Surface View Suffering

If you only see and attach to what’s on the surface therein lies the root to your suffering. It’s in letting go of your surface view that you will see there are many parts to the whole which reveals the emptiness of all form…

When your view is on the surface level of existence, life becomes an idea and although we all experience life in the human form, it’s why it’s seen differently by everyone. The exception are those who don’t see life as an idea, this state is of emptiness which needs no idea, yet there is still existence. Everything is the sum of the parts that makes up the whole so nothing is truly what an idea makes it out to be because it’s only seen as a thought. When you look at a tree and apply the thought “tree” the surface parts, the trunk, limbs, branches, and leaves are separated and the true nature of the tree is lost. If you can see this with the tree, you can see it with everything, including yourself. Without the idea of you where is the you, and that’s just the surface you I’m asking about, most don’t even think about the parts of you that are on the inside.

There is much freedom in seeing this because it allows for the emptiness of all things to be revealed. When you see there’s nothing to hold onto no matter what, therein lies your freedom. You attach a thought to something that keeps track of time (a watch) but there are so many parts to it so which part is truly the watch. Ideas will keep you marred in ignorance because they will block you from seeing the true nature of emptiness in all things; you will only see the surface whole. When this happens you can only see and attach to what’s on the surface and therein lies the root to all suffering. It’s in letting go of the surface view that you will see there are many parts to the whole which reveals form is emptiness, emptiness is form…

A True Benefit

What’s truly a benefit in your life takes a very settled mind for it to been seen. Many of the tools developed that are considered beneficial are found that they actually aren’t a benefit…

It’s more important to develop practical tools that have actual benefits in their results than to spew out nonsense that just produces hot air. We all have certain theories, but if they don’t manifest in results that are beneficial they’re valueless. To know what is truly beneficial and adds value to life it has to be seen what is a true benefit, not just what’s thought to be a benefit.

At first the alcoholic thinks drinking is a benefit, but it turns against him. Same thing with the heroin addict, people who abuse pain medication, gamblers, food addicts, thrill seekers and the such. It’s not limited to only glaring addictions, it also applies to less subtle ones. Chocolate cake may seem like it’s a benefit because it brings pleasure, but what if you’re over weight or a diabetic, not much benefit for those people; sugar itself is not beneficial to anyone. Speeding may get you to your destination quicker, but it’s dangerous and not a true benefit; the list goes on and on.

The more practical things are kept in life, the more settled the mind stays and with a settled mind what is truly beneficial is clear. If one remains in a state where things are accepted as they are right now, the mind doesn’t come into play as much. But if you engage in the thought process of some past or future conditioning, the mischief begins as many non beneficial things will be a part of your life; no matter how little value they may truly have…

Energy of Creation

Separation from yourself occurs when the energy of creation has a label applied. This happens because creation becomes “MY”story and there’s no connection when one comes from a place to self serve…

The are so many names for the energy of creation, but to me what’s important is what’s produced by connecting with it. It’s not a concern what it’s called because words diminish it and put it in a so called box. This energy is what led me from my self destructive behavior and it continues to lead me even when “I” takes hold of some self serving behavior. This is why one is their own obstacle because it has to do with the energy of our connection to the present moment and very few live there. The more you can be present and observe the stillness of the moment, the more chance there is to connect with the energy of creation. This doesn’t take a belief in something to allow this to happen, it takes an awakened heart to see that a belief actually blocks the connection to creation energy.

