We Are Primed To Conform
Programming: a prewritten script.
The collective is guided and divided.
This why none of us has an original idea.
We have been primed to go off!
The moment in which we see,
we are free not to react.
Reacting is the prime intention.
There is no new ‘news’ under the sun.
😀
There Is No Other God But Our Silence
There is no other God but our silence.
In silent clarity, everything is answered.
Our only problem is that we make and enjoy noise.
Silence departs.
There no other God but our silence.
Self-Control; Self-Mastery
It’s easy to say, “Self-control” and “Self-mastery” but, with so much distraction, this topic may be difficult to comprehend. We usually take self-control and self-mastery to denote holding back our reactions, but here, it doesn’t mean that.
‘Holding back’ is an antidote, and antidotes do not solve the problem; they cover it up. It’s like saying, “Be nice”, when we feel angry. We can be nice, but the feeling of anger will return because the cause has not been addressed. Reactions will always come back, so we need to find where those reactions came from.
When we identify with thoughts in the mind, we become more involved and captured by the idea of ‘me’ and ‘my thoughts’. This identification with thoughts creates our I, our self. Notice we say ‘our’; this is actually consciousness – that which sees. The more we realise that it is consciousness that sees this self-identity in action, the more control and mastery we have over our display of expression. This isn’t an antidote; it is an understanding.
The self is a collection of ideas with which consciousness identifies, and we keep making the same mistake.
The Dharma is a series of teachings that helps us to undo our uptightness. The Dharma isn’t about learning a script to repeat; it is about personally investigating what is happening in our mind, which affects our behaviour. This is more than psychology, which is based around the contents of the mind; this is spiritual psychology based around consciousness – that which is aware of the mind’s contents.
There aren’t many who are interested in discovering their reality or how a self is created. They just accept their thoughts as their reality, and bulldoze their way through life. If we only believe and obey our thoughts, we are no different from a robot. If, on the other hand, we ask questions about our self, we awaken to a new light of being.
When we react out of habit, we have no self-control or self-mastery. We only believe that we have.
The test is to think about someone whom we dislike, and see if we can remain neutral from the reaction. Let’s say we have an aversion to someone because they dislike others: without noticing, we have fallen into the ‘dislike camp’. Dislike is aversion, which is a fear that leads to hatred.
Our mind reacts to names and symbols.
It’s called ‘brand awareness’.
We mentally salivate, just like Pavlov’s dogs.
If we do not have self-control
others will control it for us.
Dealing With Our Anger
We all get angry at some time about some thing,
but in truth, we experience each emotion at some time.
All the emotions are wisdom;
anger is mirror-like wisdom.
This is subtle stuff.
😀
We first have to realise – or accept, or acknowledge – the possibility that we are not only consciousness, but pure consciousness. Pure consciousness is uncontaminated seeing, and is totally objective; we see perfectly, before our comments and judgements arise. This is the subtle appreciation of our being – seeing and the thing seen.
In ordinary understanding, seeing and the thing seen are a duality while, in ultimate realisation, seeing and the thing seen are a unity of non-duality. This is extremely subtle realisation.
Okay, so … when an emotion such as anger arises, what was happening just before that anger? In the first instant, there had to be seeing. We saw something that we then thought was wrong. A picture on the wall is wonky; seeing this, we may experience a subtle irritation and have to put that picture straight. Anger is connected to fear and desire, as we desire things to be right and we fear that no one else sees this … mutter … mutter … mutter … 😀
Sometimes, there are wonky people out there, and we feel that we have to put them straight as well! But before this occurs, there is pure seeing; something we see is wonky (off-centre, unstable) with that person. Even when acknowledging the smell of a beautiful flower, before that acknowledgement there was just seeing and smelling. It is the same with all the senses: in the first moment, there is pure perception, pure consciousness and so, before our interpretation and analysis, there is observation.
The funny thing is that, when we react, it is we who become unstable and wonky! This what happens when we listen to or watch the ‘news’ – our reaction destabilises us. 😀
To get to the point …
We are pure consciousness. In the very first instant of seeing something, the mind brightens. It’s alerted and, in that moment, is pure wisdom. So that seeing, that brightness, is the light of clarity, which is pure consciousness, our first nature (to stay constantly in this state would be enlightenment.) The emotion reminds us to return to our true, compassionate nature, which is compassionate because we see what others do not while empathising with forgetting our true reality.
Now, through clarity, we can address the situation
without anger and harm.
😀
The point is that our calmness and insight create an atmosphere that is pacifying. We become a reminder of what people already know.
There are four enlightened activities in Buddhism: pacifying, magnetising, enriching and destroying – bringing an end to ego’s games (enter ‘the four enlightened activities’ in the search box at the bottom of this page for more detail).
“We are free in the moment of seeing.”
– Tulku Urgyen
Once we see, it isn’t subtle any more.
It’s obvious.
The more powerful the emotion,
the more powerful the wisdom.
We Live In A Predicament
First, we have to recognise our predicament, and then know what to do about it. We live in a world of suggestions and beliefs – a conventional reality, where vertical thinking is used as logic, based on what is generally done or believed.
This creeping predicament goes unnoticed. In chess, pieces are cancelled out while a pawn slowly advances to become a queen before the opponent does the same – unless we are playing an inferior opponent, when a mate is possible; an inferior opponent doesn’t see either the impending mate or the advancing pawn.
We live in a predicament of feeling powerless, seeing the extent to which massive wealth can control and have power over people’s lives. As ‘inferior’ pawns, we constantly threaten this power by realising our own power.
If we don’t notice the predicament we are in, our sovereignty – our supreme power of pure consciousness – will become addicted and fixated on the game.
Solution: we don’t have to be drawn into others’ games. We can still play, but not take it seriously, as pure consciousness cannot be conquered. In the light of this, we remain the authority over our self, instead of giving it away to others.
Our predicament is brought about by believing only in conventional wisdom as opposed to ultimate wisdom. Conventional wisdom is vertical thinking, whereas ultimate wisdom is lateral thinking.
Vertical thinking is karmic; a state of being, a condition, a fixed situation.
Lateral thinking is the solving of problems using a new and unusual light; we start from the beginning, asking “What is it?” and “What is its basis?” Lateral thinking is seeing first, rather than thinking or assuming.
There is nothing religious about this;
it is pure science.
Conventional science is science fiction,
as it dwells on impermanent phenomena
which has no reality of its own.
Pure science is the fact of continuous consciousness
that sees impermanent phenomena.
If we miss this predicament,
we have lost the plot.
Dharma Psychology Clears All Blockages!
Information is something that forms or shapes our mind. If we listen, watch or read any form of media (information), it will influence us; all media is a programming machine. And this is why the Buddha told us not to take his word, but to test for truth. The Dharma clarifies our processing.
Phrases, songs, fashion, games, books, films, news, the internet all become mind worms that bury into our brain – and reactionaries shouting, “Freedom freedom!” is all part of the charade. Reacting to an illusion is delusion.
News?
It’s all rumour, suggestion, mind-blocking psychology.
Dharma psychology clears all blockages!
