What's Mostly Missed

Everyone has the potential to look within to discover their own inner magnificence, but what’s needed to have this magnificence revealed is to learn to live with what’s occurring right now.

What’s mostly missed about the Conditioned Mind is the understanding how all reaching is the same regardless of what is being reached for. It’s all bondage and make no mistake your bondage is your prison. There are so many things reached for from ayahuasca, Heroin, sugar, love, God, programs and many others things, and it’s this reaching that needs to be understood if one is to break free from its enticing grip. Nobody just randomly reaches for something, it arises from within because there’s a lack that needs to be fulfilled. This is where the misunderstanding occurs and it’s because one thinks reaching for ayahuasca is different than reaching for Heroin. Granted the results may seem different, but since the true nature of the reaching isn’t identified you remain the same even though a story is created you are different. It easier to justify when you are reaching to help others than reaching for Heroin, but it’s still reaching to fulfill an inner lack.

I know this is difficult to grasp and many will say this guys crazy, how can reaching for God be the same as reaching for drugs or alcohol. Or how can reaching for ayahuasca be the same as reaching for Heroin, but it is as it all arises from the inability to truly be present for what’s happening right now. If there’s lack, this will be reinforced by one’s reaching and if this isn’t seen, you’ll remain in your bondage. Understanding this is difficult, but it’s why I don’t push to develop a program, or why I won’t become a life coach or anything else because it’s all reinforces reaching. I will help anyone look within to find their own inner magnificence; the only thing needed to do this is to learn to live with what’s occurring right now. To me right now is all anything should point to, but because why there’s reaching isn’t understood, one remains a prisoner to it and keeps reaching for the next whatever they think is needed to be fulfilled.

Escaping From Yourself

To accept yourself as you are is such a relief because the only real misery is wanting you to be in some other way. When it’s realized one has only been trying to escape from themselves, there is peace.

When one awakens the secrets of the Universe aren’t revealed, although in a way they are, what really happens is you stop needing to escape from yourself. To me the main attribute of waking up from the sleep of unconsciousness isn’t figuring out what life is all about, it’s not being concerned with what life is all about. The escaping, searching, reaching, and need to do ceases as it’s realized what you have been escaping from is yourself. It’s a great relief to accept yourself exactly as you are because the only real misery is wanting you to be in some other way. When this is seen the need to escape subsides as does the need to be right, and the need for things to be different, especially yourself. This doesn’t mean you don’t move forward to change, but it’s done so in a way that it doesn’t cause the very suffering that one is trying to avoid. When you stop escaping from yourself, you stop reaching, this occurs naturally. I had to escape from myself for forty nine years and it nearly killed me.

This was my awakening; to see that I was always escaping from myself. It was revealed that I could stop this and I was going to be okay. This is a beautiful space to be in, it’s the space where the peace that passes all understanding arises. It’s not a magical place for a select few, it’s a place where everyone’s heart dwells, one just has to stop trying to escape to experience it. The possibilities when one stops escaping are endless, there are no blocks here so creativity arises. No one knows what exactly may arise, but I can tell you this, when you stop escaping, reaching for things stops and life is lived in the peaceful state of accepting yourself as you are and nothing more is needed.

Beneficial Guidance

Our answers are always within, one just need to make sure the tools being used to provide them are guiding you in a direction that is the most beneficial to your life.

Ten years ago there was definite guidance in the direction my life was going when I begin the study of my own mind. There weren’t any goals to make my life about something in particular, all I was looking for is the peace that eluded me for most of my life. This is still the direction of my guidance today, but understand just because one is on a so called spiritual path, it doesn’t mean what you’re doing is truly beneficial to you. I did things for years I thought was right and it turned out to be not so beneficial; these things actually keep me in bondage. I won’t go into details, but what I do today is beneficial and how I know this is because I’m at peace and don’t have a desire for anything else. I have passion in my heart for things, but not an aching because I need this moment to be different. Not looking for anything is how you will know if what you’re doing is truly a benefit to you.

You may want to be the most spiritual person in your circle, you may be reading all the so called right books, quoting all the right people, and putting all your energy into your practice, but the question is can you stop it all and still be at peace? If not what you’re doing is being used as a distraction. I was distracted for forty nine years, try another book, a program, therapy, another pill, working out, meditation, or whatever, but when the tasks is complete and you’re living your daily life, if you’re not at peace, what you’re doing isn’t beneficial. All things are pointers, but where there is misdirection in guidance is in thinking the pointers are the answers. The answers are within, one just needs to make sure the tools being used to provide them are guiding you in a direction that is the most beneficial to your life.

Defining Moments

There are defining moments in life that expose the lies that lead to truth, but this truth doesn’t define who one is, it defines who one isn’t, and once who one isn’t is revealed, what’s left is who one is.

When one comes upon a defining moment in their life, depending on where they’re at in their state of consciousness, it will either be used as a defining moment to awaken or it will be missed and the moment will delve one deeper into their unconsciousness. When there is awareness of this defining moment, it puts one in alignment with their true essence of love. This is a moment that can change the direction of one’s entire existence. One can have many defining moments, a few of them, or just one. I had one in 2007 that altered the way I viewed existence.

I now have this moment to use as a reference point to describe the defining moment that transformed my life. It’s not like I don’t habitually return to some of my old conditioned behaviors, but no longer do they define me because I see the behavior was only done because it’s what I was conditioned to do; it no longer defines who I am. One can make up many stories as to who they are, by only when a defining moment exposes the lies can truth be known. What this truth has defined for me is not so much who I am, but more so who I am not, and because the truth of who I am not is known I now know who I am, and it really doesn’t need to be defined.

