| How Do We Know God Exists, by Cougar
(3 time NDEr) and other thoughts . . . Home Page Current NDEs Share NDE |
Soundbyte for NDE 2024
Almost Here
Three Segment Dragon Tail Vivid Dream
THE FIRST
DREAM VISION
TO SLAY OR TAME
THE DRAGON
THE HIDDEN CAVE
HOW DO WE KNOW GOD
EXISTS
SUPERMAN REVEALED
Slippery Slope from Wisdom to Atheism to Nihilism
Cougar responds:
Greetings Dr. Bruce!
Thank you for thinking of me in your research. I will lead with the short answer you ask. This is more of a gut reaction since it does trigger changing feelings in me over time with the NDE community.
I would say that the marked difference between an NDE and anything else is:
1) There is usually a very positive change in the personality that cannot be ignored. The experiencer cannot go back to the old Self, no matter how much they want! At least two NDErs have told me with great sadness, they can no longer enjoy the old habits, like being absorbed in football games with their friends! They even lose friends and spouses over this personality change!
2) The NDE grants the Boon of Immortality! Merely a brush with death will not do this. Instead of relying on Faith alone, if at all, now Immortality is experienced first hand! But that is probably too controversial to say, still, at this time! Here in the Twenty-First Century, no less!
Your suggestion is right, this is a tough answer to give just a sound-bite!
Seeing the Tunnel of Light used to be one of the commonly known features of the NDE. Now days, the "sacred" tunnel is even poo-pood!
I don't even like calling it an NDE any longer!
It is too closely confused with "brush with death" which does not cause any significant shift in personality. I call the NDE, quite bluntly, an Experience in Death. A taste of our immortal home. Life-long atheists are transformed instantly!
In my book "Journey Into the Mythic Deep" I give the NDE a poetic twist. Instead of IANDS, I call it IADDS.... International Association for Death Divers Studies! This book has little jewels & gems sprinkled throughout its pages. Some are hidden very well, only the thoughtful can unearth.
Lots O Love, Luminous Light & Shabd Bani
=======================
On February 14, 2024 Dr. Bruce Greyson wrote:
Dear Cougar,
It’s been a while since we’ve been in touch. I’m grateful for all the help you’ve given me with my research in the past...
Lately, I have been more and more concerned about how we describe near-death experiences (NDEs). So much has been written about NDEs, but we rarely tread into the hazardous waters of how to describe them. I am therefore now asking for your help, as a near-death experiencer, in contributing toward perhaps an eventual solution. What I’m looking for is an answer to a reporter or interviewer who asks, “What is an NDE?” and wants a sound-bite answer.
There are, of course, many phenomenological features that have been identified as common to or typical of NDEs, such as time distortion, accelerated thoughts, life reviews, intense emotions, encounter with a light, a sense of leaving the body, entering some unearthly realm or dimension, encountering other entities, and so on. What I am asking is what features are not only common to NDEs, but are essential to describe what an NDE is at its core.
I would appreciate at least an initial response at your earliest convenience.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Best wishes for 2024,
Bruce
Bruce Greyson, M.D.
Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences
University of Virginia
Cougar, May 2021
For the last while, I have been experiencing Being not only as my true nature, but as the nature of everything. This means Being is also the true nature of the normally convoluted ego-self. The pure presence of Being is the underlying ground both of Essence and for structures of the ego-self. Surprise, surprise!
Being in psychology is also known as Presence, Soul in ancient Greece, Self in these times, Stillpoint in Christianity, Buddha Nature or Boundlessness in Tibet, Atman in Hinduism, Divine Essence in Sufism, Nothing or Infinite in Kabala, Tao in Taoism, and so on. It can be seen in two basic aspects of either dark shimmering waters or brilliant, Luminous Light.
What I have been vaguely expressing for decades now, and only to my closest friends, is that people do not see who I am. People do not really see me! It has been frustrating on so many levels because this is most often confused with normal and abnormal Narcissism. Deep down, it is only natural most people want to be recognized for who they are, so they still misunderstand me! My intentions and actions are usually misread within the "normal" perceptions of others. I finally understand how to speak more directly to that in different words, more relatable words, I think... You can let me know.
These thoughts are inspired by A. H. Almaas and other researchers. When we were really young, we were in touch with our true nature. It was mostly unspoken and not thought about. When we gathered friends who were developing fun personalities, playful & dreadful, our true nature became boring in contrast. We did not want to be left out so we learned to be like them, to pretend, to join them in their world, the world of lies, the world of the shell, the conventional world. We ended up hiding & abandoning our most precious nature, our Essence. We accommodated our parents, our teachers and our peers. We became what we were not, by developing a false Self that gradually became real to us. In short, we betrayed ourselves willingly and eventually no longer saw it as betrayal. We swept it under the rug.
