Mind/Body Harmony

The mind and body are the instruments we’re given to use in this mystery called life. If the mind and body aren’t in harmony with each other it will make life much more difficult…

If a car is driven without the proper care and maintenance, eventually it will not work properly. It’s the same with if the mind and body aren’t taken care of, they also will eventually not work properly. Whether it’s eating, sleeping, working out, recreational activity and so on, there’s a certain way of doing things that allows both to be in harmony with life. And when there’s harmony with life there’s harmony with oneself. This maximizes our ability to reach our natural potential. Nature never lies so the more things are done that are connected to nature the more natural life is. This involves all aspects of our life, garbage in equals garbage out, as love in equals love out. So if the mind and body are taken care of one will naturally be taken care of. At least to the extent that our potential can be maximized however that may be.

Life takes on an entirely different meaning when this occurs because life isn’t being lived from the mode of individuality. It can’t be because love embraces harmony, it’s just the way love rolls. There’s no such thing as separation where there’s love. This doesn’t mean the entire world will love you, but the ones who have love in their heart will because they’re connected to the Universal mind and body. A person has no control how others feel about them so don’t take it upon yourself that what others say is true. When there’s harmony with your own mind and body, there’s a connection with the Universe because it’s from whence one came. When there’s harmony from whence one came, there’s harmony with the mind and body that love springs forth from because that’s the way love rolls…

Perseverance Needed

Looking at yourself takes an amount of perseverance that most people will never possess because the conditioning in place will not allow it. Until life isn’t all about you, your conditioning will remain…

Everyday I’m amazed at the things people are ok holding onto with the emphasis totally on satisfying a fictitious self. This is done without much consideration for anyone else and it’s strictly from a me, me, me attitude. I know it’s because they know not what they do, but the suffering this causes and how it cements the conditioning in place can be truly disheartening. Notice I said can be disheartening because if you’re truly awake, there’s the understanding that the way things are is the way things are and wanting them different also cements the conditioning in place. I’m writing about this because it’s heart breaking because there are answers that not many are willing to hear. It’s like there’s a cure for cancer, but nobody will listen. Without going into specifics, the conditioned unconsciousness runs so deep that people will justify doing all kinds of self destructive behavior without blinking an eye; drugs, alcohol, gambling, porn, rioting, protesting, total defiance for any authority, murder, rape, assault, robbery and looking inward, this is only the tip of the Conditioned Mind iceberg.

Here is why this is, at least from my experience. It’s much easier because of the way one is conditioned to justify self destructive behavior than to look at yourself. Truly looking at yourself takes an amount of perseverance that most people will never possess because the conditioning in place won’t allow it. Until life isn’t all about you, your conditioning will remain. There’s really no way around this. Your life doesn’t have to be about everyone else, there just has to be a certain amount of perseverance to look inward so it’s seen life isn’t all about you…

Head or Heart Energy

The time you’re alive will be directed by some type of energy. What the base of that energy is determines how your life will manifest and if that life will be beneficial to humanity…

The energy you live by either comes from the head or the heart. This is important to see, but not so important because this isn’t to be made into a story of how to live. You either see this or you don’t; most don’t. When this is seen, living from the heart intuitively becomes the way you live. Energy builds on itself regardless of what it is. To me this is a basic understanding of the Law of Attraction. I’m not saying this is the way it is, this is just the understanding that’s been revealed to me. When my energy is based in the stillness of the heart, what becomes my life’s direction is all derived from here. This isn’t a doing of mine, it’s a transformation occurring from the heart stillness itself.

What’s unfortunate about this is the opposite is also true, at least this has been my experience. For years my energy was based in the head (noise) and although I mostly got what I wanted, it wasn’t what I was looking for. This head based energy built on itself and it doesn’t take a genius to see why my life prior to shifting was the way it was. Sit with this and investigate what the base of your energy is and see how it builds on itself. Life doesn’t make it what it is, the energy of your base makes life what it is. To a large degree we are all creators of our own reality and that reality will be what the base of your energy is. The life you live is up to you as you alone are the creator of your reality, for the most part…

Different View

The only way to have a different view of life is to have another one in place that will allow it to happen. This is where quietness comes in because without it there won’t be awareness of another view…

Watching television isn’t my favorite pastime, but the other night I caught the last hour of a football game. When the game was over I began looking for something else to watch. Twenty seconds on one channel, ten seconds on another, five on another, then another and another, you get the picture. It’s amazing how we stay fixated on something, in this case it was the TV. We’re so reluctant to a different view of life even though we’re going round and round in circles. Actually what’s on the TV (the fixation) is mostly reruns, yet we’ll watch the same show (thoughts) over an over. Even though there are many shows we get stuck on one and don’t know there’s a different view.

