Identified Agitations

When the mind becomes agitated, if the agitation is to be quieted, the cause of it needs to be identified. An agitated mind can’t do this, so one needs to get off the merry go round if there’s to be quiet.

When it’s understood all the problems one thinks they have are created by your own mind, it will also be known that these so called problems cannot be solved with the same mind that’s creating them. Simply put, a mind that creates a problem cannot be used to fix the problem that it has created. An example would be a person who uses alcohol as an escape mechanism. At first it seems as though it provides the sought after release, but as time goes by it affects life in a way that it no longer provides the escape, it actually becomes the reason why an escape mechanisms is reached for, but the person still uses the alcohol as the solution to escape the harm the alcohol is causing; insanity. The alcohol can be substituted with anything. What’s used doesn’t really matter, how you get stuck on the merry go round of reaching is the point of this article. It’s the Conditioned Mind that keeps a person on the merry go round of using the same mind to create and solve problems. I did this for years and today it’s not this way. It’s not that I have a different mind, but there’s a difference in the way it processes information, so in a sense it is different.

The main difference is now there’s quietness instead of a constant agitation. What quietness allows is being in the present moment and living and accepting what happens as opposed to wanting it to be in some other way. This is the way it has to be if there’s going to be peace in one’s life. Things may actually be the way one wants them at times, but it will never stay that way, so the key is to find peace when things aren’t the way that you think best suits you; doing this without reaching for something to comfort yourself is essential. Understanding that your own mind is creating this nonsense is the first step in establishing a true place of peace. When the origin of the mind agitations are known, they can be eliminated, but it will take practice. It’s vital to know your own mind if there’s ever to be freedom from it tantalizing grip. After all it’s not the great secrets of the Universe that are going to bring one peace, peace will occur with the understanding of why you think in ways that doesn’t allow peace.

Evolution

When the human brain gets a glimpse of itself as awareness aware of awareness, a tiny temporary window opens where one gets a fleeting glimpse of its own wonder and majesty.

Over the course of time our human conditioning has evolved to the point where we objectify and have perceptual input. That is why humans see the manifested universe as if it had things in it that are separate and are labeled as objects. In the center of this is our core “I” which is interpreted by the brain as self. In truth there is no such thing as a personal identity. Identity is method that is used to keep track of people. A personal identity exists only as an assumption, a concept and idea; simple a thought which is labeled. Experiencing the world as a labeled place and seeing it as if there were separate things in it is where one creates their own bondage.

When the human brain gets a glimpse of awareness aware of awareness, a tiny temporary window opens where one gets a fleeting glimpse of its own wonder and majesty. In a few of these objectifying brains there occurs a shift in perspective that allows one to see through the bondage of self which its own brain creates. This allows one to remain in what amounts to the space of seeing the shared dream of separation and knowing that its just that, a dream and all other things are also being dreamt. When this happens the attachment to an imagined personality and an ever present fear of impending doom loses its hold. The brain simple hovers in the joy and awe of awareness being aware of being aware. To me this is all that nirvana, being at one with the Spirit, or enlightenment really is. This all what the great mystics Jesus, Buddha, Ramana, and Nisargadatta, to name a few, saw and experienced. Their brains had simply become rewired to see that in the manifested universe of objects which included themselves, everything is an illusion and there is never separation.

Only the Best

Life can only be what it’s made out to be, making it a master piece will only occur when the best possible resources available which are within, are found and are utilized.

You wouldn’t settle on the second best doctor if you had a life threatening ailment, you would do the necessary research and find the best doctor available. Why is it that we look for our answers out there somewhere as our first choice when the best answers are within ourselves? We’re the best source for finding answers to what ails us, so once we have a proper diagnosis, the necessary actions can be taken to help heal the ailment. We have to use the best resources available for our answers, which are always within. Quietness is needed to understand this. Without it the mind makes one think the best available resources are out there somewhere.

This understanding will not occur on its own, it’ll take a willingness to allow this awareness. Without awareness it’s almost like picking a doctor through the old method of using the yellow pages in a phone book: remember them. Would you really take a chance like that? What is more important than your own life and having control over it? You can leave it up to chance, hope for the best and leave it at that or you can use the best resources available to do what’s necessary to cooperate with life so you’re in harmony with it. Life can only be what it’s made out to be, making it a master piece will only occur when the best possible resources available which are within, are found and are utilized. Either you do this or you settle for second best and let happenstance determine your reactions. It’s your life, using the best resources available allow it to be lived to the fullest.

Self Created Restrictions

Restrictions to an abundant life are self created by a mind that’s conditioned to self serve. One’s own mind creates these limits by keeping you attached to the lie the self serving mind is needed for abundance.

The restricted mind is conditioned to be that way and since it can’t get beyond its own created noise, truth is hidden from your view. This blocks out the ability to see the abundance life provides so instead of being in the presence of what is, one’s defaulted mind set tends to see the view of what isn’t. Learn to be with what is actually occurring and the default setting of the mind becomes one of abundance because the blocks to seeing what isn’t cease to exist. When this occurs the self serving mind isn’t in control and you are free to live without any restriction; the restriction being your own mind.

