A couple of years ago I was on a retreat and had the delight to spend some time with a teacher called, Kabir Helminski. Along with participating in a Zikr led by Shiekh Helminski I also had the opportunity to sit with him for over 90 minutes as he dissected some of Rumi's passages.
To this day I remember his insightful and loving stare, his gentle passion and eloquence as he explored the inner meaning and mysteries contained within Rumi's prose and poetry. Like a master locksmith he was unlocking hidden meaning for us, bearing the mechanics of the lock and its' secrets, and expressing living evidence of the product of decades of studying and contemplating Rumi's Divinely inspired poetry. And that is what a teacher can be; a key to a lock within life. However, even in such moments of teaching it is for us to turn the key.
At the end of the session I went up and thanked this teacher. In a few words I noted how much I had enjoyed his clarity, the benefit of his contemplation that had laid bare such hidden meaning for me and the joy he clearly had for his task in this lifetime. When I was done he bowed his head, touched his hand to his heart and said, "Thank you for noticing."
We parted ways and I have not seen him since. But above and beyond all of the teachings and sharing of that day, the manner in which he acknowledged my compliment has had the most profound impact on me. I shall explain why.
At the time I was struck by the profound quality of such a response. In contemplating the choice of these words I have come to deeply appreciate their beautiful truth and elegance. I realized that in the past I have tried to deflect or lessen a compliment when it has been shared. I might have said something along the line of, "it wasn't a big deal", or "it was nothing." But in truth, these statements were, I believe, my way of averting taking ownership for my part in the events leading up to the compliment. I believe that in the past I had less than a sense of perfect self-worth, and when using a deflecting statement I was unconsciously putting up a block to fully owning my part in the exchange. I may even have been influenced by a cultural belief that we should be modest in the face of compliments lest our head become so big that we cannot get through doorframes. But regardless of the cause of such responses, by trying to deflect a compliment I was in effect averting a wonderful recognition of my worth in that moment.
My contemplations also revealed another aspect of truth. When he said, 'Thank you for noticing', I believe that Kabir was also acknowledging that in being able to observe his clarity, his expression of Truth and his joy, that I, as the observer, must also have a conscious grasp of these qualities. In effect, he was subtly paying me a compliment. Have you ever heard, 'if you spot it, you've got it'? Have you heard of the idea that what we see in others is a reflection of what is in us? Thus, when we observe truth, joy and clarity in others, that must mean we have a conscious grasp of these qualities. By saying, "thank you for noticing" he was acknowledging in some way that in order to have observed these wonderful qualities in him that I too was embodying these qualities at some level.
I was changed by this event. Since that exchange and my subsequent contemplation I have found myself responding to a compliment by saying, 'thank you for noticing.' What a wonderful subtle practice of Truth this is! When I speak these words I am both consciously claiming the work that I have done to reveal this Truth as well as acknowledging that the other person also has these qualities. With such an awareness I am equalizing the exchange. For in spite of being the one receiving the compliment, I am paying one in return. I am acknowledging that the person offering the compliment must have the awareness to appreciate what is within me and thus is my equal. How could it be otherwise?
This is a subtle practice. With a conscious and deep understanding I can accept a compliment without inflating the ego because I am clearly establishing the value of everyone in the exchange.
Claim your Divine authority! In changing your awareness, accept that there will be times where you will have a positive impact on the world around you. When someone in the apparent reality compliments you, accept these words with a knowing that, even though they are responding to the Eternal Presence expressing through you, you were the one who did the work to reveal the Eternal Presence. And as you accept the compliment be aware that the one paying the compliment must embody these qualities by being able to recognize them in you.
Know the Flow and be happy my friends.
Showing posts with label Spiritual Coaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spiritual Coaching. Show all posts
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Revealing Eternal Presence Meditation: A Practical, Relevant and Simple Spiritual Practice
It is my experience that I am surrounded by people with intelligent and enquiring minds. It is also my experience that there is a growing realization that simple faith and worship are no longer enough in this day and age. There is an increasing intensity of enquiry when it comes to spiritual teachings that are relevant to daily life. The typical process of enquiry for me runs along the lines of: Is it relevant, is it practical, is it simple? If these three questions of enquiry yield a 'yes' for me then I will invariably dig deeper into said teaching. And I suspect that, even if many people are not aware of this kind of process going on within their minds, any teaching that is relevant, practical and simple will find significant appeal to our present-day society.
And so like many others in this world that have encountered a personal moment of profound spiritual transformation, I've been seeking teachings to help me understand what is going on and what my purpose in life is. I've been a seeker of Truth for about 15 years now. I wanted to use this blog to introduce an idea that has come to mind that I have called, the Revealing Eternal Presence (REP) Meditation. But before I share more about REP Meditation I will provide the necessary context for this idea that comes in the form of two teachings that I've been working with for a while.
The first of these teachings is one I've been studying for the past 6 years. Arguably the most notable of Dr. Ernest Holmes prolific writings was a book he authored in 1926 called, the Science of Mind. The Science of Mind is both a philosophy and a way of life. After much contemplation, reading of spiritual texts, and building upon the ideas of great thinkers before him, Dr. Holmes presented us with a number of significant ideas, a few of which I would like to introduce.
Firstly, he proposed that there is a Power for Good in the Universe that is always contemplating and expressing. You might call this Power God, Spirit, the Cosmos, Oneness, or whatever label that best defines the idea of Creator to you. Secondly, that within this Infinite expression known as Spirit is the Creative Medium, or Soul. And Thirdly, that Form results when an idea is impressed upon Soul by Spirit. One of the more common analogies is that when I think or feel, I plant a seed (thought) in the soil (Soul), which in turn manifests as a sprouting plant (Form).
To put it more simply, Dr. Holmes proposed that effects are what we see around us. Thoughts and feelings are what cause effects, and because we are an individualized aspect of God our thoughts and feelings are the cause of effects. And the Law is always obeying us by making manifest our thoughts and feelings as forms. The idea of Spirit, Soul and Form were not new, but what Holmes did do was to get very clear about a process called the Affirmative Prayer, that one can use to repeatably manifest through conscious and intelligent use of Soul, or as he called it, the Law.
