Buddhism

9 posts

Is Your Experience of Life Dull or Bright?

Thoughts and emotions place filters over aware presence making life seem so dull. Thus, this mind domination obscures conscious awareness. A person looks at the sky, a tree or a bird. But, usually, what a person sees is a mind filter interpretation. Thus, a reaction or behavior within a person causes this type of stimulus to deceive and confuse. Therefore, this type of mind behavior prevents a person from realizing the true essence and actuality of any given experience.

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On the other hand, realizing your true potential as a conscious being is a useful stepping stone to enlightenment. Words, such as enlightenment and insignificant details mesmerize the mind. Hence, the mind attaches itself and your sense of being to everything you experience. But, please don’t let the mind dominate your sense of presence with insignificant details. Otherwise, these details overshadow the act of aware beingness. This insight and our topic discussions, to illustrate, refer to conscious illumination and mind dependency liberation. You are the manifestation of one-self (presence) as an isness that has the potential to be universal through non-attachment. And, more obvious, you are the non-self (Buddhism: Anattā) of being, equally, through non-attachment. Continue reading →

A Phrase that Offers Clarity

What is all the hype about enlightenment and spirituality? Everyone wants in on this spectacular feeling. Thus, more and more people search for a way out of a mundane existence. Nevertheless, a thought, person or situation does not miraculously change because of enlightenment. Let’s refer to the following insight from a Zen Buddhism phrase to illustrate.

“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”

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This phrase is a fundamental stepping stone for anyone on his or her inner journey. Please focus on the act of being, regardless of any detail within this state of beingness. I realize sharing this insight with you is repetitive. Nevertheless, a shift from mind to conscious living is a process that also involves relearning how to observe living life. Equally, how you observe yourself in any given moment offers either conscious clarity or continual mind slavery. Therefore, it is beneficial for us to walk the path of self-discovery with only the essentials in our backpack. Your conscious awakening during the inner journey does not need any extra baggage such as assuming, judging, labeling or searching. Continue reading →

A State of Being Beyond Empathy

Equanimity is a state of balance between mind and consciousness. Leonard Nimoy played the character Spock in Star Trek. Spock depicts a person capable of experiencing thoughts and emotions. But, never (well at least almost never 😊) let these human attributes control his state of being.

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Indifference and non-attachment to thoughts, emotions, people, or situations nurtures clarity. Of course, empathy is useful in practical situations. And, even sympathy is beneficial in our interactions. However, these emotions actually cause an imbalance in an unaware person’s state of being. On the other hand, the practice of equanimity changes how you see yourself, the mind, and everything around you.

Here is the Wikipedia’s link and info for Equanimity (inner peace). We innate know that there is calmness within the spaciousness of presence. But, the mind still has a strong influence over our perception of living life. Especially, when too many thoughts and emotions overshadow our awareness of here and now. Continue reading →

Chop Wood and Live Within the Presence of Now

What are you aware of in this moment? Awareness defines your existence. The search for enlightenment has become more apparent in our society. This exploration of self-discovery in the pursuit of serenity began after the awaken of self-consciousness. The Buddha offers insight for our consideration. He teaches that Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry water.

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Zen also teaches a similar philosophy about living life in a state of presence. The Zen quote When hungry eat, when tired sleep from Po Chang offers beneficial wisdom. The mind has difficulty accepting the simplicity of life. This mind resistance is due to the self-imposed details, complexity, and conditioning of our human existence. Sages such as Buddha, Jesus, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and others offer us signposts to a pathway beyond the mind.

So, what do the teachings of these sages really suggest? Firstly, please understand that the mind is a helpful servant but a terrible master. Therefore, any understanding of life based strictly on the mind will only cause further confusion and complexity. How does insight resonate with you? The act of being allows balance and harmony in the experience of life. Nonetheless, strictly living from mind assumptions, interpretations, and definitions manipulations the simplicity of living. Here also, don’t let the mind fool you. Simplicity does not suggest a paradise without worry or pain. Foremost, your essence is universal presence. Secondarily, this presence is manifesting through an object/body. Continue reading →

The Universe Vibrates in Synchronization

You and I are so much more than we think. The face in the mirror masks the true self. We are ultimately universal energy. It is everywhere. This is a priceless treasure. Life vibrates within this energy flow. It is within us and far beyond. We can love. So be aware. Share love and care. We are life. Therefore, and enthusiastically, we should be in love with life. This is my wish to you. I hope that you are joyfully alive. I offer you love. Indeed, you inspire me. And you teach me. All things, objects and experiences, offer a portal to conscious awareness. The mind will say that there is good and bad. But always observe the spaciousness beyond mind details.

