Truth

Near Queenstown, New Zealand

We do not live our lives truthfully. We show a different face to the different people we interact with in accordance with the expectations of the situation. We act differently with our parents, with our friends, with our bosses, with the gardener, our spouses, homeless people, etc. We have secret agendas and do not express what we are truly thinking and feeling. We try to manipulate people instead of telling people what we want. Even our white lies damage our relationships and ourselves.

It takes an enormous amount of energy to feel one way and act another way. We project the image that we think people want us to project. This causes a lot of stress.

Aren't we tired of suppressing who we really are? Aren't we tired of sleepwalking through life like programmed zombies? It is far more relaxing to be transparent and live authentically. We believe that we are sparing someone's feelings when we do not tell them the truth. The opposite is true. We do not give people enough credit. Are we really doing our friends a favor when we lie to spare their feelings? Do we think that little of them that we do not think they can handle the truth? When we live authentically, people often respond to us in the same way.

Let's have the courage to be who we really are. Let's be transparent.

Surrender

Dylan

We have the desire to awaken. We have the knowledge and the tools to become awakened. We have the courage to look at the pain and anguish that we have buried in our subconscious. We have the discipline to continually bring our attention to the present. Now we must let go of everything we have learned and surrender to the void.

We cannot use thought to awaken. It is not something that we can "figure out." In fact, thought is keeping us from awakening. It is not something that we can describe or label. It is what we are. We are the peace, joy and love that we seek. All that we have to do is surrender to it.

Let's surrender all of our thoughts, our beliefs, our judgments and be what we are. Let's surrender.

Life

Sunrise in Hana, Maui

If we believe that everything happens for a reason, we usually spend a lot of time figuring out the reason because it seems so important. Often we look back at some painful event in our lives and appreciate that it was an opportunity to grow or experience something better.

However, life only has the meaning which we give it. If we believe that life is a meaningless combination of random events, that is what we will experience. If we believe that all of the events in our lives are occurring because of divine destiny, life will appear to be governed that way. If we believe that life is unfolding so that we realize that we are all one, a part of divine presence, we will experience that too.

I used to read dream interpretation books, so that I could figure out the meaning of things that happened in my dreams. Although often interesting, I realized that I could better interpret my dreams by defining their meanings myself. The significance of dreams on a physical, psychological and spiritual basis would be what I believe they are.

Let's stop trying to figure out the meaning of life and why things are happening to us. Let's instead declare it!

Meditation

Meditation is a matter of life or death. It is the difference between happiness and unhappiness, neuroses and clear thinking, health and disease, being and sleepwalking through life. At least it is for me.

When we meditate, we realize that our thoughts are primarily a mixtore of repressed fears, irrelevant, mundane and unnecessary thoughts, and nonsensical gibberish. This realization helps us to stop identifying with our thoughts.

If we do not have the time to meditate, we do not have the time to live.

Let's sit down and let go of our thoughts and our stale beliefs, and surrender.

Who We Really Are

Waihihi Bay, Russell, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Who we think we are

We believe that we are our physical bodies plus our beliefs about who we are that we have constructed through our lifetimes. These beliefs consist of our gender, our birthplace, where we were raised, the schools that we went to, the religious beliefs of our families and those around us, our socio-economic status, and so on. This complex system of beliefs is constantly reinforced by what we experience because what we experience is filtered by our belief systems.

Who we really are

Pay attention. This is important. Who we really are is pure awareness. What is pure awareness? It is our attention without the belief system of who we think we are. What is our "attention"? If someone who is behind us calls our name, our attention immediately goes to the sound. If someone touches our arm, our attention goes to the touch. That "attention" without any judgments or beliefs is what we are. If we think that the person who called our name is a jerk or someone we admire, or we think that the touch is hard or wonder why this person is touching us, the pure awareness is altered by our thoughts, our judgments or our labels. We are not our thoughts and beliefs. We are pure presence.

Let's be who we really are.

Courage

Bridge near Glenorchy, New Zealand

Do we have the courage to surrender?

Sometimes when we let go, painful memories arise. We would rather not face those thoughts than acknowledge them. We believe that we are safe keeping our fears locked away in our subconscious. However, by not acknowledging them, they affect our lives in subtle and obvious ways. By allowing these unacknowledged memories to enter our awareness, their power is diminished.

We also fear the unknown. We are afraid of letting go of our deepest beliefs. We are afraid that we will be nothing without the comfort of the belief structures which tie us to various social groups. The opposite is true. When we surrender our stale belief systems, we become who we truly are.

There is nothing to fear. Our fears hold power over us only if we refuse to acknowledge them. Once we look at them, without judgment, their grip on us is released.

Let's have the courage to see things as they are.

Discipline

Sunset near Russell, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

There are three things necessary to become self-realized: desire, technique and discipline. If we do not have a very strong desire to become integrated, we will never overcome the present and historic pull of our compulsive thinking. The material world is designed to keep us from realizing who we really are. Our desire must be strong, sincere and consistent.

Once we have the desire, we need to utilize the simple tools to achieve oneness. When we become aware that our attention is lost in thought, we can bring our attention back to the present. Awareness is simply our attention without judgment. Actions such as meditation, yoga, being in nature can help us remain present.

Because the pull of compulsive thinking is so strong, we need discipline to continuously utilize the tools that we have every day.

Let's be present.