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This little book is dedicated to the One Consciousness, existent everywhere, in all ways, and in all things.
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Contents
Introduction Posture Breath Surrender Acceptance Meditation Big Mind
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Introduction
The path of awakening is not about reaching some goal in the distant future. What matters more is that we consciously choose to follow a path of awakening, instead of a path to awakening. Then every moment becomes an opportunity to become more fully and truly awake. It is with this vital shift that we are able to put an end to our sleepwalking and wake up to the beauty of each moment and to the truth of who we are. Peace and awakening are to be found here and now, in this very moment. May you awaken deeply to the truth of your own Being, and through that, help others to do the same.
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Posture
"All things, trees, flowers, birds, and the human form, all exist as an interconnected whole, within one unified field of Consciousness."
There are countless different postures that your body will assume throughout its lifetime. And while taking the body through a wide range of postures and stretches is no doubt indispensable for its health, what is even more important to remember is the way in which each posture is assumed. When attentive stillness holds the space for the natural movement of the physical body, posture is taken properly. It is when we lose this attentive stillness of mind that the idea of "I am this body" arises, and in identifying with this idea, many painful emotions are bound to arise, like feelings of separateness, loneliness, fear, anger, sadness, discontent, and lack of true fulfillment. If we can die to our limited identifications, and come more fully into the Truth of our Being, then we will no longer find ourselves being ruled by these painful emotions. In order to die to our limited identifications, we must first become aware of them. Awareness is always the first step. Developing awareness is usually easiest if one begins with having an increased awareness of the physical body. Through developing an increased awareness of the physical body we are able to stay more grounded in the present moment. And as we come to live more deeply in the present moment, we begin to notice more. From awareness of the physical body, we come to be more aware of the breath. From awareness of breath, we come to be more aware of the subtle energy. From awareness of the breath and the subtle energy, we come to be more aware of the thoughts in the mind. From sustained discriminating awareness of the thoughts in the mind, we come to be more aware of the silence witnessing the thoughts, and in that, we come to rest more deeply in the light of awareness itself. Awareness begins with the physical body, and as it becomes more and more subtle and refined, like a light, it penetrates through all darkness, all ignorance, all delusion, until all that is left is the purity and light of awareness itself. In this purity of awareness, we are able to see things with great clarity. We are able to see things as they truly are, beyond the distorted filter of the mind. In this clarity, we come to find that our posture not only includes the physical body, though also includes the majestic mountains, the dancing butterflies, and the meandering streams. We come to realize that all things, trees, flowers, birds, and the human form, all exist as an interconnected whole, within one unified field of Consciousness.
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Breath
"When the breath is calm, the mind is calm. Therefore to calm the mind, calm the breath."
The breath is one of the most powerful tools in helping us to get out of our head, back into the moment, and therefore back into resting in Truth. The breath is life energy itself, therefore we should treat it with the respect it deserves. It is our link to this moment, to the Divine. With each breath, let the breath be smooth and even. Feel the breath moving through your body. Feel it relax your body, soothe the nerves, and fill your body with life energy. Feel the breath continually arise from and return to a place of deep stillness. Meditate on this stillness in the pauses at the top and bottom of each breath, gradually allowing the pauses to grow longer. Allow each breath to take you deeper and deeper into this experience of stillness. By breathing smoothly and mindfully, the thoughts quiet down and your awareness is brought more deeply into the moment. By noticing the movement of the breath through your body, you will also begin to notice any tension present in the body and can then consciously choose to breath into this tension and relax the body with the exhalation. In the beginning you will have to bring your awareness back to your posture and breath countless times. Your mind may seem to jump around endlessly, as if it were a wild monkey swinging through the trees, what is sometimes referred to as monkey mind. Through repeated placement of your awareness on posture and breath, you will begin to tame the monkey mind and gradually open up to relaxing more deeply into the moment. The key is perseverance. Ultimate mastery over the mind and it's senses comes by remaining dispassionate towards the desires of the mind and remaining in the seat of awareness. The continued observation and regulation of the breath provides a stable energetic environment, allowing for the Light of Consciousness to shine in it's eternal splendor. When the breath is calm, the mind is calm. Therefore to calm the mind, calm the breath.
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Surrender
"In order to experience true and lasting happiness, we must first learn how to be truly empty and humble; this is the essence of surrender."
Usually most of us are in some way or variation caught up in identifying with the thoughts arising in our mind, meaning we are only partially here, and partially awake. We spend our lives in a dream, believing ourselves to be limited beings, therefore inspiring countless hopes and desires, all in an attempt to bring us a sense of fulfillment and lasting peace. In reality, everything we need is already within us. When we become truly empty, we also become truly full, or truly fulfilled. It is never any other way and never can be. It is the ideas of lack and separation that we carry around in our minds, which delude us and bring us the experience of pain and isolation. If you really want to find happiness, the only place you are ever going to find it is right where you are, in this moment, for peace and happiness are to be found within and nowhere else. To know Truth, you must live wakefully. To live wakefully means that you are fully awake, fully here, and fully present, from moment to moment. Only when you can truly empty your mind and awaken to the stillness within, will you ever realize what your true nature is. This is the meaning of surrender, in a spiritual context. The ego mind is a mind of ignorance, always believing it knows best. It is when we get caught up in this close-mindedness that we become asleep to the newness and freshness of each moment, for our mind is already closed to the infinite possibilities available to us. In this instance we are merely operating from a set of old beliefs, rather than moving from a place of spontaneity and authentic presence. To tap into the mind of wisdom and truth, we must be able to maintain a beginner's mind, a mind that is deeply present and open, enabling us to see things clearly, without any mental distortion. Most of us have various ideas of who we believe ourselves to be, what our likes and dislikes are, and what specific external circumstances are needed for our happiness. The irony is, identifying with these very ideas is exactly what is preventing us from experiencing true and lasting happiness. When certain conditions are not met, the mind becomes unhappy, and instead of saying "the mind is unhappy," we say "I am unhappy," when in truth the real "I" is simply the peace and stillness observing the thoughts. We allow ourselves to be a slave to our own mind, without even knowing it. When we drop all of our ideas of what we think we are, and what we think we need, we open up to a stillness and peace, which we may have forgotten even existed. Then our motivations and inspirations move from a place of wisdom and peace, rather than from a distracted, confused, and discontented mind. In order to experience true and lasting happiness, we must first learn how to be truly empty and humble; this is the essence of surrender.
