Low on numbers just eight of us on a beautiful morning, not the weather for viewing videos or discussing mysticism but we did and it was entertaining. Gave rise to a lively discussion that often strayed into politics and football.
Showed two videos one on quantum theory and the other Anthony Robbins' interview with Deepak Chopra. After a break we read this article on finding heaven here and now.
Finding Heaven Here A Psychologist’s Spiritual Journey
To become a clinical psychologist. I spent nine years in college and graduate school studying the nature, causes, and treatment of psychological disorders and three decades working in the profession in numerous settings and capacities. Although I learned a great deal about the psychological basis of human suffering, my understanding always felt incomplete. In my heart of hearts I knew there was something missing -- something fundamentally spiritual about our suffering and our joy, a dimension of reality as important and verifiable as anything psychology studied. Only recently did I realize that this spiritual dimension was the experience of Heaven on Earth. Let me explain how I arrived at this realization.
As a child, I sensed a pervasive, radiantly beautiful, living mystical reality shining all around me. Running in summer sunshine, bare feet on grass wet with morning dew, myself and all things bursting with the energy, consciousness, and joy of Creation, life felt too full to contain. Spirit filled the world with implicit love, its light illuminating natural beauty like a colorful stained-glass window, its presence a great invisible tide moving through everything. Though at the time I couldn’t express these sentiments in adult words, I remember the joy of this experience nearly lifting my feet off the ground. Meandering through grassy fields like a mystical explorer, I touched rough-hewn bark, studied daffodils and smelled the subtle fragrances of earthy flowerbeds in the noonday heat. Birds’ songs virtually hypnotized me with their sweet melodies. Everything appeared precious and timeless, and I had no thought of yesterday or tomorrow. I adored -- almost worshiped -- my mother and father for their magnificent beauty, natural charisma and angelic presence. Everything seemed fascinating, perfect, spacious, and complete and I unquestionably assumed this wonderland would be mine forever. Then, gradually, insidiously, but insistently, beliefs and expectations from the World of Man descended upon my bright and colorful existence. Adults had little or no interest in the divine world. Busy with tasks, schedules and conversations, they rarely stopped to appreciate the inexhaustible beauty I witnessed everywhere. "Why is this happening?" I wondered, as I watched adult concepts about behavior and personal value infect siblings and friends like a contagious illness. Over the ensuing years, I felt repeatedly saddened as those around me exchanged the divine world for these new worries about self worth. A protective numbness, however, soon moved over my soul and I shut down emotionally and spiritually. Looking back, of course, I realize that my experience represented the universal fall from grace -- the magic of Creation -- into the World of Man with its conceptual grid of beliefs, rules, and expectations.
The years I spent in middle school proved an especially hard period for me. As old friends tried on new identities, competing in games of popularity and discarding undesirables like trash, I felt alone and naked. I didn’t want to wear an identity but felt vulnerable without one. During the same period, I suffered the unexpected trauma of open-heart surgery to correct a birth defect. When I awoke from the anesthesia, I wondered, "Where was the joy of the bright world now?" Years passed. Then, one evening in midlife, I read the following account of one man’s mystical experience in William Stace’s "Mysticism and Philosophy": "The room in which I was standing looked out onto the backyards of a tenement. The buildings were decrepit and ugly, the ground covered with boards, rags, and debris. Suddenly every object in my field of vision took on a curious and intense kind of existence of its own … And every object, seen under this aspect, appeared exceeding beautiful. There was a cat out there with its head lifted, effortlessly watching a wasp that moved without moving just above its head. Everything was urgent with life … which was the same in the cat, the wasp and the broken bottles, and merely manifested itself differently in these individuals … All things seemed to glow with a light that came from within them… I experienced a complete certainty that at that moment I saw things as they really were, and I was filled with grief at the realization of the real situation of human beings, living continuously in the midst of all this without being aware of it. This thought filled my mind, and I wept. But I also wept over the things, themselves, which we never saw and which we made ugly in our ignorance … My immediate reflections on the experience at the window were as follows: I saw how absurd had been my expectations of a vision of God … For I had no doubt that I had seen God … it turned out to be the world that I looked at everyday … As Blake put it, 'all life is holy' and that is enough; even the desire for more seems to me more spiritual greed. It is enough that things are, a man who is not content with what is simply does not know what is." I put the book down and stood by the bedroom window for a long time, stunned and speechless, as if the Earth had suddenly stopped spinning. Then I understood. In his mystical experience, this man had actually witnessed the divine world: radiantly beautiful, literally alive, and always present despite our failure to see it -- and the place he described was the place I had known as a child. The search for Heaven on Earth now consumed me, but, as a result, gifts of guidance, insight and revelation began arriving daily. When you knock on Heaven's door, it opens. As if guided from above, I kept creating what I later called "experiments in consciousness," processes meant to sharpen our natural mystical sensitivity for God’s Presence. Since the mystics from across traditions consistently have said God lies beyond ideas and beliefs, I developed one experiment that involved examining reality with intentionally heightened and thoughtless awareness. Wide-eyed and wide awake, I would stare intensely at something -- a book, a lamp, a flower, my hand -- until its sensory qualities became hyper-real, exquisitely detailed and beautiful, exceptionally bright and colorful. I saw how the ever-present lens of thought had in the past filtered out the object’s captivating beauty and said to myself, "The world is completely different than what we think and far more amazing." This observation confirmed the man’s mystical account I had read in Staces’ book and suggested to me that anyone could learn to see the divine world intentionally.
I could hardly believe my eyes. The beauty, perfection and wonder of my childhood divine world had returned. Once again I walked in a bright wonderland of extraordinary sights, colors, smells, and sounds. For me, such things as green leaves in speckled morning light shining through dusty windows now held all the hushed holiness of a magnificent stained glass window in a cathedral. Astonished and enthralled, I practiced these experiments at home, in stores, at work, and outside. I understood that this omnipresent consciousness belonged to God and marveled at its power to transfigure reality before my eyes, peeling away the ugliness I normally saw in the world like old paint to reveal a radiant paradise beneath. Now Heaven on Earth appeared everywhere. Is Reality All in the Mind? Real as it my seem, our sensory experience is but the brain's reconstruction of the physical world. Moreover, modern physics reveals the world "out there" is very different from our experience.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Friday, May 16, 2014
May meeting
Just nine of us today to learn about body language mainly the signals we giver when shaking hands and the indication of the power of a person when holding the hands palm down while calling instructions. Very useful knowledge. We then watched a Bruno Groening video.
Bruno
Groening: Powerful healer with a simple message - his story
reminiscent of a modern day Jesus?
Bruno
Groening was born in Gdansk, Poland, on May 31, 1906. He
moved to Western Germany as a refugee after World War II and became a
sensation practically overnight in postwar Germany. It all began in
1949 when Bruno successfully healed a young boy, suffering from
muscular dystrophy. Around 5,000 people gathered in front of the
Huelsmann family home, and many thousands more gathered in various
places after that to hear Groening speak and to receive the power of
his spiritualhealing.
During
his 53 years of life -- Bruno died in 1959 -- Groening healed many.
People had spontaneous healings wherever he was present. Groening's
healing powers brought a powerful light into the darkness: in a
country where evidence of destruction was rampant, mass gatherings
named “armies of the wretched” were said to be transformed. Sick
individuals became well again, the suffering and depressed became
happy, the lame could suddenly walk again, and the blind would gain
their eyesight back. People who had lost all hope gathered around
Groening for help, and “what had been unimaginable before was
suddenly becoming a reality.”
There
was much controversy over this healer,
and public opinion varied greatly. Some called Groening a ‘miracle
doctor;’ others called him a ‘charlatan.’ He was a humble man
with no medical training nor theological education. He was a simple
workman Before the war he had various occupations: carpenter,
factory and dock laborer, Post Office worker, and electrician. “”I
am not to understand by mind, just by heart,” Groening stated. He
helped anyone who asked and refused any kind of payment. He only
asked for a written report of the healing.
Groening
always insisted that “It is not me who heals; it is the Divine
force that helps and heals. This Divine power is free of charge,
costs nothing at all and can be used by anybody…. I am not telling
you anything new.”
This
remarkable healer taught that the human body is constantly embraced
by healing waves which only need to be absorbed and that, like
batteries, our bodies require this divine energy. When depleted, the
body experiences fatigue, exhaustion, nervousness, anxieties and
eventually, illness. He constantly talked about the "Divine
force," "life force," and "healing stream" –
or "Heilstrom," as he termed it -- that anyone can take in
very readily. "According to him, no illness is incurable, and
this has been confirmed."