It’s only a Conditioned Mind that restricts. To restrict is to put a limit on something or to control something, this is what a Conditioned Mind does. Even though it seems like we choose to do what we do, when something is done that’s self serving, it’s restricted because no one, not even the one doing exactly what’s being done benefits because not only is one out of alignment with the Universe, one is out of alignment with themselves. When we go beyond this conditioning, we go beyond our own self created restrictions and we naturally see the abundance of life. To be without restriction is to be aligned with the Universe and to be aligned with the Universe is to be aligned with ourselves without the restriction of needing anything to be different than what it is.

Knowing Yourself

Until we become responsible for our own behavior and stop pointing the finger at others, our inner urging to reach will never fully go away and we will always have a need for the next fix.

If you don’t truly get to know yourself, you will constantly repeat behavior that doesn’t allow for cooperation with life. This is the core message of my book “It’s Monday Only in Your Mind: You Are Not Your Thoughts” http://www.mondayinyourmind.com My book is not a cure all, but it is a valuable tool if you have an inner urging to change things in your life. This isn’t a promotion for my book, it’s a promotion for a tool that can help a person be relieved from the bondage of self. That’s what our inner urging is, the urging of love to be relieved of our self absorption, and until this is understood, not a made up God or anything else will be able to help remove the blocks to this deep urging of love. This is not the fault of anything in particular, it’s just the way ours minds have evolved as we have become conditioned to behave in a manner that doesn’t allow for us to be in harmony with life.

Do what you may, hold onto your beliefs in whatever capacity you think you need to believe in, but understand you do what you do because of the way you have been conditioned, that’s it. It’s nobody’s fault and until we become responsible for our own behavior and stop pointing the finger at others, our inner urging to reach will most likely never fully go away and we will always need the next fix; our freedom will be fleeting at best. Stay in the control of your conditioning and stay in the prison of the bondage of self, and it’s unfortunate because while this is happening not even the made up story of God will be able to help you.

No Path Liberation

Trying to figure out what path is needed to become free from the bondage of self, keeps one locked in the bondage of self. The path of no path leads to liberation because there’s no self looking for it.

Ponder this, did you ever read or hear anything about Jesus or Buddha reading a book or following someone else to find their answers? Maybe they did at some point, but there comes a time when what’s read or what’s known has to be put into practice. One has to be careful though, just because there’s a so called practice in place, it doesn’t mean it will lead to a state of freedom from self. There has to be a practice that leads one in that direction for this to even have the possibility of occurring. There are many paths, but only one leads to the top of the mountain.

Keep practicing and when you come to a so called dead end, it’s a path that can now be eliminated from your practice. It isn’t a true dead end, it does have some value; one will be able to eliminate it because it’ll be known it doesn’t lead to the top of the mountain. It took the Buddha some years to become enlightened, but it only occurred because of the practice he had in place. It isn’t easy, it will take much inner resolve to stay the course. Even when it seems like a dead end it doesn’t mean it is, it’s just part of the process. One day there will only be one path, it’s the path of no path. This will not occur by sitting a little, reading a few books, following others, or running around trying to find the path. One gets out of life exactly what’s put into it and if that entails having a practice in place that simply puts one on top of the mountain, only then will one be free.

The Greatest Gift

The greatest gift you will ever receive is the gift of today, and even though the Conditioned Mind wants to make it about something else, it’s simply the greatest gift because one day it will not be so.

If you are alive it’s simply because you’ve been given the gift of life. There’s nothing that was done for this gift, it wasn’t earned, it was freely given. Nothing is done to sustain it, but much is done to hamper its natural progression. An open heart aligns with this understanding and puts one in harmony with life. The things of the world will one day pass, but it’s the openness of one’s heart that last for all eternity.

Enjoy the splendor of this day, not because it’s Christmas, but because you are alive today to simply experience it. The true gift of Christmas or whatever holiday is celebrated is being alive, for one day this will not be so. Obviously if this is being read that day isn’t today so enjoy whatever this day has to offer in all its splendor, not because of the material possessions, but simply because you are alive. If being alive isn’t enough what do think is needed to make it so? Since today is the day that you’re given, make it the masterpiece you so deserve, and more importantly keep your inner light lit on this day and everyday hereafter to be a light to the world. Remember the greatest gift you will ever receive is the gift of life, and it’s simply because one day it will not be so. Enjoy your gift, Merry Christmas.

The Space of Unity

In the space without thought is a unity with ourselves, life and all of creation. The more space there is, the more love infiltrates not only our life, but the lives of all beings.

In each moment one will either be creating a story about what’s going on or there will be space without thought. These places of existence are vastly different on an individual and collective level. If we constantly create stories, our mind will never settle and our true essence of love will not be allowed to infiltrate our life and the lives of others. Love isn’t the default setting of most people’s lives because of the unawareness of one’s own conditioning. There’s nothing right or wrong in this, it’s just what’s in place. It will take a very settled mind to become aware of the quietness which affords one the opportunity to wake up and see one’s conditioning.

