Sweet Miracles

I haven’t been able to blog as i haven’t even been using the computer at all for the past 1+ week, having to leave the house early for my 4-day creative and experiential art therapy and falling asleep together with little boy after dinner.

After such a long blogging break, i wasn’t even in the mood to write on the 2 rare times i got to use the computer, including today. But after dropping by Cindee’s blog and posting a comment on her latest entry, an interesting inter-religious dialogue which mentioned a little abt the new age, my blogging state of mind has been triggered as i remembered that i did want to blog abt a few stuff.

I guess it was my sharing that we are all “spiritual beings having a human experience” that reminded me of the movie that Mr Gua Gua and i just caught on Sat, The Forgotten Kingdom, a Westernised remake of the Monkey God starring the two East-goes-West actors, Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

My sis found the movie crappy because of all the lame translations of the Chinese idioms, like a mountain cannot have 2 tigers on it (took me a while to figure out the Chinese version which was yi1 shan1 bu4 neng2 cang2 er4 hu3!). Well, Mr Gua Gua and i never had high standards for movies, and i really thought the movie wasn’t half bad. The plot was simple but with enough twists to keep it entertaining. The dialogue was witty and at some points, even profoundly moving. A lot of Zen and Chinese idioms were translated for the Western audience in mind, and if you could tolerate translations at all, i thought the essence of those idioms were well kept and were not contrived in the least, which was more than what i could say for The Bullet Proof Monk which seemed to have tried a lil too hard to be Zen-like and profound.

Of cos, the action was great, but what else could you expect from these 2 action experts esp Jet Li. The costumes and background set ups were impressively designed. Mr Gua Gua really liked the new look of the Monkey God, and i think they also did a pretty gd job of creating the celestial heaven, still keeping much of the traditional eastern look, albeit with the characters speaking in English.

Well, if you are proud of your Chinese identity and cannot stand seeing it being diluted or modified in any way, maybe this movie wouldn’t suit your tastes. But if you can appreciate East meets West, this movie is worth the watch. Btw, i noticed than more than half of the production team are Chinese and i think they really made efforts not to distort the Chinese culture part of the movie.

Ok, movie spoiler coming up. If you are planning to catch the movie and don’t want your enjoyment of the movie to be spoiled, i suggest you come back to this entry after the movie.

What i really wanted to comment about the movie was the last part when the monk, played by Jet Li, retured the magic stick to the Monkey God, also played by Jet Li, after a fierce fight with the bad guys and sustaining injuries as a result. As he saw the Monkey God, who looked at him with gratitude and love, he smiled in bliss and faded away in a golden mist, becoming once again a single piece of golden hair, which the audience didn’t know until that moment. It was particularly touching when the hair floated through the air and landed on the Monkey God’s palm, and the Monkey God looked at the piece of hair with affection.

To me, it was a beautiful depiction of death. As in what really happens during death, the way i understood it from new age teachings. That, which is the joyous homecoming to the Source, or the Creator, where we have come from and where we go back to at the time of death. The time of realisation that nothing that happened during the lifetime really mattered in the end. It was but a glorious experience that added meaning and completion to the soul’s journey, and the only mission there ever was, was that of living that life itself, as fully as possible.

What was also touching for me was the scene when the monk and the Monkey God were looking at each other. It was a feeling of, welcome home, and did you know that we are actually one and the same? I think in the past, i would found it slightly tragic that after such playing such a heroic role, the monk would only be reduced to nothing more than a single hair, and doesn’t get to receive wonderful accolades, or at least a special thank you from the Monkey God. But then, if the monk has always been a part of the Monkey God, then isn’t it the greatest reward to go back to being a part of him?

I imagine that when we die, this is what happens to us too. We transform back into light, and return to being part of the Source, which is infinite and beyond imagination. That is the greatest reward, and the best part of it is, we all get to have this reward, just for living this life to its end.

Well, that is one possible death at least, and i’m also wondering if we all encounter different kinds of death according to our different beliefs. Perhaps the new agers would experience themselves transforming into light. The Christians would meet angels who would bring them to see God. The Buddhists would meet Buddhas and/or Bodhisattvas or on their own go to their respective realms for the next rebirth. And the non-believers would just experience darkness/nothingness?

Why i say the above is because of all the different variations of afterlife experiences that i have read from different schools of thoughts and spirituality systems, and those people are supposedly receiving information from divine sources. Anyway, why is it not possible for the Creator to create different kinds of after life experiences?

Also, i recently had an experience with a client where i actually connected with a spirit that has been attached to her. It was the spirit of the baby her mother aborted when this client was only a few years old. Without going into too many details of the story, i asked the spirit to go to the light, which is what normally happens during therapy where spirit attachments are cleared. However the spirit told me that it needed merits. In my ignorance, i tried to get it to go towards the light. It did, and i thought that was a good sign, until i probed further and the spirit told me it didn’t feel comfortable being so near the light, as it was too bright.

