Has Anything Unexpected Happened to You Lately?

Does God speak to us? Yes, of course! How do we know, if he does? Well, that is the real question, isn’t it? As Christians, we are told to develop a relationship with Christ, but how can we relate to God? Christ declared, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). We know when God speaks to us because He speaks truth, love and goodness. That is how we recognize His voice.

There are many ways we can communicate with God. The obvious way is through prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God, just as you would talk to a good friend, except He knows everything about you. He knows your needs. He knows what is good for you and what is not. He knows what to do to lead you closer to Him. He knows your doubts, your worries, and your deepest and darkest secrets. We are all familiar with prayer, but how do we listen to God? How do we take that next step? The Holy Spirit within us facilitates our ability to hear God. Let me relay to you a couple of my recent experiences as examples.

I fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, so I can take communion on Sundays. On Friday I opened my freezer to decide what to eat. The hotdogs, my favorites, looked very appealing, and I thought to myself, I will not be able to go to church this week, so I will have a couple of hotdogs! But, as soon as that thought entered my mind, the hotdogs no longer seemed appetizing, so I had fish instead. It turned out that I was able to go to church, after all, and was therefore able to have communion. Was that a coincidence? In addition, on Sunday morning I found myself getting ready for church, realizing that I had forgotten my contacts at my mom’s house. I am very self-conscious about going out wearing my glasses. I have always hated wearing glasses. It is my vanity, one of my weaknesses! For a moment, I thought to myself that I can’t go to church without my contacts! Then I realized that it was my vanity speaking to me and I laughed to myself. God arranged it so that I would have to overcome my self-consciousness and go to church in my glasses. Was this a coincidence? Such a seemingly little insignificant thing, yet I knew what God was saying to me.  

On Saturday, I had a very antagonizing experience with my cell provider, which will remain unnamed. A couple of months ago, I had purchased a phone for my mother. The salesperson told me he would try to make me a great deal. He would give me a tablet and a few accessories for free. I asked him what the catch was. He said there was no catch. He threw the tablet in my bag with my new phone, and then threw in a couple more items, telling me everything was free. He had me sign a contract on his tablet, which only allowed me to see the signature line. Stupid me! I was not given a receipt or a copy of my contract. My cell phone provider did not mail me a bill for the next month, since I signed up for auto pay, but finally sent me a bill the following month! Now, it turns out that I am paying $20/month for unlimited data on my tablet, which I do not use, and $9/month for the accessories on an installment plan. The only accessory I used was the car charger, and I finally used that last week. I didn’t need any of this free stuff! In addition, the signature on the contract for the accessories was copied and pasted into that contract, so I never actually signed it. I knew the old adage, “nothing is ever really free,” but I trusted that a company employee would not flat out lie to me! Silly me!

So, Saturday I went to my cell provider’s store to remedy the situation. I was not appeased. I called the company and was again mislead and lied to, compounding the situation. I spent five hours trying to resolve the issue on that day, I came away dissatisfied and no solution. I resolved to return to the store and give them a piece of my mind, which was already frazzled. I had planned to tell them a thing or two about their company practices, about integrity and honesty. But before I did, I decided to check my account on the internet. While I was checking the contracts I had supposedly signed, the power in my house went out. Was that a coincidence? I took that as a message that God did not want me to go to the store and vent my frustrations in anger. As I stopped to think how I should behave as a Christian, it came to me that I should forgive them. Yes, that’s right! Forgive!

So…I will pay $250 for the free items I do not use, just to get out of that contract and look for another cell provider. I cannot deal with a company that apparently encourages such misleading and blatantly dishonest business dealings. Most likely, many other companies do the same thing, but what choice do I have. I must, at least, try to find another company and hope that they will have more integrity. Should I mistrust everyone because of this? No! I will still believe the best in people. Soon after all this, I did finally sign up with another cell provider after spending a week trying to get my phones unlocked by the previous provider! I never knew that they could hold your fully paid phones as hostage! So far, all is well. My phone works well, I have not had any dropped calls and people can hear me when I speak to them.

Was God speaking to me? Of course, He was! There are no coincidences, only unexpected events orchestrated by God, events that are meant to get our attention, to change our way of thinking, and to make God’s will known to us. There are no coincidences, only events which increase our faith and bring us closer to God. Has anything unexpected happened to you lately? 

© 2017  Helen Kamenos  All rights reserved 

http://www.helenkamenos.com/

Mind Truth Isn't Truth

What truth is will never be figured out with the mind, but what it isn’t can be examined, so you may never know what truth is, but you will know what it isn’t and when this is known all that’s left is truth.

The mind has no foundation, it is here, there, and everywhere. It’s why people struggle to find truth with the mind, there’s nothing there. It’s like trying to hold onto air. The true foundation of life is the body because the body exist in the only place that is real, the present moment. It’s so difficult to convey truth through the mind, not that I know what it is, but I do know what it isn’t. That’s the difference in me today as opposed to the way I was ten years ago. People try to figure out what truth is through the mind and that’s where the struggle arises from. Truth is impossible to grasp, what truth isn’t is a lot easier to examine.