It’s more beneficial not to limit yourself with labeling things a certain way. Labeling limits the flow of energy to go in a certain direction, and although whatever the direction I’m okay with it, connected to the energy of creation is more free flowing and beneficial to all beings. There are many labels attached to about this and it blocks you from a connection with yourself. There’s only one energy of creation and the proof is we are all created the same. There’s nothing to debate here because it’s the truth. The debate starts when the energy of creation needs a label because it then becomes “MY” attachment and there’s no connection when you come from a place to self serve…

Life Lessons

Many things in life can teach if you’re open enough to allow it, but if there’s constant noise in the space between your ears nothing will be seen as it truly is and most lessons will be missed…

Nature can teach you much if you’re not all caught up in what’s going on between your ears. I remember the day I passed a fairly large pond by my house and I was amazed to see about a hundred ducks sitting in pond. They were all pretty still, their heads tucked away as it was below freezing. There wasn’t one duck struggling with trying to be still, there was no teacher duck leading a guided meditation, no chants, or mantras being recited. No duck had on headphones listening to meditative music or positive affirmations, they were all just sitting there in the quietness of the moment. I pulled over to observe this further to allow my present moment awareness to be a part of theirs. I was experiencing the peace of their stillness and it was a serenity beyond words; the peace that passes all understanding as stated in the Bible is just that. It only happens when there’s stillness to allow it, this is what the tranquility of this blessed moment gave to me.

There was so much silence in this moment and it engulfed me. Nothing of the material world has ever blessed me like this and I’ve had some beautiful things happen to me. This silence was being experienced because for the I’ve been using the body more and more to be anchored in the present moment and this has allowed my mind to be much more settled. I’ve seen these ducks in past, but it never had the affect on me as it did on this day. Many things in life can be our teachers if one is open enough to allow it, but if there’s constant noise in the space between one’s ears, nature or anything else for that matter will not be seen as it truly is and nor will the lessons that are being laid out fight before your eyes be seen…

Free From Yourself

Truth isn’t something made up nor can it be held onto. It’s only known when it’s realized there’s nothing to know and it’s in the space of not knowing that truth sets you free from yourself…

To me it’s clear what truth is and here’s why: thirteen years ago when I started looking inward, a different view of live life arose; at the core of this was a peace that passed understanding. I didn’t know much about anything, but I did know I needed a different way to view life. I understood one thing, that my own mind was the cause as to why I wasn’t at peace so I set out to find out why this was and if it was possible to be at peace. As this process of self investigation proceeded my view was slowly being transformed and as this happened my life become less and less about me. It didn’t become about anyone else, it just wasn’t about fulfilling all my wants and desires anymore; when this happens qualities associated with love naturally arise. This doesn’t mean everything goes the way it’s wanted, but it does mean it doesn’t matter how it goes because if it’s not all about me then there’s no story of wanting and needing things a certain way and without a story one is at peace.

Truth is difficult to describe in words because it’s interpreted differently by everyone. I have found truth in the space of what is, but not in what is itself, in the space of what is. What is has many labels that are dependent on what’s occurring at the time. It can horrible, beautiful, or neutral, the label doesn’t change what’s actually occurring, being in the space of what’s occurring changes it and that’s because without a label there’s only space. In this space there’s no story and without a story that is when truth is revealed. It’s not a made up truth, it’s the truth of being in the space of what’s here right now and not needing to add a label or story to it. In this space is where one finds truth, but it has nothing to do with you or anyone else and this is when you will clearly see the truth that sets you free from yourself…

Mind Noise

Mind noise exist because it’s what’s there. Attachment gives it the needed energy so it responds accordingly, but when one is present the mind is still as the noise subsides on its own…

I woke up very early today and almost instantly like on automatic pilot, my mind wanted to make this a problem; the noise started. There wasn’t any reason for the noise except that my mind wanted to convince me that either “I” should be sleeping or “I” should be thinking about how to solve the worlds problems. At the very least “I” should be thinking about my day ahead and solving all my own problems, but instead of feeding into this energy, I just stayed present with the awareness of the noise.

