Flaming Canyon by Marc Adamus

It seems that when many people start seeking the Truth, we look for some conceptual collection of ideas to actually BE the Truth. It could be “We are all one” or “Jesus is the son of God” or “We are a spiritual being having a human experience” or “You are the creator of your reality” or whatever else. We want to gather up a whole set of conceptual ideas and call them “The Truth” and it is what ideas should represent the “Truth” that people argue about. This is all very valuable, helpful, and transformative and finding a better set of ideas can very much help change and improve the quality of one’s life experience. For sure.

At the same time, there is something more than the conceptual, so much more. The nonconceptual.

Notice in this moment, awareness is aware. In fact there can be two things happening simultaneously. See if you can tell the difference. There is a) the concept of awareness that exists in the mind and b) nonconceptual awareness that is aware of all concepts of awareness.

Can you differentiate between the two? Being able to do so is KEY. It is a doorway beyond.

In order to go “beyond the mind” as if often said, we have to go beyond the conceptual and recognize the nonconceptual.

Take a moment to notice nonconceptual silence. Stillness.

Take a moment to notice the now moment as it is.

Take a moment to notice nonconceptual being/aliveness/existence/I Am’ness.

Take a moment to notice nonconceptual awareness.

We can read about and study spirituality, metaphysics, religion, psychology, philosophy, and so on all day long in search for the Truth. I’ve done it and I know many of you have as well. It’s all good. This is all typically the domain of the mind, of the conceptual, of temporary ideas that come and go and can be learned or forgotten. It’s all part of the game.

But what about that which is already here and exists without any effort whatsoever? What is so constantly here that like the clothing against our skin, after a while we get used to it and simply overlook it?

The classic finger pointing to the moon is pointing to the nonconceptual. The pointer is conceptual, but that to which the pointer points is nonconceptual.

What is uncreated, unmanifested, unborn, and yet vibrantly and eternally present?

You are that and it is your true nature, and it is right here, right now.

This awakening process seems to include a lot of different experiences and stages and fluctuations, many of which I don’t expect or even plan. One such thing is that I’m losing the desire to debate things with people or even explain what things are like. Its value seems to be quite limited. There’s more value in being the space for awakeness than in trying to do something to help “make it” happen, as if that was even possible.

I used to think that if I could illustrate things well enough to people, it would encourage them to quit seeking the illustrations by satisfying that search, but that desire can’t be satisfied through explanation.

With respect to words, it seems that they are of most value when they help cut through the mind, to help stop its unconscious patterns in its tracks so that Truth can be seen. I don’t mean that thought needs to stop altogether, but there is conditioning of the mind that most of us are completely oblivious to. It is by cutting through our unconscious conditioning that the veil it creates falls away.

Discussing Reality

When someone sees the Truth, sharing about our mutual experiences is a total blast. We can sit and speak for hours and hours on end, just sharing about our different perspectives of the One and what all has been experienced thus far along the way, and we both seem to grow and expand through this process.

When someone wants to come up and debate or argue about spirituality with me even the slightest, I feel my desire to take part in that discussion completely washing away. It’s like the desire to engage in that energy whatsoever is being flushed out. I can see that in arguing, they’re looking to strengthen their ideas and beliefs about spirituality, not actually see the Truth. It’s a subtle but critical distinction and is the basis for that classic story about “How can your teapcup be filled with something new if it is already full of old ideas?”

When someone asks what awakening is like, in this moment I’d rather simply tell them to listen to the silence than focus upon whatever words I could say. I can’t possibly explain awakening to anyone. Heck, even if I could, it still wouldn’t be sufficient! Silence is far more instructive, despite the appearance of there being “nothing there” in silence. The guru is within and it is always available.

The Wearing Out of Mental Dominance

Now I know this isn’t satisfying to the mind. It’s really not. It’s why we’re told to “be still” or “listen to the silence” or “focus on the I Am” and yet we continue asking, seeking, reading, and wanting to know. We want that which satisfies the mind, not that which will actually take us beyond it. I know… it’s a dilemma that so many of us face. It’s almost like the mind comes with some built-in programming that says “What you want is outside of you.” This is very normal. We want what satisfies the mind at first, at least until we get a lot of mental satisfaction and we discover for ourselves that that alone simply is not satisfying.

It seems that this desire for mental satisfaction has to eventually wear itself out, and life is wonderful in helping us come to this space. I remember Adyashanti once making a crack about telling people to run and run towards the Truth, as if what they’re seeking is right around the next corner.

