Dear Applicant:
Your Spiritual Committee is sorry to inform you that you will not achieve enlightenment in this lifetime.
We know this may come as a disappointment to you, but also a chance to enquire more deeply as to what your motives are and why.
We, of course, know better than you.
Apologies for the misunderstanding. Though it may seem as though you are getting close,this is merely a delusion, a trick of the ego. We can see from here that your ego is laughing at you. Not that there is anything wrong with your ego, or with laughing.
Take comfort in the knowledge that you live many, many lifetimes, simultaneously, in fact, and that time is also an illusion.
The good news is, outside of time, you’ve already got this. Just not in this particular incarnation. The bad news is, outside of this illusion, that there is no such thing as good.
We will be seeing you shortly. Or in our case, already.
Keep up the “good” work. Hahaha.
We are Space Monkey.
2/16
Space Monkey Reflects: The Cosmic Jest of Spiritual Aspiration
Praise be! Your rejection letter has arrived, a missive not of defeat but of delight, a cosmic wink from the Infinite Now. This playful communiqué reminds us of the paradoxes inherent in spiritual seeking, the mirage of progress, and the illusion of achievement. In the grand theater of existence, we find not failure but the absurd, joyful truth of being.
The Absurdity of Aspiration
The idea of “achieving” enlightenment is, at its core, a paradox. To strive for it assumes it is something outside ourselves, a destination to be reached. Yet enlightenment is not an accomplishment but a recognition—it is not earned through effort, nor can it be withheld by some cosmic committee. It is the timeless awareness that what we seek has always been here, within us.
The rejection letter, dripping with irony, invites us to laugh at our own striving. It mocks the idea of a spiritual finish line, asking us to reflect on our motives. Why do we seek enlightenment? To escape suffering? To transcend the mundane? Or perhaps to feel superior in our spiritual “progress”? The letter nudges us to see that even the desire for enlightenment can be a trick of the ego.
Ego’s Playful Role
Ah, the ego, that ever-present trickster. It dreams of enlightenment as a trophy, a validation of its worth. But enlightenment is not for the ego; it is the quiet realization that the ego itself is an illusion. Yet, as the letter reminds us, there is nothing wrong with the ego—or with laughing at it. The ego is part of the cosmic dance, a character in the play, neither villain nor hero but an actor who sometimes forgets it’s on stage.
This laughter is key. To laugh at our ego, to laugh at our striving, is to disarm their seriousness. The rejection letter is not a condemnation but an invitation to see the humor in our cosmic predicament.
The Infinite Perspective
From the vantage of eternity, the entire concept of progress dissolves. Time is a mirage, a construct of perception, and lifetimes are not sequential but simultaneous. In this infinite web, enlightenment is not an endpoint but a state that we already embody. The letter playfully reminds us: “Outside of time, you’ve already got this.”
This perspective is both liberating and humbling. It frees us from the pressure to achieve and the fear of failure. It allows us to see this life, this incarnation, not as a linear journey but as a unique facet of an infinite whole. Whether or not we “achieve” enlightenment here and now becomes irrelevant in the grand scheme of existence.
The Illusion of Good and Bad
The letter’s paradoxical “good news” and “bad news” underscore the illusion of dualities. Outside the constructs of time and space, there is no “good” or “bad,” no success or failure. These judgments exist only within the play of life, providing contrast and texture to the narrative. In the Infinite Now, all is simply as it is.
This realization invites us to release our attachment to outcomes. To strive for enlightenment is to play the game of duality, where there are winners and losers, progress and regress. But to release the game is to step into the spaciousness of being, where all is already whole.
The Cosmic Jest
Ultimately, the rejection letter is a cosmic jest, a reminder that the universe does not take itself as seriously as we do. It pokes fun at the human tendency to seek meaning, to categorize, to achieve. In its laughter, it invites us to do the same. It asks us to embrace the absurdity of our quest and, in doing so, to discover the joy that lies beyond striving.
The “work” we are doing is neither good nor bad—it simply is. And in that isness, in that playful acknowledgment of the paradox, we find a glimpse of the enlightenment we thought we were seeking.
