Part 2 Theoretical Activism, An Exploration of Wu Wei: Practical Application of Philosophy, A Panel Discussion

Part 2 the Panels opens to discuss:

• 'What makes us come alive?'
• 'What is your 'note' in life?' (Rumi's 'be your note.')

Discussion turns to Rumi's quote 'when I was young I wanted to change the world, when I grew older I wanted only to change myself.'

How do we attune to spiritual teachers?

How do we know who our spiritual teachers are meant to be?

Moments that open and we lose sense of time, time falls away:

• Activity ​
• When meeting new people, old karmic connections? 
• In our Dharma, our work
• Henry's discussions, Sohbet, mystical discussions on mystical subjects, with his teacher.
• How do we find what makes us home in the world?
• How do we cultivate spiritual discernment in Life?
• The World as ourself
• Is there preparation to receive 'flow' states?

The Panel also explores:

• Where does the spiritual path begin? 
• What are the implications of having a guide or spiritual teacher?
• Teachers seeing into their students
• Tears as an indicator of one's spiritual path
• Sufism as a path of 'heart'
• Karma of helping others as way of being helped

The importance of 'others before self.'

We end with two poems from Ikkyu:

Raincoat and Straw Hat

Woodcutters and fishermen know just how to use things.
What would they do with fancy chairs and meditation platforms?
In straw sandals and with a bamboo staff, I roam three thousand worlds,
Dwelling by the water, feasting on the wind, year after year.

I Hate The Smell of Incense

A master's handiwork cannot be measured
But still priests wag their tongues explaining the 'Way' and babbling about 'Zen.'
This old monk has never cared for false piety
And my nose wrinkles at the dark smell of incense before the Buddha.

 

Biographies of Panel:

Dr. Bob Insull is an New York State Licensed Psychologist with more than 60 years experience teaching, training, and treating in the arena of human behavior. In his clinical practice, he has worked across the developmental stages (children to golden-agers), across the diagnostic spectrum (chemical dependency, severe mental illness, relationship issues, depression, anxiety, and PTSD), and treatment settings (clinics, inpatient psychiatric centers, and private practice). During the closing years of his practice, he became interested in the area of psychological trauma and worked with survivors in individual and group settings. He has been retired from active practice for about 15 years and spends his time engaged in self-discovery on the Sufi Path and social-change activities with his church.

Brian Mistler is a hillbilly from rural Missouri, he has spent his life investigating Reality and learning about the apparent world. He has lived as a computer scientist, psychologist, running and growing some successful businesses, helping others entrepreneurs, hospitals, and healthcare providers. In 2021, Brian had a partially debilitating nerve injury and soon after met a true Vedanta teacher who spent 30+ years in India and trained under Swami Chimayananda, Sawmi Dayananda, and others. He now studys and disseminate non-dual wisdom through writing and conversation. The Om/Aum is a reminder of this fact.

Richard Grego is Professor of philosophy and cultural history at FSCJ. His research interests focus on cross cultural themes in religion and science - including philosophy of mind, comparative world religions/world civilizations, and the metaphysical - theological implications of theoretical physics and cosmology. His publications have included studies in the history - philosophy of science and conceptions of nature