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Humans and Pigs are Equal -- at Heart |
| January 12, 2007 by Stuart |
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Avatar Adi Da first planted the seed, and the vision, for Fear-No-More Zoo back in 1974.
Fear-No-More Zoo has grown slowly and steadily, gradually becoming more and more a sign and representation of His Spiritual Blessing of non-humans, and humans, everywhere.
The three main retreat Sanctuaries of Adidam each maintain a representation of Fear-No-More Zoo , according to Adi Da's Instructions. Additionally, the Adidam Ashram in Holland maintains a small family of animals, also, as an expression of Fear-No-More in Europe.
Adi Da regards these locations of Fear-No-More Zoo not as separate entities, but as a single process of non-humans around Him, an integral part of this newly developing sacred culture.
In other locations around the world, where devotees and friends of Adi Da gather together in small, intimate-scale, groups (or ashrams), the vision and processes of Fear-No-More Zoo are also gradually beginning to emerge.
Fear-No-More Zoo is not quite like conventional zoos. It is not an "animal zoo". And the culture of Adidam is intended to be more than just a culture of humans only. The true and fullest expression of Adidam includes the cultures of humans and non-humans, together... including animals, plants, rivers, mountains and places. The Vision of Fear-No-More is about the integration of human and non-human cultures into one broad, expansive, tolerant and intelligent culture of all beings.
Adi Da's devotees living in the New Zealand Ashram, on the outskirts of beautiful Auckland, recently sent some photos of "Yama" the pig , and a horse named "Stryder".
Attached are some photos of Yama taken just before Christmas... wearing a bit of decoration! Several years ago Yama lost his close friend, Niyama. Pigs develop powerful and deep bonds in their social lives. After he recovered from the loss, Yama found a new friend in Stryder, and they now roam the hills of the Auckland Ashram together, always in search of new adventure, and always reminding people to feel first, before thinking (or just feel, and don't think at all).
Avatar Adi Da:
Quote : It is not that only human beings are full of 'soul' and everything else should be chopped up and eaten for lunch! If you examine beings other than the human, feel them, are sensitive to them, enter directly into relationship with them, you discover that they are the same - and not just the somewhat bigger ones, like my parrots, but the mosquitoes, too, which you swat out as if they were nothing.
At heart, human beings are manifesting a potential that is in all and that is inherent in conditional existence itself. Whether this potential is exhibited or not, whether it is made human or not, makes no difference whatsoever to the Divine Self-Condition.
All is One. All is the same.
All equally require Divine Compassion, Love, and Blessing, the thread of Communion with the Divine made certain and true and directly experienced. All.
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A Letter |
| July 26, 2006 by Stuart |
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At this critical juncture in history, when both human and environmental crises seem almost insoluble, when religions and science, philosophy and politics, and the countless conservation and aid organizations, show little ability to heal the burgeoning havoc and destruction, there is an alternative that we must finally turn to.
We must assume our collective human and spiritual responsibilities — beginning with ourselves, our actions and directions. There is an ancient tradition of spiritual wisdom provided by authentic spiritual teachers who offer their profound help to humanity. Speaking from the depths of their spiritual realization, such great beings call us to a course of understanding and action that can set things right. At this moment in human history, Adi Da Samraj, a Spiritual Master of the highest degree, calls all people of all nations to collectively make changes in the world for the benefit of all beings, both human and non-human.
Adi Da Samraj speaks from an overwhelming desire to see humanity create a new destiny in this time, one in which we become the agents for the more benign movements in nature rather than continuing as the destroyers of both man and nature. Adi Da has given his entire life to imparting his unifying wisdom for the ultimate benefit of all beings.
The following statement, declaration, and Heart confession of Adi Da, excerpted from a talk he gave on November 4, 1994, is offered below. May it encourage the worldwide understanding and recognition of all beings, whether human or not, as being equal at Heart.
We encourage everyone to carefully study and make use of Adi Da’s vast and profound wisdom, no matter your field of study, work, or faith.
Fear-No-More Zoo is but one of the many seeds of a great Vision of Adi Da's, a Vision of all beings living in right Spiritual relationship with one another, in cooperation tolerance and peace, informed by the Gift of Contemplative surrender to the Divine Being.
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“I Am Here to Embrace Everyone”
(Excerpted from a talk given by Samraj Adi Da, November 14, 1994)
Quote : At heart, all are One.
At heart, a human being is not the slightest bit different from the reptiles, the birds, the former dinosaurs, the elephants, the plants, the trees, the wind, the sky, the microbes.
Apart from their function in conditionality, all beings are the same. Human beings are not uniquely to be Saved.
All beings, even all of conditional manifestation, is the Sphere of My Work. I do not make the slightest jot of distinction between a human being and any other form or appearance. There is none to be made. Appearing before you in human Form, I Play with you in human terms. But My work, moment by moment, altogether, encompasses All — not only all human beings, not only all beings, but everything.
