or you can find it by googling “Enlightenment Teacher OR Coach OR Guide” – and even more practical, this article is a Discernment Jamboree. Meaning, you can ask your questions about any Enlightenment Teacher or Enlightenment Coach; Enlightenment Guide or Awakening Guide, Awakening Teacher or Awakening Coach.
Hey, there’s a lot out there.
BUT WHAT DO I MEAN WHEN I REMIND YOU’ALL ABOUT CONSEQUENCES?
Adrian and other Goodreaders, essential to my personal way of serving as an Enlightenment Coach is how I use sophisticated skills of energetic literacy in order to assess what is really going on in the consciousness of any spiritual teacher.
Below I’ll share one example that illustrates consequences for that particular Enlightenment Teacher, consequences that don’t show physically and consciously but do show subconsciously and energetically.
CONSEQUENCES EXAMPLE: BUDDHIST TEACHER JEFF GOLDSTEIN
IMO he’s a high integrity Enlightenment Teacher, deservedly revered. Although I didn’t watch all of his YouTube video, "Questions About The Path to Awakening with Buddhist Teacher Joseph Goldstein,” hello! I did hear and see much that impressed me, such as his composure, his equanimity.
Then, in Blog Comments #71 and following, I did research beneath the surface, using today’s good skills of energetic literacy. Here’s a summary.
1. Goldstein’s Root Chakra Databank for Connection to Objective Reality
SYMBOLIC SIZE
1/8 inch. Completely shut down at the time of the photo.
QUALITY
A beautiful detachment from human life has been won through a great deal of personal discipline and sacrifice. To this Enlightenment Teacher, the quality of scar tissue here is utterly beautiful.
Clearly, this is the Connection to Objective Reality of a steadfast renunciate, one who has insisted upon following his path of wrecking-immobilizing-shattering any spontaneous human impulse.
2. Goldstein's Third Eye Chakra Databank for Connection to Psychic Guidance
SYMBOLIC SIZE
1/8 inch. Completely shut down.
QUALITY
This ardent spiritual seeker has zero interest in astral flash or psychic anything. For Joseph this is a matter of discernment. Once one understands clearly that Astral is not Divine, that's it. Astral energies for their own sake... simply have no further allure.
3. Goldstein’s Third Eye Chakra Databank for Connection to Spiritual Source
SYMBOLIC SIZE
Out into deep space. As large as it could be, at the time of this photo.
QUALITY
God is Joseph Goldstein's all in all, his one and only.
He is living very much as a renunciate. I wonder how often, in his popular teachings, he levels with his students that if they aim to follow his path they must likewise renounce EVERYTHING except for life itself.
In order to do this particular research job right, I'll need to include one further chakra databank belonging to Joseph Goldstein:
#4. His Heart Chakra Databank for Emotional Self-Awareness.
SYMBOLIC SIZE
1/8 inch. Completely shut down.
QUALITY
No trace is left of emotional experience: This has been destroyed, lovingly sacrificed, just like all the other defining characteristics of Mr. Goldstein's humanity.
Consciousness Lifestyle of Joseph Goldstein at the Time of this Screenshot?
Would I call this Spiritual Enlightenment? No. But it does seem to me that he's living a close equivalent: A surrendered lifestyle in Spiritual Addiction, a variation of that consciousness lifestyle which involves a very pure renunciation.
In the Age of Faith, only the very bravest-and-purest renunciates -- of a certain kind -- have achieved this way of living. Yes, I have researched auras belonging to a very small number of them.
Offering the very deepest respect to Joseph Goldstein and those who are following the path that he teaches, imo this version of renunciation is now obsolete. And why?
Because we're living in the Age of Awakening now. Whereas his Age of Faith path is beautiful but also relentlessly cruel.
Living now, even if fully committed to life as a renunciate, a person can reach Spiritual Enlightenment without this harsh choice for a spiritual path, a path that does not culminate in the bliss of Enlightenment but stops short at a life of dutifully extreme renunciation:
Pain-free. Joy-free. Equanimity without any lingering humanity.