Thoughts Don't Liberate

When one is always concerned about getting to a place of peace, life just passes you by. A thought isn’t needed to see this, but it will take a mind that’s settled not to attach to your thoughts.

At the core of every belief is the thought of self that’s appoints authority to “I”. This self appointed authority manifest from an inner structure that is created so one can live in the most pleasurable of ways. We believe in everything we have in place because we ourselves have unconsciously chose that our thoughts make life better. There’s no other reason to attach to a thought except for the sole purpose it will provide pleasure in some way. Look into this very carefully to see how thoughts manifest in your life. God, money, material possessions, love, programs, spirituality, social status, enlightenment, and so on, are all formed to provide pleasure based on a thought. If this isn’t questioned your thoughts will continue their control even though it will not truly provide the results that it’s being attached to for; it can’t because an attached thought is bondage and bondage is suffering even if it isn’t seen.

Thoughts are basically used to create stories of beliefs, but I haven’t found one iota of usefulness making up a story of believing in something. I live in the space of what is and since there isn’t a story needed in this space, the thought of a belief isn’t necessary. This is true liberation; the thoughtless space of existence. It doesn’t take any thought, effort, or story to be liberated. The reason why so many don’t become liberated is a thought of the belief of liberation is attached to. The thought about liberation doesn’t provide liberation. It doesn’t take a thought formed belief to see this, but it does take a mind that’s settled not to attach to your thoughts about the belief of liberation.

No "I" Know Peace

Emotions arising when something happens to a loved one is natural. If one could just be with the arisen emotion without attaching to “I “ you would remain open and an emotional story wouldn’t come into play.

One of the main problems as to why so many people are seekers of peace and why it remains elusive is because peace is mostly sought as the conceptual thought of “I” and the thought of peace will never bring about that which “I” desires. Only the thought that “I” isn’t at peace makes one not at peace. You can ask, well if I think I’m at peace then will I be? I say no because it’s as if you are trying to talk yourself into it. It’s like whistling in the dark to keep away the boogeyman; it becomes more of a distraction than a real tool of peace. To go deeper, notice the thought “I” at the center of who desires peace. Creating problems is the nature of “I”. This is because “I” pushes away the truth of what is and looks for what isn’t. “I” is constantly looking for what isn’t in the form of wanting the present moment different. It uses all kinds of “I” concepts that one blindly adheres to.

Here’s an example of “I” attaching to a loved one dying. The emotions that arise are real, but now take grief and watch how it arises strictly from “I” not wanting the person who died to be dead. I will miss them is an “I” story, this creates tightness. Emotions arising because a loved one dies is natural, but if one could just be with the arisen emotions instead of attaching to them, you would remain open and an “I” story wouldn’t come into play; without an “I” story is to be without suffering or grief. Anyone who says grief is a natural process has never truly investigated “I” at a deeper level, they’re probably only repeating what someone else said. Don’t take my word for this, investigate “I” for yourself and stop being a prisoner to the emotions that “I” makes up which only keeps you from truly being at peace as peace remains only as a conceptual thought.

In the Grip

Make no mistake just because what has a hold of you isn’t seen, it doesn’t mean you aren’t in the grip. What it does mean is the grip has total control and you probably don’t even notice it…

Everyone is in the grip of something, it’s how tight the grips hold is that determines the degree of bondage and hence suffering. Many different consequences are a result of the grips hold, but make no mistake any grip results in being in prison to it. It can be a grip as subtle as must having your morning cup of coffee or a more damaging grip to drugs, alcohol, gambling, tobacco products, and anger, to name a few. The things used as the grip varies for everyone; as it is seen so it shall be. There are those grips that are common for everyone such as food, shelter, companionship, basic survival and whatnot. There’s the grip which is wide spread, but not attached to by everyone, this grip manifest as politics, porn, substance abuse, alcohol, sports, pleasure seeking, wealth, and many others. Then there’s the grip at the individual level, our pet peeves. The squeak in the car, annoyances of a person acting a certain way, traffic, and a number of other things.

What the grip makes a person reach for is generated by different energy, although wanting things different is the common link. Some grips seek sense pleasure, others simply want what’s happening right now to stop. Some grips have pushing energy like if you go to the doctor and get a diagnosis you don’t like. Others have pulling energy like seeing something attractive that you want, whether right now or making plans to attain it at a later date. The grip uses many disguises so if one doesn’t investigate this for themselves what is gripping you will go unnoticed. But make no mistake just because what has a hold of you isn’t seen, it doesn’t mean you aren’t in the grip. What it does mean is the grip has total control and you probably don’t even notice it…

A Biased View

There’s not much life in something that has no flow, and this is exactly what happens when one has a biased view, the free flowing energy is cut off and unfortunately causes suffering.

A biased view is what causes a person to get locked into only seeing things from that one side. It matters little what the bias is, as it’s the rigidness of being biased that doesn’t allow one’s energy to be free flowing. This is what happens when a story is created and it becomes the biased view of what life is about in any particular moment. The bias becomes very deeply engrained as one becomes more and more emotionally tied into whatever it is that’s being focused on. It’s very difficult to not attach to something that’s made up by the mind, but has a story of it being dear to our hearts, such as our children, spouse, parents, relatives, friends and so on. You can have compassion, passion, and genuine love for something without attaching to it and being biased.