When there is space without thought it’s so different because it involves no conditioning at all. It’s our place of unity with ourselves and others, this is what’s needed if our individual and collective consciousness is to change. When there’s unity with ourselves we will cease fighting anything or anybody. We will not regret anything in our past, present, or future. We will help others through the compassion of our awakened heart; self seeking will become non existent. When we are in unity with ourselves we are in unity with everything. In our unity struggles will be no more because they only arise from not being in unity. It’s the stories that cause struggles so when there is space it’s impossible to struggle. Space is where one becomes aware that our struggles are created by a Conditioned Mind that has been in control for far to long, so when there’s space without thought, what’s discovered is unity with ourselves, life, and all creation.

One Energy Source

Separation from yourself occurs when your energy source is made into a story. It becomes my story versus your story and there’s no connection when one comes from a place that causes separation.

The are so many labels for our energy source, but it’s not important what it’s called, what matters is connecting with it. Any words diminish it and put it in a so called 9box. This energy source is what led me from my self destructive behavior and it continues to lead me even when “I” takes hold in some self serving way. We’re our own obstacle because we can only connect with our energy source in the present moment and very few live there. The more when can be present and observe the stillness of the moment, the more chance there is to connect with our energy source. It doesn’t take a belief in something to allow this to happen, it takes an awakened heart to see that a belief actually blocks the connection to our energy source.

I’ve found it more beneficial not to limit myself with labeling this, it seems to allow the flow of energy to go in a more consistent direction, and although whatever the direction is I’m okay with it, connected to the energy source is mostly from love which is more of a benefit to humanity as a whole. There are many stories attached to about this energy which is what blocks one from connecting to it. There’s only one source of energy and the proof is everything is created from the same energy. There’s nothing to debate here because it’s the truth. The debate starts when our energy source is made into a story because it becomes my story versus your story and there’s no connection when one comes from a place that causes separation.

The World's Pull

The things that pull you into the world are endless, but understand the pull comes from your own mind and even though the worldly things provide the enticing, you alone attach to them.

If you’re practicing to live a life based in love, but you don’t know your own mind, it’s like going to the gym, but not making any effort. Granted it’s better than doing nothing, but if you can’t decipher between love and hate, what’s beneficial and what isn’t, or notice how you attach to things, what good is it, the whole point of the practice is missed. Because of the pull of the outside world, it’s very difficult to look inward. There are so many things in place that prevent looking inward from happening, and if it doesn’t happen, you remain in bondage to the worlds trappings. That’s all they are, when there’s even the slightest of openings to allow this to be seen, one’s expansion begins.

The pull of the world is very enticing, if it wasn’t the percentage of conscious and unconscious beings would be reversed, but it’s not this way because the pull is in control. Why the pull is in control is because there’s a delusional belief that it’s needed. We alone are the creators of this and if one doesn’t become familiar with their own mind, the worlds pull will continue its control; there’s really no way around this. The pull of the world is so enticing and this is what keeps one in the prison of the Conditioned Mind. There are many ways to be enticed by the world, but there is only one way to be free. Read all your books, become a know it all, meditate until you reach the state you think will bring you nirvana, but understand if you don’t know your own mind, it’s like going to the gym, but not making much of an effort to utilize the equipment.

Lip Service Love

Either you love all or you love none, there’s no such thing as putting conditions on love and only loving some. Unfortunately love is given a lot of lip service in our society, but not much heart service.

Why most people have to hit a bottom before there is significant change in their life is because of the way our selfish nature has evolved. This seems to be a common denominator amongst us which doesn’t allow the heart to open to see the true nature of love. There isn’t a story of what one thinks love is, true love arises from the depths of our heart and is unconditional. Most people don’t really know what love is because it’s always centered around some attachment to a conditioned story; true love needs no story. I know many who speak of love for their own children, but what about all those children who die everyday and aren’t given a second thought, that’s even if they’re given a first thought.

Unconditional love has no me, my, or I attached to it, as a matter of fact it has nothing attached to it and until the conditional story stops, suffering continues as the default setting of one’s mind. Unfortunately love is given a lot of lip service in our society, but not much heart service. You can’t pick and choose who to love, either you love all or you love none. There’s no such thing as only loving some; matter of fact it’s impossible to truly love only some. A true transformation of the spirit occurs when there’s no where else to turn, the danger in this is many transform not in this world. I don’t profess to understand how the Universe works, but I do know what happened to me and that’s what I share. Although I had to hit rock bottom to wake up, it’s my passion to assist others in the waking process who are tired of suffering and want to wake up to the love of their own heart.

An Aching Heart

Those who are truly awake have their head taken out of the sand and feel the deep suffering of the world, though not in the way of attachment, but arising from the deep root of compassion.

Tonight my heart aches. Don’t think for a moment that when one wakes from the sleep of unconsciousness life is all roses. I have never felt more compassion and love in my heart for others than I have for the last ten years, but there is so much suffering in place that it actually makes my heart ache. I know we all get caught up in our social media world and we like to talk about love, god, kindness and all the stuff that sounds good, but the reality is there is so much suffering occurring right now caused by people. I watched a movie yesterday based on a true story about human trafficking and I actually teared up. What humans do to other human is truly mind boggling. I’m not really sure where this is going, but this movie had an impact on me. Those who are truly awake will feel the deep suffering of the world, not in the way of attachment, but arising from the root of compassion.

