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Archive Update
Several months ago, AIA's eScribe archives were hacked and destroyed.
As a result, I am gradually beginning to replace the eScribe archive with
comprehensive archives located here on the AIA site.
In the meantime, the page you are viewing provides a comprehensive
collection of the daily reflections I shared through my "In This Moment"
mailing list between 2000-2003.
More of my writings are located on the following pages:
` Reflections previously archived on the AIA site
` Transcripts from chat mentoring sessions
` Replies to questions
` Back issues of AIA's ezine
Links on the topical index of my reflections will be updated when/as
my current schedule permits. Since the damaged archives are large,
and restoring them will take time, I appreciate your patience with
broken links during this gradual transition.
In the meantime, I invite you to join AIA's free mailing list. I will
be sure to notify you through this mailing list when the AIA web
site is updated, and when I resume my mentoring services once again.
I also invite you to share AIA's new daily reflections widget with others,
and add it to your desktop or blog.
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"In This Moment" Reflections: Comprehensive archive of the daily
reflections from Metta's "In This Moment" mailing list * 2000-2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Invitation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your restless seeking will not end until you begin
seriously considering the radical possibility that
THAT which you are seeking is inseparable from THIS
-- the reality of your own immediate and intimate
experience within the present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#1: Fire of Uncertainty
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bravely step into the fire
of your own uncertainty.
That which is Real and True
will remain unharmed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#2: Absolute Freedom
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To trust Life completely
and without reservation
is absolute freedom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#3: All Movement, All Time
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All movement within our lives
flows toward the discovery
of the Real.
All time within our lives
flows toward the
present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#4: Enlightenment and Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enlightenment is awakening to
the true nature of Reality.
Reality is That
which cannot be avoided.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#5: Reality Emerges as This
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life is a direct and immediate experience
of the Infinite
manifesting through the finite
in the present moment.
We simply do not recognize it as such
because of our narrow focus
on the finite.
Relax into your own immediate experience
of Perceiving -- of Clear Seeing --
here and now, in this moment.
Shift your attention
to the infinitely vast and
edgeless nature of the present moment,
and suddenly --
you will immediately recognize,
and directly experience,
Reality dynamically emerging as This,
here and now.
There is nothing more or other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#6: Given Conditions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pay attention to, and inquire into, the nature of
your own immediate experience. Become the Witness,
or Observer, of your own experience.
Investigate the "Given Conditions" of being human,
"I am -- Aware -- Now":
· the sense of identity, or being, at the center of
your own experience which manifests as "I am."
· the Awareness through which you perceive
everything within and around you.
· the immediacy and Infinity of Now.
These three basic conditions of being human are
profound pointers to our True Nature. We simply
overlook them in our rush to identify ourselves
with "outward" conditions, i.e., a body, memory,
personality and the illusion of time.
Simply paying attention -- looking at and remembering
these basic, essential conditions -- is enough, for
they are the vehicle through which we experience,
and Recognize, the vast and Infinite nature of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#7: Your Essential Self
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember:
You are far more than
you imagine yourself to be.
Let go of all limiting identifications.
See your essential self
within all manifest things,
and there is nothing you will lack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#8: Trust the Movement of Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust the movement of Reality
in and through your own experience,
and you will recognize It within
the immediacy of every present moment....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#9: Focus on the Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No-thing has any real identity
independent of the Source
out of which it emerges.
Shift the focus of your investigation
toward an intuitive recognition
of this invisible Background,
and all things will be made Clear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#10: Unchanging Awareness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn to watch both your experience and your
reactions to your experience. This process of
observant attention and witnessing will enable
you to see that your fundamental and essential
sense of identity exists as an unchanging point
of Awareness within the heart of all changing
conditions and circumstance.
This Awareness is grounded in the present moment
and never exists outside of Now. It is always
accessible and never exists somewhere other than
Here. It is the immediate and undeniable Center
of who you imagine yourself to be.
Reside in this Center, and realize that the essence
of this Awareness is not separate from That which
manifests before, around and within you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#11: Investigate Your Own Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All I can do is
describe my own experience.
You must investigate your own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#12: Seeing Without a Face
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The fact that you cannot see your own face
is an important clue to understanding
who and what you really are:
your sense of identity is linked to Seeing,
not to being seen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#13: All Experience Points Toward Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is nothing
within your own experience
that does not,
in its own way,
point toward
the Reality of
who and what you are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#14: Desiring -- and Accepting -- Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let go of desiring anything
other than THAT which is
Real and True.
Then, wholeheartedly accept this Reality
as it shows up Here and Now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#15: Recognition of Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enlightenment is an irrevocable breakthrough
into a stunning Recognition of the fundamental
and essential nature of Reality.
Time as we know it widens out
into a vast, infinite expanse
of dynamic manifestation
within the present moment.
Everything is felt, seen, heard
and experienced within this larger
and previously unimaginable context,
...and all the while, Reality
continues to show up,
here and now,
as the perfectly ordinary
and absolutely miraculous
experience we call
Life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#16: Journey into the Center
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look into the deepest recesses
of your heart --
beneath the movement of all
thought and emotion --
and what will you discover?
A silent, clear and spacious
Awareness
within which
all experience
is contained.
As you journey back out
from this Center, remember:
everything that arises
and appears before you now
is simply a natural manifestation
of this limitless Reality
in finite form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#17: The Miracle of Manifest Existence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is something inexplicably precious
in the miracle of manifest existence.
Our great opportunity is
to learn to savour
This.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#18: This is the Answer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Imagine how radically different
your experience would be
if you assumed
that all of THIS
is the answer
rather than
the question.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#19: Reject Nothing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That which is Real
manifests in and through
*every* experience.
Reject nothing
if you hope to recognize
the true nature of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#20: Only Now is Real
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look at how easily we accept
common beliefs in illusion!
Neither the past nor the future
has any reality separate from
the present moment --
and yet we act as if
each is Real.
This is one of the
fundamental assumptions
I am encouraging you to
re-examine and investigate.
Look into the heart
of your own immediate experience
and you will see,
without a doubt,
that only Now is Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#21: Ephemeral Pleasures
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pleasures, ecstasies and suffering
always come and go.
The constant throughout all experience
is That which is Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#22: Compassionate Revelation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time steals the finite away from us
in a compassionate revelation
of the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#23: Contentment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With thought suspended,
contentment arises
naturally.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#24: Spacious Awareness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember:
It is the mind and consciousness that
vacillate and move; Awareness does not.
You are the spaciousness within which
all of THIS appears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#25: Magnificent Miracle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Refusing to accept your own magnificence
will not change the fact -- or the miracle --
of who and what you really are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#26: Pay Attention, Trust Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pay attention, and trust Reality.
There is nothing else you need to do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#27: Trust Your Own Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inspiration and insight arise
through a willingness
to trust your own experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#28: I Am Aware Now
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you are confused,
simply bring yourself back to
the Reality of what you know
beyond all doubt:
"I am aware now."
Herein lies the spacious presence
of your own Original Nature.
See also:
` Given Conditions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#29: Invitation into the Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every experience of the finite will
inevitably lead to one simple question:
"Is this all there is?"
As such, the finite is
a priceless invitation
into the Infinite.
See also:
` Bumping into Limitation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#30: The Question of Identity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This whole matter of Realization revolves
around a fundamental question of identity:
"With what do you identify?"
The more narrow and limited your sense of
self, the greater your suffering.
The moment you discover that things
are separate only in appearance,
and not in Essence,
then in that moment your sense of "self"
will begin to expand.
And, in that moment, you will begin to Realize
the magnificence of who and what you really are:
a dynamic manifestation, within space and time,
of the Reality which transcends both.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#31: Truth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dedicate yourself to
the discovery of a Truth so large
there is nothing that cannot be
contained within it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#32: The Human Condition
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing is more important
than coming to terms with
the fundamental nature
of the human condition.
Until we make our peace with
the experience of being human
everything else will be
distractions and details.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#33: Doorway into Infinite Possibility
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is our resistance to Reality which is
the source of all our suffering
and the self-imposed constraint
upon our innate and limitless freedom.
Your willingness to come to terms with Reality,
as it appears before you here and now,
will be your doorway into infinite possibility.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#34: Contentment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life flows through each of us
in a tidal wave of infinite expression.
Contentment and satisfaction depend upon
your ability to trust this unfolding process.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#35: Clear Seeing: The Indisputable Whole
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Reality I experienced during the epiphany
is not different or separate from
the reality we experience under
"ordinary" circumstances.
What does differ is our interpretation....
In our "ordinary" experience,
the focus of attention is on the finite,
In a revelation of the transcendent,
the focus of attention shifts
to the Infinite Whole.
Ongoing Clear Seeing is
an indisputable, experiential recognition of
the inseparability and indivisibility of both.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#36: Present Circumstance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No other circumstances
are more conducive
to the realization
of your true nature
than the present circumstances
within which
you find yourself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#37: Appreciate the Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each experience is an opportunity
to see more deeply
into who and what
you really are.
Life is our opportunity
to deepen our appreciation
of the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#38: The Illusion of a "Higher" Self
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
References to a "higher" or transcendent "Self"
perpetuate the illusion of an identity
separate, distant and "other."
In reality, the essence of who you are is
immediate, immanent and inseparable from
the sense of present moment "self"
with which you tend to identify.
Look for who is looking, and
you will discover
you are not separate from
the intimate Reality of Awareness
shining within the present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#39: Spaciousness of Spirit
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a spaciousness of spirit
within each of us
which only reveals itself
when we are finally willing
to let go of all self-doubt,
anxiety and apprehension.
Discovering this spaciousness
is a completely exhilarating
and satisfying release
into the wholeness and freedom
of our essential and
fundamental nature.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#40: Purpose of Existence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The entire purpose
of manifest existence
is simply to facilitate
the realization of
who and what you really are.
There is nothing more or other.
See also:
` Question #3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#41: Intuitive Impulse
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every intuitive impulse
leads eventually to
a recognition of
your own innate nature.
Watch and learn
by trusting
this gradual and
unfolding process.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#42: True Freedom
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
True freedom lies in discovering
that your most intimate identity
-- the Witnessing Awareness
we recognize as "I am" --
is inseparable from the Source
out of which it emerges.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#43: Absolute Center, Essence and Presence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pay attention to whatever it is
that is disturbing or distressing you.
Investigate your reactions, and
you will discover that
your most intimate identity
resides at the
Absolute Center of your experience,
behind and within all
the activity of the "external" world
and your "internal" mind.
When you point toward yourself,
you are pointing in the
experiential direction of
this Clear Seeing, Perceptual Center --
the Witnessing Awareness of "I am" --
which remains unshaken and unmoved
in the midst of all
external movement and
mental activity.
Recognize this invisible Center
as the Essence of who and what
you really are.
This clear, unseen Seeing is
the self-illuminated Space
within which
all manifest existence appears.
You are THAT,
and when this spacious Essence
manifests as
the Witnessing Awareness of "I am,"
we recognize and experience it as
spiritual Presence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#44: Discovering Completeness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The greatest joy of Life
lies in the discovery of
its innate completeness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#45: Facing Death
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Face Death squarely.
Do not shrink back
or look away,
for within the eyes of Death
you will see the face of God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#46: Illuminated Darkness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Even within darkness
perception is illuminated
by the light of
our own innate
Awareness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#47: Discover the Spacious Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your opportunity is simply to
observe your experience,
and in so doing,
discover the spacious Space
out of which
all manifest experience arises.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#48: Desire and the Realization of Truth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you observe your own experience carefully,
you will discover that, in its own way,
even desire leads to
the eventual realization of Truth --
simply through the revelation of
the limited nature of the finite and
the irresistibility of the Infinite.
See also:
` Bumping into Limitation
` Invitation into the Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#49: Trust Your Own Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you do not trust your own immediate experience
as a valid vehicle for the expression of Truth
and the manifestation of Reality,
you will never have hope
of recognizing either.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#50: Do Not Reject Your Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not reject the experience
within which you find yourself.
Look into the heart of it
to discover the Living Center --
the nexus point through which
the energy of Life manifests.
You are THAT.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#51: Luminescent Present
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The present moment is
pure, crystalline and luminescent.
It is only our attachments,
distractions and preoccupations
which obscure this innate,
natural clear light.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#52: Recognize the Miraculous
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let go of your attachment to
this or that.
Cultivate your ability
to recognize the miraculous
everywhere.
See also:
` Self-Identification with the Limited
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#53: Revelation of Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The entire manifest universe
exists as a revelation of
THAT which is fundamental,
Essential and Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#54: Creative Impulse
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust the impulses of creativity
stirring within you.
They are the energy of Life
seeking expression through you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#55: Reality As It Is
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Only when we let go of
our preconceived ideas
of what we think
Reality *should* be
are we able to delight in
the magnificence of
Reality as it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#56: Beyond All Seeking...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seeking is based on a
fundamental assumption
of incompleteness.
Beyond all seeking
lies the discovery of
Infinite Completeness --
an undeniable recognition that
ultimately nothing is missing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#57: Satisfaction Beyond Circumstance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Discovering the Satisfaction
independent of circumstance
is the revelation that
liberates.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#58: Explore Your Assumptions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Be vigilant in exploring the assumptions
upon which your experience is based:
` Do you trust life?
` Do you feel safe within the universe?
` Do you believe existence is incomplete
or fatally flawed?
Your answers to these fundamental questions
will define and shape your perception
and experience of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#59: Reality is Staring at You
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reality and truth
are staring you
in the face.
The question is:
how do you interpret
what you see?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#60: Interpreting Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your experience of Reality
is shaped by
your interpretation of it.
Change the beliefs you hold about Reality,
and your world will be transformed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#61: Thought Filters Perception
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn to discern
how thought filters
perception.
Then you will begin to see
how much of your experience
is a product of imagination
and expectation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#62: Sea of Possibility
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In this moment
you are sitting within
a sea of infinite possibility.
Each choice you make is the vehicle
for distilling the actual
from the potential.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#63: New In This Moment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See each experience
as if it is fresh and new.
With thoughtful and careful attention,
you will discover that it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#64: Freedom from Fear
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fear is completely dependent upon
a narrow and limited sense of self.
Freedom from fear lies in
the Awareness of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#65: Quiet Joy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quiet, unspeakable joy
inhabits the heart
that recognizes
the inherent Wholeness
within all things.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#66: Perfect Practice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For those who would seek
the perfect method of spiritual practice,
remember:
there is nothing
that does *not* contribute to
the experience of Realization.
See also:
` Spiritual Practice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#67: Being Human
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dive deeply into the heart of the question
of what it means to be fully human.
