non-attachment

160 posts

Feelings and Thoughts Will Confuse You

Feelings and thoughts come and go. Or, do they? First, let’s be clear that your feelings and thoughts are not real. Yes, of course, these seem so real. But, there are not. Therefore, don’t attach your state of presence to feeling or thinking during the experience of one or the other. Feeling originates from the verb to feel and thinking is the process of considering or reasoning. (web dictionary)

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Should we take this definition at face value? If yes, then why don’t we consciously experience empathy and aware presence more often? The act of feeling derives from personal experiences. These develop into behaviorism that reinforce thoughts and reactions and vise versa. Patterns of thinking develop and flourish in the same manner. Feelings are mind interpretations of our emotions.

Therefore, is it possible to express an emotion or thought without feeling or thinking about either? Yes, I’m diving deep into the philosophical rabbit hole with this statement. But, attachment to either is counterproductive during the process of conscious awakening. An emotion and a feeling first appear to be the same. So, hold onto your chair. The following insight will take you further down the rabbit hole. Continue reading →

Autonomy as a Stepping Stone in Life

Typically, we dissect our experiences in attempts to categorize something as good, bad, right or wrong. However, let’s stretch our horizon to engulf the unconditional totality of living. Yes, a million and more years of evolution overshadow any given experience. And, our species interaction with life is mostly a redundant series of mind-induced behavior repetitions. Nevertheless, we have the potential to experience life in a conscious state of autonomy. This word recently fascinated me. The word itself in reference to psychology is useful as a further stepping stone on our inner journey of self-discovery.

autonomy

Autonomous derives from the Greek word autonomos where auto means self and nomos means to govern (Wikipedia). Therefore, let’s use the word autonomy as a portal to a life of active, conscious presence. How do most people behave in reaction to daily activities, especially in difficult or stressful situations? Everyone wants to go off the grid and live on an island. Likewise, what is the predominant dream of people around the world? Everybody wishes for prosperity and freedom to live according to their desire. But, this desire is usually in accordance with a given societies image of success and happiness. However, there is a deep-rooted flaw within such attempts to find peace and salvation. What is this painted image of illusion that makes us dependent on the mind in the hope of finding happiness? Continue reading →

Head on Straight and True

My uncle often told me to get my head on straight as a young teenager. Sometimes he said this with a strict voice. And, from time to time he told me this to make me laugh. I have grown with a deep appreciation for the wisdom found within this statement. Likewise, I recall pondering on the depth of this insight during my young adulthood. This idiom suggests for us to calmly observe our behavior in any given situation. Furthermore, live and act from a state of clarity.

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Nevertheless, people experience much of life in a dysfunctional state of being. This is to say that a person’s head is not on straight (😊). The majority of people still use this moment as nothing more than a means to and end. The mind usually interlaces now with phantom thoughts and emotions of what will come or what has been. This tendency might very well be the major cause of our unconscious, thus abnormal behavior.

Yes, I use abnormal behavior as a synonym for our unaware (unconscious) state of being. Perhaps, the time has come for us to openly and clearly observe our state of affairs. We claim to be logical, intelligent and compassionate. However, our behavior indicates the exact opposite. Conscious presence is a necessity in our evolution. We have spent thousands of years in a type of darkness that continues due to mind obsessions. Continue reading →

Pieces of Life Fall into Place

We compare life to a puzzle. Accordingly, the mind portraits an image of how life should be for us. And, most people accept the minds image. Therefore, you are the puzzle player. The game you play is life. How do you play this game? Are you an active conscious player? Or, does the mind dictate how you play? Admittedly, it seems easier to just go along with the mind and let it dominate life. However, a person that lives life according to the mind’s rules uses thoughts and emotions as puzzle pieces.

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On the other hand, a conscious awakened person focuses primarily on one piece of puzzle. The act of aware presence liberates this one piece (moment) from all attachments, whether of mind or body. The one piece of puzzle you hold in this moment is the ongoing determining influence for how you live life. Universal energy flows in response to your observation of being here and now. Therefore, your state of beingness is always the center of the universe in terms of how, where and even why there is a puzzle. Conscious presence reveals that this one piece, this one moment is the totality of your life experience. Thus, a state of aware beingness is the experience of oneness. And, the act of being is infinite with many possibilities. Continue reading →

Innocence Is Eternal Wisdom

Life is perpetual freshness, in permanent movement, as such, we need to be the same way; childlike innocence is requested by existence, every time, in every circumstance – a priceless purity. – Ilie Cioara

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Mr. Cioara shares a timeless truth that illustrates consciously living within the flow of life. There deep within the recesses of your being is an innocence that never fades away. Furthermore, your essence holds the sincerest level of beingness. Therefore, you innately know the difference between existing and living.

