Cult of Jason ?

[sono]

I had a rather strange dream over the weekend (have been so busy I haven't posted it ,or much else lately) I had gone to spend a day with a cult, lead by a charismatic young man called Jason (never known anyone by that name) We all danced, raised & shared energy & stood in a ring while he began to ritually insult me, saying I had no personality, no conscience, no sense of self-worth etc., & asked whether I was getting angry. I replied honestly , no - but said I was puzzled. (I think it may have been a test to see whether I could control anger)

Then I sat down while he physically examined my head, asking about a scar I have on my forehead. I thought he may have detected the place on my hairline above & between my eyes, where I had felt a very sharp pain some weeks back as I projected; but only answered him regarding the (actual) scar - the result of an encounter with a glass topped table years ago.

I was allowed one question so I asked whether he thought the Higgs-Bosun Particle was really the "god particle" & whether discovering it via the Hadron Collider was going to be possible. He said he didn't know & that it really didn't matter.
I was given some very interesting books to take home & read, but others I was only allowed to read on the premises - I remember one title as something like "Zen in Art & Culture".
I was finally given a white "over robe" to wear (rather like a long punjabi top) & left - awoke very disoriented

[CFTraveler]

Hmm. Interesting.

[sleeper]

The Zen arts: an anthropological study of the culture of aesthetic form in Japan
By Rupert A. Cox

http://books.google.com/books?id=9DOBJyytGu0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=zen+in+art+and+culture&hl=en&ei=UHC0TOPjCYKasAP05tzUCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CEEQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=zen%20in%20art%20and%20culture&f=false

[Tutor]

sono,

just curious. do you have any 'zen' background, that would have initiated such a dream. i mean, experiences of actual zen treatments that break down what one thinks themself to be, as opposed to the 'real' you having no preconceived identity founded in thought?

tim

[Korpo]

Hello, sono.

I think your initial intuition about the nature of the test sounds like a good idea. A spiritual test would be done within your circle of spiritual friends. It seems like an older student undertook to test you.

It's also interesting that you get "your head examined." Scars are often taken as symbols of "a lesson learned the hard way."

Artistry and Zen do mix well in Japan, I think. I'm reminded of calligraphy or painting a vase while being fully mindful of every act. Maybe something to channel your creativity into. An activity that can simultaneously serve as meditation.

Cheers,
Oliver

[sono]

Hi & thanks to all for all the insightful responses & the book link - no, I have no Zen background, was raised Theosophist-Buddhist (Theravada) though I 've always had Kashmiri-shaivite leanings. . . .so am going to look into Zen now! :)

[Tutor]

well then, it is interesting.

tim

[eyeoneblack]

Personally, had it been MY dream, it would have left a 'bad taste' in my mouth. I would never expect anything in the way of 'teaching' to be humiliating such as 'Jason' did you.

I would have chased it from my mind without further thought - sent it out the door like a bad dog. Wherever it came, it out to go back.

But you know me. :roll: