Self-Realization and Other Awakenings

sangha, teacher and teachings. Everywhere apparent
abuses were found, because the western model of
charging for everything was not used, but instead the
eastern concept of the teacher taking care of the
student’s spiritual development, and the student’s
duty was taking care of the teacher’s worldly needs.
Many opined that teachers were taking advantage of
the students.
Again, to me these were consenting adults, and
often the giving by the students had so many strings
attached; it was more like a conditional loan based on
a 40 page contract.
Then, in 1995 I had my first awakening experiences
and everything changed. I withdrew from life. I didn’t
care about the world anymore. I just kept looking
inside myself finding a stillness and quietness
everywhere—the peaceful void, as well as the great
void, which I ultimately was, but which could not be
perceived or experienced, because it was ‘I’.
For years I withdrew and abided in emptiness. I
was happy, peaceful, and I began teaching others that
the world was illusion, go within to find your true
nature.
But after 16 years, consciousness threw me a
hardball. Consciousness sent me someone to love.