Release

Yellowstone

Stress equals illness and death. It is caused by compulsive thinking about the past and the future and manifests in an unconscious holding of different parts of our inner body (including, our hearts).

Some say there is "good stress" and "bad stress." There is no such thing as "good stress." All stress leads to disease and death.

There is nothing "wrong" with illness or death. I am not making a value judgment. It is simply a choice. If we choose not to be ill or die at a young age, we must release stress.

We can release stress by stopping our compulsive thinking about the past and future and releasing our unconscious holding within our inner bodies. We can release our unconscious holding within our bodies by bringing our attention to the areas that we are holding, without judgment. We can only be conscious of what was previously unconscious by becoming still and moving our attention into presence. Once our holding becomes conscious, it will release. Breathing deeply into it also helps.

Let's release our stale thoughts and beliefs about the past and future, and surrender to presence.

One

Sunrise, Hana, Maui

When presence comes into our lives, the neurotic parts of our identity begin to dissolve. The separation between ourselves and our world also begins to dissolve and we realize that we are one with everyone and everything.

Our fear of dying lessens, as well as our fear of future events. Once our attention remains in the present, we realize that the future is an illusion and worrying about it seems silly. Feeling guilty about actions that we cannot change and are not in conflict with our true selves, also seems pointless.

If we do not have "time" to do the work, to meditate, to practice yoga, to be mindful of what we are doing, to keep our attention in the present moment, to be kind and loving towards others and ourselves, we should not be surprised that we are frustrated, worried and stressed. Of course, it does not take "time" and there is no "work" that needs to be done. But we do have to wake up.

Let's realize the unity of all things.

Presence

Summer, Big Sur, California

We seek peace. We seek love. We seek joy. We never find what we seek. These are not things that can found.

However, if we surrender to presence, we will embody them without effort because peace, love and joy are our natural states.

We do not need to work at it, look for it, wish for it, hope for it. We cannot find it by thinking about it. When we bring our attention to the present moment and away from our unconscious thinking we will be home.

The pull of compulsive thinking is strong. Remaining in presence requires vigilant mindfulness and courage.

Let's surrender to presence.

Being

Roberton Island, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

If I could ask the Unknown Universe one question, it would be "Why?" Of course, before the question can even be asked, the answer comes. "Because." The better question is "Why Not?" Again, the answer comes before the question can even be asked. "No Reason."

We do not need a reason for being. There is nothing we need to learn, there is nothing we need to know. There is nothing we need to have. There is nothing we need to be.

We need nothing to be who we are. We are enough just as we are.

We do not need to be smart. We do not need to meditate. We do not need to practice yoga. We do not need to worship anything or anybody. We do not need to be free. We do not have to master our minds. We do not need to control our destiny. We do not need to lead. We do not need to follow. We do not need to justify our existence. We do not have to prove anything to anybody or even to ourselves.

All we need to be is who we are.

Prosperity

Pelican, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Prosperity is not a function of how much we have, it is a state of being.

The person who has a lot of money or things is not necessarily prosperous. The person who is satisfied and fulfilled with the things that he or she has is prosperous. The key to abundance is not having a feeling of lack.

When we feel fulfilled and are satisfied with what we have, we attract even more abundance into our lives.

If we have a sense of lack and long for more, no amount of money or things will ever satisfy us.

Let's be grateful for everything that we have.

Freedom

Hana, Maui

Whether we are the wealthiest person in the most free nation, or a pauper in a dingy prison, we are not free. We believe that in order to be free we need to have more money, more love, better health or some other missing element.

If we are not free right now in the present moment, we will never be free. Freedom can never arrive in the future because the future does not exist. It only exists in our mind. The only reality is the present. We have been conditioned to believe that there is a past and a future.

The time to choose freedom is now.

Surrender

Asakusa Festival, Tokyo, Japan

When we surrender what we think and believe about who we think we are, ironically, we become who we really are.

What we think about our reality is not necessarily truth about our reality. It is only a thought, which may or may not be true. To experience reality as it really is, and not how we think it is, or wish it was, we need to shift our awareness away from thinking. We are afraid to do this.

Regardless of the fact that our thoughts and beliefs usually bring us frustration, anxiety, stress, unhappiness and unease, we are afraid to give them up. We believe that if we give up our beliefs, we will lose our identity, our safety, and our bonds with our family and social groups.

It is true that if we surrender our thoughts and beliefs, we will give up certain aspects of our identity. Some of our social groups may lose our interest or the groups may not want us to be around. We will certainly change.

Isn't it a fair bargain to give up our neuroses, our unhappiness, frustration and pettiness, in order to become peaceful, loving, wise, and connected to everyone and everything?

There is nothing to fear from surrender.

Let's surrender to what we are.