Category: Spirituality

How relinquishing our desires can free us

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I wrote this about the day:

I started out the day meeting with friends from my Sanga,  “listened” to John Cage’s 4’3”.   I thought about the Zen monk who taught a single word of Zen by just raising a finger and enlightening a student.   I shared this with friends.   What a powerful idea,  to play music without the sound of music or to teach using a word unspoken.   Both of these methods can “trick” the mind into awareness and hopefully, at some point, the observer becomes aware of the awareness and the process of enlightenment continues.   Instead of viewing this as a path towards realization,  we can also see it as the falling away of egoic identity.  Each goal is the same;  as the false self put forth by the cognitive mind dissolves, realization of enlightenment becomes more apparent.   This can be a long and arduous process for the householder who still clings to the vestiges of the manifest objective self out of fear of losing one’s grip on what has been attained or what is yet to be acquired.   Yet this path too,  the path of desire must be fully examined before we can conclusively say that its end is always the same: fear, suffering, and unsatisfactoriness.

The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:

Another approach is to simply lose oneself to the truth of desirelessness.  This has always brought with it a sense of liberation beyond that which any coveted object has ever relayed to the possessor.  Our brother knows this to be true yet still clings to the idea of creating a better something or destroying that which hinders progress.  Neither formation nor eradication is necessary to find our way home to the peace where we reside.   Simply know that you are there and that nothing is necessary for you to share in the joy of this moment but your willingness to let go of the yoke of what is.

In our seemingly endless quest for that which is better than this, we will find ourselves always falling short of the goal that we desire.   This undefined pinnacle,  a precipice of great price, will never be as we expected nor satisfy the ego’s desire for more.   Put away the tape measure of the mind and come and be at peace with me.   I have never wished a punishment upon you nor evoked condemnation of your being to suffering of any length.   Length itself is but an illusion and you, my child, are always welcome at home where elements in dimension and degree are met only with a joyful laugh and sympathetic knowing.  That knowing is the boundless love that I would share with you in this very moment and that moment is now.

Playing adeptly: How to see our life in this world as entertaining fun

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Imagine just for a moment that you aren’t really human.  Your body is a golden spine surrounded by spheres of energy…

You float into an arcade and approach a machine with the title “World of Measure” and a moment later you are born into human form.   Remember,  we are just imagining this, don’t take it too seriously.  

During the game,  all recollection of your true self is frozen in state, but you soon realize that your saved profile from your last turn is applied to each new life,  this profile is titled Karma and ensures that your successive experiences in World of Measure are cohesive.   Your golden spine does recall the progression of lives and sees them for what they are, a collection of experiences that form an extended story of this world with each life impressing new learning opportunities saved within your Karma.   A thread of play that forms an extended narrative.

As you progress through subsequent lives you become more aware of skillful game play.   You learn to not become attached to the character’s avatar, abilities, the objects, or skills of the game.  The advanced player just enjoys the experience of the moment and allows the game to reveal itself as it is played.  The best players don’t get overly involved in the drama of the story lines or point totals.   After each life there is time to pause and laugh at the absurdity of the idea of attack seeming so real and the stakes seeming high,  what were we thinking?  So ridiculous!   It seemed as though the fear of destruction and the end of consciousness was actually possible while in the game.   In between experiences there is even a sleep transition where awareness fades for a moment; we learn it provides a needed rest during play.

Our skill continues to increase and we become aware of our reality outside of the game while playing.   We stop trying to collect possessions in each life as we know that they are ephemeral and a distraction from the grace of the sport.   We use what is needed in the moment realizing it is all just a cloud of particles that are constantly changing form.  The master players learn not to be distracted by the simple desires that are coded into the script and they learn to appreciate the beauty in the design of every moment as it reveals itself to the senses.  We find joy in helping other players along,  for their experiences enrich our own in surprising and unexpected ways.  For the more experienced players even lives that seem lesser,  shorter,  more challenging are navigated with adeptness and artistry of  coordination.  A seasoned and confident participant is not distracted by interactions that seemed unpleasant in the beginning,  they are now just part of the experience;  a different sensation.   As we continue,  we relax until each life has revealed itself and we can see the benefit of the experience in its completeness.   After all, it’s just a game.

Why do we have Saṃsāra? What is the meaning of the cycle of birth and death?

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What should be explained about the cycle of birth and death? In this world, it is a requirement to maintain separateness of consciousness at a sufficient level to examine the outcome of division and special love. If there was no birth, death, and forgetting, conscious beings would quickly realize the fallacy of separateness and lose the will to participate in this system of class and measure. It is through birth and death that novel individual consciousness is introduced to the world thus perpetuating the struggle for attainment. With experience, an egoic being will realize the delusion of this false reality and resign from participation.