Look, Goodreaders, I have definitely read auras of many other renunciates in Traditional Enlightenment.
They are not walking around like this -- to put it bluntly, like devotees of Yama. Or whatever the equivalent would be on a Buddhist path like that followed by Goldstein.
But life is large enough to include innumerable paths.
Still, I would feel sorry for any seeker of an "Awakening Teacher" who hears words that resonate idealistically like "equanimity"... While conveniently not being informed about the Olympic level of personal sacrifice that is required to succeed at a path like Goldstein's.
IN CONCLUSION
Even when a spiritual teacher’s words sound appealing, we would be wise to learn more about what is going on within the consciousness of that spiritual teacher.
Maybe you can do this kind of research for yourself. A prerequisite would be excellent skills of Stage 3 Energetic Literacy, which you can certainly learn. Plus, you’d need considerable experience at discerning consciousness lifestyles.
What might be easier for any of you who are curious about the standing of any spiritual teacher who appeals to you?
Here’s my invitation, for now and the foreseeable future. If that spiritual teacher is a public figure with a website or presence on YouTube, or a book with a current photograph... I can do some consciousness lifestyle research at that aforementioned blog post.
My freebie. No strings attached.
Just be sure to read exactly how to comment in order to receive that free research. Very specific instructions await you at that blogpost.
Thanks to all of you who have made it through this long answer. And thanks again, Adrian, for asking this question. It's a fair question, since I'm the author of that up-to-date resource for spiritual seekers, “Seeking Enlightenment in the Age of Awakening.
First of all, each of us is allowed to set our own personal standard for spiritual teachers. Living where and when we do, each of us can consider ourselves to be fully authorized to choose, and aren’t we fortunate to have the right to make our own decisions about this?
Only what else is true? When it comes to our beliefs and choices in life, consequences! We receive consequences.
Consequences flow from just about any belief, any choice. That’s especially true when it comes to religion, spirituality, personal growth of any kind.
Having served as a spiritual teacher for more than 50 years – yowza! – I’ve seen plenty of consequences. For that reason, I strongly encourage every spiritual seeker to use discernment when it comes to choosing your current teacher.
FUNNILY ENOUGH, I JUST PUBLISHED SOMETHING TO HELP
This blogpost is up on Goodreads, or you can find it by googling “Enlightenment Teacher OR Coach OR Guide” – and even more practical, this article is a Discernment Jamboree. Meaning, you can ask your questions about any Enlightenment Teacher or Enlightenment Coach; Enlightenment Guide or Awakening Guide, Awakening Teacher or Awakening Coach.
Hey, there’s a lot out there.
BUT WHAT DO I MEAN WHEN I REMIND YOU’ALL ABOUT CONSEQUENCES?
Adrian and other Goodreaders, essential to my personal way of serving as an Enlightenment Coach is how I use sophisticated skills of energetic literacy in order to assess what is really going on in the consciousness of any spiritual teacher.
Below I’ll share one example that illustrates consequences for that particular Enlightenment Teacher, consequences that don’t show physically and consciously but do show subconsciously and energetically.
CONSEQUENCES EXAMPLE: BUDDHIST TEACHER JEFF GOLDSTEIN
IMO he’s a high integrity Enlightenment Teacher, deservedly revered. Although I didn’t watch all of his YouTube video, "Questions About The Path to Awakening with Buddhist Teacher Joseph Goldstein,” hello! I did hear and see much that impressed me, such as his composure, his equanimity.
Then, in Blog Comments #71 and following, I did research beneath the surface, using today’s good skills of energetic literacy. Here’s a summary.
1. Goldstein’s Root Chakra Databank for Connection to Objective Reality
SYMBOLIC SIZE
1/8 inch. Completely shut down at the time of the photo.
QUALITY
A beautiful detachment from human life has been won through a great deal of personal discipline and sacrifice. To this Enlightenment Teacher, the quality of scar tissue here is utterly beautiful.
Clearly, this is the Connection to Objective Reality of a steadfast renunciate, one who has insisted upon following his path of wrecking-immobilizing-shattering any spontaneous human impulse.
