The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
Find peace in the simple moments of solitude and quiet reflection. It does not require complicated methods of prayer and meditation. Simply quiet the mind, focus on the sensations of this moment, breathe, and become aware in the silence of a steady presence without elation, with no leave, always there, a constant and consistent radiance. It is always there if you recognize it, only the thinking mind masks its presence.
Your mind will become clear with time and practice. It is important to take breaks from your work, however, do not take a break from the practice of being aware in the moment. This you must continue to practice as often as possible. You will find a draw and a desire to do this as your practice improves. When you see attacks, you will feel only compassion. When you see neglect in any form, you will feel only love and understanding. When you face difficulties with others, a sense of Joy will surround you. Through it all, as you remain aware you will know the peace that has no measure.
Endeavor to persevere, what else is there to do? Recognize that allowing the mind to wander may result in thoughts that create suffering, anxiety, anger, and fear. Recognizing this when it happens and meeting it immediately with compassion and forgiveness is an important skill to practice and master. No one who has existed in this form, is without the knowledge of the challenges of the thinking mind and its tendency to drift. Even as we are aware of the advantages of eliminating painful thoughts, the mind’s nature to fall into unskillful thinking will always remain an obstacle. It is best to accept this as part of the experience of this world and return again to the peace of the present moment.
I haven’t written a journal in a while. I am concerned with the way things are coming out. Do I present it as my teacher’s voice or my own? I am not sure whether I think I am crazy or trying to be a charlatan and rehashing things I’ve learned or heard in some way claiming there is some ethereal supernatural element to it. Should I go back and rewrite it in a more authentic sounding voice. “Authentic Sounding” that should be a tell whenever those two words are together. I find it hard to stay motivated on any of this stuff.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
Don’t be concerned about the potential future criticisms of others. Negative thoughts about future attacks are, of course, completely delusional. The only valid argument the ego could possibly muster in this case is defensive preparation. Is this the world you want to live in? One where you must defend every action or every word spoken or written against an imaginary adversary? This is optimizing for inaction. Perhaps you might try to trust; to have the courage to be vulnerable to attacks. This might prove to be a more interesting outcome. Remember that I am always with you. Even if you are reviled and humiliated by everyone in this world, my love for you is constant and unchanging. What are you afraid of?
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
Be quiet and know that I am always here with you. It is in the peaceful moments, where the mind is still, that you can feel the presence of love and know this to be true. Do not fear the quandaries that this world presents nor perceive them as a puzzle to be solved. It is only in remaining still in peace, quieting all thought, and allowing your feelings to flow freely that you can rest in the knowledge that everything is as it should be, right now, right here, in this moment.
Know that your consciousness, in this moment, is not bound by time or proximity to anyone or anything. You are as safe now as you have ever been and will always be. Do not look back on troubling events in the past and worry or be concerned about what will be tomorrow. Here and now, in this moment only, can you find peace. Allow yourself to become aware of the love and compassion you feel for all beings, by quieting thought, this will become apparent. Quiet the inner cynic who remains certain this will not work, those thoughts are useless and irrelevant, they produce nothing of value. Quiet the anxious coward who builds defenses against foes that do not exist, fear has no place in the heart of peace. Quiet the judgmental critic who tirelessly looks for fault in everyone and everything, nothing real can be found at fault.
By looking within and finding the place of peace we can begin to heal our minds. This healing of the mind is always available and never denied. You will never be rejected when asking for the mind to be healed. It may take time and patience, the healing may not be apparent at first, through dedication and perseverance you will find this to be true. Only in peace will you find the exact nature of who we really are. Only in your heart, in this moment, will you find a place of refuge that can never be denied. It is your eternal home where comfort can always be found and the sacred connection that we all share is realized in joyful harmony.
Knowing that, in reality, the mind has already been healed the following prayer serves as an example of a prayer of thanks for this healing:
Gracious Source of Healing,
In humble gratitude, we thank you for restoring our troubled minds. Your love and compassion have brought us peace and clarity. May we cherish this newfound wholeness, embracing each moment with gratitude and grace.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
In this world, it may seem as though violence is part of the natural order. In fact, the forces that are used as foundational concepts include polarity, natural separation, attraction and repulsion. Atomic force is taught to either bind particles or expel them. Why then would we be surprised to see the same behavior happening on a human level, on a tribal level, or even a national level? It should be known that violence in its most simple form is judgment; in turn judgment is measure.
