Chasing Pleasure

For most, pleasure is something that’s constantly sought, this is a direct link to what keeps the mind in a state of agitation. When one can just be with things as they are, pleasure is no longer needed for the mind to be at peace.

We live in a pleasure seeking society, when it’s cold we want the pleasure of warmth and when it’s hot outside, being cool is the pleasure sought. Chasing after this pleasure is how many people spend their entire lives and if it’s not learned to just be ok with things as they are and not constantly have to alter the way that you feel, there will be very little peace in your life. We life mostly in a place where we’re afraid of the feeling of discomfort because it means looking at ourselves. Although our true essence is the love of all creation, this isn’t seen because the Conditioned Mind doesn’t allow it to be so.

Once a practice is developed that allows some discipline to at least slow the mind down, it can be seen how chasing after pleasure occupies most of our waking hours; we’re in a constant agitated state trying to have things the way we think they need to be in order to experience the pleasure of being at peace. The problem with this is nothing stays the same so we have to constantly make adjustments to experience this peace. It’s truly exhausting to live in this way, but it’s the way many of us spend most of our time. It doesn’t have to be this way, but the only way it won’t be is if one can be with what occurs and not want it any different than what it is. This doesn’t mean one can’t have pleasure, just understand pleasure isn’t what allows you to be at peace, only accepting things as they are will allow peace and that’s only because one sees the pleasure in that.

Ignorance Isn't Bliss

Truly diabolical is the Conditioned Mind and what makes it so is it isn’t seen nor understood that your enemies cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts can.

If you don’t learn to understand your own mind and the way it controls you, the control will never wane and although you will be alive, you will be no different than a plant which is basically controlled in the same way. A seed in its natural environment does what it’s conditioned to do to grow into a plant, but it just happens there’s not much else to it. People think they have free will and choices, but without truly understanding how the mind becomes conditioned so it can control, there is only bondage. This will have to be thoroughly investigated if it’s to be understood and even then it will not be easy to break the hold of the deeply engrained conditioning that’s in place. I know this from my experience and at least today by understanding the conditioning in place, its control has waned to a large degree. But make no mistake knowing all about the mind and understanding how it controls you are two different things.

Many are much more knowledgeable then me when it comes to knowing about the mind, but not many understand the conditioning in the way it has been revealed to me. There was total bondage for many years and because there wasn’t an understanding of this, it kept me ignorant to the control my own mind had over me. This ignorance was not bliss, it caused suffering to many, but nobody was with me all the time except myself so it caused the most suffering to me. This is what the Conditioned Mind does, it wrecks havoc internally which in turn manifest as unloving behavior externally. Truly diabolical is the Conditioned Mind and what makes it so is that this isn’t seen nor understood. And what truly needs to be understood is that your enemies cannot do you the harm that your own unguarded thoughts can.

Settled Mind Creativity

The world's rewards are not true rewards because the world only holds you in captivity to it. Sit often to develop the discipline that allows the mind to settle and watch what happens.

Prior to nine years ago I never wrote anything in my life. Today I'm a writer because that's where my creative energy took me. Regardless of your talent, musician, writer, 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 you don't need anything to complete you, you are complete as you are. Understanding this will help you to just watch your inner creativity arise. I know this from experience and only the tip of the iceberg has been seen for 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 seems to touch lives.

I'm often asked if there is going to be a second book, I always respond, there's no need the first one says it all. Not needing anything different is where I have found my peace and it's not something that I'm willing to give up. I really enjoy what has happened to me. I've had the honor of connecting with the hearts of many people and it has been my greatest gift; it's only because of the creativity that has arisen from having a settled mind. The world's rewards are not my rewards because the world only holds you in captivity to it. Sit often to develop the discipline that allows the mind to settle and watch what happens. I would have sold myself short if I tried to do what has been done to me and it's just not something I'm willing to now try and take control of. I prefer to remain the instrument and it's because the Universe is doing a far better job than I ever did with my life. My part is to be willing to basically stay out of the way and watch the settled mind creativity arise.

Simply Turn Away

When you can truly see how beneficial it is to come from a place of love, you will want to turn away from unloving behavior as much as possible because to not will only cause your own suffering.

