Just Passing Through

Imagine an ice cube trying to pass through a strainer. As long as it maintains its form, it can't happen. As soon as it becomes fluid, it happens automatically.

When we intentionally relinquish our form, we naturally assume a more expansive state of being.

People strive to get through the screen, to no avail - sometimes, for their entire lives - when what they should be aspiring toward (if their objective is to get through the screen) is to melt, dissolve, evaporate or dissipate. Then, they would effortlessly pass through the metaphysical membrane and become the wholeness that their convictions had denied them.

The Chorus of Existence

We all generate and emit a vibrational field, all the time. It's a combination of the tone of the thoughts that we entertain, our physical state of being and the chorus of feelings that make up our emotional state.

Our moods and attitudes affect everyone we come into contact with, and our influences on them carry over to those that they encounter. But that's only the most obvious way that we influence other's vibrational being.

There's only one consciousness, and we all partake of it. We each act like a lens or a prism, changing it as it passes through us. We bend it, blur, clarify or refract it. And when it emanates from us, spreading across our shared existence, it has a different quality than it did before it touched us. As we attune ourselves we help to shift or evolve the collective consciousness toward, and into, a more harmonious way of being.

In that light, doing the mundane with an enlightened attitude can be more meaningful than doing great works for personal gratification. It makes the world a better place if: you give real attention to the cashier, feed a stray dog, help out the little old lady that lives down the block, save a worm from the searing street and put him in the soil, sing a song to some birds, give emotional support to someone in need, pick up another's litter, laugh with young children, …

Whether we choose consciously, or by default, how we vibrate, in each passing moment, is our continuing contribution to the chord of the chorus of all of existence.

Ooooommm...

Intention - The Key to Be Free

I often speak of the need to surrender in order to fully inhabit the present moment and attain freedom from habitual self obsessed thinking. But there's a lot of preparatory work to do before that's possible. Unfortunately, people usually have difficulty figuring out where to focus their energy.

Some dedicate themselves to ritual. Going to church, temple, mosque, class, retreat, etc. Or, spending extended periods sitting in meditation, praying, studying texts, practicing yogasana, etc. Imagining that doing the right things will yield the ultimate reward.

Many get immersed in trying to understand the greater scheme of being, philosophically. Reading, debating, listening to one who's wiser or more educated, contemplating, journaling, etc. Imagining that ultimate understanding is just a puzzle piece away.

Not that any of these aren't helpful in making one more well rounded and articulate. But none of these directly address the key issue that prevents our being present. The most important preparatory task is refining, strengthening and clarifying one's intentions. People are geared to strive, achieve, gain and become - applying their force of will to attain an end. Being in the moment isn't fixed, substantial or permanent, it's more like holding our breath or focusing our gaze on one spot. It's a temporary/transient way of being, not a destination or attainment.

It takes clear, substantial and deep rooted motivation to keep old habits from derailing us, as soon as we encounter the unfamiliar. The incentive has to be, to become open, not to be superior. To know the truth, whatever it may be, not to be wise or all knowing. To give of one's self, not receive for one's self. To be free of all notions and beliefs, so that “what is” can flow to us and through us, without deflection or distortion.

When every cell of our being is in agreement, possibilities expand exponentially. Now, this does require applying some of the afore mentioned tactics - except, with the specific aim of improving, ingraining and integrating one's deepest intentions.

Speaking to Stones

People tend to use their preconceived notions to define their worldly experiences; far more than using what the world presents to them, to inform their conceptual notions.

I feel an emotional connection to the rocks as well as the lichen, the fire as well as the seedling, the soil as well as the worms, the air as well as pollen, the water as well as the tadpoles, the planet as well as the people and the stars as well as our own life giving sun. I can perceive, sense and comprehend the consciousness that is shared between all living things. That I'm less assured that consciousness, or more subtle awareness, is being shared with the elements, celestial bodies and even the void of space, is evidence of my short comings, not theirs.

Many great masters have confirmed what I feel in my bones, as I walk upon rock, formed from the bones of species, now extinct. That everyone and everything - past, present and future - are all part of one grand unfolding. That we, as individuals, and as a species, are but toppling dominoes, in the string of causality.