A woman decided to rank how much she was loved by each or her three children. She asked the children each to bring her a gift. By estimating the value of the gift, she would decide which child loved her the most. One child gave a jewel and this was valued the highest, another child gave a golden ring and this was valued almost as high. One child drew a picture of all of them happy and together and this was not valued as highly. This child who gave the drawing asked her Mother, why do you not love me as much? Even if she had valued the drawing higher, the other children may have asked the same question. You see, it was the Mother’s judgment, her measure of the value of gifts that caused feelings of being unloved among her children.
It is possible for us to let go of judgment. By letting go of our desires we can let go of the concept of measure and find peace. Although creation and destruction are constant in this world, nothing needs to be made or unmade, nothing needs to be transferred or stored, and nothing needs to be hidden or revealed in order for us to love completely. If you can, if just for a moment, try to liberate yourself from all desire you will come to understand this freedom and understand the fallacy of judgment. Without it, there is no attack, and without attack there is no violence. This liberation is waiting for you beneath the facade of the craving self.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
Devotion to your teacher, devotion to your parents, devotion to your friends, devotion to a stranger, devotion to a prisoner, devotion to your enemy, is devotion to oneself. Devotion to the poor is as devotion to the rich, your birthright and your refuge. Be devoted to improving the lives of others. Neither hinder nor prohibit their way on the path which they walk. Do not tear open the chrysalis of a being’s experience. The path must be walked fully for it to be understood by the traveler. Know that you are here to walk with your brothers and sisters; not to walk for them. In each case the end will be the same, the full telling of the story of awakening. Let’s read it together, have patience and take your time.
When we look at the path of others we are looking at our own path, the difference is a trick of perception; separation is magic of complexity and nothing more. Rest in the knowledge that you and I are with each other in the calmness of awareness as it has always been. Do not fear anything this world shows you regardless of how horrific it may seem. Feel compassion for the violent dragon as he will one day kneel and weep and know. Open your heart to the mirror gazers for they will look upon a withered face. Know that the ladder climbers will reach a summit and find the same hunger waiting for them there. There is no eternal joy in aspiration or attainment.
There is a place where joy never ends, beneath the façade of placement and acquisition. You will know it when you realize that you have always been there. Let go of your likes and dislikes. Let go of your restlessness and anxiety. Have no fear and release all doubt that you are joyful, content, peaceful, and complete in this moment as you have always been. It is only the illusion of the thinking self, its intent of mastery, its desire to extinguish, and its fear of loneliness and death which hides the true nature of our being. Rest in the understanding that the passing of these thoughts are only a novel dream of difference. You are beyond the need of healing, you are.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
You may ask yourself, what are the limits of unconditional love? This is an understandable question that the thinking mind may ask. Let’s think about this differently, imagine yourself and your thoughts, this is the basis for your world view. There are others in your world and they have thoughts too. These thoughts may be fantasies, fictional worlds, observations of manifest reality which prove to be real when repeatedly observed from inside of the world. Some thoughts you share with others, and these shared observations form a shared identity. Imagine now that this is a system in which a measure of love exists. All of the theories of science, politics, and religion exist inside of this world. All of the fantasies and fictions and all of what appears to be real to everyone exists inside of this world.
What the world does not appear to have is an initial cause. To be certain there are theories, but as each theory comes into being, it poses more questions than it answers. This creates a world of unending questions and unending quests for more and more truth seemingly without end. This expands the world within the concept of measurement, but does nothing to resolve the cause of its existence. What a beautiful exhibition of complexity of thought. A world that becomes larger and more complex with each additional quest to understand its origin. This multiplies the complexity of the search without ever providing an answer. In the heart of this world lies the mind that thinks and searches endlessly creating more and more puzzles with each new discovery. This mind’s very nature is one of separation and measure, for greater love can only be known if it can truly be proven to be greater.