To me this biased view is the normal view of most people and it’s why many suffer unnecessarily. I’ve noticed this occurring in so many lives and I can see the suffering it causes. Unfortunately those in the midst of this biased view can’t see it, nor can they pull themselves out of it until the bias is seen as the cause of their suffering. The biased view doesn’t allow the openness needed to be free from attachment and since attachment is the root of suffering, suffering is inevitable. The tighter the grip of something, the more one becomes biased and the less free flowing energy there is in one’s life. There’s not much life in something that has no flow and this is exactly what happens when one’s free flowing energy is cut off as the biased view controls life and inevitably causes suffering.

Hear What Life is Saying

There’s no way one will ever fully understand life intellectually so to fill in the gaps answers are made up, but it’s in the space of what arises that one hears what life is saying so answers aren’t needed.

Listening to what arises allows for harmony with life so what’s not of the mind can be heard; thoughts block this from occurring. What arises is always there, but it’s not always heard because of the noise between one’s ears. We are mostly programmed to live visually without taking much time to truly listen to what life is saying and thus we don’t truly hear. Living visually becomes the default view of many. Visual living is why one gets pulled around by outer circumstances and it’s because hearing what arises underneath the visual hasn’t been developed. There’s no way one can fully understand life intellectually so answers are made up, but in the space of what arises one hears what life is saying so answers aren’t needed. Listen to what arises and hear what life is saying. Develop your listening skills through sitting; just being with the sounds of what arises. Add nothing, take nothing away, just sit, listen, be with what arises.

Listening to what arises is so different than being drawn in by the visual view. This is because through the visual view a label of like or dislike is instantly applied and attachment follows to the point where it gains control. As this occurs the silence of what is actually occurring is missed. This is the beginning of how our stories are created and it’s because the space of what arises will be filled with something; it will either be a story or silence. Learning to hear what occurs as it arises is a skill few develop. Until it becomes the primary way life is viewed, the visual will continue to keep one in bondage to the senses as the outer circumstances remain in control and don’t allow for what life is saying to be heard.

Liberation Through Love

In the space between our thoughts our innate love hovers, waiting. When one awakens from being stuck in the thought realm to see this, the door to liberation opens.

You will never be free if you do not love. Love is the doorway to liberation. To see this a shift has to occur which allows you to get out of the way of all the preoccupied distractions that goes on between your ears. These distraction are what blocks out love from manifesting in one’s life. There are many doors to love, but there is only one that leads to liberation. If you don’t love, liberation will not be experienced and this is because the doorway most step through is based in selfishness. You may tell yourself you are free, but If you’re all caught up in your own thoughts, what’s truly going on will be missed; what’s missed is the true essence of your own innate love within.

To use love as a doorway to liberation the preoccupations with our thoughts will have to settle enough to allow this to be seen. Thinking, thinking, thinking, is just the way our conditioning holds us in captivity and keeps us preoccupied with ourselves. Basically we have to lose interest in ourselves and focus on the deeper process of love being a doorway to liberation. I’m not into positive thinking or affirmations, to me they’re just distraction; one cannot see what’s truly going on if you’re always trying to be the little engine who could. In the space between our thoughts is where our innate love is, waiting. When one awakens from being stuck in the thought realm to see this, the door to liberation opens.

Arising Creativity

Creative energy comes from the stillness within yourself. When there’s stillness you can truly get in touch with your own creativity and not need the worlds approval for what arises.

Whenever a person touches on their creative energy an exuberance occurs that can only come from this creative touch. When the creativity arises from this space it doesn’t matter whether you get paid for it or not. A songwriter enjoys writing whether the song is a number one hit on the charts or if it just remains in their personal collection. I don’t write to get money or anything else, I just enjoy writing, I create with words. The most important thing about creativity is to allow it to arise from the stillness of the heart. I don’t try to be anything that I’m not. It’s important for me to stay within the boundaries of what I know and write from there.

Regardless of your talent, whether you’re a musician, writer, artist, singer, actor, good at your day to day job, a parent, or whatever, let your creative energy engulf you. It’s what I do, it’s how I see what I see. Don’t fall prey to what the world offers, find what your own heart offers. Become the instrument the Universe plays its beautiful music through, whatever that music manifest as; mine manifest as writings. Understand though this doesn’t complete you, you are complete as you are. Realizing this will help you to just watch your inner creativity arise without attaching to it. I know this from experience and only the creative tip of the iceberg has been exposed to me. When my mind settled writing arose, all I did was look inward. It amazes me to this day that not only was I used to write a book, but I’m also used to write a daily article that touched lives and to me this is creativity at its finest.

Treadmill Path

As long as there is seeking there will always be seeking and one will remain on the treadmill path exerting all kinds of energy, but not really getting anywhere.

What keeps a person stuck on the treadmill path of seeking is trying to manufacture peace, love, kindness, mindfulness, spirituality, and so on, instead of aligning oneself through discipline with the present moment which allows these attributes to arise naturally. This is what keeps the treadmill energy in place. The energy of this seeking is circular (like a dog chasing its tail) so it’s never going to produce anything that’s going to get you off the treadmill. You may bounce to a seemingly different path because it’s given a different label, but as long as one thinks they have to do something to manufacture a certain desired result, running in place will continue regardless of what it’s called and so you will remain on the treadmill path.

