Storyless Peace

The only way you will ever be truly at peace is without the story that something other than this moment will provide peace. When this is understood so to will your peace be understood…

Everyone has a story, no one goes through life storyless, but the story really isn’t the issue, issues arise when the story becomes your controlling energy. A few years ago my mom was sick so I wrote the story of my mom not doing well, how that affects me is how I make it my story, but it isn’t my story, it’s just what was happening. Since there are five siblings in my family, we all have a different version of the mom story, none are the right or wrong one, they’re just what each one of perceives.

Here’s why any story creates an issue, someone posted how happy they were that in a few days they were going on vacation; this means right now they’re not happy. Although this seems innocent, it’s not because this simple statement blocks out truly living life and being at peace with right now. This is the issue a story creates, it doesn’t allow you to be with the fullness of the life you’re actually living in this moment. It’s always when this or that happens, fill in your own story………. I will be at peace, but that story is your block to your freedom. The only way you will ever truly be at peace is without the story that something other than this moment will provide peace; when this is understood so will your peace be understood…without a story…

Becoming Aware

Becoming aware and learning from your practice allows for those who were once lost to now be found and those who were blind to now see, but only if there’s awareness that allows this…

If there’s not an awareness process in place for your practice, it will be difficult to proceed in a direction where there will be any expansion in your life. The first thing to become aware of is if you even have a practice in place that’s practical and beneficial. I don’t mean a practice of belonging to certain groups, although there’s nothing wrong with that, but if it’s in place to just keep you busy, it’s not really a beneficial practice. Although it is a practice, how it’s working to quiet the mind or how it keeps the mind agitations in place is what one needs to be aware of to allow for the continuous expansion of life’s process. I’m sharing this because this is what has allowed me to see what is seen today. There’s no magic to this, a beneficial practice has to be in place if one is to experience beneficial results, this is as simple as one plus one equals two.

Be aware of your behavior, reactions, attachments, annoyances, and whatnot and see what is the driving force behind them. This driving force is the block to expanding beyond the nonsense of the Conditioned Mind. Without a solid practice in place that allows this to be seen, you might as well not practice at all because it’s just a waste of time and energy. Either do what’s beneficial or don’t do it at all. One can only be free by being free as only a practice that puts you in harmony with life allows harmony with life. I practiced unconsciously for many years and it produced results that weren’t beneficial, but I’ve since become aware and learned from this and because of this, where I was once lost I’m now found and where I was blind I now see, but only because of having the awareness in place that allows this…

Prayers of Love

The nature of our prayers determines the energy manifested in our life. If they're selfish in nature they'll be from our head, but if they're of love their results will be from the energy of our heart...

A quiet mind is a praying heart, "Thy will not mine be done" is the essence of prayer. When we transform our energy from the noise in our head to the love in our heart, this quality of energy has the transforming effect from destructive to loving. This can be done with something as simple as a deep breath. This is the true nature of prayer that can be used to keep our self-serving Conditioned Mind Patterns from controlling our life. The more we learn to use it, the more we will want to use it. “Praying ceaselessly” to me means being aware of your thoughts, understanding which ones are useful and letting go of the ones that are not. It’s rather simple, one will either do the things that are useful and beneficial to their life or one will not.

Everyone has a story of what love is, but love will only truly be known in silence. The more noise there is between one's ears the less one lives from the love in their heart; not because one doesn't want to love, but because one doesn't know how to love. Love is not selective so if you don't love everyone, you don't love. Ether see this truth or remain in the created story of what love is. I'm not saying I know what love is, but I certainly know what love isn't. Not because it was read in some book, but because it is the prayer of my heart and when one prays ceaselessly it's from the heart and love is the energy that's emitted to others...

 

Attached Thoughts

It's imperative to learn to just be because even if what you do comes from a labeled place of love, this label produces the bondage of an attached thought which controls you like any other attached thought...