Right Thinking Is Reasoning
Wrong thinking is fixating
To survive as humans, we need to be able to think and reason. Once we know how to survive, we then have time to reflect on what is life all about. Of course, we could go on enhancing our survival techniques with expensive ideas, but that takes us into the land of beliefs and fantasies.
Once we ask sincere questions about life, our attention turns away from merely surviving and believing, and we attract inspirations (well, that’s how it feels 😀 ).
Thinking in conventional relative terms, we are only working our way to the top of the pile of collective confusion where the mentally blind inspire the mentally blind.
To accomplish anything, we need to reason. If, however, our mind becomes bogged down with prejudice, we won’t be thinking clearly and our view will be skewed; instead of asking question objectively, we blame and find fault. This is what makes us go round in circles = Samsara.
Once we realise the answer we seek – that we are what we have been looking for all along – our reasoning changes. We still face the same difficulties in our conventional life, but now we don’t take them too seriously. A problem brings us back to balance because there is the next moment to address and therefore we let it go. That’s where the fun and creativity lies!
On a conventional level, reasoning can be fun and creative, but we tend to cherish it, claim it, and want to be recognised for it. That’s the danger of clinging – it makes us unhappy.
The joy of letting go maintains the continuity of that joy, as there is always something else to deal with. Making do and mending is satisfying as karma is being dissolved, and we are freeing contamination.
Never Exaggerate Evil Or Joy
The Joy Of Seeing Evil
😀
These two concepts ‘evil’ and ‘joy’ may seem distant from our experience as we might think that only bad people are evil, and only holy people have joy. This isn’t so! In fact, the promotion of this misunderstanding is evil in itself.
Evil is anything that hides the truth about our true reality, while joy is to rejoice, to experience triumph and satisfaction. Completing an action or solving a problem is satisfying, which results in joy. Wanting or expecting goose-pimple euphoria is a pipe dream. Likewise, evil is the wanting and expectation which means that we do not recognise the inner joy already present.
As you can see, there are many levels of understanding of these two words. As long as we are led to believe in mystery, we will remain deluded. There is no mystery; the magicians have merely conjured up an illusion so that we do not recognise our origin, pure and simple.
Even meditation can become a obstacle if we only want to feel nice, instead of waking up to the realisation of our true reality.
The joy of seeing evil lies in the recognition of arisings in the mind which distract us. In this way, we are released.
‘I’ does not exist.
Before ‘I’ is pure consciousness.
Just stop.
Remain silent … and there you truly are.
Experience the joy of realisation.
Now, know evil can obscure this reality.
Now, no evil can obscure this reality.
Evil: harmful or tending to harm. (hides truth, because truth is our reality).
Joy: from Old French joie, based on Latin gaudium, from gaudere ‘rejoice’. (triumph/satisfaction)
Cutting Through Extremist Views
We are all extremists
when we react.
The practice of Trekcho.
Traditionally, this practice is the Tibetan Nyingma method of seeing the arising of thoughts (or emotions) before they are fully formed, thus cutting through them to remain in equanimity of pure awareness. This gives rise to the term “appearances and recognition are simultaneous”, and this is the key to avoid becoming an extremist! It’s just a matter of seeing; “We are free in the moment of seeing” – Tulku Urgyen.
Never forget that we can still have fun in generosity, patience, discipline, conscience, concentration, and wisdom.
In this way, a true practitioner elevates their humour automatically but, for the rest of us, we need to understand the reason for this practice. It’s a shock to realise how extreme we have become, when we believe the projections in our mind that colour our view. Our view is opposed to the view of pure consciousness, which is the first instant of perception. Pure consciousness is the middle way, not too tight and not too loose. The extreme view is my way, in which we end up either up-tight or we don’t care.
… and we thought we were normal!? 😀
We are all extremists when we ignore or forget our non-dual reality of just seeing. Really! In just seeing there is neither seer nor thing seen. And this is the point: in pure consciousness, there is just a clear view without judgements.
Extremists, on the other hand, are dualists – me and other. They are separatists, ambivalent and full of doubts. This leads to confusion, opinions, fear, argument, aggression, and hatred. It’s all linked.
It’s easy to see extremism in others, but this isn’t the point; we have to acknowledge this extremism within ourselves in order to regain inner peace. If we just react – or rather, our mind just reacts – then we have lost our sanity.
This is the reason we cut through concepts in the mind. We cut through bias. It doesn’t mean that we don’t do anything about extremism: the moment we recognise it, this view loses its power. If someone abuses us and we neither react nor accept it, that abuse returns to its maker.
Belief is extremism when we are faced with the reality of actually knowing. First, we have to know what reality is. For most, their everyday events are the reality, but these events are not only temporary, they take place in our mind. This isn’t a philosophical idea; the mind is where we interpret whatever is perceived (our way) and react. We are so engrossed with the material world that we simply ignore the source or origin of the observation, which is consciousness itself.
It’s important to be kind to our extremisms. This isn’t to excuse them, but we recognise that they arise through influences around us. Remember – we are free in the moment of seeing!
How did extremism come about?
When talking about pure consciousness, we are concerned with the inseparability of emptiness and cognisance = pure consciousness. This is the middle way between eternal-ism (everything is real )and nihilism (nothing is real).
If we only consider emptiness (a pure, uncontaminated state) and forget consciousness, we can drift into nihilism, where nothing seems real. We reject all religious and moral principles in the belief that life is meaningless and, as a result, we doubt, and become negative and depressed.
If, on the other hand, we only consider consciousness and forget emptiness, we consent to believe that everything is real, and we want to ‘own’ everything. Life becomes a positive desperation. We want everyone to believe in our philosophical, political and religious views.
Confused, we can also oscillate between these two views. All we have to do is be aware of what we are doing; that is being free in the moment of seeing!
It’s worth noting that, every day, we see more extremism and confusion in the media. The media projects extremism, and people react to this, thus maintaining extremism.
The shock
This is the type of world in which we live.
So …
Cut the crap.
Get to the point.
Recognise reality.
Gain confidence,
and rest in that reality.
Slipping Into Self-Knowing Awareness
Slipping into self-knowing awareness happens
when we slipped out of
our dream state, our routine, our personal goal.
We assume that we are aware, but this awareness is only concerned with whatever is perceived, rather than the self-knowing awareness that is our accurate reality. We may think, “Well, what does that matter?” The truth is that, if our attention is always drawn to phenomena and how we can get our own way, we will never know our first reality of consciousness that is self-knowing, and we will be led by the nose and completely controlled.
Our conventional reality is merely a projection on the wall of our mind that we believe to be real and obey, just as Plato described in his cave projections of shadows on the wall. It’s a shock to realise that we do not see that we see.
Self-knowing awareness is consciousness just seeing, without ideas or comments present. In the first moment, we are pure awareness, but we slip out in the next moment because of personal desires. Spiritual practice is merely remembering which one is real – the seeing or whatever is seen.
When we know that the just seeing – self-knowing awareness – is our reality, whatever is seen – all appearances – are merely a reminder. This is the union of heaven and hell! So, there is nothing to fear … ever!
We suffer from a mind virus; the clarity of self-knowing awareness heals this infected mind. Slip into something more comfortable today!
The Pyramid Of Awareness
At each level of consciousness, we don’t recognise whatever is above or beyond until we have a conflict with where we are now, when we experience the suffering of dissatisfaction, which is the first noble truth.