The second teaching I've been enquiring about of late concerns the Buddha. Specifically, I've been studying Vipassana meditation. It is argued that the Buddha had no interest in a religion (that would go on to be called Buddhism) but focused on a process for enlightenment, that he called Vipassana. Vipassana is about observing the sensations that arise in our body. The central idea of Vipassana meditation is that if we can learn to observe sensations, know them for what they truly are and neither crave or avert those sensations we will become liberated. In other words, we come to know true peace, where we are liberated from attachment to sensations and break the cycle of suffering. This is what the Buddha meant by the 'middle way', neither craving nor averting sensations, being liberated from the apparent reality and thus being able to know the Ultimate Reality. I like to think that this is what Jesus meant by, being in the world but not of the world.
Obviously, both the teachings of Ernest Holmes and the Buddha go well beyond what is practical to cover in this blog but I did want to share my experience around them. When I discovered the Science of Mind it struck me as practical, relevant and simple. If I can change my thinking I can change my conditions. So much so that through the use of a tool called Affirmative Prayer, I can repeatably demonstrate changes in my conditions. This is extremely relevant and practical (although not, in my experience, always simple).
When I discovered Vipassana meditation I was immediately struck by how compatible the Buddha's ideas were with the Science of Mind. I was deeply moved by the idea that by observing sensations that arise in my body, old mental conditionings (or Sankhara as they are known) would be released. And Vipassana meditation is also a repeatable process that is simple and realistic (although going on a 10 day course to discover this is not necessarily practical). I realized that the potential of this idea given the creative process of Affirmative Prayer was huge. In short, a repeatable process that will inevitably help one clear away the old stock of conditionings (or what I consider to be beliefs, values, attitudes that no longer serve me) would be invaluble, particularly to a Practitioner of Affirmative Prayer.
For you see, after some 6 years of study of the Science of Mind and its related teachings I had never encountered any reference to a repeatable process for clearing the old 'stuff' out of the way. Of course, through various techniques and tools for self-enquiry we could reveal old causal beliefs but the process is lengthy. It is not simple. And there's certainly no page or chapter in any book that I've read that has really shown me how to shift into a feeling of complete and total peace. That is until I discovered Vipassana.
And what is the idea I promised to write about earlier? Well, it goes along these lines. We can use meditation to be aware of the effects, the sensations, that arise in our experience. At the same time we must be aware that they are caused by the Eternal Presence, Spirit (this is where my idea begins to diverge from Vipassana). In this state of awareness we can know that effects pass away because they are effects in the changable, apparent reality. We must be aware that effects are the product of the Law and ultimately of the Causal Spirit that created them. In short, we can use meditation to practice being aware of both the Cause (Spirit) and the Effect (sensations and feelings). This approach results in a most complete Revealing of Eternal Presence.
What stands out for me is that every effect, every sensation is a product of contemplation. In becoming aware of the Cause and Effect we liberate ourselves from effects, of attachment to them, particularly when we see Spirit as their Cause. When we tie together this realization we can more fully experience the Cause, we are practicing being attuned to Spirit and liberate ourselves from changing nature of Effect. It is my experience that this approach to meditation empowers Affirmative Prayer because, as a repeatable process, it clears the baggage beneath the surface that impacts our affirmation work.
As you can imagine one blog entry is nowhere near enough space to fully explore this idea with you. I will be using future blogs to continue sharing my contemplations and enquiries about Revealing Eternal Presence. However, if you are in Edmonton this Thursday June 16 at 7pm, then I would like to invite you to come to an evening of meditation where I will be exploring this idea through guided meditation and discourse. If you would like more information then please email me at carmien_owen@shaw.ca. You can also check out the event on Facebook event.
Ultimately, writing about Revealing Eternal Presence Meditation is like someone telling you the food is good. Practicing this technique, like any spiritual practice, is where you get to know for yourself that the food is good. If you can't make this event you can connect with me on Second Life where I lead meditation every morning and evening. Alternatively you can connect with me and enquire further with me through Facebook. So what are you waiting for? Don't take my word for it; connect with me and experience this meditation for yourself!
Know the Flow and be happy.
And so like many others in this world that have encountered a personal moment of profound spiritual transformation, I've been seeking teachings to help me understand what is going on and what my purpose in life is. I've been a seeker of Truth for about 15 years now. I wanted to use this blog to introduce an idea that has come to mind that I have called, the Revealing Eternal Presence (REP) Meditation. But before I share more about REP Meditation I will provide the necessary context for this idea that comes in the form of two teachings that I've been working with for a while.
The first of these teachings is one I've been studying for the past 6 years. Arguably the most notable of Dr. Ernest Holmes prolific writings was a book he authored in 1926 called, the Science of Mind. The Science of Mind is both a philosophy and a way of life. After much contemplation, reading of spiritual texts, and building upon the ideas of great thinkers before him, Dr. Holmes presented us with a number of significant ideas, a few of which I would like to introduce.
Firstly, he proposed that there is a Power for Good in the Universe that is always contemplating and expressing. You might call this Power God, Spirit, the Cosmos, Oneness, or whatever label that best defines the idea of Creator to you. Secondly, that within this Infinite expression known as Spirit is the Creative Medium, or Soul. And Thirdly, that Form results when an idea is impressed upon Soul by Spirit. One of the more common analogies is that when I think or feel, I plant a seed (thought) in the soil (Soul), which in turn manifests as a sprouting plant (Form).
To put it more simply, Dr. Holmes proposed that effects are what we see around us. Thoughts and feelings are what cause effects, and because we are an individualized aspect of God our thoughts and feelings are the cause of effects. And the Law is always obeying us by making manifest our thoughts and feelings as forms. The idea of Spirit, Soul and Form were not new, but what Holmes did do was to get very clear about a process called the Affirmative Prayer, that one can use to repeatably manifest through conscious and intelligent use of Soul, or as he called it, the Law.
The second teaching I've been enquiring about of late concerns the Buddha. Specifically, I've been studying Vipassana meditation. It is argued that the Buddha had no interest in a religion (that would go on to be called Buddhism) but focused on a process for enlightenment, that he called Vipassana. Vipassana is about observing the sensations that arise in our body. The central idea of Vipassana meditation is that if we can learn to observe sensations, know them for what they truly are and neither crave or avert those sensations we will become liberated. In other words, we come to know true peace, where we are liberated from attachment to sensations and break the cycle of suffering. This is what the Buddha meant by the 'middle way', neither craving nor averting sensations, being liberated from the apparent reality and thus being able to know the Ultimate Reality. I like to think that this is what Jesus meant by, being in the world but not of the world.