Yesterday was one of those days, there was a lot of mind push back on my article. What’s funny is all I am is the writer, I don’t provide the content, that arises on its own from stillness. Again most people struggle with truth because they try to figure it out with the mind. You will never know what truth is from the mind, but you can examine what it isn’t and thus the mind will stop trying to figure it out what it is. Regardless of what I write it can only be disagreed with from within yourself. A disagreement with my writings is a mind agitation that comes from within you. There’s nothing to ever truly disagree with unless the Conditioned Mind tells you it wants something to be different; this agitation is what truth isn’t. Understand this and you just may see the truth, but you won’t know what truth is, you will know what it isn’t and when this is known all you will be left with is truth.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/28/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am imagining for myself the kind of moments worth experiencing, sharing, and celebrating! I am envisioning the kind of future for myself filled with adventure, amusement, and entertainment! I am optimistic about my future, appreciating my moments, and focusing on the benefits…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

 

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/27/28-10/

Forming Opinions

Form any opinion you’d like, but it will never be a benefit to you. As a matter of fact it will be a created burden that not only blocks you from the love that’s in your heart, but also from the heart of all humanity.

I don’t write to tell anyone how to live their life. How someone chooses to live has nothing to do with me. If what I write resonates with you, so be it, if not move on. What I write is from my experience, as I was opinionated for many many years. Whether it is agreed with is not really a concern of mine. What is seen is what is written and if you don’t see what I see, you won’t understand what I write. There is nothing right or wrong with this, it’s just the way it is.

We are all an extension of Universal Consciousness. There is no difference in the way we exist except to the Conditioned Mind. We are all from the same energy. It’s when we lose our focus of this that we become individuals and form our opinions. Our unity comes from understanding this. When we form our opinions, our ideas, beliefs, and concepts, we form an individuality which causes us to miss the mark (definition of sin) of Universal Love. I often speak of truth and this is the truth that I speak of. It’s not my truth, but the truth of existence; Universal Love. There is no interpretation needed here, love is love. If you wish to form an interpretation or opinion of love that’s up to you, but when the mind settles, Universal Love becomes life’s base and there are no opinions or interpretations needed here. Learn to live life as it is from the base of Universal Love. Form any opinion you’d like, but it will not truly be a benefit to you because most likely it will be self serving in some way. As a matter of fact it will be a created burden that not only blocks you from the love that’s in your heart, but also from the heart of all humanity; just my opinion…

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/27/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am not making it worse because I am busy making it better for myself! I am not making it difficult for myself because I am striving to make it easier for myself! I am looking forward beyond my challenges, beyond my circumstances, and beyond my progress…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

 

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/26/15-18/

Conditioned Ignorance

The way one acts has to come from somewhere, it doesn’t just randomly happen. Why this isn’t seen by most people is because of all the propaganda that points you to look for your answers out there.

Here is a hypothetical situation, but this occurs a lot and is very real. A child is abused growing up, in this case pick your so called poison, physically, sexually, verbally, or in some other way. I say poison because this is what the abuse does to a mind that begins its existence pure, innocent, and free; the poison is to become conditioned and pass this on to others. This conditioning is not limited to abuse, it takes on many forms; we simply become products of our environments without realizing it. This is not the fault of anyone, but it is a fact; you cannot get oranges from apple seeds. This conditioning is hardly ever questioned if it’s truly beneficial in your life. All of us fall prey to this and most live under the spell of this conditioning for their entire life.

Granted much of this is simply because of ignorance, there are some people who do wake up to this, but most remain in this ignorance. Look at your own behavior, did you ever ask yourself why you behave in the way that you do? This question is hardly asked as most never get to this point. The way one acts has to come from somewhere, it doesn’t just randomly happen. Why this isn’t seen by most people is because of all the propaganda that points to your answers being out there somewhere. So how can one really be held responsible for how they act with this ignorance in place? They can’t, but the ignorance wants to hold everyone responsible even though most including those ignorantly pointing know not what they do…

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/26/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

"I am freeing up space to receive love, gratitude, and greater abundance into my life! I am welcoming good vibes, positive energy, and greater success in my life! I am embracing the positive outlook over the negative and encouraging the positive self-talk over the negative..."

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

 

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/25/15-19/

The Three Rs

Great Lent has begun. For the Greek Orthodox, this generally means fasting for 40 days and the 7 days of Holy Week. Many participate in the Lenten fast in diverse ways, doing what they feel they can to make this a time of preparation for celebrating the resurrection on Easter. Some give up certain types of food, others give up T.V. or Facebook, and yet others prepare by increasing their time of prayer and almsgiving. For the Orthodox, this is not a time of gloominess or sadness. It is a time of joy in anticipation of the glorious resurrection and thankfulness for God’s mercy. The purpose of fasting is to discipline our body by bringing it under subjection to our will. This is a way for us to practice the disciplining of our minds, as we bring it under subjection to God’s will. The most significant purpose of Great Lent is to spiritually strengthen us and to develop a more intimate relationship to God.