When the seeker exhausts itself and the energy of seeking collapses, what is already HERE is revealed to be the golden nugget.

The Truth is what you are, not something other than you to be found.

The Truth… I didn’t find it and neither will you.

The other day I had a wonderful conversation with a guy who’d contacted me through my blog. It’ s so funny how frequently this sort of dialog arises so I’d like to share it with you guys here. Our conversation in a nutshell was like this:

Reader Question:

Dear Ariel, I have no idea what is happening to me, but all I can say is that now it feels like I’m awake. It literally feels like my whole life has been a dream and all along I had no idea that it was a dream. Now I am awake.

I used to be very materialistic and now none of that seems to matter. Now I want to know the Truth about life. I used to be really into religion but there was so much that felt off about it that it lead to a lot of struggle for me and internal conflict. Now I can look back at the scriptures and see that they’re simply about love. Anyways, there has been this big shift inside me and I’m really confused. What do I do now?

My Response:

Nothing! There’s nothing that you need to do. Really.

This initial awakening that you experienced happened on its own with your personal involvement, did it not? The rest of the process is like this too. The more you get in the way and try to make it happen, speed it up, get it right, or whatever else, the more you simply just impede the progress. This is about surrendering and allowing, not making something happen. Surrender is the name of the game here.

You see, there is something much deeper at work here than the limited mind/body individual we see on the surface. There’s much more happening behind the scenes. IT is what does the work, not the individual who apparently does stuff in this physical reality. In the same way that the first awakening simply happened without you having to deliberately make it happen, the rest of the process will unfold for you just the same. Your job, if there is one, is simply to sit back and allow it to happen.

You’ve studied religion in the past and been told what to believe. People say things like “I believe in God” or “I believe in a higher power.” This is a statement that would arise from someone who has not yet had the internal realization of what God IS, or more accurately who THEY are. It’s what they think or what they believe, not what they clearly and unequivocally KNOW. This isn’t bad or wrong. Just recognize that it is yet another stage in the path, a valid and often necessary path. Yet what we’re talking about here is not adopting another belief system, or even about being told of another belief system that should or shouldn’t be adopted. What’s being suggested is to continue to allow the inner being that is already at work here to shift the totality of YOU on its own. We all have this capacity for wisdom and knowing within, without having to be told the answers by religions, gurus, or teachers. This inner wisdom is what the world’s great teachers have all come to access. As you have found, when you’re simply told some answers (regardless of whether or not they’re correct), they’re simply not satisfying. Not in the end. Not really.

What you are looking for is within and it is up to you to turn within and find it here. There’s nothing here you have to do. It’s already in progress and all is unfolding beautifully. Simply just relax and allow the process to unfold. Go about your life, do your things, and notice what is arising. Just be in the moment. Everything that needs to happen is happening at just the right time, without you having to do anything at all. Just relax and all the continued awakenings, realizations, understandings, dissolvings, shifts, and so on will happen at their own rate.

It’s all One, It’s all One, It’s all One…

I’ve spent the past few hours laughing and laughing and laughing… I’m in New Orleans now and the absolute thrill of seeing the One in EVERYTHING is utterly incredible… Religious nutcases telling people they’re going to hell are the One. People arguing with them are the One. Understanding God is the One. Misunderstanding God is the One. The rain is the One. Getting lost in a random town is the One. Synchronistically finding your friends on a street corner as I did tonight is the One. The taxi is the One. The rain falling on my head is the One. Laughing as you dance through the streets in the rain is the One. Enlightenment is the One. Unelightenment is the One. The Law of Attraction is the One. Living a thrilling life is the One. Living a normal life is the One. Whatever you can possibly point to is the One. The ego is the One. Identification with the separate self is the One. Realization is the One. Duality is the One. Non-duality is the One. When it’s seen that everything everything everything and NOTHING is the One, what else is there but to laugh and laugh and laugh at this seeing? IT’S ALL ONE!!!

Everywhere you go, everything you see, and that which witnesses it all, it’s all the One… and what a thrill it is to see this, to realize this, and to be this. That which you are, whatever this is for no words can describe this, THIS IS IT. As it arises in this presence, there’s this lighthearted joy and the eruption of laughter and joy, of freedom and playfulness. In this seeing and in this letting go of trying to micromanage life, there’s this utter thrill of this life experience. In “other” beings it may arise differently, sure. All I can say is that in this seeing, this body that is arising here keeps laughing and laughing and laughing. That which Jesus saw and Buddha saw and Mohammad saw… this is it.