A very few people (Almaas) do not forget their Essential Nature. They keep it secret and feel very alone with it. After some time mourning the loss of friends by their own dreadful choice, they find they are not really lonely, but they are alone. I was included among those "very few people." I never lost "IT." Then the magic of the staying-true-to-self appears stronger than before and can be developed to various degrees depending on how deep the wounding is of losing the support of others.
Now with the context clear, I can make my point. When people do not recognize their own boundlessness of Being, then naturally, they will not see very far into me. It used to hurt when I did not quite understand why they didn't recognize me, but now I know. They no longer know themselves! How can they recognize me? This new understanding is just as painful as before, with a twist. This proves not to be egotistical at all, this is Loving Compassion I speak of. We few suffer a little more when most others suffer a lot. My stirring book Seven Above Seven Below, symbolically shows this as mud covering faces, along with many other precious hidden jewels.
I was fortunate to find & stand under the refuge umbrella of Maslow's 15 characteristics of self-actualization. That kept me relatively secure for years in the pouring rain of alienation & isolation. Then, a double whammy: Because this tragedy of losing Being is so common, I was never fortunate enough to find a life-mate who could grok me and realize our wildly dynamic potential together. I only see a wasteland behind me, where a private Garden of Eden could have been planted by a glowing couple. I now see in front of me, a wasteland on the face of the whole Earth of many emotionally & physically impoverished people and several true villains who really went the tragically painful course away from precious Being. It doesn't have to continue that way! It is our choice.
Pure Being is the most precious thing in reality because it is the preciousness of everything in reality.
It is like when a mother recognizes that special look in a baby's eyes when she/he really sees you for the first time. That look goes to ones very core, as if seeing right through you. It is a gift, a precious gift.
Reading this, teach your children well, and remind them of their Innate Potential for future generations sake.
Let us continue to sow the Earth with good seed. We would all reap the rewards of incredible bounty.
My unconscious told me in a dream that this Cougar still has some kitty litter to clean up in my backyard, but I feel am getting there. As it slowly comes to my attention, I am getting there. Getting There? Getting Almost Here!
Each time I stare into the abyss, the closer (not further) I see into Being.
Who am I?
Each time, I see a little more into Being.
Who am I?
And, a little more.
I Am... We Are.
As Hawkwind once sang:
It's a "Never ending journey on the edge of time, the edge of time, the edge of time."
Blessings, Cougar
Three Segment Dragon Tail Vivid Dream
Those three tales (email stories) were increasing in length as I noticed more needed to be said.
The
first Dream Vision
The first Dream Vision (of
seven) after the disaster of 9/11/2001 came to me at 4:30 in the morning of
Friday the 31st of May 2002:
People wandered into the
tavern talking of a woman about town. Some were laughing and some were scolding
her perceived reputation. Others already inside the tavern joined in the
conversation.
Some people liked her
because she was more up front about her sexuality and wasn't trying to hide
her relationship with them. Some were angry with her and called her a whore, or
worse.
Later, I ended up
running into her in an alley. How to describe her? To me, she wasn't
attractive nor was she ugly, but she had this naturally hypnotic appeal to her
that would make your head swim. She was like a wandering waif with flowers in
her long hair and perhaps she was not exuding profound intelligence very easily
perceived, but she had a great sexual power and charisma that made her very
appealing and attractive.
Just so you understand
the huge temptation here, I have been celibate most of my life,
sometimes by choice and sometimes not by choice, but by Grand Design. My seed
has remained unfulfilled potential.
We were in an alley
alone, together. She just came sauntering up to me. I just heard about her
insatiable sexual hunger. I am a man! I am single! This is my
chance! Soooo.....
What is wrong with me?
I was turned on by her very presence but all I could feel for her was sadness
and concern for her life and her misplaced desire for the love that she needed
so desperately, that, really, we all have misplaced and hunger for, since losing
that sweet and powerful Love we knew in Heaven before we 'fell' to Earth and
into blind ignorance.
I know that we are all
here to learn about love the hard way, to learn even quite difficult
lessons about love and I felt for her like a brother to a sister. I felt her
vulnerability to what humankind could do to her and I wanted to protect her from
harm.
She looked into my eyes
and saw the truth of it. I passed the test. What test? She was brought to me
by Great Spirit, not to try to seduce me but as a guide. She was Nature herself!
She was Gaia! The fertile egg that includes the infinite Mandelbrot design has
indeed great and deep intelligence beyond our ken. She is the seduction of Life
that some people love and some people despise.
She led me down secret
passageways of town and into a semi-dark building. I had wanted to protect
her and she ended up showing me the way to an obscure Temple.
We entered the huge domed
hallway. Walking toward better light, In the reception area, before the main
chamber, I saw a few people milling about.
A movie producer came up
to me and started conversation. We talked about making a movie out of my nde
stories and bits of my life. We were excitedly in agreement to the venture and
papers were signed on the table before us.
Gaia (Inanna) then led me
through the main chamber and looking cautiously around her, opened a secret
panel on one wall in the shadow of two pillars. We stepped upstairs to a
hidden second floor that few knew about and fewer could enter. Kamila was in
there waiting for me, along with some Children of Light. The sweet waif took
leave of me here, as her job was finished.
I knew I was in new
territory here, so my mind became more acute in awareness. There were many
symbols here and strange writings, much like Arabic and ancient Sanskrit, very
beautiful and flowing. On the walls were overlay-ed woodcut forms of arabesque
as dazzling as the jewels in the night sky.
My attention went to the
Children of Light for a moment. At first I wondered if they were James Twyman's
psychic children. I made sure to understand this as I have been pulling his
groups tiny "believe and it is so" wings off recently in my writings. As I
came to know them, I realized they were not children at all. They
only manifested that way for this lesson. These children were the "innocent
outwards" of the most Ancient Elders. They may also be called Angels or
Spiritual Travelers between the many worlds of man and God.
Kamila was there to help
me with her love and her ancestral connection to this ancient language. The
"children" explained that the most important discovery was an "L" type
symbol. They explained further that there were four different ways to hold this
symbol and by doing so, they each appear to be a different symbol than the
others, like the number 7. The symbol was also a type of "eLL" sound or "iLLya"
or "La." Fragments of the ancient lyrical sounds for God. One symbol would
unlock a door, depending how it was held. I held up the symbol and pressed it
to the wall and it opened.
I looked out of the
hidden window the symbol had opened up and could see a priest in the courtyard
below. He didn't know of our secret room. He was in the direction of the
West. He was holding ritual with one of the symbols. The Angels told me
that there were 4 major religions outside (in the world) and that each one had
one symbol of the Four and thus the whole Truth was not in any One. And yet,
each of the Four were one and the same symbol turned in different directions.
They (the people) are unaware of the secret journey "inside" this matrix.
The Angels told me that
the second door could only be opened by understanding how to apply the lesson
of the first door that I had opened.
I took the symbol to the
opposite wall, placed my hands on the wall and chanted the ancient sounds of
God. Nothing happened. It was then revealed to me by my Intuitive Wisdom that
the real magic for this secret door did not lie in using one symbol in four
different directions, but by using four of the same symbols in One special
combination. There are several combinations but only one with their spiritual
eye open would know the right one. I will suggest two of them here. One is
the magic symbol for the world (the square) and the other is infinity: L7L7.
I then heard the Ancient Elders say, "Lo! He has recalled the mythical key!
He is the one who will unite the Four Great Traditions of Religions into One!"
I placed the four symbols
on the wall with my hands and chanted the ancient sounds of God, "La ilah ila
Allah" (no Gods just God). The wall opened up into a great semi-dark cavern. I
say semi-dark because by the standards of the world it was subterranean and a
scary type of darkness. But, one moved by the Light of the Spirit could easily
see his way through what appears to be darkness, the darkness of the Earth
world. At the time, I did not know what the Travelers meant by the Four Great
Religions! Was it Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism? I discovered only
recently that they meant the Ancient Gods tradition, the Gaia tradition, the
Wisdom tradition and the Prophetic tradition.
The Children of Light
said they have been endlessly working on traveling here through this hidden
world of God within the world of Man; That very few have traveled completely
through this way, if at all, and that it was now my task to travel it after the
fashion of the story of Khadir and Moses, which Bruce Lee borrows in his movie,
"Circle of Iron." Thusly, I had found my way into knowing how God works
invisibly in the world.
I was given a sheaf type pouch with six arrow-sized swords inside it to hold
in my left hand. Then I was given a staff for my right hand.
(The six arrow-sized swords represent the keys to the six {more than our
commonly known four} directions, which are: North, South, East, West, the
Above and the Below. {The four cardinal directions and the two spiritual
directions}... and the pouch is the seventh direction which I discovered by
inspiration as I danced the Sacred Spiral Dance one full moon, years ago.
(The seventh direction is
the one that binds the other six together {as a pouch would}: This is the
direction of the Heart or Love, which does bind all together as One. This
direction is represented by reaching out to all the directions while turning in
a circle. I got validation of this inspiration months later when I read that
one tribe describes this 7th direction as the binding leather tie which holds
six sticks or arrows together. Many tribes hadn't known this 7th direction,
being lost and forgotten down through time.)
The Staff of Wisdom could
be pulled apart at the hilt to expose a hidden long sword of great strength and
power unknown to casual passersby. The Sword of Truth. I will share my
wisdom and the truth of it will be left behind to be explored when I leave this
world and perhaps even because of by the WAY I will leave this world, if it
happens the way it was prophesied to me during my nde in Heaven.