Cultivating our spiritual growth aids us in meeting the challenges of our everyday lives. It teaches us how to enhance the joy and peace in our lives. We can do this by practicing what I call the three Rs: reading, reconnecting and reflecting. During lent we should spend more time reading the Bible, reconnecting with God through prayer, and reflecting on Christ, as well as our own weaknesses.

Reading the Bible gives us a foundation from which we can begin. It reminds us what it means to be a Christian and allows us to understand God through Christ. No matter how often we read a passage, new insights will be gleaned each time because our own spiritual development changes as we are confronted by new challenges in life or as we gain greater understanding. We build upon what we have learned in the past, allowing us to mature in the faith. As we mature, we ready ourselves for new insights or a deeper understanding of our faith.

Prayer can be practiced through reading prayers of the church, praying for our loved ones or just by talking to God. You can dedicate a specific time of your day or you can talk to God in your car or while you work. One crucial component to include in our prayer time is listening. God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. When God speaks to us, His messages are filled with love, wisdom and truth. He teaches us, guides us and comforts us. Listening to God is crucial in developing our spiritual growth.

Reflecting on Christ means we contemplate His sacrifice for us and His love for us. We remind ourselves that He is God who became man to die for us. We remember that He came into an evil world and lived a perfect life full of love, grace and truth. We consider His teachings, His miracles, and His suffering for us. We remember all the blessings He has bestowed upon us and are thankful. But we also reflect on our own weaknesses. This begins by remembering our sins and repenting. This is a process we prefer to avoid. However, reflecting on our sins and weaknesses allows us the opportunity to learn from our mistakes. It provides an occasion to ask God to guide us in overcoming these frailties. It allows us to learn how to love God and others more perfectly. After all, Christ gave us only two commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22: 37-40). Our life’s purpose as Christians is to love. We must not allow ourselves to rationalize our sins or offer excuses when we do not act in love?   

For example, many of us struggle with anger at one time or another. The Bible teaches us that it is acceptable to be angry, but we should not sin out of anger. The key issue is how do we respond when we are angry. There are two reasons for anger, righteous anger for being treated unjustly or anger motivated by pride. We can be angry when someone has treated us unjustly or has sinned against us. This can be considered righteous anger, but we should reflect on whether we have caused the behavior because of our own sin. In other words, we have no right to be angry at someone who might have reacted to our own hurtful words or actions. We may also become angry toward someone who has insulted us and therefore wounded our pride. In these cases, we should always remain humble and practice self-control.

Once upon a time, there was a peaceful driver, who found himself in traffic on the 405 freeway. As Mr. Peaceful was motoring along, an impatient driver swerved in front of him and nearly caused a collision. Mr. Peaceful became angry, especially since he had to slam on his brakes to avoid an accident. However, he realized that he was safe and decided to pray for Ms. Impatient, who may yet cause a collision and hurt herself or someone else. Mr. Peaceful continued driving along calmly, safe and sound. However, Ms. Impatient was soon cut-off by a more aggressive motorist. She became so angry. She was not going to be outdone. Ms. Impatient decided to teach that motorist a lesson, so she sped up and swerved around Mr. Aggressive and purposely came so close, she nearly collided with his little sports car. Mr. Aggressive had to slam on his brakes, causing the car behind him to crash right into him. Fortunately, God saw what was happening and sent His angels to prevent anyone from dying, but Mr. Aggressive suffered various injuries, including broken ribs and was rushed to the hospital. Mr. Aggressive should not be too angry because his actions caused Ms. Impatient to become angry, but Ms. Impatient allowed her anger to cause an accident. She saw what happened in her rearview mirror and felt bad for her poor behavior. Mr. Aggressive, on the other hand, would love to find Ms. Impatient and teach her a lesson. Both Ms. Impatient and Mr. Aggressive suffered from an inflated sense of pride, which led them to poor choices, but at least Ms. Impatient recognized her sin and repented and wished she had stopped to help.

When we acknowledge our sins, we can grow from the experience. Mr. Peaceful did not allow another’s actions to affect his peace and joy. He forgave Ms. Impatient and was therefore able to remain peaceful by keeping his conscience pure. By reflecting on her actions, Ms. Impatient learned from her mistake and will probably drive more respectfully in the future. Mr. Aggressive, on the other hand, will most likely find himself in a similar situation in the future. I pray that God watches over him and keeps him safe.

Remember the three Rs during Great Lent. Spend more time reading the Bible, reconnecting with God through prayer and reflecting on Christ, as well as on your sins and weaknesses. During this Lenten period, may God perform a great work in all of our hearts to allow us to grow spiritually, to love more perfectly and to develop our relationship with Him more intimately. 

© 2017  Helen Kamenos  All rights reserved

http://www.helenkamenos.com/

Perception Isn't Truth

Because everyone has different conditioning, we have the world as it is with just as many versions of truth as there are people, but without quietness none of those versions are true.

