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A "Conspiracy" of Hypocrisy
By sámañña Jhanananda (Jeffrey S. Brooks):
September 23, 2006
(Copyright 2006 all rights reserved)
Some people have speculated that there is a conspiracy to suppress those with meditative absorption (gnosis, jhana. samadhi, shamatha). While it certainly may sound like a conspiracy when we find that the people who experience meditative absorption (gnosis, jhana. samadhi, shamatha) are typically dismissed or marginalized, as I was; however, I do not believe that "conspiracy" is as organized as it may sound. I believe it is just a "conspiracy" of mediocrity and hypocrisy.
The mediocre meditation teachers and priests are simply favored by a public who donates more abundantly to a priesthood who tells them what they want to hear. What people want to hear is the progenitor of their religion was a miraculous individual, a superhero, who was born of a virgin or a lotus, etc. And, the only thing that miserable sods, such as they, could hope for is faith and devotion to avoid burning in "eternal damnation."
When a very normal, average person, such as the people who are filling out our questionnaires, come along and claim that they are having the same kinds of religious experiences as the so-called superheroes of the religions, then it challenges the belief systems of the donating masses to their core. People do not fund individuals who deeply challenge their belief systems. Thus, those who experience gnosis will not be funded.
For a history of two millennia of oppression of gnosis to have occurred we do not need an organized cult, such as the mythical "Illuminati" who supposedly have the demonic intention of oppressing bliss, joy and ecstasy. It is simply the donating masses, who are funding the religious professionals who do not experience gnosis. The mediocre and the hypocrites are being favored not only in donations, but the pretentious priesthood is in turn favoring those who aspire to the priesthood, who also do not experience gnosis but just pretend to be holy, like they do. And, this is how we get two millennia of hypocrisy and suppression of gnosis that is funded by the masses.
To change the hegemony of two millennia of hypocrisy over those with gnosis, those with gnosis need to form some kind of alliance whereby we stop funding mediocrity and hypocrisy and fund our own priesthood of gnostics. We do not need to out-fund the masses. All we need do is build a priesthood that is well funded, and well educated who sustain and support and demonstrate gnosis in their daily lives. This is the mission of the GWV, to build a community of support for those who experience gnosis in their daily lives.
Sources:
The Witch-hunt, The Oppression of the Ecstatic Contemplative
the GWV archive of personal case histories with meditative absorption
Kindest regards
Jeffrey S, Brooks
(sámañña Jhananda)
PO Box 41795
Tucson, AZ 85717