The Sword of Truth inside
the Staff of Wisdom is a good analogy, for the truth is not easily received. I
have never heard of a Rose of Truth or a Shovel of Truth. :) Though, I
have heard of a shovel used in the case against B.S. :)
The Sword of Truth slices
and dices, cutting away at the ego and other illusions of life that people cling
to so dearly. They curse the Sword as it swings in their direction. The Sword
can even kill if one holds on too dearly to false pride and false humility or
when man completely misunderstands the truth, which is often! As the sword
dances in the air, the sword sings dreadfully to some and the sword sings
ecstatically to others.
The Children of Light led
me into the darkness, with their Light becoming mine, and showed me through
their eyes as far as they have gone in this maze of Life. I could see that they
had compassionately sprinkled the correct path for me with drops of water from
their Angelic tears for my bare feet to feel and know which turns to make in the
massive maze. Otherwise, I could be lost forever in the maze. The wet tears
guiding my path, to me is for my growth and is like standing on the shoulders of
others, human and Divine, who have passed this way in hardship and struggle
towards spiritual freedom. It has all been hard-won and there is no other way to
it.
The Angels cautioned me
that nearing the half way point I would be on my own to find the correct
pathways in my downhill trek out of the mountain Temple maze and out onto the
parallel shore of Man. It was a little unnerving for me to hear this but they
showed me that I would get guidance at certain critical places along the way. I
would make my decisions based on new knowledge given me through future Angelic
Dream Visions and by "reading the signs."
Some of these future
events were revealed to me at this time. Only three I can remember:
1. There will be one place
where I will be submerged for an hour to weather the dangers presented to man at
that time.
2. I will recognize being
near the end of the journey as I travel through a major drop off. There I
should seal up that cavern chamber as it is connected to man's entry to this
place going in the wrong direction and needs to be sealed off for their
protection.
3. There are
Arabian/Moroccan types here who will recognize me for the Light in me and if
they don't kill me for misunderstanding my words and deeds, the ones that are
wise enough may guide me to a ship to set sail on yet another journey. The
Children showed me that the main purpose of the maze (an amazing once in a
lifetime journey in itself) was to lead me to that further journey across a vast
sea. Is this the sea of mankind? Shaza, a Middle East news correspondent and
dream interpreter mentioned this sea of mankind may be the 4 million-some
pilgrims at Kaaba in Mecca who annually circumambulate it 7 times. Looking
back, the sea of mankind could have been the bridge Shaza and I made between
east and west after 9/11 by publishing my NDE stories in the Middle East.
Unite the Four Great
Traditions of Religion into One? Who! Me? That is a tall order to fill, or so
I thought. Now in July of 2010 I see the prophecy as being fulfilled! The
final puzzle-piece is in place! The prophecy is not about creating a new
religion that will eventually degenerate in dark times like the others. The
prophecy is in discovering and sharing this vision to be used as a personal tool
to those who would be inspired by knowing this is indeed one of the most
important universal workable notions for the benefit of Self and All.
One church recently
asked, "What do all the world's great religions have in common for their main
purpose?" I can see "community" and "love" among those answers but what I have
stumbled into because of my 3 NDE's and 7 Dream Visions is very specific and has
everything to do with "L" and "7" and human potential. You may be amazed at
just how simple and profound it is once it is revealed..... but THAT is the
subject for another time. Some of you will be at the meetings where the veil
comes off. Many of you have been working on this by yourselves but just didn't
know how universal it is and may just say, Big deal!" The interesting thing is
even Atheists and Agnostics know in their hearts and by their own experiences
that this is the work to do, even without religion. To them, religion gets in
the way. This little accidental discovery of mine cuts through it all and
embraces it all when one is ready to hear it.
TO SLAY OR TAME THE DRAGON
Dream, early
morning, Saturday 3 April 2010
To slay or tame the dragon, that is the question! We have been taught from
decades ago to slay the dragon automatically without question. It is powerful.
It is deadly. It is a monster. It blasts whole villages with its fiery breath
and incinerates men, women and children. It has no mercy. The brave knight goes
forth to slay the dragon and becomes a hero to the village. There was no
reasonably sane way to even think of taming it. In recent years there has been
a magical shift. It showed up in my dream this morning:
I dreamt I was in a huge ship. It was even larger than Noah's Ark
rumored able to hold two of each animal that roamed the Earth. This is my vain
attempt to describe huge open spaces inside. My mom was scrubbing the deck and
talking about keeping a tight ship. Her character reminded me of Morgan Freeman
playing God in
Bruce
Almighty. I realized this ship represented my conscious mind which
interacts with this world, as we will see more of later in the dream. I went top
side only to discover I was not on the water (of emotions) but in space. Well,
not in deep space but in blue sky. (Interesting I said that: Blue Sky may
be conscious mind, Deep Space may be Universal Mind.) All of a sudden a huge
dragon appeared out from the sky, paused 50 feet above and in front of me, then
landed on board. At first sight, I was shaken and braced myself for a fight.
