Albuquerque

I've been going to Albuquerque for the last 13 years, a very regular trip that I usually tell people I'm going to visit some friends for the weekend. That's part of the truth.

About 13 years ago I was introduced to a spiritual path while working at an acupuncture clinic in Lakewood. The owner had recently joined a spiritual group after having a few of the devotees in his acupuncture classes. These few devotees were some of the first students of a guru from New Mexico that was teaching the tenets of Light and Sound teachings, a very very old system of beliefs first begun by Lao-Tze thousands of years ago. These students had an energy about them, a wisdom and presence that was hard to define. They didn't wear flowing robes or Birkenstocks, they were doctors and massage therapists and literature majors and film/video producers. I joined these people after watching closely for quite a while, making sure there were no catches, that no one would make me wear a purple running suit with white tennis shoes and drink green Kool-Aid. No one has asked me so far and they never will.

MasterPath was founded around 1989 in South Dakota by Gary Olsen. As the leader of MasterPath, he teaches how to embrace the teachings of Light and Sound, a precursor of many facets of Buddhism, Sikhism, Taoism, Christianity, Muslim and Oriental philosophies. Light teachings tend to be more like institutions such as churches and paths that change the condition of a person's outer life without requiring a sacrifice of accountability for the life led within. MasterPath takes spirituality out of the temple built by man and puts it back where it belongs, in the student's own body. Sound teachings incorporate that which can't be seen, but can be felt as a vibration of love wisdom and guidance. Both are of the same; yet one takes the student farther in consciousness by appreciating the Light, but following the Sound. Students, called chelas, follow these ancient teachings that instruct the student in the process of spiritual enlightenment. People today scoff at the notion of other systems of spiritual advancement that don't involve sitting in a church or ashram. Whatever. I'm not interested in following the crowd. Never have been, never will be.

This path doesn't allow for proselytizing, or use guilt and coercion to get new members. I have only spoken to a couple of people outside the organization about it, and then only after they asked me about it. I do know people who are great at bringing people to "The Path" as we refer to it, but bring someone, don't bring someone, it doesn't matter. The MasterPath doesn't care if you come to their door, eventually the soul will find its to whatever belief system it needs at the time. This is the one I need at this time, and this weekend was one of the meetings with the Master.

I've met Sri Gary many, many times. Sri, pronounced "shree" is simply a title, like Mr. or Mrs., yet the connotation for Sri is one of "teacher." And teach he does. We gather every 3-4 months to listen to Sri Gary speak and each month the chela receives a discourse, a writing that is tailor made to the chela's current initiation. Initiations vary in length and are numbered from 1-12. The length of time it takes to complete the initiations is a personal and private affair, a time-table set forth without the mind's cheap influence and a schedule that the chela needs not worry about. All things unfold in their proper season and at the proper time. It's one of the best things about MasterPath; time and space are an illusion that you can either embrace or ignore. Embrace it when you have to be accountable for your daily life, but ignore it if it messes with your spirituality.

The Path can be hard sometimes. I have always listened to the voices outside of me, and so to go inside and take charge of my being has been hard for me. For me, what I though I knew to be true about myself was shown to me as being incorrect. It's disconcerting to think you have all aspects of life wired up and you're good to go. That's the downside. The upside is that you find out so much more about yourself and about the incredible aspects of yourself once you get past all the scabby crust. Nobody else tells you this stuff, you figure it out as you go. You get to own the power of figuring these challenges. The days of me listening to someone from the pulpit tell me I'm a sinful loser with the wrong shaped head and therefore can't possibly be from the chosen tribe of Israel are over. Hard to believe anyone ever falls for that hooey. I know I did.

MasterPath allows me to find my own way with the guidance of a Sat Guru, or "True Teacher." In this most ancient form of spiritual learning, you're given the tools you need to be successful and those tools don't consist of standing in weird positions or eating only vegetables and not having sex. Ever. It teaches you to live your life and incorporate all aspects of it that work and leave behind that which needs to be left behind. I fell in love with it because it gave me a lot of work to do in my own life. I never liked the idea that you could go out and do whatever destruction you want and you can fall on your knees and ask for forgiveness and it's bestowed without accountability. MasterPath believes in the concept of karma, and if you don't want to pay for it, don't do it to begin with. A simple premise with huge ramifications.

Meetings are also held in San Diego (usually the winter seminar) and regional meetings are held on a less frequent basis in such cities as Seattle, Chicago and Phoenix. MasterPath has members from all over the world, and you can attend either in person or via internet or phone lines. I'm unsure of how many members there are at this point; I don't really care. I'm a member and always will be, regardless of what people think about me and my involvement. This Path has me too busy keeping my nose to MY grindstone to worry about what other people think.

The next meeting for MasterPath is in September in Albuquerque, again. I'll be there because I get so much from actually attending the seminar or regional in person. My discourses will continue to arrive each month and I will work on the insights given to me this weekend, relaxing more with my contentions about myself and trying to make a better connection with one of the many forms of contacting the Sound Current. As awful as it is to fly into Albuquerque, I'll probably do just that, but hoping for no bad weather in Denver to cause hours-long delays in Albuquerque.

So if you're curious about MasterPath, ask me sometime. I'm not worried about it. Everyone I know is doing just fine with the life they have and the choices they're making. As a matter of fact, I'm proud of all my friends, both the ones on the Path and the ones not on the Path. My friends are genuine and honest, sincere and open. I'm lucky to have them all.

As for the tough stuff that can come with facing your foibles and moving ahead through the slosh that is life, as the Master said once: "Even if the stable is full of shit, keep digging; there's gotta be a pony in there somewhere."