(The
follwoing is taken from this
site.)
Absorbing
the Heilstrom
"In
a quiet room, sit on a chair, free of the backrest if possible, both
feet on the floor, and open hands palms-up on your thighs. Do not
cross legs or arms. Open your heart and mind and ask for the energy
to come. Think of something pleasant and positive (i.e. a beautiful
landscape, a happy event…) Disengage all negative thoughts -- of
illness and worries.
"The
Heilstrom moves into the body via our antennas -- our hands, feet and
head, and can completely fill it with new energy. Sit and absorb the
energy daily, even if for just 15 minutes, for health maintenance and
longer for healing.
"Heilstrom
generates a “process of purification,” which Groening called
Regelungen. A Regelung can last for weeks, months and sometimes
years. It depends on how serious the illness is, how far a person can
open up to the Divine energy and the influence of surroundings. It
may be experienced as pain, tickling in parts of the body, warmth or
cold areas, swollen limbs or by emotions. If you need to weep or
laugh, then let it happen. These sensations are temporary.
Positive
Thoughts Only
"According
to reports, once you have absorbed the Heilstrom, it is very
important to give up the illness in your mind, and don’t pay any
attention to it any more. Most importantly, stop believing in the
illness. Focus your complete attention on the healing. Believe that
whatever you feel in your body belongs to the healing, not any more
to the illness!
"Groening
said, 'Thoughts are energies which will come true! If now you take up
the firm intent in your mind to regain your health and the belief
that this is possible with God’s help, you have built up the right
mental attitude for healing to begin.'
"Groening
always invited people to convince themselves of the truth, with their
own bodies. 'Watch carefully if you feel the Heilstrom, if Regelungen
occurs or if you just feel better after regularly taking up the
energy.' It is claimed that improvement in all areas of life occur
from regular absorption of this Divine energy."
Before
his tragic and early death in 1959, Groening helped create groups of
people to gather and absorb the healing stream of energy on their
own. In 1979, the “Bruno Gröning’s Circle of Friends” was
organized. This organization passes on Bruno's teachings; reports of
miracle healings of just about any imaginable illness continue to
take place. At least 1,200 "Circle of Friends" meet
worldwide to absorb and heal from receiving the Heilstrom together.
We finished the session by trying his method of tapping into the divine. We know Eastern philosophy has always assumed the power was self evident calling it Prana or Chi. Mixed feed back some
tuned in and others didn't.
Friday, April 18, 2014
18th April
We then reviewed the following.
Do you truly know who you are?
It seems the mind can comprehend everything except for the mind itself. Yet, in essence the mind is all that is, therefore without knowing your mind you know nothing. He who knows others is learned; He who knows himself is wise. -- Lao-tzu, Tao te Ching Life is simply the process, or journey, of knowing yourself. The ultimate reason for life is self-discovery. Yet, many people spend their entire lives getting farther and farther away from their own true, inner nature. Most people are constantly distorting their own idea of themselves, only because they do not know what they truly are.
They are not even aware that this identity they hold of themselves is false. The self that you must come to know is not an artificial creation of the mind. Rather it is the mind itself. We go through life projecting who we think we are. Even though you may have lived your entire life thinking of yourself as a false identity, you still have your inherent power to come to know yourself. In fact, we must all eventually come to know our own true inner nature. Most people spend their entire lives running away from their true selves, only to come crashing back to knowing themselves through the transition that we call death. As a side note, your false self is the only thing that dies in death. It is the reason we fear death, because our true selves are unknown. All we know is our false self and we know that one day we will lose this false sense of self. On the other hand, the true self cannot possibly die, nor could it ever be born. It has always been. The true self is the Infinite Being at the heart of your soul. It is your Essence. God has always been a symbol of the true self. Modern society is made up of distractions.
These distractions consume our lives. They ensure that we remain oblivious to our true inner nature. Almost every pastime or activity that you can name is a distraction! This even includes working and accomplishing goals (when the purpose of the accomplishment is not the process of accomplishing the goal, but the reason behind it is to get you somewhere you think you want to go). Even most spiritual growth or personal development information is a distraction. When you are holding a false sense of self, this information feeds it. Although, these distractions may help to give you clues as to your true nature, they cannot directly trigger self-realization. The only source of truth you have in your life is your own inner nature. Although these information products may guide you, the path to knowing yourself is a personal and intimate journey.
Friday, March 21, 2014
March 2014
Ho'oponopono
- Ancient Method Changing Lives
As a practitioner, I am always looking
for new ways to help people, help themselves. Learning and studying
ancient methods of healing is especially interesting to me. From
Oriental Medicine to Polynesian Medicine there are so many
interesting and effective methods which is only now making it's way
to the western world. Most of the techniques/methods used is directed
towards others but when Ho'oponopono was introduced to me little did
I know I had much work to do on myself before this technique would be
effective.
I was in England studying and working
upon my area of specialty when this woman first mentioned the
Ho'oponopono method. I was joined by 24 other students within our
program and one day we were instructed to speak on a topic we knew
well. We had a 20 minute time slot and we were to fill in that time
with important points and findings. It would be that day a woman
introduced to us this incredible, yet simple, method I had to learn
more about when I returned home. After that time, and upon
researching this ancient method, I began to implement this ancient
healing method with others. Result? I have to say it is without a
doubt truly effective/affective.
It's a transformational technique that
anyone can use. There are no needles, no touching, no music, no
instruments of any kind and it can be done anytime and anywhere. Let
me give you a bit more background before jumping into the this
powerful self-transformational technique.
As was introduced, Ho'oponopono
originated from Hawaii and was originally used by families to help
correct their errors in thought, word and deed. To help 'make things
right' amongst family members. Eventually this ancient and sacred
opportunity for cleansing and clarification was introduced to other
groups of people so that they too could benefit from this powerful
method. It was Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona, a healer, who first began to
widely instruct other doctors, colleges/universities and even to the
United Nations personnel of this method in 1983. She founded "The
Foundation of I" in order to promote and make widely available
these principles of Ho'oponopono around the world, a method Hawaiian
Natives understand all too well. Then came Dr. Hew Len (trained
physician) who was an avid student of Morrnah Simeona and who not
only incorporated the Ho'oponopono technique but received wide
recognition on the effectiveness of such a method.
Dr. Hew Len eventually worked as a
staff psychologist for Hawaii State Hospital (between 1984-1987)
overseeing a maximum security unit housing male criminally insane
patients. These men were not small time thieves, they were killers
and rapists. Men would never be allowed release under no condition.
Violence was common in the facility as aggressive and violent
behavior toward other inmates and staff was a daily occurrence. Once
Dr. Hew Len began using the method, within 3 years of his dedicated
service at the Hospital, the inmates no longer needed restraint
(wrist and ankles), staff took less 'sick days', staff turn-over
rates began to drop and staff eventually began to enjoy working
there. So, violence dropped considerably which was seemingly an
impossibility: Almost non-existent amongst the inmates with the
exception of new inmates just arriving. With great success,
eventually other 'out reach' programs were introduced to these now
non-violent men outside the ward which would have been impossible
before this time. The whole unit eventually closed and these men
where re-assigned to other minimum security programs where they
continued to flourish.
As was witnessed by other staff
members, Dr. Hew Len did not see any of the inmates (one-to-one
sessions), no direct therapy or counseling with any of the men, he
did not attend staff meetings, nothing to show he made direct contact
with anyone in the ward during his time there. He wanted only an
office and their charts/files. That's it. How did he do it? What's
the Ho'oponopono Method all about?
Ho'oponopono method consists of a
strong philosophical base and mediation. Without learning more about
the philosophy, the intent/desire behind the treatment can be lost.
Ho'oponopono starts with you. Here's a little insight into the
philosophy, a way of seeing life, necessary if one is to understand
this method...
In part, it is about clearing toxic
energies within you, energies that block you from advancing, healing,
living. All the negative emotions, hurts, experiences are lodged in
you on all levels. We are not separate from one another and what
affects you, affects me. So if others have blocks and energies that
need release in order to flourish in life, so do you: The main
concern is to unblock mental obstacles to allow a new flow of energy
through words, deeds, actions within oneself so that others too will
benefit from you healing YOU. So the idea, philosophy, begins with a
need not to start with the idea of saving others but to practice
working on oneself. We heal ourselves, the world around us heals. So
we are responsible for people who enter our world with problems and a
less than satisfactory life. By shifting our energies, other energies
will also be effected. There is much more to the philosophy behind
Ho'oponopono.