If something from above is said to someone below at the wrong time, they neither hear it nor recognise it. This is how teachings are self-secret, and it is for this reason that we might go a lecture and fall asleep! Been there, done that 😀
It’s possible that someone with knowledge from above will try to lord it over someone at a lower level; lacking compassion, they are on a different pyramid. It’s only when we take a teaching to heart – experience it for ourselves – that it makes sense, otherwise it just seems ‘boring’ (in a can’t-understand way). As long as we stay bored, we will look for something easier and more ‘interesting’ that we can do for years, decades, a life time…
We may want ‘special, secret teachings’, but these only come about when we are truly dissatisfied and disappointed. The truth is that the higher we go, the more transparent things appear, as everything – including self – is just a temporary event, and inherently empty of reality.
Secrets are not kept from us.
Mysteries are for those who are mystified!
We’ve all heard of the pyramid of the-all-seeing-eye; this pyramid of control has its opposite of all-seeing pure consciousness of freedom.
It’s best to know which pyramid we are climbing.
The knowledge is the same in both,
but one culminates in the wisdom of emptiness
while the other ends in tears.
The controlling pyramid is a mind virus.
The pure consciousness pyramid is the healer.
I Don’t Want To Meditate
I don’t want to meditate.
Then don’t.
Just be aware of being aware.
That’s not difficult, is it?
That’s just being ‘normal’, and that’s meditation.
Don’t make it into a thing.
Sit with a straight back to breathe naturally.
Short moments many times: Become aware of awareness. Rest in that. Drop it. Relax. Become aware of awareness …
We can do this at any moment throughout the day, just bringing awareness to mind. That is being conscious of being conscious. When nothing else is occurring, that is pure consciousness – our ultimate state. Gradually, these moments join up.
Being aware, we notice everything outside and inside – phenomena and our reactions – but we don’t hang on to whatever is perceived, as that only creates emotions. We don’t hang on to the meditation, – being aware – either; we just rest in naturalness. When we notice we are drifting off or becoming involved in thoughts, we come back to just being aware. It’s important to note that, while perceiving through the senses, there is no thought present; that pure perception is still meditation.
We may ask, “So what’s so great about that?” Well, the mind becomes clearer, and less cluttered and emotional. We are more at peace, less stressed, more amenable. Life feels good. When problems occur, we don’t panic and react out of habit, but just deal with them in the best way we can, without making things worse. We are learning, and training the mind. In the collective way of life, we are not complete beings – we are reactionaries! As practitioners, we are totally in control.
If this isn’t good enough, then wonder why.
If we have questions, then we have answers.
If we become indifferent and have no questions, we will think things just happen. Our life is born out of chaos and confusion, and so we fight with everything and everyone. It needn’t be like that; we can reason and understand.
Note well.
No one ever became enlightened by meditating.
Enlightenment is dropping the meditation.
Just being aware.
We only meditate when we forget awareness,
so when we are aware again, we drop the meditation.
Simple.
Just being aware is pure consciousness,
the real life within.
Meditation – don’t make it into an exotic thing!
Don’t copy others.
What Lamas and Gurus Do Not Know
Or Talk About!
The world has been driven into mass dependency, creating an addiction through social engineering to distract us from the truth of our reality.
Is something being hidden from us? Yes. Our absolute being. Our culture is something that cultivates worship and adherence, rather than inner investigation into the nature of consciousness.
Culture: ideas, customs and social behaviour of a particular people or society.
Worship: Old English weorthscipe ‘worthiness, acknowledgement of worth’.
Cult: early 17th century from French culte or Latin cultus ‘worship’, from cult – ‘inhabited, cultivated’.
Culture war: a conflict between groups with different ideals, beliefs, philosophies, etc.
To transcend our limited existence,
we need the complete picture
in order for reason to shock us out of apathy.
Why Do We Switch off?
“I wasn’t aware I did 😉 ”
Exactly.
We are, by nature, consciousness. In truth, pure consciousness. This natural purity is the clarity of awareness; it’s how we come to know anything. This pure clarity is the light of wisdom. When we realise this naturalness, then we know we are switched on. The question is, “Why did we ever switch off?”
We may think we are switched on, but that’s not actually the case, as the light of consciousness is being ignored for something other. When the light of wisdom is off, we can still function – but in the dark. Darkness is our confusion about our reality. We try to make things work, but there is always something missing, and so we feel lost.
Our happiness in the dark is only due to us finding something to get hold of and cling to. This is what happens in a confused mind; we see darkly. When we cling to ideas, the light of wisdom is off (well, dimmed) because the light of consciousness is ignored, and so we clinging to desires because we fear the unknown. Unknowing is merely a result of not having received instruction on how to see our true reality. We still think the information itself is our reality, rather than the seeing of this information.
Becoming aware of our clinging to ideas is switching on the light of wisdom. That’s it! We just do not value or appreciate that that is our reality, rather than our job, family, religion, entertainment, shopping … We are so used to clinging to information, ideas and concepts about the dark side that we don’t realise how unhappy we actually are. We spend all our precious time being competitive and trying to make this darkness work. We need “the lamp that dispel darkness”.
When did we switch off?
We switch off the moment we cling to past information about ‘something over there’.
That ‘something over there’ is our self image clinging to some thing in the darkness.
When do we switch on?
We switch on the moment we stop clinging to past information about ‘something over there’.
That ‘something over there’ is now a reminder of our self image clinging to some thing in the darkness.
Never feel guilty about switching off. Once this is acknowledged, rejoice, celebrate and be confident that you are now switched on – and were never actually switched off! 😀
Instead of being naturally wise,
we believed otherwise.
They Mess With Your Mind!
Who are they?
Thoughts that come from outside.
If we believe in those thoughts, we become messed up.
Pure consciousness cannot be messed up,
because it is uncontaminated being.
Here is the good news about being messed up:
once you are aware, nothing can control you.
The direct instruction into the very nature of mind occurs in the moment we see thoughts arising in the mind, because appearances and recognition are simultaneous. That is the realisation and the path to enlightenment.
Without knowing it, anyone who tries to mess with our mind – even unconsciously – sets us free.
The worse things get, the easier it is to see who knows the nature of mind, and who doesn’t; we recognise this in their reactions. Whoever they are, they are all enlightened nature but don’t yet realise it.
This is the sole reason for compassion, “for they know not what they do”! This type of compassion is challenging, and requires skill by first observing our own reactions.
What To Do In ‘Lockdown’
Clear up, and stop making more mess.
Clear the mind, and stop reacting.
The word ‘Buddha’ means realising the essence of mind (pure consciousness) and bringing an end to karmic effects (habitual reactions). This is done through meditation which calms the mind down to see clearly, and then we go about our day in a state of calmness and clarity. We make do and mend, inside and outside.
The world is changing fast and as we try to keep it ‘normal’, this normal is changing.
What does not change is our Buddha nature.
The Battle Of Good and Evil
This is the eternal battle of human consciousness,
not for human consciousness.
What is this good and evil?
It is the constant conflict in our own mind or consciousness.
Good is simply the purity of consciousness.
Evil is simply whatever obscures the purity of consciousness.
