Power has always been of primary interest to people. Be it economic power, religious power, personal power, or any other form of power imaginable.
This power is always a power over something or someone else: Power over nature. Power over people. Power over the body’s innate forces of slow deterioration, etc.
This power can be felt by humans and it is felt as a kind of stimulant that can become addictive. It is also often associated with an adrenaline rush, which makes it act like an addictive drug cursing through one’s bodily system.
This power is, in its purest form, a completely ruthless power. If nothing tempers it, it will lead to inhumane treatment of others. For example, human and animal sacrifices have been performed for the purposes of appeasing a god, and to ensure that the god’s power continues to work for the benefit of the worshipping people.
Even the notion that only believers are allowed into a pleasing place, while non-believers are relegated to eternal suffering is a pronouncement of power over others.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Essence of the Qur'an (Koran)
From reading and studying and meditating on the words of the Qur'an, I have come up with what I consider the essential elements contained in it. There are really only three:
1: God is Great
2: God Provides
3: Do good and be good
1: God is Great
2: God Provides
3: Do good and be good
Saturday, October 6, 2018
The supreme purity of god
The supreme purity of god, that is what the pursuit of spiritual values is all about. The individual soul is created in the image of the supreme soul, god. What stands between the individual soul and the supreme soul? It is the created world, where the individual soul gets entangled and where it forgets its identity with the supreme soul.
But, it remembers its innate purity, and so, when it is exposed to the supreme purity of god in the spiritual and religious teachings of this world, it feels attracted to those teachings. It senses a kind of welcoming, a kind of homecoming when it gets nearer the pure inner state of its own existence.
It begins to feel something like: “I am That I am. I am pure. I have always been pure. And I will make every effort to remain in this suspended state of inner purity.”
And so it enters the spiritual path in earnestness.
But, it remembers its innate purity, and so, when it is exposed to the supreme purity of god in the spiritual and religious teachings of this world, it feels attracted to those teachings. It senses a kind of welcoming, a kind of homecoming when it gets nearer the pure inner state of its own existence.
It begins to feel something like: “I am That I am. I am pure. I have always been pure. And I will make every effort to remain in this suspended state of inner purity.”
And so it enters the spiritual path in earnestness.
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Believers and Disbelievers
What are believers and disbelievers? Believers believe in a particular system, while disbelievers don’t. It’s that simple.
There are many beliefs in existence today. These beliefs cover many, and vastly different subjects. There are religious beliefs. Scientific beliefs. Beliefs in the supernatural. Beliefs in nature spirits. And so on.
Wherever you place your faith, that becomes a major belief system for you. Those inside the belief, the insiders, are called “true believers.” Those on the outside, the outsiders, are called “disbelievers.”
Tolerant people accept that different people have different belief systems. What makes you happy does not necessarily make others happy. Your taste in music may not be shared by others, but for you it is heavenly music you are listening to.
The same is true with any other belief or interest that you follow in life. There is nothing sinister about the clothes you wear, nothing sinister about any of the interests that you follow, as long as this interest is something you are truly following with a heart full of pure intentions.
Purity in your intentions is a must, if you want to live in freedom from your possessions, your accomplishments, your deeds in life. When you are selfish, and use other people for your own machinations, while giving them nothing but dirt in return, then you can be considered an evil person who needs to repent and ask for forgiveness from those you have taken advantage of.
This principle of asking for forgiveness is found in science, as well as religion, and in all matters of life where humans are involved. It has been said that god lives in the hearts of all beings, and when you break a human heart, you are breaking the heart of god, the heart of the “I am That I am.”
And you must never break the heart of god, because when you do, you are at the same time breaking your own heart. You are diminishing the love you have for yourself when you break anyone’s heart. By mending that heart again, you are mending your own heart and the heart of god, the “I am That I am.”
There are many beliefs in existence today. These beliefs cover many, and vastly different subjects. There are religious beliefs. Scientific beliefs. Beliefs in the supernatural. Beliefs in nature spirits. And so on.
Wherever you place your faith, that becomes a major belief system for you. Those inside the belief, the insiders, are called “true believers.” Those on the outside, the outsiders, are called “disbelievers.”
Tolerant people accept that different people have different belief systems. What makes you happy does not necessarily make others happy. Your taste in music may not be shared by others, but for you it is heavenly music you are listening to.
The same is true with any other belief or interest that you follow in life. There is nothing sinister about the clothes you wear, nothing sinister about any of the interests that you follow, as long as this interest is something you are truly following with a heart full of pure intentions.
Purity in your intentions is a must, if you want to live in freedom from your possessions, your accomplishments, your deeds in life. When you are selfish, and use other people for your own machinations, while giving them nothing but dirt in return, then you can be considered an evil person who needs to repent and ask for forgiveness from those you have taken advantage of.
This principle of asking for forgiveness is found in science, as well as religion, and in all matters of life where humans are involved. It has been said that god lives in the hearts of all beings, and when you break a human heart, you are breaking the heart of god, the heart of the “I am That I am.”
And you must never break the heart of god, because when you do, you are at the same time breaking your own heart. You are diminishing the love you have for yourself when you break anyone’s heart. By mending that heart again, you are mending your own heart and the heart of god, the “I am That I am.”