Drugs, porn, human trafficking, murder, rape, war, abuse, politics, and so many other things are the reality of the world we live in, at least in the sense that these delusions are attached to. I’m only writing this because it’s what arose in my heart and it aches. To me these things can’t be ignored because of the suffering they cause. More and more the awareness of the deeply engrained selfishness of humanity is becoming apparent to me and this literally makes my heart ache. This does not take me from my peace, but what it does is it allows me to let go of the pettiness that’s so easy to get caught up in. There is much suffering in our world going on right now, when one awakens their head is taken out of the sand and they truly see what’s going on. This awareness allows for the peace that passes all understanding, but what needs to be understood is that humanity is destroying itself and although when this is seen one may be awake, seeing this makes the heart ache.

Perfection of What Is

The noise between your ears is what makes you think the next so called fix will make life perfect, so what searching is about is trying to have things as perfect as you think they need to be instead of accepting the perfection of what is.
It’s very easy to get stuck in the habit of constantly needing to arrange life to be a certain way. One is only stuck when they are controlled by the noise that’s between your ears. As the road to happy destiny is trudged our conditioning slowly changes, but contentment should never be based on things needing to be changed. I’ve come to an understanding that life is perfect when it’s accepted as it is. I am perfect in my imperfections as is life. Until this was understood, my searching for perfection remained in place. That’s what the search is really all about anyway, trying to have things as perfect as we think they need to be instead of accepting the perfection of what is. It’s the noise between your ears that makes you think the next so called fix will make life perfect.
For me my searching ended when I understood my conditioning is not me. I don’t try to be anything or achieve a certain state, I am what I am, this is my place of peace and the great thing about this is, it isn’t dependent on anything. Read your books, sit in meditation, go to the gym, do yoga and what not, but none of these things will stop the searching, that is until it’s realized what’s here right now is what one is searching for. I’m not labeling any of these things as good or bad, but if there’s searching labels will be applied. It doesn’t have to be this way, but it will take a mind that is very settled to be aware of this. Just how does the mind settle; by sitting and developing the discipline to allow the acceptance of things as they are. When this occurs, the searching stops because one realizes they already have what they’ve always been searching for.

Liberation From Self

Energy determines how you live. If that energy is constantly focused towards self, one will be selfish. If you possess the whole world, but aren’t liberated from self, you’ll remain stuck in a self created bondage.

Being liberated from the bondage of self requires turning one’s energy away from self serving thoughts. When the mind gets stuck in these thoughts, for there to be liberation, the mind needs to become unstuck. What makes it get stuck is energy that’s mostly focused on satisfying self in some way. Focusing on the sensation of mind, body, and mental formations helps to alleviate the bondage of self. This is a direct path to how one becomes liberated from suffering. You can only be free when the focus is on what allows freedom, but it’s tricky because to master your self takes constant vigilance. It will be your directed focus that determines the extent of the liberation and that will be the determining factor in how your life is lived.

Liberation from suffering is not pain free, it’s learning to be with the pain that arises. You cannot hide from what’s happening, you can only focus on something that anchors you in the Now. To no longer have your focus on satisfying self is where the path of liberation leads to and how this is done is by simply not focusing on self and focusing on what will liberate you. The self is there and it has been given a name, it has so many other different labels attached to it, but it creates bondage because of the mere fact of the attachment it has to self. Liberation occurs when there’s an understanding of the lies of self, not in creating concepts or beliefs. Where your energy is focused determines how you live. If that energy is constantly focused towards self, you will be selfish. If you possess the whole world, but aren’t liberated from self, you’ll remain stuck in your self created bondage.

Misunderstanding Emotions

Attaching to the thought about a situation is what allows emotions to take over. When this is understood nothing will pull you in so you’ll always be in control of how you’re affected by situations that arise.

Emotions are something that are mostly misunderstood by people. Very few truly see where emotions arise from and how they cause more problems than they’re worth. Recently my mom passed away and it was emotional for many people, I was not one of them. Being emotional doesn’t mean someone loves someone more than one who isn’t emotional, nor does it suggest emotional people have more passion about something. To me all emotions do is get a person unconsciously attached to a situation. This is usually out of their control and emotions also takes away any objectiveness to that situation. I’m not saying squash emotions if they arise, what I’m saying is investigate how much they’re really needed. What do they bring to the so called table?

This is my experience of how emotions arise and why they cause problems. Whatever occurs in life is looked at as a situation and if the thought of it is attached to, this gives the thought of the situation energy and hence an emotion will arise. This doesn’t change what has occurred, but it does add a certain energy to the situation at hand and depending on how attached to the thought of the situation one is determines how emotionally controlled one will be. I’m not telling anyone not to be emotional, if they arise they arise, all I’m saying is contrary to popular belief, I find absolutely no benefit at all to getting pulled around by a situation and becoming emotional. I’m always with what arises, but attaching to the thought about a situation is what allows emotions to take over. When this is understood nothing will pull you in so you will always be in control of how you are affected by situations that arise.

