Inward Direction

Our answers are always inward, you just need to make sure you’re heading in an inward direction so what you’re doing is a benefit to your life and the life of others…

Looking back I can see I had an inward direction which I wanted my life to go when I begin the study of my own mind. There weren’t any lofty goals to achieve anything or to make my life about something in particular. All that was wanted was a direction providing a peace that eluded me for most of my life; my direction became inward. This is still my direction today, but because one is on a so called spiritual path that doesn’t make the direction you’re heading automatically beneficial. I did things for years that I was told were right and it turned out not to be so beneficial; these things actually kept me in bondage. What I do today is beneficial, and how I know this is because my direction is inward and I’m at peace and don’t have a real desire for anything else. I have passion in my heart for things, but not an aching because I need this moment to be different. I’m not looking for anything, that’s how I know the direction is beneficial.

You may be reading all the books, quoting all the right people, and putting all your energy into that direction. The question to ask yourself is can you stop it all and still be at peace? If not, your direction is only being used as a distraction. I was distracted for forty nine years so I know what I’m talking about. If you’re not at peace, your direction isn’t inward. All things are pointers, but the misdirection is in thinking the pointers are the answers. The answers are always inward, you just need to make sure you’re heading in an inward direction so what you do is beneficial to your life and the life of all beings…

Learned Lack

You can only do what you have learned to do, so unless you wake up to see what that is, what you have learned will remain in place and that will be the driving force behind your intentions…

Everything reached for is a coping mechanism that you have learned to use. And although using different things produces different outcomes, the core of all reaching is the same, it arises from learning you lack something. Learning you lack something is what causes you to constantly need to reach for something. The lack isn’t real, but the lack intention makes you believe it is and the ensuing behavior manifest to fill it. The lack intention says, Hey you have lack and you need to reach for something to fill it. And depending on how you’ve learned that will be what you reach for; sit and ponder this for awhile.

Until this learned lack is understood and the intention is seen for what it truly is, suffering will remain because you will always need something to fulfill the intention to fill the lack. When you learn there’s lack, filling it becomes the driving intention of your existence. This keeps the mind in a constant state of agitation. This cannot be seen by a mind that has learned to lack, only a quiet mind will be aware of this. The reason why anything is reached for is because you learned to think the present moment needs to be different; this is the lie of lacks intention. You can only do what you’ve learned to do, unless you wake up to see what this is, lack will remain in place and it will be the driving force behind your intentions…

Blurry Eyed View

Although what occurs now happens now, when it’s seen through blurry eyes it’s not seen as it actually happens. You can’t be present for the present until your blurry eyes see clearly…

Living from blurry eyed past energy isn’t something that jumps out at you; the view lingers in place waiting for its opportunity. It doesn’t have to be glaring, nor does blurry eyed energy patterns always manifest as totally destructive action. It’s destructive when it doesn’t allow you to be with what’s occurring right now. It takes you away from truly living your life. You end up doing the same thing over and over, hence getting the same results. Basically it’s as if you’re stuck in a rut which only gets deeper each time the blurry eyed view is grabbed and brought into the present. You can’t be present for the present when the blurry eye energy is being used to live now. Much quietness will be needed to see how the blurry eyed view is in control.

The blurry eyed energy patterns are very subtle and are deeply ingrained. Noticing this is the first step in one’s liberation from this energy. This energy is so controlling because it’s brought into the present and blocks the ability to truly see. Not many see the moment of what’s actually occurring. Although what occurs now happens now, it’s mostly seen through a blurry eyed view so one isn’t with what is actually happening now. There’s so much blurry eyed energy, only in awareness can this even begin to clear up. Watch the mind and how it constantly uses the blurry eyed energy. How you can tell something is blurry is by the label being applied to the present moment because when it’s all said and done, the present moment doesn’t need a label to clearly see…

Silence of a Flower

A flower doesn’t make itself grow. In the Spring it arises from stillness and in the fall it returns to stillness. This occurs naturally from its own stillness; it needs no assistance…

When the stillness of a flower is seen as life itself and not as the flower, it’s at this point that life is truly lived. You will begin to understand your own existence through the stillness of a flower. When there’s awareness of the stillness of a flower, you will truly see yourself; this is when the essence of life begins to be seen. It will be in this awareness of stillness that the stillness of life will be understood. Enjoy your life, but the joy is not in the things of life, joy is in the experiences of stillness; conditioning produces noise, stillness produces joy. That which most seek to enjoy is noise, joy cannot be attained because it’s already there within you and you cannot attain that which you already possess; this will only be seen through stillness.