It is no surprise that the ego’s quest for attainment becomes the source of its suffering. It is from this desire to selectively acquire what is deemed positive that dissatisfaction in the form of attachment, aversion, apathy, anxiety, and self-doubt emerge. The reset provided by new individual birth allows for greater variety of egoic pursuit without the baggage of realizing it’s eventual outcome.

There is, of course, a greater form of conscious being than the egoic mind can provide. While the ego self remains preoccupied with the advancement of the individual self, the true Self is not concerned with this effort. In becoming aware in the present moment, we can take comfort in our true home. Instead of self’s obsessive desire to receive more love we realize the endless state of love that is neither commanded nor restricted available to the true Self. Instead of a world of judgment and false perception, the Self’s ability to demonstrate compassionate response to the known and unknown vanquishes the ego’s suffering. You can have this in this moment, be clear, and know that it has never been denied nor will ever be unavailable to you.

Stand

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We have sat with the seedlings,
We have stood with giants,
We will lay with the wilting,
and we will feed the seedlings.

Stand with me another day among the giants and leave the wilting to tomorrow. The miracle can be seen at any moment. Perhaps now, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps with our last breath, or perhaps in our next life.

There is devotion

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There is the form,
There is the form within form within form,
There is devotion of form,
There is devotion.

There is desire,
There is desire within desire within desire,
There is devotion of desire,
There is devotion.

There is desirelessness,
There is devotion of desirelessness,
There is devotion.

There is a place to be,
There is a place to be within a place to be within a place to be,
There is devotion of a place to be,
There is devotion.

There is a place not to be,
There is a place not to be within a place not to be within a place not to be,
There is devotion of a place not to be,
There is devotion.

There is method,
There is method within method within method,
There is devotion of method,
There is devotion.

There is the guru,
There is the guru within the guru within the guru,
There is devotion of the guru,
There is devotion.

There is a word,
There is a word within a word within a word,
There is devotion of the word,
There is devotion.

There is devotion,
There is devotion within devotion within devotion,
There is devotion of devotion,
There is devotion.

Letting go of position and perception

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Saint Francis of Assisi Church in NYC

Our room in this New York City hotel towers over the St Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church which was built 130 years ago in 1892. Once the prominent building on this area of 31st Street, the city grew up and over it. From such a high loft it is easy to lose perspective. The lesson here is that we are only temporary guests in this room and the buildings we see are only temporary structures in this world. Everyone and everything we know here will turn to dust and be forgotten. None of this matters when we remain consciously aware in this moment, letting go of our desires, our aversions, and the knowing of our mind. Awareness never changes.

Putting our existence into perspective

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This pale blue dot is what the Earth looks like from 3.7 billion miles away. Do as we will on this little speck, there is nothing we do here that will have any meaningful consequence to the Universe. Yet here we are… with the opportunity to be loving and kind to ourselves and others; grow a compassionate heart for our friends and enemies; share the joy of the miracle of conscious awareness, laugh, dance, and play; learn to be at peace in the stillness that exists even in the most chaotic storm. There is nothing that needs to be done in order be enlightened; nothing that needs to be acquired or attained; simply call off the search and let go. Recognize the teacher in your heart, they have always been there; they have never judged you; they have never shamed you or made you feel guilty, that can only come from this world of egos, this is to be forgiven. You have a friend that will never leave you, betray you or let you down. Call it by any name you prefer, it is simply another word for love.

The artistry of being aware: How to realize the power of this moment by using a simple meditation practice

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Becoming consciously aware is not a difficult challenge.   It doesn’t require the study of complicated forms of mathematics or the memorization of rules and regulations.  Becoming aware and maintaining awareness does however require willingness.  Simple breathing meditation is one effective way to realize conscious awareness.  Through repetition of this method we begin to improve our ability to maintain this state.  With time it becomes part of our nature and the method that introduced you to conscious awareness may no longer be required.  It may be helpful to strip away some of the preconceived ideas regarding the requirements for meditation.

Things you do not need in order to mediate:

  • A meditation cushion, rug, or special mat
  • To recite a chant or mantra
  • Burn Incense or use perfumes
  • To sit cross legged in the lotus position
  • Hold your hands in a particular way
  • A smartphone app or other device
  • A chime, gong, or singing bowl
  • Perfect quiet or lighting

The only thing you need to begin your practice of breathing meditation is the ability to breathe and a desire to quiet your mind.  In fact you may find that the requirements and accessories you add to your meditation may serve as a distraction to the practice itself.   That being said,  after time,  many practitioners of meditation enjoy some ceremony or rituals in their practice.  The important thing to remember is that these are never a requirement. 