Then I realized it was an intelligent being. My reaction shifted quickly and I
attempted to befriend the dragon. We shared telepathic words and mental
motion picture stories. I was shown by this dragon that this exercise (meeting)
of ours was not unlike the Buddhist idea of taming the horse. The theory
states that the mind is like a wild horse that can be tamed through proper
meditation. The result is a mind that is calm, clear and eventually virtuous.
But the dragon is not mentioned in common circles or in Dharma Talks because
people in general are not in a place yet to have need of this knowledge.
As the horse relates to the mind, the dragon relates to the Siddhis, the
great powers that come in the ten levels (bhumi) of Bodhisattva development.
The great powers can lead to great temptation and darkness, or at the very least
they distract one from developing compassion, so the dragon is rightfully seen
in common lore to be slain, to keep the ungodly power at bay. But true Buddha
Nature is to embrace everything equally. The Victorious Ones saw that instead of
slaying the dragon, it was much wiser to tame the dragon. To champion it through
the treacherous caverns of the Universal Mind's powers (and not to succumb to
the new dazzling temptations of selfish greed and worldly power) is to succeed
in reaching the ultimate Siddhi: Absolute Enlightenment. Then, everything is
known in perfect balance. Until then, it is quite a challenge for all of us to
live in our suffering lives.
I then flew around inside my huge "Mind Boat" and saw all the work that was
left to do to complete it. Even though it was flying perfectly in the deep blue
skies, it still had several unfinished gaping holes in it, especially toward
the bow, which is the leading edge through ones adventures. How do I greet the
daily succession of events that come into my life? With compassion? With fear,
anger or indifference? Knowing each different approach may effect the
outcome? There were still many planks of wood to apply to the shaping of my
"Mind Boat". The Buddhists Anne and Roz there to assist, along with my mother
but strangely no Buddhist Karen. All are examples of putting attention on
purifying the mind (swabbing the deck, etc).
I woke up to realize I was just 7 hours away from teachings from Lama Padma.
What I didn't know was I was about to take my Bodhisattva Vow during this day as
well. (I was supposed to be in Seattle except for last minute snow and had
forgotten this Vow was to occur because I wasn't going to be around for it.) We
covered enough text and instruction over the past year to continue along this
Bodhisattva path, along with taking the Bodhisattva Vow, to now be known at this
level as the Buddha's Heirs. After the day was finished did I realize this had
everything to do with having the right materials, the nails and planks of the
great ship, to eventually complete it. This will not happen overnight, nor just
at night in my dreams... :) It will be long hard work, but fun at times. The
rewards are outstanding... the end of suffering as we know it.
This same Saturday in the evening I chanced upon a premiere showing of
Eragon
from 2006. A boy discovers what looks like an oval shaped blue stone about
a foot long which turns out to be a dragon's egg. After it hatches it takes to
the boy as if he is the dragonette's mother. She matures into a full dragon
which trusts and trains
him
to ride her during flight. Their bond becomes so close that he can see
through her eyes, which are more penetrating (a siddhi) and they can speak to
each other telepathically (yet another siddhi). This exhilarated me even more at
the timing with my dragon dream. Darkness tries to kill both of them, and almost
does, which also relates to my discourse on avoiding temptation of power and
conquest of the world. To instead develop compassion and the desire to ease
others suffering. Another perfectly timed event is right now at the theaters,
another movie called, "How
To Train Your Dragon". How funny is that? The next
night I dreamt that I was in India and that East Indians were sewing wish
fulfilling jewels on my body. Four strands ran down my chest, one strand down my
spine and a different colored semi-precious jewel on the tips of each toe. The
sewing to my skin did not hurt. My only concern was, I will never be able to
wear shoes again! Without warning, I must immediately adjust to connecting
nakedly with Mother Nature! That is not so bad. Nature is OK, it's people
that is the hard part. I just cannot return to old habits of distancing myself
from others. Compassion in action is tougher than just mouthing the words.
On the third night I dreamt of going out into the wilderness and losing my
tent, my food and all items of safety one by one due to misfortunes of
circumstance. I eventually stumbled into a cave dwelling community of long
hairs. I was given the opportunity of observing a special Siddha going about his
daily routine. This is really poor phrasing since a Siddha is anything but
"routine!" He was free to act as crazy as he wanted or needed to be. His
actions would always benefit and bless the others and in return they would take
care of his nutritional and other needs. He did not have to be concerned with
daily tasks and was freed up completely to develop the Minds Awareness of Self
and all of Life. His return to them was miraculously healing and obvious to
all. I guess one could say I was blessed with an interesting initiation onto
the Bodhisattva path! 3 nights and a full day of Dharma Teachings!
