Tag: dogma

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A Message on Our Core Values: As-Above-So-Below

For the past 14 years…primarily on the Facebook platform…the vast majority of my conversations revolved around the ‘spirituality’ of non-duality…and not political issues.

My interests are, specifically, in the authoritarian aspects of patriarchal non-duality (as extensively demonstrated by authors Joel Kramer and Diana Alstad in their landmark book: The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power…a link to the pfd below) and how the authoritarian aspects of patriarchal non-duality (neo-advaita non-duality) drive their views politically.

I’ve noticed among those who are considered ‘awake’…however one defines that for themselves…that there are a surprising number of folks who adamantly back Donald Trump and his divisive, predatory and overtly racist policies. Yet, considering the authoritarian tendencies of so many in the non-dual world I am, now, not surprised.

Never in-a-million years would I have ever considered that those who are ‘awake’-to-wholeness would even consider to embrace such divisive, predatory and racist ideologies.

The possibility of that, alone, would be the hypocrisy-of-hypocrisies!!

This has me deeply questioning the values of the core spirituality I had once deemed the highest – that of non-duality — and, after many considerations, I question if neo-advaita (non-duality) can even be considered ‘spiritual.’

⚛️ The Cult of Radical Non-Duality: https://open.substack.com/pub/leslieread/p/the-cult-of-non-duality?utm_source=app-post-stats-page&r=ze3ip&utm_medium=ios

⚛️ The Tangled Web of Deception: https://leslieread.substack.com/p/the-tangled-web-of-deception?r=ze3ip

We’ve all seen that one can be awake to Wholeness and yet that, in no way, means one is free from shadow or is somehow a balanced-and-decent Human.

One can be awake to Oneness and still be creating delusions and, worse yet, harming others in the process.

All one need do is look at the energetics of the likes of such teachers as AdiDa and Osho.

As long as we don human body there is shadow…and mistakes can, and are, easily made.

It’s what a conscious person does once a mistake has occurred that is the true mark of an evolved Soul.

Then we have the unscrupulous who, with the attendant omnipresence-of-awakening, there can arise all sorts of unseen manipulation-over-others…inclusive of existential control.

Values such as truth, honesty, integrity…where the front-matches-the-back…fairness, equality and generosity seem to be hugely missing with those who align with many aspects of patriarchal spirituality, Donald Trump and the MAGA world. SO many, if not all, of the MAGA world profess the teachings of Jesus Christ and proudly wear the cross – a profound symbol of The Christ upholding the very highest of values…with His Life. THAT is what it means to be ‘spiritual’…where we back-up and honor our very Life with our values.

I see no greater opportunity than the recent election of Pope Leo who, I feel, will be a profound albeit gentle yet fierce Mirror for the profound upholding of the true values of Jesus Christ and the true meaning behind what some have bastardized in the name of spiritual and political dogma.

Imagine!!…when a leader of an organized religion has more spiritual integrity than teachers of non-dual ‘spirituality’!! 😀

“You cannot follow both Christ and the cruelty of Kings. A leader who mocks the weak, exalts himself, and preys on the innocent is not sent by God.” ~Pope Leo

Given everything that is currently going on in the world our Humanness comes into its rightful focus and, in numberless ways, is revealing the hypocrisy of those attempting to uphold the ‘world is unreal’ concept…one of the many ‘spiritual’ concepts non-dualists tend to trip-over in their life on this planet and with ‘others.’

⚛️ The Existential Danger of Radical Non-Duality: http://The Existential Danger of Radical Non-Duality

⚛️ The Tyranny of (the) Now…and other Spiritual Concepts: https://integrityintruth.com/the-tyranny-of-the-nowand-other-spiritual-concepts/

Is it possible to uphold values of truth, honesty, integrity…where the front-matches-the-back…fairness, equality and generosity while being addicted to…or chasing after…transcendent states?

Is the mere transcendent state true enlightenment or God-realization? Or…is it merely the recognition of a transcendent state?

When non-dual teachers made the decision to place the entire burden for their lies and deceptions on these shoulders, and the shoulders of my family, they essentially took this life. That is no understatement on the existential harm that stemmed completely from deception…”what a tangled we we weave when first we practice to deceive”…” The details are here:

⚛️ Letter to the ASI (Association for Spiritual ‘Integrity’) at the end of which is a link to a short recording (22 min.) detailing the occult controls over 4-generations of my family: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hga3c7zpo1v973j/ASI%20Letter%2003%3A06%3A23.pdfdl=0&e=1&fbclid=IwAR2hNCDCiHgzRQrXqce9WFFH5vgHGHoGlda3PUlGKT2n1qMuoFfoMadMbvs

Once again, in the words of Facebook friend and teacher David Bingham…

“…I would like to add that in this modern age the Neo-Advaitan tradition of the truth existing ultimately in the sphere of the non-dual (which is followed by so many, with so many esteemed teachers) is a deeply flawed model of understanding of the nature of the human condition and its relationship with the Infinite. 