Think of something you get fixated on and see how hard it is to see it differently when it gets you in its grip. Unless there’s awareness of this, a different view will be just about impossible. The only way to see things differently is to have something in place that will allow it to be different. This is where quietness comes in because without it there won’t be awareness something different is available. It may be a repeated single thought disguised with many different labels, but it’s still an old thought. Watch the subtleness of this and in time you’ll see your view for what it is and how it likes to default to what’s familiar. The issue is you can get so comfortable with this that it’s not realized your view can be different if need be; this realization will only occur if you have another view that makes a difference…

Based Illusions

Issues based in illusions can’t be fixed with the same illusions. It’s not that truth has to be known to change this, but the illusions will have to become known if they’re to cease being in control…

It’s very difficult to explain truth because there’s so many different definitions of it. Instead of trying to prove what truth is, let’s explore illusions. illusions are something that have no real facts as its base. Perceptions aren’t factual, they are usually made up by the perceiver to suit some sort of belief. People ask me if I believe in God, I answer that I believe in what I know which is based in the facts of what I’ve experienced. That’s why I share only what has been experienced. I don’t see the benefit of making up a story about something to suit a mind made need. In my case I know love is more beneficial than hate, patience more beneficial than impatience, kindness is better than being mean. I learn what the blocks are to living a factual not illusional life so it’s of maximum benefit to myself and to all beings. Truth will be known when the illusion are understood.

The biggest illusion in place is that things will satisfy you, this is reinforced everyday. It’s an illusion which is at the core of our entire misaligned society. It creates all our issues as a society. Religious sects all claim to have the truth, no facts, just their truth. Politicians try to fix problems based in corruption with corrupt solutions. The entire entertainment and sports industry are based in illusions that create the impression of the haves and have nots; this creates separation in our society not unity. There’s also the illusions of social and career status. Illusion after illusion after illusion, what happens to a society when this is its base, we become a society of illusions. Not because we want to, and not because we can’t know the truth, but simple because we don’t understand the illusions in place…

Kindness Reality

A kindness reality only occurs in the present. Self serving desires disrupts this from being seen. Only a mind that’s settled in the present can understand a kindness reality…

Sometimes it’s difficult to know what the right thing to do is. I’m not talking about clearly recognizable things, sometimes it isn’t so clear as to what should be done. It’s especially difficult when it involves other people. For myself letting go allows for me to be more centered on kindness in some of my responses to people. This is all part of the learning curve of letting go. It matters little what one’s intentions are if what comes out of the mouth isn’t of kindness.

This learning curve isn’t to be held to strict adherence, it’s more so used to stay opened to the expanding view of kindness and not get caught up in a self serving view. Kindness and tolerance have to be at the forefront when others are involved. It’s not always easy to understand where others are coming from so it’s better not to judge and to try and deal with situations from a place of kindness. This is much easier said than done, but by practicing quietness it gets easier to decipher what the right action is. We shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves because of our Conditioned Mind, the slow process of awakening has to be accepted if one is to be at peace. But on the other hand our conditioning is not to be ignored because we won’t learn from it and the same reactions will be repeated over and over again.

Although our journey may seem mundane at times, it’s only a self serving mind that makes it seem this way; life can never be mundane. Each moment of each day is new unto itself, and when it’s lived in the present it’ll be realized what a gift life truly is. It’ll be understood that what our learning curve affords us is not the mundane life of living in the past or future, but the ability to live in the present more and more and respond to life from a place of kindness instead of reacting to it from a self serving mind. The more this is done, the less mundane life will be and the more kindness one will have for themselves and hence for all beings…

The Greatest Gift

The greatest gift is the gift of life, and even though the Conditioned Mind wants to make it about something else, it’s simply the greatest gift because one day it will not be so…

If you’re alive today it’s simply because you’ve been given the gift of life. There’s nothing that was done for this gift, it wasn’t earned, it was freely given. Nothing is done to sustain it, but much is done to hamper its natural progression. An open heart aligns with this understanding and puts one in harmony with life. The things of the world will one day pass, but it’s the openness of your heart that last for all eternity.

Enjoy the magic of this day, not because it’s Christmas, but because you’re alive today to experience it. The true gift of Christmas or whatever holiday is celebrated is being alive, for one day this will not be so. Obviously if this is being read today isn’t that day so enjoy whatever today has to offer in all its splendor, not because of the material possessions, but simply because you’re alive. If being alive isn’t enough there’s nothing that will make it so. Since today is the day you have, make it the masterpiece you so deserve. And more importantly keep your inner light lit on this day and everyday hereafter so you can be a light to the world. Remember the greatest gift you will ever receive is the gift of life, and it’s simply because one day it will not be so. Enjoy your gift, Merry Christmas…

Desires Lure

Don’t let the different consequences of desire lull you into the sleep of unconsciousness because all desires lead to bondage in one form or another regardless of what’s desired…

If there is always something to desire, it’s because you don’t think you have enough and if you don’t think you have enough, you will always think there is something to desire. Desire isn’t something that’s inherently bad, why one desires is where issues arise and this is only because where there is desire it’s because you think something is missing. What is desired only matters to the degree in how the thing desired affects your life. Desiring to drink alcohol and do drugs have consequences much different then desiring to go to a program to stop using those things. But the desires core is the same and that’s what needs to be looked at. Don’t let the different consequences of desire lull you into the sleep of unconsciousness because all desire leads to bondage in one form or another and as stated this includes all desire.

