We Are Coaxed Into Ignoring

We are coaxed into ignoring that we are, in reality, the essence of pure consciousness.

Why are we coaxed? In favour of a belief system. Why? Partiality controls people with an incomplete picture that stimulates our imagination. This is the reason that the world is in the state it’s in; we try to influence one another to take a side, and condemn those on the other side. Separation is the madness in this world.

Over-reaction turns people against one another, transforming opposition into dislike, and dislike into hatred, which is intense dislike – all because of beliefs that we unload onto others.

Like and dislike are ideas we carry around as banners of righteousness; they aren’t the same as knowing what is beneficial and what is harmful to the mind and body in the moment now.

The only sanity is what we all have in common, and that is consciousness, the pure view in the moment now of just seeing without judgments, sides or colours. In pure consciousness, no beliefs are present. It’s the moment of unconditional oneness, which we lose the instant we fire up our likes or dislikes, and forget our commonality.

A strong mind is an empty, cognisant mind
– not predictable, and full of potential.

Empty cognisance (open space) is filled with possibilities, and is the opposite to holding the preconceived ideas which make us disagreeable and predictable. When we become worked-up about other people, it is we who are a danger to others.

The thing that is o
f utmost importanceis recognising what we all have in common
– rather than our different beliefs.

Deliberate Avoidance

Deliberate avoidance is shunning a fact as being an enemy.
This is just another name for ignorance.

Avoidance is the result of our fear of not knowing, when we pretend that the other side of a narrative doesn’t exist for fear of being influenced. If we ‘bury our head in the sand’, we give out a signal of a lack of perception or awareness, which is ignorance.

The ultimate fact or truth doesn’t lie in one side or another;
it is in unbiased, panoramic vision – just seeing.

Ultimately, panoramic vision of pure consciousness is our starting point, rather than relying on a preconceived an idea or opinion formed before having the evidence for its truth or usefulness.

Basically, avoid ignorance
😀

All You Need To Know

You are all you need to know.
You are the pure knowingness of consciousness,
which is mind essence.

We have all ignored this
in favour of ideas programmed in our mind.

With realisation, we see the world differently,
free of speculation, mysteries and devilment.

Follow The Science? Follow The Teaching?

This an extract from yesterday’s UK Covid enquiry:
‘Professor Vallance (top scientific advisor) admitted there is “no such thing as ‘the science’”. “Science, by its definition, is a moving body of knowledge that tries to overturn things by testing the whole time,” he said.’ The Government said it was about a consensus that supported its political agenda!

The very same can be said of the Buddha’s teachings.
There is no such thing as ‘the teaching’. Spirituality, by its definition, is a moving body of knowledge that tries to overturn things by testing the whole time. If we think we are supporting a consensus – Buddhism – we will forget the Buddha’s words, “Do not take my word for the truth; test it for yourself…”

This is why we use analytical meditation.

Does the Buddha’s teaching work?
What do the words mean?
How do emotions obscure clarity?
Am I controlled by pride …?

What is enlightenment?
What is self?

What is the reason humans just accept what they are told?
What is asking these questions?

… silent reflection …

Only you can answer these questions.
Once you get an answer, ask again … and again …

(and then write a blog! :D)

Can You Laugh At Your Self?

Does your old self make you feel ‘icky’ … unpleasantly sticky?

We all do and say daft things that we picked up from others. It’s not our fault – unless we keep doing and saying the same daft things.

There are two ignorances: one where we ignore our true reality, and the other where we maintain this ignorance.

When we are honest, we can laugh at ourselves, and when we do this, the world laughs with us.
If we take our self seriously, we isolate our selves.

Just Functioning

Most humans function on a limited level of existence. In fact, we are malfunctioning. If our only concerns are family, career, entertainment (which include politics, technology and religion), we are merely going round in circles, repeating the same experiences. We live on memories – the nostalgic programming of the familiar – and the way in which we relate to things shows our history of relative reality.

The problem is that we are unable to break out of this cycle of existence until we recognise that it is causing us anxiety and suffering. We do not realise our full potential of being enlightened – Buddha-like – and live dream-like instead.

