{"id":1339,"date":"2012-09-01T22:45:02","date_gmt":"2012-09-02T04:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wrestlingwithyourself\/?p=1339"},"modified":"2012-09-01T22:59:49","modified_gmt":"2012-09-02T04:59:49","slug":"the-naked-mystic-getting-naked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wrestlingwithyourself\/2012\/09\/the-naked-mystic-getting-naked\/","title":{"rendered":"The Naked Mystic: Getting Naked"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I am sure you are sitting in front of your computer screen, scanning the world wide web, when you see, \u201cThe Naked Mystic: Getting Naked\u201d. \u00a0So you look at it again, and then leave and read your emails, but you keep thinking \u201cgetting naked\u201d, well it\u2019s midnight, that sounds fun, I will read it. \u00a0Yet naked here, means naked spiritually. \u00a0Can you stand in what is, without any pre-conditions? Without any judgements?
\n<\/a>\u00a0Without any story of should, or shouldn\u2019t, or what if, or why not? \u00a0Can you stand naked, completely honest and open right now and accept it as it is? \u00a0Can you disregard desire, cravings, and addictions for things out there and rest in being alone \u201cnaked\u201d in a world that wants you to be comfortable? \u00a0In a world that needs and expects you to be comfortable?<\/p>\n

When you are naked, there is nothing to hide. It is pure, simple, and this is it. \u00a0Right here. \u00a0There is nothing comfortable about it at first. \u00a0You can\u2019t cover yourself up, or use a story to mask what is, or look back, all you can do is be there, naked. \u00a0And as you stand there, naked, you begin to realize all the ways you have masked not being naked in your life. The ways in which you run and hide, escape, cover up, manipulate, maybe lie, or seek pleasure or pain. \u00a0This is the spiritual path. To become comfortable will every aspect of you. No excuses, no delusions, no lies, just this is it, right now, it feels uncomfortable, you don\u2019t know this place very well, and yet you feel relieved. The sense of relief is a \u201cThank Goodness I don\u2019t have to make anything up anymore\u201d. The relief is the light. \u00a0Here I am now. Here I am\u2026now, \u00a0alert, alive, and present, not knowing anything, or acting like I know everything, just this. \u00a0So my final question to you, when I ask it, please don\u2019t jump to conclusions, I will give you all weekend to contemplate it, to go inside your temple and contemplate it, \u201cWhy am I so frightened to be alone?\u201d \u00a0Let\u2019s all get naked now.<\/p>\n

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