You might say that’s not true, that desiring to better yourself is a good thing, but that would mean you need things to be different to accept yourself. Accepting life exactly how it is is the only place one will experience the peace of not desiring things different. I’m not saying don’t better yourself, but if it’s at the expense of your peace of mind, what good is it. I often say go for the gold, just understand even if it’s attained you will find it’s not providing the satisfaction you thought it would; shortly afterwards another desire will arise. Investigate this and see how desire causes needing, needing causes bondage, and bondage causes suffering. Break free from desire and inevitably you just may stop suffering…

Society's Box

What’s considered society’s box traps most people to the idea of what others think the box is. And unless this can be seen so one can go beyond it, there will be acceptance of someone else’s idea as the box…

Stepping outside of what is considered society’s box as far as thinking goes is a must if you’re to go beyond the trap of the considered box. You may ask why would a person want to go beyond what’s society considers the box and here’s why, the so called box is based in form and to be attached to form causes suffering. It’s as simple as that, with the box attachment to the senses (form), life will still occur, it just won’t be experienced as fully as it can be. The box of society entraps you to what others think is considered the box and unless you can see this to go beyond it, there will be acceptance of someone else’s idea as your own. It’s an easy trap to get caught in because the bait is so enticing.

This plays right into the reward system that is considered society’s box. Who does anything that doesn’t have some kind of reward of associated with it? This can be applied to just about anybody and anything. When was the last time you purposely did something that you knew was going to be unpleasant with no reward attached to it. This is pivotal in understanding the process of the Conditioned Mind because until you can just be with whatever arises, without judging it or associating it with pleasure, society box syndrome will be what dictates the life you’re living and it will probably be someone else’s idea of what is considered the box…

A Storied Purpose

Only the Conditioned Mind needs to create a purpose for life. In the space of stillness everything just is and it’s clear that the purpose of life is to live with whatever’s there…

When this part of my life began it was with one thing in mind and that was to find a way to bring peace into my life. It has pretty much remained this way, but it seems to be naturally going to a different more deeper purpose of doing what’s best for others. Our stories become our prisons and I carefully watch how the mind, at least mine, wants to make a purpose for life. These created purposes are plentiful, but they’re all just stories; when the mind settles this will be seen. This is what’s happening to me now, I care more for others than I do myself, but not in the way where it’s my purpose to save them. It’s just what’s there.

What I mean by it’s just what’s there is, I don’t think about what I do, it has become a part of me. It’s just like the first forty nine years of my life were lived to satisfy my I Self without much thought of anything else. This was done because that’s what was there. You will do what you do because of what’s in place and until this is realized, a true purpose will never be understood because a created one will always be needed. That’s just how the Conditioned Mind operates. When the mind quiets no labels need be applied to life, only the Conditioned Mind needs to apply labels and create a purpose. In the space of stillness everything just is and it becomes clear that the purpose of life is to just live with whatever’s there; without the need to create a purpose…

Delusional Mind

Understanding the nature of a delusional mind is one of the attributes of waking up. But it’s not the delusion of the world that one wakes up from, it’s the delusion of your own mind…

What is a delusional mind that runs your life? The delusional mind manifests because there’s attachment to your thoughts. The first thought that arises about something is inconsequential, it’s the attachment to the second thought that forms the delusional mind. To understand the delusional mind one must be aware of their attachments, desires, confusions, and the way your mind works. Without this awareness the puppet on string pattern prevails. Certain practices turns one inward to see this. If what you’re doing doesn’t turn you inward, you’ll remain trapped to your delusional state of mind. This is why nothing from the outside truly changes a person because anything from the outside is part of the delusional mind. A broken mind can’t fix itself and as long as it’s reaching for something on the outside, it remains trying to fix itself and thus it remains broken. Until this truth is seen, things have to stay as they are because nothing is being done to change it.

We can only go beyond the surface knowing if there’s awareness of it. What this means is one has to develop mindfulness of what they are doing as they are doing it so there‘s awareness of what’s being done. If you know what you’re doing as you’re doing it, it leaves little room for a delusional mind to arise. Mindfulness is probably the single most discipline to develop as it anchors you in the moment of what is being done. A delusional mind only occurs when one lives in the story of a past or future. These delusional mind made constructs keeps the delusion alive. The present moment can be seen without making it a story even though it passes as quickly as it arises. But the past and future can never truly be seen without a story. And because of this lack of discipline to be present, most people live a delusional mind existence…

"I" Lens

When you have a lens in place that sees things as they are without any association to “I” it opens up a different way to view life which allows for experiences like never before…

The lens one has in place to view life determines what the way life is seen and what’s processed. The most common lens used processes things as objects and holds onto them in association with a created identity. What happens with this lens is it goes through the senses and everything is associated with “I” as it becomes the base of life. With this association a limit is created because a label is attached to what is seen; everything is processed as an object in some way.

Obviously this seeing things as they are will take some practice so life is viewed in this way. The more it’s done, the more you will experience life like never before. It’s unfortunate as objects viewed through the lens of “I” are so limiting, but because it’s the usual way of the Conditioned Mind, most people are unaware of it. That is until now because my article is shining a light on this for all to see. This seeing things as they are lens is how I’m able to write an article everyday for the last seven years. I’m not special in any way because of this, I’ve just been afforded the luxury of now having a lens in place that doesn’t limit my view of life. This is the lens that allows for experiences as never before and it’s now available for all to view life through…

I AM...

