TO TRULY KNOW THYSELF IS DIVINE

What is it to know oneself? Can we truly ever know ourselves on the most deepest of levels in this hustle and bustle world? How can it be maintained? Is it possible to achieve enlightenment growing up and existing within the Matrix we inhabit? How is it possible when we are immersed in a paradigm that is seemingly the opposite of spirituality, the opposite of loving kindness and compassion. 

I would submit, my friends, that it is possible to achieve a heightened state of clarity, i.e. enlightenment within an urban environment, but that it is a fickle achievement subject to numerous pitfalls for one not fully committed to it's attainment. For, in order to maintain such a pristine state of awareness from moment to moment would require one to become a Master of focused concentration, not easily distracted by the wants and needs of this world nor swayed by the various emotions we're subject to each day.

Living in an enlightened state from moment to moment does not require one to rid oneself of naturally occurring thoughts, feelings and emotions. So from this moment forward, stop guilting yourself for feeling feelings or thinking thoughts. They are natural. It's the ACTIONS we choose to take that are destructive. The challenge for anyone from a Monk to a Manager or a Priest to a Painter is to become a Master at PACIFYING those naturally occurring processes all the time. 

I can think all I want about how I'd like to punch someone in the face, but until I actually act on it, it's simply a passing thing without substance that I can choose to bring into the material world or not. In the hands of someone with the clarity of self awareness, those thoughts, feelings and emotions are simply understood as naturally appearing and disappearing and are allowed to come and go without disturbing one's balance.

The only question one must pose oneself when deciding to embark on a journey of self-discovery is this:

Am I committed to a path that only leads in one direction?

The path of which I am referring does not involve 'quitting' anything, for how can one quit something that simply no longer has a place in one's life? It does not involve setting goals, for the path itself is the goal. It won't make you sexier or smarter or funnier and it certainly won't get you that new car, girl, guy, jewelery, house, or whatever else you've been drooling over. In fact, none of the THINGS sitting in your closet, garage, storage locker etc. that you've been accumulating for whatever reason over the years are coming on the journey. Because this journey is one of DEVOLVING, if you will. Of pairing down, of trimming the fat (literally), and of opening the window to let a little fresh air in.

If the thought that you will end up with nothing of material value in your possession with only the promise of the immaterial makes you cringe, then perhaps the time is not right to embark on such a perilous quest. As an example, a friend of mine once suggested I read a book by a well-known modern day spiritual guru to many, Eckhart Tolle. Although I've now read many of his writings, at first glance, even the word 'God' caused me to close the book immediately. I just wasn't ready for years after that...

One must first come to understand that in order for people to define something indefinable, a word must be used so that all are in agreement based on how each of us defines the feeling we get when we say it or think it. A feeling is like a relationship. None but the subject can truly define how something invisible and intangible affects them. So the WORD God is also, in and of itself, indefinable by none but the definer. IT is simply an idea, an allegory, a metaphor or what-have-you. (Maybe we should change God's name every once in a while so people don't become attached to it...) Anyhow, the specifics of that word will be discussed more another time. 

Okay, so... Ask yourself if you're ready. Nobody needs to know but you... If you are, then let's proceed, shall we?

First things first. Let me ask you this. How do you feel about God? Don't tell me. I know your first impulse was to tell me in words how you feel, but don't tell me. Don't even direct your answer at me. I asked you how you feel about God, not to tell me how you feel about God. So take a moment...take two, in fact, and really think about...oops sorry, my mistake...take a moment or two to really FEEL how you feel about God.... Wanna know a secret? That's your connection to God... And that's all you need to know, oops...feel.

Bruce Lee said it best in one of his films, "Don't think, feeeel."

Your homework assignment: Leave your phone at home and go for a walk alone to a safe place. Sit and listen to as many different sounds as you can without adding any judgement to them. Even if you hear a sound that would normally cause a reaction i.e. loud motorcycles, construction, vocal babies etc., try practicing observing things in their basics rather than with added emotion and judgement. 

For an added boost to this exercise, try switching to a focus on your breathing (don't worry, we're not getting into breathing exercises...yet ;0) and notice what different sounds you hear or how many sounds you now become aware of. 

Oh, and although it might sound silly suggesting closing your eyes is advanced, but you'd be surprised how difficult it can be to try sitting in a public park or city street with your eyes closed for any length of time without feeling like you'll be robbed. A very uneasy feeling comes over us in a very short period of time that both prevents us from relaxing and closing our eyes for too long. This might seem minor, but know that any resistance to this process must be looked at from this point forward as ego based. When they refer to interacting with the drug and not the person in cases of addiction, this is that situation when it comes to uncovering your true self. The child who wants it's blankie is what restricts your spiritual emergence. 

