Flow is the ability to accept on all levels of being the experiences that we are having. This means the experiences of the physical world, the experiences of the emotional and mental worlds and the experiences of the subconscious and unconscious. When we are able to embrace and move with everything that we touch and experience then we are fully in flow. It needs to be remembered however that flow also entails going with the flow of our own desires and needs. Sometimes our own desires will conflict with another person’s desires. The realization of flow within this conflict signifies an expanded level of consciousness and the ability to go our own way while managing conflict, which is a very real part of this world.
All posts by 21elemental
The Essence of Meditation
Meditation is the practice of realization.
In the beginning it seems that we are developing concentration, objectivity, visualization and certain perceptions – whatever the focus of our meditation is. With practice we come to understand that these states have always been there. There has always been a concentrated mind, an objective mind, a mind capable of perceiving the spiritual dimensions. What we are actually doing is removing the illusions of the mind that prevent us from seeing. It is a transformation of belief that exists in body and mind.
This is why it is called realization. We see what is, with “real-eyes.”
What is actually being developed in meditation is awareness and focus. This is all.
Enlightened states, divinity, bliss, emptiness, no-mind, surrender, God force, universal force, chakra energies – these are inter-dimensional states. They already exist. Awareness and concentration allow us to find the places where they exist and to move our consciousness into them.
The most basic tools of meditation are focus and observation, but since the focused mind and the fully aware mind already exist what are we really developing?
We are developing the ability to move through illusions.
Through practice we can experience a supremely focused mind regardless of the fact that another part of our mind seems weary and unfocused. We can experience an infinitely aware mind even though another part of our mind seems overwhelmed and lacks clarity.
This is the beginning of experiencing an infinite mind. It is a mind which can be very normal, very human and down to earth, while at the same time able to move into universal awareness, great strength and courage, and a deep sense of power. It is a mind that can move through illusion which can move between these states.
The most effective way to understand this for ourselves is to experience it. Work with this exercise:
Observe the feeling of your body.
Be aware of the breath.
Be aware of sound.
Be aware of sensation and thought.
Simply observe all that passes through your senses like watching a movie.
If there is agitation – let it be. If there is thought let it be. If there is sound and emotion – let it be.
Place your hand over your navel area.
Feel for a consciousness which is pure focus and deep, calm strength.
Listen for a consciousness which has mastered inner power – that is unshakable.
Feel it and know it.
It exists here and now – allow yourself to find it.
See and feel it blossoming in you with full strength like a sun.
Feel, see and hear your body infusing with this energy.
Feel it nourishing and energizing you.
As with all meditation practices – do not be concerned with whether or not it is or is not working. Simply keep your mind in this area. Allow your consciousness room to play as it discovers the energy here. In play we learn to discover and explore. In exploration and discovery we understand what works for us and what does not.
The energy at your navel area is called by many names one of which is chakra or “energy wheel” but the name is not as important as the meaning – and the meaning is found by self-observation. Whatever we may know intellectually about chakras is nothing compared to what the chakra will communicate to us itself.
In the beginning the chakra may seem weak or non-existent. This is not the case – it is simply that our minds have only learnt to tune in to the most subtle frequencies of the chakra. With practice it seems like the energy of chakra is increasing – like we are developing it. What is actually happening is that they body and the mind are learning to perceive more of it. It already exists in it’s full power – when we allow our minds to perceive then we experience this. For all intents and purposes perception is like stretching – regular practice brings results. There is no such thing as a quick fix to realization – there are layers upon layers upon layers. As the mind learns to move through each layer the skills and understanding developed here help it to learn how to move through the next layer and so on. We can stand at the bottom of the mountain and peruse the best way to get to the top, but until our hands and feet touch footholds and feel what works we will not truly know how the mountain works.
Meditation is about realization. Whether we choose to use this to connect to universal consciousness, to energize the body, focus the mind, bring love into our hearts and knowledge into our souls is up to us as individuals. The principles underlying all these goals however are the same.
It’s about realization.
Beneath the clay exists the masterpiece – the sculptor merely removes the filter so that the naked eye can perceive it.
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How to Realize Life Purpose
At it’s heart Life Purpose is about feeling. We are seeking to find that which gives us the feeling of meaning, reason and purpose. This is the reason why two people can duplicate the same external experiences and yet not attain the same inner experience. We must look within for what truly resonates with us as purpose. We must begin with listening to what makes us as individuals feel purposeful.