Part of the struggle that many have with truth is it’s seen through mind perceptions and since the mind has nothing solid as a base, it makes it different for everyone. But a perception of something doesn’t mean how it is being perceived is truth. What it means to see truth is to experience a quietness that needs no label. Truth doesn’t need to be defined for it to be so, as a matter of fact the more one gets entangled in the words of what truth is, the further away from it they become. This really needs to be investigated if it’s to be seen, but understand it’s not truth that will be seen, it’s the quietness that reveals what truth isn’t that will be seen. Part of what blocks most people from truly understanding life is they’re trying to understand life. I know as much about life today as I did the day I was born, but what I do know is there’s nothing to know that will enhance life one bit because it’s not designed that way. Knowing all about an apple doesn’t make it taste better.

Another book, retreat, meetings, meditation/yoga session, or anything else for that matter won’t reveal truth to you because it’s only in quietness that it’s revealed. This is the main struggle in society today because far too many think their perception is truth. Granted it is their truth, but only as a mind construct. Because everyone has different conditioning, we have the world as it is with just as many versions of truth as there are people, but without quietness none of those versions are true.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/25/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am staying on course regardless of how long it takes me! I am forging forward regardless of what it takes from me! I am paving my way regardless of who is involved with me! I am learning from what doesn’t work, using what does, and making the best of it all while sharing my success…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

 

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/24/15-20/

Humanly Hooked

The understanding of the flesh won’t stop the world’s hooks from grabbing you, but it just may at times stop you from taking the bait which allows the control of the flesh to dissipate somewhat.

There are many hooks that are based in the flesh and they’re constantly being thrown out to grab you; and they will grab you as long as you are in this human form. How deep one gets hooked depends on their conditioning. Even with knowing what I know about the Conditioned Mind there is still the lure of the flesh that catches me at times. Fortunately the hammer was put away a long time ago that was used to beat myself up over doing something that my own mind told me to do; this is just being written as the awareness aware of awareness. If you think you’re going to get to a state of being where the flesh is totally transcended that’s the wishful thinking of the flesh and it becomes your bondage. If you do get there wherever there is, please share it with me, but I won’t hold my breath.

Human form should be embraced as it is, not as it’s wanted. This is not an excuse to just go around succumbing to selfish energy whenever a desire arises, but to awaken to the awareness that this is even happening is a miracle in itself. It seems sex and food are two things that have deeply engrained conditioning associated with them and it’s why there are so many diets out there and both diets and porn are billion dollar industries. Diets and sex sell because it hits most humans at the flesh level. Food and sex are not to be loathed because few will have the ability not to be controlled by them. To me one can only be aware of the selfish energy associated with these as they are reached for to fulfill some inner lack. This inner lack is the at the core of the flesh and it needs constant fulfillment in some way. The understanding of this won’t stop the hooks as the world is based in the flesh, but at times it may stop you from taking the bait which allows the control of the flesh to dissipate somewhat…Maybe…

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/24/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

"I am loving more often because I want more love in my life! I am enjoying more often because I want more joy in my moments! I am appreciating more often because I want more appreciation in my day I am the joy in my moments I want in my experiences; I am the gratitude in attitude I want to receive from others; I am the loving change I want in my life..."

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

 

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/23/15-21/

Delusional Form Attachment

The addiction in our society is to form. Without being led around by form one can truly be joyous and free, but only if it’s seen that the association and attachment to form is a delusion.

The cause of all suffering is attachment to our human form and how we associate everything that happens with it. It’s not that one needs to transcend this form to be joyous, and free, but there has to be a letting go of how we associate with what occurs in life with our form. This attachment and association to form is at the core of all suffering and the thing about it is it’s a delusion. Investigate all the things that are associated with the human form from the moment you wake up to the time that you go to sleep. Everything that occurs in between is form associated and our thoughts reinforce this attachment and association constantly. Obviously our form does exist, the problem is it doesn’t exist in the way we associate everything to it. One day everyone who is alive today will let go of all their associated attachments with form, the key in living a joyous and free life is to learn to do it now.

Nothing really happens to you and the delusion is you think it does, this doesn’t mean things don’t happen, they just don’t happen to you. All I’m saying is if there’s less association with a form that things happen to, when something does happen there will be less attachment to it, and with less attachment, one experiences a more joyous and free existence. This joy and freedom occurs naturally as form associations and attachments aren’t pulled in. To see this one only needs to be aware of who is doing the pulling and why does it occur. The addiction in our society is to form so without being led around by form associations and attachments, one can truly be joyous and free, but only if it’s seen that the association and attachment to form is a delusion.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/23/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am physically ready to embark on a new phase in my life for a better future for continued success! I am mentally ready to enter into a new phase in my life for my continued success and better future! I am emotionally ready to continue positively, to move forward optimistically, journey on purposefully, forge ahead graciously, and pave my way through lovingly…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

 

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/22/15-22/

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/22/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am freeing myself of negative thoughts and emotional content! I am not allowing myself to be drained of positive energy! I am focusing on flowing with good thoughts for my future! I am thinking, feeling, and talking of the good I desire to attract into my life! I am vibing with positive energy for greater success…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

 

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/21/15-23/

Delusional Opinions

The greatest injustice to oneself is holding onto opinions that are taken as truth prior to investigating if they are truly so. It’s written “the truth will set you free” not opinions will set you free.

