Ken Wilber’s “The Fourth Turning”

January 14, 2018
[This is a raw, unedited article I just finished writing. It will be included in my Zen text, which will be published in 2019.]

Ken Wilber is considered by many to be America's greatest living philosopher. Wilber, who bills himself as a “pandit” (Dharma scholar/teacher), specializes in integral theory and solutions, which provide the lens through which he views humanity’s past, present and future. And in his 2015 book "The Fourth Turning: Imagining the Evolution of an Integral Buddhism," Wilber focuses his “integral lens” on Buddhism (the religion he most vibes with), and envisages another (or fourth) turning of its wheel that would embody the principles that are at the heart of his Integral philosophy.

In The Fourth Turning’s Introduction, Wilber informs us that the world's religions "need to get serious about updating their fundamental dogmas." He says that the core ideas can be maintained, but that these new discoveries about spiritual experiences, spiritual intelligence, and spiritual development during the past thousand years need to be integrated into an Integral framework that includes and transcends the central teachings of the traditions.… Read the full article

The Emptiness of Emptiness

January 2, 2018

[This is a raw unedited article I just wrote, which will be included in the Zen book I just started writing. I'm also working on a Dzogchen text, which should be published by the end of 2018.The Zen text won't be finished and published until some time in 2019.]

For a three-year period in my life–1974-1976—I was deeply into the Prajnaparamita Sutras. My meditation practice during this period focused on developing a mind that dwelled upon nothing and in seeing all things as empty. But then, thanks to the teachings of Adi Da Samraj (then known as Bubba Free John), I had an epiphany: I realized that my attempts to develop a non-abiding mind and to negate phenomenal reality by imagining it as empty were simply forms of the avoidance of relationship (or whole-body communion with life and the Spirit-current, or Shakti).

After my epiphany I continued for a few years to randomly attend sittings at Zen groups, but I no longer had an interest in Zen philosophy and its apotheosis of emptiness. I basically forgot about the emptiness Dharma until 2003, when a friend introduced me to the teachings of Ayn Rand, which not only enlightened me on emptiness but also inspired me to read academic texts by Buddhism professors on the subject.… Read the full article

Jesus (Jack Cohen) Meets the President

December 28, 2017
(This is an excerpt from my mind-blowing surrealistic novel "Kill Jesus: The Shocking Return of the Chosen One." It is available in Kindle and paperback at Amazon.com.)
Jack arrived at the Department of Treasury just before 10:30 a.m. He made his way through security, located Grinder’s office and found himself seated across from the Secretary of the Treasury by 10:45 a.m. Immediately he made himself at home, extending his legs so that his Nikes rested on Grinder’s desk. He pulled out a long, fat Cohiba and promptly lit it without bothering to ask. When Grinder objected, Jack blew smoke in his face without apology and proceeded to laugh out loud.

No doubt Jack was feeling his oats — and as he was only nineteen years old, some might attribute his boorishness to teenage immaturity. But it was more than that. Tibetan Buddhism would say that he was simply exhibiting “crazy wisdom,” the sort of unconventional, outrageous, or unexpected behavior that comes from En-Light-ened activity.

“I’ll get right to the point,” said Grinder. “The President has authorized me to offer you a generous lump sum to end your revolution and the run on the banks.… Read the full article

A Consideration of Kabbalah/Qabalah Texts, Part 3

November 21, 2017

This three-part article consists of my eighteen Amazon.com reviews of Kabbalah/Qabalah texts. The reviews are in reverse chronological order, with the latest reviews first. Part 1 was posted in August, and Part 2 was posted earlier   this month.]

Unmitigated Mystical Crapola

[“The Initiatic Path in the Arcana of Tarot and Kabbalah,” Samael Aun Weor, 1 Star]

I have devoted the past forty years of my life to studying, practicing, and teaching mystical and occult systems. I'm not only an expert in the foremost spiritual traditions--Hindu Raja Yoga, Advaita Vedanta, and Kashmir Shaivism; Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhism; Christian Hermeticism, the mystical Kabbalah, Daism, and J.Krishnamurti's teachings--I've also practiced professional astrology and have studied the I Ching and Tarot.

I have read numerous books on the Kabbalah (Kabbalah, by Moshe Idel, The Essential Kabbalah, by Daniel Matt, Meditation and Kabbalah, by Aryeh Kaplan, The Way, by Michael Berg, and Introduction to the Cabala, and the Work of the Kabbalist, by Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi, The Key to the True Kabbalah, Franz Bardon, et al.)… Read the full article

A Consideration of Kabbalah/Qabalah Texts, Part 2

November 20, 2017
This three-part article consists of my eighteen Amazon.com reviews of Kabbalah/Qabalah texts. The reviews are in reverse chronological order, with the latest reviews first. Part 1 was posted in August, and Part 3 will be posted later this month.]

Krishnamurti Meets Kabbalah

[“The Cipher of Genesis: Using the Qabalistic Code to Interpret the First Book of the Bible and the Teachings of Jesus.” Carlo Suares, 3 Stars]

In this unique text, Carlo Suares (1892-1976), utilizing Qabalistic code (meaning “gematria,” the ancient “science” of using the letters of the Hebrew alphabet as numbers to reveal hidden meanings of spiritual texts) seeks to provide the cipher, or algorithmic code, of Genesis and the teachings of Jesus – and fails miserably.

The only reason I gave this book three stars is for Suares’s great idea and bold attempt. Unfortunately, Suares is unqualified for the task. Not only does he exhibit limited understanding of the meaning of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, he also has no real understanding of spirituality. In short, he is in over his head with this text.… Read the full article

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