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What are the limits to love? How to let go of complexity and embrace peace
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.
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On spiritual growth: How do we advance spiritually?
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.
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How to overcome our ego and realize peace
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.
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How to find joy and share it with others
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.
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A story of two brothers: How to find contentment
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.
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Some questions answered and how to live with those remaining
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
This world is an appearance of reality. To perceive the display as real is to fall into the entirety of ideas that surround its creation. This includes, but is not limited to, desire, aversion, fear, and doubt at the conceptual level. To live in the illusion of this world, is to believe in the emergence of time. Time can only be seen as it is known by you from inside the illusion of this world. The view from outside is quite different.
To see this world from the spacetime perspective that you were born into requires the perspective of a being existing in spacetime. I can recall its lure and its trappings from the perspective of the greater reality but it does not exist here. To see things as they really are is to cast away the creation and destruction which seem so real to you now. Know this, the world you live in and the fear and pain you associate with it are but an illusion that has no bearing on your true Self or your true perspectives. Be assured now that no death will befall you as the body seems to wither and fade. Although, none can say conclusively from the perspective of your form in this world that survivability is guaranteed, it is indeed so. From here, the fallacy of your death in this world is obvious. It is my hope that this message will provide some comfort to you.
As your body dies you will awaken to a different perspective of that which you have now. I cannot guarantee a lack of confusion as this process reveals itself, however, I can guarantee that you will continue to possess the ability to know that you exist and to question the meaning of your existence. It is common for those who awaken and discover in relief their continued awareness after separation from the corporal form to further question what exactly is it that forms the basis for our conscious realization. The continuation of this search for meaning is a key indicator of a degree of conscious health after one’s life experience. Many questions will remain, as advice I can offer you this, questions lie at the fundamental core of our ability to sense our existence. The ability to look past the question and find comfort in existence itself will go a long way towards preparing you for what comes next. The presence of a question such as “Who am I” is still considered a miracle beyond creation. Although potential answers may not give the receiver a sense of satisfaction, the ability to accept the question existing in its unanswered state can.
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How to let go of this life’s endless disappointments
Journal for the day of 2022-03-04:
Took the day off, got little done
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
Deep runs the desire to control and manipulate this world to our liking. Albeit the compulsion to take the reins and try yet again to assert the ego’s desire on this world, the end result is always the same, a dissatisfying feeling of falling short of the expected goal followed by a resurgent obsession to do better next time. While this obsession with egoic doing brings temporary gratification to the human form, there is debt to pay in the imbalance caused in the environment that supports the existence of the form. Rarely do these actions take into consideration the effect they have on the world around us and the pain and suffering incurred by others as well as the other life that surrounds us. Even the underlying methods employed to allow the reading of this message have given cause to some injury.
Know this, accept it as true in your heart, I have no quarrel with the doings of this world as I have no stake in them. They are not driven or motivated by my desire to see changes manifest, nor am I troubled by the consequences you will face here for they are not real. My only desire for you is that you will accept forgiveness and realize that I hold no ill will towards you or any of your brothers and sisters regardless of the degree of judgment your ego places on them. I wish us only to be together at peace and accept the effects of our journey of separation for what it is, an exercise in insanity that should have always been met with laughter and dismissal.
Be your true nature, a loving being that can embrace all of existence for what it is now and what it will be regardless of the whims of your thinking mind. At home in peace you know this to be true as I have always accepted your desire to understand the truth of our being. It is our nature to question this miracle and I would not deny you that. Know only that some of our quests into understanding will result in lessons as they have unfolded in this world; an experience involving a less than loving result. Breathe and know that I am not discouraged by you or the effects you have experienced from this thinking. You are loved in all your forms here as you are in the realized peace you share with me.
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How to be free from negative feelings about yourself
A brief journal on 2022-03-03
I was honest with my manager today about my lack of productivity and my feelings of self-doubt surrounding one team member’s seeming disappearance and another’s illness*. I am wondering if I am somehow driving them crazy. I know this is insane but I still entertain the thought. I have PTO tomorrow so I will get some down time.
*they are both ok
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
It is important to know what you are and what you are not. You have a heart that pumps blood, yet you are not the heart nor the blood. You have lungs that breathe air, yet you are not the lungs nor the air. You have a gut that digests food, yet you are neither of these. You have a thinking mind that thinks thoughts. Remember this, you are neither the thinking mind nor its thoughts. The effects of the thoughts that you observe the mind thinking include feelings of guilt, shame, anger, and fear. You are not these feelings that you have observed being felt. As a result of these feelings, you may become depressed, perpetuate unloving thoughts, feel uncompassionate, selfishly withhold joy, and act in an unpeaceful way. This is not you nor has it ever been.