Obviously, both the teachings of Ernest Holmes and the Buddha go well beyond what is practical to cover in this blog but I did want to share my experience around them. When I discovered the Science of Mind it struck me as practical, relevant and simple. If I can change my thinking I can change my conditions. So much so that through the use of a tool called Affirmative Prayer, I can repeatably demonstrate changes in my conditions. This is extremely relevant and practical (although not, in my experience, always simple).
When I discovered Vipassana meditation I was immediately struck by how compatible the Buddha's ideas were with the Science of Mind. I was deeply moved by the idea that by observing sensations that arise in my body, old mental conditionings (or Sankhara as they are known) would be released. And Vipassana meditation is also a repeatable process that is simple and realistic (although going on a 10 day course to discover this is not necessarily practical). I realized that the potential of this idea given the creative process of Affirmative Prayer was huge. In short, a repeatable process that will inevitably help one clear away the old stock of conditionings (or what I consider to be beliefs, values, attitudes that no longer serve me) would be invaluble, particularly to a Practitioner of Affirmative Prayer.
For you see, after some 6 years of study of the Science of Mind and its related teachings I had never encountered any reference to a repeatable process for clearing the old 'stuff' out of the way. Of course, through various techniques and tools for self-enquiry we could reveal old causal beliefs but the process is lengthy. It is not simple. And there's certainly no page or chapter in any book that I've read that has really shown me how to shift into a feeling of complete and total peace. That is until I discovered Vipassana.
And what is the idea I promised to write about earlier? Well, it goes along these lines. We can use meditation to be aware of the effects, the sensations, that arise in our experience. At the same time we must be aware that they are caused by the Eternal Presence, Spirit (this is where my idea begins to diverge from Vipassana). In this state of awareness we can know that effects pass away because they are effects in the changable, apparent reality. We must be aware that effects are the product of the Law and ultimately of the Causal Spirit that created them. In short, we can use meditation to practice being aware of both the Cause (Spirit) and the Effect (sensations and feelings). This approach results in a most complete Revealing of Eternal Presence.
What stands out for me is that every effect, every sensation is a product of contemplation. In becoming aware of the Cause and Effect we liberate ourselves from effects, of attachment to them, particularly when we see Spirit as their Cause. When we tie together this realization we can more fully experience the Cause, we are practicing being attuned to Spirit and liberate ourselves from changing nature of Effect. It is my experience that this approach to meditation empowers Affirmative Prayer because, as a repeatable process, it clears the baggage beneath the surface that impacts our affirmation work.
As you can imagine one blog entry is nowhere near enough space to fully explore this idea with you. I will be using future blogs to continue sharing my contemplations and enquiries about Revealing Eternal Presence. However, if you are in Edmonton this Thursday June 16 at 7pm, then I would like to invite you to come to an evening of meditation where I will be exploring this idea through guided meditation and discourse. If you would like more information then please email me at carmien_owen@shaw.ca. You can also check out the event on Facebook event.
Ultimately, writing about Revealing Eternal Presence Meditation is like someone telling you the food is good. Practicing this technique, like any spiritual practice, is where you get to know for yourself that the food is good. If you can't make this event you can connect with me on Second Life where I lead meditation every morning and evening. Alternatively you can connect with me and enquire further with me through Facebook. So what are you waiting for? Don't take my word for it; connect with me and experience this meditation for yourself!
Know the Flow and be happy.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
The Humbling of Purpose, the Insight of Visioning
After the last blog about my story of getting clear on my purpose I was struck by a number of conversations with some readers. During the ensuing conversation one comment really jumped out at me and reminded me of something I'd forgotten about in my own journey; how overwhelming it can be to start the journey of working out what one's purpose should be. I was reminded that when we start delving past the ego into the Truth of who we are, to that part of us that is Source, we may begin to experience all sorts of resistances, subtle or gross.
Doing work on purpose is not an exercise that should be taken lightly. On one hand, we may find ourselves experiencing the flow of inspiration as we effortlessly pen our purpose. On the other hand, we may sit down only to stumble upon a pile of blank rocks blocking the way. Now that I think about it I believe I had quite a lot of rocks to move before my purpose revealed itself. And as I indicated in the blog on purpose when you find your soul's purpose you'll know. It'll move you in a beautiful way.
When looking to clarify my purpose I uncovered resistance that was about worthiness. Some lofty ideas had started to reveal themselves through the process and it wasn't long before feelings around self-worth started to emerge. This is not to say that everyone will face this same challenge, just that my journey has involved significant doses of low self-esteem. A number of people in my younger years got me to agree that life is hard, that I wasn't worth much and that I would always struggle. But then I am far from being alone in having heard such beliefs and, in the innocence of youth, making an agreement with them.
And so when the conversation turned to a sharing about reading the blog on purpose and feeling overwhelmed I was reminded of more details in my own experience. I remembered that before I had come to a realization of purpose I had tried visioning.
Meditation and Visioning
You will need to get your journal (or some paper) and a pen for this. Writing is an important part of visioning.
Begin by making sure you are physically comfortable. Now focus on your breathing through the nose. Maintain this focus on your breathing. Observe the breath as it enters your nostrils, as it pauses at the peak of full lungs, and then continue observing the breath as it departs your body. You may notice that your breathing softens and becomes lighter. However, do not try to control your breathing. Just observe your breath exactly as it is.
Do not be concerned with thoughts that enter your mind. If you should realize you've forgotten to focus on your breathing smile to yourself; for in this realization you have now gifted yourself the opportunity to return your awareness to your breath.
This focus of the breath can be a great way to soothe an agitated mind. Do you feel relaxed yet? Excellent, then continue. When doing work on visioning it is important that we have a relaxed state of mind. When you feel at peace, with a calm and relaxed mind then continue. Spend as much time as you need to reach this state. There is no time limit to meditation and if you need to come back to this another time that is perfect as well.
Now shift your focus to your heart. Instead of focusing on the physical sensation of the breath focus instead upon the physical sensations around the heart area, at the centre of your chest. As you proceed through the following questions be aware of any sensations, emotions, feelings, images, sounds, memories, ideas, visions or even smells that arise. Open your eyes and write down whatever comes to your awareness.