Past Obstacles

If you keep allowing the obstacles of the past to control the present the past will be where you live your life. Why this is unfortunate is because all of the emotional pain of the past that will be carried into the present…

The amount of times that you relive something that causes emotional pain is mind boggling because it’s your own mind that does this; this happens thousands of times throughout your life. This is why most people suffer endlessly because what happened in the past is constantly brought into the present. Although the body is always in the present moment, the mind is constantly somewhere else. This is the constant obstacle most people have in their life and if nothing is done to change this, it will continue until existence in this form ends. This isn’t a philosophy or something I made up, you need only look at these obstacles for yourself to see this truth. If you don’t you will most likely remain stuck in the past obstacles of your thoughts without a way out.

As a species we seem to hold onto the past and make it an obstacle that doesn’t allow us to live life to the fullest. This is because looking at ourselves in an investigative way is not something that many people are willing to do. It’s so much easier to point the finger at someone else, but unfortunately when you point your finger at someone there are three pointing back at you; check this to see its truth. You can ignore this and keep the story that everything will work out or you can take control of your life, at least to some extent and stop attaching to the past obstacles that cause your own suffering. After all the same thoughts constantly arise, if they’re not attached to eventually they’ll stop and so will the repeated past obstacles and the emotional suffering they cause…

Mind Pleasure

You can only do what the conditioning in place allows. Unless you wake up to see what this conditioning is, it will remain in place and mind pleasure will be the driving force of it your existence…

Everything reached for is a coping mechanism you have been conditioned to use. And although using different things will produce different outcomes, the core of all reaching is the same; it arises from trying to satisfy mind pleasure. This is what causes one to constantly need to seek pleasure, but it isn’t real. The Conditioned Mind makes one believe it is and the ensuing behavior manifest to fill this need. The Conditioned Mind says, Hey, you need to reach for something to fill this mind pleasure. According to what conditioning you have in place, that will be what you reach for; sit and ponder this for a while.

Until this is understood and the diabolical Conditioned Mind is seen for what it truly is, suffering will remain because you will always have a need to reach for something to fulfill the arisen mind pleasure. There’s nothing inherently wrong with pleasure, but when it’s the driving force of existence, it will keep the mind in a constant state of agitation. This cannot be seen by a mind that’s locked in this state. Only a quiet mind state will be aware of this. The reason why anything is reached for is because one thinks there’s a need for the present moment to be different; this is the lie of the Conditioned Mind. You can only do what the conditioning in place allows and unless you wake up to see this, your conditioning will remain in place and satisfying your mind pleasure will be the driving force of your existence…

Mind Pleasure

You can only do what the conditioning in place allows. Unless you wake up to see what this conditioning is, it will remain in place and mind pleasure will be the driving force of it your existence…

Everything reached for is a coping mechanism you have been conditioned to use. And although using different things will produce different outcomes, the core of all reaching is the same; it arises from trying to satisfy mind pleasure. This is what causes one to constantly need to seek pleasure, but it isn’t real. The Conditioned Mind makes one believe it is and the ensuing behavior manifest to fill this need. The Conditioned Mind says, Hey, you need to reach for something to fill this mind pleasure. According to what conditioning you have in place, that will be what you reach for; sit and ponder this for a while.

Until this is understood and the diabolical Conditioned Mind is seen for what it truly is, suffering will remain because you will always have a need to reach for something to fulfill the arisen mind pleasure. There’s nothing inherently wrong with pleasure, but when it’s the driving force of existence, it will keep the mind in a constant state of agitation. This cannot be seen by a mind that’s locked in this state. Only a quiet mind state will be aware of this. The reason why anything is reached for is because one thinks there’s a need for the present moment to be different; this is the lie of the Conditioned Mind. You can only do what the conditioning in place allows and unless you wake up to see this, your conditioning will remain in place and satisfying your mind pleasure will be the driving force of your existence…

Don't Be A Sheep

Attach to less and less will be needed. Imagine needing less to be happy, joyous, and free with the understanding your completeness already is…DON’T BE A SHEEP

Without inner silence the mindfulness needed to not create stories will not occur. Even this writing is a story of how not to create stories, but the mindfulness of writing helps to lessen the attachment to it and thus once it‘s written it’s complete. It’s the end of the story or not depending on how “I“ relates it to an identity. The more “I” needs a story for an identity, the more it’s attached to and the more of a story is created. Less attachment, less of story is needed. Less story, less discontentment of what isn’t so all you’re left with is what is, not the story, but the actual reality of what‘s occurring now.

Story after story. The story of how I feel, the story of my book, or my life’s story. Every life is an endless book of stories, that is until one becomes mindful the storyteller and the story are one and the same. Being with what is instead of a created story will be the most difficult thing you will ever do in life; just be in the silence of what is. Attach to less and less will be needed. Imagine that, needing less to be happy, joyous, and free with the understanding your completeness already is. It‘s right here within your grasp, but you will never truly be mindful of it until you realize it’s not a story that you are grasping for, it’s learning to simply be with what is and NOT BE A SHEEP…

Two Absolutes

From the time existence in this form begins change begins, some is glaring and some is very subtle, and it all happens without permission. How this change is adjusted to determines how one lives…

There are some absolutes that will happen in life no matter how much one tries to avoid them. One of these absolutes is the end of existence in this current form. And the other is things will change no matter how much you try to keep them a certain way; both of these absolutes are inevitable. There is no way around these two things. The difference is one happens once and when it occurs it will never be repeated as we know of. The other happens constantly and is repeated over and over. From the time existence in this form begins, change happens. Some is glaring and some is very subtle, and it happens whether you want it to or not.