It begins with knowing desire.
By listening to what it is that we desire we will find our purpose. This is what something as seemingly simple as a wish list is. A wish list is asking ourselves – what do I want? What do I desire? Then simply writing it all down. Allowing it all to come out, the “good”, the “bad” and the “ugly.” It is listening to what we desire as opposed to telling ourselves what we should desire. This is what allows us to truly know ourselves – and what allows us to know our life purpose which is of course a part of ourselves.
The written word is perhaps one of the quickest and easiest ways of manifesting our expression of desire into the physical world. In mere moments of the desire being acknowledged it is there before our eyes. It is not enough particularly in the beginning to simply connect mentally to our desires and wishes – they can be fast and fleeting – in short forgotten and overlooked. Writing them down and seeing them in physical form makes our conscious mind acknowledge them.
The power of this expression is that it allows us to know – and knowledge is the whole point here.
Connecting to our life purpose is difficult only when we do not know what we desire. Know what we desire and life purpose becomes easy.
Begin writing a wish list – keep it safe, keep it private.
Keep updating and adding to it and see and review what you have after a week, a month and a year. Once we get started it can seem like we have an infinite supply of dreams, wishes and desires – and only through experience and practice can we learn to recognize the ones that are just fleeting and the ones which deeply connect to our purpose.
Remember it is not about saying “no to those desires and wishes that seem too ridiculous or too childish or wrong. It is about connecting to the emotion of desire and purpose in whatever form it may appear. As we learn to connect to the feeling of desire our consciousness will begin to reveal our life purpose.
For most people the main obstacle to starting a wish list will be the belief that it is a ridiculous thing to do. Do it anyway. The results will be found in the experience of it.
Wishes can be anything – just as desire can be anything. Some examples that I’ve heard are:
being really really funny; creating an empire; for the phones to stop ringing for 5 minutes; telling people what to do; learning how to paint; inner peace; world peace; becoming an astronaut; seeing the pyramids; going for a walk on the beach; unlimited wealth; respect; a day off work; true love; knowing absolute happiness; eating chocolate all day;
Just to name a few!
Remember that what is important is not to judge whether this energy, desire or wish is wrong or right – but to simply acknowledge that it is desire. Observe and enjoy the feeling that desire awakens in you.
All the wishes that we express have within them a link to deeper and emotional purpose. If we enjoy telling people what to do perhaps we would make a good director, a project manager or personal development coach. If we wanted to be really funny we could set a goal to tell at least 1o new jokes a day, start noticing the funny side of life or practice laughing! Nasa may or may not accept us becoming an astronaut, but in any case knowing that we are interested in space travel could lead us to writing science fiction, taking up classes in creative visualization or building life size model space ships!
If our wish is to be truly happy we may perceive many of our other wishes and desires to be “superficial” or “frivolous.” The thing is if it is true happiness that we seek, then perhaps we need to consider that the reason we have not found it, is because we have closed ourselves to the echoes of the very thing that we seek. The trick is to learn to recognize it wherever and whenever it appears. When we begin to define when it is appropriate to feel happy and when it is not then we shut ourselves to the experience and reality of it. All our wishes and desires echo and reflect our connection with happiness in some way. Understanding all that we desire is the key to connecting with the deeper and greater well of purpose and life’s desire that dwells within.
How often do we get the opportunity to express our wishes and desires? How often does someone ask us “what do you want out of life?” When we take the opportunity for ourselves then we wait for no one. Take the time right now – open a notepad and right down at least 5 wishes. Write 500 if you wish. Keep adding to it.
As soon as you begin you start a process in your consciousness whereby you are taking action to discover your life’s desire and purpose. Continue and sustain this process and you will eventually come to full understanding. This is the nature of experience.
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Despair to Empowerment
Unconditional love is deeply understood in the light of our darkest hours.
It is here that we are finally given the opportunity to extend – to stretch our capacity for unconditional love and acceptance of ourselves.
Loving ourselves when everything is peachy is a cakewalk. It’s when everything is going to the toilet that we really see the depth of our love. It is when we are suffering and are in darkness that we have the greatest opportunity to provide light and nurturing.
The first step as with all things is to simply see. To acknowledge despair for what it is. To feel it for what it is. To fully grasp the moment for what it is. That we are deep in despair.
