Selective Attention

Life is the way it is not because of what happens, but because of the label that’s applied which makes our attention selective and limited. If you can get beyond the label, you’ll understand just how limited it makes life.

What the eyes see and focus on is very limiting, this doesn’t mean what is seen isn’t there, it’s just seen in the limited way the Conditioned Mind makes it out to be. The process of seeing and labeling is what causes this. As soon as something is seen and the applied label is attached, therein lies our limit. From the applied names of people we know, to objects, feelings, and emotions, we have been conditioned to think these are all needed, especially as the label is associated with who we think we are. It also affects you when someone labels you and you attach to it. This is all because of how the eyes see and take in the projected image; it’s as if there’s a person up in your head that takes what the eyes see and selects the label and where the attention goes.

This also applies to sounds, sounds as are images are something that arise from the space of silence, the label doesn’t enhance life, it actually diminishes it because it fills up the space of silence with selective attention. In this selectiveness is our suffering because of the limit that’s applied, which closes the heart. This is how most people are conditioned, but if you can get beyond the label, you’ll understand just how limited your life is. I write a daily article, but there’s no label applied to it, it’s one of the reasons I’m able to write one everyday. The articles definitely exist, just not in the way they’re seen. Truth can only be experienced when one’s selective attention goes beyond the applied labeled and that will only happen when the person who is in your head is fired so what the eyes see and what the ears hear is not given a label.

Waking Up Now

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.

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 one’s heart to open to see their true nature of love. This isn’t the story of what one thinks love is, it’s unconditional love that arises from the depths of one’s heart. Most people don’t truly know what love is because it’s always centered around some attachment to a conditioned story, but 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 even given a 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 this 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 another fact is it’s impossible to truly love only some. A true transformation occurs when there’s no where else to turn, the danger in this is many transforms but 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. And although I had to hit a bottom to wake up, it’s my passion to assist in the waking process of those who are tired of suffering and want to wake up now.

Mind Agitated Noise

The noise in the head won’t quiet on its own regardless of what one has a belief in. Beliefs hinder the quieting because they’re just a response to a mind agitation that blocks our inner presence.

If the noise in the head is in control and running the show, it doesn’t matter much what’s going on, it’s going to be difficult to be in a place of peace. It’s such a noisy world and what makes it so is most people are looking for an answer out there when the answer is within. So what the noise actually is and how it’s created is by not being aware that you already have your answers. With a mind that’s conditioned to want answers, you have to constantly look for them, hence the noise. This is how the agitation of a Conditioned Mind is formed and how it blocks awareness to our inner presence. It’s noise created because if you knew you had your answers, the need to look for them would be non existent and so would the noise.

When and if you come to the place where you understand this, the noise may not stop completely, but it will begin the process of at least quieting. It’s imperative to understand this if our inner presence is to be experienced in life. If you don’t understand this, the noise will never stop at least while you are alive, it’s why it’s imperative to understand this now. Why wait to be at peace later when you can be at peace right now. It’s not like the noise is needed to live life, its only there because you unconsciously put it there.

Everyone has the ability to consciously allow the removal of the noise in the head, if practiced properly. It’s just not something that’s going to happen on its owns, but isn’t it beautiful that your peace is in your hands and it’s totally up to each individual how much peace is brought into your life. A little practice equates to a little peace. So it’s up to each individual to do what’s necessary to stop the noise, as you practice the noise quiets and you’re left with an inner presence. If you are waiting for anything else, you will be waiting a very long time and it will probably not happen while you are alive.

An Adversay Within

The ego lives in the ignorance of the Conditioned Mind, but when there’s light shed on this, ignorance falls away and the ego no longer needs to defend itself because it no longer considers itself an adversary.

Understanding the different thoughts that arise and seeing why some are defended and some are just let go of, has immense value in learning to live life to the fullest. One will want to develop some sort of practice that’s going to assist in differentiating what thoughts are beneficial. The ego is “I” and when “I” feels threatened it will defend itself with whatever tools it has developed to do so. These tools aren’t only used to defend itself against others, they’re also used to defend itself against itself. They’re the only reason a person reaches for something and it’s strictly because they are defending themselves from a threat that comes from within. This “I” is the cause of every addiction and of all conflicts, without “I” one does still exist, it’s just not in the way the ego makes it seem.

When one can see the truth that “I” (ego) is their only adversary, when a threat presents itself, there will be no need to defend it because it will be seen one is only defending themselves from themselves.There’s no suppressing this, nor anything else that arises because suppressing or pushing away is an action that deepens it’s control. To me awareness of an “I” existence is the beginning of it relinquishing its grip. In acknowledging it’s there, control dissipates somewhat, this happens when the energy of attachment is taken away. Never deny what’s there, just be aware of it and watch it dissolve on its own. The ego lives in the ignorance of the Conditioned Mind, but when there’s light shed on this, ignorance falls away and the ego no longer needs to defend itself because it no longer considers itself an adversary.