Imagine now that this world is a closed system appearing to grow larger but only from within itself. The concept of measure itself is an attribute of this world. Imagine that you could step outside of this world and find refuge, imagine a theater in which you could sit with someone and watch the beauty of endless complexity pass by. Imagine that this someone loves you beyond any limit. Remember you are outside of the world of limit and only observe the world of limit in which love is restricted and given only to those deemed worthy in controlled proportion. In the theater, with the one who loves you beyond all understanding, you can watch as beings try to withhold love, restrict compassion, deny joy, and search in vain for a conditional peace in which they each believe they are the ultimate victor. What a comedy it is as you sympathetically laugh with your loving guide in this theater of true liberation from the traps and pitfalls of the unloving world displayed before you.
You see your body, as it is now within this world. From here it is easy to love yourself completely, failings, shortcomings, defects, and all. Imagine watching death, forgetting, and rebirth as beings try and try again to love in a more equitable and fair way. This example explains the limitlessness of unconditional love. This theater is your true home and your loved one is all of us, together, realizing the insanity of this world of extravagance and scarcity. There can be no great measure without its inverse and in this lies the fallacy of negotiated love.
Know that you will exist in these forms. You are not at one, you are not separate, you are both at one and separate. The mind of the separate may never come to understand the nonexistence of limits. Rest assured, your mind in oneness does understand this. We have left this insane thought behind in our fully realized state. Limit as you must in this world of separation, but know you are loved beyond limits as your true realized Self. There is truly nothing worthy of fear, anger, hatred, and confusion for these exist only in a dream of a world that we watch together from peace.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
How do we advance spiritually? This is a question that presents difficulties in communication through the realm of language and symbolism of this world. For example, the word “advance” is used in the initial question, however, there is no place to advance “to” spiritually for we are already there as we have always been. This leads us to the first principle in revealing the truth of who we are; that principle is renunciation. To renounce is to give up, and in this context we are renouncing this world of material things, the ego mind, and its conceptual trappings. We do not judge as we renounce, we simply let the world and the ego mind drift apart from our true being. This includes all of the identities we have gathered which was discussed earlier in these writings. Think of this renouncing not as discarding, but a chipping away as a sculptor would do with a block of stone. In this context, spiritual realization can be seen as a dissolution of the ego and its attachments to this world. An important teaching is that renunciation does not need to be absolute. This is called the “Middle Way”. We renounce those “unhealthy” attachments that cause ourselves and others the most suffering with the least value gained and we leave the “healthy” attachments as is. Attachments come in the form of things we cling to, things we push away, and fantasies which we believe but are not true.
What defines a healthy versus an unhealthy attachment is subjective and requires further explanation. A simple way to make this discernment is to ask, “Does this attachment separate me from others?”. Examples of unhealthy attachments would be in the realm of prejudice, bigotry, racism, fear, resentments, rage, addictions, exploitation, gossip, attacks, duplicity, sloth, inconsideration, jealousy, greed, neglect, vanity, and pride. While not a complete list, asking oneself if an attachment, either material or conceptual, fits the description will help you decide if renunciation is in order. Examples of healthy attachments would be in the realm of parenting, honoring, teaching, learning, friendship, diplomacy, humility, positive activism, artistry, nourishment, hygiene, conviviality, and support. Healthy attachments we maintain as they allow our form to flourish in this world and help us to connect with others. There will come a time in this experience where all attachments to form will be surrendered, this is a big pill to swallow. By focusing on unhealthy attachments we greatly reduce suffering and increase happiness for ourselves and others without letting go completely.
The second principle of this process is to embrace the awakening mind. This mind is fully connected to the attributes of boundless love, endless compassion, unbridled joy and equanimous acceptant peace that we have discussed in these writings. The awakening mind is concerned with the spiritual awakening of all beings and how it can serve in the capacity of assisting this process in a positive and loving way. The sculptor will reveal this true Self. It cannot be chipped away as it is the essence of who you truly are and have always been. Even a partial realization of the awakening mind existing in the present moment will dissolve any fear that this process is harmful or dangerous. Know that this is who you truly are and join your brothers and sisters in the pursuit of our inevitable state of consciousness. One that we exist in now as we will always.