The process of clearing and
forgiving is about incorporating 4 statements which initiates the
flow of healing, processing and clarification. This is what Dr. Hew
Len used within his office as he focused healing upon himself, and
indirectly, helped these men in the ward.
The magic 4 are as follows:
1. I'm sorry
2. Please forgive me
3. I love you
4. I thank you
It is to be repeated with full intent
and feeling.
Friday, February 21, 2014
February meeting
Only seven of us today to view a video about two worlds the one where we are the creator and the one that is the creation. To live in one world is a recipe for disaster. Becoming and being is another way to express it.
Then we discussed the following a mixture of wisdom from the internet.
Then we discussed the following a mixture of wisdom from the internet.
Few
people realize it, but there really are great spiritual secrets. They
exist. In fact, your whole life has been a journey to find them. Once
you do find them, you'll hold the key to a life unimaginable
The
first point is to know how to be here and now. Second point is that
when I dream, I don’t have control over my dreams. You have no
conscious control over your dreams, over that part of mind which
dreams. You have no control over that part of mind which sleeps. The
vast part of mind remains buried, remains unknown. Only a small part
of mind is being cultivated by you and you are puffed up with pride
that, “I have a Ph.D., a D.Litt., I have education, I have money, I
have a car, I have all this.” What is my point of view? Human
beings are members of a fools’ paradise. I go around the world and
I see many, many intellectuals. But I find none of them practical and
I cry. I don’t say that you should accept whatever I tell you. I’m
just making you aware that a vast part of the mind remains unknown to
you. Now there is a third point. That which you consider peace,
happiness, and bliss, where does it live? Where does it exist? If it
was anywhere in the world, Americans would have found it first. They
have even gone to the moon. Where is it? If mind is within, peace
should be in the mind, or known by the mind, or known by
understanding the mind. What is mind? Now let me tell you something.
All of the body is in the mind, but all of the mind is not in the
body. How will you know that part of mind which is not in the body?
Therefore, to know mind is very important, not to know God because He
is already there. You don’t have to know Him. Body is already
there, you don’t have to know much about it. But you have to know
the mind. By understanding the mind you can be free from all
bondage.
Freud
likens the unconscious mind to a bag. You do not know, you are
carrying a bag all the time. It is like your shadow. Wherever you go,
your shadow follows and will not leave you. You are always carrying
that huge bag with you. Anything that you think goes into that bag.
You do not know that part of the mind. You are trying to understand
your mind, only a small part of the mind. You don’t know the
totality of your mind, both conscious and unconscious. If you know
how to train the vast part of mind, the totality of the mind, you can
do wonders on the earth. Anybody who has done wonders on this earth,
anybody who was considered to be a great man, was great because he
knew his mind. You do not have to know the soul because it’s
already there. In all conditions, the soul is there. What you have to
know is your mind, and that’s why you are called hu-man, your own
mind. And the moment you know the mind, you can go beyond the mire of
delusion created by your mind.
We
have to find out the secret of polishing, taming, or learning to have
perfect control over the mind which is the finest of all instruments.
But only a small part of the mind can be grabbed. The totality of the
mind doesn’t come under our control because a vast part of the mind
remains unknown to us. Many Easterners, those who have not studied
Western psychology and philosophy, say, “Oh! Western philosophy is
nothing, Western psychology is nothing.” They are stupid. Freud
says something very definite. Freud says that if the unknown part of
mind is known, then you know all of the mind. Adler, James, all these
psychologists tried to understand the mind. Whatever they understood,
in a scientific way, is remarkable. What I learned from both, the
interaction of East and West, is that the unconscious mind is like
that iceberg which is hidden beneath the water, not known to us. The
tip of the iceberg that is seen floating above the water is called
the conscious mind, that which is hidden is called the unconscious
mind. When we get closer we find that it is not actually the mind,
it’s a vast reservoir.
You
say the mind is roaming, let it roam. Why are you bothered? It will
never go anywhere. It will come back to you. Let it go, don’t
follow the mind. I once asked my Master, “How to practice?” He
replied, “Mind tells you to go there, but you don’t go. Tell
mind, ‘O mind, if you want to go, you’re free to go. What can I
do? But I am not going there.’ ” Fighting with the mind is never
considered to be control. Therefore learn to lead the mind, make a
certain route for the mind to travel and that is called learning to
have control over the mind and it’s modifications.
Now
I’ll tell you something about the kinds of problems that arise when
you try to know the mind. A friend of mine once told me, “On this
trail there is a ghost.” It was at night but I did not believe him
and I said, “I don’t care. I’ve not seen it and I’m not
curious to see it.” We forgot all about this. After one or two
months, I passed that way and it was a dark night. Suddenly I
remembered that my friend had said that a ghost lived here. Even
though I did not believe, why did I remember? Because anything that
comes into my conscious mind finally filters down to the unconscious
mind which is vast. The totality of mind should be understood, not
only a small part of mind, the conscious mind, that we cultivate in
our daily life.
The
human body has potential to cure its own ailments provided you know
about your body. I don’t discuss religion, No matter from which
religious background you come from, I want to give you something
which you need in your daily life. All the great bibles of the world
say one and the same thing—be still, be still. For a few minutes in
the morning and the evening, every human being should learn to be
still. Why, because you will meet God? No, that’s not necessary.
You will be healthy. For your mental health it’s important for you
to understand quietness, stillness. During that time, those muscles
which do not get rest even in sleep get rested. The voluntary system
you can control. You can exercise and develop all of your gross
muscles, but you don’t have control over your involuntary system,
the subtle set of muscles.
Please
remember, all of the body is in the mind, but all of the mind is not
in the body. This is accepted fact. The Upanishads, the final and
best part of the Vedas do talk about it, do discuss it, do explain
this. Confucius, Buddhists, Zen, Zazen, they all explain it. Everyone
found the same problem created by the mind. My mind does not create a
problem for you. Your mind doesn’t create a problem for me. Your
mind creates a problem for yourself.
The Secret Place of Peace
Within
each of us, in our hearts and in our minds, there lives a special
kind of light. In truth, it is everywhere. We can look at our
thoughts as particles suspended in this silent, illuminated space.
But, instead of seeing the beautiful stillness -- the source of that
which reveals the movement of these passing thoughts and feelings --
we grab onto each thought that passes through it. Why would we do
this?
Friday, January 17, 2014
17 January 2014
Only 2 away today and all those who attended enjoyed the readings from various sources on happiness and the 2 short videos.
In
the field of mental health, there is a concept relating to tolerance
for uncertainty, most specifically relating to treatment of anxiety
disorders; People with high anxiety have a low tolerance for
uncertainty, whereas people with low anxiety have a high tolerance
for uncertainty.
What
are the differences between happy people and unhappy people? Of
course, it should be very obvious:happy people are happy while
unhappy people are unhappy, right? Well, that is correct. But, we
want to know what happy people do differently, so I have put together
a list of things that happy people do differently than unhappy
people.
1. Love vs. Fear
Those people who are really
happy, fear less and love a lot more. They see each moment, each
challenge, each person as an opportunity to discover more about
themselves and the world around them.
2. Acceptance vs. Resistance
Happy people understand that you can’t
really change a situation by resisting it, but you can definitely
change it by accepting that it is there and by understanding that
there might be a reason for its existence.
When something unpleasant happens to
them, they don’t try to fight it (they know that this will make the
situation even worse), but they ask themselves questions like: What
can I learn from this? How can I make this better? And then they
focus on the positive, rather than on the negative. They always seem
to see the glass half full, no matter what happens to them.
3. Forgiveness vs. Unforgiveness
Really happy people know that it’s
not healthy to hold on to anger. They choose to forgive and forget,
understanding that forgiveness is a gift they give to
themselves first and foremost.
Holding on to anger is like grasping a
hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the
one who gets burned. ~Buddha
4. Trust vs. Doubt
They trust themselves and they trust
the people around them. Whether they are talking to the cleaning lady
or the C.E.O. of a billion-dollar company, somehow they always seem
make the person they are interacting with feel that there is
something unique and special about them. They understand that beliefs
are self-fulfilling prophecies.
Because of that, they make sure to
treat everyone with love, dignity and respect, and make no
distinction between age, sex, social status, color, religion or race.