Realisation of this will depend of the level of our understanding.
As understanding refines, so obscurations drop away.
“The New Normal”
Have you heard the latest expression, “the new normal”?
Have you heard the expression, “order out of chaos”?
Chaos creates confusion, and so enters a new normal.
As long as we are confused, we will never see clearly.
Seeing clearly is pure consciousness, our true reality,
which is never confused.
Relating to phenomena, we will live in a duality of conflicts.
The relative world is born out of confusion.
Non-duality is never confused.
Ignoring pure consciousness, we relate and fixate.
Losing the complete picture, we react.
These reactions create our emotions that control us.
Fears and hopes appear in the mind, which builds more relating.
Being caught and held by relating, we are imprisoned.
This has become habitual, and we regard it as normal.
The immunity passport, temperature drones, cashless society …
these are new normals to keep humanity ‘safe’.
The new normal means new restrictions; a new world order.
The new normal is just another version of beliefs.
Humanity has been governed by beliefs for thousands of years.
When we see that ‘normal’ isn’t normal, then we are free.
The only freedom that we will ever have is in consciousness.
When we realise this truth, we know our reality.
Consciousness comes first.
When we know that we are bound by beliefs,
we realise that pure consciousness is our normal,
and we don’t need a new one 😀
The relative world is all about change and how interesting that is.
Our ultimate reality is all about constancy; the reality of being.This is what the enlightened ones knew all along.
There is nothing new under the sun.
There has always been a battle of good and evil.
The moment we see obscurations, we are free.
Conspiracy
Is there a truth hidden from us in plain sight?
Yes.
Who is in on it?
Everyone!
The last thing anyone wants to look at is themselves – their true reality – because of a creation of a personal identity with ideas and fantasies. Our true reality isn’t one of this body and mind; it is consciousness itself. The body and mind are tools for consciousness to realise its true essence. How many talk about this issue? Not many, as we are too interested in being something and, all the while, consciousness is in ‘plain’ sight. Plain sight is pure consciousness.
We miss this pure view – this plain sight – as a me steps in a milli-moment later. We keep doing this due both to habit and collective ideas.
Are there other conspiracies? Sure. Are there theories? Sure. Are there agents who promote theories to make theorists look ridiculous? Sure. Are there extremists? Sure. Is humanity blind to its reality? Sure. Is humanity being used by mara-mentality? Sure. We are all lured into being involved.
We have to accept that these things go on, but this is only samsaric activity (Sanskrit: the vicious cycle of existence, going round in circles). When we realise our essence as pure consciousness, there are no conspiracies, but just foolish people trying to keep samsara going, feeding off it while believing they have the power.
Are there other truths hidden from us? Some like to think so. When we see that we see – which is conscious knowing – then we are free of all ideas.
Finding fault is the way in which we all become involved and sucked into a feeling of conspiracy. We have to remove the speck from our inner eye by realising that, when we observe a fault in others, we ignore the speck in our own eye.
We Read What We Want To Read
That is karma in action; our propensity to certain ideas. Karma is our bias, which means that, on any given subject, we have a view, a side. Rarely do we read both sides in an neutral manner.
Actually, in the very first instant of reading – and before our judgement sets in – we are neutral. That neutrality is pure consciousness.
All social narratives have a side to them because they come from a position of judgement. It’s just a matter of being aware that we are biased – we are unfairly prejudiced for or against someone or something. Of course, in relative terms, we may have a fair point but, ultimately – and this may seem surprising – this view is causing us suffering.
We’re trying to hold an illusion together. If we can read between the lines, we may see where this viewpoint is coming from. Ultimately, whatever we read or hear is samsaric – part of the vicious cycle of unconscious existence – whereas, if we are just conscious, we read and reflect.
This is the unity of the two truths:
appearances and recognition are simultaneous.
Looking For Authentic Teachings?
Authentic teachings are what we re-cognise. We re-establish – it is a reunion! When we recognise these teachings as being true, then we are the authority, rather than a copy of anything. A teacher is only a teacher when the student gives that teacher the authority, and a change occurs. There is disillusion, not a building of more illusion. When we connect, we realise that we have always known. Now, that is an amazing moment!
People may call themselves teachers, but are they teaching or merely repeating? Do they have the light, or is it just a reflection?
During the recent troubled times, there have been videos made by teachers which tell us nothing more than we already know – be kind, don’t worry, be happy (just as Bob Marley advised 🙂 ) Mentally remove the robes: is that person saying anything you haven’t already felt?
Looking for something we don’t know can become an addiction, causing us to doubt what we do know. We are knowingness itself, and that knowingness is pure consciousness. Pure consciousness is definitely not an elaboration, dressed up in poetry and beautiful verse. Pure consciousness is beyond all that. Authentic teaching is seeing for yourself that you are pure consciousness. It’s just here now, without doubt, making no comment, alive.
Being awake! Staying alive!
Stop looking and start seeing. Start being. Being genuine is being pure consciousness, with nothing added. If we keep thinking we don’t know, then we will continue to act and be treated like 4 year olds.
Ultimately, there is neither teacher nor student;
there is only pure consciousness realising itself.
Authentic: undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine.
Late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin authenticus, from Greek authentikos ‘principal, genuine’.
Author’s Note
On this blog, some articles have a similar theme as they are linked, but putting them together in one article would make it too long and heavy. Also, some time is needed to reflect and elaborate. The whole blog is an ongoing process of realisations and refinement.
At teachings, we receive generalisations whereas, in isolation, we have time to reflect and investigate whether something is absolutely true in all circumstances. As the Buddha said, “Do not take my word for it”, I’m doing just that! Halfway through writing an article, something else always seems to occur. Write it or save it?
I separate culture and religion from practical teaching. Culture and religion aren’t bad in themselves as they may be a stepping stone for some to enquire further, but we can spend years treading water, fascinated by the moon’s reflection while failing to realise that it is the seeing that is the reality in the first place.
As there are many levels of understanding, others’ company can cause confusion as their view and ours may differ. We may not see ‘it’ the same way – but the seeing is the same! 😀
Seeing ‘it’ differently can and does cause separation and hostility, even within spiritual groups. Shunning is rampant. Fear is rampant.
Shun: Old English scunian‘abhor, shrink back with fear, seek safety from an enemy’ … enemy?!
Having been away from Dharma centres for nearly seven years now, I have learnt so much more. The problem was that teachings are usually public – which is good – but as a result, subjects are never investigated in any depth, and we go through the same questions and answers every time. So many words … !
Maybe it’s different for you. And that is the whole point. Our spiritual path is our own confusion that we have to eliminate – or rather, illuminate. There isn’t a group realisation, where we all suddenly become enlightened.
By the way, being shunned was so helpful – it forced me to let go! We make the Dharma our own, not by making it up, but by living it.
Are We Bat-Shit Nut-Jobs?
😉
If so, don’t feel bad, as we’re all in the same bat-boat.
Mindfulness meditation is the bat-boat,
reminding us to be aware of our pure, non-bat-shit consciousness.
Once we arrive at the shore of pure consciousness,
we no longer need the bat-boat.
We can let go of the
bat-shit-boat full of nut-jobs.