In the truth of our experience we can then move with honesty – and from honest beginnings we produce honest results.
Know that it takes more than mere cursory acknowledgement – more than simply saying or thinking “yes I am in despair.” The root of despair is feeling – and it is feeling where we must meet it.
It takes full faith to surrender to your inner self. Full faith to know that you are going in. Only by going in – entering that place can you fully understand it. It speaks in feeling and so we must listen in feeling.
Faith is needed to know that when you let your self go. When you surrender – that you will find yourself again. In truth you cannot be lost – but in the moments of despair our perception of this truth is lost. We dispel the illusion by going in.
Nothing will be lost – because nothing can be lost. Faith is a perception that we create because we believe that we do not know. We cannot lose ourselves as long as we remember that there is nothing to lose. Loss too only exists in the realization of it.
All revolution must start where the resistance is.
Working with resistance we find movement – then transformation.
Start where you are. In the depth of despair. Know it well. Feel it.
From here there are many paths to move. Many methods to transform. But during the transition take careful note. What are the patterns in place that would stop or hinder you from transcending? What are the thoughts, the feelings, the voices that would ridicule, fill you with hopelessness or doubt? These too are children of despair. Hear them, understand them – but know that they are not the only voices that have power.
We can move from despair even with one voice, one weakened thought or breath.
Who is the person that chooses to focus on and thus feed what we choose to feed?
It is your choice when to focus – when to move.
The choice to love is the difference between continual suffering and meeting our despair with understanding. The power of choice gives us freedom – but only when despair is understood.
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Way of the Shape Shifter – The Secrets of the Shamans
The power in practicing shape shifting is in training our minds to become more than what they believe they can be. The object of shifting is not so important as much as the experiences learned from the shifting.
For example, to imagine and feel that we are a dog we need to let go of certain attachments. We need to expand and focus our imagination. We need to stretch our mind to areas it is unfamiliar with. We contend with feelings of ridiculousness, feelings of doubt. In the face of these resistances we have the opportunity to train and strengthen our visualization and focus and ability to flow.
Beginners on the spiritual path often say that they want to connect to spirit but don’t know where to start – the way seems to elude them. Why not then start with what eludes us? Shape shifting directs our mind to become what it has trouble fathoming. It is the same with spirit.
There is always something more. The conscious mind believes it has seen it all – it becomes complacent then asks why meaning is lacking or why the answers don’t add up. Stretching the mind is the way to keep the mind growing.
Emotions and feelings are what make us who we are. Our decisions come from the desire to fulfill these emotions and feelings.
All these attachments are like various shapes – they come through us and in order to move through we must make ourselves into the appropriate shape or form – then they can move through.
Remember what mind mastery is. It is the ability to move the mind, stop the mind, focus the mind and imagine. What does shape-shifting teach us? It teaches us these very things.
A mind that has stopped does not believe that it can move beyond what it believes “reality” to be. Shape shifting shows the mind that concentrated imagination can surpass what we believe reality is.
Most people have never tried shape shifting before. The very idea seems ludicrous. A perfect training ground for developing mastery. If we do not learn to move beyond the voices of doubt and ridicule within, then we will never master ourselves. Learn to move past the inner doubt and external world critics will have no power over you either.
The power of shape-shifting comes from learning the principles behind how to become many forms. When we understand the principle, we realize that the form itself is not important and we become formless. Each shape we shift into teaches us to let go of who we currently believe ourselves to be and become something that we have always believed we are not. We train to make the impossible possible.
The exact same principles are used in mastering emotions. We become fixed in emotions because we believe that this is all that is possible. When we understand how to stretch what is possible our belief is changed. It is the same with anything that we believe we can’t do – but once we’ve done it again and again then we know without a doubt that we can.
It is all mind.
Work with this exercise:
Pick an object – any object at all.
Focus on it and imagine yourself becoming it.
Feel how you imagine it feels.
“See” how you imagine it would “see”.
“Hear” how you imagine it would “hear.”
If this is the first time you have done it and this exercise eludes you then this is a good sign! It shows that your mind is striving to comprehend something that it presently cannot – it means you are stretching it. Simply keep going with the exercise. Let your doubts be as they are and just focus on the object. Allow the main bulk of your mind as much as possible to be on the object. What ever your level is with this exercise – it is working. Your imagination is being activated, your focus is being exercised – your mind is learning to move.
