Sunday, March 25, 2012

meditation

Stony Batter, Waiheke Island, New Zealand

If we could take a pill which had no side effects and would eliminate our anxiety, frustration, anger, sadness, loneliness, feelings of unease and worthlessness would we take it? Of course we would. If twenty minutes of meditation a day could accomplish the same thing, would we do it? For some reason, the answer is usually "no."

Meditation has been proven to have extremely beneficial health effects and to increase our sense of well being and peace. It is simple to do, does not take much time, and is free! If we don't know how, there are a multitude of books, courses and information on how to do it. For example, we can do a simple mindfulness meditation by bringing our attention, without judgment, to our breathing. As our mind wanders and we realize it, we gently, without judgment, bring our attention back to our breathing.

All it takes is a bit of discipline and courage. Discipline is required because our ego will come up with an almost infinite number of excuses why we shouldn't do it. We need to be disciplined to override the strong impulses of our ego. Courage is required because we will face the thoughts and feelings which we pushed deep into our subconsciousness to keep ourselves from feeling the pain of things that occurred in our past.

Let's have the courage and discipline to meditate.

The Watcher

Waihihi Bay, New Zealand

We cannot stop thought. However, we can detach ourselves from the idea that we are our thoughts. Our belief that our thoughts are true keeps us from being who we really are. It is unconscious, compulsive thinking that is keeping us from living the lives that we want to live. It is keeping us from being happy and fulfilled.

We can crack the wall of unconscious thought which is separating us from who we really are by bringing awareness to our thoughts. Awareness is attention without judgment. By bringing awareness to our thoughts, without labeling or judgments of any kind, the thoughts begin to lose their stranglehold over us. Their power to control us begins to lessen. We feel more connected and energized. Our lives move in a more positive direction. We become peaceful. We look at everything in a new way.

Let's be aware.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

The Inner Body

Bay of Islands, New Zealand

When we are not in touch with our bodies, we are not aware of the stress and tension that we are holding in our muscles and organs. Our unconsciousness about what is happening within us can lead to illness, pain and discomfort. We hold tension in our bodies because we are protecting ourselves from experiencing negative emotions such as fear. We block ourselves from feeling them by pushing thoughts that we do not want to face deep into our subconscious, where they fester and affect our lives in unanticipated ways.

By bringing our attention within our bodies, we become aware of what we are holding. We can then release our tension. We realize that our consciousness is not within our bodies, but that our bodies are within our consciousness.

Let's bring our awareness within.


Sunday, March 11, 2012

Grace

Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Science has long ago proven that there is an Infinite Energy Source that all of us and everything is a part of. It is what we are. We cannot be anything but that. It is not something that can be described with words. It is not something that can be explained. It is not something that we can think through. It has to be experienced. Some call it Spirit. Some call it God. Some call it Source. We can recognize it by three characteristics: Peace, Love and Joy.

We experience so much frustration, anger and suffering because we are cut off from Source. We have built a wall of thought which prevents us from experiencing the peace, love and joy, which is what we are. All of our problems and suffering will disappear if we can break through the wall and recapture our heritage.

The wall of thought arises from our belief systems, which have been programmed into us since birth. The space between thought is where our freedom lies. God is the space between our thoughts. Of course, God is our thoughts too, but that is a paradox that we do not need to resolve.

When we surrender our thoughts, beliefs and judgments and see them for the lies that they are, we become one with Source.

Let's surrender to freedom.