Buddha’s Self Check-How Are You Doing?

The passage below from the Samyutta Nikaya is one of my favorites from the Buddha, because every time I enter deep concentration in meditation, the truth of what he says is demonstrated to me again and again.

Every time you see that any form, feeling, perception, fabrication, even consciousness itself, is not yours—is not who you are—you break free from the clinging and attachment that bring suffering. And far from being annihilation, or nihilism, this meditative insight is actually a powerful skillful means for liberation. Seeing through self-illusions brings a freedom and openness that are so wonderful, they can’t really be described but only revealed in the practice itself.

It’s Not About “Views” But Insight

If you take what the Buddha says below as just abstract, “metaphysical” assertions about yourself, then his statements become just another “view” that you intellectually accept or reject based on your own present views of reality.

But the Buddha isn’t offering us yet another “view” with this teaching. He is inviting us to see for ourselves. He encourages us to enter meditative concentration in order to gain that calm and tranquility that enable us to look deeply into some self-perception, some feeling, some state of consciousness, and discover for ourselves its true nature.

In meditation, find out for yourself: Is this form, this feeling, this perception, this fabrication, this consciousness, really yours or you? Is what we identify with as “me” or “mine” free of stress or dis-ease? Is what we identify as “me” and “mine” stable?  Or does it arise and then pass away? Are you it and is it you?

The Courage to Look Deeply

Again, you can’t really answer these questions scientifically unless you look into them for yourself. It takes a lot of courage to look deeply into everything you identify with, see, and believe! What if you are not who you think you are? What if what you are can’t be identified with anything conditional and yet, nonetheless, is?

If our present sense of “me” and “mine” is painful and full of suffering, the realization that we can totally reassess this self-identification is truly liberating.  We are never locked into some unchanging, unchangeable self, because there is no such thing! Because who we are is actually fluid, we are not stuck forever with some suffering “self.”  The desire to be happy can be the engine of our liberation from all that hurts and wounds us. That is the Buddha’s essential message: yes, there is suffering, but there is an end to suffering!

This is the radical self-examination that the Buddha offers each one of us in this teaching. Why not give it a try? We can’t find out by just “thinking about” who we are. We have to gain the mastery of our minds that allows us to see deeply into things, without all the noise and chatter of our “monkey minds.”

Yes, it’s hard work! But it’s doable!  We can learn!  We can skillfully develop strength of mind, and heart, and character!   We have nothing to lose but our illusions about ourselves and everything to gain in our freedom from suffering!

May this beautiful teaching of the Buddha be an encouragement to all of us to find out what really is!

THE DISCOURSE ON THE CHARACTERISTIC OF NOT-SELF

“Form, monks, is not-self. If form were the self, this form would not lend itself to dis-ease. It would be possible (to say) with regard to form, ‘Let my form be thus. Let my form not be thus.’ But precisely because form is not-self, this form lends itself to dis-ease. And it is not possible (to say) with regard to form, ‘Let my form be thus. Let my form not be thus.’

“Feeling is not-self …. “Perception is not-self …. “Fabrications are not-self …. “Consciousness is not-self.

If consciousness were the self, this consciousness would not lend itself to dis-ease. It would be possible (to say) with regard to consciousness, ‘Let my consciousness be thus. Let my consciousness not be thus.’ But precisely because consciousness is not-self, consciousness lends itself to dis- ease. And it is not possible (to say) with regard to consciousness, ‘Let my consciousness be thus. Let my consciousness not be thus.’

“What do you think, monks: Is form constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”

“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?
“Stressful, lord.”

“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”

“No, lord.” “… Is feeling constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.” ….

“… Is perception constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.” ….

“… Are fabrications constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.” ….

“What do you think, monks: Is consciousness constant or inconstant?”
“Inconstant, lord.”

“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”
“Stressful, lord.”

“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as:
‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”
“No, lord.”

“Thus, monks, any form whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: Every form is to be seen with right discernment as it has come to be as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’

“Any feeling whatsoever…. “Any perception whatsoever…. “Any fabrications whatsoever…. “Any consciousness whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: Every consciousness is to be seen with right discernment as it has come to be as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’” — SN 22:59 (Samyutta Nikaya)

Beyond meditation~ Beyond Practice.

Beyond Meditation

We use meditation as a medicine to heal the disease of ignorance. When its curative function as a remedy has been fulfilled, both the disease and the medicine should be forgotten. To ‘practice’ medita­tion past the point of our recovery from ignorance defeats its entire purpose — to be.

One should not remain forever dependent on meditation as a means to reach further expansion. Unless we go beyond meditation and become one with the inner realm, there will always be a split between the act of meditation and our continual abidance in the now. Only through the power of surrender to the now can we transcend the dichotomy of doing and being and see meditation as not existing apart from reality as it is.

Although meditation points directly to the heart of the now, the practice of meditation beclouds the perfection of being. The very need for exertion that practice implies reconfirms our split from the whole. To reach completion, we need to arrive at a point in our evo­lution where all effort can be dropped and absorbed by reality. To go beyond meditation is to dissolve practice in the exalted realization of the natural state.

beyond practice

Although meditation is the means and the goal, meditation as ‘prac­tice’ represents only the means. Correct practice does carry the seed of the essence, but the full realization of the essence eliminates any need for practice. Hence, dropping practice is a natural outcome of completing the inner path.

There are two extreme views regarding the subject of practice: one claims that there is no need for practice at all, as one can reach self-realization directly, the other maintains that not only is practice necessary, but that there can be no end to it, for even after enlighten­ment one still needs to meditate in order to perfect the inner state. Neither of these views reflects the whole truth. It may be true that one can experience awakening without meditation, but one can never arrive at complete self-realization in this way. As for the belief in the need for never-ending cultivation, it is a false conviction based on confusion over the difference between partial awakening and complete realization. Partial awakening does indeed demand the continuation of practice for the sake of the stabilization, integration, and deepening of the states to which one has awakened. Complete enlightenment, however, by definition, eliminates the need for any additional practice. The state beyond practice does exist, and repre­sents the essence of freedom.

In some cases, the decision to drop practice reflects one’s inner potential and the desire of the soul; in others, it is resistance coming from the mind. Unfortunately, meditators generally lack sufficient knowledge of the inner realm to sense the difference. They either give up their practice prematurely or insist on continuing with it when it is no longer relevant. As an example, one should not stop cultivating self-remembrance prior to stabilizing awareness, or con­tinue practice with being when the absolute state is already estab­lished and integrated. Prior to reaching complete enlightenment, the decision to drop a specific practice should be based on a clear view of one’s potential and the expansiveness of one’s spiritual aspirations. As we progress, we pass through many different levels of the relative states beyond practice. At these signposts of inner expansion, we can simply relax, enjoying what we have attained. As time goes by, how­ever, we consciously dive back into the adventure of the inner work, responding to the call for further evolution. A true seeker never gives up the inner work before becoming unconditionally free.

sudden and gradual enlightenment

As long as the science of enlightenment has existed there has been dis­agreement between different traditions as to whether self-realization is the outcome of a sudden awakening or a gradual process. There is no confusion though, if we are able to see this issue from a higher per­spective. Awakening is always sudden, for it is a breakthrough in our experience of reality. Complete enlightenment, however, cannot hap­pen suddenly — the chasm between ignorance and self-realization is simply too wide to cross in a single instant. A gigantic leap of this sort would defy the laws of nature, consciousness and energy.

We need to understand that enlightenment is not a mere shift in perception and consciousness. It is an existential metamorphosis on all levels that radically transforms the frequency of our energy system and the delicate balance of our brain and subtle bodies. A sudden and complete enlightenment that bypassed all intermediate stages of awakening would undoubtedly result in a mental and emotional breakdown, or even physical death. The body and mind require time to adjust to the dramatic change in our energy and sense of identity that the radical transfiguration of enlightenment engenders.

The generally accepted models of sudden and gradual enlighten­ment are based on the false assumption that ignorance and enlighten­ment are strict opposites, having no intermediate reality. However, the matter is much more complex and fluid, for there are many transi­tional stages between forgetfulness and awakening. One can be more or less ignorant, just as one can be more or less awakened.

Awakening is sudden by nature, but rarely instantaneously com­plete. A post-awakening period of cultivation of the state that has been awakened is almost always necessary for the sake of its stabiliza­tion and integration. Only when a particular awakening has matured into relative completion can one then initiate the process that leads to the subsequent awakening. In this way, one journeys step by step towards becoming more whole and complete. The concept of gradual enlightenment is valid provided we accept that it is a gradual process composed of sudden awakenings. It is gradual in the sense that one’s inner state progressively expands as one awakening follows another in tandem with the cultivation of the inner state as a whole.

Cultivation is both the polishing and perfecting of an already awakened state, and preparation for the awakening to follow. However, although necessary to assure the ensuing awakening, cul­tivation is never its complete cause. The correlation between cultiva­tion and awakening is in fact extremely subtle: awakening is never the direct result of our effort, yet without our effort, no awakening can take place. Through cultivation we prepare our existence for the influence of the higher intelligence that alone can shift our conscious­ness to a more elevated state of light.