Find a place to sit where it’s quiet, sit and be mindful of each breath. Not you breathing in and out, but how each breath occurs on its own. Sit with this mindfulness, watch how many breaths can be counted before the mind wanders. I get to about fifty and no matter how hard I concentrate the mind wanders; when I began doing this six or seven was the number. This is one method used in developing stillness discipline. When you know what noise is, you will know what stillness is. Just watch the flower, don’t label it, just watch it, the flower never labelled itself; through its own stillness it arises. It never consciously did anything, from the stillness of the Universe it appeared. Stillness is where all of life arises from because stillness is itself life; if you don’t believe, go ask the flower…

Embracing Silence

Embracing silence is where love embraces our humanness. This embracing comes from life itself, it’s not a doing or it would already be so. Silence embraces the true essence of life…

Silence is where life truly occurs. It‘s where love embraces our humanness. Embrace what is no matter what because it‘s what’s there or it wouldn’t be so. What’s there cannot be changed until it’s not there; embrace life as it is. Don’t suppress it, let it flow. Any change needed will come from life itself, it’s not a doing or it would already be so. Sit in quiet, see who is sitting, who wants life different. When this self is no more, that’s when life becomes different; with the difference being no longer will your humanness matter because silence is embraced and takes over.

Silence allows the mind to settle because it allows the noise in the head to subside. It will settle on its own when what is is embraced. Don’t think about who you are, be who you are. Your “I Am” needs nothing added to it to be, it’s the true essence of being human; anything added is a story created. The more one lives by this added story the less silence is embraced and the less our humanness is embraced. When our humanness is embraced it gets swallowed up by love. Just be with whatever life offers. No second thoughts of why this or that is done, just be with it and let it flow. Sit often, don’t attach and the mind will settle, or not and it won’t. Either way life occurs, it’s just that in embracing the silence of what’s there, love arises…

Beyond Selfish Thinking

When thinking is the primary means to live by, the minds content is mostly restricted by a selfish view, but if and when the mind settles the selfishness is replaced with loving content…

Humans have conflicts with each other because of selfish thinking. When there’s constant thinking about yourself there’s very little unity with yourself and with the world. Everyone thinks they’re right which arises from what is heard or what’s read somewhere; all this does is ingrain one to a selfish view. This selfish thinking is the only view that is seen until the mind becomes quiet enough to allow the selfishness to be replaced with love.

What happens when the mind settles is it allows for two views to be seen. One is the view of the selfish stories of one’s conditioned thinking. The other is the unrestricted view of love by just doing what’s in front of you without thinking because it’s what’s there. Both views are from the same mind, but there will mostly be the selfish view until the mind settles. When this settling occurs, the view becomes loving as the restrictions provided by selfish thinking fall away. It will be at this point that you will go beyond thinking from the selfish view and see the unrestricted view of love by just doing what’s in front of you without the need to think about it…

Truth Completeness

There is a completeness from truth that is only experienced when there’s trust in it, and although you may want things to be a certain way, there’s the understanding that completeness is in trusting the truth…

Completeness is the result of trusting the truth. Only when there is trust will you experience a truth in completeness that’s for the betterment of the Universe. This pertains strictly in matters from a heart of love, not one that is selfish. It isn’t in the things attained or if life is the way you want it that provides completeness, it’s the knowing and trusting the way things are because the Universe wants them to be that way. It’s the Universal fulfillment of truth that provides completeness as opposed to fulfilling some human want or desire. Truth provides more fulfillment than anything from our human side ever will. Completeness occurs when truth is allowed and even this is provided, it’s not something that a person can make occur.