Do not be satisfied with your answer
until it embraces all of who you are --
both alone and in relationship with others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#68: Liberation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liberation is not an escape
from the human condition.
It is the fulfillment of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#69: Figuring out Enlightenment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Give up trying to figure out
what "enlightenment" is.
It is enough simply
to pay attention to Reality
as it shows up, here and now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#70: Be Who You Are
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Be who you are,
without concern, regret
or apprehension.
You are Life's gift to us,
exactly as you are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#71: Unraveling Our Confusions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is nothing
you need to do or achieve
above and beyond
who/what you already are.
Reality is not separate from
or other than
who/what you already are.
Full acceptance of Reality,
exactly as it is,
embraces everything --
including your desire for change.
True freedom from desire
includes even freedom from
the desire to be desireless.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#72: Behind the Mind
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Behind the mind lies
clear, quiet open space
through which
the energy of Life flows.
Reside within this spaciousness
and nothing will be left undone.
See also:
` Open Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#73: The Energy of Life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The energy of Life
is shining through each of us
in every moment as
radiant presence and
luminescent essence.
Let the focus of your attention shift
from the parts to the Whole,
and you will see this light shining
within everyone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#74: Identity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you release your identification
with the particular,
you will recognize your identity
with the universal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#75: Seeking Gives Way...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seeking eventually gives way,
naturally and inevitably,
to an infinite process of
discovery and revelation....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#76: Apparent Separateness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See and experience Awareness
as the space within which
all things and all beings appear.
With this recognition,
you will realize that
all apparent separateness
is appearance only.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#77: Beyond Appearance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Step beyond
the world of appearances
into the spaciousness
out of which
all appearances arise.
Here is where true freedom lies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#78: Being and Doing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Being is simply the background
for all doing.
Neither exists in opposition to
or in tension with the other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#79: Haunted by Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Allow your fascination with
Reality's innate nature
to haunt you into discovering
the unavoidability and totality
of the Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#80: Ready for Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When nothing else will satisfy,
then you will be ready
for Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#81: The Allure of Attainment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arrival, achievement and attainment
are all alluring because of
the promise of certainty
they provide.
However, greater satisfaction and security
are inherent within an absolute acceptance of
the sufficiency of Reality as it is.
Always remember:
that which can be attained
also can be lost.
See also:
` Nothing to Achieve, Nowhere to Go
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#82: The Sufficiency of Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reality is sufficient as It is.
Without this recognition,
we are destined
to search and to suffer.
However, when we finally accept
the innate completeness of Reality
as it is manifesting
within the present moment,
then we realize our innate freedom
to explore Its infinite and
yet-to-be-manifest potential.
See also:
` Natural Great Perfection
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#83: Misery is Optional
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the process of coming to terms with
the experience of suffering, it can help
to remember that pain is an inherent aspect
of finite, physical experience.
Suffering, on the other hand, is a
mental/psychological/emotional construct,
and while it arises naturally in conjunction with
any narrow, individual identification,
it is an experience we do not have to create.
Even common knowledge reminds us
of this simple truth
in the frequently quoted phrase:
"Pain is inevitable,
but misery is optional."
See also:
` Reflections on Suffering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#84: Watch the Mind
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you would understand the nature of Reality,
begin by watching the workings of the mind.
It is here that all misapprehensions arise.
Let go of what you do not understand.
Assume you are looking at and experiencing
the Whole of Reality
for beyond all appearances,
you are.
See also:
` Beyond Appearance
` Apparent Separateness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#85: One Taste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The experience of "One Taste" is a Recognition
of that which is the essential Ground or Base
of all things -- a Recognition of the Reality
from which all things spring forth. With this
Recognition, a shift in our fascination occurs
from the details and "the how of the world"
(Wittgenstein) to the simple fact that the
world exists at all.
In other words, "One Taste" is an experience of
absolute wonder, Satisfaction, and Fulfillment
in and with the multiplicity in the world --
the complete opposite blandness and homogeneity.
See also:
` Three-fold Miracle
` Kalu Rinpoche on "One Taste"
` Excerpts from "One Taste: The Journals of Ken Wilber": #1, #2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#86: One and Many
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"One" and "Many" are two names
for the same Reality.
Step back from the busy-ness
within your life,
and see the light illuminating
all manifest things.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#87: Trusting Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you understand
that you are in the midst of
the fullness of Reality,
the universe --
and everything within it --
becomes consummately
trustworthy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#88: Trust the Sages
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust the saints and sages.
Look for the Truth
they have described
within the heart of
*your own* intimate experience.
Allow yourself to discover
the validity of
your own innate Knowing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#89: Trust Your Own Knowing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust the wisdom within you.
Follow it out to the edge
of your own knowing,
and then discover the Knowing
that lies beyond....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#90: Being What You Are
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing can prevent you from
being what you already are.
Only fear and imagination will
prevent you from recognizing
your own innate fullness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#91: Recognizing the Unseen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You do not need
to understand
everything.
It is enough simply
to recognize, intuitively,
the Unseen within the seen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#92: Thought, Desire and Expectation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not be troubled
by the arising of
thought, desire and expectations.
Allow them to be
what they inherently are:
limited manifestations of
That which is
Unlimited.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#93: Worry, Fear, Regret and Trust
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Worry, fear and regret are based upon
imagined stories we tell ourselves
about Reality.
Trust is a fundamental acknowledgement
of the ultimate benevolence, wholeness
and integrity of Reality, as it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#94: Infinite Potential
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When we open ourselves
to the vast expanse of
our own infinite potential,
we enhance the opportunity
for it to be realized.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#95: Joy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joy is the natural expression
of an unfettered spirit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#96: Test Your Assumptions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life will inevitably provide you
with countless opportunities
to test your assumptions about
That which is Real and True.
Live your life fully,
and take advantage of
every opportunity
as it arises.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#97: With What Do You Identify?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every experience in your life
points toward a fundamental choice --
the question of:
"With what do you identify?"
The way you answer this
fundamental and essential question
will profoundly influence
how you choose to live your life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#98: Beyond Identification
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let go of all identifications,
and the Truth of who you are
will be unmistakable, undeniable
and unavoidable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#99: Portal into the Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find THAT which is
the unchanging constant
within the heart of
your own immediate experience,
and you will discover
an open portal
into the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#100: Finding Comfort
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our greatest solace and
and most profound comfort
are to be found in the
eventual and unavoidable
recognition that
That which is Real and True
always will remain so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#101: The Limitless Nature of Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our expectations are the boundaries
which limit the height and breadth and depth
of our own understanding.
Always be open to possibilities
that lie beyond the limits of
your wildest imagination.
Allow every experience
to teach you about
the limitless nature
of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#102: Reality is Not Fragile
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing is fragile about Reality.
That which is Real is
completely substantial
and trustworthy.
Its manifestations will
inevitably change and fade,
but the Essence and Source
of everything remains
solid and unmoved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#103: The Rhythm of Life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The innate rhythm of Life
is reflected around and with us --
in the flowing of the tides
and the cycling of the seasons;
in the cadence of our breathing,
and the beating of our hearts.
Trust the natural inevitability
of this momentum,
and recognize it within
the inexorable opening
of your soul.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#104: Making the Unseen Seen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each of us is a
living, breathing experience of,
and an experiment with,
the process of making
the Unseen seen.
This is the honor,
opportunity and art of
being human.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#105: Living Wisdom
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Live with a
fully integrated recognition
of the priceless and
precious nature of
the present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#106: The Great Equalizer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Realization is the great equalizer:
everything is poignant
when seen through
the eyes of intrinsic
Awareness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#107: Compassionate Witness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Step back from your experience.
Observe yourself, your reactions,
and everything that happens
through the eyes of
a compassionate witness.
This is what it means to
pay attention.
See also:
` Pay Attention
` Overwhelming Delight
` Given Conditions
` Unchanging Awareness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#108: Satisfaction and Suffering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How can one find satisfaction
in a world filled with suffering?
By understanding the nature of suffering
and the larger Reality out of which it arises.
See also:
` Reflections on Suffering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#109: Quiet Compassion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quiet compassion is the strength
that endures all suffering and
triumphs over all adversity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#110: Nothing But Love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you are exhausted by
the suffering in the world,
there is nothing to do
but love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#111: Happiness and Satisfaction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happiness depends upon
the vicissitudes of circumstance.
Satisfaction resides within
the abiding completeness of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#112: Reality and Satisfaction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you discover Reality,
nothing else is needed.
Until you discover Reality
nothing else will satisfy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#113: Nothing and Everything
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you need nothing,
there is room for everything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#114: Natural Great Completeness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rest in the comfort of Life's
Natural Great Completeness.
This sufficiency is the source
of all satisfaction and peace.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#115: THIS is Sufficient
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider the possibility
that Life is complete --
exactly as it is...
...that within each moment
Reality is infinitely and
endlessly manifesting...
...that all of the apparent parts
are an expression of
one vast and magnificent
Whole.
Imagine how all THIS
would appear to you
if seen through
Satisfied eyes.
Breathe deeply
and let go
of all expectation
and desire...
...and in this moment of
clear, pure Seeing
you will discover
all there is to know:
nothing more, nothing less
than what is here, now.
THIS is sufficient --
exactly as it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#116: Perceptual Capacity, Dynamic Vitality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Behind, beneath, within, and beyond
all thought and emotion shines
the clear, spacious light of
Natural Awareness.
This perceptual capacity
is the seat and Center of
all human experience,
and it manifests as
the dynamic, animating vitality
within each of us.
See also:
` Natural Awareness
` Spacious Vitality
` The Energy of Life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#117: Silent Center, Moving Energy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find the silent, Clear Center
within all the world's movement.
This is your true identity.
Trust the energy moving out
from this Source, into the world.
This is also a manifestation of
your own innate essence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#118: Identity and Effort
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your true identity
includes and transcends
all thought, emotion and appearance.
Find the Clear Center
of all manifest things
and all efforting will cease.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#119: The Dynamic and The Changeless
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember:
the dynamic and the changeless
are inextricably connected.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#120: Transformation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The present moment
is the vortex of
all transformation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#121: Simply Trusting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are best served
simply by trusting both
the process within which
we find ourselves,
and the deepest impulses
moving within us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#122: Each and Every Step
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As a wise Spanish poet once said,
"Wanderer, there is no path.
You lay a path in walking."
Remember: each and every step
*is* our sacred work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#123: Life's Lessons
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Even now
Life is teaching us
everything we need to know.
Our opportunity is
to recognize the lessons
as they are arising.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#124: Discovering That Which We Are Seeking
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each of us is already discovering
That which we are seeking.
It is simply a matter of
paying attention to
and trusting Life
as it is arises
within this moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#125: Sharing In This Moment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every moment
is an opportunity
to share
the essence of
who and what
you really are.
What are you offering
now to others?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#126: Truth is Not Hidden.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Truth is not hidden from us.
We simply do not recognize it
manifesting as THIS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#127: That is This
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The only reason we do not recognize This
as That which we are seeking
is that we operate with
a set of limiting assumptions
about how Reality will manifest
in the present moment.
When we let go of
these assumptions and expectations,
we will instantly recognize:
That can be nothing other than This.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#128: Doubting Reality?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who am I to second guess
the nature of Reality?
Why should I ever doubt,
even for just one moment,
that Reality could/would/should
manifest as anything but This?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#129: Ultimate Realization
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything pales in comparison
to the Realization that
THIS is complete.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#130: Enlightenment is Not Separate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enlightenment is not separate from This --
your own immediate experience.
It is simultaneously immediate,
ordinary and Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#131: Absence and Presence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The absence of, or distance from,
a particular teacher
is not an obstacle to recognizing
your own innate nature.
The only apparent obstacle
is believing this Presence
is separate from
who and what
you already are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#132: Radiant Moment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In one stunning, timeless moment
the whole of THAT
reveals itself --
as THIS --
and Now shines radiant,
luminescent,
pure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#133: Realizing the Nature of "Ordinary" Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enlightenment is the thoroughly astonishing
and delightful realization that when Infinity
and perfection manifest within space and time,
they show up in and as the magnificence and splendor
we describe as "ordinary" reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#134: Perfection Unfolding
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When we recognize that
THAT which is unfolding before us
in every present moment
is a pure and inviolate expression
of the Perfection of Life, itself,
nothing more is needed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#135: Infinite Universe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All human creativity begins
with imagination and
with a willingness
to consider the possibility
that something heretofore unimagined
might actually come into being.
Let go of limiting assumptions, and
an Infinite universe will instantly manifest --
right before your very eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#136: Choosing Peace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To live in peace and with compassion
is a choice made in every moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#137: Watch Your Reactions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Watch your internal reactions to Reality.
If you pay attention to your resistances
and to your objections,
you will discover that
it is this rejection of Reality
which is the source of all suffering.
When you finally stop pushing Reality away,
you will naturally and inevitably discover
a vast expanse of innate freedom and choice
you never before knew existed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#138: Internal and External Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may not always understand
the source point and origin of
your "external" experience,
but with mindful attention
you will discover that
your subjective, "internal" experience
is always created and shaped
by thought.
Focus on understanding this dynamic
and you will find that both your
"internal" and "external" experiences
will, inevitably, be transformed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#139: Expectations of the Finite, Intimacy with the Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not expect the finite
to be anything other than
what it is.
This is the key to discovering
your own innate freedom, and
your intimacy with the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#140: Finite and Infinite Beauty
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The finite world is steeped
in tender, poignant beauty --
precisely because it is finite.
The Infinite is radiant with beauty --
precisely because it transcends the finite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#141: Acceptance, Freedom and Possibility
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When we allow ourselves
to accept Reality exactly as it is,
we paradoxically discover
our innate freedom and
the Reality of infinite possibility.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#142: Self-absorption
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All of us are always self-absorbed.
The question is, with what self
do we identify?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#143: Spacious Wholeness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you reflect on the spacious Wholeness
that contains all of our experiences,
you will discover:
` it is the timeless constant
throughout our lives, and
` there is no time when it is
not immediately accessible
and available.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#144: Incarnation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THIS will never be enough
as long as we resist --
and until we can embrace --
the reality and mystery
of incarnation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#145: Tracing Bread Crumbs Home
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember: all thoughts and emotions
function as bread crumbs
leading you home to
the realization of
your own essential nature.
Emotions arise from thoughts
which arise, in turn, from
foundational belief structures
about the nature of Reality and
your own innate identity.