In the earthly dimension, it is most often a human guide who initiates the inner awakening of a seeker. This initiation takes the form of an energetic transmission of the states beyond the mind, and requires the medium of a self-realized being who embodies the awakened reality. To make himself as receptive as possible, the seeker has to prepare for the initiation through practice. He must bring his energy and consciousness as close as he can to the verge of the state that is to be awakened so that he can be reached by the transmission. A transmission of this type is not the simple transfer­ence of a state. It is the planting of a seed of higher consciousness that, in order to result in complete awakening, must be nurtured through cultivation into maturity. Whether realization happens spontaneously or through grace, the principles of sudden awakening and gradual cultivation apply.

the natural state

The natural state of meditation is the true goal of all meditators. Beyond the polarities of inner and outer, activity and non-activity, thinking and non-thinking, doing and being, the natural state is unaffected, unconditional immersion in reality. Through the realiza­tion of this state we move completely into the dimension of pure sub­jectivity, the domain of the self. We continue to exist in the world, but are no longer of the world; our essence is rooted in the beyond. By the power of our expansion into the realm of pure being we return to our original state, yet still maintain a life on earth. This secret domain of immaculate peace is the abiding place of all beings who have yielded their existence to the eternal light of I am.

non-being

Non-being is the deepest experience of meditation. It is not the oppo­site of being, but the absence of the checker within the state of pure being. That which we perceive as ‘being’ in fact exists only in refer­ence to an experiencer. Without a knower, there is no one to relate to being as something to dwell upon, no one to be. When the knower merges with being, he is no longer external to where he abides — he disappears into existence.

Non-being is an experience without an experiencer, knowledge without a knower, freedom without anyone being free. It is the state in which the division between the inner state and the observer is dis­solved into one reality. This supreme experience-non-experience of reality can be revealed only to no one. In the absence of oneself, the universal self is all-that-is.

the state of bliss

It is a common error to cling to superficially blissful experiences in meditation. Most so-called meditative experiences are external to our real nature and possess no existential value. The mind, lacking in true depth, is totally captivated by stimulating experiences and des­perately strives to relive them. However, because these experiences are not anchored in the essence of pure subjectivity, the experiencer is separated from the experience. The illusive bliss that a beginner sometimes accidentally accesses can never become permanent, for it is still confined to the mind. A meditator must guard himself against addiction to blissful experiences for they can easily divert his atten­tion from the real work of diving into the trans-experiential dimen­sion of pure being.

There is an unspoken law of meditation that before one can enter the state of real bliss one has to pass the gate of neutrality, absorbing and integrating the essence of unqualified emptiness: disidentifica­tion from experiencing, non-evaluation of experiences, non-doing of being, non-dwelling upon phenomena and non-abidance upon the beyond. To enter reality, a meditator has to establish himself in a state beyond pleasant or unpleasant, blissful or boring. He has to be unconcerned with that which he is experiencing to truly become one with it. Only then is he granted the impersonal bliss of existence.

A neutral quality experienced in meditation shows that one abides in reality, for one has moved beyond the mind; yet it also indicates that the experiencer is still separated from the space of his abidance. Neutrality can be said to be the closest experience to reality for a separate experiencer; beyond it, the experiencer is no more. The moment the gap between the experiencer and the inner realm is bridged by his absorption, the true nature of reality divulges itself as pure bliss. We are not speaking of the kind of bliss that one can relate to, or get used to and become bored with, for it is not experienced through our presence, but through our absence. In the absence of a meditator, the hidden depth of meditation opens as the homogeneous consciousness of divine absorption. Once we have crossed over the neutral dimension of meditation, we begin to disap­pear into reality and merge with the supreme bliss of the self. The bliss of meditation is innate to the divine realm of the source — it is uncaused, unoriginated, unbecome — it just is. To taste the timeless bliss of being through the consciousness of the soul is to merge with the unborn heart of the beloved.

The gateless gate~ being and understanding.

The Gateless Gate

Although meditation is the inner gate out of illusion, from the view­point of higher truth there is no gate to pass through and nowhere to go. Meditation is the gateless gate to the natural state of our abidance in the universal now. To penetrate the dimension of meditation is to realize the mystery of this gateless gate, to merge one’s true existence with the supreme beyond.

being and understanding

Being is beyond understanding, but without understanding we cannot transcend the plane of becoming. Despite its fundamental simplicity, we must contemplate the dimension of meditation deeply to fully comprehend its intangible nature. No matter how gratifying our experience in meditation is, there are important questions to ask as we enter this new space: How can we penetrate the unseen depths of the inner realm? How are we to grasp the subtle reality beyond the mind? What is the true state of meditation and how can we differen­tiate it from the maze of meditative experiences we pass through? Is the inner state the same as the one who experiences it? Is the knower of the inner realm external to the place in which he abides? Who am I and where am I within the state of meditation? What is this great void of the cosmic beyond upon which we dwell when submerged in meditation? What levels of inner depth does our consciousness tra­verse in our progression towards surrender? How can we actualize the complete state of meditation? How can we merge with the uni­versal self? We can unravel many questions about the multifaceted reality of meditation through the mind, but the ultimate answers lie in pure being and non-conceptual understanding.

self-knowledge and meditation

Meditation is an act of being, whereas self-knowledge is an act of knowing. Two mutually supporting aspects of the inner path, medi­tation and self-knowledge are indivisible from one another. Self-knowledge is required to penetrate to the essence of meditation, and meditation brings stability and depth to the knowledge of our true self. Meditation without self-knowledge is utterly impotent, dull and mechanical; one cannot enter meditation’s true core. Self-knowledge without meditation is shallow and leaves us trapped on the exterior of the inner state, disconnected from the beyond.

The secret of self-knowledge lies in the existential leap from objectivity to subjectivity — from living on the periphery of the mind to realizing the heart of I am — the ultimate centering act of consciousness. Meditation is the practice of staying in the presence of that self-knowledge. As we dwell upon the knowledge of I am, by the law of spiritual gravity, the vertical pull of the now reveals ever more depth in the experience of the self. This depth is itself beyond self-knowledge, for it is the very source of both self and knowledge.

It is quite common for those who follow the path of self-enquiry to reject the practice of meditation. Even if their enquiry does yield positive results, they frequently become stagnated on the path. This is due to their inability to both stabilize and deepen that which they have awakened. Then there are seekers who do practice meditation, but not self-enquiry. Due to their lack of conscious intention to gain self-knowledge, their practice remains rooted in ignorance, power­less to yield true awakening.

Unfortunately, in some traditions, due to the misperception that ‘no-self’ is the opposite of self, the belief in no-self is used as an excuse to reject the practice of self-enquiry. The confusion here stems from a lack of understanding about the difference between the indi­vidual and universal dimensions of the self. The term no-self, in its correct definition, does not signify a negation of the individual self; rather, it denotes the non-abiding, empty nature of the universal self. Self-enquiry is a tool used to awaken the essence of the soul, not the universal self, which is realized through our surrender and absorp­tion in the beyond. To negate the individual self is foolish, for with­out its presence, neither self nor no-self can be realized. Here we can see how a simple concept employed without imagination can sabo­tage the positive movement towards awakening to pure subjectivity.

Traditionally, self-enquiry is applied either to expose the illusory nature of ego or to realize the universal self. Though this approach may be fruitful in the sense that it can open one to the inner realm, it leads to fundamentally false conclusions because it bypasses the essence of the enquirer himself. Self-enquiry practiced correctly points beyond false individuality and identification with universal­ity to the personal essence of the soul’s consciousness, the knowledge of I am.

As essential as it is, no amount of self-knowledge can bring us to the kind of depth that is reached through meditation, which exists on a much deeper plane than the consciousness of awareness that characterizes self-inquiry. True meditation is a condition of pure sur­render through which our sense of I am merges with the universal state of oneness.

two levels of pure subjectivity

In our explanation of the inner realm we draw a clear distinction between two basic strata of pure subjectivity: the first is the subjectiv­ity of the soul, the knower and witness of the inner state; the second is not an entity, a personal essence or an individual knower, but the dimension of being, the unmanifested ground of existence. The one who abides in the state of meditation is the pure subjectivity of the individual soul, and the dimension in which the soul abides, is the pure subjectivity of universal I am. Over the course of our inner evolu­tion this distinction becomes more and more transparent as these two levels of subjectivity progressively merge into one, undivided reality.

absolute objectivity

In the discipline of hard science, the term ‘subjective experience’ generally denotes an experience that is relative in nature, and there­fore cannot be objectively described or confirmed. In contrast, the term ‘objective experience’ signifies an occurrence that is factually verifiable, and as such, independent of our individual experiences or opinions. The ‘subjective observer’ is therefore seen as an impedi­ment to empirical analysis. However, in the science of spirituality, the subjective essence is understood to lie far deeper than the rela­tive subjectivity of the mind and personality. Our true subjectivity is in fact absolutely ‘objective’ because it reflects the eternal light of universal I am.

Despite the fact that in the language of meditation and con­sciousness the term ‘objective’ usually points to something external to I am, we should not assume that the reality of objects and appear­ances is in existential opposition to pure subjectivity. This is true only in the case of an unconscious person in whom the light of subjectivity is lost in ignorant identification with phenomenal existence. When pure subjectivity is fully realized it transcends the polarity of inner and outer, containing them both in the space of all-pervasive one­ness. Ultimately, there is only one reality — nothing exists outside of all-that-is.

attention and letting go

There are two fundamental aspects of meditation: centering and absorption. In meditation we must maintain the correct balance between alertness and calm, concentration and letting go. Through centering we gain a stable sense of self and presence; through absorption we move into the depth of being. We cannot reach a state of true absorption prior to centering our consciousness. By establish­ing ourselves in pure awareness, we move beyond the gross level of the fragmented mind and give birth to a real center from which we can begin to surrender.

