presence

201 posts

Tangled Web that We Weave

Oh! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

The poem Marion by Sir Walter Scott and moreover his quote can be helpful in the awakening of human consciousness. This is possible through aware observation of our relationship with the mind. Our conversation today relates to Sir Walter Scott’s insight. So, let’s focus our awareness on conditioned behavior. We often blame life for causing difficulties and suffering. However, our unawareness to mind activities causes the tangled web we weave.

tangled

We can compare this to domino’s that fall one after the other. It seems impossible to stop domino’s from falling once the chain-reaction has begun. Likewise, our mind is literally a madhouse of thoughts and emotions. The level of this madness corresponds with a person’s level of conscious awareness or the lack of it. Continue reading

How to Use the Library Card Catalog of the Mind

There are many consciously awakening people that wish to stop thinking. The desire is to reduce the number of thoughts in the mind. Thus, allowing space. This space nurtures conscious awareness. Meditation is becoming more and more popular for this very reason. Still, the mind is similar to a Library card catalog.

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Thus, the mind can cause frustration for individuals during the conscious awakening process. This is because everyone uses the mind in attempts to create a state of non-thinking. We can logically conclude that this is impossible. Using the mind to reach a state of non-thinking is similar to what Albert Einstein once said about problem solving. We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

But, we can practice going beyond the mind. Does this sound absurd? So, what does this actually imply? The mind always processes information. Countless thought impulses demand our attention each moment. Must we listen? Should we jump when the mind tells us? No, of course not. But this unconscious state is still how the majority of people live life. So, how can we make thoughts stop? We cannot. This is impossible. Therefore, why don’t we simply acknowledge and accept the mind’s activities. This is, with practice, easier than it sounds. The mind’s library card catalog lists everything we experience. The mind readily gives us one or more index cards in the form of thoughts or emotions. But, presence, more so, experiencing presence doesn’t require the mind. (I realize that the mind is now telling you that I am naïve, crazy or both.) Continue reading

sanctuary

Sanctuary of Life: Enjoy Your Stay

Are you aware of something blissfully mysterious that seems to be beyond mind and body? But, does the mind still interrupt this deeper awareness with its frantic thoughts and searching behavior? Well, look no further because you are dwelling within the flow of life. Furthermore, this realization will synchronize mind, body, object and universal consciousness. Just let it happen if you are ready and willing. Realize deeply that there is a sanctuary within you.

sanctuary

A sanctuary is a retreat or safe haven. Isn’t this what the mind is compelling us to find each day? It wants us to run and hide in an oasis where everything will be just like we dream about. The minds intentions are honorable. However, listening to these thoughts will only add discontentment and suffering to our daily experiences.

The mind does not have the capacity to grasp that it cannot help us to live consciously. Furthermore, it tells us that everlasting peace and harmony are not truly possible. And yet, the mind tells us to keep searching. But, these thought patterns keep us confined within the mind. Nevertheless, we do experience clarity and enlightenment. Although, for most people, this conscious state of being seems transitory. Therefore, it is wise not to adhere to the mind’s thoughts. Focusing on these thoughts will only cause anxiety and confusion. Of course, the mind will continue to ask questions. But, we do not need to take these questions too seriously. Rather, we can focus on the experience  of presence, life, and enlightenment without mind details.

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affirmation

Affirmation of Presence Through Awareness

Awareness of presence is an affirmation of your true essence. This is, likewise, known as consciousness. However, we should not take labels and concepts too seriously. Furthermore, enlightenment is an experience beyond mind and body. It is not dependent on anything. You can only truly realize and experience what you are now. Therefore, enlightenment, presence, and your essence are infinite in nature.

affirmation

Presence is a constant that will never change. Furthermore, the essence of consciousness can only thrive now. You may be asking how this can benefit you. A life-form that is aware of this unmanifested void of energy will nurture object consciousness. Eckhart Tolle stated that if you are not living this moment, you are not really living. Therefore, we can say that the awareness of presence is vital for object consciousness evolution. What does this mean for you? Let’s put this into perspective. We can express the affirmation of presence in the following sentence. It is only possible for you to be you now because the now can only be now. Continue reading

corruption

Corruption or Purification? It Is Your Decision

The mind overwhelms us with wants and demands. Moreover, it has become a victim of its own demise. The mind experiences a corruption of its own making. The need for more is always in the background of our activities. We want more. But why? Perhaps evolutionary development and conditioning are two main factors.

corruption

You may first ask what is this mind corruption? Well, let’s look at it as a type of de-evolution. Or, the term devolved is also accurate. So, what does this mean? We were once very conscious and pure before the mind began to dominate our experiences. We basically lived as the plants and animals live and die. Then along came mental development and self-consciousness. Conditioned thought and behavior patterns developed in the mind. The mind became clever and egoistic. Suddenly, it was not enough just to live. We experienced contamination of the mind. Life could no longer simply flow. This resulting in a type of unbalance and disharmony. And, the mind thrives on the energy vibrations caused by this imbalance.  And the mind always needs more.