Bodily Presence

Although the mind is usually everywhere but the present moment, the body is a great anchor to use in a sitting practice because there’s no way it can’t be 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.

A Worldly Draw

The ways to be drawn in by the world are endless, but understand the draw comes from your own mind and even though the world provides the triggers, you alone attach to them.

If you’re practicing to live a spiritual life, but you don’t know your own mind, it’s like going to the gym, but not making much of an effort to work out. Granted it’s better than doing nothing, but if you can’t distinguish between love and hate, what’s beneficial and what isn’t or notice your attachments, what good is it, the whole point of the practice is being missed. Because of the draw of the outside world, it’s very difficult to look inward. There are so many things in place that prevent looking inward from happening, but if it doesn’t happen, one remains in bondage to the worlds trappings. And that’s all they are because when there’s even the slightest of an opening to allow this to be seen, one’s expansion begins.

The draw 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 draw is in control. This draw is only real to a degree, it’s there there’s no denying it, but why it’s in control is because there’s a fictitious 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 draw will continue its control; there’s really no way around this.
The aversion one has to the worldly draw makes it 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. And as I stated earlier, read all your books, study until you 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 really work out.

Judging Separates

Seeing conditioned behavior for what it is doesn’t condone unloving behavior nor does it exalt loving behavior, it just allows one the understanding that a person can only act as the conditioning in place dictates.

It’s pivotal to one’s peace of mind to separate and not judge the conditioned behavior of not only individuals, but also of oneself. If one is to ever be at peace there can’t be judgement of how someone behaves, this instantly causes separation because it puts up a barrier between the one who’s judged and the one who is doing the judging. Judging emanates an energy that makes a me and a you, without this judging energy one is in unity with themselves and with others. I know this isn’t easy to accept, but from Adolf Hitler, Charles Manson, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, and the Dalai Lama just to name a few, they can only do what their conditioning tells them to do and although the consequences of their behavior is drastically different, judging any of them causes separation from oneself and thus from all humanity. Being non judgmental unites, judging separates.

Seeing the conditioning for what it is doesn’t condone unloving behavior nor does it exalt loving behavior, it just allows one the understanding that everyone does what they’re conditioned to do. In this understanding there is a peace that passes all understanding and it’s because there’s no judging energy to cause separation. There can’t be because in this space of not judging and just seeing the conditioning for what it is, it’s not being assigned to anyone in particular, it’s just being seen as the conditioning in place and regardless if there’s loving or unloving behavior, it’s just conditioning, nothing more, nothing less.

No Real Choice

Many believe they have choices, but the reality is, there is no choice because one can only do what their conditioned view dictates and good, bad, or indifferent it’s only done because it’s what’s in place.

There really aren’t choices in life, it may seem as though there are, but the conditioning that’s in place dictates what one’s actions will be. From murder to loving kindness and all the other actions in between, the conditioning controls the actions. It’s as if one is a puppet on a string with the Conditioned Mind being the master puppeteer. For forty nine years I was controlled by my Conditioned Mind without awareness there was another way to view life. Today with awareness of this, my view is different and although it seems I have choices, the shift that occurred in me resulted in a different view, so my actions are now different; it’s not a choice, a different view allows me to see things differently so I naturally act differently.

I will use alcohol as an example. For years alcohol was one of the conditioned tools I used as a coping mechanism to deal with life, there was no choice here. It’s not this way today, not because I choose not to use it, it’s not a choice because it’s no longer the conditioned view that’s in place. If it was in place, I would use it; this isn’t a choice, I will do whatever I’m conditioned to do. One can only do what they’re conditioned to do and the only way this will be different is if one’s view becomes different. This is the view of accepting life as it is and not wanting anything to be different, a choice implies wanting it different. Many believe they have choices, but this belief creates an inner conflict. The reality is, there is no choice because one can only do what the conditioned view dictates and good, bad, or indifferent it’s only done because it’s what’s in place.

Selfishly Self Concerned

When the selfish self is in charge, you may think you have real concerns, but the truth is the only thing there’s a concern for is the selfish self getting what it wants when it wants it.

There’s so much conflict in our world, and although it’s all pointed outward, the only time something causes a conflict is when one wants what is happening or has happened to not only be different, but to also want it to be in the way they think it should be. One cannot have a true conflict with anything but oneself, and this is regardless of what happens. On my flight home yesterday from Florida, I was just sitting in quiet on the plane when the thought arose, how would I react if this plane was going to crash? What benefit would yelling, screaming and fearing death have? Would it change what was happening? Here’s the kicker, the only reason this would be considered a problem is because I would want what was happening to be different and preferably the way I think it should be. I know this is pretty drastic, but isn’t this the way it is with everything in our life. Look no further than our recent presidential election, now a recount, really?