Observe the object with all your senses.
What is it’s texture?
How does it’s structure feel?
Move your mind into it. Feel the depth and density of it.
Feel and observe the detail of it.
Observe any images, any impressions that you feel or see. Acknowledge them and continue to observe the object.
Become one with it.
Allow yourself to surrender to the merging.
The more regularly you practice this the easier it will become. Remember that what is important is not your doubts about the exercise but whether you continue to focus and imagine anyway.
We can practice shape shifting anywhere. On the train, bus, sitting at home. I’d suggest not doing it while driving a car – states of consciousness can shift rapidly and dramatically with this technique.
Be creative. Practice with people, inanimate objects, tangible and intangible. It’s about training our mind to realize that it is more than it currently believes. This realization increases our ability to act, to create and manifest in spite of doubts and insecurities.
If you have wondered why certain avenues, opportunities or mind states seemed unavailable to you, the practice of shape shifting will open your eyes and mind to understanding why and furthermore allow you to achieve these things.
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The Truth of the New Age
New age idealism is often seen as unrealistic. There is even among those dedicated to personal development a distinction where we do not wish to be perceived as practicing “new age fluff” but rather “real” and practical self development.
I would ask that we consider another perspective.
If we could have had the unconditional love that new age philosophy speaks of, if we could have had that inner peace, that true bliss and happiness – the majority of us would still be there.
What human being would not truly enjoy love? What human being would not truly enjoy bliss and happiness? Joy and peace?
We sought the reality of these ideals but we couldn’t find them to last or work in any sustainable way – and so we discarded the ideal as a myth.
We believed that if we couldn’t achieve it – then it doesn’t exist.
We touched on the new age – tried to grasp it’s ideals and found that they didn’t seem to mesh with reality. We wanted love but when faced with our own resentments, failures, anger, sarcasm and hatred were unable to love these.
The fact is the ideal wasn’t false we simply were unable to cultivate this level of love.
We were like untrained boxers stepping into the ring with a pro, getting knocked out and then blaming boxing for being stupid and unrealistic. We totally missed the point.
The pioneers who reminded us of unconditional love and divine peace were showing us a destination. It wasn’t in most cases a “how-to”. It was a more like a tap on the shoulder
to say “look over there!”
New age love is neither illogical or unrealistic – we were simply lacking in the skills and understanding of how to apply them.
Unconditional love and happiness, bliss – and all the other things we call “fluff” are destinations. Explorers of the new age connected that this is what we ultimately wanted to find. They didn’t leave the “how-to” because it wasn’t part of their message.
Their message was vision. A painting of beauty and love.
It is the journey of others to understand how to paint that painting.
Instead of rejecting the vision lets look at our skills.
Let’s look at our understanding.
Let’s look at how we can develop ourselves further.
Unconditional love is flexible and strong enough to embrace all the things that we call light and dark. The reality of this is that we must feel and face all of it. The good, the bad and the ugly. This is what it truly means to be “real.”
Work with this exercise:
Right now become observant of your thoughts and feelings.
Observe your body, your breathing.
Ask yourself if you really do desire unconditional love.
What comes to mind?
What thoughts?
What feelings?
Is it a taunt or yearning? Recognition or denial? Criticism or encouragement?
It is valuable to understand the other voices, the other parts and aspects that would ridicule or restrain the places in you that desire love.
Acknowledge them all and allow them to be.
Find the places in you that desire unconditional love.
Find the places and feelings in you that desire inner peace.
Do not be concerned with whether or not the you are doing it right. Do not worry about doubts or criticisms. Simply observe them, allow them to be and place your attention on the places that desire love, peace and acceptance.
Begin to imagine the essence of unconditional love. It is there. You simply need to remember how it feels.
Without force, allow yourself to remember the feeling.
It is a feeling that encompasses all of you.
It allows what is to just be.
It allows pain to be pain. Joy to be joy. Pleasure to be pleasure.
It sits with your inner critic as unconditionally as it sits with your inner nurturer.
Bring your awareness to the feeling of peace.
Imagine and feel it. It exists right here and now. Your mind is simply learning how to remember.
Trust that it is coming in.
Whether you perceive clearly or not your attention is allowing it to form.