Being awake regardless of the time isn’t good or bad, or even a problem, it’s just what was happening at that moment. My mind was noisy and just responding to what was there. A present moment anchor was established and there was this awareness of being awake which isn’t a problem unless it made into one. So by being aware of this and establishing a present moment anchor the mind simply settled and the noise subsided on its own…

Inner Completeness

An inward view provides completeness, an outward view provides so many distractions that your incompleteness is inevitable. An inward view is of the heart where there’s the space of no distractions…

Peace is provided with an inward view regardless of what goes on outside. This is difficult to comprehend because of the developed view that when we get this or that there will be at peace. There’s nothing wrong with getting what you want in life, but understand when one equates their accomplishment to their sense of well-being, the sense of well-being will not last. This isn’t only applied to accomplishing something, it applies to all of life. Even if you’re told you have a year to live, it still doesn’t have anything to do with what’s occurring right now. If you’re living by the outer conventional way of thinking you create stories, but if you can find a way to stay out of your head you’ll minimize the nonsense going on between you ears and all you will have to deal with is what’s actually occurring.

It makes no sense to live life from an outward view, but that’s where most people live. No matter what’s accomplished the moment it’s completed it’s over, only the memory engrained from the outward way of thinking makes you attach a story that it means something; it’s then used to define your identity and establish your sense of well-being. Our psyche plays havoc on our emotions and we listen to it because this is what’s been developed.

Think of it as whistling in the dark to keep the bogeyman away. The bogeyman doesn’t exist, but we whistle anyway and here is the irony of this, we are doing something to keep something away that doesn’t exist, think about the insanity of this. It’s the same with our so called accomplishments, we gauge our well-being on them, but we’re using them like whistling in the dark. Peace is inward as life is eternal, it’s of the heart. An inner view is the only place where our completeness exist. It doesn’t take any accomplishment for this to be, as a matter of fact when you can just be there’s completeness…

"I" is Ego

The ego lives in the ignorance of the Conditioned Mind, but when there’s light shed on this, ignorance is no more and the ego no longer needs to defend itself because it no longer considers itself an enemy…

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. You 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 you can see the truth that “I” (ego) is your only enemy, when a threat presents itself there will be no need to defend it because it will be seen you are only defending yourself against yourself. 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 is no more and the ego no longer needs to defend itself because it no longer considered an enemy…

Simply Let Go

Truly letting go isn’t a doing nor does it take effort, it’s something that happens naturally simply by non attachment. The more one tries to let go the tighter the grip gets…

One can spend years reading spiritual books, going to self help and 12 step programs, spending thousands attending seminars by all the so called experts, retreats, meditating for hours on end, doing chakra and kundalini meditation, reiki healing, yoga, therapy, and so on. I’m sure many will identify with the constant barrage of trying the flavor of the month. You can try everything and yet except for being more knowledgeable you will be no freer than the day you started looking into this. Part of the issue is you get stuck in trying everyone else’s method of what they said is needed to become enlightened, but most people’s method don’t even work for themselves, if they did a method wouldn’t be pushed.

One day there was a women who was at wits end and sat with this and what arose in her was this; she was going to walk up the highest mountain she could find and either become enlightened or die. The one thing that was very clear to her, she was done struggling so her journey up the mountain began. On her way up the mountain there was a man coming down the mountain carry two large bundles on his shoulders, the path was narrow and she noticed he was wearing monk like clothing. The woman had heard in stories when one is ready to awaken the right teacher will appear. As their eyes met, she felt compelled to tell him where she going and asked him if he knew how to become enlightened. The man said nothing as he put the two bundles he was carrying down. Instantly the women saw the lesson, the man was showing her how to let go. She than asked him, is that it, just let go? The man smiled and nodded, again she asked, so that’s it, just let go, what happens next? Without saying a word, the man picked up the two bundles he was carrying, put the them back on his shoulders and continued down the mountain…

Move On

You only act in ways that come from inside of you. A trigger activates the Conditioned Mind and you act accordingly from what’s in place; accept it until the mind settles and move on…

Unity as a society is dependent on learning to love ourselves first. If we judge ourselves there is no way we won’t judge others and in our judgements the unity of society will be fleeting at best. Unity with humanity doesn’t start with humanity, it starts with yourself. If you can’t accept yourself as you are there’s no way you will be able to accept anyone else as they are. You may be able to accept someone for a time, if they are as you want them to be, but as far as them remaining that way will also be fleeting at best. This ability to accept yourself will only occur when you know our own mind and only in the sense of how it is the cause of not accepting yourself exactly as you are.

