Dream of the iris
08-19-2008, 04:34 AM
We all feel this change that is occuring on the planet. No doubt if you've joined this group, it was because you sense this coming change. The problem is that sensing it is not good enough. Surely we all want to help out as much as possible, what with all the problems of the world, global warming, pollution, war, etc, etc affecting everyone, it only seems natural that one would want to help out. But where to begin? How can you truly make a difference? Well, it's simple. Work on yourself. That's it! When you work on yourself, you affect those around you and ultimately the entire consciousness of humanity as well. What is working on yourself? This means simply to be aware of yourself, to recognize that which is formless in you. Sounds difficult, but it's actually easier then you think.
Perhaps you've looked at a beautiful picture, or something in nature really caught your attention and for a brief moment you were speechless. Your mind was still. Maybe you were not aware of it, but something in you resonated with whatever your attention was focused on and for a moment you were truly at peace. That's the formless dimension! It's what the sages of old talked about, this thing called "enlightenement" and it's availble to all right now. The key to this dimension is the present moment. You're reading this right now, that's in the present and that's where you can find the formless dimension. Now, to work on yourself means to be in the present moment at all times during the course of your day, or at least as much as possible.
When you are engaged in a certain activitiy, watch what happens. Not just outside, but more importantly, watch what goes on inside. Your thoughts, emotions, etc. Watch them. Be ever present to all of them. Through watching, you learn to be still inside and eventually can enter the formless dimension effortlessly. This is incrediblely difficult at first, but through practice, through working on yourself, you can get there. A technique I find to be helpful is to be aware of the space between things. Behind the illusion of the soildity of matter is empty space. When a sound comes into being it is suspended for a moment in silence then dissolves back into the no-thingness from which it came. That is true for all moments, for all things. Everything eventually returns to no-thingness, to Source and comes out of that same no=thingness that is Source, that is you. I am especially convinced that stoners can benefit greatly from this because they have glimpses of this space every time they get stoned, although they may not be aware of it yet. So maybe next time you get stoned, watch yourself fully and see if you can feel this space. It will be easier to feel it while stoned, but it is important not to get to dependent on weed to give you this awareness. After all, marijuana is just a drug, albiet a benevolent one.
I'm sure most of you have already heard this, but it demands to be said again because of the situation our species is in at this time. We have come to a crossroads in our development and it is up to us to make that happen. It will not come from anyone but you. I implore everyone of you to work on yourselves, to watch yourself at every moment. It will be hard at first, but you will gradually get there.
I recommend Eckhart Tolle's books "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth: Awakening to your life's purpose". Both will expand upon the ideas presented here.
I also understand that the technique I provided may be confusing at first, but it is much simplier then you think. It only requires that you watch yourself, everything that you are doing, be there fully, whether it is washing the dishes, or taking a shower or doing homework, be there, not in your head, but be in the act of doing. That will open up space for you to be and will, in time, open you up to the dimension of Being.
Perhaps you've looked at a beautiful picture, or something in nature really caught your attention and for a brief moment you were speechless. Your mind was still. Maybe you were not aware of it, but something in you resonated with whatever your attention was focused on and for a moment you were truly at peace. That's the formless dimension! It's what the sages of old talked about, this thing called "enlightenement" and it's availble to all right now. The key to this dimension is the present moment. You're reading this right now, that's in the present and that's where you can find the formless dimension. Now, to work on yourself means to be in the present moment at all times during the course of your day, or at least as much as possible.
When you are engaged in a certain activitiy, watch what happens. Not just outside, but more importantly, watch what goes on inside. Your thoughts, emotions, etc. Watch them. Be ever present to all of them. Through watching, you learn to be still inside and eventually can enter the formless dimension effortlessly. This is incrediblely difficult at first, but through practice, through working on yourself, you can get there. A technique I find to be helpful is to be aware of the space between things. Behind the illusion of the soildity of matter is empty space. When a sound comes into being it is suspended for a moment in silence then dissolves back into the no-thingness from which it came. That is true for all moments, for all things. Everything eventually returns to no-thingness, to Source and comes out of that same no=thingness that is Source, that is you. I am especially convinced that stoners can benefit greatly from this because they have glimpses of this space every time they get stoned, although they may not be aware of it yet. So maybe next time you get stoned, watch yourself fully and see if you can feel this space. It will be easier to feel it while stoned, but it is important not to get to dependent on weed to give you this awareness. After all, marijuana is just a drug, albiet a benevolent one.
I'm sure most of you have already heard this, but it demands to be said again because of the situation our species is in at this time. We have come to a crossroads in our development and it is up to us to make that happen. It will not come from anyone but you. I implore everyone of you to work on yourselves, to watch yourself at every moment. It will be hard at first, but you will gradually get there.
I recommend Eckhart Tolle's books "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth: Awakening to your life's purpose". Both will expand upon the ideas presented here.
I also understand that the technique I provided may be confusing at first, but it is much simplier then you think. It only requires that you watch yourself, everything that you are doing, be there fully, whether it is washing the dishes, or taking a shower or doing homework, be there, not in your head, but be in the act of doing. That will open up space for you to be and will, in time, open you up to the dimension of Being.