These are the great men that Mark Twain was talking about:
“Keep away from people who try to
belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really
great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
5. Meaning vs. Ambition
They do the things they do because of
the meaning it brings into their lives and because it gives their
lives a sense of purpose. They understand that “Doing what
you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life” as
Wayne Dyer says.
And they care more about living a life
full of meaningthan what, in our modern society we would call, living
a successful life. The irony here is that most of the time they get
both success and meaning because they choose to focus on doing the
things they love the most and they always pursue their heart‘s
desires. They are not motivated by money; they want to make a
difference in the lives of those around them and in the world.
6. Praising vs. Criticizing
Happy people would probably agree with
Carl Jung’s theory on resistance: “What you resist not only
persists, but will grow in size.” They don’t criticize the
absence of the behavior they want to reinforce, rather, they know by
praising the person and the behavior they wish to reinforce (even if
it’s not often), they will actually encourage the positive
behavior.
When a parent wants to make sure their
7 year old boy will learn to always put the toys back in the box
after he’s done playing with them, they make sure not to focus on
the many times the child didn’t do it, criticizing him and his
behavior, but every time the little boy does put the toys back, the
parent praises him and his behavior and that is exactly how they
reinforce the positive behavior, and in the end get the wanted
results.
7. Challenges vs. Problems
Happy people will see problems as
challenges, as opportunities to explore new ways of doing things,
expressing their gratitude for them, understanding that underneath
them all lay many opportunities that will allow them to expand and to
grow.
8. Selflessness vs. Selfishness
They do what they do not for
themselves, but for the good of others, making sure that they bring
meaning,empowerment and happiness to the lives of many. They look for
ways to give and to share the best of themselves with the world and
to make other people happy.
Before giving, the mind of the giver is
happy; while giving, the mind of the giver is made peaceful; and
having given, the mind of the giver is uplifted. ~Buddha
9. Abundance vs. Lack/ Poverty
They have an abundant mindset, living a
balanced life, achieving abundance in all areas of life.
10. Dreaming Big vs. Being Realistic
These people don’t really care about
being realistic. They love and dare to dream big, they always listen
to their heart and intuition and the greatness of their
accomplishments scares many of us.
Dream no small dreams for they have no
power to move the hearts of men. ~Goethe
11. Kindness vs. Cruelty
They are kind to themselves and others
and they understand the power of self-love, self-forgiveness and
self-acceptance.
12. Gratitude vs. Ingratitude
No matter where they look, no matter
where they are or who they are with, they have the capacity to see
beauty where most of us would only see ugliness, opportunities where
most of us would only see struggles, abundance where most of us would
only see lack and they express their gratitude for all of it.
13. Presence/ Engagement vs.
Disengagement
They know how to live in the present
moment, appreciating what they have and where they are, while still
dreaming big dreams about the future.
When you are present, you can allow the
mind to be as it is without getting entangled in it. The mind in
itself is a wonderful tool. Dysfunction sets in when you seek
yourself in it and mistake it for who you are. ~Eckhart Tolle
14. Positivity vs. Negativity
No matter what happens to them, they
always keep a positive perspective on everything and by doing so,
they tend irritate a lot of negative and “realistic” people.
15. Taking Responsibility vs. Blaming
They take full ownership over their
lives and they rarely use excuses. Happy people understand that the
moment you choose to blame some outside force for whatever is
happening to you, you are in fact giving all your power away. They
choose to keep their power and take responsibility for everything
that happens to them.
- You already are what you are seeking
- We are in it for the journey – not the destination
The
truth is, we are already getting everything that we need for our
evolution. There is no need to try and control our path – the
lessons we need will keep coming, our inner-compass will keep
working. Our job is to simply notice, be in the moment and enjoy the
ride. Oh and just one last reminder… you don’t need to try and do
those things. It’s already happening. Just notice
Was
Carl Jung was right when he said, “What you resist not only
persists, but will grow in size?” My life experience tells me yes:
how much ground can you gain if you ‘fight’ anxiety, for example.
If energy-depleted or out of balance is what we are, we can accept
what we are, forgive ourselves, love ourselves and decide to change.
Healing involves a change of heart, which is intention; followed by
dedication, effort, commitment, and belief. Belief: an essential
element of any change is believing the change has already occurred.
Trust yourself… the circumstances you imagine already exist!
Saturday, December 21, 2013
20th December
Down on numbers today just 7 in all. We first viewed a video about Deja Vu, Immortality & Guardian angel by Anthony Peake on Juicy Living. A lot of information to take in.
Afterwards we read and discussed the following.
What I'm about to say will sound a bit pompous, but it's true. What is coming could be the most important minutes in your lives. If you could grasp this, you'd hit upon the secret of awakening. You would be happy forever. You would never be unhappy again. Nothing would have the power to hurt you again. I mean that, nothing. It's like when you throw black paint in the air, the air remains uncontaminated. You never color the air black. No matter what happens to you, you remain uncontaminated. You remain at peace. There are human beings who have attained this, what I call being human. Not this nonsense of being a puppet, jerked about this way and that way, letting events or other people tell you how to feel. So you proceed to feel it and you call it being vulnerable. Ha! I call it being a puppet. So you want to be a puppet? Press a button and you're down; do you like that? But if you refuse to identify with any of those labels, most of your worries cease.
Ordinarily you're worried about what's going to happen to your career. A small-time businessman, fifty-five years old, is sipping beer at a bar somewhere and he's saying, "Well, look at my classmates, they've really made it." The idiot! What does he mean, "They made it"? They've got their names in the newspaper. Do you call that making it? One is president of the corporation; the other has become the Chief Justice; somebody else has become this or that. Monkeys, all of them.
Who determines what it means to be a success? This stupid society! The main preoccupation of society is to keep society sick! And the sooner you realize that, the better. Sick, every one of them. They are loony, they're crazy. You became president of the lunatic asylum and you're proud of it even though it means nothing. Being president of a corporation has nothing to do with being a success in life. Having a lot of money has nothing to do with being a success in life. You're a success in life when you wake up! Then you don't have to apologize to anyone, you don't have to explain anything to anyone, you don't give a damn what anybody thinks about you or what anybody says about you. You have no worries; you're happy. That's what I call being a success. Having a good job or being famous or having a great reputation has absolutely nothing to do with happiness or success. Nothing! It is totally irrelevant. All he's really worried about is what his children will think about him, what the neighbors will think about him, what his wife will think about him. He should have become famous. Our society and culture drill that into our heads day and night. People who made it! Made what?! Made asses of themselves. Because they drained all their energy getting something that was worthless. They're frightened and confused, they are puppets like the rest. Look at them strutting across the stage. Look how upset they get if they have a stain on their shirt. Do you call that a success? Look at how frightened they are at the prospect they might not be reelected. Do you call that a success? They are controlled, so manipulated. They are unhappy people, they are miserable people. They don't enjoy life. They are constantly tense and anxious. Do you call that human? And do you know why that happens? Only one reason: They identified with some label. They identified the "I" with their money or their job or their profession. That was their error.
Did you hear about the lawyer who was presented with a plumber's bill? He said to the plumber, "Hey, you're charging me two hundred dollars an hour. I don't make that kind of money as a lawyer." The plumber said, "I didn't make that kind of money when I was a lawyer either!" You could be a plumber or a lawyer or a business man or a priest, but that does not affect the essential "I." It doesn't affect you. If I change my profession tomorrow, it's just
like changing my clothes. I am untouched. Are you your clothes? Are
you your name? Are you your profession? Stop identifying with them.
They come and go.
When you really understand this, no criticism can affect you. No flattery or praise can affect you either. When someone says, "You're a great guy," what is he talking about? He's talking about "me," he's not talking about "I." "I" is neither great nor small. "I" is neither successful nor a failure. It is none of these labels. These things come and go. These things depend on the criteria society establishes. These things depend on your conditioning. These things depend on the mood of the person who happens to be talking to you right now. It has nothing to do with "I." "I" is none of these labels. "Me" is generally selfish, foolish, childish -- a great big ass. So when you say, "You're an ass," I've known it for years! The conditioned self -- what did you expect? I've known it for years. Why do you identify with him? Silly! That isn't "I," that's "me."
Do you want to be happy? Uninterrupted happiness is uncaused. True happiness is uncaused. You cannot make me happy. You are not my happiness. You say to the awakened person, "Why are you happy?" and the awakened person replies, "Why not?"