One of the biggest realizations in this is that there’s nothing to oppose. There’s nothing else out there and thus there’s nothing to resist. There’s just this pure seeing and thus suffering, which is based upon the resistance of something, is seen to be completely and utterly, well… not existent within this, even this that too is the One. When it’s seen that there’s nothing else because it’s all One and therefore even that which we call suffering is seen to be the One, there’s nothing to suffer about and suffering simply doesn’t exist. It’s pretty wild…

I talk to people about this and it seems like most people just don’t get it. They just brush it off as if I’m crazy, and yet that too is the One. When it seen so clearly that everything everything everything is the One, there’s nothing to resist, denounce, fear, or run away from. This is it, and everything is it.

It’s all One. It’s all One. It’s all One. There’s this utter perfection of being here and this is it. It’s already it. That which we all seek, we already are. This rocks. There is a thrill in this seeing. Totally. This may change and it probably will for it is just an experience, sure. But that which is witnessing doesn’t change. It is eternal, permanent, and everpresent. That which I am can’t be lost and is just being as it is. What joy this is… Beyond anything that can be named. Ahhh yes…

Heaven’s Gates by Marc Adamus

When you realize it’s a dream, you can afford to play. The same thing happens when you realize that ordinary life is just a dream, just a movie, just a play. You don’t become more cautious, more timid, more reserved. You start jumping up and down and doing flips, precisely because it’s all a dream, it’s all pure Emptiness. You don’t feel less, you feel more—because you can afford to. You are no longer afraid of dying, and therefore you are not afraid of living. You become radical and wild, intense and vivid, shocking and silly. You let it all come pouring through, because it’s all your dream. Life then assumes its true intensity, its vivid luminosity, its radical effervescence. Pain is more painful and happiness is happier; joy is more joyous and sorrow is even sadder. It all comes radiantly alive to the mirror-mind, the mind that doesn’t grasp or avoid, but simply witnesses the play, and therefore can afford to play, even as it watches.

-Ken Wilber

When I graduated from college, I deliberated decided not to get a job and do the whole career thing and instead devote myself fully to my spirituality, to really getting this whole enlightenment thing down.

Now, 3 years later, I have come to several conclusions.

1. I got into this wanting to know the Truth. Now I know that I really know nothing to know and this freedom and simplicity cracks me up. Somehow there is joy in this emptiness of not knowing *and* being totally at peace with it, in this not knowing and not trying to figure something else out. Instead there’s just the ecstasy of being who you really are.
2. When you surrender trying to get somewhere as if there’s some pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, you find that there is now a natural supportive unfoldment of life in this moment and that you are an inseparable part of it. When you let go and simply allow the joy of being to shine forth, call it shining your light or whatever, this is truly an amazing experience and seems to be how we were really *meant* to live before we got all caught up in egoland and attachmentville.
3. The desire of ego is essentially to obtain, acquire, and all that jazz… basically ways to achieve security, approval, control, and all the other things it feels it lacks. The desire of Spirit is to be itself, know itself, and experience itself in its absolute pristine glory, to experience the extraordinary in the ordinary, to experience what it already is now. It takes care of the well-being of the mind and body when we allow the energy of our Light/Spirit/Soul/Heart/Source to be what life is all about.

Enjoying Life

The basis of life is absolute freedom. The objective of life is absolute joy.

-Abraham-Hicks

It’s not about seeking Truth, but being Truth. It’s not about seeking Joy, but being Joy. It’s not about seeking Love, but being Love. You don’t go out into the world seeking Truth any more than you go to a movie theater to find the Truth. That’d be silly. Just because the movie is “an illusion” doesn’t mean you need to stop going to the movies. Similarly, that doesn’t mean you stop living your life. Instead, you go to the movies for the thrill of the experience. That’s it. The same with this world. Truth is found within and once it wakes up within you, there is a unique way that it’ll want to express itself out through you.

It is in the nature of being to see adventure in becoming, as it is in the very nature of becoming to seek peace in being.