Each day most of our waking hours are spent trying to arrange the day to our liking, but the only problem with this is most of our day is wasted trying to arrange the day to our liking. This occurs because we’ve been conditioned to believe there is a self that needs things to be different. This conditioning keeps the mind addicted to a self that is in a constant state of agitation. When the mind is agitated, it will use its developed tools, not to quiet the agitation, but to distract from them. The distractions in this case manifest as Conditioned Mind Patterns that are constantly trying to arrange life to satisfy this false self. When this is seen whether change occurs once or constantly, it’s allowed. And this simply occurs because there’s not a self that minds the change that is happening…

Blind Mind State

Life will always be life and it will always be as it is, but you don’t have to be in a blind mind state where you’re not mindful of what’s actually happening…

To be mindful is to be non reactive in the present moment to what is happening while it is happening. Life doesn’t have any specific effect on a person, its effect is directly link to the conditioning the person has in place; this is why one blindly reacts to what happens the way they do. This reactivity is blindly in place for everyone, it just manifest in different ways. The quality of how mindful one is of what’s happening while it’s happening determines the reactivity to it. Before something occurs there’s the space of stillness that it arises from. If you’re already in a blind state of anger when the next thing arises, the reaction is immediately laced with anger. If you’re in a mindfulness state of love or quietness and the same thing takes place, the reactivity to it will be much different. The key here is to pay attention to things that are skillful and conducive to your well being. This is not always easy to see because of the conditioning. Many of our reactions aren’t really skillful or conducive to our well being, but they’re blindly done anyway because that’s what’s in place. Until there’s awareness of this these reactions will be repeated over and over.

You’re always in the present moment whether you’re mindful of it or not. When you’re not mindful, this is when what arises blindly grabs hold of you. It’s one of the reasons the Buddha said “Nothing can harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts” because the unguarded thoughts blindly control you as if you were a puppet on a string. Stillness of each moment is where everything arises from so if you’re in harmony with this, what arises will have less of an effect on you. Life is life and it will always be as it is, but you don’t have to be in a blind mind state where you’re not mindful of what’s actually happening…

Stale Emotions

Nothing from the outside truly controls you regardless of what it is, either real or made up. It’s the stale emotions attaching to what happens that causes them to control…

Staying with the flow of what arises in our daily life has immense value in the process of waking up from the sleep of unawareness. What happens if one’s awareness isn’t expanded upon, the arisen emotions become stale and they control you; they become the master and you the slave. The stale emotions is what causes one to react to life in the way that they do. Nothing from the outside truly controls you either real or made up. It’s the stale emotions attaching to what happens that causes one to behave in a certain manner. When one awakens, the attachment to emotions lessens and their control lessens.

This is how it is with all our emotions, fear becomes crippling when it becomes stale and it takes you over. It’s doesn’t mean things won’t scare you, but it’s doesn’t have to be given the energy that turns it into fear. This applies to any emotion you become attached to. The associated emotion becomes stale and there’s no telling what behavior will arise. I guarantee you it’s not going to be a behavior that has love flowing as its base. Emotions will arise, it’s the way the brain seems to be wired, but our energy doesn’t have to give them more power than they’re worth. We can cry our tears or be fearful of the future. We can dislike that things aren’t going the way we think they should be, but the bottom line is it’s only when the emotions are stale that they’re given the energy to stop the flow of truly living life and cause not only your own suffering, but the suffering of all beings…

Conditionally Controlled

Without recognition of the conditioning that’s formed, you’re blindly controlled by it. It says jump and the only thing you can do is jump, and if you’re really conditioned you’ll ask how high…

If you want to understand your mind you will need to sit down and observe it. Whatever you think and ponder upon, that is what becomes the inclination of the mind and hence this is what becomes your conditioned actions. If there is no sitting, there’s very little chance for the mind to settle so it can be observed. As conditioning is formed it becomes second nature, there’s very little observation in this mind activated action. These conditioned actions are different for everyone, but their root is common. All conditioning arises in some way to seek pleasure. It matters little what one uses to fulfill this pleasure seeking conditioning. And because there’s very little awareness of this, it’s in control of you. There needs to be an understanding that your actions become conditioned and are controlled by it. This is what determines whether your actions are wholesome (loving) or unwholesome (selfish). Simply put, loving actions should be cultivated so they become instinctual.

