Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
WeWesternersliveinaworldofcontinualandunrelentingdistraction.Ourdaysbeginwiththe
newspapersinthemorning,ourworkworldduringtheday,andtelevision,otherentertainments,orthe
internetintheevenings.Inaddition,thereareourselfpromotingschemesandoureverchanginglife
styles,repletewithfamiliesandfriends,restaurantsandfilmsandvariousculturalandendlesssporting
events,allofwhicharepartofthemultileveledtemplateofdistractionthatwecalllife.
Accordingly,throughoutourdays,andournights,ourmindsarenever,everstill.Theinternalchatter
inourheadscontinuestosurgethiswayandthat,dealingwithourproblemsandourfearsandour
widelyflungnetworksofrelationshipswitheveryone,everywhere.Inresponsetoallofthis,we
Westernersworry...andweworryalot.
TheIndigenousWorld
Thisbringsmetoconsideraquitedifferentstateofbeing,onethattheindigenouspeoplesoftheworld
knowwellastatethatfewintheWesternworldremember,althoughasImakethisstatement,Ihave
toacknowledgethatthoseworthieswhohaveameditationoryogapracticewillknowexactlywhatI'm
talkingabout.
AmongsomeoftheAustralianAboriginalpeoples,thisstateofbeingisknownas'dadirri,'atermthat
literallytranslatesintoEnglishas'deeplistening.'Someinformationaboutthisisincludedin
AwakeningtotheSpiritWorld(bySandraIngermanandHankWesselman,2010).
Severalyearsago,Ireceivedanemailfromsomeunknownsoulanunexpectedmissivethatincluded
thewordsofanAustralianAboriginaleldernamedMiriamRoseUngunmerrBaumann.Ihadnever
heardofherbefore,butasIreadthroughherbriefstatement,Irealizedthathernarrativewasfilled
withpowerinitssimplicityanddirectness.MiriamRose'smessageisclearlyforallofus,andsoI
sharesomeofitwithyouhereenhancedbysomeadditionalinformationaboutAboriginalthought.
Forstarters,MiriamRosedefinestheabilitycalleddadirriasaspecialqualitythatallowseachofusto
makecontactwithadeepspringthatlieswithinus.Toconnectwiththatspringrequiresthatwe
achieveastateofquiet,stillawareness.ItissimilartowhatweWesternerscall'contemplation'or
'meditation.'Shamanicpractitionersknowitwell.
Dadirri
ForthetraditionalAboriginals,MiriamRoseproclaimsthatthiscontemplativefocuspermeatestheir
entirewayoflife,theirwholebeingthatdadirricontinuallyrenewsthemonadaytodaybasis,
bringingthempeace,creatingharmonywherethereisdisharmony,producingbalancewherethereis
imbalance,restoringhealthwherethereisillness.
Therearenogreathiddentruthshere,no'secretknowledge'hiddenawayforcenturies,waitingfora
bunchofNewAgecharismaticswithpowerpointpresentationstorediscoverthem,excavatethem,and
writeabookaboutthem,proclaimingthemasthesolutiontoallourproblems,personalandcollective.
Thiswoman'smessageconveysasimpleandunmistakabletruththatthepracticeofdadirrimakesthe
Aboriginalsfeelwholeagain.Shesharesthattheycannotlivegoodandusefullivesunlessthey
practicedadirriandthattheylearnedhowtodothisfromtheirancestors.
AsaWesternanthropologistwhohasdoneconsiderabletimeintheindigenousworld,Icanappreciate
thistraditionalwoman'swords.DuringmyyearsspentamongthetribalpeoplesofAfrica,oneofthe
thingsthatIlearnedisthattheyarenotthreatenedbysilence.Tothecontrary,theyarecompletelyat
homeinit.Theirtraditionalwayshavetaughtthemhowtobestillandhowtolistentothesilence.
Accordingly,theydonottrytohurrythingsup.Rathertheyallowthemtofollowtheirnaturalcourses
liketheseasons...andtheywait.