Here is a dictionary definition of the word opinion: a view or judgment formed about something not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. This really sums up what an opinion is and its true value or lack of it. An opinion really has no value because it isn’t based on anything but a fleeting thought and thoughts don’t have any substance and without substance where would an opinion get its value?

The Conditioned Mind will tell you there is value in opinions, but this is delusional. If it isn’t based on something factual how can it truly have value? When there aren’t facts, there isn’t substance, and without substance, there is nothing true to base an opinion on. This just doesn’t go for opinions, it also includes ideas, ideals, beliefs, and concepts. What are these based on? They are based on the delusion of a Conditioned Mind. Before this is discounted, it should be investigated. If you just want to make up an opinion and it makes you feel better, go with your puppet on a string conditioning, but understand this has nothing to do with truth, it’s all from the Conditioned delusion within; a delusion that’s been in place for a very long time. If a person lives their life based on opinions that’s their choice, just understand the burden of a delusional opinion weighs heavily on you and blocks you from the love that’s in your heart.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/21/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

"I am exercising gratitude daily! I notice the blessings surrounding me! I realize how good I have it and I know it can be worse! I acknowledge what I desire and I am striving to support more joy and bliss while taking action for all that I desire! I accept my past while making the most of my current moment! I am thriving more on the good stuff over the bad! I am making it routine to love more often..."

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

 

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/20/15-24/

Awakened Tools

The Conditioned Mind will always fight the new, the only reason this is done is because something different is being presented and the Conditioned Mind doesn’t like different.

What being awake provides is a set of tools that are different than ones which are used prior to awakening. I can only share what my experience was and prior to the shift that happened to me, the tools that were developed and used were selfish in nature. These tools were strictly in place to provide comfort at all cost; the difference today is the tools in place are different. This doesn’t prevent anything from happening nor does it mean much of anything as far as life goes, but the different set of tools has allowed so much more peace in my life and why this is important is because this is when one can truly be used in a way that’s beneficial to all beings.

Why there has always been so much discord in our world is because the Conditioned Mind loves to remain in the familiar, this is one of its tools. In the time of the Buddha, he was not received with opened arms when he became enlightened; he was presenting something new. Same thing with Jesus, the Old Testament Bible was all there was in his time, there was no New Testament. Jesus taught a new way to live and he was crucified for it. The Conditioned Mind will fight the new, it will mock it, argue with it, ridicule it and on and on without investigation, the only reason this is done is because something different is being presented and the Conditioned Mind doesn’t like different. Like I said, this doesn’t real mean much of anything except to a mind that is locked into using familiar conditioned tools. Change your tools, change your life.

Beyond Duality

Duality causes inner and Universal division as it creates a you, a me, and them. Whenever this is the way life is viewed there will be separation regardless if there’s a higher or lower self.

An awakening to me is a shift from being caught up in an I Self world, to seeing what’s really going on beyond all the distractions of duality. The phrase higher self is often used to explain what being awake is, but attachment to self causes duality anyway its looked at. One must go beyond any thought of self to truly awaken because any thought of self whether higher or lower is a distraction that keeps one locked into the I Self distractions. These two selfs create duality; oneness (no thought of a self) is the only true state of being. I’m old enough to have seen the old cartoons where an angel and devil would pop up on someone’s shoulders when they were about to make a decision, to me regardless of which self won out it was still a decision made by self. A belief of a higher self as opposed to a lower one makes for a nice story, but it just creates more inner division within.

This form that has manifested for humans to experience life only does what it does because of the conditioning in place. If there is less of this conditioning to be fortunate enough to not be controlled by the I Self count your blessings, because most people (form) will die consumed by an I Self. It makes no difference whether it’s labeled higher or lower as self is self and until self is truly let go of, duality and not oneness will be the controlling energy of life. This duality causes inner and Universal division as it creates a you, a me, and them. Whenever this is the way life is viewed there will be separation regardless if there’s a higher or lower self.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/20/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I possess the power to choose better thoughts for better results, positive emotions for positive energy, and cooler attitude for cooler interactions! I choose to believe better, think better, feel better, talk better, and live better! I choose to think good to feel good to attract good experiences for good moments…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/19/15-25/

Blindfold Beliefs

All blind faith means is that you are living life as if you are blindfolded. If you don’t investigate your beliefs, you will blindly be controlled by them as if you were a puppet on a string.

When something is done that causes harm 99.999% of the time it is done so through ignorance. There aren’t many people who consciously do things that cause harm to themselves or others. I know for me, I did things that caused harm without any knowledge whatsoever that I was doing this. If you asked me what I was doing I would have said, I’m just doing my thing, but the sad truth is to this day I have no idea what my thing was. This is exactly what happens when a person blindly goes through life without investigating if they are getting the maximum benefit out of their actions. For me this was the case for many years. It’s different today because of investigating how I was and what needed to change. It was the conditioning in place that kept me blind to my own conditioning and there wasn’t much of a benefit to this for anyone.