Start by taking two or three deep cleansing breaths,  the exact number is not important.  You may wish to close your eyes or focus them somewhere that will not distract your mind.  It may be helpful to sit comfortably, but, with practice, meditation can also be done standing or laying down.  As you breathe in and out,  remain relaxed, and focus on the sensation.   The feeling you notice may be the feeling of air on the edges of your nostrils,  it may be your abdomen rising and falling,  pick one feeling and think only of this as you continue to breathe.

Soon your mind may chime in with a thought,  perhaps something you need to do later,  something from your past that bothers you.  Perhaps a negative thought about the meditation process.  When you notice this, take a moment to celebrate the noticing and return again to the breath and the sensation of breathing.  Remember that noticing the wandering mind is not a moment for anger or frustration, it is a joyful moment that allows the return.  Imagine returning to the breath to be like coming home or embracing a loved one.  Your mind may wander many times at first,  there is no limit to how many times we may notice distraction and return to the breath.  Each time it is a moment to happily come home.  With each return from wandering our practice becomes stronger.  In summary, here’s what’s required…

Things you need to practice breathing meditation:

  1. Be comfortable and continuously breathe in and out at a relaxing pace
  2. Think only about the sensation of breathing
  3. When you notice your mind wander, happily return to thinking of the sensation of breathing again

As you practice this,  you may become aware of the feeling of an energy field throughout your body.  Focusing on different parts of your body may help you become aware of this.  If you don’t notice this right away, don’t worry, give it time.  You may also notice that this energy field extends beyond your body.  When we focus only on this moment and release our thoughts of the past and future, we find a place where our problems do not exist.  This is conscious awareness in the moment,  it is not contingent upon cognitive thought; it has always existed and always will.  Conscious awareness was there before our birth and will be there after we leave this place.  It is equally present everywhere in the universe.  There is no place or environment in which it is weaker or stronger.  It pervades everyone and everything equally.  By connecting with conscious awareness we connect with a deeper understanding than we could possibly imagine through the thinking mind.  All love, compassion, joy, and acceptant immeasurable peace springs forth from it.  Every force, particle, field, and wave owes its existence to it.  It is the source of all of your inspiration and creativity.  It is a priceless gift that, once realized, can never be taken from you.  Enjoy.

How to drop the baggage and live free

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Being egotistical does not mean having high esteem for oneself. Even the act of humbling oneself is an action of the ego as it lets go. It is possible to be highly egocentric and have very low self-esteem. In fact, hostility towards oneself, guilt, and shame are all selfish expressions of the ego; unforgiving grudges held against the self. Our opinions and judgements of others, both positive and negative are egotistical. Our addictions to idols of substance, celebrity, and scripture are expressions of the ego. Our hostility towards ideas, integration, and idolatry are also expressions of the ego. Whenever we choose to cling or push away, this is an expression of the ego. The belief that we are separate; that we have a beginning and end; that there is a distinction between what we are and what we are not, this is egoic. It is this insanity that keeps us ignorant in a cycle of delusional suffering.

There is another way, by recognizing the still small voice within us in this moment, call it what you may, we can connect with a source of endless love, unbridled compassion, immeasurable joy, and a peace beyond all understanding. Know without an inkling of a doubt that we have always been forgiven for our desire to remain separate from our brothers and sisters and that we have always been and always will be welcomed in the heart of togetherness.

Fighting with others: How to deescalate a struggle

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When we respond with attack, we perpetuate a system that is doomed to create suffering and dissatisfaction. From this, there is nothing worthwhile that maintains its value for the possessor. The fleeting rush of victory soon fades and our proceeds remain closely guarded while we constantly prepare a defense for the onslaught we imagine will come. We cannot truly find peace and enjoyment that would make these pursuits beneficial, we reserve this only for another day. We find ourselves, huddled with our bounty, worried of how it may be seized, while our minds and bodies fall ill from our fears of the very world that provided the now tarnished object of our desires. The end is always the same, we survive for a time in a world of “shoot first and ask questions later”, “kill or be killed”, and “he who dies with the most toys wins”. The vast majority of our moments are wasted in worry and dread as we grow old, become sick, and leave this place losing everything and everyone we loved in the few unwasted moments we allowed ourselves to enjoy.

There is another way, by letting go of our desires, focusing our awareness on acceptance of the world as it is in this moment, and expressing love and forgiveness through positive action we can escape the endless cycle of attack and realize liberation. Although the yearnings of our will may go unfilled, we can learn to see them for what they truly are, a prison that binds us with fear and distrust of our brothers and sisters. From the vantage point of desirelessness, love, and compassion we can see the struggle as it unfolds for others and learn to gently help them realize the truth about the source of their discomfort. Do not fall victim to the longing to punish those who seek glory in attack. In time, all of these lessons lead the observer to their own truth. Who knows what treachery occurs inside the chrysalis before the butterfly is born.