We have now arrived at the third principle of correct perception. Seeing things as they truly are without the distractions of this world and the ego mind which clouds our vision. Set an intention to help all others to see “past” this world and the ego. Speak, act, and live only from a place of love, compassion, joy, and peace. This defines our effort in this world. Keep your awakening mind centered through concentration on our true goals. This is how we will “advance” and bring about the change in this world that will lead us to a new age where the darkness of suffering and confusion will diminish and be gradually replaced by a true refuge for all beings as we continue our “progress” in this endeavor towards peace beyond all understanding.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
It is not uncommon to find ourselves stuck in a cycle of negative thinking. While we wish and pray to return to a sense of normalcy, often it seems that we are unable to navigate our way back to a peaceful state. It is known that the ego mind has the ability to go on excursions that are often driven by a misguided desire to right the world, lay judgements upon others, and create delusional worlds of our own making. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that these false states of existence are only the realm of a few misfits, in fact, all beings that have taken human form have experienced the profound effect that the ego mind has on perception. Everyone who has experienced life in this world knows of the power and effect of delusional thinking.
When we find ourselves faced with difficult challenges, it is a common and understandable desire to escape these responsibilities. The egoic mind can be very clever in its attempt to help relieve this suffering by providing a fantasy for the thinker to escape into. These fantasies can include escape into fictional worlds, a retelling of the past in which outcomes were more favorable, holding investigations in the mind to find others guilty for the state of affairs often followed by fantasies of bringing them to justice, and invention of new futures in which things work out in a different way. The ego mind, when fearful, will also tell frightening stories about the demise of the thinker’s life and the end of this world in an attempt to frame current pain and suffering in a meaningful way.
There is a way to relieve ourselves from this agony, it is a simple method but requires practice and discipline. Do not be discouraged if you find yourself unable to immediately feel relief from the effects of the ego’s negative thinking. Be diligent; endeavor to persevere and you will be rewarded with a peaceful state of mind and connection with our true harmonious existence. Remember the simple instructions for the meditative state and focus on developing this skill. Focus on the breath and nothing else, when you catch yourself drifting, return to the breath and be joyful in this return. Do not punish yourself for drifting back into thought for this is the nature of the ego mind, take happiness in your ability to identify the drift and return again to the breath. Think only of this. As you are in this state, become aware of this moment and this moment only. Just for now let go of thoughts of the past and projections of the future, there will be time to recollect and plan later. Just for now we will remain in a thoughtless state thinking only of the breath.
Allow your body to relax and only feel its ability to sense its presence. Notice the feeling of your body being only there, not doing. Feel only the body’s field of sensation at rest. When we release ourselves from the past and the future and focus only on this moment, it becomes easier for us to connect with the divine attributes, love without measure, boundless compassion, unrestrained sympathetic joy, and an equanimous peace that is not confined or limited in any way. It is through connection with these attributes that we can learn to forgive ourselves for the conflict we have created in our lives. Be compassionate and love your body and mind as a true friend. Forgive all mistakes and shortcomings. Be joyful and grateful for yourself. Share this compassion, forgiveness, and gratitude for everyone equally.
Remember, everyone is your ally. Even those whom we may look upon as enemies teach us valuable lessons and give us a reason to be compassionate for their suffering and unskillfulness. Even those who frustrate us are teaching us how to deepen our love and compassion for others. Those who seem to criticize us are giving us a chance to improve. Those who anger us are teaching us patience. Those who love us, are reminding us to return to the divine for guidance. Be comfortable in this moment for as long as necessary and always know that you can return here. For the peace in this moment is your inheritance; your true reality as it has always been.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
Let’s discuss joy and how to find happiness. Before we can understand joy, we must first understand what is not joyful. When we live in fear of what is to come we are not joyful. If we dwell in the past wishing secretly for a different one, we are not joyful. When we are trapped in sensual desire or longing for things, we are not joyful. When we spend time thinking of things we don’t like or behaviors in others we do not appreciate, we are not joyful. By letting go of these things, we can lay a firm foundation on which we can become happy. Even though this foundation is based on nothing, it is always available and unchanging. To let go of the past and the future we focus only on this moment. Use the breath to become aware and feel that body’s energy right now. Let go of your wants and the unwanted; that which is desired and undesirable. Do this just for a moment until you feel the liberation this provides. Lose yourself in this freedom.