God wasn’t really the topic of yesterday’s article, it more so pointed to the fallacy of a belief prior to investigating if it truly is a benefit. A belief is a story, what title it is given depends on your conditioning. You will follow whatever it is that you have been conditioned to follow. Blind faith is living blindly and as in the song “Amazing Grace” it states “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see” My writings are pointers for a person to look if what I’m writing about is true, but if you just answer from a belief you’re anchored to, inquiry and investigation won’t be possibly, hence the value of my writings will not be seen. I’m not saying this because I’m a know it all, but I have been through something traumatic that revealed a totally different way to see things. This wasn’t magical, it transpired because of investigating what I read and what I went through and it was through this investigating that the blindfold was removed and I found a truly beneficial way to live that’s based in truth.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/19/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am grateful for inspiring images, motivational speeches, and entertaining music to keep me forging forward, moving on, and paving my way! I am grateful for my favorite food, people, things, and all the blessings everywhere in between to keep me entertained! I am grateful for joy, bliss, and love…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/18/15-26/

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/18/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am making it happen for myself because I want the end results, ultimate outcomes, and the benefits coming with my experiences! I know if I want to succeed it’s up to me to proceed, learn, and apply solutions to succeed! I am manifesting my future, attracting my outcomes, envisioning my success, and appreciating my interactions…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/17/17-8/

The Fallacy of Faith

Life will always be as it is regardless of the created story of faith. Faith is strictly used by the Conditioned Mind to provide the fallacy of comfort, but it’s really not needed if one just lives life as it is.

The lack of being able to live life as it was caused my entire struggle with life. Faith is but a word, there are many interpretations of it, but in truth they are all just a created story. The way I used faith was I thought it meant things should be as I wanted. It’s not a big surprise that this kind of faith caused many problems. I only had faith in the material world and I had to use things in order to feel good, which meant I only had myself to rely on to get what I thought I needed for satisfaction.
At the time this was the conditioning that was in place. Also I firmly held on to a faith of a God that if it didn’t grant me my wishes where was the need for it. If I didn’t get what I desired I didn’t need faith, I could be disappointed without it. This was the conditioning in place so I took care of things myself. I figured I might as well, after all this God story wasn’t doing anything for me; what I really wanted was a magician.

It’s not this way today, but not because there is a belief in something. Today the fallacy of having faith has been exposed and the truth of right now is where my trust lies. This truth doesn’t need a story of faith that everything is as it should be because there’s something in charge, it means it’s as it is and that’s it. There’s no longer the need for a story in my life, because life is lived as it occurs. Through the practice of being with life as it is, there’s a knowing that life will work out simply as it does. To me this is a faith that truly works because it’s used as a means of letting go of “I”. I’ve stopped using faith as the story of believing something is going to take care me. Life is life, it takes care of itself, I’m just a part of it. Whatever happens is life just being life, it needs no story of faith. This is the acceptance of being with the reality of life as it is. I don’t need faith to live life as it is because life will always be as it is regardless of what story or fallacy the Conditioned Mind wants to use to make one think it should be different. For me, life is always as it is right now and to think there’s a need to have faith in something outside myself only changes life as it is to the fallacy of life as it isn’t.

Thought Bondage

When there’s a need to reach for something because the mind becomes agitated, one is in bondage to that thought. Until this is seen, one will remain in bondage to the thought that peace is in the next thing reached for.

You will never find the peace you are seeking as long as you are in bondage to the thought of finding peace. Peace is something that’s already within everyone, but because of the way our Conditioned Mind controls, we get stuck in the thought that peace is something outside of us. Unfortunately this bondage makes the very peace one is seeking impossible to manifest. This bondage is the reason one is constantly reaching for something from the outside and until this is seen, one will remain in bondage to the thought that peace is in the next thing reached for. Reaching for alcohol, gambling, drugs, sex, social status, programs, therapy, self help books and on and on is all the proof needed that one is in bondage. This can’t be stressed enough as this bondage to your thoughts has to be seen if one is to experience true peace in their life.

It’s impossible for the thought of peace to provide peace. What does have to happen if one is to experience peace is there has to be an understanding of why you’re not at peace; that there isn’t peace is only because of one’s inability to just be. When the need to reach for something arises, the bondage to this thought begins. This bondage is a vicious cycle that’s very difficult to break free from. Peace isn’t something attained or achieved so it’s in doing less that peace arises. To many people get lost in the thought of trying to find peace. Since peace is already within you, the thought about finding it needs to be discarded so the bondage of this thought can fall away. This is not easy to see, but it’s why I write. Understand though, I don’t write to help anyone find peace, I write so the bondage to the thought of trying to find peace can be seen for what it is; the cause of why one isn’t at peace.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/17/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am spending my time more on what I want to enjoy, where I should be enjoying myself, and who I am enjoying myself with! I am spending my time thinking more optimistically, feeling more positive, and leading a more loving day! I am striving to do things with pleasure, go places with pleasure, and enjoy my moments with pleasure…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/16/16-9/

Tug of War

The tools of pushing or pulling are developed to cope with life, this is why life is seemingly full of problems, but whatever arises doesn’t cause the problems, it’s the pushing or pulling that does.