There's a flow to loving energy that's cut off when you want things different and if you don't learn to simply turn away it will be difficult for the flow to return. This doesn't mean everything that happens will be liked, but by simply turning away, wanting things different energy won't cut off the flow of loving energy of keeping your head where your feet are in the present moment. After all to simply turn way is where peace abides. It's very difficult to do this all the time and I'm not saying I can, but I have learned to do it more and more. I still react in unloving ways at times because of the conditioning in place, but slowly loving energy is becoming the default energy. I don't always do the loving thing, but I definitely don't act in the selfish way I did for the first forty nine years of my life, but by understanding this even when it occurs it can be accepted by simply turning away.

Learning from each moment is key, I know perfection is not something I aspire to, that's why for me to simple turn away is so much more beneficial that giving something I may not really be sure of energy. To simply turn away is the most difficult in dealing with people, but a pivot point in this is when I can see how "I" wants to make it personal. Only "I" attaches and simply turning away naturally takes away making it personal. In summary simply turning away may be one of the most difficult things to learn in life. This is because of the conditioning of our I Self, but when one can truly see how beneficial it is to come from a place of love, you will want to turn away as much as possible because to not will only cause your own suffering.

Wholesome Consequences

The consequences that arise from living a wholesome life naturally puts one in alignment with the loving vibrations and frequency of the Universe. Apple seeds can only result in growing apples.

Nothing has to be done for one to enjoy wholesome consequences, they arise simply from living in a wholesome manner. The definition of wholesome is: conducive to or suggestive of good health, physical and moral well-being. When this is one's direction, the consequences that naturally arise are love, compassion, kindness, understanding, non judgement, to name a few, you cannot be wholesome and have unwholesome consequences. The unpleasantries of life will still occur, but the way they're dealt with will not allow their suffering to engulf you. There will still be pain, heart ache, and loss of loved ones, but by living in a wholesome way, suffering will be much less than if unwholesome principles were in place. Planting apple seeds can only result in growing apples, but the seeds have to cultivated for this to occur. The seed only has potential, it is not the apple.

Our wholesome qualities will also have to be cultivated if there are to be wholesome consequences in our life. Most people intuitively know what is wholesome and what is not, but if there's difficultly in deciphering this, a great guide is simply, wholesome is of love as unwholesome is of selfishness. The me me me mind doesn't have many wholesome qualities or consequences to it. I always knew the difference between these two, but because of my conditioning being wholesome was beyond my capability. It was only when I began sitting and my mind settled did I develop the awareness to see and act in a wholesome way; this arises naturally as the mind settles. The more the mind settles the more wholesome are one's action and thus the more the consequences of those actions are of a wholesome quality.

What's Let In

When the “I need more” conditioning isn’t controlling what’s let in, there’s much more peace in one’s life, but this isn’t because peace is let in, it’s because nonsense isn’t let in so that naturally allows for one to be at peace.

Much goes on in one’s day to day living and for the most part there’s no control over what happens. Even if there was, with the way the Conditioned Mind has been developed, it wouldn’t change the way things are. The first thing that has to happen for the possibility of any change to take place is one has to understand what’s being let in to shape your day to day, even moment to moment existence. Much is viewed throughout the day, but it’s mostly let in through the default setting of the conditioning in place. It’s let in, but it’s not done with any sense of awareness so it leads one to being controlled like a puppet on a string. There’s no choice in this until there is, but unfortunately until there is, one will let in things that aren’t beneficial and hence if it’s not beneficial it will cause much trouble and suffering.

Think about the things that are attached to, the list is basically endless, the problem with this is not much that’s grabbed is beneficial. We are a species that has lost its way and it’s because of what we let in. There is a nothingness to life that has to be seen so one can decipher if what they have been conditioned to let in is beneficial or not. I let a lot in for many years that I thought was beneficial, but in truth it kept in bondage to the “I need more” conditioning. I always needed more so that’s what I let in, but it was never enough. Today it’s much different because to a large degree the “I need more” conditioning isn’t controlling what’s let in, so there’s much more peace, but this isn’t because peace is let in, it’s because nonsense isn’t let in so that naturally allows for one to be at peace.