Happiness is our natural state. Happiness is the natural state of little children, to whom the kingdom belongs until they have been polluted and contaminated by the stupidity of society and culture. To acquire happiness you don't have to do anything, because happiness cannot be acquired. Does anybody know why? Because we have it already. How can you acquire what you already have? Then why don't you experience it? Because you've got to drop something. You've got to drop illusions. You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something. Life is easy, life is delightful. It's only hard on your illusions, your ambitions, your greed, your cravings. Do you know where these things come from? From having identified with all kinds of labels!
Afterwards we read and discussed the following.
It's
probably too startling for many of you to understand that everyone
except the very rare awakened person can be expected to be selfish
and to seek his or her own self-interest whether in coarse or in
refined ways. This leads you to see that there's nothing to be
disappointed about, nothing to be disillusioned about. If you had
been in touch with reality all along, you would never have been
disappointed. But you chose to paint people in glowing colors; you
chose not to see through human beings because you chose not to see
through yourself. So you're paying the price now.
Before we discuss this, let me tell you a story. Somebody once asked, "What is enlightenment like? What is awakening like?" It's like the tramp in London who was settling in for the night. He'd hardly been able to get a crust of bread to eat. Then he reaches this embankment on the river Thames. There was a slight drizzle, so he huddled in his old tattered cloak. He was about to go to sleep when suddenly a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce pulls up. Out of the car steps a beautiful young lady who says to him, "My poor man, are you planning on spending the night here on this embankment?" And the tramp says, "Yes." She says, "I won't have it. You're coming to my house and you're going to spend a comfortable night and you're going to get a good dinner." She insists on his getting into the car. Well, they ride out of London and get to a place where she has a sprawling mansion with large grounds. They are ushered in by the butler, to whom she says, "James, please make sure he's put in the servants' quarters and treated well." Which is what James does. The young lady had undressed and was about to go to bed when she suddenly remembers her guest for the night. So she slips something on and pads along the corridor to the servants' quarters. She sees a little chink of light from the room where the tramp was put up. She taps lightly at the door, opens it, and finds the man awake. She says, "What's the trouble, my good man, didn't you get a good meal?" He said, "Never had a better meal in my life, lady." "Are you warm enough?" He says, "Yes, lovely warm bed." Then she says, "Maybe you need a little company. Why don't you move over a bit." And she comes closer to him and he moves over and falls right into the Thames.
Before we discuss this, let me tell you a story. Somebody once asked, "What is enlightenment like? What is awakening like?" It's like the tramp in London who was settling in for the night. He'd hardly been able to get a crust of bread to eat. Then he reaches this embankment on the river Thames. There was a slight drizzle, so he huddled in his old tattered cloak. He was about to go to sleep when suddenly a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce pulls up. Out of the car steps a beautiful young lady who says to him, "My poor man, are you planning on spending the night here on this embankment?" And the tramp says, "Yes." She says, "I won't have it. You're coming to my house and you're going to spend a comfortable night and you're going to get a good dinner." She insists on his getting into the car. Well, they ride out of London and get to a place where she has a sprawling mansion with large grounds. They are ushered in by the butler, to whom she says, "James, please make sure he's put in the servants' quarters and treated well." Which is what James does. The young lady had undressed and was about to go to bed when she suddenly remembers her guest for the night. So she slips something on and pads along the corridor to the servants' quarters. She sees a little chink of light from the room where the tramp was put up. She taps lightly at the door, opens it, and finds the man awake. She says, "What's the trouble, my good man, didn't you get a good meal?" He said, "Never had a better meal in my life, lady." "Are you warm enough?" He says, "Yes, lovely warm bed." Then she says, "Maybe you need a little company. Why don't you move over a bit." And she comes closer to him and he moves over and falls right into the Thames.
What I'm about to say will sound a bit pompous, but it's true. What is coming could be the most important minutes in your lives. If you could grasp this, you'd hit upon the secret of awakening. You would be happy forever. You would never be unhappy again. Nothing would have the power to hurt you again. I mean that, nothing. It's like when you throw black paint in the air, the air remains uncontaminated. You never color the air black. No matter what happens to you, you remain uncontaminated. You remain at peace. There are human beings who have attained this, what I call being human. Not this nonsense of being a puppet, jerked about this way and that way, letting events or other people tell you how to feel. So you proceed to feel it and you call it being vulnerable. Ha! I call it being a puppet. So you want to be a puppet? Press a button and you're down; do you like that? But if you refuse to identify with any of those labels, most of your worries cease.
Ordinarily you're worried about what's going to happen to your career. A small-time businessman, fifty-five years old, is sipping beer at a bar somewhere and he's saying, "Well, look at my classmates, they've really made it." The idiot! What does he mean, "They made it"? They've got their names in the newspaper. Do you call that making it? One is president of the corporation; the other has become the Chief Justice; somebody else has become this or that. Monkeys, all of them.
Who determines what it means to be a success? This stupid society! The main preoccupation of society is to keep society sick! And the sooner you realize that, the better. Sick, every one of them. They are loony, they're crazy. You became president of the lunatic asylum and you're proud of it even though it means nothing. Being president of a corporation has nothing to do with being a success in life. Having a lot of money has nothing to do with being a success in life. You're a success in life when you wake up! Then you don't have to apologize to anyone, you don't have to explain anything to anyone, you don't give a damn what anybody thinks about you or what anybody says about you. You have no worries; you're happy. That's what I call being a success. Having a good job or being famous or having a great reputation has absolutely nothing to do with happiness or success. Nothing! It is totally irrelevant. All he's really worried about is what his children will think about him, what the neighbors will think about him, what his wife will think about him. He should have become famous. Our society and culture drill that into our heads day and night. People who made it! Made what?! Made asses of themselves. Because they drained all their energy getting something that was worthless. They're frightened and confused, they are puppets like the rest. Look at them strutting across the stage. Look how upset they get if they have a stain on their shirt. Do you call that a success? Look at how frightened they are at the prospect they might not be reelected. Do you call that a success? They are controlled, so manipulated. They are unhappy people, they are miserable people. They don't enjoy life. They are constantly tense and anxious. Do you call that human? And do you know why that happens? Only one reason: They identified with some label. They identified the "I" with their money or their job or their profession. That was their error.
Did you hear about the lawyer who was presented with a plumber's bill? He said to the plumber, "Hey, you're charging me two hundred dollars an hour. I don't make that kind of money as a lawyer." The plumber said, "I didn't make that kind of money when I was a lawyer either!" You could be a plumber or a lawyer or a business man or a priest, but that does not affect the essential "I." It doesn't affect you. If I change my profession tomorrow, it's just
When you really understand this, no criticism can affect you. No flattery or praise can affect you either. When someone says, "You're a great guy," what is he talking about? He's talking about "me," he's not talking about "I." "I" is neither great nor small. "I" is neither successful nor a failure. It is none of these labels. These things come and go. These things depend on the criteria society establishes. These things depend on your conditioning. These things depend on the mood of the person who happens to be talking to you right now. It has nothing to do with "I." "I" is none of these labels. "Me" is generally selfish, foolish, childish -- a great big ass. So when you say, "You're an ass," I've known it for years! The conditioned self -- what did you expect? I've known it for years. Why do you identify with him? Silly! That isn't "I," that's "me."
Do you want to be happy? Uninterrupted happiness is uncaused. True happiness is uncaused. You cannot make me happy. You are not my happiness. You say to the awakened person, "Why are you happy?" and the awakened person replies, "Why not?"
Happiness is our natural state. Happiness is the natural state of little children, to whom the kingdom belongs until they have been polluted and contaminated by the stupidity of society and culture. To acquire happiness you don't have to do anything, because happiness cannot be acquired. Does anybody know why? Because we have it already. How can you acquire what you already have? Then why don't you experience it? Because you've got to drop something. You've got to drop illusions. You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something. Life is easy, life is delightful. It's only hard on your illusions, your ambitions, your greed, your cravings. Do you know where these things come from? From having identified with all kinds of labels!
Friday, November 15, 2013
November meeting
Just eight of us today, to start we watched a video of a man who has conversations with God and has written 14 books.
After wards we read the following - the first half proposing that depression is brought on by the absence of spirit in ones life. The second a way to see who we are and know MU.
Now point at something else. The floor, for example. Observe that it too, at this range, is a 'thing'.
Point at your shoe. Another 'thing'.
Point at your torso -- yet another 'thing'. At this range it too has form, color, opacity ...
We now come to the most important part -- turning your attention round 180 degrees and looking back at the place you are looking out of. Point back at the place where others see your face. (Actually do this.) You are now pointing at the one place that is no distance from you.