-Nisargadatta Maharaj

and so, in the name of Pure Joy I am moving to Boulder, CO. My inner guidance and outer confirmations are all pointing towards this move. My intuition and excitement are all giving me the green light. Finally!! Full speed ahead! I’ve been wanting to do something for ages! I even tried to give it a go a few months ago but couldn’t fully commit to it since I couldn’t feel that inner okay. Now that it’s here, it’s been such a joy to watch as everything necessary for this trip thus far miracoulsly and synchronistically unfold when needed. I’ll admit there’s also a lot of sadness in letting go of my old home here in Roswell and saying goodbye to my friends and family. At the same time, there’s this deep joy of experiencing this moment AND experiencing the anticipation of what is yet to unfold.

Where am I gonna live? I’ll figure that out when I get there!

What am I gonna do when I get there? Let’s go find out!

What am I gonna do for money? Figuring out those details is the universe’s job! My job is simply to be happy!

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.

-Joseph Campbell

It’s such a blast to actually follow my dreams and watch as the doors open. It’s not that you’ll know everything ahead of time. It’s that just start moving and continue taking the next step and watch as the doors open up, often times after you’ve already started heading in that direction. Seeing the Law of Attraction really work for you and actually getting a handle on creating your life experience, that’s a lot of fun!!

Keeping Up with Ariel’s Adventure

Since I’ll be on the road by the time this post goes live, I probably won’t be updating this blog as regularly. However you can follow my travels on my photoblog which I will be updating from the road. I want to document what it’s like to live life from a place of Oneness and Joy, as fully aligned with Source energy as possible.

My tentative plan involves going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, stopping in Dallas to shoot a cheer competition, exploring the scenic desert landscapes in the southwest, hiking down from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and camping down on the floor, visiting several national parks in Utah including Canyonlands and Arches to hike, camp, and shoot photos, and finally making my way east across the Rockies into Colorado to settle in and find a new place to call home for however long, stopping to meet friends all along the way.

So stay tuned for more fun and games on the photoblog. See you guys around!

-Ariel

Awareness. Consciousness. Silence. Stillness. Presence. Being. Isness. This. Aliveness. Existence. Spaciousness.

So many words and they are all useful. In fact it can sometimes be helpful to change them around a bit lest people get stuck on one conceptual word as if it literally is IT.

I’ve seen so many people (myself included here) who’ll go around saying “It’s all an illusion. None of this is real. You’re already it. Just wake up and realize we’re all one.” Great, cool. The thing is that as @oshum said, these words become like a dull sword, unable to cut through the darkness. You can keep saying these words ’till you’re blue in the face, but life will show you that this is a path of diminishing returns and eventually it runs dry on you.

These pointers may be true and useful to a certain point, but eventually you realize that simply saying these words and telling them to others doesn’t actually wake people up and end suffering. It may help crack the mind to a certain extent, but that’s about it. It won’t “do it for you.”

Suggestions and pointers can be very useful, but we may eventually outgrow them. Teachings are helpful up to a certain point, but we must eventually let them go or else they will become limitations. It’s almost like sitting in a big slingshot. The slingshot will sling you forward, but if you continue holding on for too long, what once propelled you forward will eventually hold you back.

Enjoying the World

For example, one such teaching that I’m finding that it’s time to let go of is, “It is the ego which seeks to be constantly entertained. It does so as a substitute for the truth of your being, as a distraction. The world and its appearances are a distraction from going within. All the happiness you find in the world does nothing but strengthen your ego, furthering the illusion that your joy comes from the world. It’s more important to turn within than to focus on the world outside of you. You’ll never find that which you seek by looking to the world. Straight and narrow is the path. Waste no time.”

We could say that, especially in the beginning, the ego functions as a sort of emotional gatekeeper, as if it literally “lets happiness in” when certain external conditions are met and certain things “make me happy.” This is not true. The happiness comes from within and there is an infinite supply of it.

This teaching when misunderstood, ahem…, can be used to conclude that happiness from the world = bad. Imagine that… you get into something hoping to end your suffering, only to adopt a new (apparently “more spiritual”) belief system that has you avoiding everything you find joyful in the world! That’s messed up…

If you also have the belief system, “Life is scary and I’m terrified of it so I’m gonna run into my cave and transcend fear altogether by getting enlightened,” well than this way of avoiding the world actually becomes useful.

