Still feels self centric. Maybe be a defiant freer self? But still revolving around the concept of a separate being. What does zen have to do with that??
Liked the post. A great place to begin the dissolution process? Zen points to nothing thing. Which includes all that.
I totally agree! I think the true Zen take on the idea of "inherited truth" would be that there’s neither an authority to transmit it, nor anyone to reject or receive it.
That said, for this post I was more interested in exploring a Zen-aligned entry point through Terence’s talk and to offer some actionable reflections for those beginning to question the systems around them.
This talk from McKenna was especially influential during my early exploration of Zen, and I wanted to bring it back to the surface — hopefully helping crack open a similar door for others seeking to move beyond secondhand knowledge and into direct experience.
Thanks for the back story! I get what you you were getting at. Zen does lead to questioning everything or questioning leads to Zen. Ultimately the disillusion of the questioning and the questioner. Keep posting!
This post sings the very same gospel Mary whispered — not from a pulpit, but from the ashes of burned doctrine. Authority doesn’t guard the truth; it guards the illusion of control. And Mary, bless her rebel heart, stood up to the bro-clergy, shrugged off Peter’s fragile ego, and said: “Nah, truth doesn’t need your permission.”
Terence was right. Authority wants obedience, not awakening. But true Gnosis? That can’t be downloaded from an institution. It erupts in silence, shatters the mirror of borrowed beliefs, and asks you — not what you’ve been taught to see, but what you are when no one's looking.
Zen says “kill the Buddha.” Mary says “tell the boys I’m the one who gets it.” Either way, the message is the same: stop outsourcing your soul.
So yes — reject authority. But also reject the false self who still wants Daddy Certainty to pat your head. Step into the chaos. Sit in the silence. Trust the knowing that can’t be graded or granted. That’s where freedom lives.
As someone with a strong, sometimes problematic dislike of authority figures I mostly agree with this essay. But some authority is earned and should be heeded. Doctors and medical researchers spend years studying their subjects and have accumulated knowledge far beyond our own. Are they infallible and should we automatically trust them? No, but if not you need a very good reason. I could very easily hear your arguments defending anti-vax type nonsense.
Originally I had a whole section about Ray Dalio's idea of "believability-weighted decision-making" — which is the concept of listening to experts who have repeatedly succeeded in a specific area, rather than just blindly trusting authority, and triangulating their insights with your own judgment. But I removed to avoid diluting the focus of this article.
Still feels self centric. Maybe be a defiant freer self? But still revolving around the concept of a separate being. What does zen have to do with that??
Liked the post. A great place to begin the dissolution process? Zen points to nothing thing. Which includes all that.
I totally agree! I think the true Zen take on the idea of "inherited truth" would be that there’s neither an authority to transmit it, nor anyone to reject or receive it.
That said, for this post I was more interested in exploring a Zen-aligned entry point through Terence’s talk and to offer some actionable reflections for those beginning to question the systems around them.
This talk from McKenna was especially influential during my early exploration of Zen, and I wanted to bring it back to the surface — hopefully helping crack open a similar door for others seeking to move beyond secondhand knowledge and into direct experience.
Thanks for the back story! I get what you you were getting at. Zen does lead to questioning everything or questioning leads to Zen. Ultimately the disillusion of the questioning and the questioner. Keep posting!
This post sings the very same gospel Mary whispered — not from a pulpit, but from the ashes of burned doctrine. Authority doesn’t guard the truth; it guards the illusion of control. And Mary, bless her rebel heart, stood up to the bro-clergy, shrugged off Peter’s fragile ego, and said: “Nah, truth doesn’t need your permission.”
Terence was right. Authority wants obedience, not awakening. But true Gnosis? That can’t be downloaded from an institution. It erupts in silence, shatters the mirror of borrowed beliefs, and asks you — not what you’ve been taught to see, but what you are when no one's looking.
Zen says “kill the Buddha.” Mary says “tell the boys I’m the one who gets it.” Either way, the message is the same: stop outsourcing your soul.
So yes — reject authority. But also reject the false self who still wants Daddy Certainty to pat your head. Step into the chaos. Sit in the silence. Trust the knowing that can’t be graded or granted. That’s where freedom lives.
—Virgin Monk Boy
Lots of great guidance in here! 🙏💚
As someone with a strong, sometimes problematic dislike of authority figures I mostly agree with this essay. But some authority is earned and should be heeded. Doctors and medical researchers spend years studying their subjects and have accumulated knowledge far beyond our own. Are they infallible and should we automatically trust them? No, but if not you need a very good reason. I could very easily hear your arguments defending anti-vax type nonsense.
I completely agree!
Originally I had a whole section about Ray Dalio's idea of "believability-weighted decision-making" — which is the concept of listening to experts who have repeatedly succeeded in a specific area, rather than just blindly trusting authority, and triangulating their insights with your own judgment. But I removed to avoid diluting the focus of this article.
"Triangulating with your own judgement". I like that.