Peace allows all that is to be exactly as it is.
Pain is pain. Joy is joy. Anger is anger. Love is love.
Your mere attention breathes life into those embers – no matter how dimly they may appear right now. By continuing to place your attention on those feelings no matter what your doubts, no matter what your criticisms you are training your mind and body to remember unconditional love and peace.
Attention is like a torch – it illuminates what we focus it on.
Simply continue to spend time placing your attention on the feeling, the imagination of unconditional love, peace and happiness.
Then ask yourself honesty – do I want this?
The practice of connecting to this feeling will begin an inner dialogue of whether these ideals are important to you or not.
It is an opportunity for sincerity.
Sincerity is about asking yourself what it is that you deeply want – and allowing yourself to move towards this ideal. It does not matter that we have doubts, self-ridicule or criticism. What matters is that we choose our path regardless. This is what it means to be true to ourselves. This is inner strength and it is the strength required to realize the truth of the new age.
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How to Create Laser Like Focus for Manifestation, Meditation and Psychic Mastery
Focus is the single defining attribute that will manifest ideas and dreams into reality.
Focus gives us sustained action to produce results. It allows us to move towards our goal or destination regardless of doubt, fear or external distraction. Focus is the strength to persist, the key to transforming lack of discipline into discipline. It is the “secret” to success in any area.
Without focus positive thinking will never work, ideas will never be created, conscious change will never take place.
Without focus real manifestation never gets beyond moments of inspiration. Dreams remain dreams.
Awareness is knowing where we want to go. Focus is the engine that brings us to our destination.
Focus whether used for physical or mental experience is a trait of the mind – and so it is here where it is developed and trained.
Through practice we learn to deepen our focus as well as lengthen the amount of time that we can maintain it.
I’ve outlined two methods below. They are basic and yet will if practiced regularly will bring mastery to the mind.
1. Breathe deeply into your lower abdomen allowing your mind as much as possible to “be with” the breath. Imagine your breath being infused with focused energy as it flow in and filling your body as you exhale with clear, focus.
2. Allow your breath to be natural and simply observe the rise and fall of your abdomen and front torso area as you breathe. Do nothing except maintain awareness.
The first technique is “active” in that you are consciously directing energy to your body and mind – it is a “doing” method.
The second technique is “receptive” in that you are “listening” or “observing” the breath doing what it normally, naturally does. It is a “being” method.
Most people who practice this technique will find that within seconds their minds will wander. This is the training ground for learning to bring the mind back to the object of focus, in this case the breath. If we whip the mind back to the object over time we will create resentment and tension. It is far more effective to simply favor the object of focus. There is a balance between relaxing too much that the mind drifts away and using just the right amount of concentration. As with all things practice will refine your understanding of what works best for you.
I suggest practicing the first method for a given amount of time then shifting to the second method for the same time. The active method helps to bring energy into the body, the receptive method helps to let the body adapt and make focus and observation natural.
Regular practice will bring results. Even 1 minute a day in the beginning is better than nothing. It is also better to practice every day than doing 1 long session a week. Regularity helps the body and mind adapt easier. Whatever you do, 1 minute or 1 hour – do your best to give 100% to the time you allocate.
These simple techniques will over the weeks and months bring an enormous amount of depth to the rest of the concepts discussed on this site, but this insight will only be forthcoming with regular practice.
These methods are what will make positive thinking work. They are the engine behind emotional mastery and neurological remapping. They are the foundation of any spiritual exploration and higher consciousness development. Over time I will be adding new techniques to this site but the foundation of them all will rely on the practices of focus and observation.
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We Are Creators – Awaken Your Abilities of Creating Abundance
Who is the real you?
Is it under the mask that you wear? Is it the face that you find in the darkest hours of the night? The parts you show no one else? Or is it the spiritual self?
Who is it?
The truth is it’s all “real” – the mask, the deeper aspects, the facade – all of it. We create our world, and it is a many layered one. Even the so called real self – the spiritual self is only realized by us when we choose to pay attention to it. It is still there if we do not – we simply lose our connection to it. The same goes for anything.
Energy goes where attention flows.
Just because something is hidden doesn’t make it more real -just because something is obvious doesn’t make it less real. Sometimes we get so caught up in the mystery that we want to deny what is right up in front of our nose.
We realize power when we choose to give power to the aspects that we want to grow. The parts of us that we want and desire to illuminate.
