Aloha to you Jeffrey,
Ok.... let's continue to expand initial thinking.
1- A secure position, ie, friendly established contemplative area.
Since people who have religious experiences during meditation retreats are still regularly booted out, and/or the meditation teachers today are clueless about the religious experience, then it would seem reasonable that those who have religious experiences would want to join forces to build the only retreat center on Earth where it is safe to have a religious experience. It also seems reasonable that those who have religious experiences would want to support a meditation teacher who supports them.
And, it seems reasonable that those who wish to experience religious experiences would want to help build the only retreat center on Earth where it is safe to have a religious experience. And, it also seems reasonable that those people would also want to support the only meditation teacher who supports people who have religious experiences; as well as support others who have religious experiences.
Sedona is a good choice, close to Phoenix, close to your current position.
Why be close to your location? Let's be straight forward. GWV is your life's work.
The distillation of data to cleanly and clearly get to realization of existence,
in one lifetime, is what you offer to anyone who's interested.
Well, as you said, location, location, location. Sedona happens to be a New Age hot spot, and it is less than 2 hours drive from Phoenix, which is a hub airport, and there is an airport shuttle that travels regularly between Sedona and Phoenix. However, I am mobile, so if someone had land to offer for the purposes of supporting the goals of the GWV, then I can certainly move.
The distillation of used cooking oil to fuel, is yet another process you've
spelled out, offered free, again to anyone who's interested.
So any physical grounding should try to accommodate you.
2- The money!
Initial startup, creating tax status, ie, non profit religious perhaps, donation
and cookie sales and so on,
Yes, the GWV should be setup as a 501c3, so that people can get a tax deduction when they make a donation. Doing so requires a board and a mission statement, and some money to set it up, and pay off the government.
rely on answering the question; what's in it for me?
Anyone who puts their money where their mouth is, so to speak, wants
openly, or secretly, a return. This is human nature.
Obviously.... only a few, as you've stated, are seeing enough return to donate.
Well, I have poured every dollar and hour I have had available into the GWV for the last 13 years, but I do not ask, "What is in it for me?" In fact I fully expect to be completely ignored until after I am dead, then maybe a few people might come together to form a group of some kind. It will be too late by then, unless at least one of them completed the enlightenment process.
Otherwise my points above should be enough motivation to build the only retreat center on the planet where people are free to have a genuine religious experience without being marginalized for it.
"Practice more ", you say! Sure, some do, most just try to fit it in, as life hammers
them with living. The majority want what you have, but they're going to feed
their children first. I know you understand!
I had children whom I sheltered, fed, clothed, educated, provided medicine, as well as spiritual instruction to. The problem with people is they are lazy, stupid and addicted, and will not discipline themselves even a little, nor will they support an enlightened person or a enlightened religious movement.
Ok.... what does GWV have to offer to get interested beings to send GWV
their beer money? Since GWV doesn't use "fear", like the Catholics and others,
something unique to GWV needs to be shown.
Here's my proposal,
Jeffrey, you, Michael and others state they can at will go into the OBE state.
Within that state all manner of simulation and contact with the portals of
subconscious/ immaterial existence, exist.
So... those of you that can do it, need to do it, come together on whatever
dimensional level you can all agree on and put together an "astral retreat".
I don't like the work astral, too common place, but that's the idea.
An "astral retreat" will get the donations, but it must be real. Somehow
it must happen almost immediately to them.
Once they slip out of their bodies, stand there with you for real and return,
then they will seriously do the work of the first four Jhana's. Once they
know "for real" the payoff, it will be very easy to show them "why" they
need to achieve all four Jhana's, if for nothing else, it'll be so they can
function and protect themselves in the other dimensions.
I believe this will work. It will achieve what you wish.
Can you put together an astral retreat, first couple of times with those
mystics who have attained the level?
Of course.... this is just an idea of mine and I'm not trying to pin anyone
down. I've been out a few times, but I'm a complete novice and know
how hard it is to even attempt to maintain, It may be an idea before its
time, so wishful thinking and cookie sales on an internet blog works too.
Later,
Kimo
For me, every night is an "astral retreat," all night long. I meet with people all of the time on the immaterial domains. Sometimes they will let me take them flying, etc. But, in their world view I am Jesus Christ, or the Buddha, or Krishna, or a shaman, or just some obscure master, which I am, etc.
However, most people are terrified if I break out of the role that they project me into. So, most of the time I am just one of the many actors in someone's dream content, and maybe they will allow just the tiniest little bit of wisdom to come through. They still may have no idea who I am, because the immaterial domains are not at all like the materiel domains. There I look like what people want me to look like, and that is most probably not this old, bald, warn-out beast in rags, with a bad back, hobbling along with a walking stick. People want a hero, so maybe they see Super Man when I am in their dream.
So, even if people allow me to take them flying across the galaxy or to different planes of existence, do you want me to offer a free joy-ride to the moon for anyone who donates $10,000 to the GWV?
Or, do you want me just to drag people out of their dream, on a joy ride, then give them my card, and say, "If you like that, then donate to the GWV, and I will give you an even better ride."
The problem is, most people are not lucid in their sleep state, so when I do take people for an astral ride, they probably do not even remember it.