This seeking of desired results makes a person use an an array of things, from sweets, drugs, alcohol, gambling, tv, success, sex, programs, another book, retreat, a path, meditation, and many other things. What these all have in common is they keep you engrained to the treadmill path of seeking which is attached to by the Conditioned Mind. A true transformation of the spirit cannot be manufactured. Repeat: A true transformation of the spirit cannot be manufactured. This is because seeking energy is the exact energy that blocks the alignment which allows energy to transform. Only when you get off the treadmill path can a transformation or shift occur. As long as there is seeking there will always be seeking and you will remain on the treadmill path exerting all kinds of energy, but not really getting anywhere.

Turmoil in Place

Although it seems what occurs in life is the cause of one’s arising turmoil, but this is not the case. The turmoil that arises is already in place, if it wasn’t there’s no way it would arise.

You can only react to life with what you have in place. Something like anger arises because it has been learned, this also goes for fear, greed, hate, and so on. I constantly reacted unconsciously for many years without any understanding whatsoever and it kept me locked into my inner turmoil, clueless that the only reason it was occurring was because it was in place. Simply put, when something occurred that I didn’t like, my inner turmoil arose without my permission or knowledge and I reacted in the way that I did. What arose was whatever my conditioning deemed appropriate. The only reason this happened is because it was already there laying in wait: like a lion waiting to pounce on its unsuspecting prey.

Understanding this is where there is power in knowledge. If why one’s inner turmoil arises isn’t understood, there will be very little true periods where this turmoil reactions are not in control. Through awareness of what’s arising, one has something tangible to use to get beyond it. Why most people remain as they are and repeat the same reactions over and over is because of the total unawareness of why it happens. To me this knowledge has immense value because when it’s seen one can truly decipher whether what’s in place is beneficial or not. It’s then that a course of action can be developed to change whatever’s in place that’s causing the non beneficial turmoil to arise.

Illusion of Self

Our beliefs manifest in many different ways, mostly as thought formed ideas, and concepts, but at the core of any of them is an attachment to the form of self that doesn’t truly exist.

The origination of all beliefs arise from the attachment to a self that doesn’t exist in the way the Conditioned Mind makes it appear. Without this belief and attachment to self no other belief would be given energy to arise nor would one be needed. Many times throughout the day especially when I just wake up, the self gets attached to which creates the belief this or that is needed to be in some other way, this stems strictly from the belief there is a self. What I have learned to do which immediately drops the attachment is to say “form is emptiness, emptiness is form”this provides a release point which instantly transforms the attaching energy to non attaching energy. Attaching energy will run its course unless something is in place to stop it. This is because what’s of the mind remains of the mind, that is until it doesn’t.

For me saying “form is emptiness, emptiness is form” takes the mind based attaching energy and neutralizes it. That’s what happens when this particular saying is used, but the saying isn’t magic, it’s the truth of the statement that has transforming quality’s. It also works when the breath is used, chanting, tapping, guided meditation, or whatever else is used to put one in the present moment. The minds energy controls in a circular motion. This is why there’s the constant barrage of repetitive thoughts and why it’s so difficult to break free from the Conditioned Mind grip. Truth transforms, so when the illusion of self is truly seen, there’s a settling of the mind. This allows one to simply be in the only place where truth exist; the present moment. And although form does exist in the present moment, it’s empty because it’s doesn’t exist in the way the Conditioned Mind makes it appear.

Storied Beliefs

Every belief that’s created is a story used to provide relief in some way, but if it was that easy one could just go around making up story after story whenever life didn’t go the way it was thought it should be.

There are very few hard facts to a belief, but this doesn’t stop a person from thinking the story of a belief is needed to provide relief. The only reason storied beliefs are made up to begin with is because of the way our minds have been conditioned. They’re used to keep the mind in a state of agitation by making one think things need to be different for there to be relief. It’s what the ego uses to keep one believing in a self that doesn’t exist. This is why most conflicts begin because of an ego that forms storied beliefs. Whatever the storied belief is in, whether it’s in a God that’s going to provide relief, a program, a different job or spouse, the next lottery win, or whatever storied belief is used that would provide relief, it all stems from one’s own conditioned thought that things need to be different in order for you to make sense of something that’s occurring.

To believe or not to believe, that is the question? It really has nothing to do with the belief, it has everything to do with creating a story and thinking if things were different there would be peace. This is what needs to be discovered if the falseness of a storied belief is to be revealed. If attaching to a storied belief is found to provide relief, by all means do it, but for me there is relief without a storied beliefs, especially because beliefs only exist in the mind. If they’re seen to be real and have some facts to back them up, believe them, attach to them, use them, but in truth don’t be surprised if when they are needed to fall back on, they don’t provide the relief that was believed they were going to provide.

Observing the Observer

When there’s attachment and you become the observer, the one who just observes disappears, that is until “I” is let go of, it is then that one can simply observe without labeling the observer.

Observing what arises is basically all that one can do. There’s nothing more that can be done because any doing takes away from being able to observe. Either one will see what arises or they won’t. If it’s not seen it will become a mind agitation which will be attached to and then the reaching for something to quiet the agitation will commence. This attaching to what arises is what causes one to suffer in the form of thoughts, emotions, feelings, ideas, and so on. If there isn’t attachment to what arise, observing is what happens, but you don’t become the observer because then it becomes a doing ; observing is just something that occurs. Just see and don’t add to it. You hear a dog bark, you just hear, there doesn’t have to be attaching to hearing the dog bark. The Conditioned Mind is very subtle, it will always try to attach something. Without a settled the mind agitations will rule.

