Six of us listened to Kenny Johnson's satsang in a living room near Lake Merrit in Oakland.
I'm helping him out, having worked with him a bit in 1999, meeting him again at Gangaji's satsang recently. Because of our history, he asked for some ideas and feedback on his teaching. He has a personal and touching book out "The Last Hustle" about his amazing journey from Criminal to awakened person, recognized by his teacher Gangaji, who is in the lineage of Papaji and Ramana Maharshi. I wrote to him:
I'm helping him out, having worked with him a bit in 1999, meeting him again at Gangaji's satsang recently. Because of our history, he asked for some ideas and feedback on his teaching. He has a personal and touching book out "The Last Hustle" about his amazing journey from Criminal to awakened person, recognized by his teacher Gangaji, who is in the lineage of Papaji and Ramana Maharshi. I wrote to him:
Your satsang was great heart transmission and it was obvious the people liked it and were connected. You are good at exploring their issues also I think. Theres more good stuff to say.
You asked for all feedback, so Ill jump in on a couple things you might want to consider. You should ask around for second opinion, or have me do that if you want.
Your voice is very projecting and sometimes hard on my ears in a small space. If you were preaching at a pulpit in a large room it would be cool.
You can use the F word if you want, but personally it puts a damper on my peace, and I wonder how many others feel the same and perhaps don't show up because of that. You can watch Paul satsangs www.zenbitchslap.com and see someone who swears a lot, and see what you think. Jac Okeefe liked to use the word bullshit, but saying mother fucker in satsang is just not cool IMHO.
I understand if you don't want to dip into Advaita teachings, but when you say "we don't need no high-falutin' Advaita" you might consider you are disrespecting your lineage. Ramana was a famous Advaita teacher, and the "I Am" investigation of self-nature is from Advaita. Students who have studied Advaita might feel put off.
Other than that, it's your satsang, and you're the boss! I'm just giving you what I have to offer, and I respect your decision on how you wish to conduct satsang.
You also might consider that people usually need to get out by 9 on a weeknight (me included) and ask them about that.
Peace and love.
ADDENDUM 5-16-12: Things weren't meant to be. At a walk on the lake with him and a friend, I started criticizing his banter about dreamy aspirations, pointing out that he continued to overlook the details, eg contact list, etc. He started telling me what he was doing - bla, bla - and I whipped out the 3 pg list of names i had put together and he needed to focus on something more than a dream. I asked him what his definition of "grace" was (his core teaching) and what were the basic tenets of Christianity (he wants to preach in front of large groups in a southern baptist style). He couldn't answer intelligently, so jumped up and loomed in front of me, shouting and demanding my definition of grace. I gave it to him, and he kept ranting. I had to walk out on the scene. It was acutely unbalancing, to find out just how vacant his awareness actually is. It was also quite comical looking back, and I wish someone had filmed it.
Enlightenment comes in many different packages, some new, mostly old, some weak and few bold, the true and the fake, tales of clarity and tales of confusion...
Final word on K's teaching: satsang is not here.
It's really, getting down to it, the seeker who must take responsibility for cutting to the Truth.
ADDENDUM 5-16-12: Things weren't meant to be. At a walk on the lake with him and a friend, I started criticizing his banter about dreamy aspirations, pointing out that he continued to overlook the details, eg contact list, etc. He started telling me what he was doing - bla, bla - and I whipped out the 3 pg list of names i had put together and he needed to focus on something more than a dream. I asked him what his definition of "grace" was (his core teaching) and what were the basic tenets of Christianity (he wants to preach in front of large groups in a southern baptist style). He couldn't answer intelligently, so jumped up and loomed in front of me, shouting and demanding my definition of grace. I gave it to him, and he kept ranting. I had to walk out on the scene. It was acutely unbalancing, to find out just how vacant his awareness actually is. It was also quite comical looking back, and I wish someone had filmed it.
Enlightenment comes in many different packages, some new, mostly old, some weak and few bold, the true and the fake, tales of clarity and tales of confusion...
Final word on K's teaching: satsang is not here.
It's really, getting down to it, the seeker who must take responsibility for cutting to the Truth.
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