ACCEPT there is resistance to change that comes from a part of us we can't explain and move on... I really dislike corporations for stealing great sayings, but it's so true. The only way for you to make change is to just do it. Btw, I didn't mention the corporation on purpose and didn't cap their slogan, but if you instantly knew who I was referring to and saw a logo in your mind's eye (you know, that place in our head where we see the mind movies), then you've come to the right place... 

See you next time.

WHO IS IN CONTROL OF YOU?

Below I've attached a video from a BBC Horizon documentary about the subconscious mind; how much of it is responsible for what we do, what we see with our eyes vs. what our mind 'sees' and how we react to the things of this material experience that send our lives in this direction or that.

There is a definite path to uncovering your subconscious mind and aligning yourself with the seemingly chaotic universe (multiverse) we exist in. This I will tell you from experience, my friend. Once you connect with the sub-text of your life, amazing things will happen.

Please enjoy the documentary:

My question to you, my friend, is this... If we are really driven by our subconscious and are largely unaware of it most of the time, then who or what creates the subconscious urge that manifests itself into a conscious thought and action as a result? Is it really YOUR ACTION that results? Have you ever been watching television and when someone takes a drink on the screen you feel thirsty and reach for a drink yourself?

The trouble with the subconscious is that it's easily influenced through suggestion. The additional problem occurs when the person who's thought naturally becomes the action is not capable of seeing the connection, the origin of the subconscious seed that's been planted. This causes such a person to truly believe the thought is their own and, as such, justifies the action taken as a result.

Most in this society are not capable of seeing the forest for the trees through years of conditioning. Aggressive and manipulative advertising techniques were a part of my life since the day I was born for example...

It takes a shattering of the barriers that have been created in order to make those connections, to clearly see the origin of our potential actions and make decisions based on that understanding. We can always think before we act, but without the understanding of the origin of the urge that leads to the action, we are in a perpetual MINDLESS state as opposed to a MINDFUL STATE.

The next question is, without an external influence on our subconscious, who or what is planting the seeds that ultimately lead to our thoughts and actions? If we have the urge to buy the latest electronic gadget, for example, I'm not sure that seed was planted by the creator. But, I can tell you from experience. Once the hypnotic spell you've been under has been broken, you will find those urges will vanish into thin air. You will have a clearer understanding of the origin of your thoughts and actions by allowing the connection you already have to the creative source to be accepted as fact.

At a certain point in my life, I knew that regardless of what I did along the road to clarity, to awakening, even if it meant the end of this mortal coil, as Shakespeare referred to it, I would make it my intention to have joy and not sorrow at the core of who I am. I then identified every single thing that had at it's end, a sorrowful result such as angry feelings toward myself and others. I set out to understand those feelings, to pacify them and to know those feelings and thoughts as a permanent part of this vessel in which I'm traveling on this journey.

What I discovered in the end was that a joyful existence didn't mean killing some evil part of myself or denying myself anything. It was simply an understanding that nothing is either good or bad, it just is. 

WE OURSELVES, through external influence on our subconscious mind, color our perception of this experience. Cut the bonds of that influence and the clouds will part. All the guilt, and pain and suffering, all the anger,  jealousy and more is present due to a lack of understanding. Find the urge at it's source and it's power over you will be no more.

Seek first to understand this mortal and material experience through your five senses. Once that's occurred, other senses already present will naturally reveal themselves to you.

A LOVELY THOUGHT

Here are some wonderful words from a wonderful man who's writings I admire:

"We few who are brought together by providence to work hand in hand for the divine Message,
are entrusted with the most sacred duty
to spread the Message with selflessness and unshakeable trust
in the ever present Spirit of Guidance".

These very important historical statements certainly refer to the responsibility of each,
in as much as one's attunement to the Message is in harmony with the original word,
without drifting away from the Goal.

Years have passed since our Master offered these significant words,
but his luminous presence is as bright as ever before,
shining as a stream of inspiration,
silently guiding our steps,
and helping us to discover the spirit of the Message,
which is gradually shaping human thinking
in the direction of freedom from dogmatic limitations.

On Visalat Day pilgrims from all over the world come to the holy shrine in India,
offering their devotion and gratitude to the bringer of the 'Message in our time',
whose historical proclamation known as the "Unity of Religious ideals"
has so deeply moved the hearts of thousands, over the years.

Each religion strikes a characteristic tone,
and if all would come together,
alike a religious symphony,
one would then encounter the possibility of a unity of all original ideals,
beyond the boundaries of cultural differences.

As one proceeds onward through the darkness of human ignorance,
steadfastly displaying the torch of "Spiritual Liberty"
one may perhaps discover
that Truth could be interpreted as being an invitation
to incorporate the great ideals of Love, Harmony and Beauty,
when communicating with each other
- in each one's language -
and holding fast to the only secret which there is on the spirituality path,
which is to be sincerely in attunement
to the Divine Spirit of Guidance. 

Hidayat Inayat-Khan