Trace these experiential clues
back to their Source, and
they will reveal the underlying structures
that support your current experience of Reality
-- along with the clear light of Awareness
within which they are all contained.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#146: Pleasure and Pain
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reality includes all pleasure
and extends beyond all pain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#147: Beyond Extremes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every extreme
points toward that Reality
which lies beyond
all extremes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#148: The Greatest Gift
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The greatest gift we have been given
is Reality exactly as it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#149: Pondering the Nature of the Universe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pondering the nature of the universe
and humankind's place within it
is hardly idle fancy.
It is one of the most fundamentally human
tasks within which we can engage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#150: Expectation and Possibility
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Expectation
will either
limit or invite
possibility.
Choose wisely.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#151: No Sweeter Pleasure
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is no sweeter pleasure
than satisfaction and contentment
arising spontaneously
within the present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#152: Complete Satisfaction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The quiet joy
of complete satisfaction
arises when we release
our attachment to
the particular.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#153: Life's Sweetness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Captives of our own imaginations,
we dream of fleeting pleasures
and long for deeper passions,
even as Life's sweetness
is dripping from our lips.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#154: Quiet Reverie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In moments of quiet reverie,
Awareness shines clear,
radiant and undisturbed.
Moonlight shines twice-bright --
in the clear night sky above, and
in still, darkening waters below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#155: From the Darkness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reach deep into the darkness
and you will always pull out
hands full of THIS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#156: Reality and Truth are Larger
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you are overwhelmed with
the immensity of
your own pain and suffering,
remember:
Reality and Truth are larger.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#157: Keep an Open Heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Even in the depths of despair,
if you allow your heart
to remain open,
light will continue to flow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#158: Our Attachment to Struggle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our attachment
to struggle and suffering
is often stronger than
our clinging
to pleasure and desire.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#159: Suffering Arises Within the Mind
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Continue opening yourself
to the possibility
that all suffering arises
within the mind.
When you release your attachment
to the particular view causing
your discomfort or anguish,
you will suddenly realize --
in a brilliant flash of clarity --
that everything is transformed
with a simple shift in thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#160: Unconditioned Acceptance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Embrace every event,
receive every experience and
approach every individual
with unconditioned acceptance.
Within this spacious Awareness,
suffering will inevitably subside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#161: In Every Moment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In every moment...
we are stepping into the unknown.
In every moment...
we are coming home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#162: Here and Now
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider the possibility
that HERE and NOW are
not different...
...and you will begin to intuit
the profound Completeness
of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#163: Not Here Now?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where do you hope to go?
What do you hope to do or to find
that is not already present Here and Now?
Reflecting on this
will help you to recognize
your expectations and assumptions
about the nature of Reality and
the experience of Realization.
If you do not assume that
That which you are seeking is missing,
then you will be able to recognize it
Here and Now
as THIS.
Remember:
You already are
THAT which you are seeking.
"What you are looking for is what is looking."
Wei Wu Wei
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#164: All Apparent Movement
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our destination is always Here.
Our arrival is always Now.
All apparent movement
is a reflection of
the wandering mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#165: Infinite and Inescapable
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find comfort in the fact
that NOW is Infinite
and inescapable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#166: True Liberation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
True liberation is recognizing
there is no longer anything --
including desire and the human condition --
from which you are seeking to escape.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#167: Essential Identity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Reality you confront
in silence and in darkness --
the unblinking Awareness
behind all thought,
emotion and personal identity --
is the Essence of
your own innate Identity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#168: Yoga
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoga means union.
The essence of yoga
is the Recognition that
your own innate Identity
is indistinguishable
from the Essence of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#169: Awaken Now
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not make a religion
out of your
restless seeking.
Instead, Awaken now
to That which is Essential
within in the silent, motionless
Center of your experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#170: There is No Other
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dive deep into
the Center of your Self,
and you will find
there is no Other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#171: Arrow of Attention
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trace the arrow of attention
back to the Source
out of which it arises,
and you will discover
a vast and spaciousness Awareness
to which your most intimate identity
is inextricably linked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#172: Attention and Intention
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Attention is
the light of Awareness
focused by intention.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#173: Focused Attention
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Focused attention
provides an invaluable opportunity
for the inherent radiance of Reality
to be revealed and recognized.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#174: Background of Awareness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Awareness is the background for
all of our experiences, and yet
in our ordinary day-to-day lives,
it is often obscured by
habituated thoughts and emotions.
Most teaching and meditation practices
are designed to cut through
this habituated seeing
into the Background of Awareness
which is our innate nature and
which is, in and of itself,
Clear Seeing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#175: Awareness is the Constant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Awareness is the constant
throughout all experience.
Recognizing this is the key
to abiding Satisfaction.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#176: Individuality and the Experience of Realization
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is important to understand that
with an experience of Realization,
the sense of this body,
this mind, this individual
does not always --
and does not need to --
disappear.
Instead, the "individual" is simply perceived
within a new and much broader context.
It is now understood as
a temporary and transitory manifestation
of a larger -- indeed Infinite -- Reality.
.o00o.
"It should be borne in mind...that relative
consciousness by its own momentum continued
to function all this time, so that I never
for one moment lost sight of my environment
or the ceaseless train of thoughts."
"I was...prepared not to have the personal
consciousness share in this Recognition in any
way. But in this I was happily disappointed."
Franklin Merrell-Wolff
_Experience and Philosophy_
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#177: Awareness and "I Am"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Awareness manifests in and through the individual,
and there is -- for most of us -- a strong, clear
sense of identification with what appears to be
an individual sense of being -- this sense of
"I am."
However, the sense of "I am" is less a link to an
*individual* identity, and is more a revelation
of a natural state of Awareness, which is our
essential, innate nature.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#178: Center and Anchor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As "I Am" arises,
the world appears.
As "I Am" subsides,
the world vanishes.
As such, "I Am" is the
center of creation and
the anchor of all Knowing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#179: Nexus Point
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything interfaces
within the present moment.
The vitality of NOW arises
from this miraculous convergence:
space, time, Identity, Reality
and the movement of Life
are all inextricably linked
within the nexus point of
present moment Awareness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#180: Becoming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Becoming is simply
the manifestation of Awareness
in and through the finite
within the Infinite Present.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#181: Hunger for the Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The finite always hungers
for the Infinite.
This longing is evidence of
the Source out of which
all finite things arise.
"The spirit of man is inseparable
from the Infinite, and
can be satisfied with
nothing less than the Infinite."
-- James Allen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#182: Our Longing to Know
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our profound longing to Know
arises naturally and inevitably.
It is not a mistake or a problem.
It is, in fact, the natural movement
and nature of Life, as it manifests,
to seek beyond the limits of the finite.
Every edge we bump up against
invites us to seek,
to explore what lies beyond --
to know that which is as yet
unseen and undiscovered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#183: Seeking the Whole
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our longing to Know arises
as the smaller "part"
begins seeking a recognition
of the larger Whole.
As this recognition and
acknowledgement of the Whole
begins to arise,
our seeking and longing
naturally begin to subside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#184: Seeking Subsides
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our searching and longing
naturally subside
as we come into
a fuller recognition of
the vast expanse of the Infinite
manifesting within the present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#185: Giving Way to Discovery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we eventually begin to let go of
our mistaken assumption that
something is missing,
the energy of seeking shifts
and gives way to limitless discovery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#186: Nourishing the Soul
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What nourishes the soul most
if not a recognition and
an appreciation of
the fullness and depth
of Reality?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#187: Ordinary and Magnificent
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The grand magnificence of Reality
is that it manifests effortlessly
within the ordinary and the mundane.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#188: Recognizing, Not Rejecting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recognizing
the fundamental nature of Reality
depends on nothing other than
not rejecting Reality
as it appears before you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#189: Surrendering to Truth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you surrender completely
to Truth,
there is no place where
you will not see
Reality emerging.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#190: True Wealth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
True wealth lies in
recognizing and embracing
the completeness of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#191: Silent Center Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You reside within the Center
of all changing circumstance.
In this, there is no hidden secret,
no esoteric truth.
Simply watch your own experience,
and you will soon discover that
all movement resolves around
the silent Center Space
you recognize as
you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#192: The Containing Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All pain and pleasure,
all happiness and sorrow,
dissolve into the space
within which they are contained.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#193: The Great Container
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Both movement (the dynamic)
and stillness (the quiescent)
emanate from One Source.
What more could ever be needed
when you discover yourself
residing effortlessly within
The Great Container of All Things?
"But, if you hide the universe
in the universe,
there is no way to lose it.
This is the ultimate reality."
Chuang Tsu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#194: Spaciousness and Clarity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spaciousness of spirit
is reflected in
radiant clarity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#195: Living in Open Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is enough simply to
pay attention and
trust the process:
` Whoever comes is the right people.
` Whatever happens is the only thing that could have.
` When it starts, is the right time.
` When it's over, it's over.
If you are neither learning nor contributing,
you have a responsibility,
to yourself and to others,
to use your two feet and
move to some place
more to your liking.
Be prepared to be surprised!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With credit -- and grateful acknowledgement --
to Harrison Owen....
Opening Space for Emerging Order
http://www.openspaceworld.com/brief_history.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#196: Shift the Focus of Attention and Energy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your daily life --
with all its opportunities,
challenges and dilemmas --
is a composite reflection of
your recent focus of attention.
Shift this focus,
and you will begin to realize
new dimensions of
unmanifest potential.
Watch and learn
as this energy
moves.
"Whatever you focus on expands."
Unknown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#197: The Demands of Daily Life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As you attend to your affairs
and respond to the demands of daily life,
realize they can all be kept in perspective
simply by focusing your attention
on THAT which is Essential.
Inevitably, everything will be
taken care of, effortlessly,
when you recognize
you are residing
within the Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#198: No Disturbance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No disturbance arises
in the mind
grounded in
Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#199: Containing Fear
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not fear
what you do not
understand.
Instead, surrender
and open yourself to it
so completely that
you discover you are,
in fact,
the container of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#200: Nothing Left Undone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whether we realize it or not,
the critical issues we face
in our daily lives --
health, security and safety --
all arise because of
the inevitability of
Death.
Come to terms with this
fundamental Reality,
and there will be
no business
left undone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#201: Everything We Do
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Within the present moment
lies an infinite well-spring
of satisfaction and fulfillment.
Everything we do
either affirms this truth,
or attempts to achieve
THAT which is already here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#202: The Limits of Meditation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meditation is simply an attempt
to still and focus the mind.
Realization is discovering
you are the Spacious Awareness
and Clear Seeing
within which
both mind and
meditation appear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#203: Personality and Essence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Personality is subject to change.
Essence is not.
Reality manifests through both.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#204: Restlessness Subsides
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Allow your identity to shift
from the particular to the universal,
and then watch the restlessness
of the mind
subside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#205: Contemplating the Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contemplating the Infinite
stirs the soul and
opens the heart of
Recognition.
"The chief meaning of meditation
is to contemplate reality."
Dhammasudhi
_Secrets of the Lotus_
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#206: Gift of God
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This moment is
an extraordinary opportunity --
profound and priceless --
to open your eyes
and see God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#207: Grace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grace has already arrived.
It is not something for which
we are still waiting!
If you are searching,
you simply have not yet
recognized it, as it is,
here and now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#208: Everything You See
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything you see is God
in a form
you do not yet recognize.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#209: This is It!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything
is an endless reminder
that This is It!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#210: Awakening into Awareness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life
is our experience
of Awakening into Awareness.
Recognizing this,
we no longer crave anything
beyond the present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#211: Essence Behind Appearance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Behind all appearances, names and forms,
beneath all thoughts and emotions,
lies the Reality of who and what
you really are.
This Essence shines through
all forms and structures --
a radiant expression of Reality
here and now,
through you and
through the world around you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#212: In Spite of All Appearances
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider all the beauty and
love around you and
recognize that
Life has tremendous power
to move through each of us --
in spite of
all appearances to the contrary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#213: Light of the Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The light of the Infinite
shines through each of us
as if through colored glass.
Explore your beliefs and assumptions
to discover the ways in which
you filter the radiance of Truth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#214: Open Window
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let your life be an open window
through which the light of Truth shines.
Be what you already are,
and let your life
be a gift to the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#215: No Aspiration
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No aspiration remains,
except to be clear as glass.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#216: Life's Voice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life speaks directly to you
through your deepest longings.
Listen to -- and trust -- this voice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#217: Hunger for Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is an urge within each of us
driving us deeper into the heart of Life...
a hunger for That which is essential.
Trust this impulse.
It is Reality guiding you
toward Itself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#218: Attachment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Experience and desire
are not your enemies.
Only attachment
obscures the peace
that is innately your own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#219: Passionate Enthusiasm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Passionate enthusiasm
is a contagious gift
of moving energy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#220: Responding to Life's Call
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust your deepest longing.
It is the response of your heart
to the call of Life, itself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#221: The Wonder of Life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To the open hearted,
all of Life is a wonder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#222: How Should Reality Appear?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cultivate your capacity for wonder and awe
by stripping away your expectations of
how Reality should appear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#223: Discovering Reality As It Is
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you no longer attempt to define
what Reality should be,
you will discover it as it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#224: Our Capacity for Wonder
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our capacity for wonder
is limited only by
our ability to say "yes" to Life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#225: Everything is Grace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When we can say "yes" to Life,
everything is Grace.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#226: Nothing Lost
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Delirious,
and with exceeding fullness,
everything can fall away.
Nothing lost.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#227: Changing Forms
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing is ever lost.
Everything simply changes form.
Remember this in the face of
Life's ever-changing circumstances.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#228: Life's Constancy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Within all the uncertainty of life
lies a steady and unwavering reminder
of the constancy of Life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#229: Frustration and Trust
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every experience of frustration
is a reminder to trust Life and
the energy moving within you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#230: After the Storm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eventually
the eye of the hurricane expands
until the entire storm
subsides.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#231: Self-Evident Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With the experience of Realization,
Truth is revealed as the
self-evident Reality
of our day-to-day experience.
After all, what else
could all of THIS be?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#232: Full Immersion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The magnificent miracle of our lives
is that in spite of our not seeing,
we live immersed within
the fullness of Reality.
Everything is a blessing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#233: Diversity and Variation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How can the diversity and variation
in human experience be explained?
Each of us is simply experiencing
a unique and ever-changing aspect
of the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#234: No Moment, No Aspect
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is no moment
that is not a dynamic revelation
of the Real.
There is no aspect of your life
that is not touched
by the hand of God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#235: Drinking Deeply
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Drink deeply of the Life
that presents itself to you.
Let no missed opportunity
ever haunt you.
Let no regrets ever steal
your sleep at night.
Trust in the magnificence
of the mysterious path
upon which you find yourself,
and move forward courageously
into the Great Unknown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#236: The Infinite Path
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why worry?
You can never stray away from
the path you are already on.