Someone made a remark to me that not being concerned about something means I don’t care, but the lack of concern is only for what the selfish self thinks and as stated before, this is where all conflict arises from. In the case with the plane, the cause of the conflict would be the selfish self dying, isn’t death going to happen anyway at some point, so the conflict is caused by not wanting it to happen now, but that will not stop it from occurring. The plane analogy can be substituted with anything, if one is honest with themselves this will be seen. When the truth of this is revealed, it can have a deep impact on letting go of the selfish self because it will be seen that it does nothing but cause conflict with yourself, and unfortunately because of ignorance, some will actually believe they need to be this way. Whether it’s facing death, needing election results to be different or just about anything else you can think of, when the selfish self is in charge, you may think you have real concerns, but the truth is the only thing there’s a concern for is the selfish self getting what it wants when it wants it.

A Traveling Mind

When you are mentally somewhere other than where your body is, most of your life will be missed. Until there’s a mind and feet connection, the haze of the Conditioned Mind will continue its onslaught of control.

I was vacationing in Ft Lauderdale, Florida with my wife for the last four days and now that it’s time to go home, is my head going to be where my feet are? To me this is a very important question to ask because the mind goes to places where only the mind can go. You can be sitting on a couch or taking a shower and your mind will be in every place except where your feet are. The mind is constantly going to a place that only exist in your head and although it may be a stored memory, it isn’t what’s occurring right now so one isn’t truly living their life. Yes there is the physical existence and everyone who is alive experiences this, but just physically existing without awareness means you have a traveling mind and are in the haze of your conditioning. Watch the traveling mind as it bounces from place to place except where you truly are; where your feet are.

The point of this is to show how you may always be physically where your feet are, but if you’re not aware of where the mind is, you will most likely be somewhere else. This isn’t a good or bad thing, but it doesn’t allow you to live life as it happens. When you’re mentally somewhere other than where your body is, most of your life will be missed. The breath is used to stop the traveling mind because it anchors you in the body and when this occurs, one is physically and mentally in harmony with life as it’s happening. In this place of harmony with the mind and feet connected, you’ll be more aware of what life is offering; the haze of your conditioning will fall away and probably for one of the few times in your life it will truly be lived.

Finding Your Beach

Look down at your feet, regardless of where they're planted this is your beach. If it isn't it's because the need to reach is in place and it's blocking you from finding the beach you're already on.

When all of a sudden you're not at peace, what is it that takes you from it? The Corona beer commercial that tells you to "find you beach" always reminds me if I'm not at peace it's because I left my beach. For years I was constantly searching for my beach and expect for brief moments, my beach eluded me for most of my life. Why this was so was because my beach was always contingent on something that was outside of myself and whatever its form, it was always a beach based in what I thought I needed to provide comfort. There's no need to list what these beaches are because there are so many, they are the things one reaches for. These beaches come in many many forms and unless one truly takes a step back to see this, the reaching will always be there, but finding your beach will never happen.

The lies of the Conditioned Mind will dictate what you will reach for as your beach and until the conditioning to reach is changed, one's beach will continue to be sought and never be found. The only way this will change is by going inward to discover why there's a need to reach and once this is revealed, therein lies your beach. Your beach isn't from the thought realm though, it comes from the still small voice within that tells you it doesn't matter where you are or what's happening, all you have to do is look down at your feet and regardless of where they're planted this is your beach. If you need another beach it's because the need to reach is still in place and it's blocking you from finding the beach that you're already on.

Perfection in Place

Until one embraces the energy of just being with what's occurring right now, one will continue to seek what is deemed perfect and miss out on the perfection already in place.

The perfect life is never perfect because it's the way one may want it, it's perfect when one can accept it in the way that it is. Everything that occurs in life is perfect because it's what's there and although it will be labeled pleasant or unpleasant, neither one of these labels ever changes what occurs. The Conditioned Mind constantly pushes away the unpleasant and constantly tries to pull in what it deems as pleasant, but what's not understood is that both the pushing and pulling is the same energy. It's like positive and negative energy, most people want to be in a positive state and on the surface these energies may seem like total opposites, but upon further investigation what's revealed is positive and negative are from the same energy as pushing and pulling. Granted on the surface these energies produce much different results, but therein lies the issue because most people are controlled by results (the pleasant ones) and they think they're needed so life can be the way that it's wanted. I'm also not one for positive affirmations because that also is the energy of wanting things different or pushing and pulling energy. So what does this leave you with? What it leaves is for one to be in the space of stillness with what's actually occurring without labeling it, this is where true peace abides.