If there isn’t any sitting to allow the mind to settle, an understanding of this will be difficult. Observing the conditioned patterns will not be recognized. Without recognition of this conditioning you’re blindly controlled by it. It says jump and the only thing you can do is ask how high. This is why things are done without hesitation that aren’t in your best interest. Without the ability to observe the thoughts that arise, one is like a puppet on a string. If nothing is in place to allow the mind to settle, the Conditioned Mind puppeteer will continue to control you and you’ll blindly and without hesitation do things that aren’t in your best interest or in the interest of others…

Gap of Loneliness

When the mind settles the need to reach for something lessens. In the process the gap of loneliness disappears and it’s simply because an “I” story of a gap isn’t being created…

The gap of loneliness seems to get wider as one ages, but it doesn’t really, what happens is there are just less distractions so “I” takes more of a hold. The natural process of life seems to be to stay busy trying to figure things out and regardless of what exactly the figuring out manifest as, it certainly creates a lot of distractions. There are periods in between the busyness where a person has some idle time and probably feels the hole of loneliness, but it doesn’t usually last very long because the busyness of trying to figure out life returns. This busyness last most of one’s life, but there does come a time that the natural process of being busy lessens. At this stage many people experience a loneliness that hasn’t been noticed before so it will either be addressed by looking inward or one will get busy again trying to figure out how to fill the gap.

Eventually the busyness will end for whatever reason, but unfortunately for most people without the busyness the gap of loneliness rears its ugly head. Many elderly people struggle to fill this gap, but it’s so difficult because there just isn’t a lot going on. Kids are grown, retirement, house paid off, more time behind you than what’s left, and the list goes on. I was this way for many years, using distraction after distraction. There were very brief periods of not needing to reach, but these periods were far and few in between. That is until fifteenth years ago when I hit an emotional bottom. I began sitting and simply looking inward which allowed me to see the distractions of my “I” needing to attach to a story. As I sat the mind settled and thus the “I” needing to reach for something lessened. In the process the gap of loneliness disappeared and it was simply because an “I” story of a gap wasn’t being created…

Caught Up in Reaching

When you get caught up in the need to reach for something to provide peace, you become this thoughts prisoner if it’s not understood peace isn’t in the next thing reached for…

You’ll never find peace if you’re caught up in the thought of finding peace. Peace is something that’s already within you, but because of the way the mind is wired, you get caught up in your thoughts that peace is something to find. Unfortunately being caught up makes the very thing you are seeking (peace) elusive. Being caught up is the reason you’re constantly reaching for something from the outside. Until this is understood you’ll remain caught up in the thoughts that peace is in the next thing reached for. Drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, success, programs, therapy, self help books and on and on, this reaching is proof that you’re caught up. Can you see this? I can’t stress this enough as being caught up to your thoughts has to be seen if you’re to truly experience peace in their life.

No one thinks their way to peace, but what does have to happen if one is to be at peace is there has to be an understanding of why you’re not at peace. The proof that you are not at peace is in your inability to not reach. When the need to reach for something arises, being caught up begins. Being caught up 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 (caught up) in trying to find peace, but since it’s something that’s already within you, the caught up thoughts about finding it need to be discarded so you can see. I don’t make light that this is easy to see, but I do offer my assistance in any way that I can. Understand though, this isn’t offered to help you find peace, it’s offered so you may possibly uncover the reason why you’re not at peace…

Changing the Program

If there’s ever going to be change in our world, the programming in place will have to change. This will only happen when it’s seen the individual programming isn’t providing beneficial results…

An operating system is programmed to do certain things and it will do just that weather you want it to or not; it has to do what its been programmed to do. Our mind becomes programmed in the same way and unless the operating system is changed or at least upgraded to some degree, it will remain as programmed. It’s imperative to understand this so first the programming in place can be identified and second so the programming that may not be serving you in the most beneficial way can be changed. The programming that ran my life for many years was a self serving one and after a long period of time (forty nine years to be exact), I realized the programming was not really benefitting me or anyone else for that matter. This realization is the beginning stages for the possibility of the programming to change. This will take some effort because of how ingrained the programming is, but the effort is more of an awareness than an actual exertion.

Once one becomes aware there may be another program so to speak to live by, the process of changing it has started. This is difficult because part of the original programming is to hold onto the familiar even if it’s not providing much benefit. It’s how the dog chasing its tail syndrome remains in place; even at the point of its own destruction. It has many tools and influences to do this, some inner, some outer, it’s just part of the programming. This is why when a person acts in a particular way, they are more accountable than responsible for what they do. If anything is ever going to change in our world, the programming in place will have to change. This will only happen when it’s seen the programming although doing what it was designed to do, isn’t providing the most beneficial results…

Exist to Love

Love emanates as behavior and can be measured by the way people treat one another. It’s difficult, maybe even impossible to act selfishly or self serving when your existence is based in love…

Growing up, although there was love all around me I never understood it. I didn’t know how to love myself or others. I would always behave in ways that was destructive to my own well being. Some of this was learned and some of it just seemed like it was from within myself. The problem with this is if I didn’t act it ways that showed love to myself how in the world was I going to show love to others. And without love as the base of any life it makes it very difficult to live life to the fullest.