If you can't watch your own thoughts to decipher which ones are truly beneficial, hold on because you'll be taken on the roller coaster ride called life. Not that life does anything directly to anyone, but thoughts arise and they determine what kind of ride you will be on. Noticing the attached thoughts is essential if one is not be controlled by them. Thoughts are a natural part of life, they will arise. As far as I know there's no way of controlling what thoughts arise, but I have found that noticing them allows for a split second hesitation that can be used to decipher whether or not the thought is beneficial; remember attachment to any thought causes suffering no matter how one labels it.

I often say the Conditioned Mind is diabolical and unless there's some awareness of how controlling your thoughts actually are, they will and this has to happen control you as if you were a puppet on a string. So subtle is this control that even if you’re doing things that are labeled as loving, if these thoughts aren't watched they will eventually control you; bondage is bondage regardless of what label is applied to the thought. This is why the Conditioned Mind is diabolical because of its subtleness in using whatever it can to remain in control. This is also why it's imperative to learn how to just be because even if what you do comes from a labeled place of love, the bondage this produces is that of an attached thought which controls you like any other attached thought...

 

Cumulative Past

Most of the problems that occur in life are due to making things cumulative; carrying one thing into the other. Until it’s learned to not carry around the events of the past, you’ll be weighed down by self-created burdens…

I never understood making things cumulative until I was at work one day. I work twelve hour shifts and we were working a lot of overtime. This particular week I was on my fifth day in a row. I was talking to one of my shift mates and he asked me if I was tired, this being my fifth day of work. As I began to answer him, the thought that popped into my head was “What does the previous four days have to do with today.” As I reflected about this I saw how so much of the burdens that are carried around are strictly formed from not understanding how to not make the events of life cumulative. It’s a skill that eludes most and makes life more burdensome than necessary.

Imagine a life without the cumulative affect, it can become a reality with practice. Events would be like water running off a ducks back; things would never accumulate and become an issue. These accumulations are the very things that make life feel as it is a burden. If it was learned to truly live in the moment and not carry the burdens of the past into the now, cumulative burdens would never materialize and there would be freedom to deal with what arises. So the key to any happy, joyous and free life isn’t that it’s free of difficulties, it would be if it were not for the conditioning, but it is understanding although life is one continuous journey one moment past has nothing to do with one moment present. Learn to not carry around the cumulative events of the past so you aren’t weighed down by self-created burdens…

Agitated Lie

Truth makes a person look at themselves. When this happens all sorts of things arise and because of this the mind becomes agitated and a lie is created to avoid looking at the truth…

It’s unfortunate, but most people live a life consumed by a lie more so than one of truth. They believe they’re living by truth, but upon further investigation this fallacy can be seen. On the outside the lie seems so much better and this is what keeps a person locked into it, but this is only because of one’s conditioning that makes it seem better. The truth makes one look at themselves and all sorts of things arise when this happens; without this understanding the truth will be avoided as if it was a plague. Becoming aware of the lies so truth can be revealed is essential in understanding yourself. Sit with the assumption that you will sit in stillness and watch how little stillness there is. Just sit and be with whatever is there, that’s where stillness is. When the mind isn’t looking for anything but what’s there, it’s still.

An agitation is what causes the mind to create a lie, only with being with the agitation does the mind settle. This doesn’t mean you doesn’t make changes, but when changes aren’t necessary the mind is settled. This is why I don’t share about positive versus negative, because if it’s negative and you want something positive, it’s no different than if you are positive and you don’t want anything negative; an agitated mind is a mind that needs things to be a certain way whether it’s positive or negative. This is the agitated lie, but the truth is nothing needs to be different and the mind will settle when life is accepted as it is, positive, negative, or neutral…

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Mind Ripples

Do whatever you think you need to do, but any doing is actually an undoing because it keeps the mind in a state of agitation, and as long as one is making ripples in the pond by doing, the view will never be clear…

It may be better if you did less in your life if what you are doing is making ripples in the pond; it’s only when the ripples settles that the water is clear. So it is with the mind, when there are ripples it becomes agitated and it’s very difficult to see what’s really happening. This ripples can be identified as what you think you need to make you complete; you see when the pond is settled the water (mind) is clear. When the mind becomes agitated it becomes choppy and all kinds of stories are created about what’s needed to make you complete. Reading another book may be used, another 12 step meeting, another person to help, losing another pound, more money, and on an on. So many things are used that cause ripples in the pond (mind) and the truth is none of them are truly needed because you are complete as you will ever be right now; in the clarity of a settled mind is completeness.