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You are a gateway to I as one. We can acknowledge universal essence as home. Therefore, let it flow. Living can be so wonderful. Awaken and experience life as it is now. We can consciously share, care, and forgive. Loving life is to unconditionally love living. Thus, practice loving life and love living. Know deeply that you are the creator of your experiences. Accordingly, you will forget mind-generated details. This is a human-made world. And, it has gone rotten. But, you are not and can never be only of this world. You are ultimately responsible for how universal energy vibrates. All objects, whether consciously aware or not, are influencing this universal flow. Continue reading →

Everlasting Transformation Begins Within You

We often misinterpret the word spiritual. Therefore, please don’t think that living spiritual is a prerequisite to enlightenment. We are experiencing a shift in awareness. This awakening is allowing an inner transformation to blossom. Spirituality is just a word such as religion, God or Buddha. The word has no real significance. Other than to give our existence structure. The change that we are witnessing is the release of our conditioned behavior and mind-restrictions. We are letting go of personal and collective dogmas.

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We don’t need to be spiritual to experience life energy consciousness. Rather, living and being are far beyond believing in something or even thinking anything. Thus, we need to unconditionally experience the truth of living in each moment. It would be beneficial for us to acknowledge that we are within everything. And we are influencing how things manifest. We are absolute at the level of being.

Still, we search for, demand more from, and define life instead of just living life. And, there are so many expectations. Thus, we obsessively attach ourselves to thoughts, feelings, and things. The problem is that we are always asking questions. We always expect something and overlook what is already there. We base our expectations purely on mind-oriented factors. This expectation is due to a state of unconsciousness. Universal intelligence vibrates and will respond to both unconsciously-made or consciously-made energy outputs. Continue reading →

Is Happiness the Key to Life? Are You Chasing It?

I recently received an email from someone. The topic and questions within this email related to happiness and lack of it in daily experiences. Please deeply reflect on your understanding of happiness before you continue reading. What does this word mean to you? Are you looking for contentment but think it is hard to find? Do you expect to find happiness through a materialistic object or a relationship with someone or something? The very act of searching and expecting will result in unhappiness.

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This type of mindset is toxic. Such behavior restricts object consciousness and ultimately, universal consciousness. This person wrote in the email that it is impossible to change someone. And, the email continue with this statement. However, it is possible to change yourself to make other people happy. Please reread these sentences and consider your own experiences. Are you unknowingly trying to make others happy? Continue reading →

Equanimity: A Helpful Stepping Stone in Life

What is equanimity? This word has many interpretations. This is true for all words. However, conscious enlightenment is beyond words, thoughts, and the mind. Therefore, I ask that you practice understanding without defining. Please exercise knowing without needing to clarify. Why do I ask this of you? Because you hold universal intelligence within your grasp as the essence of your being. Anything that we use is merely a stepping stone back to the totality of our being. We are always on this path. Lao Tzu expresses The Way of life in the “Tao Te Ching”.

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So, we can say that the stepping stones are The Way. Then why does it seem so difficult, even impossible, to experience the enlightenment of our true nature? This is because we usually are not aware of the path markers along the way. A diversity of conditioned mind thoughts, feelings and behavior cause us to overlook the obvious. We actually choose to blindly walk the path of life. We unconsciously take each step because we don’t truly observe The Way. Still, and foremost, this unconscious state of living is irrelevant once we awaken to The Way in life. The moment will come when a person will know without needing to know why he or she knows. Continue reading →

Two Were Once One: What Is Beyond Dualism?

This is a discussion about the mind and consciousness. Were they one and the same? Did something happen after we became self-conscious? Did one become two? This is, at least, what the mind has convinced us is true. Likewise, it is this conditioned believing and thinking that causes dualism. But, the apparent separation is strictly mind-made. Thus, it is ultimately not real, Hence, an illusion.

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Almost every person will have a different interpretation about this topic. We often use science or religion in an attempt to understanding mind and consciousness. But, your present level of awakened object consciousness is very beneficial. Let’s consider both from a state of non-attachment to either. Still, many will insist that the one (universal consciousness) cannot be without the other (object consciousness). What is your response to this idea? Please notice that I asked about your response and not your reaction. A mind reaction will not benefit us. Furthermore, this type of duality thinking will actually impair our experience of universal intelligence within the flow of life. Whereas, responding to something is based on synchronicity with consciousness. Continue reading →