"Wanderer, there is no path.
You lay a path in walking."
-- A Spanish poet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#237: Your Journey Home
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just remember that in the end,
your "spiritual journey" is
simply a matter of discovering
there is no journey.
Every journey is just
an imagined path
from Here to Here.
You always have been --
and are right Now --
right Here,
at Home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#238: Absolute, Divine Precision
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything unfolds with
the absolute, divine precision.
After all,
what other influence
could ever be at work?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#239: Finally Letting Go
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you finally let go, completely,
you will simply fall into
the infinite comfort of
the Ground of Being.
There is nowhere else to go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#240: Action, Inaction and Effort
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With the experience of Realization,
both action and inaction arise
spontaneously and naturally,
and effort effortlessly
dissolves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#241: A Sage's Wisdom
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sage is one who can say
"Yes" to Life --
under all conditions.
The sage is one who can say
"God is good" --
under all circumstances.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#242: A Sage's Contentment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sage is one
who is always
at home.
The sage is one who needs
nothing more or other
from Life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#243: A Sage's Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sage is one who:
` sees only Truth,
` knows only the Real, and
` lives only Now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#244: A Sage's Authority and Trust
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sage is one who recognizes
there is no authority
other than his/her own.
The sage is one who
trusts Life completely
and without fail.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#245: A Sage's Heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sage is one whose heart is
open to and accepting of Reality,
exactly as it appears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#246: Relaxing into Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can relax now.
In as much as
there is nothing
you need to do
to attain Reality,
there is also nothing
that will distance you from It.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#247: Nonduality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If Reality is one complete
undivided and unbroken Whole,
then everything you see
is a manifestation of That
which is Real and True.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#248: No Adequate Definition
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No definition of Reality
is large enough
to contain the Truth
of That which is Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#249: No Other Truth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reality is that Truth
against which there is
no Other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#250: Truth Remains
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Truth is what remains
when all illusions fade.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#251: Revision of Identity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Realization is
nothing more or less than
a complete revision of identity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#252: Spacious Identity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With this Recognition, a very natural shift in identity
begins to occur -- from individual thoughts/feelings/
beliefs/actions to the Observation of them.
This is where everything begins to open up.....
Suddenly, there is more quiet space around everything
that happens -- more room....
Your identity really does begin to shift toward the
Background of Awareness behind all of our experience,
and as this begins to happen, we begin to discover
our real, fundamental freedom from all emotional and
conceptual entanglements, and our connection with
the larger Whole....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#253: Everything or Nothing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Identify either with everything
or with nothing.
There is no in-between.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#254: True Identity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let go of all identifications,
and the Truth of who you are
will be unmistakable, undeniable
and unavoidable:
you are the silent,
spacious Awareness
which contains all things.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#255: Being True to Who You Are
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is no greater satisfaction
-- and no greater gift to others --
than being true to who and what
you really are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#256: The Bare Essentials
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Illness and adversity strip away
the superficialities in our daily lives,
bringing us face-to-face with
the bare essentials in Life.
These difficult and unexpected developments
are one more way
we are introduced to
the larger Mystery of Life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#257: Our Purpose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seeing your life as a failure
is simply an assumption based on
a limited human expectation
of what we imagine
we are supposed to do and accomplish
within our allocated span of years.
Consider the possibility, instead,
that the whole purpose of being here
is related not to what we do and achieve,
but rather to what we see and feel
and give in the present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#258: In the Empty Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eventually life will strip
everything away from us --
some of us sooner than others --
and if, in the empty space that remains
Love still arises,
then we can be assured
that Love is what is Real
because it survives
when all else fades.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#259: Staying Clear
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you are under stress,
simply bring the attention
to the top of the head,
allow it to open,
breathe deeply and
then let light flow in.
This will help you
to relax and
stay clear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#260: Radiance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whether you realize it or not,
the brightness you are seeking
is already radiant within you.
Focus on this in the days ahead,
and see this light arising within
your Awareness and Recognition of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#261: Clarity of Presence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The strength and clarity of Presence
vary in accord with the extent to which
the illusory identity has dissolved.
The less binding the illusion,
the greater the clarity of Presence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#262: Radiant Presence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The light of Essence
shines through form --
our sense of personality
and a separate self --
as radiant Presence
and clear seeing
Awareness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#263: Relaxing the Ego Coil
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each of us has an ego with which our essential Identify
is associated in space and time. But, this ego is not
inherently evil or wicked. It is simply limited and,
like any tool or a knife, it can serve a useful function,
or it can cause great harm.
In its functional role, the ego allows us to walk and
talk and hold down a job and pay our bills. In this
sense, the ego and the sense of identity we hold about
ourselves is like a coil with a bright light shining
inside. The greater the illusion and the stronger
the sense of false identity, the more tightly coiled
the spring.
However, when we see through the illusion and the false
sense of an independent and separate self, the coil
begins to relax and open up, and the light of Essence
shines through as Presence -- naturally radiant, clear
and bright.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#264: Infinite Light
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Imagine you are Infinite light
flowing through an open window.
This is a much more accurate description
of who you really are
than believing yourself to be
a tiny soul
confined within a
finite and limited body.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#265: Clear and Open Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each of us is
a clear and open space
through which
the Essence of Life
and Reality flow.
What more do we need
to know and understand?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#266: Recognition and Release
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recognition becomes Release
when we realize that
the void and the abyss
into which we have been peering
-- and which we have been fearing --
is actually the Home
we have been seeking.
Eventually we discover
there is no falling
when we enter into this Emptiness
absolutely and completely.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#267: Coping with Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is nothing more valuable
-- or more important --
than learning
to trust your experience
in the present moment...
...and to recognize the finite
as a manifestation of the Infinite
within space and time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#268: Maintaining Clarity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ability to "maintain clarity"
is simpler and easier
than we think.
The temptation, and the source
of virtually all our suffering,
is the belief that the recognition
of who and what we already are
is difficult and distant and
somehow beyond
the immediacy of
our present moment experience --
while in reality,
there is nothing you need to do
to be what you already are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#269: Self-Acceptance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stop judging what you imagine yourself to be.
Just pay attention to the immediate events
(both internal and external) which appear
within your field of Awareness.
Even when the mind becomes agitated and
anguished by the unknown and the uncertain,
relax into the Spacious Awareness that
*contains* this anguish and agitation,
and you will begin to see that,
as Awareness, you are larger than
any feeling you experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#270: You Are More
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are more than anything
you can think about or observe.
You are more than
your thoughts and feelings:
you are the observer of them.
You are the Spacious Awareness
within which
this process of observing occurs....
This is where true freedom lies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#271: Where else? What else?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reality shows up as THIS.
Where else and what else
did you think it would be?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#272: Do not settle for less.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If THAT which you are seeking
cannot manifest within the framework of
your own direct and immediate experience,
then it is not ultimate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#273: Transmission or Initiation?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If nothing needs to be
obtained or achieved,
what kind of initiation
would ever be necessary?
What kind of transmission
would even be possible?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#274: Transmission or Resonance?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Resonance is different than transmission.
Transmission involves bestowing something
not previously accessible or available.
Resonance, on the other hand, is
a direct and immediate recognition
-- or echo of -- Reality
as it already exists.
"Directly discover your state.
Don't remain in doubt.
Gain confidence in self-liberation."
Garab Dorje
The first Dzogchen Master
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#275: Ah-ha!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything we seek and for which we long
is present already. In fact, it is this
very presence that is the catalyst for
our search. All we ever "need" to do is
recognize what is already here.
During the moment of recognition there is
often an "Ah-ha!" which we are tempted to
interpret as transmission, but this is
simply the immediacy of discovering
the Reality that has been here all along.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#276: Life is the Answer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life, itself, is the answer
to all your questions.
Look and listen
with an open mind and heart,
and you will discover more
than you ever dared imagine....
See also:
· Explaining the Infinite
http://awakening.net/WExplaining.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#277: Reality Experiencing Itself
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything in Life
is an opportunity
for Reality
to discover, explore
and experience itself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#278: Tender Miracle, Magnificent Mystery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tender miracle, magnificent mystery:
Life unfolds ceaselessly
before us!
Watch and listen,
and you will
See.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#279: The Satisfying Discovery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This Recognition dawns
in the most simple and
unobtrusive of ways --
as in the satisfying discovery
that nothing is,
or ever has been,
missing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#280: Inevitable Gratitude
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Confronted with Completeness,
gratitude is inevitable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#281: Feelings of Insecurity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feelings of insecurity arise
when we identify with
the particular.
They dissipate when we trust
the inherent wholeness and
innate integrity
of Life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#282: Disappointment and Frustration
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Notice how disappointment and frustration
eventually become a catalyst for
movement and change.
Learn to trust this natural,
unfolding process.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#283: Obstacle and Identity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every obstacle
is an opportunity
to discover more of
who and what
you really are.
Freedom
lies within
this Recognition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#284: Revelation Through Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When all else fails,
simply ask yourself:
"What can this experience teach me
about my own innate identity,
and the vast, limitless nature
of the Infinite?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#285: Full Acceptance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is important to recognize that
the struggle within which
you find yourself
is not separate from
the wholeness and perfection
of the Reality
you are seeking.
Relax into a full acceptance of
your present moment experience,
and you will discover
it is a gateway
through which Reality --
and your own innate freedom --
are continuously revealed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#286: The Vibrant Field
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stop imagining your life to be
a limited span of consciousness
bounded by birth and death.
Recognize it instead as
a vibrant field of Awareness,
illuminating the Infinite Present,
within which birth and death
both arise and disappear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#287: Death and Dreaming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All that happens when you die,
is your identification
with the physical body
is loosened.
This is why
exploring the sleep state
can be so valuable,
for in sleeping and in dreaming,
your identity with the physical body
is temporarily suspended.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#288: Surrender to the Real
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The peacefulness of a sleeping child
is born of absolute and unqualified trust.
Surrender to the Real in your waking life
as completely as you do in deep sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#289: Healing and Self-Acceptance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tears are the beginning of healing.
Self-acceptance is the beginning of
Realization.
When you are not trying to become anybody else,
when you accept yourself, then you simply relax
into what you are,...and grace and harmony and
splendor arise...the tremendous beauty of being
yourself. Tishan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#290: Indestructible and Invincible
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Truth cannot be destroyed.
Reality is invincible.
Within this Recognition lies
our ultimate comfort
and solace.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#291: Recognizing Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pay attention to
the assumptions upon which
your seeking is based.
If you assume that
the object of your seeking
is anything less than
the fullness of Reality,
your search will never
be fulfilled.
If, on the other hand,
you are looking for
That which is Real,
there is no place
where it will not
be found.
The challenge
always and simply
is to recognize the Real
as and for what it already is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#292: Supremely Simple, Divinely Rich
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life is supremely simple
when you allow it to be
what it already is.
Life is divinely rich
when you recognize
its infinite potential
manifesting within
the present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#293: Embrace This Fullness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every moment
of every day
is an opportunity
to embrace
the Fullness
of what is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#294: Sacred Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The simplest, easiest way
to understand Life
is to accept it
on its own terms,
exactly as it
presents itself to you.
Notice,
in contrast,
how seeking is
predicated on an assumption of
incompleteness and inadequacy --
a belief that Life is
somehow inherently,
fatally flawed.
Notice
how seeking
lures your attention
out of the present moment
and toward an imagined state of
completeness and satisfaction.
Imagine now, instead,
accepting Life
exactly as it shows up --
with no expectation that
Life ought to be or should be
any different from
what it already is,
right now.
Let go of imagining
what Life would be like
if....
Assume instead that
you are peering into
the face of God --
that every finite thing you see
is a living manifestation
of the Infinite --
a dynamic expression of
Reality and Truth
in the present moment.
Where is the incompleteness now?
Only in the mind's full comprehension
of the vast expanse of this
Infinite Miracle.
Satisfaction arises
naturally and spontaneously
when we open our eyes and
accept what is given,
as it arises,
as it is.
Accept Life fully,
reject nothing,
and then trust
your deepest desire
to move within
the Sacred Space
within which
your find
yourself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#295: Immediate and Real
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abandon imagined destinations
in favor of the delight of
That which is immediate and Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#296: The First Step
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trusting Life
is the first step
toward recognizing
its innate Wholeness,
completeness and
perfection.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#297: Life's Guidance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn to trust the guidance
constantly provided in and through
the events of your daily life.
All the frustrations and delights
within your daily affairs
are pointers toward That
which is ultimately Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#298: Seeing Wholeness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember:
until you recognize It
without a doubt,
the Wholeness you are seeking
can only be intuited.
Because it is Infinite,
it cannot be seen
in its entirety
by the finite
human eye.
What you *can* see, even now,
is the myriad manifestations
of this Wholeness,
and their presence is
unequivocal evidence of
its Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#299: Observing This
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sit with what is happening now.
Observe your reactions.
Notice how mind and thought and
attention and emotions move --
and Awareness does not.
Notice how all the individual
aspects of your life
appear against this
vast, clear screen
of Awareness.
Parts manifest separately only
within the larger context of
completeness out of which they arise,
and this Unseen Wholeness is
the backdrop and connective tissue
for everything that manifests
before you.
Remember this Awareness
and the Wholeness behind
the events within your life,
and you will see that
Life moves through
all of THIS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#300: You are THIS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is wisdom in recognizing that,
as a human being, you manifest as
a clear, still point of Awareness
temporarily identified with
a dynamic manifestation of
body/mind/heart.
Realization is a recognition that
you are This -- all of THIS --
and the Source from which
all of This has emerged.
"Who you are is what the world appears in,
what the cosmos appears in, what space
itself appears in." Gangaji
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#301: Your Work Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your most important spiritual work
is what you are doing right now,
in the middle of your life.
Don't lose sight of this
in longing for a future
realization.
Also, remember:
your time here
is limited.
Make your decisions
accordingly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#302: Change and Choice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In every circumstance,
and under all conditions,
the leverage point for change
is choice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#303: Freedom to Choose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stop --
and look at your experience.
You will discover that
freedom always exists
in the form of the opportunity
to make a different choice.
Whether or not you take advantage
of this opportunity
depends upon
whether or not you believe
you are free to choose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#304: Seeds of Possibility
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The seeds of all possibility
lie within
the Infinite Present.
With each choice,
we invite Reality
to emerge....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#305: Source Point, Choice Point
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each of us is a creator of universes.
Discover the source point for
this creative energy, and
you will discover
the Essence of THAT
which is Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#306: Precedence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pay attention to your experience
and you will discover that
emotion follows thought
and belief.
Awareness precedes all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#307: Witnessing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Witnessing
severs the unconscious
and habitual identification
with the contents of consciousness.