Know now that you are not these thoughts nor the effects of them. The egoic system is a clever prison that offers no escape. It hides the very fact that you are not trapped nor does confinement exist in reality. By releasing our attachment to our unloving thoughts we can begin to realize freedom. By letting go of our aversion to the effects of these thoughts we will forgive ourselves and embrace compassion for others who can also be forgiven. We will see that our negative thinking resulting in feelings of apathy, anxiety, and self-doubt are only projections of an illusory system. There never was a prison and we have never been trapped in this pain and suffering. It is only a story that we thought and felt was real.
I make these promises to you. Once we realize these delusions for what they are, true reality can be seen. Complete love and care for ourselves and all others has never been denied to us. An understanding of the distress we all feel as a result of identifying with this false story of the thinking mind makes it possible to give forgiveness freely to everyone that has been a victim of its flawed fantasy. The ability to connect and share freely with others the joy of being our true Self and an understanding of the reality of peace which exists without limit will become apparent. This has always been available to you as a light that shines constantly and can never diminish. It has been here for you eternally and will never be denied to you. I will wait patiently through all time until you are ready to accept this truth and partake freely in the love that has always been offered to you and all others. This is my promise.
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How to feel true compassion
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
On the topic of compassion, let’s examine how to feel it. It is always good to start with a deep breath before any practice, repeat this as many times as you need to feel comfortable and aware. The compassion we want to connect with is universal and unmeasured. This is not directed or controlled. It is felt for every manifestation we perceive. If we observe a flower or even think of one, we feel compassion for the flower and that from which the flower was derived. If we see a piece of trash, perhaps a plastic bottle, we feel compassion for the bottle, the maker of the bottle and the person who discarded the bottle. Even if the act was unskillful we feel the same compassion. If we think of someone who was angry with us or we are attacked verbally, we feel compassion for our attacker and, of course, we feel compassion for ourselves.
To attempt to control or withhold compassion is to be uncompassionate. To decide who is worthy of our love is to be unloving. To share with only a selected few is to be unjoyful. To wish peace only upon some whom we feel are deserving is to be unpeaceful. When we let go of these ideas; to withhold, to deem worthy, to select, and to choose the deserving, we become free of the judgment and suffering this world has taught us to accept as normal. It is only when we do this and share equally with everyone and everything that we can understand how to connect with that which truly is.
The boundless compassionate heart is a way to escape the prison we choose to remain in. We have been given this key; we need only put down the burden of our judgments and open the door to find liberation. All can be understood and forgiven. By embracing this teaching on how to be compassionate equally for the pauper and the king, for the aggressor and the victim, and for the powerful and the powerless, then we will understand the true meaning of compassion. It is a powerful practice that can liberate us from much internal hardship. Do not listen to the protests of the ego, simply allow this compassion for everyone and everything to flow through your heart as we rest in peace together in this moment.
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How can I be most effective in this world?
A prayer:
Please help me to be most effective in the lives of others. What do people need to hear from you? What can I tell them?
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
In the copious amounts of written materials available in this world, you have the honor of reading one such. It will not bring you to the door of enlightenment unless it does. In which case who was the one who did the bringing?
How do we grow healthy beings in a world that is founded in conflict? It would seem that in order to survive, only those who are most adept at winning battles and vanquishing their opponent would flourish. While there is an element of truth to this, let it be known that the joyous broadcasts of the better way ring forth with such clarity that even the most brutal opponent can hear them upon quieting the mind. No one, absolutely no one, has ever been denied the truth that there is another reality beyond the realms of this world of separateness and delusion.
Before the very first moments of this world was laid the groundwork as such for an idea that is now known to be insane. Do not think of this as failure or success, it was simply an idea of special loveliness that seemed to be sound. The pitfalls of this approach must be experienced to be understood and that experience is happening all around you in this world. Approaching our situation here with a joyful laugh and a compassionate heart will work wonders in helping to cope with the suffering we observe around us. This was never the intention, nevertheless it is the inevitable result of heralding a world of the elevated and the fallen. Even if the concept remains subjective to individuals, the pain and suffering is experienced by every being resulting in a shared experience of grief and discomfort.
We now know that the better way exists. Without promoting and demoting based on desire and aversion, we can have a world that is free from this discomfort and suffering. To be free, release all preference and loathing. Simply allow them to pass unnoticed like the pebbles that gently roll across the bottom of a clear stream. Neither attach oneself to concept, word, or object nor reject them. Simply acknowledge what is, breath deeply and rest at peace with me.
© Copyright 2022, David H. Bennett, All rights reserved
Zen Momentum 