This peace doesn't push or pull, there's no need to when there's peace. Pushing and pulling energy only arises when the mind is agitated and one doesn't realize this is occurring. This is why being with what occurs in the present moment is so valuable because there's no pushing or pulling energy. When one is present, one is free and at peace. The Conditioned Mind is a liar and makes you believe all kinds of nonsense which makes you succumb to the pushing (unpleasant) or pulling (pleasant) energy, and until one embraces the energy of just being with what's occurring right now, one will continue to seek what is deemed perfect and miss out on the perfection already in place.

Open Your Heart to Everyone

Opening your heart to everyone includes yourself, so love yourself exactly as you are and understand if you don't, it's only because of the conditioning that's in place.

Tis the season, Apple has a Christmas commercial out and at the end of it it says "Open your heart to everyone" I teared up. It's a decision one has to be conscious of if it's to be put into place. There's so much unloving energy around that if one isn't conscious of the energy to open your heart to everyone, the conditioning will sneak in and keep one's heart closed. Awareness is the key in allowing the heart to open to everyone. Mostly the unloving or closed energy in place is there without fully realizing it. One may have an inkling that it's there, but without having a good amount of discipline which allows the mind to settle, this energy will be in control, even if it's not wanted to be.

I know I do things that aren't necessarily conducive to what's best for me, but they're still done because of the conditioning in place. Granted since I've been sitting and developing discipline, many things don't control me any longer, and for the most I am aligned with behaviors that are not only for my betterment, but also for the betterment of humanity, but things still are done even though I know better. It's just a part of the conditioning in place so I don't fret over it. I've learned you can only do what you're conditioned to do, and this won't change until the conditioning changes. Opening your heart to everyone includes yourself, so love yourself exactly as you are and understand if you don't, it's only because of the conditioning that's in place.

The Circle of Love

To be inside the circle of love, the heart must be unlocked and although this may not change what’s around you, it does change one’s view from looking inward to “I” to looking outward from love.

I’m sure everyone has heard the expression “the circle of life” but here’s a little different spin on it as “the circle of love”. Think of it as though life is a circle, when you love you’re inside the circle and when you don’t it means you’re living mostly from “I” which automatically puts you outside the circle. Outside the circle was how the first forty nine years of my life were lived. Occasionally I was in the circle, but not very often and this was because my “I” conditioning kept my heart locked which didn’t allow me to enter the circle. It’s nearly impossible to enter the circle from “I” because “I” is the lock that keeps that heart closed. When you see this, it gives you something tangible to work with which allows the heart to be unlocked, and with an unlocked heart one can be inside the circle of love.

Life and love can be synonymous, but only when one is inside the circle of love and one can only be inside when the heart is unlocked and opened. The locks of the world that keeps one outside the circle are many, it’s as though one is on the outside of a house looking in through a window. Love unlocks the heart to see things that were previously unseen, and this is what opens one to see as if they were inside the house looking out. When one is on the inside looking out it’s because the heart is unlocked and with the heart unlocked, it may not change what’s around you, but it does change one’s view from looking inward to “I” to looking outward from love.

Grateful To Be Alive

Grateful to be alive, not only for today, but for each and everyday because life itself is our greatest gift.

Being grateful for life occurs naturally as does love when there’s an understanding of what’s needed to live from the heart. Although love is natural it’s not automatic, so cultivating love is when life results in gratitude.

Gratitude naturally arises from a loving heart. It isn’t produced by attaching to anything from the materiel realm. If gratitude was from the material realm it would coincide with one’s possessions and that would make a person of wealth more grateful than one who didn’t have many? The true measure of a wealthy life has nothing to do with possessions, true wealth arises from a loving heart, that’s what measures wealth. You can only be grateful when you are content with life as it is, not with the way you wish it was or how it’s wanted or expected.

Wanting is never from our true self, it’s from the small self that thinks what’s wanted is needed to be complete. The true self never needs because it’s complete as it is. Needing arises from “I” it creates lack which creates a made up need. When there’s completeness there no lack so there’s no need. This lack also creates wanting and is in direct relation to one’s so called problems in life.
Whenever you want, it means you think life needs to be in some other way, this creates suffering. Gratitude doesn’t mean everything will be as wanted, but life must be accepted as it is if one is to be at peace and invoke a grateful heart; investigate this for yourself. Gratitude will not shield you from problems, it will allow you to not create them. Be grateful for your given life and you will find your loving heart, and when life is lived from a loving heart there will be harmony with yourself and with all beings. When this occurs you can’t help but to have an attitude that’s full of gratitude for life as it is, not because of what you possess, but because of the natural love that arises from your heart.