Love, Light and Sound, Cougar3
The Hidden
Cave
I just finished writing of my
recent adventure and here it is>>>>
I almost didn't make
it to Mount Shasta this year for two reasons.... the first was "the three week
crud" was on me for the third time this year! A constantly dripping nose does
not make for a good 11 hour drive to the mountain. After a days delay I could
not resist going anyway... When I was 8 hours away I discovered my main drive
belt was falling apart, strip by strip. Unshaken, I made it in to Weed the next
morning and found not only a new belt but a mechanic willing to put it on right
away. I could have been stranded for a couple of days easily in some of this
600 mile terrain. I was very grateful for my unusual fortune. I then had a
dream of flying onto the heads of the Gods (20 foot marble statuary). Helios
(He-Lion) woke and was very angry and vengeful yet I felt a tremendous amount of
power and freedom about being able to do that during my escape flight from the
awakening Gods. How dare I stand on the heads of Gods!
Tuesday, 16 Sept 2008 I
went in hiking at the 7000 foot level of the mountain from Panther Meadows. I
have been here many times in the last 10 years and decided to follow my nose off
the beaten path to find something different. I discovered two false caves near
each other but with barely enough room to sit in. These were huge boulders that
had come off Rock Buttress and crashed onto other boulders and sealed off at
three of the four ends, leaving an opening. I did some Tibetan practice in the
best one and realized I could push some dirt around to make a straighter
sitting room and maybe at a later date I could build some stone into the windy
side portal, making it more cave-like and secure.
I found the camp Host had
come back into Panther Wednesday and got his permission to work this cave on a
future visit only because when we had met last year he got to know we were
similar in our desire to keep the mountain sacred. This camp Host has been
coming to the mountain for 20 years and knew it pretty well. Inspired by my
discovery, I was encouraged to ask him if he knew of any real caves on the
mountain. If he hadn't explored one himself, he works with two local tribes
when they do ritual on Shasta and they must know from the centuries old
mythology of magical entry into the mountain..... after all, when I was fast
asleep here in 1987 I fell into the heart of Mount Shasta and woke up clamoring
thru dream rock and dream dirt to get back out to fresh air.
His answer was he knew of
the couple of false caves but not of any real cave, neither did the
Wintu nor Katuk
Elders..... but perfect timing...... recently someone came thru the camp with a
photo of what appeared to be a cave in the far distance of a meadow obscured by
trees! It had been recent enough that he hadn't explored for it yet, but will
go soon. I realized that a Buddhist Adept may have found it 5 years ago since he
had camped down there where no one is officially permitted to camp. It is a
protected delicate wilderness. 18 Sept
2008 I headed off for Waika Meadows, an hour and a
half hike in. Just as the trail enters the meadow, I veered right and went down
stream where there was a faint trail off the beaten path. I was surprised at
the activity of the 35 foot waterfall that is not on any map for the public to
know about. (It was known by word of mouth.) Most people travel to the popular
upper waterfall beyond Waika "Spring Tub". I
continued down to the point where I had gotten five years ago when I ran out of
time looking for that Buddhist wise man out here. I could just
see some of the Lower Waika Meadow from there. This
was where he was said to have been. As I carefully traveled down closer, I could
hear a male and a female talking to each other and laughing but I couldn't make
out any words. I stopped to listen and the voices stopped. Strange, there was no
one there when I entered the Lower Meadow. Something opened up deep inside me. I
continued to travel down further only to discover yet another meadow (but more
temptingly tree shaded) no one had mentioned and realized it as a perfect spot
to camp next year. No footprints, no people, no sun-beating heat.
I came back up to the
Lower Meadow and looked thru my binoculars from the
best position, only to excitedly see a cave perhaps 30 feet from the top of the
East end of Red Butte, obscured by a tree top smack-dab in front of the middle
of the mouth. Any other position on the open meadow obscures the
cave completely. Now I had done what I set out to do; verify the existence of
the cave. I was to head back to Upper Waika to
finish my day in bliss in that holy place and report back to the Forest Service
but something held me back from leaving Lower Waika.
I realized in the waiting of another whole year to return, the true existence of
this cave would gnaw at my mind. I reflected on my recent reading of how after
repeated attempts, Ian Baker and Ken Storm had finally "discovered" the 108 foot
Hidden Falls (the portal to legendary Shangri-La) in the five mile
(hither-to-impossible to explore) gap of the Tsangpo
River in 1998. This place was found in the Hidden Lands of
Pemako, east of Lhasa in Tibet. It was a place protected by local
spirits, fierce nature and by Padmasambhava himself
from all but the most deserved. According to
Padmasambhava's revelations, Pemako is the
most dangerous as well as the greatest of all the (beyul)
hidden lands, "a celestial realm on earth." In song it is known as "a pure realm
for the Buddhas of past, present and future, a place
where fortunate beings can find enlightenment. Those without pure perception
will have no chance here."
Ian Baker, a 20 year+
Tibetan scholar and mountaineer from Kathmandu spent some time at the point of
imminent discovery in his book writing about sacred caves to Tibetan Practice.
