Stillness

Coromandel, New Zealand

Do we want to have a more fulfilling, enjoyable life, free of fear, frustration, envy and anger? Would we like to be healthier, sleep better, and think more clearly? Would we like to improve our relationships?

Meditation is not necessary to become awakened. However, it is a powerful tool. Many studies have proven that meditation lowers blood pressure, improves sleep, prvents disease and enhances our health and the quality of our lives in a multitude of ways.

We think that we do not have time in our busy lives to take the time to meditate. Can we really not find the time to do something that makes our entire day better in every way?

There are no rules or techniques required to be still. We can sit down or lie down or stand up, for that matter. All that we have to do is bring our attention away from compulsive thinking and bring it to our bodies, our thoughts and everything around us. It is such a small investment in time which brings such a large benefit.

Let's find the time to bring stillness into our lives every day.

Joy

Bay of Islands, New Zealand

It is sometimes difficult to feel joy amidst the dreariness of everyday life. Life also seems to be filled with death, disappointment, ill health, and unease. We seem buffeted by the cycles of desire, fulfillment, and frustration, happiness, unhappiness, elation and depression. Even our bodies seem to have rhythms which we cannot control. Sometimes our happiness is accompanied by a sense of dread that it is impermanent and that unhappiness is just around the corner

Just below the surface of the endless cycles of happiness and unhappiness, there is a joy that transcends our cycles. It is our true nature. There is a feeling of joy that we can experience even in the midst of great sadness. Joy is a different feeling than happiness. It is a sense of aliveness that permeates all living things.

We experience joy by not believing the stories that we are constantly telling ourselves and instead turning our attention to the present moment. When we are present, a calm washes over us and the things that seemed so important seem almost silly.

Let's release all of our beliefs about ourselves and surrender to joy.

Mindfulness

Hakone, Japan

Are we paying attention to what we are doing? Or are we lost in thought, regretting things from the past, hoping things will get better, or dreading the future? Are we telling ourselves stories about the past or how things will be? Are we imagining scenarios about how things could have been or should have been? Are we reinforcing negative beliefs by thinking the same thoughts over and over? Are we tired of living this way?

Can we feel our hearts beating when we are still? Can we feel the blood coursing through our bodies? Do we hear what people are saying or are we merely waiting to say something in response? Can we feel the cool breeze on our skin? Do we pay attention to the animals and insects that we see and hear? Do we feel love for everyone that we encounter?

Let's move in slow motion, aware of every movement that we make, for even a moment. For a minute. For an hour. Forever.

Reality

Stony Batter, Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Some spiritual disciplines teach that the reality we experience through our five senses is an illusion. The reality we experience through our senses is real enough. However, the subtle levels of experience are just as real. The Divine Energy is real. Our connection to all things is real.

The biggest illusion is that we firmly believe that we are who we think we are.

Our experience of the subtle levels, and peace, freedom and love, can be just as vivid as our experiences in ordinary consciousness. It cannot be accurately described, thought about or imagined. In experience, we can know these things. All that we need to do is have the intention, utilize the tools for self discovery that we have (until those tools are no longer necessary) and surrender to present awareness without judgment.

Let's be aware of a universe beyond our physical senses.

Courage

Kamakura Buddha, Japan

It takes courage to live mindfully for two reasons.

First, we have to be willing to give up the social, religious, and political structures which have comforted us our entire lives. Our entire identities are tied up in the belief systems to which we belong. If we surrender our religious beliefs, we are afraid that we will be punished some time in the future. If we surrender our social beliefs, our friends may not like us any more because the group supports each other with their shared beliefs. Our families may be threatened by the changes that we are undergoing.

Second, when we bring our awareness away from our compulsive thinking about the past and present and bring it to the present moment, painful memories will arise into our consciousness, memories that we have been hiding in our subconscious in order to protect ourselves from pain. We may feel abandoned and alone.

We are not alone. There is great power and wisdom flowing from being connected to All That Is. We will feel alive and energized by living in harmony with the Source. There is nothing to fear. As old relationships fall away, new ones that resonate with our new vibration will appear. We will find new careers and interests. A new world will open to us. One not based on fear, frustration, and anger, but on love, peace and freedom.

The pull of compulsive thinking is strong. The ego is afraid to give up its long held beliefs. The Divine Energy that we yearn for is much stronger. Once we start, we cannot turn back. There is nothing real to turn back to.

Let's embrace the present moment without fear, judgment, or expectation.

Surrender

East Cape, New Zealand

Do we have the courage to give up our long held beliefs about who we are and the nature of reality? Do we have the will to give up our notions about what we need to be free? Are we ready to live mindfully and in the present moment right now and not some time in the future?

Now is the time to wake up. If we do not awaken right now, it will never happen, because we cannot awaken in the future. It can only happen now.

Let's surrender to peace now.

Love

Dylan

Love is what we are. If we are not feeling love, we are not in touch with our true selves.

If we are feeling anger, envy, frustration, disillusionment, rage, fear, or disappointment, we are not in touch with our true selves.

To get back in touch with ourselves, we will stop what we are doing, bring awareness without judgment to our thoughts and feelings, allow them to be as they are, release them, and surrender to who we really are.

Let's start now.