To function properly to our full potential, we need to be open-minded, moment by moment, rather than merely claiming, “Oh, I’m open-minded.” That’s easy to say. Being open-minded in every moment is fresh, and means not relying on assumptions … ever.

This is the difference between vertical thinking, which uses conventional logic, and lateral thinking, which is viewing in a new and unusual light.

In other words,
we live either within the dim light of ego
or the brilliant splendour of pure consciousness.

The path to enlightenment is the discipline of detachment
in the moment when we recognise attachment.

All encounters on our path are relative situations, revealing how we relate. We can either relate by becoming caught and held, or the situation can become our teacher as a reminder of our reaction which is observed by pure consciousness.

Pure consciousness is fully functioning: full of compassion, full of understanding, full of gentle empathy for others’ predicament.

Malfunctioning: a failure to function normally; being abnormal; deviating from what is normal typically in a way that is undesirable or worrying. Abnormal: from Latin, abnormis ‘monstrous’ 😀

Meditation Is Our Natural State Of Being

When we are not in vacancy or thinking and talking, we are just being aware, open to the elements with the the senses fully experiencing, watchful, able to see clearly and at peace, that is meditation. In this natural state, we can do everything mindfully.

There is nothing religious about this. Nothing convoluted. There is no system, no outer worship, no beliefs – just naturally being aware. That is the innate presence of pure consciousness. It is home, our permanent being.

So what is unnatural, and why are we all confused?
Consciousness doesn’t know its natural state, and so becomes addicted to selected ideas which have no permanent reality.

When we are lost in vacancy, thinking or talking,
we are in our dream state of memories.

Merely notice that which is aware of this dream state,
and there you are, back in natural wakefulness.

We Are An Invention Of The Mind

We are an invention of the mind
… clones of others’ minds.

Are you doing or thinking anything original?

Our only originality is the essence of consciousness.
It’s original because it never changes.

If we understand that, we are on the path to full realisation of the nature of everything.
If we do not understand that, we are merely an figment of someone else’s imagination.

It’s shocking when we realise this! 🙂

Losing Losing Your Temper

Temper: an angry state of mind.
Temperamental: the tendency to behave angrily or emotionally.

The speed at which we lose our temper and become angry indicates the degree of volatility in the mind we are working with. When we lose our temper, we cause havoc. Losing our temper is over-reacting.

Losing that temper:
That temper isn’t us;
it is the state of our mind
– our mind-set.

We can actually lose that temper
by being aware of its effect.
That is precisely why it is our perfect teacher.

This is the work on the path to enlightenment.

When Life Becomes Overwhelming

Remember: nothing lasts, but that which is aware of being overwhelmed.
That – and not what happens – is the secret of life.
Pure consciousness is the only stable truth.

We may look at politics, religion, science to make sense out of life, but these will not satisfy as they all offer different commentaries and conclusions.

Nothing will please everyone, except that which is aware of being.
If we look for something more, we will be overwhelmed by speculation.

Overwhelming Negativity

Overwhelming negativity is due to a closed mind. The meaning of the word ‘negative’ is denial. This can become a cultural meme through the propaganda machine that sees to it that we stay trapped in the illusion of negativity. It’s an illusion, because negativity closes a natural, open mind of clarity.

Negativity creates a cultural dis-ease of living in an illusion of ever-changing ideas and concepts.
The very moment when we recognise this dis-ease, the mind opens to pure consciousness
– but just for that moment.

To stay focused and open, and be able to reason for ourselves, we need personal discipline of non-reaction, patience to allow space to occur and morality of knowing what is truly natural.

The more we notice our negativity, the more positive and naturally open-minded we become.
It stands to reason – it’s obvious.

Can we be overwhelmingly positive?

Being over-positive is having an obsession with ‘positive’ thinking, which becomes toxic when people put a spin on all experiences, in the belief that problems can be solved by dismissing negative emotions and focusing on the positive. This is just an antidote – a temporary measure – as negativity will return.