Like any practice it is pointless to predict if this will work for you. My only advice is to try this visioning exercise. If it works for you, if it conjures inspiration and ideas then that is wonderful. If you try this exercise and have questions then please feel to comment below or email me at carmien_owen@shaw.ca. And if nothing seems to happen then do not be concerned. In fact, during my first attempt at visioning nothing much came up at all. I seem to recall feeling a discomfort in my body and nothing of note. If you really feel this doesn't work for you then set it down. However, if you can I suggest that you keep trying and regardless of the apparent success or failure. And if you do find something in this tool that works for you then know that visioning is more than a one-off exercise. It can be something you do several times a year.
Know the Flow and be happy.
Doing work on purpose is not an exercise that should be taken lightly. On one hand, we may find ourselves experiencing the flow of inspiration as we effortlessly pen our purpose. On the other hand, we may sit down only to stumble upon a pile of blank rocks blocking the way. Now that I think about it I believe I had quite a lot of rocks to move before my purpose revealed itself. And as I indicated in the blog on purpose when you find your soul's purpose you'll know. It'll move you in a beautiful way.
When looking to clarify my purpose I uncovered resistance that was about worthiness. Some lofty ideas had started to reveal themselves through the process and it wasn't long before feelings around self-worth started to emerge. This is not to say that everyone will face this same challenge, just that my journey has involved significant doses of low self-esteem. A number of people in my younger years got me to agree that life is hard, that I wasn't worth much and that I would always struggle. But then I am far from being alone in having heard such beliefs and, in the innocence of youth, making an agreement with them.
And so when the conversation turned to a sharing about reading the blog on purpose and feeling overwhelmed I was reminded of more details in my own experience. I remembered that before I had come to a realization of purpose I had tried visioning.
Visioning is a process that was refined by Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith. Simply put it's about the coming together of meditation and questions asked of that part of us that is Spirit to reveal more about purpose. The questions below were significantly inspired by him, with only minor modifications on my part.
Rather than delve into the thinking or history around the process of visioning I now offer it for your consideration. Don't take my word for it. Try it out for yourself. If it works, and you get clarity around your purpose, then let us know. And if it doesn't work for you, then set it aside. Please leave comments regardless of the outcome. There can be much we can learn from the shared success or differences of others.
Rather than delve into the thinking or history around the process of visioning I now offer it for your consideration. Don't take my word for it. Try it out for yourself. If it works, and you get clarity around your purpose, then let us know. And if it doesn't work for you, then set it aside. Please leave comments regardless of the outcome. There can be much we can learn from the shared success or differences of others.
Meditation and Visioning
You will need to get your journal (or some paper) and a pen for this. Writing is an important part of visioning.
Begin by making sure you are physically comfortable. Now focus on your breathing through the nose. Maintain this focus on your breathing. Observe the breath as it enters your nostrils, as it pauses at the peak of full lungs, and then continue observing the breath as it departs your body. You may notice that your breathing softens and becomes lighter. However, do not try to control your breathing. Just observe your breath exactly as it is.
Do not be concerned with thoughts that enter your mind. If you should realize you've forgotten to focus on your breathing smile to yourself; for in this realization you have now gifted yourself the opportunity to return your awareness to your breath.
This focus of the breath can be a great way to soothe an agitated mind. Do you feel relaxed yet? Excellent, then continue. When doing work on visioning it is important that we have a relaxed state of mind. When you feel at peace, with a calm and relaxed mind then continue. Spend as much time as you need to reach this state. There is no time limit to meditation and if you need to come back to this another time that is perfect as well.
Now shift your focus to your heart. Instead of focusing on the physical sensation of the breath focus instead upon the physical sensations around the heart area, at the centre of your chest. As you proceed through the following questions be aware of any sensations, emotions, feelings, images, sounds, memories, ideas, visions or even smells that arise. Open your eyes and write down whatever comes to your awareness.
- What is the highest vision or Divine idea for the expression of my Soul purpose?
- What must I become to be an avenue through which this vision manifests?
- What must I release?
- What must I embrace?
- What must I commit to, in order to live this vision?
- Is there any other information that wants to be revealed in this moment?
Like any practice it is pointless to predict if this will work for you. My only advice is to try this visioning exercise. If it works for you, if it conjures inspiration and ideas then that is wonderful. If you try this exercise and have questions then please feel to comment below or email me at carmien_owen@shaw.ca. And if nothing seems to happen then do not be concerned. In fact, during my first attempt at visioning nothing much came up at all. I seem to recall feeling a discomfort in my body and nothing of note. If you really feel this doesn't work for you then set it down. However, if you can I suggest that you keep trying and regardless of the apparent success or failure. And if you do find something in this tool that works for you then know that visioning is more than a one-off exercise. It can be something you do several times a year.
Know the Flow and be happy.
Friday, May 20, 2011
What's My Purpose? A Way to get Clear on Why
If you've ever asked yourself, why am I here, did you fail to come up with a meaningful answer? Are you currently struggling to manifest an experience that lines up with what you know you really want? If the answer is yes to both questions you may want to read on.
Have you ever read a vision statement and been confused by it. A high level and long-term vision that's hard to understand doesn't strike me as a good foundation for inspiring myself each day. But I think a vision is more than simply a pie-in-the-sky paragraph. For me a vision should clarify why I'm here, how I'm going to go about living my purpose and how I will think, speak and act as I go through life. In this blog I am going to focus on the first step of building a personal vision by answering the first question, what's my purpose?
In my experience, one of the great challenges to creating a life that really excites us, a life that pulls us out of bed and turns work into pleasure, is knowing what we want. Even if we do get clear on what we want, what happens if our desire turns out to not be quite as satisfying as we originally thought it would be when we get it? Personally, I want to be inspired about the life I live and the work I do. I want to be clear about what I do and why. I want to have a vision for myself that clarifies all this.
Perhaps the challenge is that on a personal level we need to get clearer about why we are doing things rather than where we are going? Perhaps this is why visions so often end up clouded and unclear? A couple of years ago I went through the process I'm about to share with you. The result was my purpose statement:
How did I get to that? Well, I started by thinking about what I really wanted to do in life, my self-determined reason for being in the world. In my case I had begun training to become a Licensed Practitioner (RScP) with the Centres for Spiritual Living and was very clear that I wanted to do two things. Firstly, I wanted to get my own life in spiritual order. And secondly, I felt a deep yearning to serve others in doing the same. I realized that I needed to get clear on an overarching reason for being. It wouldn't do to have someone else tell me this, or to read about it. I would have to delve into my experience to get to the heart of it.