It’s often said that love is the true nature of life, but that doesn’t mean it will be the base of every life. Look at what some people are doing today. Ask their victims family if love is their true nature. Most people have some degree of selfishness, but not to the degree of evil. I was very selfish, and most of my decisions made were to satisfy myself, but it’s not this way today because I learned the valuable lesson of what it means to love thy neighbor as thy self; I truly don’t want to hurt anyone today. Love emanates as behavior and it can be measured by the way people treat each other. It’s hard to act selfishly or self serving if the base of one’s life is to love…

Worldly Trappings

The ways to be drawn in by the world are endless, but understand the draw comes from your own mind and even though your conditioning provides the triggers, you alone attach to them…

If you’re practicing to live a spiritual life but you don’t know your own mind, it’s like going to the gym, but not making much of an effort to work out. Your results will be non existent. If you don’t notice your attachments, the whole point of any practice is missed. This is because of the draw of the outside world, which makes looking inward difficult. There are so many things in place that prevent looking inward from happening, and if it doesn’t happen you’ll remain in bondage to the worlds trappings. Trapping are all they are because when there’s even the slightest of an opening to allow what’s within to be seen, your expansion begins.

The draw of the world is very enticing, if it wasn’t the percentage of conscious and unconscious beings would be reversed. But it’s not this way because the draw of the world is in control. This draw is only real to a degree. There’s no denying it’s there, but it’s in control because there’s a fictitious belief that it’s needed. We alone are the creators of this and if one doesn’t become familiar with their own mind, the worlds draw will continue its control, sadly there’s really no way around this…

Inward Oasis

Life doesn’t make life a struggle. A distorted view of trying to find peace outside yourself is what creates a struggle. When an inward view is primary, one will realize the world is their oasis…

Everyone has the ability to awaken to their higher self, but it’s contingent on the amount of noise that one is attached to. Obviously the more noise, the less chance one has to become aware there is a higher self. This is just my understanding of a higher self: when a person understands the impermanence of all material objects including life itself it allows another dimension to become the view of life. It isn’t a special or magical view, it’s a clear view that isn’t blocked by Conditioned Mind distractions.

Most of us because of our conditioning have developed the view of the material world. It’s not right or wrong, it’s just the way it is; if you are content with this so be it. But what if you’re not content, what then? The only place I have found is to go inward. There isn’t anything out there that will give answers. The higher self is the discovery of your true self; an inner projection of love. When it‘s said that we were created in the image of God, visualize yourself as an image of love. Spreading love wherever you go. Loving whoever you contact with an understanding wherever you stand is an oasis and love is the nature of the land. This view can be for anyone not just a select few. So our entire planet is an oasis and it should be treated as such, but that will only occur when one looks inward…

Worldly Sanctuary

When you find your peace within, you realize you are on sacred ground. As this is realized the world becomes your sanctuary because it’s where you live…

Our higher self is the stillness beneath the noise, this isn’t noticed until there is stillness that allows for this. If you’re not still, there will only be noise, the higher self will never come into being. This is not to say there has to be complete stillness. This may or may not ever occur, but there has to be enough stillness to allow the higher self to emerge. Stillness is in everyone, but the noise of the world makes it inaccessible. It’s why the noise of the world is the noise of world because so many are in the grip of it and have it as their primary view of life.

As long as people which is what makes up the world, view life in this way, one will never evolve to their higher self, hence nor will the world. If there is ever to be peace individually and worldly we must evolve to the level where stillness is the primary way life is viewed. When our peace emerges it becomes a projection to a world that is a holy sanctuary. It’s the world we live in so if it isn’t our sanctuary then we don’t have one. After all, is this not what our struggle with oneself is? We are looking for a sanctuary that is already there, but we are looking for it from a view that doesn’t allow it to be seen. Find the tools that allow for the primary view to be of stillness and you will find what you have always been looking for. And when you find this, you will realize you are on sacred ground because it’s the sanctuary of the world you live in…

Conditioned Past

Because of the conditioning in place the past is held onto which forms an identity that may show where you have been, but it doesn’t have to dictate where you are going…

Conditioning only shows where one has been, but it doesn’t have to dictate where you are going. We all have a past and there’s plenty of things that have happened that will leave some kind of trace energy pattern. But when you awaken to how this energy holds you in bondage to it, for the millisecond that this is seen it’s as though it’s a lifetime. This is because in that millisecond, one’s entire existence becomes different. This is why it’s so important to understand the conditioning that has taken place over the years because without this understanding it will be impossible to change the conditioning that’s creating your bondage. “The only way one’s life will ever change is when the conditioning that makes it so changes”

The Conditioned Mind creates entire identities and attaches to the form that exist as the body. This is influenced mostly by things from outside oneself. Without this created identity the body still exist, just not in the way the Conditioned Mind creates it. This is the difference in being free or being held in captivity to the conditioning of the past. And although the conditioning is there and should be used for reflective purposes, it will control life as if you were a puppet on a string. Until the Conditioned Mind is understood for what it truly is, its trace energy patterns will create attachment to the past that creates a false identity. This conditioning will show where you have been, but it doesn’t have to dictate where you are going…

Focused Energy

Focused energy determines how you live. If that energy is constantly focused towards yourself, you will be selfish. If you possess the whole world, but aren’t free from self, you’ll remain stuck in a self created prison.

Being free from the prison of self requires focusing your energy away from self serving thoughts. When the mind gets focused on these thoughts there’s a freedom that allows the mind needs to become unstuck. What makes it get stuck is energy that’s mostly focused on satisfying self in some way. Focusing on the sensation of mind, body, and mental formations helps to alleviate the bondage of self. This is a direct path to how one becomes free from suffering. You can only be free when the focus is on what allows freedom, but it’s tricky because to master this takes constant vigilance. It will be your directed focus that determines the extent of freedom and that will be the determining factor how your life is lived.