It is for this reason that
paying attention is enough.
Mindful attention creates
an energetic openness
through which Insight
and Recognition arise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#308: Awareness and Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is less that we are aware of
the nature of Reality,
and more that Awareness is
an inherent aspect of the Real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#309: Self-Awareness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Self is not
something of which
we are aware.
It *is* Awareness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#310: The Unseen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Unseen
is That which is
Seeing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#311: Impermanence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember:
eventually,
every individual --
and every separate thing --
will be taken from you
in order to open you
fully and completely
to Life's larger
Wholeness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#312: Undivided
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know nothing more now
than I did before --
except that
This is
Whole.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#313: Root Cause of Suffering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you examine your own experience,
you will discover
the root cause of all suffering
lies in a feeling of incompleteness.
The relief of suffering arises
when we recognize that
our identity extends beyond
the suffering within which
we are immersed and
we are, in fact, inseparable
from the Wholeness
out of which
all experience arises.
"The fact is that because no one thing
or feature of this universe is separable
from the whole, the only real You, or
Self, is the whole." -- Alan Watts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#314: Wholeness In This Moment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oneness"
is not a state
we need to achieve.
It is a fact of Life
that can be recognized in
the inextricable interconnectedness
and Natural Great Completeness
inherent within
all manifest things.
In the same way,
we do not need to learn
to stay in the present moment.
We already manifest
here and now,
in this moment.
In fact, where else
could we ever be?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#315: At Home -- Everywhere!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leaving the path,
at long last...
and wandering no more.
How marvelous to be
looking out from home
-- everywhere!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#316: Background of Completeness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Completeness is not defined
by specific circumstances,
events or experience.
It is the Background,
or Source, out of which
all circumstance
and experience
arise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#317: Shift the Focus of Attention
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can only recognize
This Completeness
intuitively --
and only by shifting
the focus of your attention
from individual parts
to the Whole.
"There is in all visible things...
a hidden wholeness."
-- Thomas Merton
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#318: Opening Up
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The "secret"
-- if there is one --
is simply to open up to Reality
as it appears before you,
here and now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#319: Attributes of Clarity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As you allow your resistances melt,
clarity and spaciousness
will naturally arise --
and you will be able
to move through Life,
with graciousness and ease,
guided by the confidence
and spontaneity
that are the fruit of
trusting Life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#320: Relaxing into the Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our ability to relax into the Infinite
is reflected in radiance and
a spaciousness of spirit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#321: Direct Knowing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust your own direct knowing.
It is the source of both
authority and authenticity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#322: Openness and Authenticity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your openness and authenticity
invite others to trust
who and what they really are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#323: Authentic Presence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Allow your life, your presence,
and the quality of your attention
to be an authentic and undefended
expression of Reality
manifesting within
the present moment.
"The greatest gift we give each other
is the quality of our attention."
- Richard Moss
"The real glory of meditation lies not
in any method but in its continual
living experience of presence."
- Sogyal Rinpoche
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#324: Clear and Spacious Focal Point
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are a
clear and spacious
focal point
through which
the energy of Life
manifests.
Anything else
with which you identify
is only one small aspect
of who and what
you really are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#325: Honor Your Gifts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Honor your gifts,
and you honor the Source
from which they arise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#326: Understanding the Finite and Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The finite
is nothing other than
the Infinite
narrowly defined.
When one sees Eternity
in things that pass away
and Infinity in finite things,
then one has pure knowledge.
Bhagavad Gita
Calling infinity a number
does not make it one.
W. H. Auden
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#327: Discovering Completeness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Insight into
the Natural Great Completeness
immediately begins to develop
as soon as you begin to recognize....
==> Your own immediate experience,
exactly as it is in this moment,
is already a manifestation of
this Great Completeness.
==> Your inability to recognize
this Completeness is simply
a result of preconceived and
narrowly defined beliefs
about this Great Completeness
will show up.
Consider the possibility
that you are already living,
moving and breathing within
the Center of this Great Completeness
-- and allow your remaining days
to reflect a gradual discovery
and deepening appreciation of
Its grand magnificence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#328: Recognizing Perfection
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We do not recognize
the perfection
inherent within
the present moment
simply because of
our narrow beliefs,
expectations and
assumptions.
"Beauty does not necessarily
spell perfection of form."
D.T. Suzuki
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#329: Trust and Honor the Mystery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trusting Life's natural process
honors the mystery
out of which
everything arises.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#330: Living Miracle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Savour
the dynamic vibrancy
and vitality
of the present moment.
Recognize that you exist
in the midst of
a living miracle
where the Seen infinitely
and endlessly manifests
from the Unseen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#331: Beyond the Personal?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. How does one get out of the personal
minefield into the impersonal field of grace?
A. Stop assuming the personal and impersonal are
counterposed. Stop judging the personal as dangerous.
When you consider the possibility that the personal
might actually be a manifestation and expression of
Grace within the present moment, this question will
no longer arise.
From:
` A Spiritual Wanderer's Query
http://escribe.com/religion/aialetters/m52.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#332: Memory and Identity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recognize your memories as
fragmentary mental images.
Do not limit yourself
by believing these pictures
can capture the Essence of
who and what you really are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#333: Who are you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember:
the conscious mind
and personality
are only small facets of
the magnificence of
who and what you really are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#334: Source and Appearance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Allow your identity to shift
from appearances
to the Source from which
all appearances arise,
and you will eventually recognize
that you, and everything you see,
are inseparable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#335: Reality's Face
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Being human
is a unique opportunity
to discover that
you are one of
the many fleeting faces
of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#336: The Silken Thread
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Moments
appearing to pass
with the movement of time,
while Truth
shines radiant.
Beads
strung on
the Infinite Present.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#337: Past and Future
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Past and future
are simply aspects of
the Infinite Present
extending beyond
the limited recognition
of the conscious mind
-- which extrapolates
based on the finite
and familiar.
Learn to recognize
this habit of mind,
and trust Awareness
as it arises --
always inherent
here and now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#338: Life Springs Forth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From darkness, light springs forth;
from silence, sound;
from stillness, movement.
Life springs forth from
the Space which contains it,
and the Seen is inseparable from
the Unseen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#339: The Simple Truth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look and listen!
Everything
you see and hear...
and smell and taste and touch...
is the Infinite
showing up
in finite form.
This is the simple Truth
we have so long forgotten.
How long can sorrow survive
in the midst of such
magnificence?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#340: The Sweetness of THIS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beyond, behind and within
all experience
lies an inexpressible and
magnificent Sweetness
which reveals itself
as THIS!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#341: Disengage from the Parade
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Freedom lies in
disengaging from
the parade of
thoughts and emotions
with which
we tend to identify.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#342: Awareness as Innate Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Awareness
already is
our innate nature.
Our only confusion is
we do not recognize Awareness
as the fundamental Reality
inherent within our immediate,
present moment experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#343: Training and Practice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Training and practice
are designed for
working with mind and emotions --
but they are not necessary
for Clear Seeing,
which is already occurring
quite naturally
and without effort.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#344: You Are the Seeing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pay attention
to the distractions,
your reactions, and
the dynamic of Seeing.
Soon it will become clear:
you are the Seeing --
and nothing else.
Everything changes
-- except this Seeing...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#345: Immovable Presence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing
can remove you from
the present moment,
or from the reality
of who and what
you really are.
Find the clear and
constant Awareness
which remains the
unsullied and spacious
Background of Life's
ever-changing circumstance,
and all restlessness
will subside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#346: Energy Reflects Thought
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Notice....
Energy reflects
belief and thought.
Change thought,
and experience follows.
We are shaped by our thoughts;
we become what we think.
When the mind is pure, joy follows
like a shadow that never leaves.
Buddha, the Dhammapada
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#347: Death is Approaching
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Death is approaching.
Will you be ready when it arrives?
Are you ready now?
What have you shared with others?
And, for what will you be remembered
when you are gone?
Now is the moment
to choose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#348: The Reliable Constant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That which is Real
moves and unfolds
inevitably and
without effort.
This we can
always trust.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#349: Peace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can trust that
peace is the ultimate Reality
for when all else disappears,
peace remains.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#350: Revelation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Manifestation
is nothing less than
revelation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#351: This Seeking
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your waiting -- looking -- searching
can obscure That which is already here...
...until and unless you recognize
this seeking as an inherent part of That.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#352: Eyes Wide Open
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Satisfaction lies in
discovering this miracle
we call Life.
Where will it be found?
Look into the eyes of a child,
or into the evening sky at dusk.
Take nothing for granted.
All you are seeking
-- and more --
is available
here and now,
for the taking.
Just keep your eyes
wide open.
Eventually
you will discover
there is no place where
It will not be found.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#353: Seeing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seeing
is different than
thinking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#354: Interpreting What Is Seen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is no frustration
in Seeing --
only in interpreting
what is seen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#355: Beyond Narrow Definitions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beyond narrow definitions
Reality resides.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#356: Reality or Illusion?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Manifest existence
is real
to the extent that
we recognize
the finite as
a revelation of
the Infinite.
It is an illusion
to the extent that
we do not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#357: Everything is Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you look around you,
you will discover
everything is here --
the full panoply
of human experience
manifesting within
the present moment.
Please tell me again:
what was it you were
looking for?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#358: Heaven and Hell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each day
heaven and hell unfold
all around us.
Do not lose sight of
the vast, Infinite expanse
containing both --
or the power of
your own choice
to transform one
into the other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#359: Arising In This Moment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suffering arises
when we long for
our experience to be
something other than
what it is.
Satisfaction arises
when we savour
the richness of
our experience
as it is.
Full acceptance
of whatever is arising
in this moment
is pure and absolute
freedom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#360: Inseparability
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That which arises
is always and inevitably
inseparable from
its Source.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#361: Power of Perception
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not underestimate
the power of perception.
Regardless of the origins
of "external" reality,
perception
defines and shapes
everything.
"We do not see things as they are.
We see them as we are." -- Unknown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#362: Being Alive
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Being awake is
recognizing and
appreciating
the miraculous
fact of
being alive.
"People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning
for life. I don't think that's what we're really
seeking. I think that what we're seeking is an
experience of being alive, so that our life
experiences on the purely physical plane will have
resonances within our own innermost being and reality,
so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive."
Joseph Campbell, _Power of Myth_
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#363: Understanding Realization
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Realization does not result from the revelation
of anything new. It is simply the discovery,
recognition and appreciation of the fullness of
That which is already here: the Infinite manifesting
in and through the finite in the present moment.
The good news?
` Realization can occur at any time, in any place,
under any and all circumstances.
` Realization arises instantly when and as we accept
the completeness of Reality manifesting within the
present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#364: Illusion of Apparent Separateness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not be deceived by the illusion of apparent
separateness. Nothing -- including you -- exists
in isolation, separate from the fullness of Reality.
When you trust this continuity, fear, anxiety and
loneliness naturally and inevitably begin to subside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#365: Do Not Despair
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not despair. No matter how dreadful or desperate
your circumstances, Awareness remains your direct
access to the Source of all Insight and Revelation.
Only physical forms appear to exist as separate entities,
and even this, ultimately, is an illusion. Behind all
appearances lies the canvas of Truth and the unbroken
Background of Reality.
You are inseparable from this Wholeness, and as a human
being, you can (as others before you have done) draw
strength and comfort from this simple Recognition.
"One cannot but laugh and even be apparently irreverent
when confronted by the fantastic super structure of
superstition and mystery that has been built on and
around the basic simplicity that TRUTH is!"
Ramesh Balsekar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#366: Mindless, Mindful
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mindless chatter dissipates energy.
Mindful attention radiates presence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#367: Change, Changeless
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything that changes
reminds us of That
which does not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#368: Timeless Revelation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The apparent movement of time
is a convenient mechanism for
continuously revealing
the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#369: Selflessness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Selflessness
is simply
a pure and open-hearted
embrace
of the Fullness
within which
we find ourselves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#370: Stillness, Peace and Satisfaction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is within this
Witnessing Awareness
that you will find a
stillness, peace and Satisfaction
greater than is ever possible
within the realm
of the finite.
It is here
where all the answers lie,
and where all our questions
finally subside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#371: Nothing to Lose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you can embrace everything,
then, indeed, you have
nothing to lose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#372: Embracing Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Embracing Reality,
as it is,
does *not* require
the passive surrender of
our powers of critical thinking,
discrimination and judgement.
Rather, this embrace is:
` a broad and compassionate understanding of
the relative, conditioned and interdependent
nature of all finite things, along with...
` a whole-hearted acknowledgement of the
dynamic manifestation of change and choice
within the Infinite Present.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#373: Each and Every Problem
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look closely
and you will recognize that,
in one form or another,
every problem you face
is an opportunity to
come to terms with
the relative and conditioned
nature of the finite.
As such,
each challenge is
an invitation into
the Infinite.
"All things arise, suffer change, and pass away.
This is their nature. When you know this, nothing
perturbs you, nothing hurts you. You become still.
It is easy." - Ashtavakra Gita 11:1
From: _The Heart of Awareness: A Translation
of the Ashtavakra Gita_, by Thomas Byrom
"Without realizing the unity of Bliss and Void,
Even though on the Void you meditate,
You practice only Nihilism."
- Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa
From: _365 Buddha: Daily Meditations_
Jeff Schmidt, Editor
"The spirit of man is inseparable from the
Infinite, and can be satisfied with nothing
less than the Infinite." - James Allen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#374: Good and Evil
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Good" and "evil"
are interpretations
we make based upon
our subjective experience
of the finite.
Reality is large enough
to contain and transcend both.
The challenge and opportunity
before us is to
wholeheartedly embrace and
accept the Infinite
from which both arise,
while not rejecting or denying
the human dimension
of our experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#375: Revealing the Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust the hand that put you here.
All is not lost.
No matter how dark
your life may appear to be,
it arises from within
the Source of all things
good and true and beautiful.
Choice and
open-heartedness
are the key to
this revelation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#376: Your Life Purpose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In most cases, life purpose
is not magically revealed
or suddenly discovered.
It is gradually chosen,
with each decision,
in the moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#377: What You Do, Who You Are
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What you do with your life
and who you become
depends upon
how you see yourself now,
in this moment.
Always remember to consider:
With what do you identify?
"Self-esteem: the reputation we acquire with
ourselves, our most profound and important
judgement." -- Frank Natale
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#378: Limits of Meaning and Purpose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A discussion of "life purpose"
is meaningful only within
the realm of the relative.
An identification of "meaning"
depends upon duality:
"meaning" can only be identified
within the context of relationship;
things can have "meaning"
only in relation to
something else.