Nothing needs to be dismissed for one to be free, but freedom cannot be found by pushing away or pulling in what’s occurring. Pushing away or pulling in is linked to thinking we’re getting rid of something, but truly getting rid of something will only happen when it’s dealt with as it it, if it’s not it will never go away. When it’s dealt with it won’t have to be pushed or pulled so it will naturally fall away. This is how one has to approach each moment if freedom is to be had. The way we develop tools to cope with things is why there’s problems, but whatever it is that arises doesn’t truly cause the problem. Granted it may be something that really hurts and has no benefit whatsoever, like the death of a loved one, but if it’s not dealt with in a way that it’s not dismissed or a made up story is attached, the energy of the situation controls your reactions and it will get stored until it’s time to rise up again. This is why the same thoughts are repeated over and over, they have to because of the trace energy in place.

The awareness this is happening can allow you to be with what arises and not want it different. After all the only reason a person pushes or pulls something is because it’s not wanted, this pushing or pulling is the same energy as grasping it’s just being used differently. Pushing or pulling is attachment to either wanting or not wanting and grasping is strictly attachment to wanting, slightly different with a pushing action, but the same attachment. This is very subtle to see and it will only be noticed when one is with the moment as it arises and doesn’t want it to be different. So regardless if it’s labeled good, bad, like, dislike, or whatever, it’s all the same attachment, and the only thing the applied label does is it determines if one reaches for something by pushing it away or pulling it in.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/16/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am declaring today that I am graciously taking steps regardless of how slow, how challenging, and how long it requires of me to succeed for the realization of my dreams and the attainment of my goals! I am declaring now that my every step forward will benefit my learning, benefit my future, and benefit my life! I am stepping forward with absolute belief in the possibility of my dreams and goals…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/15/16-10/

Silently Awake

When words are used to try and convince others that a certain way to live is right, it opens the door to conflict. A true testament of any awakening is demonstrated in silence because silence is what one awakens to.

Social media is a useful tools that can be used to connect with people and assist each other where years ago one was basically on their own, as far as interaction was concerned. Books were always available, but books limit ones expansion to what’s written because one can only learn what content is presented in a book. It’s very difficult for the expansion of the mind through knowledge alone. It’s why I find social media so comical at times because some of the content of the things written are as limiting as the content of a book. People throw phrases around like the words really mean something, they only do to a Conditioned Mind. You see if the mind wasn’t conditioned, the need for defining phrases wouldn’t be needed. When there’s an awareness that there’s no explaining necessary to try and convince anyone of a correct way, it’s then that real freedom from the bondage of self can be realized. Everyone’s way is correct to a degree because it’s what’s provided to them; no two people are provided with the same exact view.

The point of this post is to show words aren’t truly needed to define enlightenment, Nirvana, God, love, or whatever else one wants to use to define their insightfulness, which by the way is mostly made up by the Conditioned Mind. When true freedom is discovered, it manifest as silence; words aren’t needed. The less one uses words to try and convince others that there’s a certain way to live, the more the way is demonstrated to others; being an example of love needs no convincing. Everyone discovers what the Universe provides for them, nothing more nothing less, and as soon as this is realized, it’s then that one will be truly free because there will be no words needed to explain or convince others that there’s a certain way to live. This will be seen by those who understand answers cannot be defined with words because answers can only arise when there is silence.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/15/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am okay with my mistakes because I am smarter and wiser to continue for better! I am okay with my progress because I am succeeding on my terms in my direction for my interests and my bliss! I am okay with learning to better my future and learning to better myself…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/14/15-27/

Life's Intentions

Life has its own intentions and when the mind is quiet one will be in alignment with them. This isn’t to satisfy our made up mind intentions, but strictly for ones that are solely for the betterment of the Universe.

You do what you do because your Conditioned Mind tells you what to do. You wake up in the morning and the day begins. You do whatever it is that you do and about sixteen hours later it’s time to call it a day and go to sleep just so you can do it again tomorrow. We say tomorrow, but the reality of life is it’s one continuous journey, there aren’t really any breaks in it. Time, days, years, decades, centuries, are all man made concepts that are used to the extent of establishing some structure in life, but they are attached to way to much; they’re actually designed to control you.

I’m not saying nothing matters, but does anyone living really know what the intentions of life is? Life’s intention is relatively unknown, sure we can make something up and as a species we’re actually very good at this. We can have intentions about helping others, or loving others, raising a family, being kind, working on this or that, or whatever it is that we use to justify our existence, but the bottom line is one day just like that and without permission, BANG our existence ends. Only when it’s realized to be mindful of the present moment is life’s true intention fulfilled because in that moment there’s no time, days, years, decades, centuries, or whatever else the Conditioned Mind uses to block the Universe from using one for its intent. The only thing needed for this to occur is to be still and once there’s stillness one is used for the betterment of the Universe, not for a created intention to fulfill the Conditioned Mind.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/14/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am in control of my mind, my thoughts, my emotions, my beliefs, and the direction of my life! I am determined to focus my imagination on the better stuff, positively think of the great stuff, and support all the good emotions! I am determined to keep the good vibes going…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/13/14-7/

The Suffering of "I"

Because the Conditioned Mind isn’t understood enough it’s very difficult to notice the insights that reveal the cause of suffering, hence without these insights one remains entrapped to “l” wanting things different.