There’s nothing wrong in wanting itself, whether it’s to better life, trying to assist others, or just having ice cream, but if there’s attachment to the wanting this is where problems arise because no longer is the Universe allowed to provide. It becomes “I” providing for “I” and when “I” provides for “I” it blocks the trusting of the truth of your heart. It’s from trusting the truth that one experiences completeness of the heart and it’s from here that it’s understood only truth is needed for one to be complete…

Mental Fabricaions

Wisdom arises when you’re fully mindful because the lies of the unwholesome mental fabrications fall away. It’s in being fully aware of this that the mind settles and allows you to live without lies…

There are mental fabrications of the mind that arise in each moment, they are wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral. The first is the unwholesome mental fabrication, this would be based in a lie and leads to suffering. Wholesome mental fabrications are those that lead to peace and joy. The wholesome ones don’t need a belief to be, they just need to be investigated to see the truth of their wholesomeness. The third mental fabrication is probably the most difficult one because it’s based in non judgement. It’s neither wholesome nor unwholesome, it’s neutral. It arises for everyone in the present moment and its function is to just see what is. This mental fabrication doesn’t interpret what arises, nor does it attach to it. Think of seeing a stranger on a platform at a train station. Without judgement there’s simply no attachment and neutral remains the mental fabrication of the moment. Once there’s judgement the mental fabrication of the moment changes.

At times unwholesome mental fabrications arise and are attached to. Although there is mindfulness of this somewhat simply because it’s happening, it’s labeled and thus attached to for the most part unconsciously. It’s the focus of these mental fabrications that determine their outcome. Being fully mindful allows you to see, but without needing a label. Being neutral allows you to recognize (perceive) but not be fully mindful. Wisdom arises when you’re fully mindful because the distractions of the unwholesome mental lies fall away. It’s in being fully aware of this that the mind settles and allows you to live without lies. Wisdom isn’t something learned, it arises when you’re disciplined enough to remain fully mindful in the present moment more often than not…

Seduction of Lust

The most important thing to understand about being seduced by lust is the less one is attached to “I” the less one will be seduced because without “I” there’s no one to lust…

Being seduced by lust is so enticing because it actually feels good and this is why lust is so powerful. The only real issue with this is because of the impermanent nature of lust. It simply will not last no matter what; it has no staying power so something else will be needed almost immediately following the fulfillment of lust. Think about it, with all the lustful desires that have been fulfilled throughout your life regardless of what it was, it doesn’t bring the fulfillment now that it brought at that time. Most times even if the same exact lustful fulfillment is physically repeated, it’s usually not as satisfying as the first experience. I used so many things as I was seduced by my lust seeking conditioning, but it was never lasting. The seduction of the next needed lustful desire always arose. This went on all the time, attaining one lustful desire after another and never being satisfied.

I’ve come to understand being seduced by lust as the main reason there’s reaching for things. If your lustful desires didn’t need fulfillment nothing would be reached for so there to would never be a need for anything, hence there wouldn’t be any issue. But unfortunately the seduction of lust has its way with people as it’s deeply ingrained in the subconscious; it has been in place before your existence began. I know being seduced by lust is what was controlling me for forty nine years and it was directly associated with “I”. Without “I” no one is there to be seduced. Even with this understanding, being seduced by lust doesn’t just disappear, but it does subside somewhat. To me the most important thing to understand about this is the less one is attached to “I” the less one will be seduced and it’s because without “I” there’s no one who needs to fulfill the next lustful desire…

Common Sense

When life is viewed with common sense it’s seen that things are as they are mostly because of the lack of discipline that a quiet mind provides. Common sense allows the mind to settle into a state that’s pure, innocent, and free…

When we apply common sense to life it’s so much more beneficial than relying on the made up stories the defy common sense. Simply stated; for all of us, a man and woman performed a deed many years ago and life began. The common sense here is a deed was performed that allowed transforming energy to manifest and you were the result. Nothing magical; a condition was satisfied that allowed birth. At the start of existence there’s nothing yet developed as far as the Conditioned Mind is concerned, so we’re pretty much pure, innocent and free.