The first realization was that with spending so much time focusing on spirituality I needed to define what spirituality meant to me. After some contemplation I came to the conclusion that spirituality for me is about the transformation of knowing Love (and note the capital L - this refers to unconditional love, the Love of the Divine). In that moment it became clear; all my work, all the classes on the path to becoming a spiritual coach, were all about transforming my knowing Love in my life.
As I dug deeper into my own purpose I realized I came back to the yearning I had to serve others. As you have no doubt already experienced as we deepen in our spiritual awareness we begin to realize that we're all connected. In turn, this connection reveals compassion and a deep-rooted desire to help others. For a long time I have been driven by a feeling of compassion as I see the suffering of others and have committed to a lifetime of service in a spiritual capacity. I arrived at the realization that I would love to help others realize what I've discovered for myself. And so the idea of inspiring and serving came to mind. It was a simple step to bring these two ideas together and in turn my purpose statement was born.
It's been some two years since I developed my purpose statement. I did make one minor change recently, tweaking the word support to serve. Your purpose may evolve over the years, but if it changes quickly or radically then maybe you've got work to do.
In closing, get clear on what you really want to do with your life. Is this something you yearn for? When you think of this it should make you smile, make your heart leap, or both. Once you're clear then finish the sentence, 'My purpose is to...' When you're done and you read it you should feel your heart move or a smile appear on your face. Reading your purpose statement should leave you with a feeling of excitement, of certainty, and a knowing that you are clear on why you are here. And you'll know you've got it right when you look at it a year or two later and it still moves you.
Have you ever read a vision statement and been confused by it. A high level and long-term vision that's hard to understand doesn't strike me as a good foundation for inspiring myself each day. But I think a vision is more than simply a pie-in-the-sky paragraph. For me a vision should clarify why I'm here, how I'm going to go about living my purpose and how I will think, speak and act as I go through life. In this blog I am going to focus on the first step of building a personal vision by answering the first question, what's my purpose?
In my experience, one of the great challenges to creating a life that really excites us, a life that pulls us out of bed and turns work into pleasure, is knowing what we want. Even if we do get clear on what we want, what happens if our desire turns out to not be quite as satisfying as we originally thought it would be when we get it? Personally, I want to be inspired about the life I live and the work I do. I want to be clear about what I do and why. I want to have a vision for myself that clarifies all this.
Perhaps the challenge is that on a personal level we need to get clearer about why we are doing things rather than where we are going? Perhaps this is why visions so often end up clouded and unclear? A couple of years ago I went through the process I'm about to share with you. The result was my purpose statement:
My purpose is to inspire and serve the transformation of knowing Love.
How did I get to that? Well, I started by thinking about what I really wanted to do in life, my self-determined reason for being in the world. In my case I had begun training to become a Licensed Practitioner (RScP) with the Centres for Spiritual Living and was very clear that I wanted to do two things. Firstly, I wanted to get my own life in spiritual order. And secondly, I felt a deep yearning to serve others in doing the same. I realized that I needed to get clear on an overarching reason for being. It wouldn't do to have someone else tell me this, or to read about it. I would have to delve into my experience to get to the heart of it.
The first realization was that with spending so much time focusing on spirituality I needed to define what spirituality meant to me. After some contemplation I came to the conclusion that spirituality for me is about the transformation of knowing Love (and note the capital L - this refers to unconditional love, the Love of the Divine). In that moment it became clear; all my work, all the classes on the path to becoming a spiritual coach, were all about transforming my knowing Love in my life.
As I dug deeper into my own purpose I realized I came back to the yearning I had to serve others. As you have no doubt already experienced as we deepen in our spiritual awareness we begin to realize that we're all connected. In turn, this connection reveals compassion and a deep-rooted desire to help others. For a long time I have been driven by a feeling of compassion as I see the suffering of others and have committed to a lifetime of service in a spiritual capacity. I arrived at the realization that I would love to help others realize what I've discovered for myself. And so the idea of inspiring and serving came to mind. It was a simple step to bring these two ideas together and in turn my purpose statement was born.
It's been some two years since I developed my purpose statement. I did make one minor change recently, tweaking the word support to serve. Your purpose may evolve over the years, but if it changes quickly or radically then maybe you've got work to do.
In closing, get clear on what you really want to do with your life. Is this something you yearn for? When you think of this it should make you smile, make your heart leap, or both. Once you're clear then finish the sentence, 'My purpose is to...' When you're done and you read it you should feel your heart move or a smile appear on your face. Reading your purpose statement should leave you with a feeling of excitement, of certainty, and a knowing that you are clear on why you are here. And you'll know you've got it right when you look at it a year or two later and it still moves you.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Equanimous Impact of Vipassana Meditation
I recently attended a 10 day Vipassana mediation course. This experience was inspiring and peaceful. However, there are no words that can possibly come close to expressing what Vipassana is to me. I could try and tell you that with Vipassana one learns how to break the link between sensations and how one reacts, and that deep, deep healing work occurs. That said these are just words; they may be truth to me but until you experience Vipassana for yourself at best you could only draw an intellectual understanding from these words.
I am reminded of a bad habit I used to have as a newlywed. For some reason I would leave my dirty cereal bowl on top of the dishwasher. After a short while my new wife, having so sweetly allowed me a few transgressions, decided that it was time to communicate that this action was impacting her peace of mind. And so she informed me that, particularly in those situations where the dishwasher was empty, she would appreciate it if I would put my bowl in the dishwasher. I laugh at myself now. What madness it was; I was not even being asked to wash the bowl! After some time, and a number of events where I forgot to put my dirty bowl in the dishwasher, I eventually realized how to change this behaviour. At first I reasoned that if my wife wasn't happy, there would be disharmony in the household. And then once I started to put my bowls away my wife had the opportunity to thank me for being so thoughtful. In that moment I gained wisdom of knowing, understanding, and most importantly of experiencing.
I shall explain the analogy. When I was leaving the bowl I had no knowing. Then my wife informed me of a practical truth for peace and harmony. I now had an understanding. I then went through a process of reasoning to conclude that it would be the moral thing to do to put the bowl away, and over time (and with many sweet, tender reminders - bless her heart ;) I changed my behaviour. And only then could I actually know the benefits of putting away my bowls at the experiential level.