Read my article and attach to the label that the mind agitation projects. Like it or don’t like it, see some value or don’t, the thing is those labels are the result of a mind agitation that makes you have to judge whatever it is that arises in the moment. If you can’t just observe it without adding to it, it’s because you have attached to the arisen agitation. This all comes from within the one that life happens to, but nothing really happens to you, it just happens. When driving a car or whatever else it is that arises, just observe, add nothing. When one becomes the observer, there’s attachment to “I”. When there’s just observing what arises, there’s no “I” involved so there’s no attachment. When you become the observer the one who just observes disappears, that is until “I” is let go of, it is then that one can simply observe without labeling the observer.

The Next Step

If one is to break free from the Conditioned Mind, the next step in the evolutionary process has to be taken. This is the letting go of all dependencies that are used for one to feel complete.

Letting go is the key in taking the next step in the evolution of yourself and humanity. Those who came before us and left directions served their purpose, but now a new millennium is here where the process has to keep expanding for humanity to keep on evolving. As I can only share my own experience with this, the reason for my suffering prior to ten years ago, even though I was shown a solid way was because I was dependent on the way and not it’s message. As long as this dependency on a way is in place, the cause of suffering will be in place and the evolutionary process will not expand.

If there’s dependency on the idea of God, Religion, any program, success, books, Guru’s, and anything else that’s being labeled and used as the way, this will not allow the expansion in the next step of the evolution process, yours and humanity’s. I’m not concerned if this is seen or agreed with, but this is a truth that is missed by 99.99999% of humanity. I take up the challenge, prove to me this isn’t true. You can argue with this from your Conditioned Mind as it will say who does this guy think he is, but I just state a fact, this will have to be investigated to see if it’s true. All dependencies are a made up story, there’s nothing factual to them, and that’s because a dependency is simply a made up belief, concept, or idea, that something from the outside is needed for completeness. What is stated here is factual and it’s only in the facts of non attachment that truth will be revealed. This is the next step in the evolutionary process, the question is are you willing to let go of your dependencies so the next step can be taken?

The Treasure is Within

People have left us maps to help find the treasure within, but if the map points to someone or something out there as the treasure, it’s probably not a true treasure map.

Throughout life one will use a variety of maps to chart a so called course to live by, and although these maps provide many different routes, they don’t lead to the treasure that is being sought. There are many maps to use and I have used a variety of them, but unbeknownst to me at the time none of them were the treasure map I thought they were. Many people left maps behind to use, but only a few are true treasure maps, and how you will know you are using a true treasure map is by it pointing you inward. No longer looking for the treasure is the treasure.

Ten years ago I stumbled upon some maps that led to this treasure within. To me Buddha’s map doesn’t point to the Buddha it points for one to look within. Same thing with Jesus, his map points us to look within to find our own love, our treasure. Jesus and the Buddha are the maps, but they’re not the treasure, the treasure is within oneself. There are many other maps that point to one’s inward treasure, this must be understood if the treasure is to be revealed.

Not many find their treasure because they think the maps are the treasure, but when it says X marks the spot, the X is not the one who left the map, it is you. Religion, 12 Step programs, retreats, seminars, and whatnot, are nothing but maps. What has evolved over time is the map has been mistaken for the treasure and because it’s not it doesn’t provide one with the wealth of looking within to discover the real treasure. This leads to people following many different maps, but very few discovering the treasure. Use whatever map you think is needed to reveal your treasure, just understand if it points to someone or something out there as the treasure, it’s probably not a true treasure map.

The Hole of Loneliness

When the mind settles the need to reach for something lessens. In the process the hole of loneliness disappears and it’s simply because an “I” story of a hole isn’t being created…

The hole of loneliness seems to get wider as one ages, but it doesn’t really, what happens is there are just less distractions so “I” takes more of a hold. The natural process of life seems to be to stay busy trying to figure things out and regardless of what exactly the figuring out manifest as, it certainly creates a lot of distractions. There are periods in between the busyness where a person has some idle time and probably feels the hole of loneliness, but it doesn’t usually last very long because the busyness of trying to figure out life returns. This busyness last most of one’s life, but there does come a time that the natural process of being busy lessens. At this stage many people experience a loneliness that hasn’t been noticed before so it will either be addressed by looking inward or one will get busy again trying to figure out how to fill the hole.

Eventually the busyness will end for whatever reason, but unfortunately for most people without the busyness the hole of loneliness rears its ugly head. Many elderly people struggle to fill this hole, but it’s so difficult because there just isn’t a lot going on. Kids are grown, retirement, house paid off, more time behind you than what’s left, and the list goes on. I was this way for many years, using distraction after distraction. There were very brief periods of not needing to reach, but these periods were far a few in between. That is until ten years ago when I hit an emotional bottom. I began sitting and simply looking inward which allowed me to see the distractions of my “I” needing to attach to a story. As I sat the mind settled and thus the “I” needing to reach for something lessened. In the process the hole of loneliness disappeared and it was simply because an “I” story of a hole was not being created…

Open Minded Energy

Open minded energy allows for objectivity and truth to be seen, and it can remain free flowing and beneficial as long as there isn’t attachment which closes the mind and only allows you to see things one way.