Inner Disturbances

The inner disturbances that keep you from your peace have nothing to do with life. They are a creation of your own mind and that’s what creates the disturbances which make you believe you are not at peace.

There are practical ways to minimize the inner disturbances that cause one to sabotage their own existence, but it has to be understood that the mind creating the disturbances cannot quiet them. You will have to find out why your own mind is telling you the disturbances are needed to cope with life; a life that is controlled by the conditioning to create these disturbances. Your own mind creates every disturbance you have by choosing to attach to thoughts that allow the disturbances to arise, this unconscious conditioning is why one gets disturbed. The Conditioned Mind develops this as you do things that are destructive to your own well being. Why this disturbed mind set is developed I’m not sure, but I do know it can be described only as insane because one’s own mind does this.

I know now it was my own mind that created disturbances which arose from within myself. Because of the shift that occurred some years ago, there is now awareness that disturbances don’t have to be created anymore. I sit for the sole purpose to develop discipline which allows the mind to settle. If there isn’t discipline, the conditioning won’t be understood nor why disturbances arise won’t be understood so one will be led around like a puppet on a string. Life does nothing to you, it’s your own mind that does it all. Why one lives in a disturbed place as opposed to a place of peace will never change until the conditioning that makes it so is changed. All I ever wanted was to be at peace, but I wasn’t aware it was my own mind that created disturbances which made me believe there wasn’t any.

Two Ways to Live

There are two ways a person can live, the mind set in place determines what one brings to humanity. Serve yourself and serve one or be of service to love and all humanity will be served.

There are two ways a person will live, one is to live life through a self serving mind which benefits only one person, yourself. The other is to live life through a loving kindness mind. This way is so much more beneficial because it involves many more people and its affects are lasting and wide spread. The self serving mind only satisfies self. This is pretty cut and dry on how this mind works. There isn’t much unity or love in living this way. Most people aren’t under the spell of a self serving all the time, there’s usually fluctuation between the two ways, but they can’t be in place at the same time. At any given time, the mind will either be one or the other, but the more the mind is conditioned to self serve, the more time one will spend thinking about and doing things only for themselves.

Let’s now look at the loving kindness mind and how this mindset encompasses all of humanity. It touches the entire Universe because that’s its source. This mindset isn’t self created or sustained by doing, it’s a direct result of being aligned with Universal Love. The loving kindness mind is the Universe, when this is the way there’s unity and love. It has to be this way because love only comes from love. It sustains itself, serves many, and is a benefit to all. What’s in place determines what one brings to humanity, so serve yourself and serve one or be of service to love and all humanity will be served.

Subtle Conditioning

When one’s distractions are seen as distractions, it is then that their true nature is revealed. Liberation will follow when the next distraction arises and one can simply turn away from its enticing lure.

The subtlness of the Conditioned Mind leave most unaware of what’s really going on in their life. Some of things that are given importance have no relevance at all, and things that are pushed aside keep the Conditioned Mind energy in place. It’s very difficult to not get pulled into the unconscious distractions of the world. They are presented in many forms and your individual conditioning is what determines what you will be attracted to. There is so much unconsciousness and unawareness of the distractions in place that it’s blindly accepted to be the normal energy of existence, but if one is fortunate enough to actually see this their entire existence changes. The main thing that has to be seen is how the distraction take you away from the present moment. Nothing happens outside of your head and feet connection, but the Conditioned Mind creates distractions that make you believe it does. The distraction are so subtle and unless the mind is very still they will control your life.

What these distractions make you believe is they are needed. It’s not seen how they hold you prisoner to your own conditioning. Look at this for yourself, from allowing traffic to control you, to the weather, politics, sex, eating, and whatever else is used, the distractions are simply in place to take you from the present moment which takes you from your true essence. Every distraction is a story and every story embeds the conditioning deeper in the subconscious. When the distractions are seen as distractions, it’s then that their true nature is revealed and when it is, one can see that they’re in place strictly to use whatever is available to keep the Conditioned Mind energy in control. Liberation will follow when the next distraction arises and one can simply turn away from its enticing lure.

Self Created Misery

All that happens in life affects a person because of the way one’s own mind allows it. The insanity of the Conditioned Mind is its self destructive distractions are all from within which means one creates their own misery.

When all is said and done regardless of what it’s called, I have found a way to minimize the distractions in my life that cause my own misery. It’s a misery that’s created by my own mind which tells me the misery is needed to cope with life; a life that was controlled by this distracted mind set. My own mind created all the misery that went on by giving into distractions I thought were needed, but all they did was cause me to act selfishly. I developed a mind that told me to do things that were destructive to my own well being. From relationships, to drugs, alcohol, gambling, and a slew of other things, nothing was ever chosen that was beneficial to my well being, I always seemed to cause more harm to myself than good. How this distracted mind set developed I’m not sure, but I do know this, it can be described as insanity to say the least.