What do you see?
Are you pointing at another thing now? Going by present evidence, not by memory or imagination, is there any color, shape, opacity or 'thingness' here? Do you see your face here? Do you see eyes or cheeks or chin here?
Put aside assumptions and expectations and look as if for the first time. Only you are in a position to see what you are at center, since you alone are your side of your pointing finger. Don't rely on what you think is there. Rely on looking.
Here is my experience. Where others see my face, I see nothing. There is my pointing finger with the room beyond it, but here where it's pointing is nothing -- no face, no eyes, no cheeks, no teeth. I am looking out of space, clearness, transparency, emptiness, MU. In fact, I am this space, this clearness.
In this spacious emptiness is now presented my finger, the scene beyond, various tickles and itches, passing thoughts and feelings.
Keep pointing at -- and looking at -- the place where others see your face. Be curious and attentive. What is the nature of this place you have assumed is solid, head-shaped, human? Rely directly on your present experience, not on thinking. Don't assume you know and therefore needn't look. Don't take other people's view of you from several metres as reliable evidence for what you are at center. Have an open mind and take a fresh look at yourself.
You are now seeing who you really are. 'But I see nothing!' you may object. Yes, I see nothing too. But this is a very special nothing. For a start it's awake -- awake to itself as no-thing. (It's not an unconscious nothing, unaware of itself, dead.)
It's also a no-thing that is awake to what it contains -- which is everything, from your pointing finger to the stars in the night sky. This empty space is room for the universe. You are that space and all it embraces. But you may find that seeing your no-thingness isn't 'wow' experience. That's alright. It doesn't have to be dramatic. We are simply paying attention to what is given. Or not given.
We are not trying to generate mystical feelings or get high. That may or may not happen. In fact, exciting mystical experiences can sometimes confuse the issue, diverting us from the simplicity and truth at center into those attractive states of body and mind.
After wards we read the following - the first half proposing that depression is brought on by the absence of spirit in ones life. The second a way to see who we are and know MU.
A SPIRITUAL VIEW OF DEPRESSION
The
hunger of the soul for light, especially when the language of
spirituality has not been acquired fully, can be both painful and
confusing. A person can feel lost, misunderstood, out of place,
with a sense of not belonging anywhere. In fact, without the
spiritual underpinnings anchored in awareness, it can feel like one
doesn’t even belong to oneself. This nameless thing that it
is possible to long for involves hunger at the deepest level.
It is a hunger for spiritual light.
Although
we generally experience symptoms of depression as primarily physical
and emotional, their essential core may lie in something that cannot
be seen that is of a spiritual nature, namely, the relative absence
of the energy of light. When missing, the absence of light can
feel like the sun covered over for long periods of time by dark
clouds, causing a sense of yearning for warmth and radiance and in
some, a sense of depletion and fatigue. This yearning can be
completely unknown to the one experiencing it who may only feel the
result of what is missing, not the cause.
Light
of a higher vibration than physical light is a spiritual energy –
part of the energy of Creation. This light has been with us since the
beginning, referred to in the Book of Genesis as the primary
utterance - “let there be light.” When translated onto the
physical level, it becomes a powerful force for healing and change,
helping all beings to evolve and human beings to transcend the
limitations of darkness that they may have carried for a very long
time. In many instances, thoughts, feelings, and physical
symptoms associated with depression are each influenced by the
absence or presence of spiritual light which both supports and
regulates a flow of energy to the brain and to other organs,
enhancing and maintaining their many functions.
Often,
a soul may be hungry for light and not know what it is that they are
hungry for. Frequently, this hunger feels formless and
nameless, occurring only in relation to the feeling that there is
something missing - a place of emptiness that cannot be filled.
Those who are more behaviorally-focused may point to activities of a
more meaningful kind that could help with this emptiness including
work and relationships with others, and this is frequently true: such
activities often help. However, sometimes the soul that is
hungry finds that nothing will do – that no activity, no work, and
no relationship can make a difference in terms of what the inner self
is actually seeking. The emptiness feels beyond that.
The
hunger of the soul for light, especially when the language of
spirituality has not been acquired fully, can be both painful and
confusing. A person can feel lost, misunderstood, out of place,
with a sense of not belonging anywhere. In fact, without the
spiritual underpinnings anchored in awareness, it can feel like one
doesn’t even belong to oneself. Then, there is a kind of gray
pallor that is cast over existence as one goes through the motions of
living, with the feeling that everything should be
alright, but isn’t. This nameless thing that it is possible
to long for involves a hunger at the deepest level. It is both
a hunger for spiritual connection - for a relationship with the
universe in which there is a sense of belonging and home. It is
also a hunger of the body to be filled with light and a recognition,
usually beyond words, that we suffer from a sense of depletion.
This hunger of the body can occur more powerfully in those who have
been exposed to great spiritual light previously, often in other
lifetimes. Where this exposure has created a living, embodied
experience of connection with God and with the higher realms, one who
has lost this connection often feels a mysterious and poignant sense
of emptiness.
There
is no instant remedy for this situation, for things of the spirit for
the most part do not happen instantly. But they can happen in a
relatively short span of time, once it is recognized that it is light
that is longed for, and once the search begins for an adequate way of
providing it.
Pointing
at MU (Nothing)
Point
at something nearby and look You are observing a 'thing'. In other
words, at this range it has form, color, opacity ...Now point at something else. The floor, for example. Observe that it too, at this range, is a 'thing'.
Point at your shoe. Another 'thing'.
Point at your torso -- yet another 'thing'. At this range it too has form, color, opacity ...
We now come to the most important part -- turning your attention round 180 degrees and looking back at the place you are looking out of. Point back at the place where others see your face. (Actually do this.) You are now pointing at the one place that is no distance from you.
What do you see?
Are you pointing at another thing now? Going by present evidence, not by memory or imagination, is there any color, shape, opacity or 'thingness' here? Do you see your face here? Do you see eyes or cheeks or chin here?
Put aside assumptions and expectations and look as if for the first time. Only you are in a position to see what you are at center, since you alone are your side of your pointing finger. Don't rely on what you think is there. Rely on looking.
Here is my experience. Where others see my face, I see nothing. There is my pointing finger with the room beyond it, but here where it's pointing is nothing -- no face, no eyes, no cheeks, no teeth. I am looking out of space, clearness, transparency, emptiness, MU. In fact, I am this space, this clearness.
In this spacious emptiness is now presented my finger, the scene beyond, various tickles and itches, passing thoughts and feelings.
Keep pointing at -- and looking at -- the place where others see your face. Be curious and attentive. What is the nature of this place you have assumed is solid, head-shaped, human? Rely directly on your present experience, not on thinking. Don't assume you know and therefore needn't look. Don't take other people's view of you from several metres as reliable evidence for what you are at center. Have an open mind and take a fresh look at yourself.
You are now seeing who you really are. 'But I see nothing!' you may object. Yes, I see nothing too. But this is a very special nothing. For a start it's awake -- awake to itself as no-thing. (It's not an unconscious nothing, unaware of itself, dead.)
It's also a no-thing that is awake to what it contains -- which is everything, from your pointing finger to the stars in the night sky. This empty space is room for the universe. You are that space and all it embraces. But you may find that seeing your no-thingness isn't 'wow' experience. That's alright. It doesn't have to be dramatic. We are simply paying attention to what is given. Or not given.
We are not trying to generate mystical feelings or get high. That may or may not happen. In fact, exciting mystical experiences can sometimes confuse the issue, diverting us from the simplicity and truth at center into those attractive states of body and mind.
Friday, October 18, 2013
18th October 2013
Interesting morning at least those attending said it was. Major topics were that there is no external reality as the video on Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe. This agrees with all mystics through the ages.
Afterwards we examined the true meaning to some of Christian texts.