We may all argue about this and that,
but to argue with fools is to become a fool.
To know we are a fool is to become wise.
To think we are wise practitioners
is to become fools again.
It’s a bat-shit nut-job world;
realising that, we are free in the moment of seeing.
😀
We always have a choice –
stay in the boat …
or get out!
Bat-shit nut-job Bodhisattvas
choose to stay in the boat to guide it.
Where are they?
Look inside.
When Spiritual Practice Obscures Spiritual Practice
Does that sound strange?
We can become so involved in and dedicated to our routines that we easily miss the whole point of the teachings on pure consciousness.
Spiritual practices are just to remind us to rest in pure consciousness … and drop the practice: this is known as the completion stage. The real work lies in everyday encounters, with our conduct expressing itself in compassionate consciousness rather than merely going through the motions of practice mechanically.
People can do thousands of practices and prostrations (been there, done that) and still be obnoxious (been there, done that). It’s all because we got hold of the wrong end of the stick (like everyone else). 😀 You’ve heard the term “Ship of Fools”, which comes from Plato’s Republic and is about a ship with a dysfunctional crew. Hieronymus Bosch depicts this theme so well in his paintings, and Chogyam Trungpa wrote a instructive book called, “Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism”.
If we are following others, we need to know where they’re going – and whether we actually want to go there. We start our genuine journey by acknowledging that we are the problem. When we dissolve those problems – which generate a feeling of me and mine – our routine becomes one of true compassion.
True spiritual practice
enlightens consciousness with a sense of well being.
We realise that we’re absolutely nothing special,
which allows others to experience their own space.
😀
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Belief Is The Beginning Of Our Ignorance
Belief isn’t knowing. Belief is accepting what we are told, without proof. Don’t believe anything you’re told; test it, experience it. Knowing is experience.
Belief or faith does has a positive side, but rarely acknowledges any negatives and doesn’t get down to the details of personal problems. Through belief, we can do tremendous things – which only serves to bolster belief in the relative world. A complete culture can be created through belief, and have its anointed adherents who ‘inspire’ (indoctrinate) its followers.
When we are at rest in knowingness – rather than knowing about some thing – this pure knowingness is the perfection of pure consciousness. From this view point, imperfection is spontaneously recognised, and that becomes our precious teacher; that is the complete picture/non-duality. If we believe everything that we are told and take a side, we will only have a partial view.
It doesn’t matter what is presented to the mind, pure consciousness merely notes without judgement. In belief, we cannot do that, as belief doesn’t allow for scrutiny. Belief fosters guilt, and even though we may feel strong in our belief, when our button is pressed, we react – sometimes violently.
In private, doubts will arise, but we find it hard to admit them so, for the sake of security, we go along with others. It takes courage to stick your neck out …
Not knowing knowingness, there is plenty to say.
In knowingness, there is nothing to say.
Perhaps we all talk too much.
😀
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Is The ‘Cock-up’ Our Gold Standard?
Why Everyone Must Meditate
Everyone must meditate
to make sense of our mind and the world in which we live.
Meditation is a reminder of what is reality.
The world is in constant chaos and confusion, run by bewildered people who like it that way! This confusion creates worry and stress, leading to a lack of confidence and, because of bewilderment, indifference.
If, in early life, we are surrounded by noisy, over-confident people while we’re still feeling our way, we can become fearful of being able to cope with life (I’m talking personally here!). There are those who seem to ‘get it’ (fit in), while others do not (feeling, “Why would I want to do that?!”)
Some think they ‘know’ what it’s all about, and get on with being competitive and living the dream, while others ask what it’s all about. All my school reports said, “Anthony is a dreamer” … but their dreams didn’t make sense to me! Life is definitely not what we’ve been led to believe; it’s not just about making money, with life becoming more complicated in the guise of “Well, this is what we have to do”. We can live very simply and happily, without all the extra ‘doings’. 😀
Through this very recognition that thinks there must be more to life, we seek a different path to follow – one of inner investigation, looking at our spiritual psychology – consciousness itself. We are not even what we think; we are consciousness first and foremost. And guess what? It’s quite happy being simple.
Meditation is simply resting in stillness, without following the imagination and thoughts. This brings about clarity as the mind is being trained not to wander, so we focus on the breath and simply … be. It is then that we start to notice that, because of habit (programming), we want to get up and do things, but here we just stay focused and break the pattern of behaviour.
The strange thing is that meditation actually makes us more creative, because we develop insight into the nature of mind and whatever clouds it, without being encumbered by others’ ideas. In fact, we have no ideas of our own as they are merely acquired from our environment – we don’t have and original thought, and we don’t need an original thought! We pick up fears and false hope from those around us, but that which sees this is our own originality – pure consciousness.
We are pure consciousness. We are already the happiness that we seek. It is just a matter of becoming familiar with this true reality. In this true reality, there is no fear and no hope and no ignorance. These emotions are all in the mind – in our imagination.
When we know the world is potty, confused and in chaos … everything then makes sense! We are all following someone else’s dream, and have made it our own. Silly 🙂 We have no need to better ourselves; we are already perfect – in consciousness, that is. And this bring us to karma – the life in which we find ourselves because of previous actions and reactions (our programming).
Meditation is merely coming out of that programming, cutting through our habits and behaviour. This meditation practice brings an end to the karmic cycle of going round in circles.
We can now smile at everything.
We are free in the moment of seeing.
If everyone meditated, what sort of world would this be?
Definitely better than it appears now, right?
If we all meditated, maybe the ‘cock-up’ wouldn’t be our gold standard any more.
Meditation: anti-cock-up device.
Possible Causes Of Covid-19
It’s an accident …
It’s not an accident …
It’s God …
It’s the devil …
It’s nature …
It’s humanity …
If God … why? … no reply … so God doesn’t exist.
If the devil … if God doesn’t exist, then the devil doesn’t exist.
If nature … who is nature reacting to? Humanity?
If humanity … is humanity just stupid, or is there a plan?
If there is a plan … then humanity is stupid.
Humanity shoots itself in the foot again,
and so God left years ago!
😀
It doesn’t matter what caused what.
We can happily live our lives knowing all possibilities
through the spontaneous presence of consciousness.
We just get on,
making do and healing.
Why Do We Doubt Our True Reality?
Why do we doubt our true reality?
Because we believe that cultural consciousness
is more real than our own pure consciousness.
Our true being is unadulterated consciousness.
It sees clearly, and passes on the light.
Cultural consciousness is an adaptation.
It sees darkly, and snuffs out the light.
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Buddha Before The Buddha
Bridging The Mud
In Buddhist texts, Sumedha is a previous incarnation of Gotama Buddha, in which he declares his intention to become a Buddha. Buddhist texts describe this taking place when Gotama Buddha is still a Buddha-to-be (Sanskrit: bodhisattva). Traditions regard Sumedha’s life as the beginning of the spiritual journey leading to the attainment of Buddhahood by Gotama in his last life, a journey which takes place through many lifetimes.
The encounter between Sumedha and Dīpankara Buddha is the oldest Buddhist story known which deals with the path of a bodhisattva.