And so it is with Vipassana. I could try and explain to you what this practice as taught by Gotama the Buddha is, but until you experience it for yourself any words you hear will only be an intellecual knowing at best. It cannot be a wisdom you know at the actual level. For such a wisdom around Vipassana one has the option of attending a 10 day course.
Rather than explaining what Vipassana is to me I shall settle for explaining its impact; what has changed for me concerning meditation? I have taken a vow to practice only Vipassana meditation for the next year. I suspect it will be a lifetime practice, but a year is a time span I can relate to given my limited experience with the technique. This is certainly a change for me. Over the past 5 years I have wandered from meditation technique to technique, sometimes staying with each one for months, weeks or even days. I must have tried, and even shared with others, over 20 different techniques. But now, there is just one meditation practice for me - Vipassana. Yes, it is 'that' good. As a side note I have begun a project related to Vipassana that, for now at least, I will call my "great Mind experiment."
The next change concerns my having led meditations over the past year. In particular I have been leading a meditation circle every night in an Internet based virtual world called Second Life. Before I went I remember saying to my friends in Second Life that I looked forward to bringing new knowledge to share with them. By day three of the course I knew I had a dilemma. Firstly, it was plain to see that the practice is deep. If I were to teach this I would require much more experience. Secondly, as a basis for my Spiritual practice and service I have made a number of moral commitments, one of which is, abstaining from taking what is not given. And lastly, I have not been given the instruction to teach this practice. In short, I will happily direct you to www.dhamma.org and even speak with you to support you on making the decision to go. But at the experiential level I know that I cannot supply the level of support or guidance required, that one gets through a dedicated 10 day course, at this time to anyone in Second Life. So what does this mean for my service in Second Life. Well, I am not entirely sure but as is a central truth through Vipassana, "this will change."
I started this particular meditation circle a year ago (at the beginning of February 2010 as it happens). The intent at the time was to provide guidance and support around both meditation and spirituality. I consider myself fortunate to have touched hundreds of people through this practical service and to have witnessed some incredible transformations in those that have come regularly (you know who you are :)
However, there has to be change in all things. In this case I am recognizing that this experience is shifting, albeit subtly. And so what will this mean is:
- I will be meditating twice per day as per my personal vow for 1 hour. I will meditate at 5-6am (4-5 am SLT) and 10-11pm (9-10 pm SLT). This means that I will have 6 hours in between these times for sleep. At the end of each meditation I will have to leave promptly. It is also possible that life will mean I occasionally have to meditate earlier or later from time to time.
- I will strive to log on and meditate in the same place during the above times. If you are present I will include you in my Metta portion of the meditation (the final five minutes where a Vipsassana meditator shifts to a focus outside the framework of the body and offers their merits, peace, harmony, loving-kindness, compassion, and a wish for hapiness and liberation in all beings)
- If I can log in early for spiritual discourse and discussion as a (very soon to be) Professional Practitioner I will do so. However, if you desire a dedicated Practitioner session with me please send me an IM.
And so in closing, my role in Second Life has changed. I will still be around and seeking to inspire and support the transformation of becoming Love in action. However, I am setting down the role of meditation 'facilitator' for now. That said I am also a Vipassana meditator now, and the reality is I am more aware of the law of change and impermance than I have ever been. Not only has a portion of my ego been shed but I have spent 10 days intimately observing the nature of this change for myself.
I am reminded of a bad habit I used to have as a newlywed. For some reason I would leave my dirty cereal bowl on top of the dishwasher. After a short while my new wife, having so sweetly allowed me a few transgressions, decided that it was time to communicate that this action was impacting her peace of mind. And so she informed me that, particularly in those situations where the dishwasher was empty, she would appreciate it if I would put my bowl in the dishwasher. I laugh at myself now. What madness it was; I was not even being asked to wash the bowl! After some time, and a number of events where I forgot to put my dirty bowl in the dishwasher, I eventually realized how to change this behaviour. At first I reasoned that if my wife wasn't happy, there would be disharmony in the household. And then once I started to put my bowls away my wife had the opportunity to thank me for being so thoughtful. In that moment I gained wisdom of knowing, understanding, and most importantly of experiencing.
I shall explain the analogy. When I was leaving the bowl I had no knowing. Then my wife informed me of a practical truth for peace and harmony. I now had an understanding. I then went through a process of reasoning to conclude that it would be the moral thing to do to put the bowl away, and over time (and with many sweet, tender reminders - bless her heart ;) I changed my behaviour. And only then could I actually know the benefits of putting away my bowls at the experiential level.
And so it is with Vipassana. I could try and explain to you what this practice as taught by Gotama the Buddha is, but until you experience it for yourself any words you hear will only be an intellecual knowing at best. It cannot be a wisdom you know at the actual level. For such a wisdom around Vipassana one has the option of attending a 10 day course.
Rather than explaining what Vipassana is to me I shall settle for explaining its impact; what has changed for me concerning meditation? I have taken a vow to practice only Vipassana meditation for the next year. I suspect it will be a lifetime practice, but a year is a time span I can relate to given my limited experience with the technique. This is certainly a change for me. Over the past 5 years I have wandered from meditation technique to technique, sometimes staying with each one for months, weeks or even days. I must have tried, and even shared with others, over 20 different techniques. But now, there is just one meditation practice for me - Vipassana. Yes, it is 'that' good. As a side note I have begun a project related to Vipassana that, for now at least, I will call my "great Mind experiment."
The next change concerns my having led meditations over the past year. In particular I have been leading a meditation circle every night in an Internet based virtual world called Second Life. Before I went I remember saying to my friends in Second Life that I looked forward to bringing new knowledge to share with them. By day three of the course I knew I had a dilemma. Firstly, it was plain to see that the practice is deep. If I were to teach this I would require much more experience. Secondly, as a basis for my Spiritual practice and service I have made a number of moral commitments, one of which is, abstaining from taking what is not given. And lastly, I have not been given the instruction to teach this practice. In short, I will happily direct you to www.dhamma.org and even speak with you to support you on making the decision to go. But at the experiential level I know that I cannot supply the level of support or guidance required, that one gets through a dedicated 10 day course, at this time to anyone in Second Life. So what does this mean for my service in Second Life. Well, I am not entirely sure but as is a central truth through Vipassana, "this will change."
