Halloween Advaitamin By Ron Bonilla

Halloween Advaitamin

By Ron Bonilla

[Ron Bonilla lives in Fullerton, a small city in Orange County CA, USA. Even as a young lad of 10-12, he had insights into the ‘inter-connectedness of all beings.’ Perhaps, more accurately, “they were the earliest memories of the beginning of a spiritual quest that took many turns over the years” for him.  Ron was raised Roman Catholic and remained so until his twenties. He later spent decades in one denomination or another never feeling quite comfortable in any of them. After becoming disenchanted with the Eastern Orthodox Church- his last stop in his journey through Christianity, he discovered Advaita/Vedanta. He fell in love with Advaita and “after a few years of reading and self inquiry,” his search ended, after a brief meeting with Robert Wolfe who became a dear friend and mentor.

Ron is a teacher of non-duality and is 63 now; but he still retains a child-like enthusiasm and wit. He started blogging about a year ago mainly to address his family and close friends. The clarity and humor in his short crisp writings are truly enjoyable as he brings out the message of Non-duality through eye-catching descriptions of simple events of life. It is fun to read how he teaches “Tat Tvam Asi” using the misery he had had in an algebra class as a kid and “The absence of a ‘me’” using his experience in an accident he had with an old decrepit swing. Ron’s Blog is Nonduality State Park,  and Ron will be happy to discuss Non-duality via email, by phone, or in person after making arrangements for such.

I am grateful to Ron for his ready consent to let me reproduce his Blog Post of 30 Oct 2011 here -- ramesam.]

Halloween Advaitamin

By Ron Bonilla

This will be a short little post...an Advaitamin.

I can't remember every Halloween that I participated in as a kid, nor can I remember every costume that I wore. Most of those nights, running from yard to yard yelling "Trick or Treat", have faded from memory.  What hasn't faded is the way Halloween felt; the experience of it: the sights and sounds, jaywalking across streets with a full sack of goodies, the big house with the cheesy scarecrow on the porch, being disappointed when someone gave you raisins instead of candy, being overjoyed when someone gave you a big handful of  chocolates, coming home tired to sort out the nights haul. That was pure fun. That was Halloween.

There is one memory of Halloween that I cherish to this day, and look back at as something almost sacred. It was a completely private experience and, until now, I have never discussed nor shared it with anyone else. It was the moment I put on my mask and looked out through the eye holes. In that moment, awareness arose. In that moment I became aware that "I" was looking out from behind the mask. I was just a kid, but I was present to the moment, experiencing a profound sense of being. I couldn't have explained it like that at the time, but that was how it felt.

Many, many years have gone by since I last wore a Halloween mask. My masks are more subtle now, and I change them from time to time. What hasn't changed is the fact that "I" am still here, looking out from behind the mask. More precisely, what I am is still here, looking out.

Peace be with you,
Ron