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.

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.