This is the reason that people can get trapped in trying to be aware. When we are simply aware of what we have always known we get trapped in our “story”. All the reasons why we are who we are. It is awareness – but it is awareness limited to a certain space – a limited area of our mind.
Expanded awareness is literally that. It is to stretch our awareness of ourselves to see what else is there. When we look over the hills we realize there is more to us than we thought.
For people who are not used to stretching their awareness in this way it will seem like there is nothing to stretch – we may understand the concept but not the reality – how it feels to stretch. This is as it should be. In fact – this is how the stretch feels in the beginning. Like we don’t understand. Like it is unknown. A kind of void.
The greatest folly of the human ego is to think that because it doesn’t understand something that it is not worth or possible to ever grasp. And so it continues to do what it has always done.
Stretching consciousness begins with imagination. Imagination takes us into the unknown and begins to make sense of it. In the beginning we need to look and almost guess for what else is there in our minds and senses.
How many aspects of yourself are there? How many “truths?”
How many masks?
There may be one for family, one for work, one for sport, one for catching the bus, one for driving, one for shopping. Then there is angry one, the tolerant one, the obliging one, the fun one, the serious one, the perceptive one, the ignorant one, the arrogant one, the humble one, the spiritual one, the crude one. How many can we have?
The mind is infinite. We can keep on creating another aspect for another occasion just like that.
We truly are creators aren’t we?
Creativity and life are inseparable – and where would creativity lead without imagination?
A spiritual person becomes spiritual not because they have no masks or because they have no “non-spiritual” attributes (whatever the hell they are!). A person becomes spiritual because they focus their energy and attention on that part of themselves which they would define as spiritual.
A person becomes courageous not because they have no fear, but because they focus their energy and attention on that part of themselves that aligns with courage.
What we call a mask is often defined only because it is at the very least semi acceptable in our society. What we often label our “true” or deeper self is usually only the parts that we are afraid or ashamed to reveal to other people. None of this actually makes any of these selves our true self! They are still all just reflections of society. We’ve just assumed that the hidden self must be true and that the mask must be false. What if they’re all masks?
Moving on a moment.
The myth of the pure seeker is what holds so many back from being what they truly want to be. They believe that they must be purified of their “taint” before they can be “good.”
In truth we bring the “light” to the “darkness” and then we can see clearly.
In other words – focus on your solution – on your goal and destination and all else will fall into place.
Pure awareness will not take you to your goals unless that in itself is your goal. We need awareness plus conscious direction.
If we are trapped in a cycle, a pattern or “story” we can play this out until eternity if we choose to simply remain aware of this part of reality. Acknowledge where you are – but focus on where you want to go.
Be there now and you will draw it to you.
Here is an exercise to stretch your awareness into a direction of conscious and nurturing empowerment. It will help you to move out of cycles or patterns you are ready to leave.
Connect to all the reasons that you cannot achieve what you want in life. Feel all the emotions and feelings that hold you back. Be aware of all the reasons why you are “not good enough.”
Sit in it for a moment – right now.
Allow your awareness to encompass it all – all your feelings, thoughts, emotions. All the hurt, doubts and pain.
Take as long as you need to connect.
Hear what you are thinking. How does it make you feel? Feel how you’re feeling – how do you react to this?
Let yourself be in it.
Observe how you “sit” in it. How you react, think and feel “in it.”
Now imagine a feeling, a consciousness, an energy – however you would like to define it – imagine this consciousness as one that can hold all of the hurt, the doubt and pain. Imagine how this consciousness has to feel, how expansive it needs to be, how gentle and nurturing and sincerely compassionate it is to be easily capable of holding all that you are in it’s embrace.
No matter how guilty or unworthy you may feel. No matter the hurt, the doubt, the pain. This consciousness is able to hold you easily. It’s compassion is totally unconditional. It’s love is totally unconditional. Total acceptance.
Observe this feeling.
Do not be concerned with how weak or strong this feeling should or shouldn’t be. Simply imagine and know that your mind is beginning to connect with it.
Let yourself feel it.
It is there. You simply need to look.
Infinite compassion and love. The very definition of unconditional support and acceptance.
It meets all your pain, all your doubts and fears exactly how they are.
It asks no more of them than to be how they are.
Let yourself be here now.
Take how ever long you wish.