In our meditation practice we must first establish the necessary level of concentration, and then solidify our attention. Although the term concentration implies a gathering of energy towards our center, in practice, concentration is more outwardly oriented than attention. Attention is closer to the essence of awareness than concentration — in its purest form it is self-attentive. Concentration is the ability to focus the mind and energy, attention is one-pointed awareness; concentra­tion enables us to temporarily put the mechanical mind on hold, atten­tion allows us to go beyond it. Through concentration we drop our forgetfulness, through attention we abide in remembrance; concentra­tion brings us to the present, attention bridges us with our essence.

However, in our effort to enter the state of meditation, attention by itself is insufficient. Although it enables us to abide in the present and links us with pure awareness, attention cannot enter the dimen­sion of the now. Attention dwells only on the surface of meditation. The real depth of meditation is reached through absorption, which we access by letting go of attention. Letting go is the surrender to the depth of the now that opens the soul to the gravitational force of the beyond.

The condition of not-letting-go is the unconscious exercise of self-control through which we sustain our sense of separate existence as human beings. Because we exist in a perpetual state of tension and self-holding, we need to spend a long time in meditation before we are able to let go into an existential state of ease and become absorbed in the simplicity of being.

Excessive concentration and self-control, and their opposites, inattentiveness and lethargy, are the most common impediments in the practice of meditation. We need to maintain a precise equilibrium between attention and letting go. If we do not generate enough atten­tion, our attempts to let go will lead to daydreaming or sleep; if we are too alert, we create strain and become overly self-conscious.

The ability to preserve the proper balance between awareness and surrender in our practice reflects our relative effort and coopera­tion in activating the natural state of meditation. In the natural state, no effort is needed, because one abides beyond the polarity of atten­tion and letting go. The natural state is a state beyond the mind’s fluctuating energies in which attention and letting go both become immersed in the void of pure being.

meditation: the passage to the beyond

On its surface, meditation is a time of peace and quiet during which the mind is put at rest. True meditation, however, is far beyond any experience of psychological relaxation or calm. There is nothing wrong with feeling blissful or enjoying inner peace, but meditation is much more than that. To recognize the sacredness of meditation we have to meet the metaphysical depths of the inner dimension. The purest motivation to meditate transcends the search for personal satisfaction, pleasure, or even peace; it is the deep desire to enter our original home and move from illusion into reality. To enter the inner realm and dwell in the pure subjectivity of being is to regain our true life, to find our roots in the source of creation.

In the initial stages of our meditation practice we come face-to-face with the unconscious mind and our disjointed state of being. Since we are moving out of suffering and forgetfulness during this period, we can consider it a ‘negative’ phase in our evolution. But when we become more integrated inside and gain entry into the inner realm, we begin the ‘positive’ phase of practice based on internal expansion. To support this expansion, we literally ‘sit’ in the inner realm and, by the divine law, gradually merge with the beyond in a process that continues until the state of complete oneness is reached. Even after realizing oneness, the movement into the inner realm does not stop, for the beyond is infinite and thus there is no end to its revelation.

the bottomless depth of meditation

Meditation has two functions: to enable us to expand into our true self, which is soul-realization, and to support our expansion into the beyond, which is self-realization. There is no end to either expan­sion. Even after the soul is realized she continues to grow into an increasingly higher condition of her eternal identity. The very nature of existence is movement. Nothing can stop, for to stop is to regress, and in the context of spiritual evolution, to die.

Before the transcendental state is fully realized and our individ­uality merges in samadhi, a meditator journeys through many differ­ent layers of pure being, each containing enough depth to bestow an unconditional sense of gratification. Although settling our existence down into the state of absolute rest is not an easy task, as we grow within the inner realm, there is more and more pure contentment. Only when we have gone through the whole process of expansion, however, can we experience the ultimate contentment, the infinite bliss of absence.

An open secret~ the meaning of meditation.

An Open Secret

Meditation is an open secret. Its essence is hidden to those who are ignorant, but clear to those who have passed through the gateway to pure subjectivity. To meditate is to abide in reality, anchored in the ground of existence. It is a natural state of spiritual sanity and integ­rity. The path of meditation is not any particular way; it is the only way — the pathless path to the heart of the now.

the meaning of meditation

The common conception of meditation bears no relation whatsoever to knowledge of the inner realm. Most people incorrectly assume that meditation is a mind-based activity involving concentration upon mental, aural or physical phenomena. Pure meditation, how­ever, is none of these performances — it is an entirely new dimension of existence and consciousness.

The original meaning of the term meditation was ‘thinking about’, suggesting some kind of conscious reflection, and did not refer to the reality beyond thought. To meditate was to use the power of the mind in a focused way to attain goals confined to the mental reality alone. To avoid associating meditation with deep thinking, some medita­tion masters used the term ‘contemplation’ instead of meditation. However, even the word contemplation, with its more mystical con­notations, still points to the mental realm. To contemplate is to reflect upon religious, sacred or spiritual objects. The word contemplation, therefore, also imperfectly reflects the reality of pure meditation.

Unfortunately, because language has been created by the col­lective mind, which dwells exclusively in the reality of appearances, it cannot convey the essence of pure subjectivity. Consequently, throughout history, mystics and spiritual masters of various tradi­tions have had to compromise, attributing uncommon meanings and explanations to common words, or otherwise inventing entirely new terms to try to communicate the true nature of meditation. So then, how to transmit the meaning of a completely new domain of being — the objectless realm of pure reality — to the ordinary mind, which itself cannot enter this reality? We have to go beyond words into silence to experience that to which all definitions and descriptions of meditation point: our very self.

sitting meditation

Meditation is a revolutionary withdrawal of the mind’s energy from thought to pure awareness and being; it is total attention given to the source of the now. Because the force of ignorance is so strong, we have to use special means to shift the balance of power within our consciousness so that the state of meditation can manifest. Sitting in meditation is the basis of meditation practice, the sitting posture itself symbolizing our complete dedication to the inner state.

Sitting meditation has a profound impact on both body and mind, tuning our entire psychosomatic existence into the essence of our being. Through the practices of concentration and relaxation while sitting, we gradually establish ourselves in the state beyond the mind. The birth of the inner state signifies a quantum leap in our existence, and sitting meditation is the ground upon which this conversion takes place.

from illusion to reality

The paradox of meditation practice is that even though it points beyond thought, prior to our awakening it remains entirely confined to the mind. The one who begins to practice is in fact indistinguish­able from the mind, for his essence lies dormant and his sense of self is completely identified with chaotic, compulsive thinking. How can that which is unreal, ignorant, false, and which itself must be transcended, attain reality? The saving grace of each meditator is his ‘minimum soul’, the trace of me that links him to the dimension of I am. This sense of me can be considered to be the minimum reality within the unreality of one’s unconscious self. By empowering his subjective presence, crystallizing the observer and establishing his existence in the state prior to thought, an adept gradually moves his sense of identity from illusion to reality.

the practice of meditation

Before we can open to the state of meditation experientially, we need to face the fragmented condition of our mind — its restless and unconscious nature that blocks us from recognizing the heart of pure subjectivity. Meditation is an essential tool to integrate our mind with consciousness, solidify our presence, transcend mechani­cal thinking and move our existence into the inner state. Our work changes and evolves as we grow roots in the inner realm and become more aligned with the natural state of meditation. However, to enter the dimension of meditation in a real way and establish oneself in the realm of objectless consciousness, a beginner has to cultivate inner discipline and commit to formal practice.

Sitting: Although meditation ultimately transcends any bodily point of reference, to enter the state of pure subjectivity we must center our dispersed existence in the strict form of sitting meditation. We move beyond the body through the body, and therefore must respect the state of our energy and the condition of our physical form, for they greatly influence the ease of our entry into the inner realm.

Sitting meditation should be practiced by assuming a stable posture in which one sits elevated on a pillow to help keep the spine straight. If possible, one should sit with the legs crossed and the knees comfortably resting on the ground. If one is not supple enough to cross the legs in one of the variations of the lotus posture, one should seek another sitting position that assures an erect spine and physical stability. The placement of the hands and fingers in mudras bears little significance and thus is not indicated here. We should not concern ourselves with too many details, for they only burden our meditation with mental constructs.

As we gain more mastery in the art of meditation we need not follow the above recommendations literally, but can sit in medita­tion in any comfortable position, even on a chair. However, prior to becoming completely one with the state of meditation, formal sitting holds significant benefits. To sit with the legs crossed and spine erect instantaneously activates alertness, opens energy flow, gener­ates inner strength, and offers solid, yet comfortable support for the physical body. The classical meditation posture exemplifies a perfect unity of relaxation and stability through which we can transcend bodily reference and enter the realm of being.

Time and length of meditation: There are no fixed rules regarding the length of each sitting, but in general, meditation should last up to one hour. One should certainly meditate daily, preferably in the morning and evening. Additionally, it is important to find time for a short meditation just before going to sleep in order to integrate the meditative consciousness with the subconscious mind.

Apart from daily practice, one must occasionally sit in the more concentrated form of silent meditation retreats in order to accumu­late more energy to establish oneself in the inner state or deepen the state already present. A retreat can be done alone or in a group.