I started this particular meditation circle a year ago (at the beginning of February 2010 as it happens). The intent at the time was to provide guidance and support around both meditation and spirituality. I consider myself fortunate to have touched hundreds of people through this practical service and to have witnessed some incredible transformations in those that have come regularly (you know who you are :)
However, there has to be change in all things. In this case I am recognizing that this experience is shifting, albeit subtly. And so what will this mean is:
- I will be meditating twice per day as per my personal vow for 1 hour. I will meditate at 5-6am (4-5 am SLT) and 10-11pm (9-10 pm SLT). This means that I will have 6 hours in between these times for sleep. At the end of each meditation I will have to leave promptly. It is also possible that life will mean I occasionally have to meditate earlier or later from time to time.
- I will strive to log on and meditate in the same place during the above times. If you are present I will include you in my Metta portion of the meditation (the final five minutes where a Vipsassana meditator shifts to a focus outside the framework of the body and offers their merits, peace, harmony, loving-kindness, compassion, and a wish for hapiness and liberation in all beings)
- If I can log in early for spiritual discourse and discussion as a (very soon to be) Professional Practitioner I will do so. However, if you desire a dedicated Practitioner session with me please send me an IM.
And so in closing, my role in Second Life has changed. I will still be around and seeking to inspire and support the transformation of becoming Love in action. However, I am setting down the role of meditation 'facilitator' for now. That said I am also a Vipassana meditator now, and the reality is I am more aware of the law of change and impermance than I have ever been. Not only has a portion of my ego been shed but I have spent 10 days intimately observing the nature of this change for myself.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Becoming One with that which I Meditate Upon
For years now I've been hearing the same thing again and again. It doesn't seem to matter where I hear it, or the setting I hear it in, but whenever someone asks what makes the difference in our spiritual journey most teachers will invariably say the same thing; you must meditate daily.
The interesting element of all this for me is that for years I'd hear this and really want to believe it. There'd be classes during which I'd start off with the best of intentions. And after about week 3 or 4 I'd have lost the habit. Fortunately, I also came to discover for myself a couple of years ago that such words were trying to capture an idea so much more profound than could possibly be contained in the words themselves. And since then I've been meditating at least once a day.
In fact, it's gotten to the point that I now meditate at various points in the day. Sometimes I'll take a full 30 or 60 minutes and at other times I'll snatch a few minutes of clearing my mind. Regardless of how I might feel about all this, the result is something that cannot be expressed through this blog in words. And the irony of all this? If you're reading this and do not have a daily practice, or have not discovered what meditation means to you, then these are just words. No amount of intellectual positioning will cause an internal shift for you. You alone must make the decision. You may be influenced, but in the end you will have to come to this place for yourself.
And yet, if you are curiously reading on or have already discovered this practice for yourself then you might have a care to read about what meditation means to me and what I am coming to discover on this particular aspect of my journey. Perhaps the most fundamental impact of this spiritual practice is that it has been an integral part of what it is to open my eyes and to be conscious. Being conscious of what I am doing has helped me to look critcally at those parts of me that had become so well-versed at listening to instinct. Much of my life was filled with a lack of knowing what it was that I wanted. Meditation has been instrumental in helping in this regard.
But don't be fooled. This has been far from an easy journey. For a long time I meditated and believe I did not get the results I might have. In my experience the time I spent meditating was significantly more than compared to the time being taught, or reading, about it. I've never found a 'guru' to teach me or had the opportunity to spend any time with a master. For the most part I've had to work it out as I've gone along. If the saying 'when the student is ready the teacher will appear' is true then clearly I've not been ready. And so until I'm ready I'm going about it all as best as I can.
I think I've had hints at what to look for but another challenge is that there so much information out there. Yesterday I Tweeted that, "we hear the same spiritual teachings ceaslessly because such repetition pales against the number of teachings from the noise of instinct." In short, there are so many teachers and aspects of the Truth out there because it's needed. The amount of unconscious noise in the world is so loud that it's causing the need for Truth to be ever clearer. You only have to consider how many millions of moments you have acted unconsciously to realize that millions of conscious choices will be required to replace old habits with new ones. This is the essence behind the need for daily spiritual practice. We have many bad habits of our sleep-walking to overcome. However, for all the noise I believe some elements of Truth around meditation have managed to make it through. And God knows I've put enough in the way in the past.
At the heart of what I have heard is a realization about what it is to be alive. Within me there is a force for good, that is steeped in Light, joy, peace and a profound sense of mystery. The more aware I become of the mysteries of life the more I realize that I don't know. Yesterday I also Tweeted that, "any path I take to Truth will bring me to 'I don't know'. Words, like any belief I have of my identity, will never be what I must become." In short, I have come to believe that the more I surrender to the mysteries of life, the more faith I place in that sense of alive-ness within me, the more I realize how little I know. I cannot explain why it is I know that at certain points within meditation I am one with everything. I cannot explain how the Universe created everything that I know and have yet to discover, yet I know beyond a shadow of a doubt. It is a paradox to both know and to not know. And within that paradox is faith.
Central to all of this has been a discovery of meditating upon a vision for my soul's purpose. I have come to realize that I must ask myself what I want to be. What do I want to experience and to realize in my life? But asking what I want to be has always required faith. I cannot count the number of times I have thought about wanting to be a metaphysical Minister or to change the world of business through the collaboration consulting that I do only to hear a part of me express, or feel, doubt. And so, in the face of not knowing how it could be done I have taken off smaller bites. I have opted to settle for smaller goals, smaller reflections of what I wanted to realize. I have come back again and again to such visions. I have worked hard at critically assessing my doubts and beliefs. The spending of this spiritual coin has yielded a change in my conditions and I have in turn witnessed a manifestation of my vision. Over time I have come to build my faith in how things work. How they work is simple; God takes care of it all. I once heard a great teacher remind me that no matter what difficiencies I have it will only take one rain shower to fill in all the ditches.
Not knowing when it will rain is insignificant when compared to my making a simple choice to examine the ditches of my psyche. I might not be able to conjure rain from the sky but I can look at them and focus on filling them with love, joy, and a peaceful knowing that they I am willing for them to be filled. For me meditation has been instrumental in my journey, and again and again I have turned to it only to realize how important it has been. I am becoming clearer upon the meaning of meditation for me; it is the practice of looking at those ditches and seeing the gaps are God, that the rain will come and fill them, and that in time the rain will eventually cause the ditches themselves to change shape.