I mentioned this to a friend, and she burst out in hilarious laughter when i wondered aloud, if western spirits behave differently from eastern spirits, since in Buddhism and Taoism, we often talk about spirits needing merits so they could progress to a better rebirth. I guess the way i phrased it sounded funny, but the question was definitely genuine.

Anyway, that encounter (which wasn’t that freaky by the way, as the spirit was a pretty mild and coorporative one) made me realise that there is no cookie cutter method to dealing with spirits - in the same way there is no cookie cutter method in anything relating to emotional/psychological and spiritual matters! We exist in a world of duality and differences, and even though i believe that in essence, we are the same, i’m learning to acknowledge and respect the differences as well. At least, now i know that not every spirit is willing and able to go to the light!

Well, there is always something new to learn everyday. One recent thing i learnt was that my quest for enlightenment would never end, as long as i pursue in this quest. It seems like i’m always anticipating my next workshop, my next seminar, my next healing session, etc. Always thinking along the lines of, i’m going to receive a really wonderful insight/healing/confirmation, and from then on, life is gonna be just the way i want it to be.

While it seems spiritual enough, it’s really no different from those who tell themselves that happiness would be in their grasp, once they get their next car, go on their next holiday, receive their next club membership/credit card, etc etc.

Indeed, those who always look towards the future for the achievement of some kind of perfection, never get it, because of the simple fact: tomorrow never comes.

Perhaps, this is one reason behind the power of the words, I AM. I read that just these 2 words in itself are pretty powerful, though i never quite understood why. Even more powerful is the statement, I AM THAT I AM. Doesn’t make much sense to me, though it have to admit that there is a definite tone of finality to it. While i don’t know what it’s sup to mean, just saying it in my mind does sound powerful. U try it for yourself.

Maybe it is saying that who we are in this moment, is exactly what is, and that’s already very amazing.

I definitely don’t think enough, that i’m amazing just being who i am right now. I’m almost always wishing myself to be better, wiser, more loving, more this and more that. It seems quite noble to be constantly striving for the better, and there are enough wise men and saints who praise this kind of attitude. But i think this also needs to be balanced with self-love and gratitude for the gifts and resources that one already has right now, which i don’t do enough of.

Last week was supposed to be THE week of healing. I was attending the 4-day creative and experiential art therapy course, and last minute, i also went for a 1.5 h healing session by Remedia, who was at the holistic fair and was well recommended by 2 pple i knew. I went for an aura scan as well, with a friend, at a crystal shop in Novena Square that was owned by a boss who was very generous with his knowledge and chatted with us for a long time, prob also cos he knew my friend.

Apparently, what is supposed to happen seldom happens. I gained interesting knowledge and insights at the course. I received healing and interesting info about myself from the healing session. And i had a very nice aura pic of myself which had mostly greens and purples, which was indicative of my healing abilities and spiritual connection. Certainly, all very gd stuff and i’m glad i got them. But none was THE whatever that i was waiting for, that was supposed to transform me from within and help me start fulfilling my destiny in powerful, significant ways.

So i think i may finally give up now.

No more anticipating of the next event that is going to give me the spiritual enlightenment i’ve been waiting for.

I think i have anticipated enough, and have been mildly to greatly disappointed enough, to decide it’s enough and i’m calling it quits.

Apparently, spiritual enlightenment is not something to be pursued, or to be longed for. If it does happen, it prob happens when you least expect it. Come to think of it, i have yet to hear a story of enlightenment, where the person knew the exact moment in which he would become enlightened. Think of the monk who got enlightened with the sweep of his broom. Ananda, who got so exhausted in trying to meditate his way to enlightenment, and reached it just as his head touched the pillow. Even Buddha, who despite having set the intention of meditating under the bodhi tree till he reached enlightenment, did finally reached enlightenment by being perfectly at one with himself in the present moment.

So i guess i’m left with what the zen masters have been saying all along. Seek not, and pander not. Just live in the now, appreciate whatever we have at the moment, enlightenment or otherwise. Anyway, it’s tiring to want to be better all the time. It’s not like i’m all that bad right now, and i can’t reach perfection either. I might as well just contend with myself, imperfections and all, and focus on being grateful for whatever life offers me. Been some time since i practised gratitude, and it does have its impact on my attitude and mood. Ok, maybe i can end this entry with some gratitude.

I’m grateful for…

having a loving family who enjoys good health 

the opportunity to meet wonderful teachers who have so much to give and share

my gifts, talents, strengths and wonderful qualities, that enable me to be of light to others

my faith, that keeps me going and manifested so many miracles in my life

my idealism, that keeps my dreams alive, in a world that sensationalizes tragedy and pain

friendship both at the workplace and outside, that nurtures and warms my spirit

the beautiful home i have that is surrounded by nature

the lovely Green Tara music that is playing from my computer, which reminds me of the love and support that is always offered to me by the universe

May you be at peace with the riches that surround you at this moment too.