Nine years ago an inner urging occurred that exposed the lie of these distractions. There’s no name for what happened, there isn’t a need to label it. All that’s needed to know is my behavior which was once totally self destructive is no longer this way. For years it was my own mind that allowed these created distractions, but because of the shift that occurred, there is now an awareness that these distractions don’t have to be created anymore. Regardless of what label is put on it the bottom line is this, when one is distracted by something it’s their own mind that creates it and this means one is not at peace. When there’s awareness of this, the mind isn’t allowed to attach to the distractions so there is peace, so to not attach to the distractions is key. All I ever wanted in my life was peace, but I didn’t know it was my own created distractions that was the cause of why there wasn’t any.

Expansion of Consciousness

The expansion of consciousness only happens in the now and it will only occur when one isn’t being distracted and using things that keeps them from the awareness of what’s occurring right now.

The reason why it’s so difficult for the expansion of consciousness is because of all the distractions that one has been conditioned to use; this conditioning is reinforced daily. Most distractions are used mainly for the fulfillment of pleasure, but others are also used for a variety of reasons. What they all have in common is they’re used as a distraction to keep one from the awareness of inner consciousness. These distraction range from, food, social media, music, sex, the spiritual path, and many other things. There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these, but when they’re used as a distraction from what’s occurring right now, they become a hinderance to one’s expansion of consciousness. I know it’s easy to get caught up in these distractions, but regardless of what the distractions manifest as, their core and why they arise are all the same. It’s strictly because “I” causes the mind to be agitated and the expansion of consciousness is not possible.

These distractions become a hinderance to one’s expansion because it keeps you locked in the distractions grip and if you’re not aware of this, you’re living in the delusion of the past and future; it’s a delusion because it’s not what’s occurring right now. I lived this way for forty nine years and it’s no wonder there wasn’t much expansion of consciousness in my life. I was constantly distracted looking for whatever it was I using to try and satisfy the distraction. Peace can only be had now and it will only occur when one isn’t distracted and blocking their expansion. Reach for and use anything you want, just understand there will always be another distraction because that’s just the way the conditioned mind works, and as long as the distractions are in place, the expansion of consciousness won’t be.

Something Different

Not many people will see something different is needed in their life unless they see a reason for it. Without an understanding of the Conditioned Mind it will be nearly impossible for this to be seen.

There has to be an understanding of what is truly going on so you can at least see that something different is needed. Without this understanding, it will be difficult to do the things that will allow something different to occur in your life, and it will only happen if that’s what you’re looking for. Not many people see the need for something to be different in their life unless there’s a reason for it and for me the reason was because the tools I had in place weren’t allowing me to see past my own self-centeredness: this is about inner change only. I reached a point in my life and not a favorable one, where I wasn’t doing the things that were producing results conducive to love. Tools are developed over a course of one’s life and they may have worked for most of your life, but if for some reason life becomes more and more of a struggle and you want the struggle to cease, something different will be needed.

Even though I didn’t realize it growing up, the tools I developed were leading me to my own destruction. A person has to see this to stop it from occurring and allow something different. The tool of reaching is what was causing this destruction and it was because the tool of awareness (noticing the mind agitations) was never developed. Here is the only reason a person reaches for anything, the mind becomes agitated and the attachment to the tool to reach is used. To have this be different, a new direction is needed so something different can be developed; I’ve found the tool of sitting to be helpful in the endeavor. Today I understand the Conditioned Mind enough that I do things that allows for the mind agitations to be noticed. By noticing this I can use something that’s been developed which doesn’t attach to them and lo and behold with no need to reach, there in lies one’s peace. Now to me that’s definitely something different.

Commitment to Love

Each day upon arising we make a decision, even if there’s no awareness of this one will either start the day in cooperation with the Divine Purpose or our own purpose; along with this decision are its consequences.

The lack of love in our lives is what causes our problems. Quieting our mind allows us to understand how this lack overtook us in the first place. When this is seen, discovering what caused our lack which in turn kept us from cooperating with life becomes the core principle of life. We decide to adhere to this so the blocks to our innate love can be removed.

This decision will be one that we will need to affirm over and over every day so we can come to understand what closes our heart and takes us out of harmony with life. The most important part of our decision is aligning our will with the Divine Purpose of the Universe which is to love. Change does not occur by itself so developing a steady regular practice is how it will happen.

Our decision entails a practice to develop an awareness of what will bring quietness into our life by learning to live in the present moment. This is the place, being present to what’s here, where the quietness begins and where life as-you-know-it ends. For most the only place the mind lives is in the past or the future as most minds have been conditioned to think the past or future is better than the present. This is what creates the noise in the head and the closing of our heart. Our whole practice is learning to be committed to being present so our innate love is allowed to arise which puts one in cooperation with life more often than not.

Harmony With Life

When there’s the understanding that cooperation with Universal Energy allows one to be in harmony with life, it is then that one will experience liberation from the bondage of self.

There is so much wasted energy trying to arrange life to be a certain way that it keeps our Creative Intelligence from fully emerging. Wrong effort will never produce beneficial results. Truly understanding how our self-centered behavior was the cause of all our problems gives us something tangible and real to work with. The Conditioned Mind Patterns which manifest in the form of behavior are something we can see, something that was developed over time, but they can be changed.

