The mysterious nature of time

[Confused]

That's like where Ra says we need to understand, but we can't understand. The idea is to understand the nature of the circumstances and necessary limitations with which we're forced to operate, so that we can have some freedom. Before enlightenment chop wood, carry water, after enlightenment chop wood, carry water - but with some profound liberation. It's like allegory of the cave (the 'matrix'), or the fish realizing that it is swimming in an 'ocean' as if there was some other possible context of being. If you take 'thought' for granted, then you have not realized 'thought' as a principle of being.

I think I understand where you are coming from, zen. And Jiddu's insistence on removing external teachers for the internal one resonates with the following from Ra, I think (from 17.2) --

We cannot offer shortcuts to enlightenment. Enlightenment is, of the moment, an opening to intelligent infinity. It can only be accomplished by the self, for the self. Another self cannot teach/learn enlightenment, but only teach/learn information, inspiration, or a sharing of love, of mystery, of the unknown that makes the other-self reach out and begin the seeking process that ends in a moment, but who can know when an entity will open the gate to the present?

I find the phrase 'gate to the present' very queer. In many instances, Ra highlights the importance of the present moment, or in other words, the present time (there it comes again). I wonder what it is to live in the present. May be living in the present is to act without taking thought, on the lines of what Jiddu suggests. What do you think about the potentials of the present moment for enlightenment, zen? I like your very grounded answers