SotheAboriginalwoman'smessagefromAustraliaconveysafamiliarmessageaswellasan
extraordinaryclaimthatthoseAboriginalsstilllivingintheirtraditionallifewaysdon'tworry...that
theyneverworry.Theyknowthatinthepracticeofdadirrithedeeplisteningandquietstillnessof
thesoulthatallwayswillbemadecleartothemintime.
TheAboriginalPerspective
ThetraditionalAboriginalsarenot'goaloriented'inthesamewaythatweWesternersareprogrammed
tobefromchildhood,nordotheyattempt'topushtheriver'whichtheyknowwithabsolutecertaintyis
anexerciseinabsolutefutility.
InMiriamRose'swords:"Wearelikethetreestandinginthemiddleofabushfiresweepingthrough
thetimber.Theleavesarescorchedandthetoughbarkisscarredandburnt,butinsidethetree,thesap
isstillflowingandundertheground,therootsarestillstrong.Likethetree,wehaveenduredthe
flamesandyetwestillhavethepowertobereborn."
Aftermorethan200yearsofassimilationistpracticesinflicteduponthembychurchandstatealike,the
AustralianAboriginalsarestillhere.Theyareusedtotheongoingstruggleandtothelongwaiting.In
thissense,theystillwaitforthewhitepeopletounderstandthembetter.Theyhavespentmany
generationslearningaboutWesternways.Theyhavelearnedtospeakourlanguageandhavelistened
towhatwehavetosay.Yettheycontinuetowaitforustocomeclosertothem.Theylongforthose
thingstheyhavealwayshopedforrespectandunderstanding.
InMiriamRoseUngunmerrBaumann'swords:"Weknowthatourwhitebrothersandsisterscarry
theirownparticularburdens.Wecarryburdensaswell.YetIbelievethatiftheyletuscometothem,if
theywouldopenuptheirmindsandheartstousandhearwhatwehavetosay,wemightlightentheir
burdens.Thereisastruggleforallofus,butwe,unlikethem,havenotlostourspiritofdadirri."
Sheconcludeshermessagebyobserving"Ibelievethatthespiritofdadirrithatwehavetooffertothe
worldwillhelpyouWesternerstoblossomandgrow,notjustwithinyourselves,butwithinyournation
aswell...
"Therearedeepspringswithineachofusandwithinthem,thereisasoundthesoundofthedeep
callingtothedeep.Thetimeforrebirthisnow.Ifourcultureandyourculturearealiveandwell,as
wellasstrongandrespected,theywillgrow.Insuchacase,ourculturewillnotdie,norwillyours,and
ourspiritswillnotbelost.Wewillcontinue,together,asthiswasalwaysmeanttobe."
AboriginalPhilosophy
ThiswonderfulstatementremindsmeofapaperIreadyearsagoinananthologycalledShamanism:
ExpandedViewsofRealityeditedbyShirleyNicholson(1987).Thepaperistitled'TheDreamtime,
Mysticism,andLiberation:ShamanisminAustralia,'anditisauthoredbytheVenerableE.Nandisvara
NayakeTheroPhD,thenthechiefSanghanayakaoftheTheravadaOrderofBuddhistmonksinIndia.
AformerprofessorofcomparativereligionatMadrasUniversity,aswellasdirectoroftheMaha
BodhiSocietyofSriLankaandsecretarygeneraloftheWorldSanghaCouncil,Dr.Nandisvarahad
recentlyreturnedfromaresearchexpeditionwithananthropologicalteaminAustralia,wherehehad
livedforsometimewithanativeAboriginalcommunityinhiswords,anextremelyancientrace
whosewayoflife(huntingandgathering)hadnotsubstantiallychangedforperhaps35,000years.
Inhisreport,Dr.Nandisvaramakesanextraordinarystatement.
"Tothosewhojudgethedegreeof(a)culturebythedegreeof(its)technologicalsophistication,the
factthattheAustraliannativesliveinthesamefashionnowastheydidthousandsofyearsagomay
implythattheyareuncivilizedoruncultured.
"However,Iwouldsuggestthatif(a)civilizationbedefined(by)thedegreeofpolishingofan
individual'smindandthebuildingofhisorhercharacter,andifthatculture(reflects)themeasureof
ourselfdisciplineaswellasourlevelofconsciousness,thentheAustralianAboriginalsareactually
oneofthemostcivilizedandhighlyculturedpeoplesintheworldtoday."