2. Goldstein's Third Eye Chakra Databank for Connection to Psychic Guidance
SYMBOLIC SIZE
1/8 inch. Completely shut down.
QUALITY
This ardent spiritual seeker has zero interest in astral flash or psychic anything. For Joseph this is a matter of discernment. Once one understands clearly that Astral is not Divine, that's it. Astral energies for their own sake... simply have no further allure.
3. Goldstein’s Third Eye Chakra Databank for Connection to Spiritual Source
SYMBOLIC SIZE
Out into deep space. As large as it could be, at the time of this photo.
QUALITY
God is Joseph Goldstein's all in all, his one and only.
He is living very much as a renunciate. I wonder how often, in his popular teachings, he levels with his students that if they aim to follow his path they must likewise renounce EVERYTHING except for life itself.
In order to do this particular research job right, I'll need to include one further chakra databank belonging to Joseph Goldstein:
#4. His Heart Chakra Databank for Emotional Self-Awareness.
SYMBOLIC SIZE
1/8 inch. Completely shut down.
QUALITY
No trace is left of emotional experience: This has been destroyed, lovingly sacrificed, just like all the other defining characteristics of Mr. Goldstein's humanity.
Consciousness Lifestyle of Joseph Goldstein at the Time of this Screenshot?
Would I call this Spiritual Enlightenment? No. But it does seem to me that he's living a close equivalent: A surrendered lifestyle in Spiritual Addiction, a variation of that consciousness lifestyle which involves a very pure renunciation.
In the Age of Faith, only the very bravest-and-purest renunciates -- of a certain kind -- have achieved this way of living. Yes, I have researched auras belonging to a very small number of them.
Offering the very deepest respect to Joseph Goldstein and those who are following the path that he teaches, imo this version of renunciation is now obsolete. And why?
Because we're living in the Age of Awakening now. Whereas his Age of Faith path is beautiful but also relentlessly cruel.
Living now, even if fully committed to life as a renunciate, a person can reach Spiritual Enlightenment without this harsh choice for a spiritual path, a path that does not culminate in the bliss of Enlightenment but stops short at a life of dutifully extreme renunciation:
Pain-free. Joy-free. Equanimity without any lingering humanity.
Look, Goodreaders, I have definitely read auras of many other renunciates in Traditional Enlightenment.
They are not walking around like this -- to put it bluntly, like devotees of Yama. Or whatever the equivalent would be on a Buddhist path like that followed by Goldstein.
But life is large enough to include innumerable paths.
Still, I would feel sorry for any seeker of an "Awakening Teacher" who hears words that resonate idealistically like "equanimity"... While conveniently not being informed about the Olympic level of personal sacrifice that is required to succeed at a path like Goldstein's.
IN CONCLUSION
Even when a spiritual teacher’s words sound appealing, we would be wise to learn more about what is going on within the consciousness of that spiritual teacher.
Maybe you can do this kind of research for yourself. A prerequisite would be excellent skills of Stage 3 Energetic Literacy, which you can certainly learn. Plus, you’d need considerable experience at discerning consciousness lifestyles.
What might be easier for any of you who are curious about the standing of any spiritual teacher who appeals to you?
Here’s my invitation, for now and the foreseeable future. If that spiritual teacher is a public figure with a website or presence on YouTube, or a book with a current photograph... I can do some consciousness lifestyle research at that aforementioned blog post.
My freebie. No strings attached.
Just be sure to read exactly how to comment in order to receive that free research. Very specific instructions await you at that blogpost.
Thanks to all of you who have made it through this long answer. And thanks again, Adrian, for asking this question. It's a fair question, since I'm the author of that up-to-date resource for spiritual seekers, “Seeking Enlightenment in the Age of Awakening.
More Answered Questions
Audrey Selene
asked
Rose Rosetree:
Hi Rose, I spent years in psychotherapy because I thought it was the only way to grow. But I only learned a few concepts in an intellectual way; I didn't learn any skills. Would your latest book Seeking Enlightenment in the Age of Awakening help me more? Thank you!
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