Anytime the present moment is wanted different, instantly this causes the one wanting it different to suffer. Why this suffering happens isn’t because of what’s occurring, it happens because of the attachment to a delusional “I” only the idea of “I” could ever want anything different and thus suffer. This is so subtle that it’s missed by most people, even those who claim to be deeply spiritual. Why this is missed is because the Conditioned Mind isn’t understood at the level that allows for this insight to be seen. Many have a practice that’s mind based and so much of what’s in place is from the intellect. True peace can never be fully experienced from the intellect alone, it can assist in getting the mind to settle enough to allow insights to arise without having to make something up, but the mind will have to be minus any story to allow this.

Wanting the slightest thing that arises in the moment different causes suffering. From a simple hang nail, to losing a loved one, or even wanting a loved one, and on and on. Although some things will be attached to more than others, the base of the delusional “I” is the common denominator of all suffering. It has nothing to do with what one thinks is causing the suffering, only attachment causes it and “I” is at the core. Very difficult to see because this “I” will tell you you’re not suffering. It will tell you that the writer of this article doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but if what I wrote wasn’t true, it would just roll off and your “I” wouldn’t give it a second thought. For me I’ve learned the delusional “I” is the cause of suffering and the only way one will ever be free from it is to let go of “I”.

A New Beginning

  
   Usually life has its own recourse and after time duration when things go as usual, then life starts to stagnate. It is this stagnation, which gets to any person's life and they hardly realise it. Especially when a person lives in a certain house or dwelling for long, then, he gets used to its surroundings and is totally immersed in its goodness. Little does he realise, that the house is actually engulfing him in  a pall of oblivion!
   Houses have that character, either they encompass you in their goodness, or they trap you in a cage and the funny part is that you don't even realise that you are actually in a trap! It is only when you decide to move out of it then you realise that you were actually wrapped in a mesh, a mesh of disbelief!
   That is when you actually make a new beginning, a beginning in every sense of the word. The new environment, initially appears to be alien to you, as you are so used to the previous surroundings, but then gradually, you get used to the new house and try to indulge yourself in the goodness of this house. Then suddenly realisation dawns upon you that all this time, you were actually caught in a trap, a trap, where you didnt want to try new things, a trap, where life had come to a standstill!
  When you start living in the new house, you start afresh, in every way. You think of new work, new thoughts, better lifestyle and surprisingly , you try to achieve the new goals , with a renewed vigour.Life is like that , it takes sudden turns and twists and puts new things in front of you and it is totally upto you, as to how you take advantage of the new opportunities!
   New beginnings, ususally usher in a new life and one should always take full advantage of these better opportunites and understand that life gives better chances , so one should welcome them with open arms and grab every chance and take full advatage of it.
  Like I understood that moving away from an older house, brought better chances for me, in the same way, it can be that if you move into a different town, it could mean a better life for you. So, one should just try and keep his eyes open and look for the right thing for him or her.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/13/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am acting on my interests, my passions, and my dreams for the changes I desire to positively result in my success! I am committing to the experiences I desire to enjoy, to share, and to embrace! I am believing in my success; I am striving for those outcomes I desire to realize; I am persistent, patient, and positively continuing until I succeed with satisfactory results…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/12/13-9/

Present Moment Tie In

There’s one very important piece that most people miss when it comes to living life in the most beneficial way possible and that’s living in the present moment, not in a conceptual way, but in a way that ties it all in.

Because nothing truly happens outside the realm of Now if the tools one is using to live life don’t tie it all into the present moment, the delusion of everything being somewhere out there will be the base of existence. There has to be a tool in place to tie it in to the Now until this becomes second nature. Life is mostly lived as if it’s somewhere out there because that’s the conditioning in place and until there’s something to establish a tie to the present, nothing changes as the delusion of somewhere out there continues its dominance and living life in a truly beneficial way only occurs by accident.

The breath is one tool that can be used as a tie, there’s also sitting, chants, tapping, guided mediations, and array of other things. The important thing here to realize is that these things aren’t magical, what they do is tie you into the Now and because Now is the only place that truly exist, you are in harmony with life as it is. This simple yet profound truth is missed by most people because of the nonsense (no sense) of the Conditioned Mind and hence your struggle to find this harmony remains. It’s not that harmony isn’t possible, it’s just not experienced because the present moment tie isn’t being utilized.

Self~Empowerment: Today’s Self-Communicate – 02/12/18~

Today’s self-empowering communication to positively affect yourself:

 

Repeat with me: I AM SUCCESS EVERY MOMENT!

 

“I am blessed with this life to be happier while sharing it with others with purpose and passion! I am blessed with the choices and opportunities to positively determine how great I live my life! I am blessed to continue a greater day of greater moments filled with greater interactions and greater relationships…”

 

to continue a greater life!

 

Great day to you, as a great day continues~

 

Edward F. T. Charfauros

Life Guide and Author

Original: https://edwardftcharfauros.com/2018/02/11/12-8/