Sunday, March 23, 2014

Peace

Kamakura, Japan

We desperately yearn for peace in our lives, but we will not take the simple steps necessary to obtain it.

It is as if we were lying in an orchard, yet were starving because we cannot see all the food around us.  We are often agitated, angry, panicked, lost, anxious, envious, and frustrated.  We are at peace rarely, and it is always short-lived.  We go through our lives like programmed zombies, not knowing that there is a better way to live.  It is unconscious thought which causes our agitated states of mind.

We can be peaceful in an instant.  This very instant, if we choose.  All it takes is our intention and a choice.  Right now we can turn our awareness (i.e., our attention without judgment) away from thought and toward the present moment.  In the state of being, our peace resides.  It only takes a moment.

Let's choose peace now.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Gratitude


Waiheke Island, New Zealand 

Gratitude is more than the key to abundance.  It is the key to a life of peace and harmony.

If we believe that life is a series of random events, it will appear as if we are the victims of random acts of good or bad fortune.  Worse, if we believe that life is out to get us and constantly puts obstacles in our way, we will experience a life of hardship and misery.

If we are grateful for everything that occurs, and treat everything as if it was a gift, designed specifically to enhance our fulfillment and awakening, we will experience grace and mystery, and miracles will begin to permeate our lives.  The more gratitude we feel, the more miracles we will experience.

Let's be grateful.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Faith


Hole in the Rock, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

It can be frightening to leave behind everything that we believe and who we think we are to bring our awareness to the Great Unknown.  What's the worst that could happen?  Our belief systems will still be waiting for us if we wish to return.

The worst thing is that we may be forced to face painful unacknowledged thoughts.  We pushed them down intentionally or unintentionally deep into our subconscious so we did not have to face them.  Despite our intentions, our unacknowledged thoughts wreak havoc on our lives and influence everything we think, do or say.

It takes courage to look at our thoughts as they arise in our consciousness.  When we start peeling back the layers of our thoughts and beliefs, we are often left with the most frightening core belief:  that we are unloved and unloveable.  This is the biggest lie of all.

Within us is a love beyond which we can imagine.  It takes faith and courage to know that when we jump off the cliff, we will not fall into the abyss, but into the waiting arms of pure Love, Joy and Peace.

Let's have the courage and faith to face the Great Mystery.  Let's turn our attention from thought to presence.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Freedom

Coromandel, New Zealand

It seems obvious.  If we have a choice between freedom and prison, of course we would choose freedom.  However, we seldom do.

The reason why we do not choose freedom is because we do not believe that we have a choice.  We believe that we are who we think we are.  We believe our thoughts are true.  We believe our thoughts define who we are.  We are not our thoughts and we can opt for freedom at any moment, even this one.

How can I be so sure that we have a choice?  Can I prove it?  Yes I can.  Let's bring our attention to the present moment for the next ten seconds.

Did we have a glimpse of freedom?

We can have peace and freedom always because it is our natural state of being.  All that we have to do is to turn our attention away from unconscious thinking and towards the present moment.  Every moment is a new opportunity to be free.

Turning away from thought can be frightening because it is all we know.  However, we are not alone.  The moment we turn our attention in the direction of Freedom, Freedom will turn in our direction.  When we stretch out our hand in innocence, a hand will be there to hold us.

Let's choose freedom.