I am in Conversation with all beings and things. It is not that only human beings are full of ‘soul’ and everything else should be chopped up and eaten for lunch! If you examine beings other than the human, feel them, are sensitive to them, enter directly into relationship with them, you discover that they are the same — and not just the somewhat bigger ones, like my parrots, but the mosquitoes, too, which you swat out as if they were nothing.
At heart, human beings are manifesting a potential that is in all and that is inherent in conditional existence itself. Whether this potential is exhibited or not, whether it is made human or not, makes no difference whatsoever to the Divine Self-Condition. All is One. All is the same. All equally require Divine Compassion, Love, and Blessing, the thread of Communion with the Divine made certain and true and directly experienced.
All.
Therefore, the Sphere of My Work is all beings and things. Literally it is so.
This is literally how I Work. I cannot size up one being or thing against another — the devotee against the non-devotee, the human against the non-human, the Earth against some other place. I cannot do that.
I am Doing a universal Work.
I Am here to receive, and kiss, and embrace everyone, everything — everything that appears, everything that is.
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Through the Gates of Fear-No-More |
| January 5, 2006 by Stuart |
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The formal entrance of Fear-No-More Zoo, at the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary, has for many years included the graves of three special animals. More recently a fourth grave was added. The four animals buried at the Zoo Entrance are two dogs, a cat and a Bactrian bull camel.
These four beings were, and are, Spiritual intimates of Avatar Adi Da's. While alive each of them served Him in unique ways. As each one passed away Adi Da had them ceremonially buried at the entry gates of Fear-No-More Zoo. In this, and in other ways, Daji Megan, Dama Nitya, Monroe and Jingle Baba, continue to serve Avatar Adi Da, and all of us, in a unique capacity.
"If you go there sensitively", as Adi Da recommends, the entrance to Fear-No-More Zoo imparts a profound message.
To all who formally pass through the gates into Fear-No-More Zoo the message communicated is, "See how life goes, how it ends... See how your own body and mind, and those whom you love, will soon die. Understand life as a passing thing and, like the non-humans, notice that there is no way around this. So rather than seek to escape death (by whatever fantastic means), surrender into life, as the animals and plants do. Freely Contemplate in natural whole-bodily Communion with the Divine and, like the non-humans, enter into the disposition of Fear-No-More. Be made simpler by the vision of life. Stay focused in this, and do so more and more."
The tacit knowledge of their inevitable bodily death, and their awareness of being just another morsel in the food chain, is what moves the non-humans into free and easy Contemplation of the Divine Presence that lives and breathes everything.
The human being's usual response to mortality is to generate an endless search, and flight, from the possibility of death altogether. We tend to choose this, rather than simply relaxing, trusting and surrendering into life itself.
By coming into Fear-No-More Zoo, and making right use of it through observing the animals' Contemplative participation in life, is to begin to understand the right, and truly moral, response to existence in our humble, temporary bodily forms. If you are sensitive to them, you may also feel the animals intentionally, and sympathetically, drawing you to freely Contemplate the Divine as they do... This is the practice that Adi Da, and the animals, recommend when you visit "Fear-No-More" Zoo.
Adi Da Samraj: I don't imagine the non-humans as being lowly or separate, or different in any sense whatsoever. And that's what you should realize when you go to Fear-No-More Zoo. That's how you should use it, to support your sadhana. It's about 'fearing-no-more', about going beyond the knot of separate self, being in the Condition of the Samadhi of Real-God-Communion, and, at the level of form, participating in the Great Unity.
Fear-No-More Zoo exists within the conscious awareness of life and death, and herein it develops its Sacred functions, and purposes, from the point of view of surrender, compassion, acceptance, love and wisdom.
-- Stuart Camps, Fear-No-More Zoo, California |
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Seeing Primates; Visiting Chimpanzees |
| October 3, 2005 by Stuart |
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Composer-musician Naamleela Free Jones (of Fiji / California) tells of visiting the Sacramento Zoo with Fear-No-More Zoo Founder Adi Da Samraj recently:
Several weeks ago Avatar Adi Da Samraj visited the Sacramento Zoo, as He has done a number of times over the years.
Upon entering the zoo Adi Da was asked by one of His attendants whether He would like to see the primates first. He chuckled, looking around at everybody, and replied, "I thought I already was!"
As Adi Da Samraj made His way through the zoo many of the animals (though not all) moved forward in their enclosures. Frequently, as He approached the various habitats, the animals living there would come out in full view, and a good number reclined right in front of Him, relaxing and showing obvious signs of deep contemplation in response to Adi Da's visit.
[Pictured at right is an orangutan that Adi Da visited at the Sacramento Zoo.]
Upon arriving at the spacious chimpanzee habitat Adi Da made His way to the large, glass viewing window. He stood there calmly, intently focused on the chimpanzee culture living life in front of the crowds of people who streamed past the chimps' attractively manufactured world.
Soon after Adi Da took His place there, a small chimpanzee came forward and began tumbling about directly in front of Him. Within a short while she picked up a pine-cone and, stretching out as far as possible, she pressed the pine-cone up against the glass window toward Adi Da.