Ultimately,
meaningfulness,
in the sense of
absolute fullness,
is inherent
within Reality.
It is an absolute
and complete end,
in and of itself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#379: Interconnection, Transformation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything
in inextricably
interconnected.
With every change in thought,
the shimmering network of
manifest Reality vibrates
and is transformed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#380: All You Need
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust the path you are on.
Trust the direction in which
you are being called.
Trust in your own
innate Knowing.
It is all you have --
and need --
to guide you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#381: Reality Unadorned
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let go of all
your preconceived ideas
about what liberation
might be.
Then open your eyes
and see Reality
lying before you --
complete and
unadorned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#382: Real and Spiritual
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ultimately,
the Real and
the spiritual
are not two.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#383: In, But Not Of, The World?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The belief that we should "be in the world, but
not of it" really confuses the issue in many ways:
` Within this belief there seems to be a latent
assumption that "the world" is something inferior,
less "pure," or "less than" a higher, more lofty
sort of "spiritual" reality.
` We use this assumption as a justification for
distancing ourselves from the Essence that is
inherent within our immediate experience.
` This distancing, and this search for an aloof,
pure space apart from the world keeps us from
recognizing the vast spaciousness inherent
within the Center of our own innate, immediate
Awareness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#384: Seeing Through the Illusion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The illusion of separateness
is perpetuated through
our interpretations
of the seen.
We observe Reality manifesting
in what appear to be
separate, discrete parts
-- without recognizing
the inherent inseparability
and interdependence
of everything
appearing before us.
When we focus, instead, on...
the connective tissue of Reality,
the invisible Source from which, and
the Background against which
everything shows up,
the illusion of separateness is
naturally and inevitably dispelled --
even as the appearance of duality remains.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#385: Discovering Completeness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The recognition of
the Natural Great Completeness
does not provide an escape from
the experience of being human.
Rather, it brings an end
to the restless desire for
something more or other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#386: Fear of Oblivion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your presence
here and now
is confirming evidence
of the fact that
Something
miraculously arose
from Nothing.
Eventually
everything returns to
the Source from which
it arises.
Therefore,
the "oblivion" you fear
is nothing other than
your True Home.
The relative nothing ("this is absent in that")
cannot be hypostatized into an absolute nothing,
into the non-existence of everything, or the
denial of all reality and of all being. Nor
does "emptiness" mean the completely indeterminate,
the purely potential, which can become everything
without being anything.
Edward Conze
Now, just what is THAT which is neither "A" nor
"not-A" [beyond duality], when "A" is given any
thinkable or experienceable value? To the pure
thinker, IT seems like nothing at all. Thus IT
is called "Voidness," for thus IT appears to the
consciousness bound to relativity. But through
the Door of Dhyana [wisdom], IT is found to be
substantial Fullness, quite beyond the comprehension
of all possible experience or thought.
Franklin Merrell-Wolff
Nothing certainly is an extraordinary Something!
Douglas Harding
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#387: Infinite Grace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you recognize
every moment is sacred
and every interaction is
contact with the divine,
you will realize
Life, itself,
is Grace.
Grace is within you;
Grace is the Self.
Grace is not something
To be acquired from others.
If it is external, it is useless.
All that is necessary is to
Know its existence in you.
You are never out of
Its operation.
Ramana Maharshi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#388: Mystery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mystery
is the doorway of
Revelation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#389: Mystery, Certainty, Revelation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each of us
lives at the Center of
an infinitely vast and
inexplicable Mystery.
All the mind can ever know
with even a glimmer of certainty is
"I am Aware Now."
Beyond this,
everything else
is a process of
infinite discovery
and revelation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#390: Seeing the Sacred
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just as beauty
lies in the eye
of the beholder,
so too
the Sacred lies
in Seeing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#391: Getting to Awareness?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. How does one get to Awareness other than by accident?
A. There is no "getting to" Awareness! Awareness is who
and what we already are. It is our innate nature. It is
the capacity for you now to see and recognize these words
while you are reading them on the screen. It is the most
intimate part of who you are. It is the very Center of
Being with which you already identify....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#392: Constant Container
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Awareness contains both happiness and unhappiness.
It contains the falling stock and the stubbed toe
and the broken heart. When we recognize this, we
can begin to see that we are always Aware, no matter
what is happening.
Awareness is the constant, and it is only the
content of consciousness that changes, even as
stocks fall and toes are stubbed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#393: Happiness, Satisfaction and Wisdom
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Upon what changing circumstances
does your happiness depend?
If you find what you are seeking,
will the satisfaction last?
Wisdom lies in recognizing both
the limitations of the finite
and the larger Reality
lying beyond.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#394: Focused Attention and Energy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The focus of your attention
will direct and channel
the flow of your energy --
which will, in turn,
determine the direction
and shape the development
of your life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#395: Creating Your World
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The creativity
inherent within the universe
shimmers radiantly within
each of us.
With each choice you make,
this energy flows forth,
creating and shaping
your world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#396: Your Attitude
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every experience is
an opportunity to explore
your reaction to Reality --
which is, of course,
a reflection of
your attitude toward God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#397: Totality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you believe God is
omnipotent, omniscient,
and omnipresent?
If so,
where is there room
for anything else?
"Everything is beautiful....God is everywhere.
He is in the forest, he is in the villages, he
is here. You cannot say he is not here."
Sri Ma of Kamakhya
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#398: Shunning Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What are you shunning?
This, too, is God.
Whatever you reject
reveals the limitations
you have placed upon
the Divine.
In the end, how can anything be rejected?
Whatever is here and now *must* be part of,
and included within, whatever is ultimately Real
-- no matter how much the personality
may rail against and reject it.
In the end, Reality, God or Truth,
whatever you call it,
must be large enough
to include All That Is....
Learn to look with an equal eye upon all things,
seeing the one Self in all.
Srimad Bhagavatam
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#399: The Nature of God
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not be confused about
the true nature of God:
God = Truth = Reality
There is no other.
"There is no God but Reality. To seek Him elsewhere
is the action of the Fall."
Unknown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#400: The Key to Heaven
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cultivate gratitude for everything.
This will allow you to see God everywhere.
"Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God."
Jesus
"You are all Buddhas
There is nothing you need to achieve.
Just open your eyes."
Siddhartha Gautama
"You might ask, 'How can I know if something is God's
will?' My answer is, 'If it were not God's will, it
wouldn't exist even for an instant; so if something
happens, it *must* be his will.' If you truly enjoyed
God's will, you would feel exactly as though you were
in the kingdom of heaven, whatever happened to you or
didn't happen to you." Meister Eckhart
"If things could be any different, they would be."
Peter Fenner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#401: Horns of A Dilemma
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you find yourself
sitting on
the horns of a dilemma,
do not be in a hurry
to make your decision.
Take your time,
be patient and
live with the question
as long as is necessary.
With time, you will find
that one day you will wake up
and know, with certainty,
exactly what you need to do
-- and your dilemma
will no longer even be
a question.
~ With gratitude to my father ~
"The point is to live everything. Live the
questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually,
without noticing it, live along some distant
day into the answer.
Ranier Maria Rilke
_Advice to a Young Poet_
"Unresolved conflict is a sure sign of
the presence of God." Unknown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#402: Decision-Making: Regret
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When considering a difficult decision,
look ahead in your life toward
the day when you will die, and consider:
which option would you regret most
*not* doing?
In most cases,
your answer will be
immediately clear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#403: Decision-Making: Energy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In struggling with
a difficult decision,
we often become trapped in
an intellectual analysis of our options
or mired in the emotional intensity
surrounding the issues.
At times like this,
it is often helpful to step back
and allow your body's own energy
to inform the decision-making process.
Begin by imagining each of your available options.
In your mind's eye, visualize each choice
as a separate path or scenario rolling out
into the future, and then look at
your body's energetic reaction
to each option.
While doing this,
focus your attention
on the movement of energy
in your chest and abdomen.
You will find that in most cases
your energetic response will be quick,
and unmistakably clear.
Within 2-3 seconds,
if you hold the mind and emotions
in abeyance,
you will feel the energy shift
as you consider each of
your available options:
either your energy will
expand, open and relax
or it will contract, tighten and constrict
-- and you will know immediately
which option toward which
you are more powerfully drawn.
As circumstances change,
your energetic reaction
may shift and change, as well.
But when the time arrives
for actually making your decision,
you can always trust this
energetic knowing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#404: What Should I Do?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Should" is an interesting concept.
Either it is someone else's expectation of you
-- in which case you can let go of it and move on
toward whatever is most important to you --
or "should" is something you *really* want,
more than anything else.
Simply be honest with yourself
about what "should" really means,
and then trust -- and act on --
that which you value most deeply.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#405: Your Life Path
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust your own innate knowing
and the energy moving
within you.
Life speaks to you
through your deepest longing,
and guides you with every step.
"As soon as you trust yourself,
you will know how to live."
Goethe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#406: Awakening Here and Now
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Awakening occurs
within the present moment.
To expect it to occur
at another time or
in another place
prevents the Recognition
here and now,
and perpetuates the
relentless cycle of
restless seeking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#407: Examining Your Search
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where would you have to go
to find what you are seeking?
What would have to happen
for you to be fully satisfied?
What would you have to obtain or achieve
to know you have finally "arrived"?
Your answers will reveal the conditions
you have placed on the Infinite,
and the expectations
that can obscure the discovery of It
manifesting in and through the finite
here and now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#408: Ending the Search
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are to ready to stop seeking?
What would happen if you did?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#409: Truth is Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Truth is more than near....
It is HERE!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#410: Here, Now and Beyond
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reality extends
far beyond
that which we can see
here and how.
However,
in Its fullness,
Reality is inseparable from
everything manifesting within
the present moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#411: The Essence of Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The essence of Reality
is constant and abiding.
Only its manifestations
are subject to
change and variation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#412: Pervading Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your recognition and acceptance
of the transitory nature
of the finite world
is your gateway to
discovering
the Infinite and Eternal Reality
pervading all manifest things.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#413: Deepest Desire
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If your deepest desire
is a revelation of the Real,
you will never be disappointed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#414: Awareness and Seeing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your capacity to
see and perceive
and understand
is illuminated by
nothing other than
Awareness itself --
and this Awareness is
inseparable from
Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#415: Becoming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Becoming is simply
a limited manifestation
in the present moment
of That which is
True and Eternal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#416: Understanding
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing
can ever be
fully understood
in isolation from
the context within
which it appears, or
apart from the Whole
out of which it arises.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#417: Peace is Revealed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace
is naturally revealed
when your attention returns
to the Center of
the Infinite Present.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#418: Peace of Mind
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Peace of mind"
as a concept is,
in many ways,
misleading
because the mind
is rarely peaceful.
The mind is, in fact --
and by its very nature --
characterized by
moment and activity.
Peace is, instead,
the Background of Reality
-- and Awareness --
against which
all the movement
of the mind occurs.
The question always is:
with what do you identify?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#419: Reflection and Introspection
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The value of reflection
and introspection
is that it can
increase your Recognition of
your own innate Identity
apart from and behind
the movement of
the mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#420: Acceptance and Fullness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What else
could ever be needed
if Reality is accepted
exactly as it is?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#421: Humility
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
True humility
lies in trusting the Hand
that put you here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#422: Guidance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every "external" event
and each "internal" impulse
arises from the same Source
-- and all are guiding
the movement of
your life.
Of this, you can be certain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#423: Self-Worth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you question your own self-worth,
and doubt the inherent value of your life,
you are actually second-guessing
the wisdom of your Creator.
Be wary of presuming to know
more than God!
It is far better simply to trust
there is a reason you are here,
and to act with an assurance
there is a purpose
your life will fulfill.
Your openness, acceptance and confidence
in the Hand that put you here
will enable others to see that Hand
working in and through your life
-- even when you cannot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#424: Divine Reflection
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not underestimate
your own innate magnificence.
All that you are
and all that you will become
reflects the Divine manifesting
within space and time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#425: Integrity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Integrity
is the strength and clarity
that enable you
to share the essence
of what you are
with others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#426: Ordinary Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eventually,
the end result
of all our seeking
is a stunning recognition of
the inherently spiritual nature
of our "ordinary" experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#427: Already Inherent
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is what is so amazing and heartening and liberating
for each of us, i.e., the recognition that we don't need
to do or fix *anything* in order to "achieve" Buddha-hood!
Our innate nature -- this state of exquisitely pure,
awakened and naked Awareness -- in already inherent
within our "ordinary," immediate experience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#428: Daily Reminders
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Within every ordinary, daily experience
lie *exactly* the reminders
you are seeking.
Each moment contains a hundred messages
from God: To every cry of "Oh Lord,"
He answers a hundred times, "I am here."
Rumi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#429: Reality Includes Every Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is within this space of absolute openness
[emptiness] that we begin to recognize how
large Reality has to be: it has to be large
enough to include *every* experience we will
ever have -- including the most "ordinary,"
routine, humble, and human moments of our lives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#430: Accepting Ordinary Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As soon as you begin to accept the beautiful simplicity
of your own immediate, ordinary reality (complete with
a little self), and as you gradually begin to relax into
an open-hearted acceptance of this immediate reality,
you will inevitably begin to discover that you are much
larger than you had originally imagined yourself to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#431: Accepting Life's Gifts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Accepting Life's gifts
is simple and effortless
when we stop dictating
the terms and conditions
for delivery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#432: Trusting Life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life will never betray you.
Everything that happens
is supporting, encouraging
and challenging you to discover
the Infinite Fullness
out of which all
manifest existence
arises.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#433: The Grand Kaleidoscope
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Manifest existence
is the grand kaleidoscope
through which the Infinite
is continuously revealed.
Reflect upon your life,
and you will see
how your choices influence
the way Reality appears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#434: A Change in Perspective
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With Clear Seeing,
Reality does not
suddenly change.
All that shifts
is our perspective --
and we eventually rediscover
the familiar Reality
we have been seeing
all along.
The moment of awakening may be marked by an
outburst of laughter, but this is not the
laughter of someone who has won the lottery
or some kind of victory. It is the laughter
of one who, after searching for something
for a long time, suddenly finds it in the
pocket of his coat.
Thich Nhat Hanh _Zen Keys_, p. 44
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#435: River of Creativity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recognize
the river of creativity
flowing through your life.
Savor the exhilaration
of discovering
that which is new
within each
moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#436: Resignation vs. Realization
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a qualitative difference between
the resignation that says:
"There is no Enlightenment because
I have not found it."
