Example of Going Beyond

There is an ancient story of a master trying to teach his students about the mysteries of life that go beyond the obvious that only they can discover for themselves. He knew that there were things that could not be taught or put into words, even by a master. The best he could do was point. From there, the students were to progress beyond his pointing. 

He took his students out into the night to look at the sky. He said that all his teachings were nothing more than a finger pointing at the moon. The students were to look beyond his finger to the moon. When he looked back at his students, they were all staring at his finger.

In Chapter Nine of Heart Journey, I told of my time sitting before a poster of a Tibetan mandala. I wanted to unlock its mysteries, and I thought by studying it closely, noting the placement of this or that, or the number, or amount included I could crack the code, and I would learn the mandala's secret. Actually, the mandala was more like a finger pointing at the moon. All my theories were for naught as I became fixated on the poster itself.

 

It was the energy that spontaneously arose out of the mandala and literally hit me between the eyes that woke me up. I had my ah-ha moment, but it did not arise from my mental gymnastics. I thought I knew; I had a plan, when actually I was thwarting any chance I had of having an experience of awakening. I needed to go beyond.

In this sense, established knowledge, teachings, and understandings are foundational, but they can prevent you from seeing anew and experiencing fresh. Surrender your need for rational or logical experiences and explanations. They will not exist on the mystical path and in the greater awareness beyond. 
 

Excerpt from Heart Journey