Thinking your way is the only way things should be viewed is the harmful energy of a closed mind. Why this is harmful is because it doesn’t allow for the free flowing energy of an open mind which can view things objectively instead of through the limiting factor of only one view. When the mind is closed nothing loving can come out of it because a closed mind has no flow to it. It’s as if you have already made up your mind how things are and this doesn’t allow for anything but that one very limited view. A closed mind is from the same energy as a car stuck in the mud. The tires spin, but the car remains stuck. As a matter of fact this energy actually creates a deeper rut that becomes almost impossible to break free of. As the tires spin the rut just gets deeper and deeper. There’s energy being applied here, but it’s not an energy of beneficial value.

Even if your view is of truth it matters little because the moment you think it’s the view all should have, it cuts off the free flowing energy of openness. The energy of a closed mind is judgmental so there’s no benefit to it because it doesn’t allow for love. To be open to allow everyone their space to see things as they do is the energy of freedom. To be closed limits and this causes one to be in bondage to that one limited usually a selfish based view. It’s never about being right, it’s more so learning to not allow labeling and judgements of what arises in the present moment. It’s doesn’t mean you can’t point others to the possibility of seeing things different, but it can never be at the expense of pushing anything away or pulling anything in. With open minded energy one can see truth, and it can remain free flowing and beneficial as long as there isn’t attachment which closes the mind and only allows you to see things one way.

Innocence of a Child

Until “become like little children” is truly understood, the adult conditioning will remain in control as bias, prejudice, hate, and greed. This is the real tragedy of when a child’s life is taken because their innocence is also taken.

When a child loses their life regardless of how it occurs, it’s a tragedy because their innocence is also lost. Very few if any adults live from the energy found in the innocence of a child. There are plenty of adults who are living from the energy of a baby (I want what I want when I want it) but there’s no innocence there, there’s just ignorance. In the Bible there’s a saying “become like little children” I see this as a pointer to a time before the conditioning of the world took over and one’s innocence was lost. Although there is certain DNA in place when existence begins, no one is born with a conditioned mind. We all begin our manifested life free of any bias, prejudice, hate, greed, and so on. These things only arise because of one’s own susceptibility to be conditioned and the conditioning passed on from the adults in our life. This conditioning slowly squeezes out the innocence we begin life with, the more influenced one is by conditioned adults while growing up, the less innocence there will be.

To lose a child is to lose the energy of their innocence, this is the true tragedy of all the school shootings. Make no mistake about this, it’s a tragedy whenever a child’s life is taken because there’s less of their pure, innocent, and free energy in the world. This allows for the adult conditioning to become more engrained which tightens the hold of the selfish baby energy of I want what I want when I want it. A child is simply beautiful in their innocence and it’s this innocence that’s going to change things. Until the saying “become like little children” is truly understood at the heart level, the adult conditioning will remain in control along with its bias, prejudice, hate, greed, and so on, and this is the real tragedy of when a child’s life is taken because all their innocence is also taken.

Eyes of Perception

You can only think what you think and react as you react because the conditioning in place is in control, and no matter how much you think you choose what you do, there is no choice…

Life is always as it is. We create our reality of life through the conditioned eyes of perception. You think what you think, you react as you react because the conditioning in place tells you to do so, there is no choice here. Until you get a clear picture of this conditioning, the eyes of perception will simply do what they’re designed to do and that’s control you. Perception shapes your life and unfortunately it takes you away from what’s really happening. The reality that most people see is a delusional one because it’s base on conditioned attachments. If these attachments (which are in place as perception) weren’t there, the view of life would be through eyes that see a clear truth. What creates this perception is all the influenced conditioning that begins as an infant. An infant has two fears, falling and loud noises, everything else is conditioning which leads to creating delusional perceptions.

Everything is conditioning until one becomes aware of this. The pacifier perception is one of the more deeply engrained conditions. The only thing that changes as a person ages is the pacifier changes it’s shape, but the same function of reaching for a pacifier last throughout one’s life, that is unless one becomes aware of this. Perception can’t change if the conditioning that makes the eyes see as they do doesn’t change, but for most the change will just be using another pacifier; that is until there’s a deep awareness of this. Most people just change perceptions, but true change occurs when the eyes of perception are no longer in control and the clear eyes without attachment take over.

Obligated to Love

Love is what will change the world so cultivate love until it’s at the core of how your life is viewed. When this is done you can become the change this world so desperately needs.

Not allowing outside circumstances to pull me in is one of if not the most important lesson I’ve learned in the last ten years. Prior to ten years ago most things that happened controlled me, some more than others, but the controlling aspect in some way always seemed to be there. Becoming aware of how much control the outside circumstances have over you is somewhat of a miracle as most people will never be aware of this; life will be blindly lived as to what is truly going on.

Its so easy to feel connected to life when things are going the way that you want, but how connected feel when things aren’t going your way is a true indication of how connected you really are. Our connection to life should never be different regardless of what the circumstances are, but because of our Conditioned Mind the tendency is to think we’re more connected when things are going the way that we want. Our connection shouldn’t be contingent on life’s circumstances because this will make life an emotional roller coaster. To be controlled by the circumstances of life is to controlled by our conditioning as if we were puppets on a string. It’s only this way because it’s what is unconsciously put into place. If we were conditioned differently our reactions to circumstances would be different, not better, just different. If this is to change love has to be our core. If love isn’t our core, our reactions to circumstances will be hard pressed to be of love. There is a certain responsibility with this because love is what will change the world and if you are aware of this you have an obligation to cultivate love so it’s at the core of your life. When you do this you can become the change this world so desperately needs.

Not Minding What Happens

Don’t mind what happens and a story won’t be generated. If you do mind, your energy will be transferred to whatever it is that’s wanted different and hence an attached story will be created.