Fromhisconversationswiththeirshamansandspiritualelders,Dr.Nandisvaraconcludedthattheir
spiritualtraditionishighlyadvancedandthattheirreligiousbeliefsareparallelwiththosefoundinthe
variousbranchesofthePerennialPhilosophy.
TheAboriginalelderstoldDr.Nandisvarathatthespiritofahumanbeingisalwaysincontactwiththe
higherspiritualrealmsofbeing,eveniftheremaybenoawarenessofthiscontactinone'sordinary
stateofconsciousness.Theyinformedhimthatthisgivestoeachoneofusanextraordinarygiftinthat
therecanbedirectcommunicationbetweenthehumanandthedivineplanesofbeingwithouttheneed
foranyecclesiasticalintermediaryorpriest.
Inotherwords,inAboriginalthought,thereisquitesimplynogreatimpassablegulfbetweenthe
humanandthedivineaperceptionthatisindirectoppositiontomostesotericschoolsoftheology,
includingJudeoChristianity.ThisiswhytheAboriginalshadnoneedtodevelopanyorganized
religionrunbyabureaucratizedandstratifiedpriesthood.Whattheyhaveinsteadisanauthentic
spiritualegalitarianisminwhichthey,asindividuals,canaccesstheDreamtimethroughtrance,giving
themdirectandimmediateaccessintothespiritualdimensionsthroughtheshamanictechniquesof
ecstasy.
Thisabilitygivesthemanunshakableauthoritytomakehighlyevolvedphilosophicalobservations.For
example,likethereligiousthanatologiesofotherspiritualtraditions,theAboriginalsdescribethe
progressionofhumanconsciousnessafterdeathas"survivalininfinity."Theyknowfromdirect
experiencethattheindividualpointofcontactwiththeinfinitudeofcosmicconsciousnesscontinuesto
expandafterdeathuntilitiscoextensivewithit...untilitliterally'becomes'it.
ThisisnotatheoryfortheAboriginals,norisitaconcept.Itisaperceptbasedupontheirowndirect
experience,arevelationthatisrevealedalsointheTibetanBookoftheDead.TheHindusand
BuddhistsusethewordSamadhitodescribethisstate.TheAboriginalscallittheDreamtime,yetitis
clearfromtheirdescriptionsofitthatempiricallyandphenomenologically,thesestatesarethesame.
EarthandSkyPhilosophies
DrNandisvara'sessayalsoreportsthatthereisatraditionofpersonalspiritualaspirationinAboriginal
societythatissimilartothatfoundinyoga.Thisisnotsurprisingastheshamanictraditionisthe
ancestralprecursortoalltheyogictraditions.
ThefourstagesoflifeinHinduismare:brahmacharyaunmarriedstudent;grihasthamarried
householderwithchildren;vanaprasthaforestdweller;andsannyasawanderer.Duringthelastyearsof
theirlives,manyoftheAboriginaleldersleavetheircommunitiesandgooffaloneintothemountains
toengageinspiritualpractices,muchasinthelasttwostagesoftheHindusystemwhichare
characterizedbysolitaryretirementtotheforest,astrivingforspiritualunderstanding,andpreparation
fordeath.
OneofthetechniquesreportedbyDr.Nandisvarapracticedbysuch"renunciateAboriginalelders"is
gazingattheskywithwideopeneyes.Thisisnotatypeofastronomyorastrology.Ratheritisa
meditativemethodusedtoobtainspiritualinspirationandintuitiondirectlyfromthecosmos.
InBuddhism,Yoga,JudeoChristianity,andotherrelativelyrecentreligioussystems,'skyphilosophies'
predominateinwhichtheconceptsofspaceandskydeitiesareofgreatestreligiousimport.In
oppositiontothisaretheearlierreligiousaswellasindigenoustraditionsinwhich'earthphilosophies'
werethenorm,focusedastheywereupontheEarthasMotheraswellasotherearthlydeities,power
animalsorfertilitygoddessesasthepredominateobjectsofreverence.