I have a little more difficulty embodying a full understanding that all of existence is wholly insubstantial and is perpetually manifested, only, by the blessing of consciousness. Again, mea culpa. But the roots of understanding continue to burrow ever deeper the more time I spend steeping in silence – and speaking to stones.

The Never Ending Story

It's a disservice to all who aspire toward “spiritual” self improvement, that the idea of enlightenment has been distorted into an all encompassing finale. A stable condition, where the quest is complete, and every mystery of the universe - and beyond - is comfortably held in the palm of one hand.

I can see how that could be an appealing fantasy. Essentially, to become God, while still inhabiting a human form. Appeal has created many a believer, but it does nothing to sway reality.

Enlightenment: Darkness illuminated; or, ignorance informed.

Ordinary people can't help but to be enlightened, repeatedly. It happens all the time. It can shatter world views or it can be barely noticeable. Enlightenment can be glorious to unpleasant, concise or sweepingly broad, permanent or passing, superficial to the marrow, personally relevant or worthy of shouting from the roof tops.

Our personal evolution is the culmination of a lifetime of enlightenments. The Buddha's awakening was the result of a valuable one that most of the world has yet to grasp. Some have, and frequently try to help others to its realization. But it wasn't an end game – no ultimate understanding. It was a brilliant comprehension of the various aspects of mind, and how they relate to each other and to our greater awareness. This gave him insight into the very nature of existence, but he still had to inhabit his body, to contend with seasons and symptoms, and to make multiple decisions, every day. And, there was still infinite knowledge that he could have absorbed, relative to worldly affairs.

Hopefully, this essay will bestow enlightenment to anyone still enamored by the fantasy of permanently attainable perfection.

Hands Out of the Cookie Jar!

Most people know the challenge a chimpanzee faces when trying to pull cookie or a piece of fruit out of a small mouthed vessel. We encounter a similar conundrum when we seek to shift from our normal mindsets into non personal awareness. When we try to pull out of our self imposed containers, we're so inflated by our self conceptions that we can't escape them. So we first need to release what we've spent our whole lives fabricating, justifying and protecting. Once we do, it becomes clear that what we were holding onto, was the urn itself. Our empty palms, clenched into fists, keeping us captive. In fact, there's no need to move at all, to escape our stoneware cells. As we let go, our jars fall away and we're left inhabiting a boundless sense of being.

And that's far more satisfying than any cookie could ever be.

Assignment d'jour:

Initially, this one may sound silly or pointless.
But as simple as it is, the more you practice it,
the more meaningful it will become.

Act as though your thoughts (mental processes)
are being broadcast, for all to receive.

The Best Recipe

Recipes are great. They invite us to try new techniques, ingredients and combinations. They nearly guarantee success as we venture beyond the familiar. And sticking with them gives us confidence that it'll turn out right, every time.

That is, if the same, every time, is right.

It seems to me (and my tongue) that variety makes for much more enjoyable experiences. And that experimentation makes working much more entertaining. I also welcome the bonus of discovering and sharing new things. After all, the most alluring recipes are the result of another's playing with their food. And, I find it far more rewarding to invent something new, than to make something old, yet again.

Granted, to be an adventurer, one needs to be willing to fail occasionally. That's the nature of any explorations into the unknown. Fortunately, practice makes better, and success rates rise as intuition is honed. And let's be honest, if our predecessors hadn't been adventurous, we'd still be eating nuts, berries and unflavored raw meat, that we'd clubbed to death with sticks and stones.

Obviously, this is analogous for any and all endeavors in life. And I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with playing it safe. But there's definitely something right, with taking chances.

For my money, the best recipe, is no recipe.

Go West Young Man

We begin our journeys, frequently on the advice and directions of others, with only a vague inkling of what we want and where we're going. For some, distractions come and the quest ends as a forgotten memory, merely days or weeks of a walk away. Then unintended roots cling to the bedrock, denying any dreams of unknown western wonders. Others find themselves face to rock face, stretching miles high, blotting their ambitions and stymying their trek. Fighting against the unforgiving wall, betrayed by the directions they unyieldingly trusted, frustrated by the futility of their efforts, surrender arrives quickly and settles in for the long haul. Some hold the westward mantra so close to their eyes that it obscures all else, until they've run out of land and find breath hard to come by, while they continue their stroll, deep into the ocean. Lost souls, seeking comfort from empty eyed fish and voiceless clams.