In truth, this is a negative approach as there is denial that the negative is present. In separating the extremes of positive and the negative, we will never see them as a unity.

In realising the connection between positive and negative,
we don’t become overwhelmed:
we see them as inseparable,
like dark and light or a mirror and its reflections.

Appearances and recognition are simultaneous.

The Qualities Of Pure Consciousness

The very essence of pure consciousness is the quality of clarity. One might say, “Is that all?”

Clarity: Middle English (in the sense ‘glory, divine splendour’): from Latin clarus ‘clear’.

Meditation is a method to open the mind to realise the clarity of pure awareness; when pure awareness is realised, the method is dropped. In pure awareness, there is nothing doing. There are none of the conventional qualities that we may have been led to expect or believe in by religions and the intellectualisation of philosophers. There is just clarity.

Once established in the clarity of pure awareness, the qualities naturally unveil themselves in daily life, and in our ability to relate to things. Pure conscious awareness is our ultimate being: this is absolute truth. When we start relating to things, this is relative truth – but now, these go hand in hand.

Having realised what we are, we also realise that every other sentient being is individual pure consciousness, but hasn’t yet realised it – or is ignoring it for something more interesting, for something ‘better’ to come.

Knowing this, we can have empathic compassion for their dilemma and, depending on our level of ability, we may be able to bring about a sense of balance.

Maybe!
Not everyone is ready,
because they are still living in a hope that divine splendour
has bells and whistles and other additional features.
🙂

The quality of pure consciousness is waking up to the laws of the universe.

Dharma Is Remembering That We Forgot What We Are

Meditation is remembering that we forgot what we are.
Enlightenment is never forgetting for an instant.

When we remember that we are pure consciousness, there is no Dharma, there is no meditation, there is no meditator. In one-pointed awareness, there is no time to identify as a meditator. Like space, pure consciousness is timeless.

Remembering is tiny moments, gradually joining up through practice.
The more we remember that we forgot what we are, the more we remember.

This is the inseparability of the two truths – the mirror and reflection. By virtue of one, the other is instantly known.

Note: no belief is necessary.

Meditation Is Total Relaxation Without Distraction

‘Without distraction’ is neither falling into vacancy nor circling thoughts.

Being aware of the dream states of both vacancy and thoughts shows us the state we are in, and that’s good. Merely recognising these states means we are back in awareness. Meditation isn’t mental gymnastics of trying to do something or to look good.

Don’t be disappointed if you fall into these alternative states.
Celebrate!
You noticed – you just woke up!

Too often, meditation groups represent meditators as positive, smiley people who ‘appear’ to have got it. This is the peaceful approach, which is prone to apathy, but there is also a wrathful approach of negative emotions that is more dynamic.

We can ascend through aversion as well as desire.
Strong emotions can awaken us by brightening the mind.

(According to Tibetan Buddhism, in deity practices and the Bardo of the experience after death, there are peaceful deities of clear light who come to invite us to their higher realms, together with beings of soft light who invite us to the lower realms. This happens – so text says – in the first week after death. In the second week, for those who have ignored the peaceful deities, they come again as wrathful deities – wrathful love 🙂 It all depends on our disposition, as in daily life; we usually ignore all appearances, and therefore reincarnate into some suitable form.)

In meditation, short moments many times stops us going to sleep, or drifting off into thoughts. It keeps it fresh. The result of meditation is more clarity in daily life, and being less reactionary.

Deeper meditation is realising that, if we are not vacant or lost in thoughts – and nothing else such as ‘experiencing’ is going on – that is non-duality, without a meditator. Just pure awareness, pure consciousness, pure knowingness, pure perception.

The Middle-East Matter

Is it a secular or spiritual matter?

Judaism is a religion of the old Bible. Followers of any religion have a right to practise non-violent contemplation. We may not agree with their ideas but, going into another’s church or temple, we naturally respect the place.

When spirituality (the very essence of our being) becomes a religion, it can be influenced by a political agenda creating a culture and a race of people.