Letting Go of Self

Seeking happiness makes it elusive so it will constantly be sought, and this is because the Self that wants happiness only knows how to seek it, it doesn’t know how to be happy.

Most people look at happiness as if it’s something that can be attained, but the only way to experience happiness is by letting it go, and what it is that needs to be let go of is the Self who wants to be happy. Everyone at some level understands that happiness can’t be found in things, but usually it’s discounted and one continues to pursue happiness as something to attained. In the process happiness will continue to be elusive, thus it will continue to be sought. There may be moments of happiness in one’s life, but only when things are the way that they are wanted. This is another trap (Mind Pattern) of the Conditioned Mind and it wrecks havoc because it keeps one entrapped to thinking life needs to be a certain way and this is where happiness lies. Many pursue this and cause their own death, but this is extreme. Happiness is mostly pursued by just about everyone and even though it’s not to the extreme of death, it is at the cost of one’s own freedom.

Happiness is always dependent on something that one’s Self finds appropriate. This appropriateness arises in many forms and it’s very difficult to spot because of the conditioning in place. It arises as any judgement you may have of another or situation, this is strictly the Self thinking that it knows what’s best for everyone. Really it all comes down to wanting whatever arises different and not being able to just be with what is and simply being ok with that. Until that time comes, happiness will continue to be elusive, but it will constantly be sought because the Self that wants happiness only knows how to seek it, it doesn’t know how to be happy.

Everything Falls Away

The more one allows things to be in control, the less one truly lives. You may be alive, but until it’s seen that everything falls away, you will remain in bondage to whatever you alone give power to.

Watch how all things arise and fall away. Seeing this is very valuable in the letting go process. What is held onto becomes one’s bondage, but it can simply be let go of, that is if it’s seen it is being held on to. Each moment arises and as it does it seems as if it’s there, but where is it truly. A vacation, a job promotion, birth, death, sickness, health, marriage, divorce, golfing, having a cigar, each day, going to work, going home from work, and on an on, all things arise and fall away, only attachment to them gives them the power to control. Nothing in an of itself has any power to control, it has to be given power. Before anything is attached to (society calls it addiction) it’s just there latent, lying in wait. Nothing has power until it is given it. The drug dealers can make all the heroin they want, but if no one needed to alter the way that they felt, it wouldn’t have the draw (power) it currently has. This is the reason so much money is spent on advertising, the advertisers know just what to use to entice people into unconsciously reaching for things .

Everyone gets caught by something, it’s just that some things have the power to totally devastate life and some are very subtle, but the common factor of everything is nothing has inherent power to control. Everything would arise and fall away if it wasn’t attached to and this is because nothing can control a person without the person allowing it; the given control can only come from the person. The more control is given away the less one truly lives. You may be alive, but until it’s seen that everything falls away you will remain in bondage to whatever you alone give power to.

Just Another Story

Your completeness is right here in front of you within your grasp, but you’ll never truly be mindful of this until you realize it’s not a story that’s needed, it’s what’s already here.

Without inner silence, it’s very unlikely one will have the mindfulness needed to not create your stories. Even this writing is a story of how not to create stories, but the mindfulness of writing it helps to minimize the attachment to it and thus once it’s written it’s complete. Non attachment is always the key. A story can always be added to, but once something arises ask yourself, is this the end of the story or not? That will depend on how one relates their “I” identity to the story. The more “I” needs the story for its identity, the more “I” attaches to it and the more a story is needed. This is the merry-go-round of the Conditioned Mind. No attachment, no needed story, no needed story, no discontentment of what isn’t, so all you are left with is what is, not the story of it, but the actual reality of what is happening now.

Story after story after story. The story of how I feel, or the story of what I think, or my life’s story, there is an endless creation of stories, that is until one becomes mindful enough that the story teller and the story are seen as one in the same. Being with what is instead of a created story will be the most difficult thing one when ever do in their life, but it will also be the most fulfilling lesson you will ever learn. Just be in the silence of what is, attach nothing and nothing will be needed. Imagine that, needing nothing to be happy, joyous, and free and understanding that you’re complete just as you are. It’s right there within your grasp, it’s right in front of you, but you’ll never truly be mindful of this until you realize it’s not a story that’s needed, it’s what’s already here.