Since he does not want to use his psychic powers to repair the road, Sumedha prostrates himself in the mud as a human bridge in front of Dīpankara Buddha and his following. He spreads out his hair, and his deer skin and bark garment on the mud to cover it fully. Later texts would come to see this is as an advanced stage in the development of Gotama, the Buddha-to-be, in that he fully dedicates himself to Buddhahood, not only in mind and in speech, but also physically. In this manner, he pays homage to Dīpankara Buddha and helps him and the monks to cross the mud unsullied.
This is regarded as a sacrifice of Sumedha’s life in that it entails many monks walking over him, and him possibly dying in the process. While doing this, Sumedha then pronounces a specific vow that, in the future, he too will become a Buddha.
Before walking over Sumedha’s body, Dīpankara stops before him and makes a prophecy that Sumedha’s wish will come true in a future lifetime: he will become the Buddha called Sākyamuni. Dīpankara also mentions several details of the future Buddha’s life, such as the names of his parents and main disciples. When Dīpankara makes this statement, many devotees who believe they cannot attain enlightenment under Dīpankara vow that they will attain it under the next Buddha, Sākyamuni.
After the prediction – with Sumedha still lying in the mud – Dīpankara Buddha and his following of monks circumambulate around Sumedha (and, in some stories, offer flowers) as a sign of respect and to celebrate Sumedha’s future Buddhahood.
The fact that people who formerly encountered Dīpankara Buddha became enlightened under another Buddha – Gotama – indicates that each Buddha is regarded as continuing the work left unfinished by the previous Buddhas.
We are all Buddhas in the mud.
Wake up clarity and count.
Teachings have to add up!
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The Ultimate Practice And Realisation Of Dharma Is Karma!
Why is it difficult to communicate?
Communication is the real practice.
Communication is not just talking.
Communication is a karmic experience and realisation.
Karma is the product of our personal past, held in the mind.
All responses are karmic.
When anything comes to mind, that is karma!
Although we all, in essence, are pure consciousness, our human side of relating has had different nurturing experiences to which our level of nature reacts and, as a result, we all respond differently (more or less). In general, we can get along, but a moment can arrive when a situation becomes more electrified and our system is overloaded – and the differences show.
There is no easy answer here, because this all depends on our ability to pause, and avoid escalating the situation. Escalating the situation is what evil does, so we don’t want to go there as that has repercussions, ie karma 🙂
Still, there is the desire to communicate – or rather, to put our point over. Now we start to see the problem! Attentive silence may appear infuriating, but it does allow space. We may not want to react, but others may not be able to control themselves. If we have done many practices for many years but cannot communicate attentively, it’s worthwhile reviewing what our practice actually is.
We are now in a karmic situation. It is only we who can decide what to do next, or, allow the other(s) to decide what to do next.
Karma can either have a good outcome or an unfortunate outcome. The moment we don’t react is the very moment when we evolve and change our karmic future. All responses are karmic. When anything comes to mind, that is karma!
In the moment of conflict, energies rise up and the mind feels uncomfortable: with understanding and non-reaction, these energies drop down again and, within that space and dependent upon our ability, we remain centred. There can now be a moment of true communication and a feeling of upliftedness, of ‘flying’.
The inner voice whispers, “That wasn’t so difficult, was it?”.
No longer seeing through a glass darkly, there can only be love.
Evil Is Dharma (Knowledge) Unrealised
The true Dharma is the realisation of our pure nature or essence of consciousness, and that which obscures this knowledge. These obscurations are the three universal laws of attraction, repulsion and indifference. In human terms, they are desire (hope), aversion (fear) and ignorance (not knowing our true nature): these three poisons (which are actually wisdoms when realised) bind, control and set us against one another.
It’s very simple to see that humans can be controlled by fuelling their desires, aversions and ignorance. That’s it. This is evil in action. It’s that simple. True reality is never discussed by the media, which considers people to be just silly consumers.
And here is the great secret as to why there is so much intrusion into our lives. The moment we stop believing and reacting to the media, we start to think for ourselves, and then we see that we are free. That’s it. This is true Dharma in action.
Everything comes about through causes and conditions: if a cause and condition is engineered, an effect will appear. It’s not magic – it’s perfect mathematics. With the right ingredients, you create a biscuit, a car, a computer, a syndrome, confusion … everything has a cause and an effect.
Instinctively, we all know Dharma – what is beneficial and what is harmful – but cling to ideas obscuring pure intention and motivation. Knowledge can be used either for good or evil. If we don’t question how a state of mind comes about, then we will never know the answer.
No question, no answer.
Know question, know answer.
The answer is in our own questioning.
The questioner is pure consciousness …
“What is it?” and “How is it?”
If bullets are flying past our head, we can infer that they came from a gun, and someone was behind it. Likewise, when trivia is fired at us, we can infer that it came from the media, and someone was behind it.
Evil is addiction; it always wants more. Evil can never realise ultimate truth, because ultimate truth is pure cognisance where there is nothing to gain. Evil cannot understand there being nothing to gain, but uses superficial knowledge of Dharma for its own advancement, and will create a life of hell for everyone who consents.
Spiritual liberation is the realisation of what is true,
while recognising our altered state of mind.
Altered state: a state of mind that differs from the normal state of consciousness, typically one induced by drugs, hypnosis, or mental disorder.
A mental disorder: also called a mental illness, or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioural or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning (not seeing clearly – TB).
If we do not see evil,
speak about evil,
or hear about evil,
we won’t see it coming
in our mind!
😀
In general, trauma will be caused during this pandemic,
and there will be a post traumatic effect.
So how do we stay stable?
We all know that life will end at some point due to anger, design, accident, old age or sickness. There can never be said to be the right time to end life. We know, however, that death is inevitable, and platitudes are of no help in this situation. Perhaps belief is helpful, but belief isn’t for everyone.
As long as we believe that we are this body and mind (which are temporary), we will suffer or feel threatened. Belief can cloak fears and maybe, in certain cases, this is a good thing if people aren’t mentally strong enough – even Buddhists pray for protection.
So how do we become stable?
When we truly realise that we are not this body or mind, and have confidence in the fact that we are pure consciousness and that everything that occurs in life is karmic – a product of our past – then we get a glimpse of accepting whatever happens, and we make do. Relative life can never be perfect, save that confusion perfectly breeds more confusion. What is important is having a stable mind now. We achieve this through mind training in meditation by acknowledging wanderings in the mind.
The title “Psychological Resilience To A Pandemic” may sound serious but we have to realise that this fear is in the mind and therefore has no true reality (although, of course, we still have to take precautions – but that doesn’t have to include fear). Much of the media is hyped up to the extent that the message is trivialised, and hence, confusion perfectly breeds more confusion.
Simply don’t be confused.
A good heart and a good immune system are good enough for a good life and a good death. We may not be able to prove that there is very subtle consciousness after death, but we were born knowing … something … and all our life, we have known … something. If we can recognise and realise what that … something … is, then we will stop this cycle of confusion and fear.
Knowing … Belief … Confusion … Sentimentality … Indifference
When we do not know our true reality, we fall into the trap of belief, confusion and sentimentality, leading to indifference. We become jaded – and our experience of spiritual practice is no exception. Not knowing, we take the path of least resistance.