It is a form of understanding which has an in-built tendency to deeply exacerbate illusions concerning the experiences of life and in turn to generate rigidities around its interpretation.  In doing so it has great potential to be harmful to the fundamental well-being of its adherents, all the more so because it dresses itself in the clothes of liberation. It is a false and incomplete freedom of the age.”

Having lived through and watching the lives of so many in the contemporary non-dual community…the vast majority of whom lied directly to me regarding their knowledge of my former teacher and of what occurred at their hands…I’d have to conclude that there is very little about non-duality that resembles anything of a superlative Spirituality. Yet, understandably, the non-dual experience is so strong and ‘real’ as to supplant any notion to the contrary.

This…is, sadly, what ends-up as dogma.

Honesty & integrity are values I will not compromise on.

What values do you utterly refuse to compromise…in yourself and in others?

Thank you for reading…and for following my work. ❣️

-Leslie Read https://www.integrityintruth.com

-Joel Kramer & Diana Alstad’s landmark book: The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power

⚛️ https://www.scribd.com/doc/161155563/The-Guru-Papers and

⚛️ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272481999_On_The_Guru_Papers_-_Informational_Essay_Eng-101

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The Existential Danger of Radical Non-Duality

There was never a time when I was comfortable with teachings espousing the unreality of the body and the world. 

While I understand the dogmatic reason(ing) behind such, I always deeply felt that our bodies and the World were the most efficacious routes to The Divine. Each and every sense a Divine Portal into our inherent birthright of a natural connection with God, Source, Spirit…call it what you will…and The Universe. 

Additionally…and, most especially, the denial of the body and of a world led to a nihilistic view that SO easily covered for, not only the potential for harm, but for the actuality of disregard and abuse.

And, by extension, there were the very real dangers of becoming an automaton by statements such as ‘thoughts and emotions are unreal.’

If one needs to say anything about a body/ and world it would be more accurate to say “You’re not the body and you’re not NOT the body” and “The world is real but, like everything, impermanent.” 

Was the necessity to abandon everything, literally, what was ‘intended’ by The Universe for us to realize our rightful and Holy place in the Grande scheme of things? 

Is this what was/is truly meant by Love?…or was/is The Totality beckoning each of us to claim our rightful place in this Divine Inheritance?

Is there anything that is not held in the deepest embrace of this All?

Even though I never embraced this ‘duality of radical non-duality’ I none-the-less fell victim (yes, there are victims as long as anything is excluded) to the necessitation of lies/deceptions in the upholding of such a structure of radical division. Talk about salt in the wound. 

I became the inadvertent holder for the deceptions of that out-of-balance dogma…a dogma upheld by numerous non-dual teachers, institutions and supporting organizations. ⚛️https://integrityintruth.com/systemic-collusion-in-the-non-dual-field/

During my time with that radical non-dual teaching I let go of family, friends, education, likes and preferences, things that I love, my own creativity…and essentially my Life…my sacred Life — which is All of it.

Then…after “falling through the cracks” (Russell Smith) those same teachers manipulated the rest of this Life with existential controls involving siddis (occult powers).

Many contemporary teachers borrow heavily on teachings removed in time, space and culture. 

The classic Rumi poem “Out beyond ideas of right and wrong there is a Field…” contains beautiful and sacred words which are often taken out of time/space and cultural context and unfortunately used to justify and hijack moral authority in order to cover where there has been actual harm.

Furthermore, if someone has the courage to speak up when/where there has been harm those very teachings are used to scapegoat and gaslight the one reporting on the harm.

The destruction of a Life that has been ripped apart by such radical dogmatic delusion is extreme and total. It may be the reason why so many felt they would…and, literally, had to…remain at SAT for life.

In that regard…and with reference to ancient teachings: not all egos need to be killed.  Not all egos need eradicating.  Not all egos even need diminishing. 

The damage from such delusion cannot be overstated. 

Some egos actually need building UP to realize a ‘transcendent’ and all-inclusive Freedom. 

It was several years after having been at SAT…and dedicated to the teachings and teachers… that Nome, all of a sudden declared that his teaching was “radical non-duality.”

My original resonance with the all-inclusive Pantheon of ALL Truth teachings…and the broad-based inclusiveness of all major traditions…was what originally resonated with me.

I had no clue what was meant by “radical non-duality” except that it’s radical in the embrace of denialism (duality), harm and existential control.


Thank you 🌷❣️…Please feel free to contact me should you have anything to share related to this content or any questions: ⚛️ Leslie@IntegrityInTruth.com