TRANSCENDING THE SMALL MIND

Leave a Comment / / By

The “small mind” that we need to move beyond is characterized by its constant stream of judgments, categorizing everything as good or bad, and evaluating people, places, experiences, and ourselves.

While our brain’s evolutionary wiring for risk assessment remains a necessary function, and we should cultivate discernment – the conscious choice of beneficial actions for ourselves and others – judgments ultimately limit us. When we critically assess another, we inadvertently draw the very weakness we perceive into our own experience.

Love should be the constant backdrop of our awareness. When we observe a perceived weakness in another, our perspective should be rooted in love, expressed as compassion and understanding, recognizing that each individual is at a unique point in their journey of awakening.

We also tend to judge our experiences as either positive or negative. We should replace this tendency with a complete surrender to and full engagement in each unfolding moment, trusting in the inherent perfection of the Divine. This shift will lead to greater happiness and allow us to extract the maximum benefit from every experience.

Crucially, we must extend love and acceptance to ourselves without judgment. We possess the innate ability to address our own weaknesses or distress by observing them with awareness, understanding their underlying causes, cultivating compassion for ourselves and our suffering, and then consciously releasing them.

Through these practices, we can gradually attain a liberated state of mind that Jiddu Krishnamurti eloquently described as “choiceless awareness,” thereby transcending the limitations of ordinary human suffering.

MIndfulness, Spiritual Practice

STOP THE SEARCH!

Leave a Comment / / By

The Bhagavad Gita’s second chapter offers a portrait of the sage, outlining qualities that serve as signposts on our own spiritual journey.

Among these qualities is the development of a stable intellect (2.51), which leads to a detachment from the allure of “what has been heard and what is yet to be heard” (2.52).

This detachment arises from an inner sense of completeness. Just as a satisfied hunger eliminates the urge to eat, the sage feels inherently fulfilled, rendering the incessant search for external gratification obsolete.

This inner fullness is not fleeting; thus, the sage is no longer swayed by the turbulence of desire. “Just as the ocean remains serene despite the constant merging of rivers into its depths, so too does the sage remain unmoved by the continuous influx of desirable objects all around” (2.70).

The sage has awakened to the truth that the source of everything we truly long for or need resides within our own being. Maintaining this awareness throughout our day empowers us to avoid surrendering our agency to others based on a feeling of inner void. As we progress along our spiritual path, our inner “reservoir” of spiritual joy will feel increasingly overflowing, strengthened by the understanding that this inner treasure is eternal and cannot be diminished.

Happiness, Peace

OUR ENERGETIC SELF

Leave a Comment / / By

The dominant mode of our “normal” consciousness is one of perceived separation – a feeling of being distinct and isolated from everything else. Yet, the underlying reality is one of profound and intricate interconnectedness with all life and all of creation.

This illusory sense of separation can lead us to believe in our ability to deceive, to present a facade that contradicts our inner thoughts and actions. In doing so, we sacrifice authenticity and genuine expression.

Furthermore, this feeling of being cut off breeds loneliness, a fundamental human experience often only alleviated by close companionship.

However, spiritual development allows us to transcend this illusion and perceive the energetic web that connects all forms of life, naturally dissolving the feeling of isolation. There are intentional practices we can undertake to cultivate a greater awareness of these energetic bonds.

Every living thing, including ourselves, vibrates with its own energetic field. With focused attunement, we can learn to sense the unique energy signature of another being. Moreover, through disciplined concentration, we can consciously direct our focused mental energy towards the energetic field of another living entity.

I invite you to explore this connection through a simple exercise with a plant that resonates with you, perhaps a tree. Standing mindfully, place your hands upon it, engage with it through words, and intentionally ask to perceive its energetic presence. If you feel drawn to, also request its healing influence.

As we cultivate a deeper sensitivity to these fundamental energetic fields, we simultaneously awaken to a more profound understanding of our own true nature, which at its essence is pure, vibrant energy.

Healing, Unity

LOOKING WITHIN

Leave a Comment / / By

The wisdom of both psychology and spirituality guides us to look within, yet the allure of the external world, especially the constant barrage of social media and news, aggressively vies for our focus.

We embark on this life journey carrying the accumulated experiences of past incarnations, layered with the formative influences of our childhood, bestowing upon us a unique tapestry of talents and obstacles.

The internal work involves confronting and transmuting the hatred, judgments, depression, and other “negative” emotions that act as barriers to realizing our inherent state of joy.

The notion of an external “devil” is a distraction; the true “shadow” lies within our own unconscious, awaiting the light of our awareness and the embrace of acceptance for its transformation.

Furthermore, we construct an identity, a mask or “persona” as Swiss psychologist Carl Jung called it, to present to the world, and through repeated external validation, we come to believe this constructed self is our true identity.

Entrenched in this self-created persona, we become disconnected from our authentic essence, delaying the essential work of excavating and cleansing the unconscious psyche. By suppressing our genuine expression and neglecting the integration of our shadow, we remain tethered to limiting moods and emotions.

The path to inner freedom and profound joy lies in a dedicated inward journey, the courageous transformation of our shadow elements, and the ultimate rediscovery of our authentic self.

For readers seeking a clear and insightful guide to these concepts, “Man and His Symbols” stands as an excellent introduction to Jungian psychology for the non-specialist.

Being Authentic, Spiritual Practice

THE CAGE THAT WE CREATED

Leave a Comment / / By

We find ourselves confined within a cage entirely of our own making. Remarkably, we possess the key to our liberation, yet often leave it unused.

This cage is constructed from the fear, anger, jealousy, depression, and other negative emotions we elect to hold within. The key that unlocks it is the inherent knowledge and wisdom residing deep within our being, manifesting as love. The fundamental truth is simple, but our minds tend to obscure it with complexity.

The genesis of this self-imposed confinement lies in our initial ignorance of our true identity. However, from a state of unknowing, progress can only move in one direction – towards understanding.

One of the precepts of Vedanta is that ignorance has no beginning, but it has an end. To the contrary, there is a beginning but no end to knowledge.

Therefore, once we begin this path of self-discovery, we have boundless growth and joy to anticipate. This is the journey of every soul, and its ultimate rewards transcend our most elevated imaginings.

Our True Nature
Malcare WordPress Security