But our awareness of presence, however, has become distracted by this mind corruption. This trend would suggest that we are living a lie. We use trivialities, such as technology, materialistic objects, and misguided thought intentions to define, structure, and dominate our existence. Continue reading

stillness

Stillness Prevails When You Are Ready

We believe enlightenment needs stillness. Therefore, consciously awakened individuals desire silence. But, this search causes a paradox.  It is a pursuit that often causes expectancies and demands.  This is because of our need to place labels on everything. Obtaining enlightenment through stillness is one such label. So, we expect and demand tranquility as a prelude to the experience of enlightenment. Hence, this behavior causes a thirst that we usually cannot quench. But, silence is always prevailing. Being still is perhaps the most natural act of being. There is a slight whisper of stillness in the background of every person, every situation and every moment. Nevertheless, we must first learn how to experience it, unite with it, and essentially become it.

stillness

A movie scene depicts a massive tidal wave approaching the shoreline. The clock is ticking and danger is everywhere. The hero stands together with the woman that he loves. The camera zips between the tidal wave and the two people. The hero must jump over a gaping crevice, fight the bad guys, and jump in an airplane. He must do all this while carrying the woman that he loves. There is only a moment before the huge wave crashes into the shoreline. The water will completely devastate the land and destroy everything in its path. Continue reading

mystery

Mystery of Life: Experience It Without Labels

The mystery of life has held us in awe since the awakening of self-consciousness. The year was one million B.C. A silhouette appeared on a hilltop overlooking a valley. It was a primitive human being that stood there looking to the stars. A second member of the tribe appear, then a third, and a fourth. The first person pointed to the shiny points of light in the sky. He did this repeatedly for several minutes. And, this is how it began. We started to ask why? This was the dawn of self-consciousness.

Mystery

Welcome to the mystery of life. Since then we have been labeling this mystery. The assumptions and labels are many. We first said that Gods gave us life. Eventually, this assumption changed to one God. Strangely, there is supposedly one God. But, many cultures and belief structures have a different God that is the only ‘one’ God.  Additionally, we use words and symbols to define what this God can do. Moreover, we assume to know what this God wishes and plans.

But why do we assume, interpret, and define this secret called life? We do this for the same reason(s) as the primitive tribe on the hillside. Because, the mind is always asking “why?” Continue reading

things

Things Are not Thoughts Nor of Mind

Objects are not in any way, shape, or form related to our thoughts. Does this should odd or even wrong? Still, let’s consider this further. Things manifest in the universe. They are there without the need for classification. Yesterday, I was relaxing during the transition into meditation. I was aware of a bird singing, a lawnmower, and an airplane during this shift in perspective. There, within it all, was a state of presence and I was observing the brains interactions.

things

Here it is beneficial to acknowledge how the mind is interacting. This is because the things detected were uninteresting to the mind. Instead, it cleverly disregarded everything because the mind is egocentric. Nevertheless, it was busy labeling everything. Furthermore, the mind was having a wonderful time talking to itself.

This never-ending self-dialogue went on an on as the mind chattered away. The mind literally seemed to be on a crusade. The thoughts consisted of assumptions, questions, and supposed answers. But, everything that the mind was talking to itself about was irrelevant. The mind’s dialogue was a self-analysis such as “why I like this” and “why I don’t like that”. Continue reading

surroundings

Your Surroundings Do Not Define You

It seems so obvious. But, being what we truly are has become very difficult. Or has it? No, I am not trying to confuse you. Who are you? Just ask someone and they will tell you. Moreover, your immediate and extended surroundings are always influencing you. Truth be told, the majority of people don’t have any clear understanding what it essentially means to live.

surroundings

But, how could we know? People, surroundings, and even our own mind want to dictate our internal nature. There is always more to you than meets the eye. Still, your eternal self has been buried under a huge collection of misguided assumptions and definitions. All of which are nothing but conditioned patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behavior. I can assure you that these are not really you. Then how do we experience our true inner self nature? Continue reading

acceptance

Acceptance Is the Way to Harmony and Balance

Acceptance is difficult for most people. Furthermore, it seems we receive or achieve something that we had wanted and then we don’t want it anymore. Mind madness is perhaps the best way to describe our actions. This is the mind and the complex behavior that is mostly a result of conditioning. This conditioning keeps us from allowing life energy, in whatever form, to manifest. Oh, everything will unfold. It happens. But, we express resistance to countless thoughts and things each day. But, life manifestation has nothing to do with personal or collective gain or loss. It is about harmony and balance in our being.

acceptance

Moreover, you have the potential to rise above the cloud of mind confusions and illusions. There is a space of uncontaminated, fundamental energy always available. The mind is a marvelous attribute and basically only needs a reset that is helpful in nurturing conscious awareness. This is because the mind has become entangled in its own web of thoughts, feelings and ego. However, acceptance is an acquired state of being. Still, with practice, allowing and letting go changes everything. And, it is incredible to observe in life that the only thing that really changes is how you observe yourself.
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