The common sense here is there’s nothing yet developed for life not to be pure, innocent, and free. But as we grow older and influences begin to mold and condition the mind, the pure, innocent, and free state slowly gets replaced by the conditioned influences we’re surrounded by. This is the beginning of our Conditioned Mind Patterns, and unfortunately the base of most of these influences are self-serving. So we develop a Conditioned Mind that revolves around satisfying a conditioned self that has been influenced to be this way.

The Conditioned Mind considers this common sense approach as too simplistic so it can hold onto its story. The truth is the most beneficial way to live is inward, but this only occurs if one is quiet enough to see it. If this isn’t seen the mind will use a conditioned story of why living inwardly isn’t for you and your approach to life will not be from a common sense view. This prevents you from returning to the pure, innocent, and free state. Unfortunately because of this, life remains based in making decisions from an influenced mind and it will remain a struggle regardless of what changes are made…

Non Awareness Stories

Most people don’t really understand what an awakening is, but for those that do, what they awaken to is the awareness of the mind that tells you to do something is the same mind that questions why it was done…

All stories are created by your own mind; until there’s awareness of this the stories remain. One of the most important things to realize when it comes to breaking free of your stories is the mind that tells you to do something is the same mind that questions why it was done. Think about how it’s your own mind questioning itself, so what you’re basically doing 99% of the time is arguing with yourself. What’s crazy about this is it’s like there are two entities with different perspectives. This goes on in most lives every single day without realizing it, but don’t be fooled by the questioning because even the judgements that aren’t questioned create just as much of a story. To be awake is to be aware of this nonsense.

An awakening isn’t a magical state, it’s becoming aware of the storied thoughts that hold you in captivity, that’s basically it. It’s in this awareness that you’ll naturally stop attaching to your captivating stories. Being awake doesn’t stop them from arising, but with the awareness they’re there, the nonsense of when this happens is seen. Until this is realized the mind that tells you do something will continue to question why it was done, and there will continue to be judgements of others as your own created stories hold you in captivity…

Stuck Opinions

Stuck opinions keeps you attached to a world where there’s very little freedom because there’s no room for truth. If you want freedom, the stuck opinions will have to go…

The more opinions there are about something, the more you’re stuck to that opinion. It’s difficult to experience the openness of something if you’ve already decided how it is. To remain open one needs to limit their opinions. This is essential if there is be alignment with the Universe and be free from the things that you are stuck to. Being stuck to the things that have a hold on you will need to be let go of if there’s to be freedom; this hold is very subtle. Even the opinion on whether you like this post or not will keep you stuck in the same place. This post can resonate with you without an opinion, but opinions seem to make the world go round. That doesn’t mean it’s a good thing, but that’s just an opinion.

I lived an existence that was very opinionated for most of my life and this caused much conflict with people who weren’t of the same opinion; wars are started over being stuck to differences of opinions. If you’re really honest with yourself you’ll see that every disagreement you ever had with someone was caused by being stuck in a difference of an opinion about something. I’m not saying you shouldn’t stand up for truth, but truly knowing about something and having an opinion about it is totally different.

There’s a place of no opinion, if it’s not understood you’ll never become unstuck of your opinions and you’ll remain in an existence that’s stuck to opinions. When this is the place lived from there’s very little freedom. When you can just be with life as it unfolds and not label it as this or that, you’ll be on the verge of truly experiencing life, opinionated free. When you’re not stuck to everything and forming an opinion, there’s freedom to be with life as it is, without the need of an opinion that just keeps you stuck in the same place…

Lost in Thinking

When you’re thinking you need something to provide peace, it means you’re lost in thinking. Until this is understood, you’ll remain lost in thinking peace is something you’ll find one day…

There will never be peace in your life if you’re lost in thinking you’ll find peace. Peace is something that’s already within you, but because of the conditioned thinking, you get lost in thinking peace is something you’ll find one day. Unfortunately this thinking is what makes the very thing you’re thinking about elusive. Thinking is the reason there’s constant reaching for something from the outside, and until this type of thinking is no more, you’ll remain lost in thinking peace is in the next thing reached for. Reaching for anything is proof that you’re lost. I can’t stress this enough that being lost in your thinking has to be seen if you’re to ever experience true peace.