During retreat one should sit between six to eight hours a day, and between sitting sessions, practice walking meditation to move the body and energy, and further integrate meditation with activity. The duration of a retreat can vary according to one’s internal needs, but a length of one, three, seven, ten or twenty-one days is particu­larly recommended.

Walking: Walking meditation is the first step in extending our meditative consciousness into daily life; it is meditation in action, or ‘living’ meditation. One can walk very slowly, quickly or just natu­rally. What counts is our internal concentration and ability to main­tain the state we have reached during sitting meditation in activity. If one is unable to cultivate self-remembrance or abide in the inner state while walking, one should practice mindfulness of each step or conscious breathing. The deepest expression of walking meditation is an unconditional abidance in the state of pure subjectivity that transcends the polarities of sitting and walking, repose and action.

Breathing: A meditator has to know how to breathe. The way we breathe is a reflection of our consciousness, a direct manifestation of our physical, psychological and spiritual state of being. When we are lost in the mind and disconnected from inner peace and harmony, our breathing is shallow and limited to the chest. The more deeply we abide in our true nature, the deeper our breathing becomes. Correct breathing takes place from the lower belly and involves a complete exhalation.

To balance our breathing we must drop our existence into the depth of being and become one with the breath. Often a certain open­ing and healing of the diaphragm is necessary to unlock our breath, for this is the place in the body where we are most likely to uncon­sciously store tension, fear, anger, and power issues. When con­tracted, the diaphragm does not allow our belly to expand enough for us to inhale freely or exhale completely.

The first step in our work with the breath is usually the practice of conscious breathing through which we bring relaxed awareness to our body and sense of being. It is essential to do this in a natural and comfortable way, for if we are too self-conscious we will become tense. To bring true consciousness to the natural act of breathing, we surrender our awareness to the breath; we do not try to control it from the place of the observer. To transform our breathing we have to merge with the breath on the level of our consciousness and existence.

Eyes open or closed: It is a matter of preference whether we sit in meditation with our eyes open or closed. Since we tend to leak consciousness through the eyes and become distracted by visual signals from our surroundings, the most common approach is to keep the eyes closed. The advantage of having closed eyes is that we have more energy to focus inside. The disadvantage, especially for a beginner, is that we daydream or fall asleep more easily. Another possible drawback of meditating with closed eyes is that we can develop an addiction to various states of bliss or quietude and may begin to perceive the outer world as a threat to our own private peace. From this point of view we can say that to meditate with open eyes is on some level more ‘real’, and a positive safeguard against spiritual escapism.

Meditation with open eyes generates more alertness and enhances our ability to integrate our inner experience with the external world. But in the final analysis, closing the eyes for meditation is more logical, because our aim is to withdraw attention from the seen to the seer. Closing the eyes gives us more force to dive deeper inside and merge with the inner realm. If a meditator is unable to internalize his whole consciousness with his eyes open, he may become stuck on the surface of the now. In such a case it is best to close the eyes to gener­ate more internal energy and establish the necessary depth of being. Alternating meditations with open and closed eyes can help maintain the balance between surrender to the inner state and the integration of that experience with consciousness of the outer world.

Ultimately, we should not restrict ourselves to a single approach, but remain flexible, adapting our practice to suit our present needs and natural tendencies. When we finally merge with the inner realm and begin to experience it as not separate from the outer realm, we realize that having the eyes open or closed actually makes no difference.

Directing attention: Our relative consciousness never ceases to grasp at objects, both external and internal. Due to this total instability, it is extremely difficult to experience real clarity and calm. The funda­mental questions for a beginner in meditation, therefore, are how to cope with the commotion of the mind and where to direct attention.

The physical inactivity of sitting meditation can cause the mind to become even more disturbed and chaotic than usual. The mind cannot bear the stillness, and responds to it by compulsively popu­lating the space of consciousness with endless thoughts. Any effort to control or repress this thinking only increases its intensity. Mind cannot be conquered by mind. By developing one-pointed attention we harness the mind’s energy so that it can be channeled towards an awakening to the non-referential state of being.

We can direct our attention in meditation in three ways: towards the mind’s activity, towards a single object of concentration, or beyond both, towards our subjective essence. By directing our attention towards the mind in vigilant self-observation we develop disidentification, understanding and awareness; by paying one-pointed attention to areas of our reality other than the mind, such as breathing or bodily awareness, we develop concentration, calm and mindfulness; by stepping directly out of the mind through the turn­ing back of our attention to our true center, we radically transcend concentration on mental phenomena in a sudden awakening to our fundamental awareness.

The practice of watching the mind, one of the universal methods of meditation, is the first step in transcending our habitual and uncon­scious identification with arising thoughts. Through this method we strengthen the position of the observer, creating a stable counterforce to the continuous stream of thoughts that invade our consciousness. The observer is the aspect of the ego responsible for bringing integ­rity to the functioning of our mind and linking us with the essence of our innate subjectivity. By watching arising thoughts yet remaining uninvolved, we create a space in our intelligence from which we can disidentify from our subconscious, instead of just thinking mechani­cally. However, although this approach is beneficial, it cannot bring us to the true state of meditation. It is a technique that serves only as a preparation for becoming more conscious, and at some stage must be transcended. Self-observation or detached watching cannot take us beyond the mental realm, because the watcher himself is a fac­ulty of the very mind he watches. It is only when the observer links himself to the essence of awareness that he gains the necessary depth and solidity to move out of the vicious cycle of thinking, identifying, observing, disidentifying and thinking again.

In the approach to meditation that emphasizes the development of one-pointed attention, relative awareness is trained to constantly focus on an object external to the mind to keep it from being dis­tracted and lost in thought. The practice of one-pointed attention is still a mental exertion confined to the mind, for attention is not awareness, but its functional expression.

To develop one-pointed attention we can initially practice conscious breathing, feeling how the belly rises and falls with each breath, or in a more advanced method, focus our attention on our inner space of abidance. Instead of working directly with the mind, we channel our attention towards conscious repose in being or the heart. Although we cannot fully pacify the mind in this way, we open enough space beyond it to experience a level of tranquility and immersion. By expanding into being, we become empowered to work with the mind in a much more efficient and conscious way.

While they are useful tools, watching the mind, cultivating mindfulness, or bypassing the mind by directing attention to areas of our existence other than awareness itself, do not allow us to reach true and abiding peace. To transcend the mind in a real way we have to illuminate it by giving birth to the center of awareness. A medita­tor who is spiritually mature should strive to awaken his essence beyond the mind from the very start, not paying indirect attention to an object of attention, but direct attention to its subject.

Indirect meditative techniques generate an energy of attentive­ness that acts as an opposing force to the mechanical mind, but their utility is limited. Due to their external orientation, they do not uncover the inner essence, and therefore cannot result in awakening. In contrast, direct work with awareness is based on self-knowledge and the complementary practice of self-remembrance. Direct work with awareness involves the cultivation of the state of self-awareness, and eventually leads to a permanent presence beyond the mind.

When the energy of our mind turns towards the original source of attention, we enter the domain of consciousness without content. The essence of the mind is not thought, but objectless attention, the core of our subjective existence. The birth of pure awareness allows us to shift out of the mind into the essential nature of our luminous presence, the entryway to the natural state of pure meditation. Unless we bring more consciousness to the mind and embrace it with the light of our presence, it cannot be transmuted into a force that is aligned with our spiritual awakening. The only way to pacify and transcend our mental agitation is to behold and embrace it from a level of existence deeper than the mind itself.

Pure meditation: Pure meditation is beyond the directing of attention to any particular area — it is an objectless state of being. Attention has to become absorbed in the depths of the now for the state of meditation to manifest; otherwise, it is the very thing that separates us from our positive absence. To embody the fullness of our abidance in the state of meditation we have to pass through the gate of pure subjectivity and submit our existence to the beyond. A meditator first moves beyond the mind by establishing his attention in the center of awareness, and then surrenders that attention by dwelling vertically in content-free awareness. Eventually, he surrenders beyond aware­ness by merging with being and actualizes the state of pure medita­tion, the natural absorption in existence.

Just sitting: The purest form of meditation practice is ‘just sitting’. The most sublime aspiration of a meditator is just to be, just to sit. Just sitting is at once a practice and our natural state of abidance in the now, for though it must be actualized through effort, it is intrinsic to each moment of being. By cultivating the mode of just sitting we attune our existence to the natural repose of reality as it is. In just sit­ting it is not our body that sits, but our awareness; our attention is at rest, absorbed in the vertical plane of pure being.

We practice just sitting by continuously returning to the condi­tion of ‘sitting mind’. We grow in our consciousness, establish a flow of unbroken presence, and drop our awareness into the depths of reality. The practice of just sitting involves an element of transpar­ent exertion through which the state of being can fully manifest and reach unconditional naturalness.

beyond the mind

A healthy attitude towards arising thoughts is essential to regain autonomy from the mind and awaken the state of meditation, for they are the main distraction in our effort to reach our deeper self. In meditation, we should neither indulge in thinking nor battle with the mind. Meditation is not an absence of thoughts, but a continuity of being undistracted by thoughts. As a thought arises, we neither accept nor reject it, for acceptance and rejection are energies linked to the mind, and therefore cannot take us beyond it. When we accept a thought, we fuel it with our involvement; when we reject a thought, we fuel it with our denial. The moment our me disengages from thinking, a thought cannot sustain itself and dissolves, for it has no energy of its own. We must, however, have a stable place beyond the mind to which we can anchor ourselves; otherwise, we will remain caught in a wheel of arising and disappearing thoughts towards which we must constantly cultivate our limited powers of non-identification.