Friday, September 28, 2018
The Conscious Experience of Joy:
Joy is such a wonderful experience to have. Joy can come from large or from small things and events. Meeting a friend or delighting in the exquisite structure of a leaf can both bring deep joy to your emotional heart.
Whatever is the key to your experience of you does not matter, ultimately. When you feel joy, experience it fully without reservation. Together with joy, love arises in you. In fact, love and joy go hand in hand.
In this meditation, keep your focus on the joy. When you do this, joy will fill your entire mind. This joy will color all your thoughts and all your thoughts will become joyful thoughts.
Forget the object that appeared to have caused this joy. The fact is that objects do not cause joy. They simply represent an opening in your contracted mind and thereby allow you to experience the joy of freedom.
What is it that these objects are freeing your mind from? They are not freeing the mind from anything. They are allowing the mind to experience liberation. When you feel free, you will experience joy. This is completely natural feeling.
In Self-Inquiry, you are always looking for exists into freedom. Life provides these exists abundantly. This universe is full openings. All objects are potential doors leading to the valley of peace in the state of liberation.
The Conscious Experience of Remaining in Stillness:
There is no place, no time, and no posture, that is a prerequisite to your remaining in stillness.
Simply have the intention to be still, and then be still, be still forever. If “forever” sounds like too long a time to be still, then question your motives for wanting to be still. What are you trying to achieve?
Are you truly attempting to reach the Absolute, the Eternal, Nirvana, the state of Enlightenment, the freedom of spiritual liberation, or do you simply want to relax for a while from a stressful day? All aims are equally valuable and none is more important.
What I want to convey, however, is that whatever you do, do it with all your fullness. Do not think that there is another thing to do afterwards that will bring you more happiness, more satisfaction, more peace of mind. Get away from the ingrained habit of believing that “happiness is just around the corner.” Also abstain from the notion that “if only you could have that, do that, achieve that,” then you would finally be content for good, all your dreams would be fulfilled, and you could live happily ever after. If you think like that, life passes you by, and the future will have nothing but regrets in store for you.
Now, in the moment, find a body position, that you enjoy and remain in that position forever, without movement. Simply be still. Pay attention to your body and make sure that nothing moves: no eye, no mouth, no tongue, no head, no finger, no toe, and no body part whatsoever, forever.
Do not attempt to control your breath, your heartbeat, your eyelids, or your thoughts. This meditation is only about remaining in a still posture. Allow your body to perform its involuntary functions. Do nothing to either hinder or further them in any way.
Simply have the intention to be still, and then be still, be still forever. If “forever” sounds like too long a time to be still, then question your motives for wanting to be still. What are you trying to achieve?
Are you truly attempting to reach the Absolute, the Eternal, Nirvana, the state of Enlightenment, the freedom of spiritual liberation, or do you simply want to relax for a while from a stressful day? All aims are equally valuable and none is more important.
What I want to convey, however, is that whatever you do, do it with all your fullness. Do not think that there is another thing to do afterwards that will bring you more happiness, more satisfaction, more peace of mind. Get away from the ingrained habit of believing that “happiness is just around the corner.” Also abstain from the notion that “if only you could have that, do that, achieve that,” then you would finally be content for good, all your dreams would be fulfilled, and you could live happily ever after. If you think like that, life passes you by, and the future will have nothing but regrets in store for you.
Now, in the moment, find a body position, that you enjoy and remain in that position forever, without movement. Simply be still. Pay attention to your body and make sure that nothing moves: no eye, no mouth, no tongue, no head, no finger, no toe, and no body part whatsoever, forever.
Do not attempt to control your breath, your heartbeat, your eyelids, or your thoughts. This meditation is only about remaining in a still posture. Allow your body to perform its involuntary functions. Do nothing to either hinder or further them in any way.
Meditation is always active
There is no such thing as a passive meditation, where you sit still and have something done to you. In meditation, you are always active, either on a surface level, or on a much more subtle level.
The activity on the surface level might be the intent to repeat a mantra, or to contemplate a particular saying or prayer. On the subtle level, the activity might be the intent to remain in the blissful state of the conscious Self.
Never allow yourself to be put into a state other than a state that you yourself can produce with your own intentions. Know where you are going at all times, and know it with clarity.
The happiness of meditation is not found in telling yourself that you are on a path that will, ultimately, lead you to happiness, either in this world or in another. The happiness of meditation is found in the clarity of the moment, when you are in the blissful conscious state of the Self. This Self is who you are on the most fundamental level of your being.
The activity on the surface level might be the intent to repeat a mantra, or to contemplate a particular saying or prayer. On the subtle level, the activity might be the intent to remain in the blissful state of the conscious Self.
Never allow yourself to be put into a state other than a state that you yourself can produce with your own intentions. Know where you are going at all times, and know it with clarity.
The happiness of meditation is not found in telling yourself that you are on a path that will, ultimately, lead you to happiness, either in this world or in another. The happiness of meditation is found in the clarity of the moment, when you are in the blissful conscious state of the Self. This Self is who you are on the most fundamental level of your being.
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