Thinking you’re at peace isn’t peace. What has to happen if you’re to ever experience peace is there has to be an understanding of what’s blocking you from peace; the reason why there isn’t peace is because of the inability to stop thinking about it. When the need to reach for something arises, lost in thinking begins. This is a conditioned cycle that’s very difficult to break. Peace isn’t something that can be attained by thinking about it so it’s in letting go of thinking about it that peace arises. Many get lost in trying to find peace, but since it’s already in you, the thinking associated with finding it needs to be discarded so you can see it’s there. This isn’t easy to see so I assist where possible so you may possibly uncover the reason why you’re lost in thinking you’re not at peace…

Lies Veersus Facts

What occurs when one awakens is there’s a revelation where lies give way to facts; this is truth revealed. With this revelation you no longer have a lying view, it’s now based in facts…

People think they change when they learn something new, but the essence of what is truly happening is what’s revealed are the facts that have always been there. It’s not really a change that occurs, it’s a revelation from a delusional lie, with the revelation being the understanding of the facts; looking at what is true. You cannot know truth if you don’t know your lies and you cannot know your lies if you don’t know what the facts are. The reason why it’s so difficult for this truth revelation to occur is because the mind will not settle down to see the facts. Your mind will tell you looking at what’s truthful, but that is the lie…

Self investigation isn’t easy especially when it’s first started, that’s why so many are hesitant to do it. It’s much easier to live the lie and not investigate it, but there are only benefits when a factual and honest self appraisal is done. A step into the unfamiliar will need to be taken so you can get to know the facts of the lie.

The mind defaults naturally to the conditioned lie because it’s what’s been taught, but a factual self appraisal allows for truth to be revealed and rise to the surface; this is how truth becomes known. When the revelation of truth is what’s taught, what happens is the veil of the lie is removed and where you were once blind you now see. It’s not a change, it’s a revelation that allows the factual truth that has always been there to be seen…

Masquerading Mind

The value of knowing yourself is priceless because it allows the mind to settle instead of needing to make up some story masquerading to be something that you’re not…

One of the insights revealed to me is having the awareness of my own presence. What is meant by this is to be aware of who I am and not try to be who I am not. When my book was published I was thinking of ways to get its message to people. Just by the fact that it was written I knew there was a valuable message to share about how my view of life became different. Shortly afterwards I started writing and posting articles on social media sites. One day I was contacted by a site to write articles for them, I thought this was a great way to get my books message some exposure. After about six articles the admin of the site said people were contacting her about my articles, saying they were like teachings and asked if I could make them more inspirational. I thought about it and decided I couldn’t compromise the message revealed to me. I told her I wouldn’t change my style; I didn’t write another article for them.

It was important for me to stand my ground on what was revealed to me then and it’s just as important now. The value of knowing who you are is priceless because it allows the mind to settle instead of needing a masquerading story. I don’t pretend to be this loving spiritual head in the clouds person; I am what I am. If there was such a thing as a spiritual labors union, I would be the head of it; I’m a blue collared spiritual person. I understand many things, but my feet are always planted in the present moment so if it’s not happening now, it doesn’t really matter all that much to me. I’ve learned early on not to live between my ears trying to be something I’m not. What this allows is to not have any masquerading energy within myself and in the process just be at peace with who I am. Not everyone agrees with my style of writing or what I write, but at the end of the day it’s me who I’m with and I’m grateful there’s no reason to masquerade around trying to be something that I’m not…