The idea that you must find and come to Know Thyself seems so antithetical to not only the message of the Gospel, but also most religious monastic mindsets -- with the added fact that few people would be able to even define what it is about the self that one is required to know. And what this means is that the whole concept of Knowing Thyself, from the perspective of the modern dogmatic and politically correct world, is representative of an incomprehensible enigma. And this great enigmatic void is not only true of the religious world, but is equally true of the educational and scientific institutions that serve as the bedrock foundation of our modern culture. And yet, if the Gospel of Thomas saying of Jesus is correct -- and even representative of the "Q" source that Bible scholars look for -- then it should be disconcerting to the modern believer that Jesus portrays them as dwelling in a great poverty of mind and being -- i.e., "...But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty". But perhaps even more confusing is when this statement to Know Thyself is seen in the context of whoever attempts to save his life will loose it (Matt. 16:26) -- to the degree that one must totally deny one's self: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Thus, the questions must be posed: How can one Know Thyself, and yet must lose one's self? What is there to know, if whatever is of the self must be gotten rid of? By all accounts, this enigma of paradoxical opposites appears to undermine all that most believers think they know about the Gospel message. And if it is true that there is something to know about the self that, if one is ignorant of this reality of self, that one dwells in a state of abject poverty and knows nothing of any real value, then even what a believer thinks they know and believes, will remain in perpetual error. Thus, confirming the long ignored warning: "There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death" (Prov 14:12). Which would confirm the validity of the warning in the Epistle of Peter and James that if this paradoxical enigmatic knowledge is not understood, that "...it will remain even for those who really seek the truth, always to wander in error"!!! Could such a thing be true?
Afterwards we examined the true meaning to some of Christian texts.
The idea that you must find and come to Know Thyself seems so antithetical to not only the message of the Gospel, but also most religious monastic mindsets -- with the added fact that few people would be able to even define what it is about the self that one is required to know. And what this means is that the whole concept of Knowing Thyself, from the perspective of the modern dogmatic and politically correct world, is representative of an incomprehensible enigma. And this great enigmatic void is not only true of the religious world, but is equally true of the educational and scientific institutions that serve as the bedrock foundation of our modern culture. And yet, if the Gospel of Thomas saying of Jesus is correct -- and even representative of the "Q" source that Bible scholars look for -- then it should be disconcerting to the modern believer that Jesus portrays them as dwelling in a great poverty of mind and being -- i.e., "...But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty". But perhaps even more confusing is when this statement to Know Thyself is seen in the context of whoever attempts to save his life will loose it (Matt. 16:26) -- to the degree that one must totally deny one's self: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Thus, the questions must be posed: How can one Know Thyself, and yet must lose one's self? What is there to know, if whatever is of the self must be gotten rid of? By all accounts, this enigma of paradoxical opposites appears to undermine all that most believers think they know about the Gospel message. And if it is true that there is something to know about the self that, if one is ignorant of this reality of self, that one dwells in a state of abject poverty and knows nothing of any real value, then even what a believer thinks they know and believes, will remain in perpetual error. Thus, confirming the long ignored warning: "There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death" (Prov 14:12). Which would confirm the validity of the warning in the Epistle of Peter and James that if this paradoxical enigmatic knowledge is not understood, that "...it will remain even for those who really seek the truth, always to wander in error"!!! Could such a thing be true?
What
if you are not your real or true self? How can this be,
you ask? What if you are what is often portrayed as the
ego-self? Or, what G.I.Gurdjieff, Philip K. Dick and
other mystics portrayed as false-personalities? When
Jesus stated that you must lose yourself, what if he was making
reference to the false-self that is in this world?
And when Jesus made reference to the "House Divided" that
cannot stand, what if he was stating that so long as the person you
are in this world remains divided from your true-self that is not
manifest in the body -- primarily because of the limitations of the
organic physical body -- that is it you in a divided state of mind
and being that cannot stand? What if your true self is
locked deep beneath your being -- at a depth of mind and being that
you cannot readily access because of the limitations of the physical
body-vessel -- and the ancient adage that is proclaimed in the Gospel
of Thomas is a statement of fact that unless the false or ego-self
brings about in inner union or marriage with their true-self that is
not manifest in the body-vessel, that you can have no real permanence
-- dwelling in a state of profound mental and spiritual poverty, as
seen in the words of the Gospel
of
Thomas: "...But
if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you
who are that poverty".
The
person you are at present is the product of the temporal culture and
time-frame in which you are presently living -- and as such, few
people have given any thought to the fact that, if you preserve and
attempt to save that which is temporal and false, that you will have
squandered your life away? What if what is often
portrayed as the ego-self, is the person you are in this world, while
the true self exists at a deeper level of mind and being and cannot
easily manifest in the person whose thinking, mindset and lifestyle
is founded upon the temporal cultures and lifestyles of this world?
And what if when Jesus makes reference to the blind, deaf and those
incapable of understanding with any depth of comprehension, it is in
reference to those who are carnal and anchored to this world -- which
condition of mind is that portrayed as dwelling in what Jesus said
was the "outer
darkness" of
mind and being (see Outer
Darkness)?
And what if beyond the barrier of the inner wall of consciousness
where the true self dwells, all truths were seen and known in the
Light of a naked reality? Why, all of a sudden the
enigmas of knowing one's self, losing the self in this world, and
ones search for the Kingdom within, would suddenly be understood from
a totally different perspective than it is today. Even
the Lord's Prayer where Jesus teaches his followers to beseech the
Lord to bring about the manifestation of the Kingdom (within) -- and
why Jesus commanded to seek the Kingdom first as seen in the
words: "But
seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you" (Matt.
6:33) -- one would have to conclude that man's present-day dogmatic
poverty is so great, that the modern Church has very little in common
with the original teachings of Jesus and TheWay. If
one is supposed to seek the Kingdom by losing the false-self of one's
carnal nature, in order to permit one's true inner self to manifest,
then the whole dogmatic concept of waiting until you physically die
to see if you will inherit the promise of going to Glory, would have
to be radically re-evaluated in light of countless other original
Gospel teachings and concepts that are largely ignored today.
And while on the surface this may sound radical, isn't this exactly
what Paul stated when he commanded the congregation of
Christians: "Put
to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature" (Col
3:5 NIV). But the problem is that modern man does
not at all understand this biblical reality, because he lacks the
knowledge of his own Cosmology of Mind and Being.
Therefore, he doesn't know that the "...earthly
nature" which
Paul commands to "Put
to death...",
is in fact the false-self that man is in this world. And
that the seeker/disciple must come to Know Thyself, by Manifesting
their True-Self, while still alive in the physical body-vessel.
And if this is true, then what you are about to read could very well
be the most important thing you have ever read in your entire
life.
Hegel's
Geist is not like the transcendent (outside of our consciousness) God
of traditional Christianity. For Hegel God is immanent and when we
have understood that history is the process of Geist coming to know
itself it appears that we are all part of Geist, or God.
Friday, September 20, 2013
20th September
Put on 2 videos today one asking when did you stop and did nothing for 10 minutes? Absolutely nothing and just watch your thoughts. The second one showed how best to do it which had a mixed reaction some liked it others were more critical. After a break we read a paper on paying attention.
Another
important justification to master paying attention is to have
effective communication. This skill requires the ability to stay
present and listen as well as noticing how you are being affected by
listening. When you respond, effective communication requires that
you pay attention and be certain that your thoughts are clear and
make sense. Lastly, effective communication happens when you pay
attention and endeavor to notice how your information is being
received, or not.
In summary
paying attention consciously is essential for:
- Noticing all that is happening. Choosing the most resourceful options. Making intelligent and compassionate decisions. Having effective, clear and powerful communication. Trusting your non-rational inner resources of intuition, inspiration and inner guidance. Discerning what is true or false. Separating facts from fiction and knowing reality from fantasy. Knowing that falsehood, fantasy and hallucinations are produced by your mind. Knowing that observing reality and the apprehension of truth depend on being Self-Aware.
Friday, August 16, 2013
16 August 13
Interesting morning we first watched a business and health coach on how to love money and health by feeding the roots rather than studying the fruits. Made sense we do have a financial thermostat. We do copy our culture or parents unless we reject these and do the opposite. Most of us thought it was typical American the way it was put over but the message was good.
After a stop for tea and biscuits we looked at the following.
Black
hole: Human beings are currently filled with the mind; there is no
room for life. When you turn it off, you empty yourself, and life
naturally rushes in to fill the void. You become like a black hole,
and life pours into you from every direction. A black hole does not
let anything out; a spiritual being reflects it all back out.
Center
of the universe: When you experience life equally from all
directions, you experience natural life, true life.
You
become the center of the universe, because that is what you truly
are. The universe is infinite in all directions, so no matter where
you move, you will always remain in the exact center.
You
may be saying that this is a good way to look at it, but it is more
than that, because it is the truth; it is the only true way to look
at the big picture of life.
When
I walk, I am not just walking on the street; I am walking through the
center of my own personal universe.
Religions
were right; we are at the center of the universe. Galileo, Kepler,
and Copernicus were also right from the mind’s perspective, but
from your own perspective, the only perspective that really matters
to you, you are at the center of the universe, and that is the only
place you can be in an infinite universe.