...and the Realization that says:
"There is nothing to find beyond the Reality
of who and what we already are."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#437: Accepting the Finite and Infinite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider the possibility that Realization
is simply an unqualified acceptance of both:
` the impermanence of the finite world, and
` the completeness of the Infinite Reality
out of which this world arises.
You can also take comfort in the fact that
*every* experience will contribute to this
eventual and inevitable Recognition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#438: Seeking and Discovery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seeking occurs in time,
and follows a path
out of the present moment
into an imagined future.
Discovery is grounded
in the present moment,
centered here and now.
Seeking focuses on a distant goal.
Discovery focuses on immediate Reality.
Seeking is fueled by restlessness and longing.
Discovery is delighted, fulfilled and satisfied.
Seeking is predicated on lack and grasping,
-- and a sense of something missing.
Discovery is completely open and receptive
-- accepting and embracing Reality,
exactly as it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#439: Longing and Satisfaction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All longing floats
in the fleeting world of
the finite -- and,
eventually gives way to
Satisfaction rooted
in the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#440: Focus and Identify
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fascination and fixation
with Realization
as a future event
distract us from Reality
in the present moment.
Far better to focus on
seeing into the heart of
your own immediate experience.
Identify what, if anything,
you can know with certainty,
and everything else will be a
process of exploration and discovery,
deepening trust and gradual,
dawning understanding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#441: Death
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Death is a priceless reminder
that Life is much larger than
any of our attachments
to the finite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#442: Learning to Love Life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn to love Life itself,
in its grand and Infinite fullness
-- instead of becoming attached to
the narrow and finite forms
through which it manifests.
When your love is large enough,
you will be able to delight in
these temporary, manifest forms
while understanding that
they will naturally,
and inevitably,
disappear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#443: Out of the Unseen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Out of the Unseen
Awareness arises --
and into the Unseen
Awareness eventually
disappears again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#444: Coming to Terms with the Finite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ultimately, each of us must
come to terms with the finite,
and with the fundamental nature
of the human condition --
by facing the present realities
of cruelty, suffering and death.
Until we do,
our attempts to find meaning
will be foiled at every turn.
However, when we do,
the finite will be recognized
for what it is: a gateway for
a blessed inflooding of
the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#445: True Contentment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
True contentment abides
even in the midst of
tragic circumstance.
This is why it is called
"the peace that passes
all understanding."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#446: Our Business
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Realization is the business
within which we are all engaged
-- whether we realize it or not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#447: *This* Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Realization is not
the revelation of
a new, different or
transformed state of
Reality.
It is the recognition --
and a renewed appreciation --
of *this* Reality,
in Its fullness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#448: Natural, Inevitable Realization
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Realization arises
naturally and inevitability
when we no longer
shrink away from Reality
-- regardless of how it appears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#449: Integrated Recognition
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Realization is the discovery,
recognition and acceptance of
Reality as it is --
and the integration of
this Recognition into
our daily lives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#450: Complete and Continuous
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In and of itself,
Realization is
whole and complete --
simply because it is
a recognition of
THAT which is
Whole and Complete.
However, seeing
the Truth of this Realization
continually manifesting
in and through the Infinite Present
is a process of ongoing
discovery and revelation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#451: Innate Knowing, Intuitive Guidance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trust you own innate knowing.
Between mind and heart,
intellect and emotion
lies an intuitive insight
and a silent wisdom
that is guiding
each and every
step.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#452: Open Sky, Innate Freedom
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sky above us
remains wide open --
an ever present and
constant reminder of
our innate freedom and
our Original Nature.
The purpose of meditation is to awaken in us
[a recognition of] the skylike nature of mind,
and to introduce us to that which we really are,
our unchanging pure awareness that underlies
the whole of life and death.
Sogyal Rinpoche
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#453: Relativity of Evil and Suffering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Evil and suffering
can never be absolute
simply because
they only exist and
are always defined in
completely relative terms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#454: Do Not Wait for Joy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not wait for joy.
Anything that depends upon
a change in circumstance
is ultimately fleeting
and insubstantial.
Your opportunity
is to discover
the Complete Source
from which
all circumstance
arise.
It is here where joy,
contentment and satisfaction
naturally reside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#455: Let It Be
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let your life be what it is.
Do not expect individuals,
events, objects and circumstance
to provide the satisfaction
you are seeking.
They will not.
Indeed, they cannot.
In fact,
only the Whole
will satisfy.
With this understanding
you will begin recognize that
within all the separate aspects
of your life,
this larger Wholeness
is constantly manifesting.
And, when you trust this larger movement,
nothing more will ever be needed.
Instead, you will find yourself
immersed in the Fullness of what is,
and Satisfaction will be
the inevitable fruit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#456: Simplicity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is sufficient
to live with
an unblinking recognition
that everything arises
from the same Source.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#457: Reconciliation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An appreciative understanding
of the limitations of the finite
coupled with
an identification with the Infinite
is the ultimate, liberating
reconciliation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#458: Gratitude
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let gratitude be your goal.
When you cannot be
grateful and accepting,
examine your resistances
and objections.
They will reveal
the terms and conditions
you are dictating for
how Reality should appear.
"Gratefulness is the heart of prayer."
Brother David Steindl-Rast
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#459: Web of Causality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you are confused by
the people around you,
and frustrated by the circumstances
within which you find yourself,
remember that
everyone and everything
within your experience
is a product of the circumstances
out of which they have arisen.
Freedom lies in recognizing
this nested pattern of relationships
-- and in allowing
your identification to shift
from the web of interdependent causality
to your Awareness of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#460: Ultimate Acceptance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ultimate acceptance of Reality
embraces everything -- including
your own resistances and
your desire for change.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#461: Miraculous Truth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THIS moment
is the sacred space
through and within which
Reality appears.
Your reverence for
this extraordinary miracle
will open your heart
to recognizing Truth
as it manifests
here and now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#462: Infinite Present, Infinite Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider the possibility
that the Infinite Present
is inseparable from
the vastness of
Infinite Space.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#463: Time and the Infinite Present
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time
is the funnel
through which the Infinite
assumes finite shape and form, and
this process of manifestation always
occurs and is contained within
the Infinite Present.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#464: Your Gift
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not underestimate
the value of the opportunity
you have here and now.
Your life and presence here
are a gift to you --
and you will determine
the nature of gift
you become for others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#465: In The Center
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where is the constant
in a world of constantly
changing circumstance?
In the Silent Center
where you
sit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#466: Finite Happiness, True Satisfaction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happiness and pleasure
associated with the finite
will inevitably be limited.
True Joy and Satisfaction
lie in the Infinite Source
out of which
all finite things arise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#467: Advaita (Nonduality)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Sanskrit word "advaita"
is based on the root meaning
"not two."
The lesson for us?
Reality appears as "two" (i.e., many)
-- and yet this appearance of multiplicity
is ultimately an illusion.
At a fundamental, essential level
Reality remains whole and undivided
-- in spite of all appearances
to the contrary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#468: Comprehensive Fullness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fullness
would not be full
if it did not contain
everything.
Remember this
when you find yourself
objecting to Reality
as it is appearing
here and now.
Also, do not lose sight
of the fact that
all your preferences
-- and even your objections --
are embraced by and
contained within
this comprehensive
Fullness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#469: A Place for Everything
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a place for everything
-- even if only to teach us
the inevitable limits of
the finite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#470: Infinite Possibilities
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Fullness of Reality
extends beyond the
confines and limitations
of personal preference
into a universe of
Infinite possibilities....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#471: Innocent Eyes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Even the most ordinary
aspects of our experience
are utterly miraculous
when seen through
innocent eyes.
Special Feature:
** Noah Grey Photography
http://www.noahgrey.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#472: Creativity is Your Birthright
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Creativity is your birthright.
You miraculously appeared
from nowhere.
The Unseen that gave you Life
is still nourishing you --
and, if you remain open,
it will inspire you
endlessly....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#473: Grace of the Sacred
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you discover
the innate vibrancy, vitality
and poignancy of Life,
you will be experiencing
the inexpressible Grace
of the Sacred.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#474: Intimacy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The only way to create
true intimacy and authenticity
in your relationships
is to allow for
the unknown and
the unexpected.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#475: Everything You Are Seeking
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything you are seeking --
insight, understanding, fulfillment
and completeness --
is inherent within the present moment.
None depends upon external circumstance.
Find the still, clear, undisturbed
field of Awareness
within which your identity resides,
and everything will be revealed
as a dynamic manifestation
and reflection
of THIS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#476: The Way of the Householder
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You do not need to
escape from the world
in order to gain insight
into its fundamental nature.
It is enough
simply to live your life
and learn, by being here
and paying attention.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#477: Finding Fullness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider the possibility
that everything you see
and think and feel
...and imagine...
radiates from
the same
Source.
And, take comfort in the fact
that you do not need to worry
about finding the Source
from which all THIS
has emerged....
for THIS is It,
you are It,
and you are
immersed
within It.
There is no Other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#478: Self-Liberation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As with the concept of "self-perfection," my understanding
of "self-liberation" is less that there is a definable
"self" which achieves "liberation", and more that
everything is innately "liberated" (free, unencumbered
and innately perfect) -- in "itself", or in essence.
"Directly discover your state.
Don't remain in doubt.
Gain confidence in self-liberation."
Garab Dorgje
1st Dzogchen Master
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#479: Imagining Enlightenment, Recognizing Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you finally stop searching
for what you imagine
Enlightenment to be,
then you will be free
to recognize Reality
as it is.
"Be it life or death, we seek only reality."
Henry David Thoreau
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#480: Simply Living and Learning
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The nature of life and existence is such that
even though we may not be consciously seeking,
the process of discovery continues uninterrupted,
nonetheless.
We inevitably discover through the simple process
of living. This learning can never be avoided....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#481: No Other Teacher
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every experience
points toward the
true nature of Reality.
When you can learn from
the immediacy of every
event and experience in
your own daily life,
no other teacher
will be needed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#482: Behind the Eyes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our identification
with the physical body
is as temporary and short-lived
as the physical form
we appear to
inhabit.
Do not be deceived
by the limited sense
of individual identity
that appears to be located
behind the eyes.
This separate self
is only as real as
the body with which
it is associated.
The Essence
of who and what
you really are
is inseparable from
the Source of
all things
physical --
and it manifests through
the animating vitality,
immediacy and clarity
of your own innate
Awareness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#483: Satisfied
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you can see
every separate form
as a manifestation of
one complete and
undivided Reality,
there is nothing more
you will ever need.
"When one sees Eternity
in things that pass away and
Infinity in finite things,
then one has pure knowledge."
Bhagavad Gita
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#484: You Are Not Alone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are not alone.
You do not exist in
isolation and separation
from the Reality and Truth
you seek.
The One
always contains
The Many...
...and every finite form
is a dynamic manifestation
of Infinite Fullness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#485: Gazing Out, Gazing In
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Take comfort
in the fact that
when you look out
into the world,
you are seeing
a dynamic, miraculous
unfolding of the Real
within space and time.
And when you gaze into
the silent Aware space
that is your own innate Identity,
you are peering into
the vast and Infinite Emptiness
within which
the entire universe
appears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#486: Fragility of the Finite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life will
always remind us
of the unavoidable
and inevitable fragility
of the finite.
The opportunity before us
is to remain open
to unshakeable Reality
of the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#487: The Surrendered Heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life whispers its meaning to us
in the silence of
the surrendered, open heart.
That which we do not understand
provides the key to this
dawning Recognition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#488: Reflections on the Epiphany...6 Years Later
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life blesses us in ways
-- and at times --
we least expect...
...and the quiet stability
of this priceless Recognition
endures....
Give yourself over to Life,
wholly and completely....
Trust it. Embrace it.
Live it fully.
Allow Life
to work its magic
through you, and
you will discover: Grace
is your inevitable reward.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#489: Truth Residing Here and Now
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This moment
is *the* moment,
and this Reality
is the destination
you have been seeking.
Embrace the fullness of
your immediate experience,
and your openness
will reveal Truth
residing here and now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#490: The Contented Heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing to prove or gain,
everything to share....
All action arises
spontaneously.
As the sun sets,
the moon naturally rises.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#491: Dwelling in Awareness?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. Why do we not dwell in awareness at all times?
Metta: Ah, but we do! The mind just loses sight of it.
That's all that ever happens.
You see, it's only the mind that imagines that Awareness
comes and goes. Awareness is actually constant, and it is
the movement of the mind that vacillates. The mind wanders
all about and then says: "What happened to Awareness?"
Q. So then --- what to do?
Metta: Allow the mind to do what it does, and remember
that Awareness is the clear screen upon which the
movement of the mind occurs. And, even if you don't
remember this, Awareness will still be the clear screen
upon which the movement of the mind occurs.
It's all a matter of identification: do you identify
with the movement of the mind, and with the content
of consciousness? Or, do you identifying with the
clear, undisturbed background of Awareness?
Most people do identify with the mind....That is our
conditioned habit and pattern. That's why this work
is only a matter of unlearning our conditioning.
Without our conditioning, we are what we are:
Clear Seeing, Naked Awareness....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#492: Pain and Tragedy, Cruelty and Injustice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember:
there is value in "waking up" --
even if pain and tragedy
are the trigger.
Such experiences invite
more openness and Spaciousness
than ever before --
even as our certainties
continue falling away....
This does not mean that
tragedy is not tragic,
and cruelty is not cruel --
or that injustice is not a cry
for compassion and action.
It is simply that
when we are open,
the painful experiences
in our lives can become windows
revealing the larger Truth
that lies Beyond.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#493: Leading by Example
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In everything we say and do
we are always leading --
and teaching --
by example.
What lessons
are you offering now
to others?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#494: Energy of Awakening
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No matter what is happening
in your life,
the energy of awakening
in flowing through you.
It is the only energy
there is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#495: God's Plan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You never need to wonder
what God's plan is for you.
You are living it now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#496: Helping Others to Understand?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q: How much can one person help another understand who
they really are?
Metta: No more or less than anything else in life can
help us understand. Ultimately, *everything* is a
mirror of our own thought and perception -- and a
reminder to look beyond that which is limited to the
vast and nameless Source out of which everything arises.
When this Recognition dawns, it is suddenly so obvious --
like realizing that the trees are all simply part of one
large forest. It is, essentially, a stunning Recognition
of the Obvious! From this point forward, then, it is
impossible *not* to see that everything arises out of
the continuum of the Infinite....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#497: Teaching Realization?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If Realization must be taught to us,
how can it be our fundamental and essential nature?
If transmission is required,
then was this "truth" our own?
"Self-realization which is permanent is the only true
accomplishment. Accomplishments which appear and
disappear, being the result of maya (illusion),
cannot be real."