Stories are created to make ripples in the so called pond and it’s because of the conditioning that’s in place. Clarity will never be as long as one thinks there is something needed to do that will make you complete. Doing only keeps the water (mind) from settling and the more one does the more agitated things are. Do whatever you think you need to do, but understand there will never be clarity until there’s no need to do anything. Be the light, be the instrument to spread love, be whatever you want, but this doing is actually an undoing because it keeps the mind in a state of agitation, and as long as ripples are created your view will never be clear…

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Quiet or Noise

There’s really a very simple way to understand the mind, there are two mind states, quiet and noise. Everyone who is alive will be guided by both at times, but what’s key is which one is dominant...

There are a lot of influences that determines what mind state you will be guided by and when it’s broken down, you will be guided either quiet or noise. To me everything that happens is the result of something so the results of living in a state of quiet or noise are vastly different. This isn't to apply a label that one is right and one is wrong, but if investigated it can be seen how quiet produces results aligned with love, kindness, peace, harmony, joy, and darkness aligns you with results of anger, greed, hate, unhappiness, discontent and so on. I had a mind of noise for many years and this resulted in much suffering in the form of feeling isolated and alone most of the time. As a result of this, I used many different things to try and not feel this way, but to no avail because not matter what, the noisy mind state would always return.

Twelve years ago I began understanding the different results of these two mind states and started developing certain things that put me more in line with quiet. A mind of noise is selfish in nature and produces selfish results; desirable results if you're based in the material world. A quiet mind has no selfishness to it and the actions are accordingly. This doesn't mean the noise conditioning is gone for good, but it has lessened to a large degree and hence there is literally no more isolation or hate in me. If the difference of these two mind states aren't seen it seems the noise mind state controls more; it's because of the influences of the material world that make this so. Even though by being alive you are part of the world, when you finally wake up what's seen is you don't have to allow the selfish collective mind state of noise to control you...

Splendor of Life

The splendor of your life is the splendor of what your view of the world is. The world is seen through your eyes and when the mind is quiet you’ll see the splendor the Universe provides...

The world is beyond the material realm if you only take the time to see its splendor. You don’t have to go to a place like the Grand Canyon or some other wonder of the world to see it, how about your own back yard or just taking a walk in the park; if the mind isn't quiet it will not matter where you are you will not the see the splendor of the moment.

So much of life is missed because of the noise in the head. Take the time to smell the roses before the roses are gone. If you keep saying tomorrow, tomorrow, my heart goes out to you because literally tomorrow never comes. Regardless of what goes on in your head, it’s always today. You may dream of tomorrow, but the dream can only happen today. You can hope or wish for tomorrow to be different than today, but it will be at some point it will become today. It’s always today and that’s where the mind needs to be if you want to be with the splendor the Universe provides...

Mind Controlled Prison

When the Conditioned Mind is in control your freedom is compromised and no matter how subtle the control your freedom will be compromised until your mind finds its place of rest...

To me there’s no difference between a mind pattern that manifest as glaring dysfunctional behavior and one that’s as subtle as being annoyed because the line you pick in the supermarket always seems to have some kind of delay. I say there is no difference except in the consequences of the immediate action because obviously there are differences in the destructiveness of certain behavior. Acting out on road rage or being annoyed in a check out line will not produce the same outer consequences, but the inner bondage is the same. They are both controlling and leave you at the mercy of your Conditioned Mind. The more subtle the bondage the harder it is to notice it, and the less it’s noticed the less likely it will be changed. It is easier to change a devastating dysfunctional behavior that is really affecting your life than one that’s just a petty annoyance.