A Worldly Perception

The more one’s thinking is in line with the world, the more suffering there will be. This is because the world only allows a surface perception, but beneath the surface perception is what’s truly going on.

Our made up perceptions when not seen in the awareness of mindfulness, solidify the delusions they arise from. This delusion is formed from the surface level of our perceptions which form the concepts that we live by which makes what is originally seen misunderstood as the deeper reality of what’s actually happening is missed. We get locked into the perceptions that form our concepts of what going on, this is also why there’s so much division amongst our species and why very few see the truth of existence. Mostly everyone has a different perception of the same thing so how can there not be division and strife amongst us? The greater good is very seldom considered, what’s mostly considered is the surface perception of the world and unfortunately it’s core is usually from the base of “I”.

It doesn’t have to be this way, but one will have to drop their perceptions to see beneath the surface. The world has perceptions on the material realm, it doesn’t really address the spiritual. Our internal longing though is spiritual and although at first many pursue the quest of material gains, at some point it’s discovered the material gains don’t produce lasting fulfillment. This is when at least the initial shift happens to make one look elsewhere for fulfillment, but unfortunately with the world’s perception in control, the material realm remains in place. It isn’t until one starts to look within that there’s the chance for real change, but this looking within can’t be superficial or true change won’t occur. What will need to change is the perception that what is seen on the surface of life is not what’s going on and then and only then will there be the chance of truly seeing what life has to offer.

Without Question

To love is to live. Without love, there is the constant need to seek answers to questions about life, but when you love the seeking stops because the need to ask questions stops.

Have you ever wondered what the meaning of life is? There’s no way of really knowing this unless you make up an answer through the mind made concept of a thought. You can make up any answer you want, but know this, it isn’t a true answer, it’s made up by the Conditioned Mind because it needs something to latch on to. The Conditioned Mind doesn’t like it much when there’s no real answer to something so it will make one up. This is the essence of a Conditioned Mind, it has to have an answer, but having an answer isn’t necessary to live except to the Conditioned Mind.

The very essence of all that the Universe stands for is the very essence of what happens in each and every moment. An answer is not needed though, but if the mind isn’t settled this will not be seen. The answers to “What is the the meaning of life” is there is no answer, because an answer isn’t needed to live. A made up one is needed if you are living a delusional life, but if your mind is settled, an answered won’t be needed because the question won’t come up. With a settled mind questions aren’t needed because it’s known love is what exist and everything else is just a made up answer of the Conditioned Mind. When questions arise from the Conditioned Mind about this or that, understand the only answer needed is to be still and love. It is here that no questions arise and no answers are needed because you know, all you need is love.

Reworking Our Ruts

When one becomes rutted in their thought patterns, they're automatically defaulted to when triggered. Depending on what the inclination of the patterns are determines how much suffering they will cause.

Ruts and patterns are formed over years and are constantly reinforced so don't think they are just going to go away overnight. The default of the triggers can be changed, but it will take seeing them for what they are for this change to take place, and because it took many years to create them, it will take time to get out of them. The first thing that has to happen is noticing these ruts and patterns exist. Deciphering whether they are beneficial in your life will determine if they fall away or if they are continued to be held in place.

The tricky thing with the mind is regardless what these patterns are, they were initially deemed beneficial or they wouldn't be there. Think about it, smoking, drinking, drugs, over eating, sexually lust, gambling, tv, greed, hate, programs; self help and 12 Step, shopping, success, your favorite team, your Self, and so on, all things the mind has made you think are beneficial, if not you would have never used them to begin with and they would have never become ruts. These ruts can be reworked, but it will take a willingness to look within to see the patterns arise when they're triggered. No one can get you out of your rut, pointers are given and you will have to learn how to apply them, but as stated pointers only point. Ruts take a long time to create, remember Rome wasn't built in a day so be kind to yourself. Accept yourself as you are without wanting the moment different and eventually you will see the ruts simply fall away on their own.

Entrapped to Reaching

Anything that's used in the waking up process which points outside yourself will simply not get it done and this is so regardless of how much time and effort are put into it.