This is what I had last read in his book, in his last chapter just before I
reached Shasta. I knew at this very moment now that this is what I have been
setting myself up to do over the years of exploring out here on Shasta. This was
my calling on the mountain.
I set my pack down,
leaving my water and all behind and traveled up the right side into the forested
buttress. Again I heard the sing-song voices of a man and woman not far from me,
up in the air above the enclosed dale. This time I was ready to know this was
the Spirit of the Mountain calling me, initiating me, welcoming me into
unexplored sacred space in perfect synchronicity of physical location. I thanked
the mountain and intuitively joined with it more deeply. Then, in the only
sandy area between the forest and the solid rock I discovered not only deer
tracks but for my first time on the mountain, some bear tracks. I had heard
yesterday that bear is here on the east side. Great: a cave and a bear.....
:) Makes sense.
After an hour total, I
found myself at the last dangerous level before the summit. Loose rocks under my
feet had slipped out, crashing 100 feet and more below me. Before my eyes lay a
most vertical climb. I crossed over to the left to find myself just under the
cave opening, but it wasn't there. I went over further but could see now the
meadow was out of site. If I had climbed to the top, I wouldn't be able to see
the cave. How did I miss it? I went back to the middle. Those three rocks in
3D and shade could look like a cave thru binocs! Is
this all it is?
Frustrated, I scrambled
down the steep grade and straight back into the far side of the meadow. There it
is! How did I miss it? I am running out of enough daylight for my return trip
to Panther. I don't care! I will take a full frontal ascent and veer off where
I must. I dug my cougar claws in and pressed forward. (I was wearing my Roz
cougar shirt.) I kept my eyes trained on the tree directly at the top above the
cave. That tree did not disappear from sight for long. About half way up I had
to veer left around an overhang and then fight my way back to center just under
where the cave should be. My hiking shoes of 20 years burst
open at both Achilles heals. At once the cave appeared! Unbelievable! I
paused and joined my palms in triple gesture. As I approached the entrance I
paused and joined them again. For a brief moment I could see two figures
inside! Were these the two I had heard? But they were now not seen as real,
more like statues or carvings? I forgot totally about the bear!
No wonder why I missed
the cave on my first attempt. It was only 15 feet from the top and not the 30
feet it seemed to be from the distance. I had been just under the ledge sighting
it. I entered the cave. The figures were gone! A trick of my imagination.....
or.......
I positioned myself in
the center of the cave facing out. My perfect meditation spot! I noticed very
little moss on the cave walls but no bat guano. It wasn't a dark deep cave.
There was a little growing fern in there. I was going to take mental
measurements of the depth but was distracted from that task when I found I was
struck with horror at a new discovery. I am no Geologist but at the base of the
cave was a splintering crack at both sides where it looks like it shifted and
was caught again but moved enough to cause some rock to crumble and fall out
over the ledge it was sitting on. There were more cracks along the sides and
they were all at 40* angles. This cave was not sitting flat nor safe. My horror
increased when I could see the rock in front of me at the mouth of the cave was
shattered into slabs like huge teeth that were all facing in.... another-words,
if the cave shifted again at that 40* angle, one couldn't run out ahead of it
without volleying out over the ledge and the forward rocks would break free and
slide back toward ME, not down and forward out of the mouth, guaranteeing one
instant death! I immediately dubbed this "The Cougar's Quickening Cave." I
understand that much of Buddhist contemplation is on the transitory nature of
all life and also on death. I see that this cave would definitely enhance those
musings! I wondered with enough time in here, would that imminence of death
dwindle and the practice actually become boring? I doubt it after I realized
the top was only 15 feet away and there were trees on top with roots slowly
making their way into the cave, opening up fresh water channels, etc. I also
wondered how long has this cave really been in existence since it isn't known
very widely by anyone? There is no beaten path up
here and it is next to impossible to approach from the left or the right.
Good thing daylight was
waning which gave me only 10 minutes in the cave to
contemplate life..... MY life..... My excuse to leave it was thus not fear but
time. :) Good thing I know well the last half hour back down the mountain
in the dark. I am though, a little conflicted about the future time spent here.
This IS dangerous...... I could develop the safe, false cave that is closer to
Panther and much easier to get to....... but as Hawkwind
sings, "It is the nature of man to be dangerous."
Synchronicity: The day after I left Mount Shasta, I continued reading in the
last chapter of Ian Bakers book,
The Heart of the World
where he said some of their team heard enchanting singing
down in the gorge while trying to sleep that last night. One elder native later
said, "We often hear such singing and we hear voices, but never see anyone and,
although we can hear the words we can't understand the meanings."
"Choeden
told me that they often hear duets sung between a male and a female. Sometimes
they hear voices calling their names, but there is never anyone to be seen."
"The singing comes as a
blessing of Dorje Pagmo,"
Choeden asserted. "Your friends are lucky."