Understand whether you are in a maximum security prison or in a minimal security prison you’re still in prison; prison is prison any way you slice it. You may not be in solitary confinement, but you are not free and that’s the bottom line. You will either be free from the bondage of self or you will not. A little bondage equates to total bondage without the glaring consequences, but when you’re truly free there are no consequences whatsoever because the is no conditioned behavior. Freedom from the bondage of self is to live life free from the control of your Conditioned Mind. When you’re free you’re available to do the kind of things that aren’t available when you’re in prison and enjoying every minute of everyday is one of them...

The Light Within

Our inner light is our true essence. The only reason there's darkness is because the light is looked for externally. When our inner light which is always on is found, it instantly dispels darkness...

The inner light of our heart needs to be found so the dark places of the mind dissipate. The light is always there just waiting to dispel darkness, it never goes out, but when one lives from the mind the thought realm is allowed to take over and it becomes very difficult to see the light. This inner light is what turns away darkness and it can only be found by looking for it inward; this is the way the light exposes itself. You cannot expose the light externally regardless of what is used because the base of the external is the darkness so look within because where there is light darkness can't exist.

Darkness needs to be understood if you are to see the light. I would not necessarily label it as evil, but more so an unconscious state of mind; this is the world of the external. As long as our answers are sought externally, darkness will remain. Darkness creates a world that's mind based and this is what blocks out the light. It doesn't allow for the pure essence of the life to be recognized. It holds onto the belief that life is to be managed so it can be a certain way, but even if the way occurs it is still darkness because it is mind based.

Light on the other hand is inward which is of the heart. When seen it dispels the darkness without effort. As when entering a dark room and the the light is turned on; the darkness is no more. That's all that's needed, the light needs to be turned on. Light will always dispel darkness, unless your bulb is burnt out. Our path is to make sure there’s awareness of our light that’s always lit regardless of the surrounding darkness. As your light remains lit more people from the darkness will see it and be drawn to you. This occurs as the light expands; maybe one day one light at a time there won't be any darkness to dispel because all there will be is light...

One Principle

To live a truly productive life there has to be alignment with love so this can occur. This alignment doesn’t happen because through the Conditioned Mind one is mostly aligned to self serve...

There is one very simple principle that allows you to live your life to the fullest and this is; to love you must do the things that put you in alignment with love. If this principle isn't adhered to it will be difficult to live a productive life; by productive I mean being an instrument of love. The isn't done by doing certain things, it’s done by not doing certain things which will allow for this to occur; you can't love anymore than what's in your heart. Doing endless goods deeds will not add one iota of love to your heart unless the good deeds are done from the base of the love that's in your heart. This is not the conventional way of approaching life, but it is the way I have found that works the best for putting me in alignment with love.

The major block with this is through the Conditioned Mind many have learned to do things to self serve. When this is done there is no time to think of others because one is too busy thinking about themselves. Most of life is spent thinking of and finding way to satisfy ourselves. Even if you’re on a journey to help others, there has to be an awareness to the attachment that the self serving mind can conjure up to make it about satisfying yourself. There’s a very fine line between the self serving mind and the love serving mind, but with practice you can see the difference and stop the one that doesn't really benefit your life or the life of others. If all you are thinking about is doing things that are strictly a benefit to yourself there won't be any room to think about being a benefit to others. If this is the principle you are living by, you will not be doing the things necessary that put you in alignment with love and life will not be as productive as it could or should be...

 

Heart Guided

To live from the heart is to live a life guided by love. To live from the head is to live a life guided by suffering; so love because it’s the only way there won’t be created suffering…

I know we have all heard the expression “live from the heart” but what exactly does this mean, especially since everything seems to come from the head. This is just my understanding of living from the heart, but it’s tried and tested and it works for me. To live from the heart is to have a clear understanding of love which leads to the understanding of who and what you truly are. See the reality of any situation below the surface of all the nonsense created by the ego. In any situation for the heart to remain in the forefront the main focus of energy has to always be on the message of love and never on the messenger. We cannot get caught up in the nonsense of any situation. To be of the heart is to allow Universal Energy to be the master of the situation and this is true no matter what the situation is.