In an unconscious person, consciousness recreates itself through psychological and phenomenal awareness. The mind cannot exist in emptiness. The moment it is faced with inactivity it generates bore­dom or falls asleep, but even then, it constantly dreams. No wonder it is so common to drift and daydream during meditation — the mind becomes stifled by stillness and seeks release through other outlets.

Although the cultivation of observation and the crystallization of attention are the essential means to go beyond the mechanical mind, they are not enough to transfigure the construct of our con­sciousness. Our consciousness has to become conscious of something other than thinking, other than observing, other than objectifying itself. We have to give it the ultimate object — its own subjectivity. In the same instant that we neither accept nor reject an arising thought, we must become aware of the pristine space that dwells at the root of the mind — awareness itself. The moment we pay total attention to our innate presence, the chain of thinking is broken and conscious­ness without content alone prevails.

Usually a beginner loses focus and by force of habit leaks his consciousness into thinking, objectifying his sense of me in the mind. However, whenever he returns, moment to moment, to the center of awareness and gradually anchors attention in pure subjectivity, the whole structure of his consciousness becomes centralized in being rather than thinking. By giving our consciousness the supreme object of our presence, we decondition it from pursuing external objects. As we gradually learn how to live through pure consciousness, our mind surrenders to its host, the ground of I am — the soul.

To stabilize the center of awareness does not mean that thinking stops entirely — a certain amount of thinking is a natural part of our human functioning. The correct relationship with thinking is estab­lished when our me becomes rooted in the essence beyond the mind. Here, the arising of thoughts is in harmony with our existence, the exalted consciousness of silence and presence. Thinking that takes place in an unbroken space of awareness is an exercise of clear intel­ligence, a positive expression of our meditative consciousness. While in the initial stages of practice we are engaged in a horizontal strug­gle between getting lost in the mind and returning to our presence, as our practice matures, the movement of thoughts no longer occurs outside of our essence, but is contained within pure awareness.

prior to the presence and absence of thought

To uncover the true nature of awareness demands a great deal of precision and sensitivity. For a beginner who is fully identified with the mind, a momentary gap in thinking is often translated as a medi­tative experience, for it is the closest thing to a feeling of peace he experiences. However, meditation is not grasping at the absence of thought, but abidance prior to both thought’s presence and absence in the domain of being and non-perceptional consciousness.

Though the observer may contemplate the interval between thoughts in the futile hope of discovering the nature of thought­lessness, he merely objectifies it as the seen. He perceives the non-existence of thoughts as a vacant space opening up in front of him instead of becoming vacant himself by watching nothing. To watch no-thing is awareness, wakefulness without a reference point.

The observer cannot capture consciousness unless he stops seek­ing it outside of his own existence. He must renounce his mental exertion and ‘stand still’ in awareness to discover his true nature — he must surrender to the very awareness from which he arises in order to obtain the supreme insight into his true self. Awareness is not found within the mind, for it is the background of both the thought and the thinker. It cannot be grasped by perception or reflec­tion; to know it is to become it.

the multilayered mind in meditation

Meditators are often confused about the relationship between arising thoughts, the role of the observer, and their meditative state. We can be clear on this matter only when we understand the multilayered nature of our consciousness and how it coexists with the ground of I am. Before we can reach a balanced understanding of the relation­ship between thoughts and the inner state, we must become con­scious of the various ways in which the mind operates during our meditation practice.

The mind is a living organism of intelligence that must maintain a complex relationship with the whole of our consciousness to retain its basic sanity. The capacity of the conscious mind to assist in medi­tation directly corresponds to the depth of our spiritual awakening. If we are totally lost in the mind it cannot possibly serve our evolu­tion into the state of meditation. To empower the intelligence of the mind so that it can become a transformative force in our conscious­ness, we must first realize our spiritual essence. Here, by ‘essence’ we mean the state of pure awareness; but if a meditator has reached a deeper awakening, ‘essence’ would actually signify the whole of the inner state, and ultimately the soul. The relationship between the essence of I am and intelligence is reciprocal. In our initial effort to enter the state of meditation, intelligence supports the growth of our consciousness and the awakening of the essence; through the actual­ized essence, intelligence gains the necessary power to integrate the entire mind with the inner state.

Since it is the conscious mind that bridges our unconscious self with our conscious abidance in the inner state, its role in the process of awakening is of paramount importance. It is the mind aware of itself that engenders the conscious sense of me — the observer — so fundamental to our inner growth into being and understanding. If the function of the observer is not activated, we cannot transcend our subconscious reality and enter the state of meditation. Only when this function has been fulfilled and our abidance in the inner realm is fully realized can we begin to surrender and merge the observer with universal consciousness.

To help us better understand the complex nature of the con­scious mind and its evolving role in our meditation practice, we will now describe the various ways it behaves in relation to both our essence and our subconscious reality. It must be noted that until the fifth stage, the meditator is still unawakened to his essence.

1. The conscious mind lost in the subconscious, or the subcon­scious alone: The basic condition of forgetfulness — attention is absent and one is lost in thought.

2. The conscious mind coexisting with the subconscious: One experiences a degree of presence within the mechanical activ­ity of the mind — thinking is divided between conscious and subconscious.

3. The conscious mind aware of the subconscious: One becomes mindful of mechanical thinking and the observer develops a sense of distance from the mind. However, unless one has awakened the center of awareness, and consciousness has been largely transformed, awareness of the subconscious does not put a stop to the momentum of the thinking mind. In spite of being aware of arising thoughts at times, a begin­ner still thinks constantly. Only when awareness has fully matured does the act of becoming conscious of the subcon­scious lead to the instantaneous cessation of thinking.

4. The conscious mind alone: One is fully present within the thinking process, yet unaware of the essence.

5. The conscious mind aware of the essence coexisting with conscious thinking: Awareness of the essence and conscious thinking occur simultaneously.

6. The conscious mind aware of the essence coexisting with subconscious thinking: The observer is connected to aware­ness of his essence while unfocused semi-conscious thinking takes place on the periphery of consciousness.

7. The conscious mind aware of the essence becomes aware of the subconscious: Similar to the third stage, but here the meditator already abides in awareness, so there is more power to drop thinking and surrender the mind.

8. The conscious mind aware of the essence and consciously think­ing fully surrenders to the essence: While consciously thinking, one renounces all thinking and surrenders to the essence.

9. The conscious mind aware of the essence alone: One’s intel­ligence abides in pure awareness and the mind stops. This state can occur on two levels: on the lower level, the observer is still separated from his essence and the ego remains the primary experiencer; on the higher level, the observer is merged with the inner state and his consciousness of I am becomes universal.

A meditator can be said to have reached the mature state of medi­tation when he experiences any of the last five modes of conscious­ness. Although to be lost in the subconscious is a relatively negative experience, minimal subconscious movement is a natural part of the functioning of the human mind, and therefore acceptable, as long as one abides firmly in the inner state and is able to instantly return to conscious presence and surrender excessive thinking. Still, there is no excuse for indulging in thinking during meditation. When our mind surrenders and integrates with the inner state, thinking is minimal and occurs in slow motion, causing spaces to open between thoughts where silence can prevail. Even when thinking occurs, one should continue to dwell in unbroken unity with the state prior to thought.

the two-fold internalization of consciousness

Because our essence leaks into the state of forgetfulness when the mind is exteriorized, the withdrawal of consciousness is an absolute requirement to enter the state of meditation. The withdrawal of con­sciousness has both horizontal and vertical orientations: in the hori­zontal withdrawal, consciousness turns back to its non-dual presence of self-luminous I am; in the vertical withdrawal it is rerouted into the state of being, which counteracts the upwards movement of the mind and life force. The horizontal internalization is a function of self-attention; the vertical internalization, of our surrender to the inner state. Unless we realize the two-fold withdrawal of conscious­ness, we cannot become absorbed in the self.

Awakening to awareness through the horizontal withdrawal of the mind is our point of entry into the depth of the now. If one prac­tices vertical surrender without first having obtained ones true pres­ence, the mind will remain fundamentally fragmented and lack any continuity of intelligence and consciousness within the experience of being. Only the soul can enter the inner dimension. It is the unity of the horizontal and vertical internalizations that enables us to enter the inner reality and realize the wholeness of the soul.

meditation and boredom

Boredom is an interesting state of mind. It inspires us to act, but never allows us to rest in contentment. We get bored when there is nothing to do and when we lose interest in what we are doing. The deepest kind of boredom, however, is boredom with being. Due to the shallow nature of the human personality, to ‘just be’ is a tedious and dull experience. It is not the soul that is bored with being, but the mind, for the mind lives through movement and is unable to rest. The moment the mind stops being occupied or entertained it gets restless and irritated. The monotony of being is simply intolerable. The repetitiveness of each moment devoid of activity creates a feel­ing of stuckness that sends an immediate signal that it is time to ‘do’ something. This very unconscious mechanism is at the root of our fundamental resistance to being.

Some meditators believe that they do not get bored in medita­tion because they are having such a ‘deep experience’. In reality, however, they have not yet begun to meditate. Unless one has passed through the experience of utter existential boredom, one has not entered true meditation. Boredom cannot be by-passed; it must be experienced fully before one can move beyond it. Ultimately, medi­tation can be said to have two sides: boredom and bliss. The degree to which we experience boredom or bliss reflects the depth of our absorption in reality.