Ramana Maharshi, quoted by
K. Swaminathan in:
_Ramana Maharshi_, p. 73
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#498: Ultimate Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Any identification with, or understanding of, the Ultimate
rests in what I experience to be a "fact" of existence:
i.e., at a fundamental, essential level Reality is
undivided and Whole.
Whether this Natural Great Completeness is eventually
described as Spaciousness, Emptiness, Fullness, or The Tao
is less important to me than the inescapable Recognition
that all manifest things arise out of, or are an expression
of, this fundamental Reality -- no exceptions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#499: Beyond Euphoria
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An attraction or attachment to any particular experience
or state of consciousness is ultimately self-limiting.
Even an experience as magnificent as the epiphany
eventually does fade. Such states of euphoria cannot
and do not last.
However, the Reality revealed in such experiences can
never be lost, and this is the real value of such
experiences: they point toward an infinitely larger
Reality of which we are normally not conscious.
By recognizing that our own innate Awareness is the
means by which we "experience" these states, we also
begin to recognize the connection between our own
innate Awareness and this infinitely larger Reality....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#500: Pointing Toward Reality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everywhere you point
Reality resides.
Everything you see
is another face of
the Infinite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#501: Beyond the Finite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Answers
cannot be found
in the finite world --
except to the extent that
the finite points beyond itself
to the Infinite Source from which
all finite things arise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#502: Our Opportunity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our opportunity is to go into
the deepest, darkest places
within the human experience
and find light...
...the light inherent within
our own innate Awareness, and
our ability to choose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#503: Seeing Fullness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All things --
and the space between
all things --
are filled with
the substance of
Reality.
It is only because
our vision is limited
and our sight is focused
on the particular
that we are blind
to the Truth
of this larger,
comprehensive Whole.
Learn to trust --
and see with --
your inner,
intuitive eye.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#504: Personal and Eternal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Moods and thoughts
inevitably change.
Do not be attached
to the form
of the personality
as it shows up today.
It will,
inevitably,
be different
tomorrow.
That which is Real
abides throughout
-- and fuels --
this unceasing
and timeless
transformation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#505: Sacred Blessing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you discover the privilege
and the profound opportunity
inherent in being alive,
your life will become
a Sacred Blessing
for others.
Honor the Grace
that is Life
within this
moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#506: Illusion of Time
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time does not move.
Matter does.
Look honestly at your experience
and you will see this is true.
Matter flows and changes, inevitably,
while time stands still --
and the present moment extends,
whole and complete,
infinitely, everywhere.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#507: The Great Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The magnificent spaciousness
you find within yourself
is not separate or distinct from
the Great Space within which
the Universe appears.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#508: Action Reflects Commitment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything we say and do
reflects that which we value
and that to which we have made
our commitment.
To what are you dedicating
your time, attention and energy?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#509: Action and Non-attachment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do the right thing
because it is right thing --
not because there is any assurance
you can control the outcome.
This is non-attachment
to the fruits of your action.
Your proper concern is with action,
never with its fruits.
Let not your motive be the fruits of action;
nor be attached to inaction.
Bhagavad Gita 2:47
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#510: When the Illusion of Time Stops
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The apparent passage of time
is simply a reminder
to focus on
That which is
Essential.
When the illusion of time
stops for you,
the Essential
is all that will remain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#511: Stillness and Silence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stillness and silence
remind us of
the Source
from which all
movement and sound
arise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#512: Humility and Grace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The surrendered soul
wears a mantel
of Grace.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#513: The Common Factor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find THAT which is common
within all of your experience,
and you will discover the key to
recognizing your true nature and
understanding the nature of Reality.
"At an essential level, who you are
is not separate from what Reality is.
I invite you to discover This." mz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#514: Reality Showing Up, Shining Through
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you stop expecting
Reality to manifest
through a special experience,
or with a specific finite form,
you will discover
It showing up in every experience
and shining through all manifest forms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#515: Already At Home
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything changes,
even while staying the same,
when you discover
you already are at home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#516: Reality and Compassion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the face of profound suffering,
Realization is a gentle reminder
that Reality is large enough
to embrace our pain.
May our compassion
be as wide.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#517: Infinite Illumination
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not lose sight of the fact that
the finite and Infinite
are inseparable.
Even as the finite inevitably
fades from view,
the Infinite remains
the pervasive and penetrating Reality
illuminating all manifest form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#518: No Other Time or Place
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here and now:
this is when and where
our learning and discovery occurs.
There is no other time or place
for Realization.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#519: Alignment and Integrity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is enough to honor and
to live in harmony with
Truth as you know and
understand it.
This alignment and integrity
will be reflected in word and deed,
and in a peaceful, contented heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#520: Your Influence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not underestimate
the power or sphere
of your influence.
In everything
you say and do
you are leading
by example.
Even your thoughts
and intentions
reverberate through
the Living Universe...
...and with each choice
you shape
the manifest form
of Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#521: With Each Breath
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With each thought, desire and breath
we are constantly praying.
What God are you honoring
with your attention?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#522: God Is Not Hiding
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not worry:
God-Reality-Truth
is not hiding.
THAT which you are seeking
is already showing up
here and now through you
and through everything you see.
There is nothing more or other.
"There is no god but God."
Sufi Dhikr (Remembrance of God)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#523: Sorrow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorrow always reveals
that to which
we are most strongly attached.
Relief from sorrow arises
as narrow attachments give way to
a more spacious understanding
and acceptance of Reality
as it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#524: Trust the Process
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you trust the process
within which you find yourself,
you will discover that
everything eventually leads to
patience, compassion and
understanding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#525: Creation Here and How
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The creation of the universe
is not a singular event
that occurred long ago,
in the distant cosmic past.
It is the continuous,
dynamic activity of
manifestation and revelation
occurring here and now,
within the nexus point
of the present moment.
With each thought and every choice
you participate in and influence
this miraculous, creative process.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#526: All the Pain and Suffering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All the pain and suffering in the world
do not prove that existence is
meaningless and absurd.
Instead, they confirm
the importance and value
of *your* life
in coming to terms with
the nature of finite existence,
and in providing comfort and relief
to others who are suffering.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#527: Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If we cannot find
God ~ Truth ~ Reality
in serving others,
the God we are seeking
is too small.
Love others
as God loves you.
Remember
works of love
are works of peace.
Love begins at home.
Mother Teresa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#528: Flashes of Insight
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flashes of intuitive insight are irresistibly compelling
because they often function as "windows" into the larger
Reality of who/what we really are. This is why they
have such a profound impact upon us, and why we feel
drawn toward a deepening Recognition of the innate
nature of this Reality.
"The recognition of the fundamental, essential nature
of Reality is the source of our greatest satisfaction
and deepest fulfillment." mz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#529: Creative Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As you tap into
your own innate creativity,
you connect with the Source
of all creation.
Trust your impulse to explore
your own uncharted territories,
and see the miracle of creation
continuously revealed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#530: True Fulfillment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For most of us,
joy and satisfaction
are dependent upon
circumstance.
True fulfillment
lies beyond.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#531: Present Refuge
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Allow the present moment
to be a sanctuary and refuge
from regret about the past
and worry about the future.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#532: Beyond Finite Form
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not allow your definition of Reality
to be limited by the finite.
Remember always:
That which you can
see and touch and measure
is only a minute and fleeting fraction of
the Infinite, Eternal and Unseen Source
from which all manifest forms arise.
"Calling infinity a number
does not make it one."
W. H. Auden
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#533: Infinite Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are inseparable from
the larger Reality of Life.
You will recognize
your intimate connection
with this Infinite Source
through both the pain and beauty
in the world around you --
through your dreams and intuitions,
your hopes and inner vision, and
through your hunger for the Satisfaction
that only the Infinite can provide.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#534: No Greater Joy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is no joy greater
than discovering
the Infinite continuity of Life --
a miraculous web of connectivity
and continuity in which
no one and nothing
is ever lost or abandoned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#535: Energy of Divine Joy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The energy of Divine Joy
is palpable.
It flows and surges through us
delighting, healing and transforming
everything in its path.
Immerse yourself in this river,
surrender to its current,
and ride its rolling waves
out into the Infinite Ocean.
"I became keenly aware of the river of energy
flowing through each of us -- an energy arising
from within and intuitively guided by this
exquisite and innate perfection. I realized
that everything appearing before us is simply
a manifestation and expression of this energy,
and that this energy is always moving through
each of us, guiding us throughout our lives."
From "Epiphany: Gift of Light" by Metta Zetty
http://awakening.net/Epiphany.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#536: Working at Letting Go
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reader:
I believe the only thing we have to work at is
letting go.
Reply:
Indeed, many of us experience the basic challenge
as one of needing to "let go." However, an
interesting irony develops when we begin to
*work* at "letting go."
Obviously, this effort can, in and of itself,
become yet another subtle strategy for continuing
to hold on.....
Since Reality is, and will continue to be,
exactly as it is regardless of whether we are
letting go or holding on, ultimately there is
no need to modify, correct or release any of
our "holding."
This recognition is echoed in the magnificent
insight of Gensha:
"If you understand, things are such as they are.
If you do not understand, things are such as they are."
In his essay "Sitting Quietly, Doing Nothing,"
Alan Watts also addresses this issue in his
discussion of "blocking" [which, in this context,
would correspond to the experience of "holding on"]:
"The simplest cure is to feel free to block
[or hold on], so that one does not block at
blocking. When one feels free to block,
the blocking [holding on] automatically
eliminates itself....The principle here is,
of course, the same as getting out of the
contradiction of 'trying to be spontaneous'
through accepting the 'trying' as 'spontaneous'
[in and of itself]...."
_The Way of Zen_,
pp. 150-151
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#537: Freedom from Overwhelm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can find freedom from
the frenzy of the whirlpool
by letting go and
floating lightly
on the surface --
or, by diving down,
straight and solid
into the deep,
undisturbed waters
below....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#538: Reflection Reveals Wonders
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider the miraculous --
and often mysterious -- process
within which we find ourselves.
Take time to step back
and look at the larger context
within which your experience occurs,
and this reflection will
reveal wonders.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#539: Safe from Harm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No matter what is
happening in your life,
that within you which is
Essential, Real and True
is, and always will be,
completely safe from harm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#540: The Void
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Without recognizing or
understanding this Void,
it is natural that we might fear it
-- at least initially --
until we Recognize that
the Void is the Source
out of which all other experience
and Awareness emerge.
Thirty spokes share the wheel¹s hub;
It is the center hole that makes it useful.
Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore profit comes from what it there;
Usefulness from what is not there.
- Lao-tzu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#541: Your Purpose in Life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are searching for your purpose in life,
focus on finding a way to bring joy and comfort
to others by using the talents, gifts, abilities
and interests with which you have already been
endowed.
Everything that follows will simply be a
continuous process of deepening and refinement,
through practice, giving and sharing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#542: Reverence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is no space or time
that is not sacred.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#543: When All Else Fails
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When all else fails,
surrender to Life completely,
and then watch what happens....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#544: Thought Reflected in Form
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each of us is
more transparent
than we realize.
All thoughts are dynamic
and carry an energetic charge
which defines, shapes and colors
our interior landscape --
and this influence
is reflected in
our attitude, countenance
and physical form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#545: Nature as Teacher
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let nature
teach you about
your own nature.
The light of the Infinite
shines through each vanishing sunset,
through every changing season,
and through you.
Only the forms change,
while the flow of Life continues
uninterrupted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#546: Miracle of Manifest Existence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Most of the time
most of us
busy ourselves
with the business
of our daily lives,
without recognizing
the significance of
the miracle of
manifest existence.
However,
a recognition and
appreciation of this miracle
-- and our appearance within it --
has the power to transform
every aspect of
our daily lives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#547: Maya (Illusion)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The illusory nature of manifest reality is
frequently illustrated with a story about a man
walking down the road at dusk. He sees what he
believes to be a dangerous snake coiled in the
road, only later to discover that it is merely
a rope. The lesson? The world as it appears
to us is not what it seems to be -- nor is it
as dangerous as we imagine.
From Mentoring Letter #43 --
"Advaita: A Brief Introduction"
http://escribe.com/religion/aialetters/m46.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#548: Every Experience
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is all about Seeing --
being open to and receiving
whatever is showing up.
In my experience,
what happens is that
Reality shows up in and
through our immediate experience.
It can be in an argument
or in a mentoring session --
either way, it is
the Infinite expressing itself
in and through the finite.
The opportunity
this miracle provides
is for us to recognize the Infinite
reflected in (mirrored in)
whatever we are experiencing
here and now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#549: Naturally Aware
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ultimately, we do not need to stop the movement of the
mind in order to become Aware. Awareness is what is
happening right now, even as you see these words appear!
Awareness is nothing more or other than the luminescent
space within which Reality shows up, and we don't have to
try to do anything to be present with whatever is happening.
We already are present and Aware, here and now, and it's
just a question of whether or not the mind is noticing,
and paying attention....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#550: Unobstructed Awareness
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything
enters into our experience
through Unobstructed Awareness.
It is only our interpretations
and expectations that
cause problems.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#551: Natural Clear Seeing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let the mind do
what the mind does
without worry, fear
or regret.
All its restless
wanderings and machinations
can no more hinder
your Natural Clear Seeing
than clouds can hamper
the brilliant radiance
of the sun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#552: Hungry Mind
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember: the majority of
our restless dissatisfactions and
suffering arise within the mind.
However, like a hungry dog with a bone,
the mind will occasionally quiet down
if you can satisfy its curiosity
with intellectual inquiry
and reflection.
However, be cautious
about teasing the mind
with debate, argumentation,
and attachment to ideas.
And do not to confuse
intellectual exploration
with experiential insight.
The former will not substitute
for the latter and, ideally,
intellectual inquiry will
simply serve as a catalyst
opening us to the larger Reality
lying beyond both mind and intellect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#553: Unfolding Understanding
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Understanding dawns
with a recognition of
the relativity of
all finite things...
...then develops with
a deepening insight
into the interdependence
of all manifest forms...
...and finally blossoms into
a realization of the
fullness and completeness
inherent within this
miraculous inseparability.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#554: No Escape
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything changes
when you recognize
there is nowhere else to go.
This is it.
Here and now
is where we interface
with Life and with Reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#555: Beyond the Particular
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you recognize
that every experience
is contained within
the innate Completeness
of Reality...
...and that this Wholeness
extends far beyond
the particulars
of any individual experience...
...then you can savour
this Completeness
within each and
every experience.
©1997-2003, Metta Zetty
All Rights Reserved.
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