Our compasses are here to let us know where we're going, not to tell us where to go. As we travel through the unknown and encounter the unexpected, we must seek to make modifications to our itineraries. Sometimes, to get west, we must first trod north or south. As we head to our promised paradise, we may find greater treasures, more potent purposes or unrivaled relations. These offer other paths, give us new goals or beg us to stay. As we ingest each new landscape, the horizons in our minds broaden and our appreciation for the journey, itself, blossoms. We learn as we travel, collecting wisdom while we walk. Our aspirations evolve, as we learn and mature. And the boundaries between ourselves, others and the land, steadily erode.

The means and ends that propelled us forth, from those earliest dreams and days, are replaced by new visions of just what we want, as we meander more meaningful ways.

And the Winner is …

People make slews of promises to motivate others onto a path of self discovery or spiritual exploration - always, of personal gain. For when the little self holds the reigns, there's nothing else that inspires. To be better, to have more, to be seen as a victor or a saint. But the worth of these prizes evaporates when bathed in the bright light of awakening.

When we arrive at that point where the vault doors finally swing wide, we no longer care to fill our pockets. You see, the vault doors don't actually hold treasures within. Instead, they serve to provide us with a false sense of security, by keeping us locked in an illusory feeling of stability. The reward is stepping out into the larger world and realizing that we are here to bask in it. To enjoy it, to participate in it and to learn from it. We victoriously enter sainthood, becoming more than we ever dreamed, when we shatter our pseudo-safe shells and cooperatively merge into the vast expanses of the living world. You see, it's not here to serve us, as much as, we're here to serve it.

Life only works because the parts support the well-being of the whole. Ecosystems only survive because individuals act in harmony with the masses. Planetary sustainability is only possible when the big picture is seen in the long view. This doesn't need to be captured and considered cognitively. We instinctively know it on a cellular level, as does all life. But we can feel it, only when we're freed from our self imposed vaults.

Yes, we receive numerous bonuses as a result of our personal evolution, but the real winner, is the whole.

A Suggestion of Divine Intervention

When I was a teen, I loved running through the woods. Dodging trees, ducking under branches, leaping over logs, skipping over streams, up and down, round and round – often, trying to keep up with my dog. During that same time, I infrequently wore shoes. My feet were tough enough for me to walk on hot blacktop and run across sharp gravel; and, fly through the woods.

One day, I was doing some high speed bushwhacking, and when my tank ran dry, I stopped and rested my hands on my knees to catch my breath. As I panted, I spotted a small branch with a huge thorn laying right between my feet. Then another, inches away; and more … Looking around, I saw that I was standing amid a grove of terrifying trees and ankle deep in a sea of three inch thorns.

It took me a few minutes to tip toe my way out of the danger zone. Longer to properly thank my lucky stars. Had I landed on just one spike, I would likely have buckled and rolled through them, ending up like an inverted porcupine, with my quills pointing inward.

I've never been inclined to believe in divine intervention; but as fanciful as it seems, it certainly would make some things easier to “rationalize”. Of course, to be fair, if I were to give credit for all the good in life, I'd also have to assign blame for all the bad. And then my imagination would run amok down a path that would invariably end in my discounting free will, all together.

Whatever the reasons, I've been spared injury and/or death more times than I can remember. And for that, I'm divinely grateful.

Peripheral Shadows

I have to begin this one by asking you to do a little exercise. Find a section of light colored wall with something dark on it. Spend a minute or so staring at a blank spot on the wall, such that the dark object is visible in your periphery. Afterward, as you look elsewhere, you'll see a “shadow image” in the same part of your peripheral vision that held the actual object. Observe what happens as you try to focus on the shadow.

The eyes are trained to lock onto specific things to identify and differentiate all of the apparent components. As you try to look at the shadow, it darts away from your attempts to zone in on it. If you want to observe it, you need to look and focus in a different way.

Spending time with/as your silent self is a similar experience. The mind is trained to lock onto specific things in order to identify and differentiate them. But the formless self can't be pinned down, spelled out or contained, and is impervious to any such attempts.

If you want to be at one with yourself, you need to learn to focus, acknowledge and accept in a different way.