The presence of boredom in meditation points to the fact that we are so dependent upon receiving constant stimuli from the world or our own mind, we feel frustrated by the non-happening of the now. Boredom, in its essence, is the pure suffering of existing as a separate consciousness. We confront the most acute sense of separateness when faced with inactivity, because action serves as the primary distraction to our claustrophobic self-consciousness. Boredom is actually the basic background of our human existence, but we only experience it directly in meditation, for here we are called to suspend our involvement with the phenomenal reality and renounce all refer­ence points apart from being. In the space of just being, we confront our fundamental boredom, naked and alone.

The best way out of boredom is to recognize the profound value of being. However, as we cannot appreciate what we do not experi­ence, an unconscious person who lacks any real experience of being has no way to relate to the positive essence of boredom. What the average meditator translates as ‘being’ is but the frail touch of each moment, a vague reverberation of the now. He has no inner space within which to connect to something deeper than his personality and link himself with the meaningfulness of existence beyond bore­dom. To move out of the boredom inherent to separate conscious­ness we must enter the realm of meditation. In sitting meditation, we channel the energy of the mind through the portal of inactivity into abidance in the inner state. When we reach a significant level of absorption and the mind surrenders, boredom begins to dissolve into the bliss of being.

To transcend boredom does not mean that one never gets bored anymore. Boredom is an indivisible part of meditation as long as one has not fully merged with the inner realm. To transform boredom is to awaken a profound sense of endurance within the experience of the impersonal void of each now. As boredom arises in each now, one surrenders within it. One has to accept and befriend boredom before it can be transmuted and absorbed by its source.

Our experience of boredom evolves as we come ever closer to our original absence and realize the emptiness of self. As our abid­ance in reality deepens, our sense of boredom becomes relaxed and transparent. It no longer creates restless energies and agitation, but reflects the absolute patience of existence.

It is a common experience that the moment a new layer of depth within the inner state is reached, the sense of boredom is temporarily suspended, for the observer feels tangible bliss as a result of having shifted beyond his previous state. However, as time goes by, the nov­elty of the experience wears off. No matter what depth the observer reaches, his initial fascination and excitement inevitably wane and he gets bored all over again. To go beyond boredom through the medium of the spiritual path is not to seek new states, but to resolve boredom’s primal cause, our separateness. As we mature we realize that boredom cannot be overcome by intensifying our inner experi­ence, for it is not a reflection of the lack of depth of our state, but of our inability to merge. Only when the observer surrenders and becomes one with the inner realm can boredom be dissolved, for he is not only the victim of boredom, but its cause. It is our disap­pearance into reality that ultimately takes us beyond boredom, for it liberates us from the very one who is subject to both boredom and its absence.

meditation: the means and the goal

Meditation is a gradual path based on sudden awakening. Each moment of meditation points to reality, but the complete realization of that reality is the outcome of a gradual process. This seeming paradox needs to be grasped in order for us to comprehend the true meaning of a practice that itself transcends the dualities of path and goal, effort and effortlessness, doing and being. Meditation is both the means and the goal, for though it has its roots in the perfection of pure being, it must unfold in time before it can reflect this perfection in our actual experience.

If we see meditation only as a means to an end our meditation is not pure, because we are using it to achieve goals that are external to the immediate. The very spirit of meditation is based on surrender to the now. However, if we perceive meditation solely as an end in itself we lose our connection to the whole process of transformation and inner evolution.

Meditation is the goal in and of itself, for its very nature is abid­ance in the now; it is also the means to reach that which, though of the now, is far beyond our initial realization of the now. The now is indeed the ground of pure subjectivity upon which we abide, but our relative ability to access it does not guarantee that we have reached its true depth — our present experience of the now may be shallow. To fully realize the dimension of the now we must go through the process of expansion and awakening until we can merge with the realm of pure subjectivity. Ultimately, we can see meditation as a practice in which the goal and the means are fully intertwined. As the goal, meditation reflects our fundamental union with the real­ity of the now; as the means, it signifies the process of reaching its fathomless depths.

Realm of Meditation

Realm of Meditation

Meditation is the way and the goal — the entrance to the inner realm and the inner realm itself. It is both the state of objectless abidance in the supreme reality and the self-contained presence of our true being. In the plane of forgetfulness, meditation is the most powerful tool we have to awaken our dormant self.

There are two gateways to the dimension of meditation: the inner gate of the now through which we enter the pure subjectivity of universal I am, and the gate of our individual essence through which we meet the pure subjectivity of the soul. The first gate leads to the beyond; the second, to the heart of our own existence. From the ultimate perspective, however, there are not two gates, but one — upon entering the beyond we realize our own soul, and upon awakening to our soul we merge with the beyond.

The Art of Non-doing

A teaching on enlightenment:

If we look carefully, we can see that everything in existence is in motion, besotted with the will to become. This is particularly true for human consciousness. The human mind has become a reflection, even a caricature, of universal movement. While to be endowed with active intelligence is natural and positive, when we become subjugated by our own compulsive thinking, we lose our connection to the basic goodness of being and the silence essential to our spiritual sanity.

We cannot experience reality outside of the individual con­sciousness that constitutes our unique angle of perception. Our mind is the only tool we have to recognize existence; but at the very same time, the mind is the veil that separates us from reality as it is. Rooted in interpretation rather than direct perception, the mind creates a virtual world of its own that is alienated from the whole of reality as it is. To apperceive existence in its true form, we must transcend our unconscious tendency to ceaselessly think about, label and interpret all that appears in our field of cognition. Only a still mind can see and reflect reality from a place of non-modified lucidity. The foundation of meditation is the condition of non-doing — the complete stillness of consciousness within the state of being.

divine passivity

The state of non-doing is the most profound experience for a human being, for it occurs only in the context of oneness with existence. It is an experience of unity, freedom and bliss. This extraordinary unity of consciousness and inactivity is not inertia, but supreme repose in the divine. It is ‘divine passivity’, the ultimate state of rootedness in the source and mystery of creation. To arrive at this divine inaction, the will of our individuality has to merge in loving union with the will of the beloved.

the dynamics of non-doing

Non-doing represents a tremendously vibrant and dynamic condi­tion of being. It is a state of continuously letting go into the mystery of the now in which the presence and absence of the soul merge into an indescribable amalgam of pure existence; personal and imper­sonal meet and unite in the realm beyond effort and effortlessness.

Non-doing is a state of letting go whereby the will to be is sur­rendered into the abyss of universal emptiness, the timeless space of the now. Through our relative surrender, the gravitation of the beyond pulls our soul into the inner ocean of pure rest so that we can move into a place of absolute peace.

Non-doing by its very nature is beyond activity and inactivity. It is none other than reality itself — the unborn base of all-that-is. Non-doing embraces both motion and stillness, containing all mani­fested existence within its transcendent non-abidance. When the soul merges with the primordial essence of non-activity, her existence is transported into the beyond to embody the perfection of being. It is from the dimensionless space of pure being that all of creation is seen as uncreated, all change as unchanged.

What are the practical means to achieve the state of non-doing? From a place of clear presence, one cultivates the art of surrender. The success of this effortless effort does not hinge solely on our inten­tion to let go, but also on the transmutation of our mind and trans­formation of our energy. Our awareness and our energy body have to open up and shift into the inner realm — our sense of existence needs to move beyond the created reality and relative, time-bound consciousness. Since this transformation takes place on the subtle plane, beyond the control of the conscious mind, the only thing we can do is cooperate through the continuous practice of letting go in a space of patience, endurance and submission to the beyond. Ultimately, the complete opening to the realm of pure being is the result of deliverance coming from the depths of the absolute reality into which we surrender.

dropping the doer

The ego can do many things, but it simply cannot meditate. Pure meditation is not a form of doing, but a condition of being beyond the exercise of any method. A meditator who relies on any method of meditation cannot cross into the vertical reality of the now, for the mind can only operate in the horizontal dimension of space and time. To open the space of pure meditation, the ‘doer’ must yield to being.

We should not, however, attempt to drop the doer prematurely. Since the fully mature state of meditation cannot be achieved until we complete the inner path, we need the support of the doer as we go through the process of establishing the condition of non-doing. This may appear illogical, but there is a very simple explanation: individual effort is performed within the sphere of the subtle ego, an extension of the mind that serves as a conscious link between the subconscious self and the inner state.

The ego assists us in two ways in the practice of meditation: it helps to awaken the inner state, and it learns how to surrender itself in order to merge with that state. To comprehend this more clearly, we must recognize that the ego is not an independent entity, but a vehicle of the soul. While the false ego only serves the mind’s agenda, the mature, conscious ego is an intelligent representation of the soul in her human personality. It is the conscious ego that becomes present in the mind and overrides the subconscious ego lost in daydreaming, the conscious ego that lets go into the inner state.

In the process of merging with the inner state, the ego does not disappear entirely, rather its motives and purpose change. Prior to its surrender, the ego performs the role of subject, believing itself to be the host of our consciousness. But as awakening grows roots within our existence, the ego gradually moves to the periphery of our identity where it remains as a purely functional expression of the soul. It continues to support the deepening of the inner state, but its presence grows progressively more transparent and silent; it ceases to control the process of meditation and begins to humbly assist it. Our final aspiration, therefore, is not to eliminate the ego, but to transform it into an instrument of inner awakening. In the complete absence of ego no meditation can take place, for the soul requires its energy and intelligence to open the inner state. Only when it has fulfilled its purpose can the ego be fully surrendered to the silence of pure being.