Causeless Happiness

Learning that our happiness isn’t literally derived from external conditions (which is true), we begin disassociating the cause of our happiness from external conditions, finding that we can be happy no matter what is happening outside of us. We find a wellspring of happiness that bubbles up from the I AM without cause. We only need to let go of resisting it to experience it. This is a great discovery. We find we’re no longer dependent upon external situations being a certain way in order to find joy like some sort of druggie. We’re no longer addicted to our sources of entertainment as if our joy depended upon it and thus those attachments progressively fall away.

Once we free our joy from the world, we’re free to experience it in the world as much as we want.

We begin finding the always available joy within and, interestingly enough, noticing that it has a natural tendency of wanting to express itself in life. Joy naturally wants to be expressed. Once we discover this, we’re free to reengage with our previous activities which we had previously been detaching from. We no longer need to do certain things and in this there is freedom.

Now we find ourselves inspired and guided from within to move in a particular direction. Instead of trying to derive joy from activities, we find that our inner joy harmonizes with certain activities quite naturally and thus we do those activities as an expression of inner joy. We bring the joy to the world. We live as a source of joy, as joy itself in human form.

This energy needs to flow out into the world. It’s part of “bringing heaven down to earth” you could say, of grounding the higher chakra energy down into your lower chakras. Simply pooling the love and light up within yourself and blissing out in meditation is sort of the spiritual equivalent of masturbation. Stripped of societal judgment, masturbation is basically a way to give yourself pleasure and that’s a wonderful thing and I’m all for it, but maybe it’s possible that there’s something more to life than that…

It’s okay to play. It’s great to have fun. It is good to feel good. There’s a reason the Buddha is often depicted with a smile on his face.

It’s quite beautiful to see awakening being discussed by and experienced by big name celebrities now, bringing enlightenment off the mystical mountaintop and right here into our everyday lives.

Union by Mario Duguay

There’s an old saying that the only thing permanent is impermanence. Our life experience is one of learning better ways to interact with this changing flow.

And yet simultaneously there is this eternal unchanging presence. It seems to be part of neither existence nor nonexistence… It is a manifestation of nothing. It is unmanifest. It is. All that can really be said is that it is. We can go within and tap into this and find that when resting in this place, it’s as if we are home, and I mean really home. In this place there is no longing for anything more, no need to get anything, and truly no sense of lack. There is no separation for there is nothing else to be separate from. All else is just appearance, and yet the appearance is not other than this. In this pure being, all is divinely perfect just as it is, including the appearance of problems and pain, and yet it doesn’t invalidate the negative aspects of Allness. To simply be is itself already completely sufficient. Nothing more is needed.

In this space there is no anxious need for a particular outcome, as if one outcome would somehow lead to more fulfillment than another. It’s interesting… when we release our attachment to the outcome, we find this place of perfect peace that is what it is, independent of outcome. It is a space beyond the mind, transcendent and yet completely grounded, particularly when the lower chakras are open and balanced. It’s as if the physical body is being used as a vessel to bring the peace of heaven down to earth. This peace is expressed through a mind/body organism.

The Experiences

No experience is permanent, nor need it be. There is a place for peace, a place for passion, and even a place for war. Granted the energy of war doesn’t exist in this spaceless space, but that energy does have a place in lower realms of time and space. In this peace there is an openness to all experience, a spaciousness that welcomes every event untouched and undistorted. There is no fear of “losing this experience” because it’s not about the clinging to any one particular experience, but the seeing of what lies beyond all experience and supports every experience, noticing every experience and allowing it all to flow.

I understand that one may think that the experience of openness to all experience is just another experience, and yes this is a valid perspective, but that to which I am pointing is a non-experience that can be experienced. It’s hard to put into words exactly. Rather than try to explain it, I’d rather just point to this previous posting about traps that can lead back to separation. Rather than saying “avoid this trap,” I am simply saying that it is helpful to be aware of it. One way or another, when the time is right it will come into awareness. Life experience is a wonderful teacher and I think it’s something that people need to experience for themselves. Falling for the trap is totally fine. It’s happened here several times. That contrast and repeated opportunity to fall for the trap yet again or see beyond it really helps with our conscious evolution. Learning by trial and error.