To some this is god. To others their higher self, or spirit. The name is unimportant. It is the meaning that has power. The strength of our connection to this essence is through how much we can learn to open our minds to it. Open our minds and pay attention. Attention expands and nurtures the connection between you and spirit. The more we nurture the connection, the clearer we perceive spirit or god.
Most people who have been in a cycle or pattern have been feeding and putting energy into the conduit between themselves and their patterns of pain, hurt, doubt and fear. By connecting to the essence that is able to embrace us no matter who we are and what we are feeling – we learn to heal that pain and to find a better way to live.
Life does not have to be about more and more suffering and I challenge anyone to truly question themselves if they believe it is. If you practiced the technique above then you already have insight into a connection that can truly empower you. Responsibility and choice are all that are needed to continue to strengthen that connection. Practice is all that it takes to make the connection permanent.
We are all creators. The choice is given to us in every moment. If we are conscious we have the opportunity to move out of a cycle. If we a unconscious we will continue to move in the patterns that we are in.
What do you want? Pain or joy? Self-hate? or Love? For me the answer has always been clear. The application of that answer simply requires knowledge and practice. You now have the means to both.
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Who Are You? Discovering Your True Self and Purpose
What makes us who we are? Is it our work? Is it the thoughts in our head? The emotions we feel? Are we our morals and ethics? Are we the inner critic? Or we the inner child? Are we the emotions and thoughts that are strongest and most prevalent – the most obvious? If so what about the weaker, subtler ones? Are we the the things that we act out? The things that we do? Or are we also the things that we do not do? That remain unexpressed?
Isn’t the truth that all these are part of us at one time or another?
Our power comes from understanding how to walk the paths of the parts of us which we truly connect with – the ones that resonate with us.
The ones that give us meaning and purpose.
This is and becomes our life purpose.
Just because we have loud thoughts, or strong emotions – does not mean that they are the only important ones. Just as in the external world it is not only the loud, extroverted people that are important. The power of the loud and obvious is that it is easily noticed. If you have pain – you know about it. If you have strong emotion – you know about it. If your inner critic is having a field day – you know about it.
Real purpose comes from meaning, not simply from presence.
The power of the obvious is in the fact that our attention goes there. It is like a telephone ringing in our ears – we find it hard to concentrate on the subtler sounds. But this does not negate the existence or the importance of the subtle. Having said that though, sometimes what is most important is big and loud and standing right in our face!
Meaning is not about big or small, loud or soft – it is about us. What is important to us. What brings us joy, passion, inspiration, love.
What gives us reason to live.
Finding and listening to that reason, focusing on that reason reveals our life purpose.
The only difference between a big flame and small flame is the fuel there is to burn. Internally, attention is our fuel. Where the attention goes, energy flows.
Sometimes when we are trying to put out big fires we are actually throwing petroleum on the flames. Our attention is so fixated on our issues that we stand in the fire while wondering why we can’t cool ourselves down.
We fight with our inner critic, we fight with our emotions and ego. The real fight, the real struggle only stops when we stop fighting.
We are like a football team that is more concerned with arguing with the fans of the opposing team, listening to their taunts and jeers rather than focusing on the ball and on the game itself.
We need to keep our eyes on the ball.
Connecting to life purpose requires looking deep within and finding that which gives us meaning.
What is important when listening for it is not necessarily how loud or distracting it is.
We are looking for the quality of the feeling.
Many of us who have low-self esteem believe that because our thoughts and feelings of doubt, confusion and self denigration are present and strong, that they are all that matter – that they must be true. We have trained our mind to see and feel mostly those feelings and thoughts that bring us down. As a result the thoughts, feelings and emotions which would build our self esteem and help us connect to life purpose have been repressed.
We all have the vibration of passion and inspiration within us.
We all have the vibration of clarity and purpose within us.
It is there regardless of the presence of fear and doubt.
It is there regardless of the presence of confusion and pain.
The truth is all of these thoughts and feelings can be part of who we are at this moment. We become empowered through recognizing the entirety of who we are, knowing where we want to go, and understanding that the main principle in how to get where we want to go is to continually fuel our destination.
Acknowledge what we are – focus and give attention to what we want to nourish and grow.
If we desire to become flexible we will not do so by constantly focusing on the fact that we are stiff while not stretching. We become flexible by acknowledging that we are stiff – this creates the desire to become flexible- and then we stretch regularly.