One of the principal tasks of the doer is to check the quality of meditation and gently balance the energies of doing and non-doing. The relationship between the doer and the state of non-doing actu­ally runs parallel to that of attention and letting go. The activation of attention is a function of the doer, whereas letting go is the sur­render of the doer into the ego-free space of non-doing. The doer is on both sides of the equation, for even though he surrenders, the surrender itself is on some level an act of will. After recognizing an absence of mindfulness, the doer, or ‘checker’, makes the decision to concentrate; or, having verified that there is a sufficient amount of presence, the checker introduces the intention of letting go into being. The wisdom of meditation calls for a precise balance between utilizing the ego and dropping it — they should in fact be a simulta­neous occurrence.

By letting go, the ego drops itself, and an immediate opening into the state of pure meditation occurs. As time goes by, however, the ego reappears, assessing the state or wandering off into daydreams; hence, in the next instant, the ego has to repeat the act of activating attention or surrendering. This dance of checking, becoming present and letting go takes place within an effortless, natural flow of intelli­gence. As our awakening deepens, the interplay between the checker and the inner state gradually merges into one movement, a move­ment of the now. In due time, the ego dissolves into the inner dimen­sion to such an extent that it ceases to possess the power to assert its separate existence. Naturally, the functions of checking and cognizing still operate at times, but without the presence of an individual agent. The power of recognition and intelligence is owned by no one — intel­ligence moves in the impersonal awareness of pure reality.

the state of effortlessness

The state of effortlessness is the natural condition of being, the ego-free dimension of pure meditation. If effort on the path is not even­tually dropped, it is an indication that we have either not awakened to our true self, or are unable to merge with the depth of reality. The evolution into effortlessness is a natural process based on a gradual fusion of the individual with the universal.

Although there are many levels of effortlessness, the essence of the natural state is always the fundamental experience of just being. Hence, as long as we recognize the core of I am and being, we have relative access to the effortless state of pure meditation, even in the initial stages of our practice. As our practice gradually deepens and our state becomes more integrated, the natural state of being dis­solves all need for exertion. We can finally rest, free of our relative self, in the fullness and emptiness of primordial consciousness.

Just a short Buddhist outlook on life:

Mantra from the Dalai Lama

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements
involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three R’s:
Respect for self
Respect for others and
Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a
wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great
friendship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take  immediate
steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think
back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the  foundation for your
life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal  only with the current
situation. Don’t bring  up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve  immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never  been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is  one in which your love
for each other exceeds  your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to  give up in order to get
it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

I also know that dreams really do come true and you  have my Best Wishes and my best efforts in those.

The Awakening

The Awakening

A time comes in your life when you finally get…when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out…ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over the next horizon.

You realize that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are…and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

Your stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you – or didn’t do for you – and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and everything isn’t always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties…and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.

You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for you next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not you job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drinking more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it’s OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people…and you lean not to always take it personally.

You learn that nobody’s punishing you and everything isn’t always somebody’s fault. It’s just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You lean that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than you heart’s desire.

You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

Finally, with courage in you heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

The Four Ennobling Truths

Translations of catt?ri ariyasacc?ni
English:	Four Noble Truths
Pali:	catt?ri ariyasacc?ni
Sanskrit:	??????? ??????????? (catv?ri ?ryasaty?ni)
Burmese:	??????????? (thisa lei ba)
Chinese:	???(T) / ???(S) (pinyin: sìshèngdì)
Japanese:	?? (r?maji: shitai)
Tibetan:	????????????????????
Thai:	?????????? (ariyasaj sii)
Vietnamese:	T? Di?u ??
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The Four Noble Truths (or The Four Ennobling Truths,The Four Truths of the Noble Ones^[1]) (Sanskrit: ??????? ??????????? (catv?ri ?ryasaty?ni); Tibetan: ????????????????????; Wylie: ‘phags pa’i bden pa bzhi; Pali: catt?ri ariyasacc?ni) is one of the most fundamental Buddhist teachings. In broad terms, these truths relate to suffering (or dukkha), its nature, its origin, its cessation and the path leading to its cessation. They are among the truths Siddhartha Gautama is said to have realized during his experience of enlightenment.^[2]

The Four Noble Truths appear many times, throughout the most ancient Buddhist texts, the Pali Canon. The early teaching and the traditional understanding in Theravada is that the Four Noble Truths are an advanced teaching for those who are ready for them.

1. There is suffering (dukkha).
2. There is a cause of suffering (craving).
3. There is the cessation of suffering (nirvana).
4. There is the eightfold path leading to the cessation of suffering.

The Sanskrit and Pali words satya and sacca, respectively, mean both “truth” and “real” or “actual thing.” With that in mind, one scholar argues that the four noble truths are not asserted as propositional truths or creeds, but as “true things” or “realities” that the Buddha experienced.^[3] The original Tibetan Lotsawas (Sanskrit: locch?wa; Tibetan: lo ts’a ba), who studied Sanskrit grammar thoroughly, used the Tibetan term bden pa, reflects this understanding.

“If *love* became a man… would you recognize his face..?”

“there IS a way… there is a *spark*… there is a hope you can hold onto! =)

positive change

71 Things You Can Do

by Scott Hughes

Most people aren’t Warriors, and I’m fine with it. Most people do things that don’t make sense, and I’m fine with it. I’ve learned to accept the non-sense that fills this world. (Part of being a Warrior is accepting that most other people are not Warriors, and accepting them.) Still, the point is that people do things that don’t make sense. They whine, complain, and cry over problems they can easily change. They get depressed over problems they cause for themselves.

For example, lazy people often whine that they don’t make more money. Selfish people complain that they don’t have more friends. Many people sabotage all their romantic relationships and then complain that they don’t have a lover.

Granted, sometimes when something bad happens to a person it’s purely bad luck. For example, you could be sitting in your well-built home while reading the newspaper and a tornado could tear your home up.

However, usually when you don’t like what’s happening in your life, it’s your own damn fault. It’s your fault if you’re fat, lazy, uneducated, lonely, etc.

In the following, I list 71 things that you can do to be more successful. You choose to do them or not. If you choose not to do these things, then you have no right to complain about your problems; your problems are your fault!

1. Stop watching television.
2. Stop eating fast food.
3. Stop eating pizza and fried foods.
4. Stop driving places that you could easily walk to.
5. Read at least 1 book a month.
6. Take classes in what interests you or your vocation.
7. Work enough to support yourself, and if needed get a new job or second job to make enough to support yourself. Never stick with a job that doesn’t pay enough to support yourself no matter how much you work.
8. Pay off your debts and don’t go in debt. You can pay off your debts if you avoid needless expenses, such as cable, overpriced clothes, impractical decorations, unhealthy snacks, jewelry, etcetera.
9. Don’t buy a car on finance, and don’t buy an expensive car if a cheaper one that works is available.
10. Wake up early, and get all your work done as quickly as possible. That includes household chores, as well as your employment.
11. Drink alcohol less or quit.
12. Do drugs less or quit.
13. Don’t smoke cigarettes.
14. Don’t eat foods with high fructose corn syrup.
15. Don’t drink soda.
16. Don’t eat sugary foods at all.
17. Don’t drink more than 1 glass of juice per day.
18. Stand up straight and have good posture.
19. Look people in the eyes when you talk to them.
20. Smile.
21. Be polite.
22. Keep your promises.
23. Wear a watch, if you can afford it.
24. Eat breakfast.
25. If you eat cereal at any time, choose your cereal based on healthiness not tastiness.
26. Exercise at least 3 days per week.
27. Walk often.
28. Always write with correct spelling and grammar.
29. Never speak worse about a person behind their back than you do to their face. (Feel free to say nicer things about a person behind their back than to their face.)
30. Don’t gossip and don’t have a big mouth.
31. Never judge other people harsher than you judge yourself.
32. Make New Years resolutions, but make one every day instead of every year.
33. Volunteer.
34. Forgive, but never forget.
35. Don’t have skeletons in your closet.
36. Keep as few secrets as reasonably possible.
37. Despite the rule before this one, keep your friends’ secrets.
38. Politely tell people that you will not betray your friends’ trust, when you are asked about their secrets and such.
39. Volunteering (i.e. activism) is more important than voting. If you can do both, good for you. If you only have time for one, volunteer instead of voting. It makes more of a difference.
40. Privately question your own values.
41. Avoid questioning other people’s values, especially in public.
42. Listen more than you talk.
43. Use a journal to count how many calories you consume per day.
44. Use a journal to count how many calories you burn per day.
45. If you want to lose weight, burn slightly more than you consume. If you want to gain weight, consume slightly more than you burn. If you are happy with your weight, try to burn the same amount as you consume.
46. Weigh yourself daily at the same time(s).
47. Write your daily weight down in a journal.
48. Never allow the police to search you, your car, or your belongings if you do not have something to hide.
49. Never tell other people that you think they or something they are doing is immoral or sinful.
50. Keep your moral values and religion to yourself. Use them to direct your own actions.
51. Ask people how they are often and listen to their answer.
52. Laugh at other people’s jokes, but not your own.
53. Shower at least once per day.
54. Wash your hands, even if you aren’t an employee.
55. Take care of the elderly, which includes spending time with them and talking to them.
56. Avoid going places where you need to be waited on.
57. Wait on yourself wherever possible.
58. Make your friends look good.
59. Avoid lying.
60. Don’t pretend to be better than you are. Don’t pretend to be more successful, popular, etcetera.
61. Treat other people as if they are better than they are. Treat them as if they are more successful, popular, etcetera.
62. Don’t brag about your talents. Instead, surprise people with them when they just happen to be called upon.
63. Sit up straight.
64. Keep your house clean.
65. If you have either of them, keep your car and office clean.
66. Stretch daily. (I do Yoga most mornings.)
67. Dance.
68. Take dancing lessons if you could use improvement.
69. Ask other people (e.g. your friends, your co-workers, your boss, etc.) what their favorite book is, and read it.
70. Ask their favorite song or band, and listen to it.
71. Ask their favorite movie, and watch it.