Many years ago, two groups emerged from the area of Persia/Iran – the Aryans and the Zoroastrians. The knowers and the believers. Rigveda and God. Pure consciousness and God belief. This divided the world, and these memes still register in our minds today.
Did you ever wonder where our thinking comes from?
If knowingness isn’t taught right, then we become a believer. Once we become believers, we doubt and so become confused. Confused, we become sentimental. Finding sentimentality pointless, we become indifferent. Pure consciousness – the supramundane – becomes mundane and is subject to desire, fear, pride, jealousy and, most importantly of all, ignorance.
We merely have to be honest about how we feel in any given moment to put this all right. Our evolution and devolution is in our own hands … our own mind. Seeing what is happening is realisation, and we are free!
We all follow a path of some sort and live by that but, in experiencing and realising the truth within, we find there is no path. We never left and have already arrived.
Do I Have To Act?
We all go into an act of some sort, as we aspire to be thought of as better than we are – and ‘spiritual’ people are no different. This is foolish. Who are we trying to impress? This isn’t spiritual development – it’s adopting a cultural identity, and spiritual teachers do not stop the foolish behaviour of binding ourselves to a group. It is not only unimpressive – it’s an unnecessary elaboration, a cloaking device!
We are demystifying all so-called mysteries. True consciousness is naked and without attitude; it makes no demands and only appears mysterious to those who aren’t looking.
When we realise our true essence, we can happily be ourselves as we no longer take our self seriously.
The Buddha is nothing special.
He just recognised his originality.
We are not clones.
We are all originals!
I Can’t Find Consciousness!
Are you saying that you are not conscious?
Of course not.
Are you saying you are not conscious of your thoughts?
Of course not.
Consciousness is naturally what we are, first and foremost. We don’t need years of practice to see this. An ‘I’ is merely a designation, something that consciousness anchors on to. Before ‘I’ see, there is just seeing, isn’t there? That is consciousness! It cannot be found as it is the seeing itself; this can only be realised. Consciousness is seeing. Seeing is a piece of cake – it’s immediate.
It takes time to become unstuck to the ideas we hold that obscure this immediate consciousness. Maintaining our obsessions and fixations is what causes us dissatisfaction because this constantly creates opposites.
Our ideas are not the ultimate truth. It is that which sees these ideas that is the ultimate truth, and that is the clarity of consciousness. Tulku Urgyen called it, “spontaneous presence”. This is the most important aspect in our lives – to realise this one point. If we do not understand our original truth, then nothing will ever be right.
This bring us on to relating through behaviour and conduct. There are two aspects to relating:
One is where we are – unconsciously – only relating to our thoughts that we mistakenly believe to be our reality, and which control our behaviour, opinions, and dissatisfactions.
The other aspect is conscious relating, which is real communication of generosity and so forth. This relating is an expression of realisation, when we relate through empathetic kindness. It is challenging, but makes life worthwhile and, incidentally, increases our intelligence. Conscious relating is being a good friend, creating a genuine, safe atmosphere for real communication.
We merely have to look at the world and our reactions to see that we live within confusion which is maintained by confusion.
In truth, our original reality – spontaneous consciousness – is never confused; it just sees. Just seeing, we can recognise the consequences of actions and reactions, and so be prepared. In this way, consciousness is practical, as it can discern what is harmful and what is beneficial (this isn’t the same as pre-judging, where we are using our bias and prejudice).
When we either over-react or ignore our reality of pure consciousness, we become part of collective confusion. If, however, we can look at all possibilities, there are no surprises.
If we cannot find consciousness,
then where are we?
Whatever we think,
consciousness is always present.
If We Fixate About Our Spiritual Path …
… then we are not on a spiritual path
Fixation:
“the process of reducing a volatile spirit
into a permanent bodily form”.
A true spiritual path is consciousness
freed from feeling guilty, touchy or obligated.
Obligated:
“restricted to a particular function or mode of life”.
Be aware that religion can become a culture
as opposed to a spiritual path.
On a genuine spiritual path,
we are free to be at one with everything and everyone
because, ultimately,
everything and everyone
is recognised within pure consciousness.
Appearances and recognition are simultaneous.
Never be divided, as pure consciousness is inseparable from
everything and everyone.
Become Buddhist And Find God!
😀
It’s all about our true reality:
to realise that we are what we seek.
Believing is not seeing.
Believing is ignorance.
Seeing is knowing,
and knowing is realisation.
Modern Times: Lulled Into Confusion
We are lulled into confusion by distraction, thus creating dissatisfaction, depression and suffering. When our attention is turned away from the breath of consciousness – life itself – we will always be wanting.
Now is the time to realise what is truly valuable in life: right food for right health, right company for right atmosphere, and right realisation of what we are for right confidence. This right attitude creates right empathetic love, in which there is no confusion.
As long as we are confused,
we will lack insight and so, lack love.
If we must read,
read the signs of the times
to see where they are leading us.
Today’s Entertainment 😀
Meditation is resting in spirit.
The word ‘spirit’ means breath.
Resting in pure spirit (being undistracted) is pure consciousness.
That is what we are.
Our supreme reality is our pure consciousness.
We could call that ‘God consciousness’.
God is not a belief.
Belief is ignorance.
God is pure experience, pure realisation.
We realise that we are what we seek.
Truth is never, ever in a book.
Truth is in the experience and realisation of the word.
The graven image that we all worship
is a self-identity, a persona.
We place that in front of pure consciousness
and hold on tight.
It is this that causes us dissatisfaction and suffering.
The devil is hellbent on distracting us,
feeding off our reactions.
As long as we react, the devil is happy.
However – the devil doesn’t exist!
The devil is our own ego
… I … myself … me …. my likes and dislikes.
Become Buddhist and find God!
😀
What Is Self, And What Is Selflessness?
A bird sings.
Who – or rather, what – hears it?
Me!
What’s me?
We make a very simple mistake
which reveals how simple truth actually is.
Sound is first heard through the ears. The ears are only active due to consciousness being present. In that first instant of hearing is pure consciousness. There is no self identity and no relating.
We may assume (wrongly) that, because there is hearing present, a self is present; in actuality, it is just consciousness that is present. Self comes along a moment afterwards, because consciousness becomes ‘interested’ in the situation. Self is a relating mechanism that created and maintains a ‘me’ and my ideas, holding on to perceptions in its own way and building a persona.
Selflessness is the first instant of pure awareness, where there is just empty acknowledgement, without relating.
Clinging to a self creates an I = ego. From a profound point of view, this becomes our pattern of mundane behaviour.
“So you’re calling me mundane?” Yes 😀 – mundane, neurotic and paranoid. Now look at the reaction to that statement.
When any of the senses are in operation, pure consciousness is present and, if left alone, takes care of everything that we need to maintain unadulterated awareness – unconditional happiness.
This is the non-dual reality spoken about in ancient teachings. No belief is required as it’s simple science. Non-duality can only be experienced, rather than read about. Non-duality is selflessness.
If self continues to relate to everything and maintain that relating, we become imprisoned by ideas. Pure consciousness is – and always has been – free, without holding on.
It’s astounding how simple it is …
and how we continually look elsewhere.
Find Out How Crazy You Are
These are ideal times to see the cracks in our mind.