There is an opening and closing that is possible. When the fear arises, “I hope I don’t lose this experience,” that feeling when followed by focused attention and then concern immediately begins a closing experience, but when both the fear and the experience of opening/closing are seen to be happening within this non-thing, it’s as if the spaciousness becomes seen to an even greater extent. The attempt to force this opening also begins the closing, but the recognition of the forcing as again an experience arising within this automatically creates the experience of reopening. It’s like one must allow the experience to be present exactly as it is without getting sucked into the experience or trying to manipulate it any way in order for the experience to continue. It’s an interesting paradox. You can have it so long as you don’t grasp at it. Simply observe and enjoy, but don’t get caught up in it. In a sense, it’s almost like it has its own wisdom and for it to open, it requires us to let go of trying to control it so that it can take over on its own.

Some say that wise people learn from the mistakes of others, and this is valid to a certain extent. Taken to an extreme, however, one would simply study all day without actually experiencing life for themselves. No judgement as this is one of the infinite number of ways that All That Is has of experiencing itself, and all ways are equally valid, yet life is here to be experienced to whatever degree that we so choose. As with many things in life, to really *get it*, theory just ain’t enough.

The Doer

Surrendering happens, but there is no one to surrender. The dissolution of the surrenderer happens and it seems that only in retrospect was the surrenderer dissolved. No one did it. It just kinda dissolved on its own, but there wasn’t actually a surrenderer here in the first place, only the appearance of one and the experience in one. The nonexistence of the surrenderer, however, does not invalidate surrendering itself. Surrender continues to be, regardless of whether or not there is someone here to do the surrendering.

There is the surrenderer, the thinker, the breather, the creator, the doer, and so on and so forth… all identities that dualisically set themselves apart from the action they perform. The seeing beyond duality requires not the cessation of certain actions, but the seeing beyond the one who would do the actions. Hence the relevance of Self-inquiry.

OM

OM makes sense suddenly. I’ve seen people use this word before and wondered why. Now it feels like it is the primordial voice of God, like the first physicalized manifestation of Silence. OM is powerful and very enjoyable. Aum is fine too, but it doesn’t seem to have the same depth of being as OM, as if Aum is the feminine counterpart to OM. I am now spontaneously OM’ing, just for the sheer joy of it. I’ve never been into mantras before, but now OM is almost orgasmic to the soul. It’s like singing the name of God. The point of chanting OM isn’t to accomplish something in this case or arrive at some destination. It itself is its own reward, the way singing is about the song itself, not about getting to some destination at the end of the song. OM itself is the point. It is a sort of divine kiss. The mind is somewhat fascinated by this, but not too terribly so. There’s an overwhelming presence that far outshines any experience.

And so now I let go of this experience, enjoying it as it is, and allowing the flow of experience to continue. The allowing of the flow of experience is wonderful too, far more enjoyable than resistance to experience.

OM

Have you ever heard of the term “monkey mind?” It’s basically when your mind is running amok and your thoughts are going crazy. When that happens, what to do? What to do?

Well there’s two schools of thought (no pun intended) that we can discuss:

1) Quiet your mind

2) Direct your mind deliberately towards better feeling thoughts

Both techniques are designed to help you release resistance, experience your true self, and express your natural radiance as you live your life from moment to moment.

That said, there are some key differences such as the nature of free will, as we will explore some of these differences below:

Quieting the Mind

In this camp you’ve got teachers like Ramana (who I’ve quoted below), Mooji, and Gangaji who all come from the same lineage in Advaita. (Ramana taught Papaji who taught both Mooji and Gangaji.) The “goal” in this tradition is realization of the Self and the discovery of freedom in the recognition of your true nature as nonconceptual awareness that always is. Awareness and the Self are emphasized over thought.

He who gives himself up to the Self that is God is the most excellent devotee. Giving one’s self up to God means remaining constantly in the Self without giving room for the rise of any thoughts other than that of the Self. Whatever burdens are thrown on God, He bears them. Since the supreme power of God makes all things move, why should we, without submitting ourselves to it, constantly worry ourselves with thoughts as to what should be done and how, and what should not be done and how not? We know that the train carries all loads, so after getting on it why should we carry our small luggage on our head to our discomfort, instead of putting it down in the train and feeling at ease?

-Ramana Maharshi

This is basically the ultimate “Let go and let God” outlook and even the surrendering of one’s free will with the understanding that Creation is its own independent entity which we are to surrender to. In this tradition, it is taught that free will is actually an illusion. “What to do and how to live your life” is not directly taught in specifics. Instead you are given suggestions and pointers to look within and out of that you’ll find that decisions and actions will arise naturally and spontaneously, as if you are being lived rather than deliberately choosing what to do. “It is not I but the Father with me who does these works.”