Freedom from suffering is not pain free, it’s learning to be with the pain that arises. You cannot hide from what’s happening, you can only focus on something that anchors you in the Now. To no longer have your focus on self is where the path of liberation leads to. How this is done is by simply not focusing on self and focusing on what will set you free. The self is there and it has been given a name. It has so many other different labels attached to it, but it’s a prison because of the mere fact of attachment. Freedom occurs when there’s an understanding of the lies of self, not in creating concepts or beliefs. Where your energy is focused determines how you live. If that energy is constantly focused towards self, you will be selfish. If you possess the whole world, but aren’t liberated from self, you’ll remain stuck in your self created prison…

Excluding Now

The tool of excluding Now to cope with life is why life is seemingly full of problems, but what arises doesn’t cause the problems, it’s excluding Now that does it…

Nothing needs to be dismissed for one to be free. Freedom can not be found by excluding anything. Excluding something would be likened to getting rid of something, but truly getting rid of something will only happen when it’s dealt. If it’s not it will never go away. When it’s dealt with it won’t have to be excluded because it will naturally fall away. This is how one has to approach each moment if freedom is to be experienced. The way we develop the tool of excluding Now to cope with life as it arises is why there’s problems, whatever it is that arises doesn’t truly cause a 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 excluded or a made up story is used, the energy of the situation will get stored and remain hidden until it’s time to rise up again. This is why the same thoughts are repeated over and over automatically; they have to repeat because of their trace energy in place.

Awareness that this is happening can allow you to be with what arises and not exclude it. The only reason something is excluded is because it’s not wanted. But you see this excluding is the same energy as grasping, it’s just used differently. Excluding Now is attachment to not wanting it and grasping is attachment to wanting it, different action but the same attachment. This is very subtle to see and it will only be noticed when you’re with the moment as it arises. So regardless if life is labeled good or bad, it’s all the same attachment, and the only the thing the applied label does is determine if one reaches for something or excludes it…

Closed Minded View

There’s not much life in something that’s closed, this is what happens when one’s free flowing energy is cut off by a closed minded view; the closing causes one to suffer…

A closed view is what causes one to get locked into only seeing things from the side of suffering. It matters little what that closed view is, as it’s the rigidness of being in a closed mode that doesn’t allow free flowing energy. The is what happens when a story is created and it becomes the closed view of what life is about in any particular moment. This becomes deeply ingrained as one becomes emotionally tied into whatever it is that’s being focused on. It’s very difficult to not attach to something that is held dear to our hearts, such as our children, spouse, parents, relatives, friends and so on. But you can have compassion, passion, and genuine love for something without attaching to it and being closed minded.

To me being closed minded is the normal view of most people and it’s why many suffer unnecessarily. I’ve noticed this occurring in so many lives and I can see the suffering it’s causing. Unfortunately those in the midst of this closed view cannot see it. Nor can one pull themselves out of it until the closed view is seen as the cause of their suffering. The closed view doesn’t allow the openness needed to be free from attachment and since attachment is the root of suffering, suffering is inevitable. The tighter the grip of something the more one becomes closed minded and the less free flowing energy there is in one’s life. There’s not much life in something that’s closed, this is what happens when one’s free flowing energy is cut off by a closed minded view; the closing causes one to suffer…

Outward Mind Activity

Beyond the outward mind activity there’s nothing but space. This is difficult to see because life isn’t about what you think it is. In fact life is everything you think it isn’t, but it’s not seen because of trying to figure it out from out there…

Round and round the outward mind goes and where it stops nobody knows. This is a perfect example of the mind activity that’s in place for most people. One thought after another, no space, no quietness, just the noise of the world manifesting as mind activity. If you could just sit back in the space where the noise subsides, there’s a chance to truly see what Jesus and Buddha spoke of. If you think you have an idea of what life is about, I’m sorry to disappoint you but that’s just noise. There are no answers to what life is about, but the more solid you make existence, the more you’ll think you’ve figured it out. I’m not saying I know what life is about, but I do know what it isn’t about and it has nothing to do with what is seen out there. The more you’re controlled by the senses, the less life is experienced. Beyond the mind activity of the senses is the only place where life is truly experienced. You can travel all around the world and make up the story of all the beauty around you, but it’s only a story to provide outward pleasure and store it as a pleasurable memory. Beyond the outward mind activity no story is needed, no pleasure is needed, in fact nothing is needed because this is where true life exist.

Think about it, your entire life is a story until one day you no longer exist in your current form. Every storied experience is taken with you as if they never occurred. They were thought to be needed so you could make sense of your life, but really they mean absolutely nothing because they’re all created from the outward mind activity of the senses. Buddha talked about delusion, Jesus spoke of not being of this world, what do you think they were talking about? If you remain entrapped to the outward mind activity, you will remain in your suffering. Even those who think they understand this don’t because it’s not something to understand. Beyond the outward mind activity where there’s nothing but space there’s the possibility of truly seeing what life is about. Why there’s difficulty in seeing this is because life isn’t about anything you think it is. In fact it’s about everything you think it isn’t and this is because of the trying to figure it out from out there…