Think of this when you act in a way that’s not in your best interest, where does that originate from? You would purposely act in a way that isn’t beneficial to your own well being, but it’s done all the time. These acts come from your own mind. it’s not the act that causes the problem, it’s wanting the way you act to be different, that’s the problem; it’s impossible to change whats already been done. So accept it and move on and possibly if you are practicing living a life that allows the mind to settle, the next time something triggers the Conditioned Mind to act in a way that’s not in one’s best interest you may be able to respond differently. If you do act in a way that’s not beneficial, accept it and move on. When the mind settles enough, you will stop acting in ways that aren’t in your best interests, but in the meantime understand you are perfect just as you are because good, bad, or indifferent, you are only doing what you are conditioned to do; accept it and move on…

Truth of What Is

The main thing to understand about truth is this, it will be revealed when there isn’t a story needed to define what is seen nor is it the result of any doing on your part; truth arises from the stillness of what is…

I spent forty nine years of my life searching for something, but I never really knew what I was looking for. Today I understand what I was looking for was truth, but it’s not the made up truth mostly used by people to make themselves feel better, it’s a truth that arises when the mind settles. This is difficult to grasp because of the way one is conditioned to understand what truth is. Truth can’t realistically be defined, once it’s defined it’s made up. Truth is truth as love is love, no definition truly defines these; they’re basically one in the same.

Truth isn’t revealed by a doing or making up a story of what it is, it’s only revealed when the mind settles. In this settling what was previously hidden by conditioned mind distractions becomes known, but not known in the sense where it needs to be defined. I don’t know what happened to me thirteen years ago, but I began noticing the lies that I lived by and the more awareness there was of them the more peace I experienced in my life. The more peace there is in my life, the less stories (lies) have to be made up to live by. Although I never tell anyone how to live, I know the way I write is bold to some people because of the directness. A person’s ego will not relinquish its control without a fight so someone’s view of me really isn’t about me; when the ego sees something as a threat to its very existence it acts accordingly. The main thing to understand about truth is it will be revealed when there isn’t a story needed to define it nor is it the result of any doing on your part; it arises from the stillness of what is…

The Elusive NOW

The body anchors one in NOW. When this alignment occurs there is harmony, but if the body isn’t used as an anchor the mind continues to grasp for objects and NOW remains elusive…

Although life only happens NOW, NOW is probably the most elusive place for one to not only remain in, but to get to. To me the reason for this elusiveness is because one tries to get there with the mind and most minds aren’t disciplined enough to get there, let alone stay there. Because of the way we have evolved as a species, most minds are in constant motion of the past or future trying to figure out how to make life more pleasurable, and although pleasure is attained at times it never last for long. This is how the mind views the NOW also, it knows it’s where life happens intellectually and there’s much pleasure here, but it doesn’t fully grasp what this means so it never settles. It’s one of the reasons objects are used and until there’s a shift that allows one to see the NOW through the body, the NOW which allows peace remains elusive.

The body becomes the source of light for the awareness of the NOW when this shift happens. There’s nothing more to do with this shift except to practice becoming more aware of the source of light of the body. There are many objects that the mind uses to keep the NOW elusive, but the body regardless of the object the mind grasp for, is always in the NOW. When a thief cases out a place, he’s in the NOW, but he’s in the mind. The body anchors one in NOW so when this alignment occurs there’s harmony. This is as natural as life itself, but if the body isn’t used as a NOW anchor the mind will continue to grasp for objects and NOW will remain elusive…

Beneficial Decisions

Since the mind that tells you to do something is the same mind that questions why it was done, there’s no way you can be sure the so called right decisions you make are actually the most beneficial…

You think every decision made is the right one, if you didn’t you wouldn’t make it, but just because you think it’s right that doesn’t mean it actually provides the most benefits. What’s of real importance is if the decisions you make are truly beneficial. Many decisions are made that aren’t always the most beneficial, why do you think this is? If you were really in control of your life, you would never make a decision that wasn’t beneficial. Dream your dreams, do your good deeds, but the question always comes back to “what are the motives behind the decisions made. That will determine not so much if you make the right decisions, but if decisions made are the most benefits possible.