My dad always said, “We are Jewish by race, not by religion.” I didn’t understand that at all. Was I supposed to develop a feeling of belonging, or was this spiritual? We did nothing special, so it was a sentimental connection to a piece of land called Israel. Our true home? Zionism? There had to be more to us.

Zionism is a recent invention.

(Theodor Herzl 1860-1904 was an Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist and political activist who was the father of modern political Zionism, to promote Jewish immigration to Palestine in an effort to form a Jewish state.)

The ultimate truth of our being isn’t in books, temples or land. Once we realise we are common consciousness that has no identity, we can practise anywhere and everywhere, unknown to others. The problem in the world is people being encouraged to cling to books, temples and land.

True practitioners are only concerned with ultimate truth (as they see it) and the suffering caused by ignoring that truth, while practising under all conditions anywhere, whether pleasant and unpleasant.

So what’s the problem?
Politics.

Politics has nothing to do with spiritual teaching. A practitioner does not need politics; that is for secular people. When spirituality is organised, it becomes a religion, which can then be influenced by a hierarchy that becomes political, thus developing an ideology that creates a culture or race of characteristics. Religious and secular people each have their own ideologies, which may be far from our original reality.

Politics: from Ancient Greek politiká (affairs of the cities) governing decisions in a society.

Practising Jews and Muslims respect one another’s contemplations. Jews can practise in Muslim lands, and Muslims can practise in Israel. It is extremists who create division and whip up hatred – and once a bullet is fired, it will have consequences, and you cannot take it back.

The middle way is noting that there are secular, religious and spiritual people; each has their view, and each has a voice. This is the Dark Age of Conflict – people will not see eye-to-eye.

Politics and spirituality do not mix.
Politics can make use of spirituality as a consumer product.
Spirituality can use politics to keep the floor swept, and the cushions tidy.

Note: Christmas in the UK starts at the end of summer!

 Ignorance Versus Wisdom

Because we ignore our own reality of pure consciousness, pure mind, we create suffering for ourselves and others. This ignorance of the wisdom within solidifies the ideas of self and our world, and maintains the three poisons of attachment and aggression through ignorance.

Ethical living is important to end suffering, when we know what behaviour is self-serving, and what is beneficial to serve others.

The answer to unhappiness is wisdom. Wisdom arises when we understand our true reality, which is open and interdependent. This interdependency is the unity of appearances (reflections) and recognition (mirror-mind); realising this, we can relax the struggle to maintain the fictitious sense of self created by ignorance.

Ignoring wisdom maintains the suffering of circling thoughts.
When we realise we have been confused by ignoring that which sees,
confusion dawns as wisdom.

The result is a wise life.

Why Is Buddhism So Elaborate?

Why is Buddhism so elaborate?
Why is anything elaborated?

Every organisation, product or person tries to attract and charm with a smiling face. Once enticed to enter or buy, we then see if it’s worth it. Does it do what it says on the label?

Like all institutions
– and on an individual level –
we advertise.
😀

Elaborating absolute truth is counter-productive; that’s more of an obstacle than a help in the achieving the objective. Exotic jargon – words or expressions – can be difficult for others to understand.

Keep it simple.
There is nothing simpler than cognisant emptiness.
Advertising is mass hypnosis.

We need to try something in order to find out if it’s good or effective. We don’t know if it will work until we suck it and see. But take the wrapping off first!

Closed Mind = Stale Air

It doesn’t matter what philosophies or spiritual text we read, hear or believe in, they separate us. When we throw it all out, what is left is the truth. The ultimate truth is pure awareness, staring at it all – “Bye bye!”. Philosophies and spiritual text are all about what we are – pure, conscious awareness. It’s what we’ve always been, but we’ve ignored it.

Understanding isn’t a matter of acquiring knowledge; it’s about being the knowledge, and realising it.

Opening our mind allows pure consciousness fresh air.
The real practice is letting go … totally.

Book learning is holding on to third-hand (at least) information.
Knowing, and thinking we know, are not the same thing.

I still doubt.
It’s a habit of thinking, “Well, they may be right with their jargon and rituals” …
and anyway, I’m not enlightened yet. 🙂