Similarly, a young child does not mask the experience of life with false labels, definitions or illusions. A child lives life now. And, so can you. Therefore, acknowledge that existence details within this moment do not truly express the life manifestation that flows through you. Continue reading →

Patience on the Path of Life

Let go and just allow. This sounds so easy. However, to simply flow with life and to just live is difficult for most people. And, this resistance is the result of a million plus years of mental and emotional barriers that suppress conscious awakening. Thus, most of our behavior is repetitious with slight detail alterations. Our unawareness to these mental processes keeps us in an endless loop of uncertainty, frustration and often fear. We can express this conditioned state of being as follows. We do not really know how to do what we do any other way then how we do it. Just for fun, repeat the last sentence three times really fast. 😊

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Let’s determine a common ground. Letting go is not truly difficult when you practice active patience. However, a given level of conscious awareness is beneficial. Additionally, the experience of serenity is an inner experience and not an outer activity. We can illustrate the unity of conscious awareness with any experience through the following examples.

Firstly, focus on being and not wanting, having or doing. Primarily because the isness of your being is everything. You place your hand in cool water. How does this feel? A consciously aware person becomes the water in that moment through the act of unconditional being. Another example is walking through a field. You smell wild flowers and reach out to caress the nearest flower. The conscious beingness within you knows that essentially you are this flower. Ultimately, the act of being and knowing encompasses the moment without needing to think about the experience. Therefore, any thought or emotion within here and now is unnecessary baggage that the mind attaches to the experience. Continue reading →

Theorist and Abstract Thinking

I was recently labeled a spiritual theorist that offers ideas and insight about conscious living that are abstract. A person with whom I regularly correspond wishes to discover the secrets to conscious awareness. Firstly, living in a state of unattached presence is not a secret. Furthermore, and therefore, no one has a magical wand that summons conscious living. One moment any given person is consciously aware. And, the next he or she is not aware. Our practice is to overcome temptations of the mind that can pull us back into the darkness of unconscious behavior.

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She recently wrote that I base my writings on theories that are actually just projections of the mind. Her reaction was due to frustration. I suggested that she attempt to practice non-attachment in decisions relating to daily activities. I have never offered her any background stories of my experiences as a person. Therefore, the term theorist was the best explanation she had for my ideas and insight. The mind convinced her that I speak strictly from theory and not from experience. I share this with now to assure you that you, me and everyone experience all aspects of our human existence. It is not necessary to debate if any given person knows more or does more. Such categorizations only weaken conscious awareness. The act of being is universal to everyone and everything. Therefore, the unconditional acceptance of our beingness offers conscious enlightenment. Continue reading →

The Dreams of a Woman

A recent conversation inspired me to write the following poem. It was heartwarming for me to hear the woman speak of her experiences in nature. She discovered the significance of our life experience as a young child. Thus, she lives with a willingness to just be in this moment. Nature is a gateway. And, she returns home, again and again, to her essence through the spaciousness beyond. Thus, she openly lives and she loves without a reason for either. She dreams the dream of life each moment as it carries her along.

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Continue reading →

Think About Thoughts! Why should I?

I don’t want to think about it. You are probably familiar with this statement. However, saying or thinking these words will not stop the mind from thinking. Thoughts constantly bombard any given moment. Thus, thoughts pull an unaware person into a thinking process loop. And, the brain continues to think, regardless of what you do or want. Therefore, let’s use the sentence at the beginning of this paragraph as a gateway to conscious awakening.

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Thoughts come and go. Consequently, you must not attach yourself to any thought or emotion. Consciously observe your relationship with the mind and thought repetitions. Otherwise, you will think that you are a thought. Awaken to the presence of being. Thus, you remain in a place that is beyond thoughts. Beingness becomes the focus of your observation. The portal to active conscious awareness opens more easily for you when thoughts become insignificant. Instead, you bask in a light of enlightenment that results from your non-attachment to the details of living. Mind conditioning and repetitious behavior patterns fade away as the conscious observer awakens more often in daily situations. Continue reading →

Shut Up and Just Live

Be defiant in your approach to living life in a state of aware presence. Your mind always speaks to you, day and night. However, 99 percent of the mind’s dialog is useless and insignificant to fully living in this moment. Therefore, let your mind know that enough is enough. Tell your mind, straightaway, to shut up so that you can experience living life, firsthand. This exercise might seem silly. Therefore, I suggest that you review everything that you can remember that the mind told you today. Then, ask yourself what is more ridiculous. You telling the mind to shut up and stop interfering with your experience of life. Or, is it sillier to continue listen, believing and reacting to everything the mind tells you?

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Please consider these questions deeply and consciously before you disregarding it for nonsense. The exercise is a practice that allows a clear observation of the mind’s activities. Nevertheless, the mind will first continue to insert dominance over you through a train of never-ending thoughts. Thus, the bottom line is for you to recognize that the majority of thoughts are unnecessary. You don’t need these as much as the mind tells you. Therefore, let thoughts come and go. And, on occasion tell your mind to shut up. Continue reading →