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Acceptance
"To live with acceptance is to stay centered in the stillness of your Being, observing things as they come and go, without struggling to impede their flow."
Acceptance is to live fearlessly and receive all of life's experiences with an open and compassionate quality of mind. Acceptance could also be called the art of flow or dancing with life. If you are already well established in the practice of surrender, then acceptance will be easier for you. Though if you are still heavily preoccupied with your mind's thoughts and desires, then acceptance will be more difficult for you. To live with acceptance is to stay centered in the stillness of your Being, observing things as they come and go, without struggling to impede their flow. This applies to both our external environment, as well as our internal environment, our thoughts. The art of acceptance is learning how to move from a place of stillness, rather than from the distracted, judging, and confused mind we often find ourselves functioning with. When we are able to move from a place of stillness, of not-knowingness, and let go of our mind's ideas of things needing to be a certain way, we will find a new freedom, creativity, and spontaneity beginning to flower in our life. Instead of the old ego-mindedness of "I know best", we will begin to open up to the realization that it is truly God, the one true Self, who knows best. When the mind becomes more quite, space is made for a deeper intuitive guidance to arise. Gradually, more and more the focus shifts from the control oriented thinking of the mind, to an openness and gratitude for the present moment at hand. With this new stillness of mind we may notice ourselves becoming more open and accepting of our surroundings, and truly appreciating life for all that it is.
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Meditation
" Meditation is not something we can practice, for it is not a matter of doing, it is a matter of Being."
Spending at least 15 minutes each day for seated meditation will give you a valuable foundation for being more mindful and present throughout your day. Gradually, as you become more comfortable sitting, you may want to increase the time you sit to 30 minutes or longer, and also increase the number of times you sit from once to 2 or 3 times per day. Ideally the meditative mind should be preserved and cultivated as much as possible throughout the whole of the day, bringing mindfulness into all of your activities. Remember, it is always here and now. Appreciate this moment. Here is a simple routine you can follow: Try to sit in the same place, and at the same time, everyday. You can sit on a firm blanket or cushion to help elevate the hips to knee level. You can also light a candle and some incense. While sitting in a comfortable cross-legged position, close your eyes, or gaze steadily at the candle flame. If sitting cross-legged is not comfortable, you can sit in a chair with the feet flat on the floor. You can fold your hands in your lap, or you can rest them on your knees, touching the forefinger and thumb of each hand together. Sitting tall, feel all of the points of your body touching the ground sink and root into it. Feel the back of the head extend toward the sky. Keeping the chin tucked in slightly, relax the shoulders and face, soften the eyes and relax the jaw and the root of the tongue. Now bring your awareness to the breath, breathing in and out through the nose, allow the breath to be smooth and deep. Let go of any remaining tension in the body by breathing into the tension and creating space and then exhaling and letting go of the tension. Breathing without strain, continue deep breathing for around 10 breaths. Notice the stillness in the pauses at the top and bottom of each breath, and begin to feel that stillness pervading the entire breath. Then gradually, when it feels natural, allow the breath to settle, until it becomes barely perceptible. Observe any thoughts that arise in the mind, and let them pass on their own, without attaching to them or trying to push them away. Remain detached and come back to the observation of the breath. Simply allow the thoughts and the breath to happen naturally, without any sense of doership. Gradually the number of thoughts and their intensity will lessen. Notice the boundless space, silence, and awareness that the breath and thoughts arise within and rest in That. The foundation of meditation is concentration, which is the practice of keeping our attention focused steadily on one point. Eventually, when the practice of concentration (one-pointedness of mind) is sustained, we may find ourselves effortlessly abiding in a state of expansive stillness and mental clarity, which we call meditation. In truth, meditation is our natural state. It is not something we can practice, for it is not a matter of doing, it is a matter of Being.
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Big Mind
"To truly open up to Big Mind is to see your Self in all, and all in your Self."
It is our identification with the small "I", the ego, which deludes us and keeps us from recognizing Big Mind. The ego is just a thought, or a collection of thoughts, arising within the expansiveness of our true Being. When we identify with these thoughts we forget about our true nature and believe ourselves to be a separate individual, subject to birth and death and all the other dualities of life. When all false identifications and stories of the mind are seen through, or seen clearly for what they are, and then simply left alone, eventually they will dissipate and dissolve on their own. It is then that the Light of Consciousness, already inherently present, is in a sense revealed to It's own Self. Therefore, one could say Self-realization is not so much about some separate, individual entity realizing the Self. It would probably be more accurate to say, the Self simply recognizes It's own Self. What is to be realized is what is prior to the mind. What is always present, regardless of whether the mind is active, or inactive?... This is not a question to be answered by the mind. One must just simply abide as That, knowing It directly as one's Self. The only way to truly know the Self is to be the Self. There is nothing to gain or attain. All that is needed is to simply see things clearly as they are, beyond the disorted filter of the mind.
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Divine Eye Publishing
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