When this behavior is observed and understood it’s at this point that it becomes known that this is the block to our cooperation with Universal Energy or God if you’d like. With this knowledge we know in our hearts that we are finally on the path to freedom and happiness. No longer is there ignorance of how our lives had been controlled. Through recognizing our self-centeredness and taking responsibility for it, we learn new aspects of our mind. We learn how our behavior alone can take us out of harmony with life. We no longer look up above (outside ourselves) for our answers. We start to look within because we know this is where they are.

When there’s cooperation with one’s own Creative Intelligence, there’s cooperation with Universal Love. This love is what allows our harmony with life and when there’s harmony with life there’s harmony with all beings. Imagine if this harmony was aspired by the entire human race, I’m not sure what the results would be, but I can only guess that the world would be much different.

A Conditioned Illusion

The illusion that the past or future is a better place then what’s occurring right now creates our lack and in the process our incompleteness. A created purpose is a created illusion.

This is my understanding of how a person becomes conditioned throughout life, all without permission. We use the past and future to fulfill a created lack in the present moment. This lack is created by the Conditioned Mind (our ego). When we understand we are complete just as we are and nothing added will ever make us more complete, we stop using the past and future as a means for our fulfillment. The illusion created is that we need something for our completeness, whether it’s an object, a created purpose or whatever else our Conditioned Mind conjures up. So we search the past or future for it, but when one is present, there’s nothing needed so the search ends because there’s the realization one is complete; in stillness is our completeness because in stillness we are present. The illusion that the past or future is a better place then now creates our lack and in the process our incompleteness. A created purpose is a created illusion.

A person’s created lack is dependent on the way Conditioned Mind Patterns rule their life. The more controlled one is by these Mind Patterns, the more one lacks and the more this lack will be filled with behavior (the need to reach for something) that isn’t conducive to one’s spiritual well being (love). Learn to change the conditioning so there isn’t any lack created and you will always be filled with love, which is the essence of stillness. The lack doesn’t have to be there, but that’s dependent on how one practices living by principles that allow you to be filled and guided by love instead of trying to constantly fill a lack.

Your Own Tools

We are all unique in our own way and until it’s realized your answers are yours and yours alone, you will continue in the discontented search mode grasping for someone else’s answers.

When someone’s way is studied, all you do is learn what tools that person was given to get to where they are and even though you may think they have your answers they don’t, they can’t because we are all different and no two people have the exact same experience. Granted some seem to really get it, whatever it is, but I can guarantee you, the only reason it was gotten was because of the self investigation of their own mind. Why most people remain in the discontented search mode is because they are looking for a magic answer out there somewhere. This discontented search mode uses many things, from religion, politics, the spiritual path, careers, programs, significant other, children, drugs, ayahuasca, and whatever else the conditioning in place tells you is needed. It’s designed to keep you in its discontented search mode reaching for the next thing instead of looking at yourself. Looking inward was the turn around for me because the tools needed for this to occur were revealed when I stopped looking to someone or something else for answers. Many people share great pointers, but everyone has to find the ones that allow you to look at yourself.

The Conditioned Mind is so much more cunning than is known because it’s designed to keep you from awaking up. I was in discontented search mode for forty nine years until the day came when I realized no book, program, person, religion, philosophy, or anything else had my answers. That was the turning point when I began investigating my own mind. It doesn’t concern me one bit what anyone thinks of me because I don’t profess to have your answers, but I do have mine and how that came about is what I share. I point that’s it and what is pointed at is to stop looking for someone else to have your answers. We are all unique in our own way. Until it’s realized your answers are already within, and they are yours and yours alone, you will continue in the discontented search mode grasping for someone else’s answers even though all anyone can do is share the tools uniquely given to them.

Attach Nothing

Attach nothing and nothing will be needed. Imagine that, needing nothing to be happy, joyous, and free, and understanding that you’re complete just as you are.

Without inner silence the mindfulness needed not to create your stories will not occur. Even though this writing is a story of how not to create stories, the mindfulness of writing it helps to minimize the attachment to it, so once it’s written it’s complete. What determines if it’s the end of the story or not is how it’s related to one’s identity. The more it’s needed to form an identity, the more attachment there is and the more there’s a created story. No attachment, no needed story, no needed story, no discontentment of what isn’t. In this space all you are left with is what is, not the story of it, but the actual reality of what’s occurring.

Story, after story, after story. The story of how I feel, or the story of my book, or my life’s story, there is an endless supply of stories, that is until one becomes mindful that the story teller and the story are one in the same. Being with what is instead of a created story of what isn’t will be a most difficult endeavor, but it will be the most fulfilling lesson you will ever learn about life. Just be in the silence of what is. Attach nothing and nothing will be needed. Imagine that, needing nothing to be happy, joyous, and free, and understanding that you’re complete just as you are. It’s right there within your grasp, right in front of you, but you will never truly be mindful of it until you realize it’s not a story that you’re grasping for, it’s what’s already there.

Projected Ups and Downs

The label of up and down isn’t applied by life, it can only be applied by you. Life is simply the stillness which everything arises from and it never labels itself, only the projection of what you see can do that.