We find ways to amuse ourself: we focus and fixate upon books, games, music, films, news, social media, work, family … There are all based around some distraction to which we react and, all the while, pure intelligence, pure consciousness, pure sanity looks on unnoticed.
We were born into a world full of cracks in reality!
😀
Crazy: 16th century, full of cracks.
Learning How To Relate To Others
From a Dharma point of view, learning how to relate to others is empathy. It is through sadness which arises from recognising that emotions obscure our true state of inner peace that we can have compassion. Even though we talk about absolute reality as opposed to relative reality, we still have to function (nicely) as humans.
We all have a karmic propensity, a persona. This is the vehicle by which we expression ourselves, and it is by understanding this that we can relate to others. In fact, the more suffering and dissatisfaction we experience, the more we can empathise and relate.
Everyone wants someone to listen to them. Understanding this, we learn to listen to others without judgement. Discrimination is still present as we know what is beneficial and what is harmful.
We can recognise that others feel right in their view, while noting that their view may be disturbing them.
From a Dharma point of view, we are learning the clarity of pacifying, magnetising, enriching and destroying (which is merely cutting through, and has nothing to do with aggression).
May the Bodhicitta (unconditional selflessness) arise within consciousness.
May emptiness (uncontaminated reality) arise within consciousness.
May non-aggression (causing no harm) arise within consciousness.
Healing And Provoking
We either need to become stable before we can cut through our opinions, or cut through our opinions in order to become stable. The sort of mind we have will dictate the approach we need; one isn’t superior to the other. Hopefully, this blog covers both 🙂
Because we are delicately dedicated to our opinions, we need an approach that frees consciousness from ideas, by allowing our mind to see clear either through healing or provoking.
Stress and anxiety create a disturbance in our subtle body. In modern terms, this is our nervous system while, in ancient terms, it is explained as ‘winds, energies and channels’.
Stress and anxiety are created by our mind’s confusion and doubt, as we lack an honest understanding of the way we actually work – we just arrive here and join the chaos! 😀
Through this habit pattern, tensions can occur in the body: a name or a symbol creates a reaction in our mind, and then in the body. We experience this through feeling; this has been proved scientifically though ‘branding’ observation.
This old video explains how we can control subtle body ‘wind’ to ease tension. In Tibetan, this is called ‘lung’ (pronounced ‘loong’). I chose to do this 108 times once a day for six months to get my ‘lung’ down, but this may not be necessary for every individual. You may find that, when interacting with others, the lung rises, and doing the practice for just a few moments can help you feel more relaxed.
How Do I Know If I’m Happy?
If we are neither unhappy nor indifferent, then we are happy.
The nice feeling of being happy comes about when everything we are doing drops away.
If we are neither unhappy nor indifferent then we are happy – but there may not be a feeling of being happy.
The feeling of being unhappy usually comes from the inner energies rising in the body from just below the navel area. We feel out of place, and to rebalance and relax, these energies are to be taken down to just below the navel by using the subtle breath exercise (see video below).
Try it and see.
Conscious chanting or singing does the same thing.
Being happy is being in tune in body and mind … !
😀
Formal Dharma And Informal Dharma
Formal Dharma is using all the right words.
Informal Dharma is the experience of the right words.
We may go for all the right words
and stick to them …
but realisation is becoming unstuck.
“I Don’t Know What To Believe Any More”
If we’re saying this, then we have the means of escaping belief! 😀
Belief is relating to ideas that are merely concepts in the mind. This is our mental imprisonment.
Belief is a relative reality that always creates conflict, between this as opposed to that. For this reason, religions get it wrong, unless they go to the source of provable truth rather than relying on stories.
Absolute, undeniable truth frees us, as we recognise that we have been living in a relative reality of concepts. This is why Tulku Urgyen said, “We are free in the moment of seeing!”
We always have a choice of which reality to live in – absolute or relative. One is involvement and the other is seeing the involvement; it’s that simple. This doesn’t mean we never get involved: we are just not believing in the dream, and so deal with each situation more clearly and skilfully. Seeing untruth is the inseparability of relative and absolute truth = non-duality.“We are free in the moment of seeing!”
Whatever we believe is changeable, whereas that which sees does not change … ever! The whole point of spiritual development is to become less stupid 😀 We are – and always have been – naturally pure intelligence; we have just learnt to believe.
These are singular, beyond average times and we have to adapt quickly because beliefs are flying around like a virus. 😀 Whatever happens, we should know where our centre is, and that is the pure state of consciousness. Just stop and look.
We need to be adepts, skilful and proficient in adapting. Rather than being self-belief-centred, we need to be consciousness-centred. Pure consciousness is autonomous: having its own laws, it is self-conscious, self-aware.
Don’t be confused!
Awareness or consciousness is self-existing, which means that it is automatically naturally present, whereas being self-conscious is having an exaggerated self-identity, our persona/mask.
“Having its own laws”.
Universal gross laws:
attraction, repulsion and indifference.
Universal absolute laws:
emptiness, cognisance and compassion.
Don’t believe anything.
Just see.
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Superior Position – Inferior Position
Pure vision and impure vision
We are pure vision. It is our natural state. When realised, this is our naked, superior position – our supreme reality. When we do not realise this pure view, we succumb to ideas and influences that put us in an inferior position, contaminating our view.
When we succumb to clinging to and fixating on ideas, we fall prey to demonic ideals. Demonic forces are all around us; these forces are beings that have fallen prey to desire, aversion, pride and jealousy, and have ignored their pure vision. This is not a criticism, but merely a pure observation.
If we criticise demonic forces (other people), we become one of them –
tainted vampires.
😀
Demonic forces have absolutely no power of their own. We merely consent to believe that impure vision is our reality. Still, as practitioners, we are not reacting to this habitual behaviour as demonic forces are now our teacher. This is an exceptional teaching.
When we remain stable within pure consciousness, contamination serves as a reminder not to join in, not to be sucked in. 😀 Seeing this inferior position is the superior position as this now serves as our teacher. This being so, we appreciate the presence of impure view, and so become devoted and compassionate to their victims. That is pure vision! In pure vision, nothing can steal our joy.
Keeping in Contact With Others
If we don’t, we may regret it.
Everyone needs to know that
someone is thinking of them.
Don’t Feel Lonely
When resting in pure consciousness,
we are at one with every other being
who is resting in pure consciousness.
Always Be Aware Of Exaggerated Elaborations
They cause belief, hope and fear.
All we need to know is our essential truth.
A Healthy, Natural Life Is All We Need
When we realise this nature of pure consciousness,
everything changes.
We become less needy and less demanding,
while remaining empathetic to the anxiety of others.
Our Long Term Mental Health
Our long term mental health
depends on the reality of our point of view.
If our point of view relies on our opinions,
good mental health cannot be guaranteed.
If our point of view is the nature of consciousness,
good mental health is assured.
Isolation is a ideal opportunity
to stop our self finding something to do
and be what we are – consciousness.
When we realise this nature of consciousness,
everything changes.
We become less needy and less demanding,
while being empathetic to the anxiety of others.
BUDDHA IN THE MUD is a blog - a living book based on the Dzogchen teachings. Our teacher is life, and life is karma. We are all Buddhas in the mud of concepts. 