The Buddhist
Tantras assert that Dakinis
dwell equally in the outer phenomenal world as well as in the subtle energy
channels of the adepts body. When duly acknowledged they sever the cords of
thinking that constrain perception and open doors to realms of scintillating
interdependence, beyond the boundaries of self-limiting desires. The dream
songs of the Dakinis-- half heard, half imagined,
totally unverifiable-- open us up to the innermost landscapes of the heart when
we abandon efforts to edit experience and flow fearlessly into the mysterious
heart of things.
Love & Light, Cougar
HOW DO WE KNOW GOD EXISTS Smallville
began it's 5th season Thursday night, 29 Sept. 2005. This is a
show about Superman in his teen years. Clark was confronted about
knowing his secret, undeniably witnessing his strength and other
powers. There are others who are coming and going on the show who
developed special, mostly singular powers from the meteor shower of
15 years ago. They knew this, being the campus investigative
reporters they were, so he is compelled to finally tell the truth
during this confrontation. Clark distinguishes himself by stating
that his powers did NOT come from the meteor shower. He was
born that way. He was not from Earth, not even from this
galaxy. (He came to Earth in that meteor shower.) The friend
exclaimed, "You are an Alien? But you are more Human than most
humans. You save lives without drawing attention to yourself! If
only more people were like you, the world would be a better place."
Enter the Love & Light,
Cougar
The titles of this one basic story also transmuted in description from
"Incredible? or a puff of air?"
"Fool on the Hill" and
"Storming the Capitol, 6 January 2021, full Prophecy of 1974"
I received various responses, most of them very encouraging
but a couple of them, how should I say were, "less than encouraging."
It appears I unintentionally used some "triggering" words that in turn triggered my Vivid Dream.
For some clarity, I shall first briefly list 5 categories of dreams as I have discovered them:
1- Unconscious dreams, for those not registered upon awakening.
2- Regular and sometimes non-sensical dreams.
3- Vivid dreams which hold clear & sometimes important messages.
4- Lucid, in which the dreamer becomes aware of dreaming inside the dream and
5- Dream Vision, the most rare & most amazing.
Now, back to the short story, ah, er, Vivid Dream.
I entered the double-doors of a home-spun church, much like our local UU church.
There were chairs in the sanctuary instead of pews, much like our local UU.
I noticed for the most part there were men seated left and women seated right.
I thought to myself, "That placement is a little old-timey."
I was in the back holding a narrow black case much like a 4 foot long instrument case.
As I lowered the case to the floor, popped the snaps and opened it,
The ceiling fell away to expose the open air, green trees and rolling hills.
I pulled a four foot Dragon out and onto the floor, which was now grass below our feet.
Both of these actions (ceiling opening & Dragon out) caused some alarm
as you might imagine, and most parishioners fled the immediate area.
The nourishment of the natural world caused the Dragon to grow and split into three dragons.
The two foot head & neck section had two feet.
The two foot heart section had a head & two feet.
The five foot tail section had a head & two feet.
Of course all these feet made the dragon troublesomely mobile.
It could now go off in any direction and be difficult to put back into the case.
I tried collecting it back as some brave souls stayed there to watch but not aid in any way.
The head section mostly stayed in place near the black case, for now.
Carrying the heart back in my arms, I saw the tail section slide off into the thickets.
"It may be too late to gather that one back," I said to myself as I woke up.
No need to translate this obviously Vivid Dream.
The Dragon is unleased upon the World!
What fun our Subconscious can be at times!
Maybe I can round off the spines if I ever send it out again?
I tried to be careful in walking the middle road.
Vivid Love, Light & Sound, Cougar
I am not talking about using the imagination or the heart to feel
the Love, which does occur. I am not talking about meditating on
hearing the Sound, which can be heard. I am not talking about
seeing the Light from a distance or within and being inspired.
These in themselves are valid experiences but they mostly dim with
time. I am speaking of experiencing all of these fully, being
surrounded and engulfed in its intoxication! No doubt
what-so-ever! An experience that will never diminish from
memory! A Life-changing event that can be repeated again and
again when it is your time to experience them.
One of the most remarkable types of experience for me has been
when I am almost out of body, I have heard rolling thunder that
leads me on to the Source once I get out of body. I compare
this thunder to a thousand b-12 bombers flying overhead and the
roar of water in a heat and steam system in one apartment I had
lived in, with pipes running across the baseboards of all the
walls. This helped encourage more of these experiences.
"I know the secret, and tell man of it... (for man too IS the
Light, if he would only look inwardly for it)
"Once (the Light and Sound) is bestowed upon the individual his
responsibility to the divine cause becomes absolute. He cannot
escape his destiny. To do so will only create chaos in his
universe."
We are but Immortal babes here in this world. The tests are
astounding! Beyond myth! Beyond record! Do not fear
failure! The tests are always there waiting for us to eventually
pass through when we can finally flow like pure gold from the
crucible.
Addendum:
Kal-El & Inanna.