Before we can share joy with others, we must find it in ourselves. Now that we know how to let go of the past and future and thoughts of what we desire and what we find undesirable we can begin the process of feeling happy. Spending time in solitude provides a good opportunity to find joy within oneself. To start, notice the breath and be grateful for this. Think about the time you have spent in your body and be truly glad for it. Thank yourself for the time you have spent together with your body and your mind. In this state you will find it easier to be friendly with yourself. We are most joyful when we are our own best friend.
Open your heart to yourself and lose yourself in the love that is there. Have compassion for you. Do not be afraid of who you really are, remaining in this moment without thoughts of desire or of things unwanted you will find it easy to discard this fear and be comfortable with who you really are. Respect yourself and your needs, if you need to move to make your body comfortable then do this for your body out of love. We are not trying to attain or acquire anything here, we are stripping away that which is not really us so that we can feel the joy underneath. If a negative thought, a distraction, or an argument appears in the mind, cast it away on a cloud or down a stream to float gently away and return again to the breath. This is to love the good and the bad of yourself equally. Each return from a thought back to the breath is a celebration building a strong connection with who we truly are. Understand this as your true self, the one who feels this love for everyone and everything equally and without measure. You are truly the one who finds a way to understand everyone’s suffering and feel compassion for the entirety of existence without bounds. This will bring about a feeling of peace beyond all understanding that has no limits. And here you will find the sympathetic joy for yourself that you have always been searching for. This joy can be shared with others in the present moment. If you cannot feel this, give it time and have patience. Start again, for this work is the most important work you can do right now. Know that there is nothing to fear for you are real and everything that is real cannot be harmed.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
It is understandable that we respond to what we perceive. This is the nature of this world and the nature of the thinking mind. It is understandable that, in this form, we respond in a negative way when we perceive events as negative. Likewise, we respond positively when we have a positive perception of events. Remember that all responses that you appear to have made in this world were forgiven in the timeless instant in which this world came into being. Although it seems to take time and practice to forgive the actions of others, in truth, without the hindrance of the ego mind, all things can be forgiven instantly and without a feat of profound spirituality. You possess this means to forgive completely right now in this moment, it is your choice to use it and be liberated from the fear and anger of this world.
Every identity model that we embrace creates a trap which binds us to this world. Have faith then when you release the models of identity that everything has always been as it should be and in this moment you will know peace. Behind all of the actions you are taking, there is another level on which you remain serene in the heart of stillness. Thought forms may come and go during your lifetime here, but the harmony of peace remains through all of it. It’s alright, to shun this idea and participate in attachment to form identity; if you do this it is simply what you did and not something that will be judged. Peace is ready for you at any time you are ready, there is no expiration on this offer. The final judgment occurs when we stop judging.
There were two brothers, while one spent considerable time becoming secure in his identity, the other struggled to understand how to get ahead in this world. The first brother did well in school and earned a scholarship. He went on to higher learning graduating with honors and went on to a successful career, built a family and enjoyed a life of perceived fulfillment with all the comforts of this world around him. The other brother struggled to do well in school and left at an early age turning to a life of crime, drugs, much suffering and pain, and ultimately landed in prison. In prison, he learned to meditate and be comfortable with existence in this present moment regardless of what was and what was not, regardless of pain or sensation; he learned to be at peace with the current state of the world. Eventually, he was able to let go of all desire, was liberated from his ego identities,and learned to live in a state of deep love, compassion, and joy. Later after being released from prison he dedicated his life to helping others find the true source of happiness by finding awareness of this moment and our true home in equanimous peace. Upon meeting his brother later in life, the successful brother was amazed at the serenity and happiness his brother had found. While he still struggled to acquire more and lived in fear of losing what he had or not getting what he wanted, his brother had learned to be at peace with everything as it was. The successful brother believed this could not be and told himself that his peaceful brother must be hiding his jealousy and unhappiness. Truly this was not the case as he felt nothing but love and compassion for his successful brother. It is not what we do and acquire in this world that will fill us with contentment, but what we learn to accept and allow. The secret to this lies before you right now and will always be there for you.
Zen Momentum 