The Integration of Sincerity, Devotion, & Silliness
A Little Devotion Goes a Long Way
The Integration of Silliness and Reverence
There was once a very sincere but simple-minded man who worked as a farmhand in his little village. News came to town that a great lama was coming to the area to offer teachings, only a two-day journey! He did what any reasonable person would do. He packed up his donkey cart and made the trek to go see him.
When he asked the lama to give him the secrets to enlightenment, the lama made a snap judgment and decided this simpleton wasn't worth his time. Not wanting to waste too much time on him, he replied dismissively, "Meditate on a white parasol spinning over your head, and you'll soon attain Buddhahood."
It was a made-up practice offered scornfully, but this nuance was lost on our hero. He was thrilled to have been able to have a moment of his teacher's time and what he considered to be a powerful initiation into a secret practice. He practiced his meditation faithfully. As his work was manual and didn't require much thought, he was able to cultivate a single-minded focus on his parasol as he did all of his daily activities. Every waking moment was spent concentrating in this way, and soon, he started to practice in his dreams as well.
The practice 'wasn't real', but due to his sincerity, it bore fruit, and over the passing years, he started to show signs of authentic spiritual transformation. He developed observable wisdom and compassion and even the ability to heal the sick. It was said that sometimes, in the right light, you could see the faint glowing parasol spinning over his head.
He became known as "The Master of The White Parasol," and his mastery and grace were spoken about throughout the kingdom. People traveled far and wide to receive healing from their ailments and to receive his blessing. Even further than a two-day donkey cart ride. He happily and graciously served all who came to him to the best of his ability.
Meanwhile, the lama never thought about him again. He forgot all about the interaction. He went on happily with his life, teaching and doing his thing. And this would be the end of the story, except karma had different plans for him. One day, the lama started to develop large, painful boils in his throat. It became such a problem that he could no longer speak, and breathing became difficult.
One day, one of his attendants asked, "Have you heard of The Master of The White Parasol? Maybe you should go see him." So they packed up their extensive retinue and crossed the countryside to petition the help of this miracle worker.
The Master of the White Parasol was giving blessings when the lama arrived with his caravan. When he saw who it was, his beloved initiating guru, he ran straight away to his master's feet, throwing himself on the ground, deeply bowing with devotion and reverence. He excitedly expressed his gratitude for all of the fantastic ways his life had changed since he was blessed with the White Parasol Meditation.
Shocked, the lama listened to the story. The memory of that day immediately came back to him. He recognized the absurdity of this situation, the cosmic joke of it all, and he was overcome with laughter. As he laughed like he had never laughed before, the boils popped, he coughed up the pus, and he laughed some more.
The Master of the White Parasol healed one more soul who seemed beyond healing.
What's the moral of the story? There may be a few.
The universal mind has a sense of humor. It values our growth and learning, and it's not afraid to be a bit silly in how it teaches us. It's not afraid to show us how silly we are and how absurd our predicament is. Sometimes, there's nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.
A combination of Devotion and Effort will get you through some confusing times. Not everything has to be exactly right, we don't always need to know all the details. Sometimes, if we practice diligently with sincerity, that's enough.
How do you like this story?
Hailu Mergia - The Chillest Accordion Player I've Ever Seen.
Why Angels have to say "Be Not Afraid"
There's a lot of energy there! Starts at about 20 minutes in. This might not make sense if you aren't familiar with David Hawkins, and then you might want to start at the beginning
The Events!
Social Media Mastermind with Daniel
Wednesday, March 26th, 2pm Eastern Time
$30 or Free with Golden Road
Folks often ask about how they can improve their social media skills and be more savvy about how they present their business and offerings. This is a time to bring those questions and have them answered. We can look at your profiles across platforms or audit your account. We can talk about apps that will make your life easier and help you do what you want to do.
This will be recorded.
IFS and the Sacred Wound with Stefanie Cohen
Thursday, April 10th at 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern - $30 or free with Golden Road
Register Here
Healing, as seen in Internal Family Systems and shamanism, involves learning to be with our pain in a new way. IFS calls this “Witnessing” or “Being With”—we fully acknowledge the pain of our exiled parts, offering love and compassion without trying to change it. This process allows those wounded parts to feel seen and eventually reintegrate.
Often called “Blowing on the Ember,” we repeatedly turn toward our sacred wound—whether it’s a neglected inner child or a mistaken core belief—and tend that inner fire through song, drumming, time in nature, or simple stillness. Each time we show up for our pain, we honor our unique spark and begin the real work of healing.
Stefanie Cohen is a former Wall Street Journal Journalist who left New York City ten years ago after being prescribed a slew of antidepressants that never really worked. She attended an ayahuasca ceremony in 2015 and found what she was looking for. She spent the next five years working with various psychedelic medicines including Ibogaine, Ayahusca, MDMA, psilocybin, ketamine and cannabis and found what she was looking for - relief from depression and anxiety and also a deeper connection to herself and others, the natural world, and a force greater than herself. She has trained in Internal Family Systems and shamanic practices and now works as a psychedelic guide in legal settings and an integration and preparation coach for others here in Berkshire County.
The Way Of Liberation - March Monthly Theme - The Golden Road Collective
We've started a group offering called The Golden Road Collective.
The Golden Road is a collective of psychonauts, healers, guides, and transformational change agents. We work together to create and embody the visions that have been gifted us in our ceremonies. We’re stepping into a shared future that is mindful, resilient, and committed to the versions of ourselves that we know we can be.
It's a chance to receive teaching, mentoring on your personal or professional practice, and group coaching with Daniel. There are also group meditations and monthly special guests. You can join at any time. Learn More Here
In March, we'll be exploring passages from Adyashanti's "Way of Liberation" - You don't need to buy the book to enjoy our March classes, and you don't need to join our March Classes to enjoy the book.
Links to All Integration Circles
All Donation-based Circles
https://tamintegration.com/psychedelic-integration/
Sponsor this Email
If you have a product or service, you can sponsor this email and promote yourself to the 13k subscribers of this email.
Disclaimer
Nothing in this email should be considered medical or legal advice. We're not suggesting that you break any laws or do anything dangerous. This email is offered as education and entertainment in the spirit of harm reduction. Consult medical and legal professionals if you have questions.
Sometimes, there are affiliate links in this email. It helps support this project. Thank you!