Reaching for Better Feeling Thoughts

In this camp you’ve got your self-improvement people and your Law of Attraction people. To summarize this perspective, I’d like to share with you the following wonderful video by Abraham-Hicks.

Questioner: I want to stop the monkey mind. Help me stop my monkey mind.

Abe: We don’t want to stop your monkey mind. We just want to help you train your monkey mind because thoughts that are going with the flow are ultimately more satisfying than no thought.

But think about what meditation is. Meditation is a releasing of thought and in the releasing of that resistance there’s this natural turning and going with the flow. That’s the advantage.

What we always say about the subject of meditation is we would rather see you in appreciation because in appreciation your mind is active and aligned and that’s a fuller use of the creative you than having a quieted mind which is offering no resistance, but we would encourage if your mind is scattered and it is taking you in opposition then of course you’d want to quiet it, but if your mind is active and it is moving you in the direction of the call of Source then of course you’re wanting to encourage that.

“I’m going to direct my mind and if I can’t direct it the way I want to, if I can’t easily direct my mind into a really good feeling place, then I’ll quiet it instead.” That’s the way we would use meditation.

Those who would say, “I’m going to meditate for many hours in a day. I’m gonna withdraw,” are those who have decided not to direct their mind, really. You’re a creator. You didn’t come forth to be on pause. You are a creator, but pause is better than moving upstream… so how ’bout this? “I’m moving upstream, I pause, turn my boat, and then I focus on things I want.” That would be a good application of meditation.

The main focus here is to focus your attention solely upon things that you want, things that feel good. Rather than deliberately focusing within back towards awareness, awareness is deliberated focused out into the world and inner being is deliberately allowed to actively flow into the world. Basically you go out and live your life in joy.

Emotions are not a mysterious problem that simply need to be surrendered to, but with the conscious understanding of one’s emotional guidance system and that emotions are simply an indicator telling you how in alignment with Source energy (or the truth of your being) your thoughts are, you can deliberately align your thoughts with Source and thus create a better life for yourself.

Rather than recognizing that all stories are untrue, made-up, and thus dismissing them as illusion, one decides to actively use the mind as a tool by telling better stories and better stories and better stories, evolving and strengthening this character running around on the planet. For example, personal development blogger Steve Pavlina recently posted an article on How to Build a Stronger Ego which (for people who are taught that the ideal state is egolessness) contains a number of surprisingly excellent points.

But remember, when it comes to manifestation, living the life of your dreams, and choosing better feeling thoughts, it’s not about “getting there” that is the point. The manifestation itself is not actually the point. It’s about enjoying the process itself NOW by aligning yourself to the energy of Source that is You through the deliberate focusing upon what you want and the resultant flowing of Source energy through you. THAT is the real point, to experience that feeling of creative flow, that enthusiasm and joy and zest for life. The manifestational goal is just the bait to get you moving. As is often said, life is about the journey, not the destination. The energy of the Absolute is allowed to flow into the world of the relative and the two operate in harmony together.

Relationship with Desire

You can’t permanently quench your ego’s continuous hunger for more. Every time you get what you want, you’ll find you’ve now arrived at a new place which creates a new asking and a new desire for yet even more.

In the “quiet your mind” camp, this is generally seen as a problem to overcome and part of the cause of suffering and therefore the spiritual path involves finding the eternal presence within that’s innately satisfied by its very nature for it already IS everything, infinitely everything, and thus doesn’t require that you obtain more in order to feel good, including any particular experience or state of being. When you don’t believe your thoughts at all in the first place, what then when it comes to choosing better feeling thoughts?

In the “reach for better feeling thoughts” camp, that hunger for more is seen as a good thing for it is what continues the eternal drive for creative expansion. It is how we actively and deliberately take advantage of our innate creative powers. There is no end to infinity and given that we are infinite beings, this desire calls us to experience more and more and more of ourselves.

Both perspectives acknowledge that it’s not about the getting of the thing that leads to happiness. Both stress the utmost importance of inner being. It seems the main difference is one’s relationship to desire and how desire is seen… as a beneficial thing to pursue or not.

What Do You Choose

Happiness via silent awareness or happiness via aligned thought?

I’m not here to set it up as an either/or thing by any means as I’ve found tremendous value in both. In fact, it even seems that there can be a happy marriage between the two.

What’s your take on the matter from your own life experience? What have you found thus far to be the most effective way for you of living your life in this world?