The waking process is only complex because of the Conditioned Mind. This is because it tells you your answers are out there somewhere, but this reaching outside is what causes one to remain entrapped. You become entrapped to the desire that's causing the reaching and reaching leads to attachment which leads to bondage, hence one is entrapped. Sorry, but this is factual even if it's ignored. What seems to be at the core of the misunderstanding is the reaching. You cannot reach without being entrapped. Prison is prison regardless if it's maximum or minimum security, or house arrest. This is easily justified because the reaching being the problem isn't identified and as long as it's not, one remains entrapped to it. There's no way around this. This isn't seen by many people so the reaching and one's discontents remain to cause more reaching.

I'm not a know it all when it comes to the waking up process, but I do know the reaching is what kept me entrapped for many many years. This conclusion wasn't revealed by reading someone's book or belonging to a program, it was revealed when I saw I didn't need the present moment any different than what it was. This is the key to the so called kingdom that everyone is reaching for. It's the only way one won't be entrapped to the prison of reaching outside. No where else exist except right now so you will have to come to terms that you are trying to live somewhere else. You can only discover this for yourself, my writings point to this as do many, but only you can see this so it takes hold. If not you will remain in the self created prison of reaching for an answer that your Conditioned Mind makes you think is out there somewhere.

Becoming Your Own

One day regardless of all the books you've read and all the sitting, what becomes knowledge has to be reflected upon so it becomes your own. Until that time another whatever will always be needed.

I don't offer a program as a way out, I point you to look inward to find your completeness right now. This is the reason I don't write another book, the first one says it all and even that is only a tool for you to look within so it becomes your own. There are so many books written and so many programs offered, but they all basically say the same thing. Everyone has to at some point find their own way by your knowledge becoming your own. Byron Katie and a slew of others offer programs which actually keep you entrapped to the bondage of self. You will never be totally free by following another's way. I'm adamant about this because I see the bondage this causes.

In the beginning of my transformation I read many books, but I saw that they all pointed to the same thing; the Conditioned Mind. They may have said it using different words, but it all pointed to the same place; my own mind. There's nothing special about me nor what I see, but the difference is I only look to myself for answers. Mooji, Anita Moorjani, Byron Katie, Eckert Tolle, and even myself, to name a few do not have your answers, only you do because only you can experience your life as it relates to you. I respect everyone, but not many truly understand this or they wouldn't be offering a way out through them. Spending hundreds even thousands on books, seminars, retreats and what not will not do what simply looking within will do. I'm not concerned if this is agreed with because I know what I know, and I have to speak up on what is seen. I searched for forty nine years until I stopped. I'm not saying don't use the tools of others, but becoming your own will never occur as long as you are relying on someone else. Follow no one but yourself and you will truly be surprised at what you become.

Double Edge Sword

Attachment is a double edge sword, not only does the original attachment get you, but when you’re attached to outcomes where they’re labeled as not liked, attachment to the attachment gets you.

The real issue with attachment is it’s not only the first thing attached to that causes problems, it’s the attachment to the attachment that makes it a real detriment in one’s life. It will take a concentrated effort to see this, but with practice it can happen. Let’s use traffic as an example. You’re driving in traffic and it’s annoying you because you have somewhere to be. That it’s annoying you is the first attachment, now you’re trying all kinds of maneuvers to get out of the traffic, but wherever you go there’s more traffic. That’s where attachment becomes reinforced and causes more problems than what it’s truly worth. It the same thing when you do something (you pick what it is) and then you go round and round with your thoughts on why you did it, or you should’ve did this or that. This goes for just about everything, it’s done all the time. Attachment to attachment is insidious and very harmful.

Do what you do and let it go. If the conditioning wasn’t in place to do what you do, you wouldn’t do it. Accepting yourself in your entirety is key if you are to be at peace. You will do what’s in place until what’s in place changes, but nothing has to be attached to and it won’t unless you put a label on it that it needs to be different, and once you do that a label will be applied to the label and a deeply engrained pattern will be formed that will keep you attaching to your attachments. This is the double edge sword of attachment, not only does the original attachment get you, but when what you’re attached to changes to where it’s labeled as not liked, the attachment to attachment gets you. A settled mind should pick this up, but it has taken me some time to accept my conditioning exactly as it is and not attach to it. This is where one will experience awareness aware of awareness and thus peace.