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.

Love

Russell, New Zealand

Love is what we are in essence. We have forgotten this because of our conditioning. our stale beliefs, our judgments, prejudices, and incessant thoughts.

When we peel the layers of thought and belief, we reach a feeling of pure love.

Some say that we are motivated by only two emotions, love and fear. Everything that we do, think or say arises from one emotion or the other. Every moment is a new choice.

Let's surrender to the love that we are.

Acceptance

Roberton Island, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

We believe that if we were better looking, had more money, had people that loved us, were in better health, that we would be whole. If we are not fulfilled now, we will never be fulfilled, because we cannot awaken in the future. We can only awaken now.

We can only effectuate real change when we accept and embrace where we are in this very moment. Once we accept where we are in this moment, we can take action to change our circumstances. If we are always wishing that things were different than they are, we are living a life of denial and nothing will fundamentally change.

Accepting who we are and where we are in the present moment does not mean that we have to put up with a situation that is not in harmony with how we want to live. It does not mean that we have to accept our fate. It means we can begin to create a life that is meaningful for us. It means that we can be at peace with what is. It means that we can awaken to our purpose in life.

Let's accept things as they are, not as we wished them to be. Then let's make every thought and action a mindful celebration of Life.

Enlightenment

Waiheke Island, New Zealand

I personally know 5 or 6 people who are enlightened. From an historical perspective, this is astounding. Millions of people worldwide are awakening. The 5 or 6 people I know are superficially not similar at all. Some are men. Some are women. Some live in the country. Some live in the city. Some meditate. Some do not. Some are wealthy. Some have very little money or material possessions. Some are white. Some are black. They have diffent likes and dislikes. However, they do share some of the same characteristics.

They do not fear becoming ill.

They do not fear death.

They do not fear for their personal safety.

They do not get irritated or frustrated when we interrupt them when they are speaking.

They are indifferent as to whether we like them or not.

They are indifferent as to what we think of them.

They have no neuroses.

They have great senses of humor.

They do not have any hidden agendas.

They live transparently.

When they listen, they listen. They are not thinking.

They do not become angry at real or imagined slights.

Their ego cannot be bruised.

They do not care whether we think they are enlightened or not.

They are charismatic.

We feel better when we are in their presence.

They know who they are.

They are one with who they are.

It is time to awaken now.