Everything about this fellow primate's gestures were just like those of Adi Da's human devotees when, through heart-recognition, they offer Him a simple, fresh flower. The chimpanzee held the pine-cone there on the glass, looking directly at Adi Da. Through the glass Avatar Adi Da Samraj touched His hand to the pine-cone and whispered, "Tcha", in love and blessing of the young chimpanzee.
After several moments the chimpanzee drew the pine-cone to her chest and sat with her head slightly bowed. Then she sat quietly in front of Adi Da for a few more moments before moving across the enclosure whereupon she gave the pine-cone to the largest chimpanzee of the group.
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Late one evening in November 1993 Adi Da Samraj discoursed passionately to a small group of devotees. He spoke in a quiet voice.
"At heart, all are One. At heart, a human being is not the slightest bit different from the reptiles, the birds, the former dinosaurs, the elephants, the plants, the trees, the wind, the sky, the microbes."
[Read the rest of this Discourse in the Wisdom section of this website.] |
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No More Plow Pulling |
| July 6, 2005 by Stuart |
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Adi Da Samraj: "What would happen if there were a lot more animals who insisted on thoroughly affirming their life of Contemplation, no matter what human beings did to them or tried to get them to do? It would probably have a great influence on human beings if all the non-humans agreed to handle their business in a simple way and just spend the rest of their time Contemplating, from now on. No more extraneous requirements, no more beach balls, and no pulling plow - none of that sort of activity. What would happen if all the zoo animals were Contemplating, instead? - with a little snack every now and then, but, otherwise, obviously Contemplating... What would happen if you could no longer control the non-humans, and they just insisted on their Contemplation? Well, they could change people a lot, it would seem...
If you look at animals in their natural setting where they have to provide for themselves, and so on, they handle that business. But then you also see them all taking extended Contemplative breaks frequently every day. No clock-punching... If you have to provide for yourself, you make it as playful and interesting as you can, and then you rest from that for a few days and do some really extended meditation! That is basically what non-humans like to do.
They do not like the stress of bodily obligation. Human beings are the only species that does this here. The others are all living ages of Contemplation. They know the world is not a paradise. It is not to be made into an "eternity". Nor is it to be presumed or imagined that it could be. They know this very well. So they use conditional existence as a circumstance of Contemplation."
-- (from a Talk given on January 9,1996) |
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The Awareness of Monkeys vs. Human Propaganda |
| June 14, 2005 by Stuart |
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Overlooking the half-moon beach (shown at right) where Pacific green turtles have recently been coming in to lay their eggs, Adi Da Samraj spoke at length with some of His devotees about the way human beings propagandize each other into ignoring the subtler dimensions of existence—ones which monkeys and other animals easily and naturally participate in.
Adi Da Samraj: The awareness of monkeys is of a different type and potential than humans' awareness, but it reaches beyond sheer grossness. That is why monkeys have obvious sensitivities. Monkeys have more participatory awareness than human beings tend to.
Animals, even all non-humans, participate in subtler aspects of the structures of cosmic existence. They are essentially participating in the same reality as human beings, but they do not have all the mind that human beings have. Therefore, non-humans do not have that obscuring, propagandizing mechanism to convince them out of being aware that there are energies subtler than the physical. That there are such energies is just so. Sensitivity to the subtle realm of energies does not involve thinking about its existence or having the existence of a subtle realm of energy be proven. The subtle realm is just the case, and non-humans participate in it naturally.
(Shown at left is Toby, a colobus monkey who used to live at the Hawaii Fear-No-More Zoo.)
Much of subtle awareness should simply be as natural to human beings, as it is to non-humans. Yet you have been civilized out of the awareness of it, talked out of the awareness of it. There is propaganda that says what you can know, what is official knowledge, what is allowed knowledge, allowed belief, allowed doings, allowed participation in reality. Such propaganda is proclaimed as official and propagandized very heavily.
What you see on TV is the message. That is the level on which human beings are living. It is just a glom of organisms in association—talkety-talkety-talkety-talkety-talk—exploiting the potentials of the gross perspective only.
It is a consumer-world, strictly that. It is propagandized to be that, because people are not naturally merely that. No. Human beings have to be psychically, psychologically impinged upon to have their field of awareness reduced to that. Yet, human beings are propagandized into that state, by just the gross force of their collective collision with one another.
Some people, of course, have something left over, some space left over, much of it just the natural kind of space in which non-humans live—a little more etheric, a little more psychic. Some people, therefore, may think such sensitivity is remarkable—and so it is, by comparison. Or they think it is crazy. If you show as much sensibility as a baboon you are regarded as crazy. In other words, if you are participating in the larger sphere and field of psycho-physical reality, more than the propagandized human being, you are outcast, shunned, and regarded to be kind of insane.
That is part of how such sensitivity gets propagandized out of the field of awareness. It is not permitted. If you are so sensitive, you are laughed at and you are ostracized. |
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"Planet Bytes" is a service mark of the Avataric Samrajya of Adidam Pty Ltd.
Original photos & writings are
© 2005-2006 The Avataric Samrajya of Adidam Pty Ltd, as trustee for The Avataric Samrajya of Adidam.
All rights reserved. Perpetual copyright claimed.
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