The so called ups and downs of life have nothing to do with life. There are no inherent ups or downs with what happens daily, the ups and downs are all a projection of your own mind. If you go to the doctor and you are told you have a year to live, taking it as a down is strictly from you, it’s a projection of your mind. It’s the same if let’s say you write a book and it becomes a number one best seller, if you think that’s an up It’s also a projection of your mind. You see life is never personal, it doesn’t particularly care if you win the lottery or lose your job. It has no say in what one considers an up or down. You can make up a story that life cares, but that is from you not life. The ups and downs of life don’t really happen, that is until the label is applied.

There’s so much nonsense that goes on between one’s ears and it’s all a projection of your own conditioning. It may seem as though it comes from something outside of you, but no label is ever applied by life, it can only be applied by you. So say your prayers, attach to the way you think things should be, but understand this, life is simply the stillness where everything arises from and it’s never up or down because it can’t be. You will label what happens anyway your conditioning tells you to and until this is seen life will continue to have its ups and downs, but only because that’s what you and you alone project.

The Best Tools Available

Everyone uses the tools they think are the best ones or they wouldn’t develop them, but that doesn’t mean they are the best tools available. If a tool is truly the best, it will never ever cause suffering to oneself or others.

One can only use the tools that have been developed to react to life situation. Whatever ones that have been developed to cope with life whether it be alcohol, drugs, anger, programs, therapy, medication, suicide, cutting, fantasizing, success, wealth, poverty, race, greed, envy, false pride, religion, tv, politics, sex, food, and so on, they are only used because they’re thought to be the best ones. If the developed tools stop working, new ones will need to be developed that work better. If no new ones are developed, the old ones will be used again and again. There is no way around this.

You will know when you are using the best available tools because they will never cause you or anyone else to suffer. What’s meant by a best tool is reflected in the actions that manifest. If there is conflict within that causes conflict with others, something isn’t right. The best tools will never cause conflict because that would equate to suffering. The gauge to see if the tools being used are truly the best available is in how much attachment one has. Attachment is the cause of all suffering so it’s a true gauge that can be used. Self investigation is also a tool, matter of fact every reaction one has is the result of a developed tool.

The best tool will never ever cause suffering to oneself or others, this is a fact. It can’t because it’s based in the quietness of love. Tools that are based in attachment to satisfy oneself cause suffering and this occurs regardless if one thinks they are using the best tools. Love doesn’t attach or ever cause suffering, nor do one’s developed tools as long as they are the best ones available.

Awareness

Awareness aware of awareness…..that’s it

Limited Choices

Going through life without an understanding of how the mind works makes this existence much more difficult because it limits the options. Limiting the options, limits the choices.

We discover the cause of all suffering when we are truly able to see our thinking for what it is and understand how it creates feelings and emotions that aren’t real. They feel real because of what our association is to them, but their reality is relative to our thinking and the association to our identity. When this is discovered and we disassociate with this kind of thinking, we become more aligned with the Creative Intelligence of the Universe which to me is love; love is what gives us so many more options in life.

When we stop believing in the nonsense of the self created world of thought, we learn how to allow love to be our guide. This is when we will be able to see our thoughts for what they truly are, disassociate them from who we are, and separate the ones that cause suffering and aren’t beneficial to anyone; this is when our suffering ceases to exist. This is not some belief, it is something factual, and I know this because it’s my direct experience. A thought cannot cause anything unless it’s given the energy needed to do so and this is what determines if the thought is held onto or not. The more it’s held onto, the more control it has over you. In the awareness of this is one’s freedom. It’s one’s own ignorance of this that creates one’s own suffering, and the suffering is caused by going through life without an understanding of how the mind works because it limits one’s options and with limited options one has limited choices.

Self Consumed

We seek because the Universe calls us, we see because the veil of ignorance is removed and our energy is directed by the director of that in which we seek.

We are a product of the Universe. We are not a product of ourselves. We did not call for our creation, nor do we call for the time when it will end. Our existence is a product of the Universe and the energy transformed to awaken is from the Universe. This is why we can’t really do anything to transform ourselves. We can only do the necessary practice to allow our heart to open so the Universe can fill us, but even this is not of our doing, the practice itself is from the urging of the Universe.

When there’s an urge to practice it’s because the Universe is calling. The reason some practice and some don’t is because the noise in the head is so loud, the still small voice within isn’t heard. Even though our urging seems as though it’s from an outside source, we are connected to all of life so the still small voice can only be heard from the stillness within. Through our Conditioned Mind we are marred in our self consumption, but understand this too is an urging from the Universe, it’s just not one that produces love. Energy always is, it’s just a matter of listening to the urging and following where it directs you. We seek because the Universe calls us, we see because the veil of ignorance is removed and our energy is directed by the director of that in which we seek.

Spirituality is not magical for a selected few who think they’re special, it’s available to anyone who makes it a practice to listen to the urging from within. The Universe calls, but are you listening? If you think you are listening, are you hearing the true message or are you making up your own message to fulfill a self consumed urging? It takes much quietness to hear the Universe’s urging, but the alternative is to follow our own urging. Now that’s scary because most of those urgings arise because one is self consumed.