The stories that are created you become, and it takes you on a ride base on whatever energy is used to create it. All stories are generated from something that happened in the past. There’s the story of your favorite team or the story of work. There’s the family story and the story of just wanting things different. Regardless the stories shapes your life because of attachment, not because of what happens. These attached stories are where emotions arise from, they’re where fear, discontent, and anger form and gain their power. This is what attachment does, it takes the power away from you and hands it over to the attachment. Without attachment how things affect you lessens.

Throughout the day if there’s not awareness to remain present, the story begins and your power gets transferred to attachment. It doesn’t matter what the story is, that you have transferred your power to an outside source is what matters. As spring approaches you may not be able to get rid of all the weeds on your lawn, but if you learn to not mind them, they won’t be a problem. Basically what has to be done in order not to create stories is, not mind what happens. If you want things to be different, your power will be transferred to whatever it is that’s wanted different; this attachment becomes the controlling energy of your life. Watch your stories, don’t mind what happens and even though you may have a lawn full of weeds, if there isn’t attachment it won’t matter all that much.

Conditioned Programming

If anything is ever going to change in our world, the conditioned programming will have to change. This will only happen when it’s seen this programming isn’t providing the most beneficial results.

A Conditioned Mind is programmed to do certain things and it will do just that. This occurs whether one wants it to or not. It has to occur because the mind has been conditioned to be this way. Our mind becomes programmed just like a computer operating system so unless the operating system is changed or at least upgraded to some degree, it will remain as originally programmed. It’s imperative to understand this so first the conditioning in place can be identified and second so what may not be serving you in the most beneficial way can be changed. Realizing this is the beginning stages of the possibility for the conditioning to change. This will take willingness because of how engrained the conditioning is, but this is more of an awareness thing than an actual exertion.

Once one becomes aware there’s another way to live, the process of changing begins. This is difficult at first because part of the original conditioning holds onto the familiar even if it’s not providing much benefit. It’s how the merry go round mind remains in place; even at the point of its own destruction. It has many tools and influences in place to do this, some inner, some outer, but it’s all just part of the conditioning. This is why when a person acts in a particular way and why they are more accountable than responsible for what they do. If anything is ever going to change in our world, the conditioning in place will have to change. This will only happen when it’s seen the conditioning is doing what its been designed to do, but it isn’t providing you with the most beneficial results possible.

Morning Silence

The unconscious mind creates story after story. Just being with what happens and not resisting it stops the need to create a story of having to arrange life to make it the way you think it should be.

To me starting the day in silence is of immense value because if silence isn’t embraced when the day begins, it will be very difficult for it to be embraced as the stories of the day unfold. Sit in the morning and take periodic breaks throughout the day and one day you will notice there is more silence than noise, and without noise the need for a story doesn’t exist. Silence has to be established in the morning because it’s when the noise is the loudest.

This noise that I’m referring to manifest as a story of whatever one thinks will make life the way that they think it’s needed. Every story is made up for one’s own satisfaction, regardless of how it plays out. Even if it’s to help others, if investigated deeper it’s to make one feel better. This holds true for any story. I don’t know if there’s a meaning to life, but I do know it’s not to make up a story that used to justify existence just to feel better.

This is what the unconscious mind does, it creates story after story, all to make one believe it will make you feel better, but life isn’t about feeling better by manufacturing some story. To me life isn’t really about anything in particular, but to learn how to be with the silence of what’s occurring right now. Just being with what happens and not resisting it stops the story of needing to arrange life to make it the way you think it needs to be. When this is seen one will be with the peace that passes all understanding and there won’t be a need to create a story to make it so.

Knowledge Isn't Enough

The heart only beats in the present moment which is the only place of true existence. It’s where life actually happens and it’s where one transforms without knowledge blocking it.

I often refer to the phrase I made up and enjoy using “Knowing all about the apple doesn’t make it taste better” here’s exactly what is meant by this. At the age of twenty eight 1988 to be exact, I put down alcohol for the last time and haven’t had any since. At that time I became immersed in studying the 12 Steps of AA. I learned a lot about alcoholism, and how I was selfish and self centered which was at the core of why I had to reach for something. I attained a lot of knowledge, but it seemed I was missing something; I was still reaching, just not for alcohol. I had much knowledge of the AA program and its 12 Steps, but I have since discovered knowledge alone isn’t enough for one to experience a transformation of the spirit.

This relying on knowledge alone is how people become dependent on programs, fall into the therapist trap, keep reaching for another book, seminar, retreat, or whatever. This is where you learn about yourself, but it doesn’t really enhance life to the point where there is freedom from the bondage of self. What happens is knowledge alone which is of the mind, keeps one stuck in their head. Knowledge isn’t a bad thing, but it can keep you entrapped in the head and you will never experience an expansion of the heart from there. The heart which only beats in the present moment is the only place of true existence. It’s where life actually happens and it’s where one’s spirit can transform without the knowledge of trying to make it happen. It’s in the stillness of life that truth is revealed and it doesn’t take knowledge to make it so.

The Discontent of Wanting

Wanting life different causes a discontent that’s not there when one is with life as it is. The is the reason there’s an addiction epidemic going on and it’s not going to stop until one can be with life as it is.