Interestingly,inAboriginalthought,bothphilosophiesarepresent.TheEarthisthebasisforall
spiritualstudiesduringthefirstandintermediatestagesoflife.Butwiththeapproachoflife'send,the
basicEarthstudyiscompletedandthereisarefocusingofthestillembodiedspiritoftheindividual
towardtheboundlessreachesofthesky.
Thus,fortheAustralianAboriginals,thehighestspiritualityisassociatednotwiththeEarth,butwith
theshamanicUpperWorldsandwiththeinfinityofspacewithCosmicConsciousnessitself.This
againisincompletealignmentwiththegreatteachingsofthePerennialPhilosophy.
Atthisstage,boththebodyandthemindhavebecomeabsolutelystill.Thisisnotthesamestate
associatedwiththechakrasasdescribedinkundaliniyogaandtheotheresotericschools,foritis
beyondsuchexperiences.Itisinfactawithdrawalofenergyfromthecharkassothattheynolonger
haveanyeffectonthemindwhatsoever.
Thisisthestateofdadirri...thedeeplistening.
Dr.Nandisvaradescribesthisstateastheborderlandbetweenthemindthatisconnectedtothisworld,
andthemindthatisnotconnectedtothisworldthemindthatisabsolutelyfree.Itistheinterface
beentheexplicateandimplicateordersofrealityofthephysicistDavidBohm...theintimateoneon
oneconnectionwiththe'higherself'ofthemystic.
ThisisthestatethattheAboriginaleldersseekastheyleavetheirhomesandgoofftoliveinthe
mountainstopracticegazingatthesky.Thisistheshaman'sinvitationtothespiritualcosmicforceto
approachandembracethefocusofourmind.Itisandwasandwillforeverbe,unionwiththeinfinite
authenticnondualmysticism.
ReconsideringIndigenousWisdom
Itistime,Ithink,toacknowledgethattheindigenoustribalpeopleswerenotandarenotatsomechild
likeformofawareness.Rather,thetimehascomeforusallegedly'civilized'Westernerstoseriously
reconsidertheirworldviewsandtheirspiritualpractices.Fortheirwaysofbeingintheworldhavekept
themandtheirsocietiesaliveandwellfor40,000yearsandmore...whilewewhoconsiderourselves
sohighlyevolvedhaveonlybeenhereforafewhundred...andthingsarenotgoingparticularlywell
thesedays.
Dr.Nandisvaraalsodiscussessomethingelseofinterest...
Alongtheirwaytoachievingthehigherstatesofconsciousness,theshamansinAboriginalsocieties
areabletodevelopvarioussortsofpsychicabilities.Theypossess,forexample,thecapacitytotravel
outofthebodyacrosstheskyinanalteredstateofconsciousnessandvisitanyplacetheywish.
ItisalsoknownamongtheAboriginalsthattheirshamanscanjourneytothemoon,ortoanyother
planetatanytimetheychoose.ThisiswhytheywerenotparticularlyimpressedwhentheApollo
missionsflewtothemoonandback.Infact,theyfailedtounderstandwhywehadneededmachinesto
gothereastheyarebothbulkyaswellasslow.
Dr.Nandisvaraconcludeshisessaybyobserving(withconsiderablereverence)thatthoseAboriginals
stillinvolvedintheirtraditionallifewaysaresopeacefulandquiet,aswellassoharmoniouslyintune
withNatureandthespiritualdimension.Bycontrast,therestoftheworldaroundthem,includingmost
ofthesocalled'civilized'societies,areincrisis,dominatedbymurderandmayhem,political
mendacityandcorporategreed,withpeoplekillingeachotherinthenameofwhatevergodthey
espouse,exploitingtheenvironmentandtheirfellowlivingbeingsofthisbeautifulworld,onlysomeof
whomhappentobehuman.
WecouldobserveinpassingthatthereislittledoubtthatwearetheRomansofourtime.Isittherefore
surprisingthatDr.Nandisvara,whosomehavecalledthe'Pope'ofIndia,haschosentodescribethe
nativeAustraliansasoneofthemostcivilizedandculturedpeoplesontheplanettoday?