First
step: When you realize that you are the center of the infinite
universe and always will be, you realize how special you are. You are
always at the exact center of life. All life that comes to your
center is just for you and no one else. You are living in your own
unique universe where everything is just for you.
Living
with the awareness that you are the center of everything is the first
step people take to becoming a spiritual being. This is because it is
the easiest thing to do. You can do it with your mind the way it is,
and with other people around.
Most
people can do it right away. Try it right now, and you will see it is
true. You will see you really are the center of the universe. You
will see that life really is coming from every direction, and no
matter what you do, that never changes.
You
have to let it all out instantly, or there is no room for the new
life to come in. The more life you allow in, the more you have to
reflect back out to others. You become completely full of life; your
cup runith over.
As
John Lennon says in song, “you can radiate everything you are.”
You can be everything and reflect everything to others.
You
will become the present. You will have presence. Great actors have
what is called stage presence. They become life itself, and the
audience can see it. Movie stars need presence, at least while they
are acting. If you want to see someone living in the present, watch a
movie. Presence is created by living in the present and reflecting
the present to other people.
The
mind barrier: The very mind that has made seeing the truth possible
is now the only thing preventing us from taking the last step, the
final step in human evolution. People are living as their false,
mortal mind-self, and they should be living as their true, immortal
spiritual-self, or the exact opposite of the way they are living now.
Your
mind is like a door or gate, and the truth is the key to that door.
The truth causes the mind to begin to change its relationship with
you; it turns the mind from your worst enemy to your best friend.
You
have to turn the key. You have to open the door. No one else can.
The
mind is no longer you; it is just a small part of you. It is no
longer your master; it is your servant. It has to do the exact
opposite of what it has evolved to do (control). That is why it takes
the truth and some effort to get free of the mind.
It
is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil from the
spirit of man. Albert Einstein
The
way: You just have to do one thing; learn to recognize what is true
(life) and what is not true (mind). Then give your life to just what
is true. If you do this, the false illusions of the mind will no
longer control your life, and you will be free. Think about it until
you understand the truth completely, and then just do what the truth
dictates.
True
life really is that simple, but most people cannot see the truth now.
The
mind is more powerful than the spirit in this world.
The
mind is a dominate force: The mind will always infect a person living
clear of the mind. A spiritual person cannot cause a person living in
the mind to stop living in the mind, but a person living in the mind
can cause a spiritual person to activate their mind. The mind is a
form of energy; the spirit is like a void.
Great
spirits are always opposed by mediocre minds.
Albert
Einstein
The
mind has the upper hand in this world. It is the way it is, so you
have to be alone or with other people that know the truth to live
without the mind. Thus, it will get easier to live clear of mind in
this world as more people learn the truth. Your mind and other minds
will do everything to keep you out of the present and knock you off
the path. Your job is to just let the mind do it, watch it, and see
it for what it is, and it will gradually get weaker. It will get
easier to stay on path.
Living
with less evolved people: Imagine you were the only modern man in a
world filled with cavemen. That is how a spiritual being feels living
with mankind.
The
craziest people are running the asylum.
Minds
beget minds: Schools, family, work, social groups, religions and
political parties are all minds creating other minds in their own
image. Other minds are like an infectious disease; the closer you are
to them, the more they infect your mind. It starts with the closest,
most influential people around you, such as friends, family, and
superiors at work or school.
The
truth stops violence: The truth makes people happy and secure. Only
unhappy, insecure or fearful people fight. When the truth and life is
revealed to everyone, everyone will be happy and secure, and this
will stop all conflict.
Spiritual
beings could not win in the past, but the times are changing, and
thanks to worldwide communication, spiritual people can win now.
The
collective unconscious: In the last few generations, we discovered
two invisible forces: electricity and electromagnetic (radio) waves.
No one believed they existed a few hundred years ago. In this
generation, we are going to discover and confirm a new invisible
force that I call the collective unconscious mind. It is the force of
nature, or part of the force of nature, that gives us continuity from
one life to another. Without it, there could be no evolution.
The
collective unconscious is not alive. It is just a part of our minds,
an extension of our minds, not a separate life form. The collective
unconscious is something like gravity that connects all of us.
Religions call it the Holy Spirit.
Every
extension of knowledge arises from making the unconscious conscious.
Friedrich Nietzsche
In
other words, when you get your mind out of the way, you become
conscious of what you were not conscious of before. You become
conscious of something beyond the mind. You can make contact with the
universal mind of life.
The
intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a
leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, the
solution comes to you and you don't know how or why. The truly
valuable thing is the intuition.
Albert
Einstein
Inspiration:
The word means “breath of God.” It is where ideas, art, poetry,
movies, philosophy, music, inventions, revelations and all new
creative things come from. It manifests in many ways, such as talent,
intuition and insight.
Intuition:
Intuition and inspiration come from the same place. They are both
manifestations of the collective unconscious. When asked where they
got the idea for something, creative people will say they were
inspired, they dreamed it, it just came to them in a flash, etc. All
new, creative things come from outside our own minds. By definition,
they have to come from outside your mind to be truly new. Paul
McCartney was once asked where his songs come from. He answered: “I
don't know; they seem to come out of the air.”
When
real music comes to me - the music of the spheres, the music that
surpasses understanding - that has nothing to do with me, cause I'm
just the channel. The only joy for me is for it to be given to me,
and to transcribe it like a medium... those moments are what I live
for.
Friday, July 19, 2013
19th July 2013
Smaller group than usual but very enjoyable discussion and on watching a short film we all agreed that the message might be true the messenger was not sincere and was more interested in selling his book. A second video about the Bankers who rule the world was well received and popular feeling is that it may well be true.
2. The great secret possessed by the great men of all ages was their ability to contact and release the powers of their sub conscious mind. You can do the same.
3. Your subconscious has the answer to all problems. If you suggest to your subconscious prior to sleep, “I want to get up at 6 A.M.,” it will awaken you at that exact time.
4. Your subconscious mind is the builder of your body and can heal you. Lull yourself to sleep every night with the idea of perfect health, and your subconscious, being your faithful servant, will obey you.
5. Every thought is a cause, and every condition is an effect.
6. If you want to write a book, write a wonderful play, give a better talk to your audience, convey the idea lovingly and feelingly to your subconscious mind, and it will respond accordingly.
7. You are like a captain navigating a ship. He must give the right orders, and likewise, you must give the right orders (thoughts and images) to your subconscious mind, which controls and governs all your experiences.
8. Never use the terms, “I can’t afford it” or “I can’t do this.” Your subconscious mind takes you at your word and sees to it that you do not have the money or the ability to do what you want to do. Affirm, “I can do all things through the power of my subconscious mind.”
9. The law of life is the law of belief. A belief is a thought in your mind. Do not believe in things to harm or hurt you. Believe in the power of your subconscious to heal, inspire, strengthen, and prosper you. According to your belief is it done unto you.
10. Change your thoughts, and you change your destiny.
Review of highlights
1. Think good, and good follows. Think evil, and evil follows. You are what you think all day long.
2. Your subconscious mind does not argue with you. It accepts what your conscious mind decrees. If you say, “I can’t afford it,” it may be true, but do not say it. Select a better thought, decree, “I’ll buy it. I accept it in my mind.”
3. You have the power to choose. Choose health and happiness. You can choose to be friendly, or you can choose to be unfriendly. Choose to be cooperative, joyous, friendly, lovable, and the whole world will respond. This is the best way to develop a wonderful personality.
4. Your conscious mind is the “watchman at the gate.” Its chief function is to protect your subconscious mind from false impressions. Choose to believe that something good can happen and is happening now. Your greatest power is your capacity to choose. Choose happiness and abundance.
5. The suggestions and statements of others have no power to hurt you. The only power is the movement of your own thought. You can choose to reject the thoughts or statements of others and affirm the good. You have the power to choose how you will react.
6. Watch what you say. You have to account for every idle word. Never say, “I will fail; I will lose my job; I can’t pay the rent.” Your subconscious cannot take a joke. It brings all these things to pass.
7. Your mind is not evil. No force of nature is evil. It depends how you use the powers of nature. Use your mind to bless, heal, and inspire all people everywhere.
8. Never say, “I can’t.” Overcome that fear by substituting the following, “I can do all things through the power of my own subconscious mind.”
9. Begin to think from the standpoint of the eternal truths and principles of life and not
from the standpoint of fear, ignorance, and superstition. Do not let others do your
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