If you can’t be at peace with life as it is, you will be in the discontent of wanting life to be as it isn’t. To truly understand this makes all the difference in the world for how one lives their life. There’s a contentment that just is when one is with life as it is. This doesn’t mean anything as far as what happens, but it does mean something to how you process and react to what happens. The constant struggle with life is because of constantly wanting it different than what it is. This isn’t rocket science, existence seems to throw many obstacles our way, some obstacles are worse than others, the key is learning how not to be pulled in by them, or push them away. Wanting life to be different is what causes a discontent that’s not there when one is simply with life as it arises. This goes for anything that’s arises, whether it’s health related, a job, people, circumstances and events, or anything else that goes on, if it’s wanted to be different than what it is, discontentment will be the resulted energy.

One of the main reasons why someone has a need to reach for something (addiction) is to alter their state of being which is discontented, but understand the discontented mind can’t make itself content. This is because you are trying to stop the discontent with the mind that’s locked into the same energy that’s causing the discontent. You become just like a dog chasing its tail. The dog wants life different and it chasing its tail is it reaching for this; this is addiction. The addiction epidemic going on in the world is caused by wanting life different and it’s not going to stop until one can be with life as it is, not as it isn’t.

"I" Temptation

Temptation arises because “I” wants to satisfy some pleasure it’s making you think is needed, and “I” will win out every time until there’s awareness to stay out of harms way.

It’s so important to not put yourself in harms way when it comes to temptation, but it’s done because the way most minds are conditioned there’s a lack of awareness and discipline to make a stand against temptations energy for a long period of time. I see this in myself, but very slowly the conditioning that attaches to “I” is losing its grip. There’s so much of our make up associated with temptation that one should sit with this to see how much control it really has over you. This is mainly so because of the temporary pleasure that’s gotten from giving in to the temptation. Food, alcohol, drugs, sex (alone or with someone) gambling and so on, many things are used to satisfy the sense pleasures and if there isn’t awareness of this, it will be difficult not to get pulled around by temptation.

Temptation controlled my entire life because of never having the awareness or discipline to not get pulled around by “I” that always put me in harms way. Of course satisfying “I” is at the root of this and whenever a temptation is given into, initially it feels good, but it only last until the mind that told you to give in to the temptation poses the question, why did you do that. It has taken a few years to finally stop giving in to the temptation of pleasure and it’s only because there’s the awareness of “I”. Grab that cookie and see how long the satisfaction last, by the way sugar is more addictive than cocaine. The point of this isn’t to say the pleasures of life can’t be enjoyed, just watch who is attaching to them. See if you’re putting yourself in harms way which reinforces “I”. If this is seen you just may be able to not attach to “I” and lessen the control it has over you so you can truly live life happy, joyous, and free. Free from what? The alluring temptation of the control of “I”.

Attachment is Suffering

The attachment to something is what causes suffering not the thing itself. If there wasn’t the need to attach, there wouldn’t be suffering because one would be content with life as it is.

Regardless if you come from Park Ave or from park bench it doesn’t mean the suffering of the Conditioned Mind is lessened or greater. It really just means the circumstances of your life are different. Ten years ago, with life exactly the way that I wanted it, I was at an emotional bottom, at the depths of despair. I could have been a millionaire or had no money whatsoever and it wouldn’t have mattered. Society measures success on how much money one has, so the rich should be the happiest people in the world, but as we all know this is not the case. Matter of fact they may be some of the most miserable because what determines our suffering is our attachments. I have the life that I have, but having less would be okay.

Circumstances only matter to a mind that is conditioned. An attachment to being rich is no different than an attachment to being poor. Attachment is attachment, but what is attached to doesn’t cause suffering, the suffering comes from the need to attach itself. Cigarettes don’t cause cancer, “I” smoking them does. Sugar isn’t a problem, “I” consuming it does. You get the point. You can make all the excuses you want, but that’s all they are, excuses to justify what is done.

Social status doesn’t truly separate people into the haves and have nots, the Conditioned Mind does. Life is equal for all regardless of their social status, but because of attachment things are put into categories by the mind. We attach to our causes and create a reason for our existence. It has been my experience that peace only takes into account how still our mind becomes so we can be guided by Universal Love to do whatever it is that’s in front of us. Whatever it is that we attach to will take us away from this peace, and it doesn’t matter whether you come from Park Ave or park bench.

Using the Body

Regardless of what it is if it’s of the mind it creates bondage. The only way this is broken is by using the body as an anchor as the body is simply always in the present moment.

The importance of developing a sitting practice is in how this develops discipline which allows the mind to settle enough so one is in the present more often than not. The breath is used for this because it anchors you in the body which is always in the present. You never take a past or future breath, you can only take a breath in the present, this is why the breath is used. It’s the same reason chants are used, when Om is used, you don’t Om in the past or the future, you Om right now, when this is done it anchors you in the body which is always in the Now. The mind for most is constantly in the past or future, there are times when it’s present, but this is fleeting and mostly occurs because of happenstance. The body is a great anchor to use in a sitting practice because there’s no way it can’t be present. This doesn’t prevent anything from happening, but what it does do is it allows for one’s awareness to be with what’s happening instead of having resisting energy trying to use something to push it away. This resisting energy is at the core of how addictions manifest.

Besides a sitting practice, I often use the tool of simply looking down at my feet and since wherever my feet are there I am, it also anchors me in the present. This is also why one uses a mindfulness practice, such as walking meditation because as you are mindful of each step, you’re anchored in the body which as stated before, is always in the present moment. Life is magical in relation to the things that occur for one’s energy to be transformed to form, but there’s nothing magical in being present for what’s actually happening, as long as one is aware that it’s not happening to you, it’s just what’s happening, you just happen to be present to observe it.