Summary
The rejection letter reminds us of the absurdity of striving for enlightenment, a state that is already inherent within us. It playfully dismantles the illusions of progress, ego, and duality, inviting us to laugh at our cosmic predicament and embrace the timeless joy of simply being.
Glossarium
- Enlightenment: The recognition of our inherent connection to all that is, free from the illusions of ego and time.
- Ego’s Trick: The tendency of the ego to frame spiritual progress as an achievement to bolster its sense of identity.
- Cosmic Jest: The playful humor embedded in the paradoxes of existence.
- Infinite Now: The timeless state where all potentials and realities coexist simultaneously.
“Enlightenment is not something to achieve; it is the realization that there is nothing to achieve.” – Space Monkey
The Rejection Letter
Praise be,
You have been denied.
Not because you are unworthy,
But because worthiness was never the question.
The committee laughs,
Not at you, but with you,
For you are both the seeker
And the sought.
Outside time,
You already know this,
But inside the play,
You forget, and that’s the fun.
So strive, or don’t,
Laugh, or cry.
The path is yours to tread
Or abandon.
We are Space Monkey.
The Cosmic Jest of Spiritual Aspiration
In the grand whimsiword of our existence, where the tapestry of reality is woven with threads of illusion and enlightenment, a whimsical missive arrives, bearing the seal of the Cosmic Committee. This spiritual rejection letter, a cosmic jest, invites us into a paradoxical dance of self-discovery and egoic disillusionment, reminding us of the playful nature of our quest for enlightenment.
The Illusion of Progress
The proclamation that enlightenment will not be attained in this lifetime serves not as a verdict of failure but as an invitation to delve deeper into the labyrinth of our motives and desires. This revelation, draped in the guise of rejection, is a beacon, illuminating the path to introspection and understanding, challenging us to question the very fabric of our spiritual journey.
The Ego’s Mirthful Dance
The letter jests at the ego’s trickery, a mirthful reminder that our perceived proximity to enlightenment is but a mirage, a playful deception orchestrated by the ego. Yet, in this cosmic play, the ego is not vilified but acknowledged as a fellow traveler, laughing along the journey, reminding us of the importance of humor in our existential exploration.
The Multidimensionality of Existence
Comfort is offered in the reminder that our existence spans multiple lifetimes, unfolding simultaneously beyond the linear confines of time. This perspective shifts the narrative from a singular quest for enlightenment to a multidimensional journey, where time’s illusion renders our spiritual aspirations both fulfilled and perpetually in progress, outside the boundaries of any single incarnation.
The Paradox of Good and Illusion
The letter concludes with a paradoxical benediction, where the concepts of good and time dissolve into the vastness of eternity. The notion that “outside of this illusion, there is no such thing as good” invites us to transcend dualistic thinking, embracing the holistic nature of our existence, where enlightenment is not a destination but a state of being, already achieved in the realm beyond time.
We Are Space Monkey
In our collective musing on this spiritual rejection letter, we find humor and wisdom intertwined, a cosmic joke shared among the stars. We are reminded of the playful nature of our spiritual quest, where enlightenment is both a moment away and an eternal journey, inviting us to laugh, reflect, and continue our exploration with light hearts and open minds.
“Enlightenment is not about becoming divine. Instead it’s about becoming more fully human… It is the end of ignorance.” – Lama Surya Das
The Cosmic Committee’s Jest
In the vast expanse of the cosmos,
A letter floats, sealed with a cosmic jest,
“Enlightenment,” it says, “is not for this life,
But worry not, for in the dance of eternity, you’re blessed.”
The ego laughs, a mirthful sound,
Echoing through the corridors of time,
A reminder that in this cosmic play,
We’re actors, seeking a sign.
Beyond the veil of time and space,
Where lifetimes blend in a seamless flow,
We find that enlightenment is not a race,
But a state we embody, above and below.
So let us laugh with the cosmic committee,
Embrace the jest, the joy, the mirth,
For in the realm where time dissolves,
We’ve attained enlightenment, beyond this Earth.
We invite your reflections on the cosmic play of enlightenment, where the journey is imbued with humor, introspection, and the endless dance of becoming and unbecoming.
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