The hearts message will always have love as its base; that’s how you know it’s from the heart. The heads message will always have some self satisfaction as its base. This is key if you are to have love as life’s base so you can spread seeds of love; the heart is the center of Being. You can be alive without a mind, it would be a state of vegetation, but you would still be alive. It’s impossible to be alive without the heart as the heart is at the very core of existence, and yet most people live from the head (ego). If most of your decisions come from your head than most of your life will be lived suffering. It’s the absence of love that creates suffering and when life is lived from the head it’s the cause of this absence. So learn the difference between the head and the heart and see the difference as to whether your life is lived from a place of love or not. It’s in your heart that love (God) dwells and it’s in your head that suffering dwells…

Inner Suffering

Until the cause of your suffering is understood suffering will be your driving energy, and until you look in the mirror and say “my suffering comes from within” it will remain in place…

Thirteen years ago as a new direction began to take hold in my life, there was a lot of inner searching as I reflected back to see where my suffering arose from. Although I didn’t understand this at the time, all my suffering stemmed from one source and that was my ego. There are as many definitions of the ego as there are people on this planet and whether it truly exist or not, mine was killing me. The thing about the ego is before it kills you there’s so much suffering along the way; the insanity of this is it’s one’s own mind that causes this.

I don’t blame the ego to not be accountable for what I did, but I don’t hold myself responsible because there’s no way anything could have been done differently. I only responded to life with the tools that were developed and without knowing this, I couldn’t have done anything differently. What I have discovered about the ego is it doesn’t truly exist, but it always seems to be there causing suffering because it has become a huge part of humanity’s conditioning, at least this is how it was for me.

One example that helped me understand this was looking back at the relationships or lack of them in my life. I would only be with someone until I got what I wanted and then it was time to move on; it was always time to move on because there was always some kind of made up discomfort in me. I used everything to try and ease this and for reasons I never understood suffering was always the consequence of this behavior. Today I see how my ego is never satisfied and how it’s the driving force behind all suffering. The ego is driven strictly for it’s own satisfaction regardless of the harm it causes, this revelation helped pave the way for the liberation from my ego’s grip; not its demise its liberation. A liberation that manifested not as getting rid of the ego, but understanding it because until the cause of your suffering is understood it will continue to be the driving energy of your life…

 

Developing Discipline

When the awareness of why you do what you do is at a minimal, the control your emotions have over you are more prevalent and the less alignment and harmony there is with life’s loving energy…

If desiring was an Olympic sport everyone would qualify. Discipline is directly related to the amount of peace there is in one’s life; a little discipline equates to a little peace. When the awareness of why you do what you do is at a minimal, the control your emotions have over you are more prevalent and the less alignment and harmony there is with life’s loving energy. Being truly mindful of what’s happening and having the discipline to not be pulled around by it is imperative if life is to be balanced. This discipline has to be practiced or it won’t be prevalent in and as a result your mind will have its way with you. Discipline can be developed, but the mind will need to trained and just like with any training it will take practice.

Discipline is the key to freedom both physically and mentally. Think of all the people in prison, few if any had the discipline control not to give in to their desires and look what happened. Granted it’s not to that extreme for most people as far as the physical prison goes, but mentally many are in prison from a lack of discipline to truly do the things that are beneficial to their life. Most are controlled by a mind that says, do this or that; without developing discipline it has to be obeyed. Don’t take my word for this, apply the Four Principles of the Conditioned Mind to your thoughts and see it for yourself. These principles are the prescription to the development of discipline the leads to the eradication of Conditioned Mind Patterns that controls you as if you were a puppet on a string. The long version is on my website…

1. The Principle of a Conditioned Mind – Understanding

2. The Principle of What Causes the Conditioning – Attachment

3. The Principle of Awareness of the Conditioning – Realizing

4. The Principle of Conditioned Mind Freedom – Practice