Extras:
72. Don’t be camera shy.
73. When your alarm goes off in the morning (if you use one), don’t press snooze.
74. Make a budget and follow it.

Suggestions from visitors:
75. Say “I love you” often to the people you feel this way about.
76. Always turning off lights when leaving a room, unless of course there are others are in the room. For that matter, conserving any unnecessary electricity usage is key to the future of humanity.

suspended in a sunbeam

On “love” and “attatchement”:

The Experience of “Being In Love” Is Not The Same For Everyone

Not everyone experiences love in exactly the same manner.

Research has shown that love comes in several different forms or styles (see, Lee and Regan). For the most part, people experience love as a blend of two or three of the styles listed below. Essentially, people have different notions of what it means to “be in love.”

Styles of Love:

Eros – some people experience love with a lot of passion, intimacy and intensity. Love based on Eros has a strong sexual and emotional component. People who experience love this way want to be emotionally and physically close to their romantic partners and they tend to idealize love. Such love is marked by passion as well as compassion (kindness and consideration). Eros is best viewed as romantic, passionate love – the type of love that creates excitement at the beginning of a new relationship.

Ludus – some people experience love as a game to be played with other people’s emotions. The goal or desire is to gain control over a partner through manipulation. People who experience love as Ludus like to have multiple love interests where they are in complete control. Lying, cheating and deception are common for people who experience love as Ludus – it’s all part of the game. For people who experience love as Ludus, it is satisfying to outwit a partner and exploit his or her weak spots (see, husband plays with my heart, who is likely to cheat, lovefraud).

Storge – some people experience love as a gradual and slow process. When love is based on Storge, getting to know someone comes before having intense feelings for that person. Love based on Storge takes time, it requires genuine liking and understanding of a partner, and it develops slowly over time. Love based on Storge is often compared to the love that one has for a friend. In fact, people who experience love as Storge often fall in love with their friends.

Agape – some people experience love as caregiving. Love is the overwhelming desire to want to take care of a partner – a parental or nurturing type of love. Love based on Agape is attentive, caring, compassionate and kind – a more altruistic or selfless type of love.

Mania – some people experience love as being out of control. Love is an overwhelming experience; it turns one’s life upside down and it results in a complete loss of one’s identity. Love based on Mania is crazy, impulsive and needy. People who experience love as Mania fall in love quickly, but their love tends to consume them. Love experienced as Mania also tends to burnout before it gets the chance to mature. Such love is often marked by extreme delusions, feelings of being out of control, rash decisions, and vulnerability. People who experience love as Mania are easily taken advantage of by people who experience love as Ludus.

Pragma – some people take a practical approach to love. Love is not crazy, intense, or out of control. Love is based on common sense and reason. People who experience love as Pragma tend to pick a suitable mate the way most other people make serious life decisions: picking a partner is based on careful consideration and reason. Practical concerns underlie this type of love.

The love styles listed above have also been linked to one’s style of attachment (see, Levy and Davis).

• Eros and Agape are linked to Secure Attachment
• Mania is linked to Anxious Attachment
• Ludus is linked to Dismissing Attachment

Overall, when thinking about love and relationships, sometimes it helps to keep in mind that love does not always mean the same thing to everyone.

The Noble Eightfold Path

who deserves your love & respect…?

understand?

To Understand Everything…

Is to Forgive Everything.

Buddha

Dalai Lama’s 18 rules for living:

A cup o’ zen tea ~

A Cup of Tea

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”

“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

If You Love, Love Openly

Twenty monks and one nun, who was named Eshun, were practicing meditation with a certain Zen master.

Eshun was very pretty even though her head was shaved and her dress plain. Several monks secretly fell in love with her. One of them wrote her a love letter, insisting upon a private meeting.

Eshun did not reply. The following day the master gave a lecture to the group, and when it was over, Eshun arose. Addressing the one who had written her, she said: “If you really love me so much, come and embrace me now.”

spiritual facial recognition

Sometimes I find myself “holding back” in my expression.
Sometimes because you are experiencing relationship with others…. sometimes because I don’t want a big, powerful emotional transferance to overwhelm you or scare you off.

Somehow I feel so much more sane in that you shared YOUR side of the same coin.
what an interesting time.

in sharing your experience of the “spiritual connection” we share~
somehow it validated so much for me.

it’s like you can “see” me.
i felt like a ghost before, …

invisible to you.

Can you imagine living that existence for years as your soul-mate…. you’re other half mingles with others searching?

I’m like the character in Ghost- saying “hey!!! over here… i’m right here…. right in front of you… hey!

thank-you thank-you thank-you for being able to “see” me.

i don’t care what happens next~ you see my love demonstrated…..
and it makes my acts of devotion significant and purposeful FOR ME.

Thank you for that gift.
it means the world to me.

Nothing more “needs” to happen~
I will enjoy whatever comes with you, dear…..

but if I died tomorrow? I would die whole and complete now.

My heart.

J A E S E N

18 Remembrances about Life & Death ~

Home With God in a Life that Never Ends is Neale Donald Walsch’s new and final book in the Conversations with God series.
It describes in extraordinary detail the three stages of death and it offers a list of: 18 Remembrances about Life & Death

FIRST
DYING IS SOMETHING YOU DO FOR YOU.

SECOND
YOU ARE THE CAUSE OF YOUR OWN DEATH.
THIS IS ALWAYS TRUE, NO MATTER WHERE, OR HOW, YOU DIE.

THIRD
YOU CANNOT DIE AGAINST YOUR WILL.

FOURTH
NO PATH BACK HOME IS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER PATH.

FIFTH
DEATH IS NEVER A TRAGEDY. IT IS ALWAYS A GIFT.

SIXTH
YOU AND GOD ARE ONE.
THERE IS NO SEPARATION BETWEEN YOU.

SEVENTH
DEATH DOES NOT EXIST.

EIGHTH
YOU CANNOT CHANGE ULTIMATE REALITY,
BUT YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR EXPERIENCE OF IT.

NINTH
IT IS THE DESIRE OF ALL THAT IS
TO KNOW ITSELF IN ITS OWN EXPERIENCE.
THIS IS THE REASON FOR ALL OF LIFE.

TENTH
LIFE IS ETERNAL.

ELEVENTH
THE TIMING AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH
ARE ALWAYS PERFECT.

TWELFTH
THE DEATH OF EVERY PERSON ALWAYS SERVES THE AGENDA
OF EVERY OTHER PERSON WHO IS AWARE OF IT.
THAT IS WHY THEY ARE AWARE OF IT.
THEREFORE, NO DEATH (AND NO LIFE) IS EVER “WASTED.”

THIRTEENTH
BIRTH AND DEATH ARE THE SAME THING.

FOURTEENTH
YOU ARE CONTINUALLY IN THE ACT OF CREATION,
IN LIFE AND IN DEATH.

FIFTEENTH
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE END OF EVOLUTION.

SIXTEENTH
DEATH IS REVERSIBLE.

SEVENTEENTH
IN DEATH YOU WILL BE GREETED BY ALL OF YOUR LOVED ONES
–THOSE WHO HAVE DIED BEFORE YOU
AND THOSE WHO WILL DIE AFTER YOU.

EIGHTEENTH
FREE CHOICE IS THE ACT OF PURE CREATION,
THE SIGNATURE OF GOD, AND YOUR GIFT, YOUR GLORY,
AND YOUR POWER FOREVER AND EVER.

Post Credit: Neale Donald Walsch

Experiencing spiritual phenomena: The Matrix Jump Program 2.0

“You have to let it all go Neo…. “fear”; “doubt”; “disbelief”….. FREE YOUR MIND.

The jUMP program is a FAITH BASED program.

The MATRIX jUMP program… no ones made their 1st jump….

What does that mean?
It doesn’t mean any thing.

The girl in the red dress EXPERIENCE:

Remember: YOU create the system, you create your experience:

Embrace the fact that there may be NO RULES… and that in fact you may, even now be able to dodge buLLets… or, as in the case of Jules and Vincent (as well as Neo) you won’t have to.

YOU are master creator. You create “the girl in the red dress”
(…. or Better!)

“everythings made to be broken…”

And I’d give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be
And I don’t want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cause sooner or later it’s over
I just don’t want to miss you tonight

And I don’t want the world to see me
Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And you can’t fight the tears that ain’t coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything seems like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know your alive

And I don’t want the world to see me
Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I don’t want the world to see me
Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am

c i t y
of
a n g e ls

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