The continued application of practice will bring us to our goal.
If we want to feel empowered we will not achieve it by feeding the frequency of disempowerment.
Empowerment is achieved though realization.
Realization is achieved by listening and feeling for it.
Whatever it is that we desire to be, happier, extroverted, introverted, calm, excited, peaceful or angry we can achieve by placing more attention at those parts.
Life purpose does not happen by removing limits. It happens by transcending limits.
If we wait until our “limits” have been removed before we continue our journey then we will be waiting a long time. “Limits” will exist for as long as we are “limited” by them. It is not they that truly stop us – it is our mind that has fooled itself into believing that it cannot move past them. It’s like a painter who has been fooled into thinking they can only use certain colors. How to break the pattern? Start using different colors.
Explore, be adventurous, do something different.
Who we are is not set in stone it is simply a pattern of what is now. This does not determine who we must be tomorrow. It’s about choice. We all have the freedom to choose who we want to be, but that freedom is not realized unless we give ourselves permission to choose.
Permission as it exists in the mind is about focus and awareness. When the door of permission slams shut it is focus and awareness that opens it back up. When all we can see are our patterns and old beliefs it is focus and awareness that allow us to see more. These tools are the bridge between intellectual concepts and actually experiencing real change.
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The Power of Observation
The practice of observation is the practice of awareness. Awareness is the most important fundamental for the mastery of anything. Without awareness we would not even know that there was something that we wanted to transform or change. We would not even move, because we would not even know that there was something to move. In fact no human can be conscious and not be aware at some level. The methods shown here are methods to deepen and strengthen our awareness.
Awareness lets you know yourself. It is you that you are working with. You are the canvas, but you are also the painter and the paint. Also the canvas is not empty, it is full of all the patterns of our emotions, our personality, our feelings and impulses. The practice of awareness lets us stand back and see all these things. It involves expanding our field of perception to see it all – to be the observer.
The best physical position to be in is one in which you are comfortable enough that you can let go of holding your body in any particular pose, but won’t fall down or fall asleep.
This is a suggested sequence to observe but over time explore your own preferred method – just be sure to allow everything to be observed.
Observe your thoughts as they come and go. No thought is too important – no thought is not important enough. If they won’t go, then just let them stay. Let them do what ever they want, just try not to be too attached. But of course there’s no need to make a big fuss about being attached either. Just easy and gentle. Favor the process of observation. If there is any tension, any struggle – just watch and observe. There are no “right” thoughts here.
Observe your body – any feelings that feel. Any tension, relaxation. Your posture. The weight of your body. Just observe. There is no “right” posture in this practice. There are no “right” tensions or “wrong” relaxations or vice versa. You are simply observing – watching the flow – watching the static.
Observe any emotions that are there. Let them come and go. If they go let them go. If they don’t go – let them be. However any of them come to you, simply let them be as they are. If you are struggling with any emotions, adverse or craving any emotions – just observe the struggle, watch it, let it be.
Let yourself observe all 3 of these states simultaneously – whatever comes in and goes, stays, struggles, releases. There is no “right” way this practice should be. This practice is the practice of letting go of “should be”, right and wrong. It is the practice of watching, of listening, of observing.
It is useful to note that we all have our “should be’s, we all have our rights and wrongs. These will come up in the practice. These are our part of our “personality”. When we meet a “should be”, a right or wrong – just let them be. Let them play out their own struggles or releases or whatever it is that they do. If we should feel guilty, or imperfect, frustrated or anything at all – just observe these things. We are in a constant state of ebb and flow. There are reactions then reactions to those reactions. We simply watch. If our mind should wander then we come back as gently and easily as we can to observing.
Skill of this technique comes with practice. Depth of understanding of this technique comes with practice. Practice 30 seconds a day, 1 minute, 10 minutes, 30 minutes – but make it a daily ritual and you will see and feel results feed into every aspect of your life. Without the practice of awareness all other techniques of mastery are of no real use. Whether a beginner or a master the practice of awareness is the foundation.
“The secret of success is continuity of practice.”
Within time you will be aware of how your body and mind reacts when you hear certain sounds, see certain sights, smell, taste, feel and think. The opportunity for conscious change exists at this point of awareness.
This is the reason why observation is so powerful.
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