To understand this you will have to investigate your own mind and the motives behind your decisions. Decisions will be made based on conditioning, that’s what applies the label right. Because most people are controlled by their self serving conditioning, decisions are usually of the self serving variety. Most decisions are based on this and they’re not the most beneficial, but they’re the decisions made so live with it, accept it, and move on. Just understand the motives behind them and not only can you make the right one, but you will also make the one that is most beneficial to you and to all beings…

New Tools

You can’t change how you respond to what happens in life by using the old tools you have in place. If you truly want to change your responses a new set of tools will have to be developed…

What is used to respond to life occurrences is what creates your facade. When it’s learned to stop reaching for your old tools and you are still, that’s what truly defines you. Here is a very practical explanation of the process of how life changed for me and the tools used for it to be possible. I had an upbringing where my parents gave me all the opportunities a person could have asked for. One of the things I really got in touch with thirteen years ago which was the beginning of my awakening, is when I was in grammar school my conditioning was really being influenced and taking shape. The intellectual kids and the athletic kids were always made out to be special so where did that leave the ordinary kids like myself? I wasn’t a bad, but my conditioning manifested in behavior issues, like being the class clown or doing things for attention that others wouldn’t do; that was basically the extent of it. This conditioning used tools to control the way I responded to life occurrences. Unless I learned how to use different tools my responses would always be the same. Inwardly things were never going to change unless the tools I used changed. I became aware of this thirteen years ago.

I understood the need to learn how to use a different set of tools because the ones that were in place didn’t benefit me; they were faulty. My own mind was causing my problems and I started finding a way to change my old tools for new ones; ones that were more beneficial. The most important tool is the disciplining of an undisciplined mind. Without developing awareness to notice new tools are needed, you’ll stay a self righteous individual who is always right because the outer view always makes others wrong. Without the mind settling, change can’t occur because there won’t be the space needed to allow it. Develop enough awareness through disciplining an undisciplined mind that allows you to see that a new set of tools will be much more beneficial for you to live your life. The benefits of this are you won’t be dependent on reaching outside yourself for your sense of completeness even though intellect or athleticism may not be your forte…

Observing Yourself

Hate can never be driven out by hate so if you have a hateful mind and it isn’t observed it will remain in place and the energy that you despise in another will be the exact energy that’s controlling your life…

Many things will cross your path throughout the day. Some will be pulled in, some will be pushed away, and others you could care less about. The key here is to be aware of them, observing which ones are pulled in which ones are pushed away and which ones naturally come and go without attaching to them because there’s nothing there to adhere to. These observations become more and more important as one becomes more aware of them. Things occur all the time, but mostly they’re not noticed. Very few people are in touch with observing life which in turn allows the things that occur to be in control. Many things occur in life that aren’t particularly cared for as demonstrated by this election, but all the energy that’s going into not accepting the results and trying to change it with non loving actions generates the same energy one is protesting against.

Unloving energy will never be changed with unloving energy, especially when the driving force behind it arises because one didn’t get their way. If this isn’t observed it will keep the unloving energy in place. Hate is never be driven out by hate. If it’s not observed that hate in place will remain and the very thing that you despise is the very thing that controls you. This is the way it is when there’s unconscious energy that’s allowed to affect you. There’s nothing wrong with being disappointed for a millisecond, but after that it becomes attachment and suffering begins. Understand though, this suffering isn’t because things didn’t work out the way that you wanted them to, no the suffering arises because one has no clue the energy that’s despised in another is the same energy that’s controlling your life…