But beyond all this is a simple realization. Meditation is becoming a training ground in being alive. I am coming to realize that when I meditate I must focus on the Truth that I AM, the Light and Source within me and everyone. Each meditation is a moment where I stop and apply myself wholly to the purification of my heart. Every deep inhalation is becoming a physical cue to deepen my faith in all my needs met, my trust in not knowing, and my desire to embody God in every thought, word and deed. In essence, I am coming to realize that meditation is my cue to focus on Source.
I do not meditate to become anything or to attain a goal. I meditate to become one with that which I meditate upon. I meditate upon my being the drop in the ocean and know that it is the ocean. I meditate upon my being the ray of light and know that it is the light. Any sense of self, or ego as it is so commonly termed, must be embraced to the point of surrender. If there is a goal in meditation it is growth, where my sense of self grows to a sense of One, where an instinct to plan, analyze and worry become an indescribable urge to merge my awareness with the Allness of the Creator.
If you have read these words and are not certain what to do with them then I cannot help you; only you can decide for yourself what your journey must be. But in the meantime, until you discover what meditation means to you, I would suggest that you start by focusing on your soul's purpose, what you want to be, mix in some honesty and humility, and then meditate to be what it is you are meditating upon. Close your eyes and try to imagine Infinity. Be awed by it. Imagine yourself a ray of light within the Great Light. As you do so, merge your sense of soul's purpose with this awe-inspiring sense of that which is beyond the beyond, and pay homage to it.
The interesting element of all this for me is that for years I'd hear this and really want to believe it. There'd be classes during which I'd start off with the best of intentions. And after about week 3 or 4 I'd have lost the habit. Fortunately, I also came to discover for myself a couple of years ago that such words were trying to capture an idea so much more profound than could possibly be contained in the words themselves. And since then I've been meditating at least once a day.
In fact, it's gotten to the point that I now meditate at various points in the day. Sometimes I'll take a full 30 or 60 minutes and at other times I'll snatch a few minutes of clearing my mind. Regardless of how I might feel about all this, the result is something that cannot be expressed through this blog in words. And the irony of all this? If you're reading this and do not have a daily practice, or have not discovered what meditation means to you, then these are just words. No amount of intellectual positioning will cause an internal shift for you. You alone must make the decision. You may be influenced, but in the end you will have to come to this place for yourself.
And yet, if you are curiously reading on or have already discovered this practice for yourself then you might have a care to read about what meditation means to me and what I am coming to discover on this particular aspect of my journey. Perhaps the most fundamental impact of this spiritual practice is that it has been an integral part of what it is to open my eyes and to be conscious. Being conscious of what I am doing has helped me to look critcally at those parts of me that had become so well-versed at listening to instinct. Much of my life was filled with a lack of knowing what it was that I wanted. Meditation has been instrumental in helping in this regard.
But don't be fooled. This has been far from an easy journey. For a long time I meditated and believe I did not get the results I might have. In my experience the time I spent meditating was significantly more than compared to the time being taught, or reading, about it. I've never found a 'guru' to teach me or had the opportunity to spend any time with a master. For the most part I've had to work it out as I've gone along. If the saying 'when the student is ready the teacher will appear' is true then clearly I've not been ready. And so until I'm ready I'm going about it all as best as I can.
I think I've had hints at what to look for but another challenge is that there so much information out there. Yesterday I Tweeted that, "we hear the same spiritual teachings ceaslessly because such repetition pales against the number of teachings from the noise of instinct." In short, there are so many teachers and aspects of the Truth out there because it's needed. The amount of unconscious noise in the world is so loud that it's causing the need for Truth to be ever clearer. You only have to consider how many millions of moments you have acted unconsciously to realize that millions of conscious choices will be required to replace old habits with new ones. This is the essence behind the need for daily spiritual practice. We have many bad habits of our sleep-walking to overcome. However, for all the noise I believe some elements of Truth around meditation have managed to make it through. And God knows I've put enough in the way in the past.
At the heart of what I have heard is a realization about what it is to be alive. Within me there is a force for good, that is steeped in Light, joy, peace and a profound sense of mystery. The more aware I become of the mysteries of life the more I realize that I don't know. Yesterday I also Tweeted that, "any path I take to Truth will bring me to 'I don't know'. Words, like any belief I have of my identity, will never be what I must become." In short, I have come to believe that the more I surrender to the mysteries of life, the more faith I place in that sense of alive-ness within me, the more I realize how little I know. I cannot explain why it is I know that at certain points within meditation I am one with everything. I cannot explain how the Universe created everything that I know and have yet to discover, yet I know beyond a shadow of a doubt. It is a paradox to both know and to not know. And within that paradox is faith.
Central to all of this has been a discovery of meditating upon a vision for my soul's purpose. I have come to realize that I must ask myself what I want to be. What do I want to experience and to realize in my life? But asking what I want to be has always required faith. I cannot count the number of times I have thought about wanting to be a metaphysical Minister or to change the world of business through the collaboration consulting that I do only to hear a part of me express, or feel, doubt. And so, in the face of not knowing how it could be done I have taken off smaller bites. I have opted to settle for smaller goals, smaller reflections of what I wanted to realize. I have come back again and again to such visions. I have worked hard at critically assessing my doubts and beliefs. The spending of this spiritual coin has yielded a change in my conditions and I have in turn witnessed a manifestation of my vision. Over time I have come to build my faith in how things work. How they work is simple; God takes care of it all. I once heard a great teacher remind me that no matter what difficiencies I have it will only take one rain shower to fill in all the ditches.
Not knowing when it will rain is insignificant when compared to my making a simple choice to examine the ditches of my psyche. I might not be able to conjure rain from the sky but I can look at them and focus on filling them with love, joy, and a peaceful knowing that they I am willing for them to be filled. For me meditation has been instrumental in my journey, and again and again I have turned to it only to realize how important it has been. I am becoming clearer upon the meaning of meditation for me; it is the practice of looking at those ditches and seeing the gaps are God, that the rain will come and fill them, and that in time the rain will eventually cause the ditches themselves to change shape.
But beyond all this is a simple realization. Meditation is becoming a training ground in being alive. I am coming to realize that when I meditate I must focus on the Truth that I AM, the Light and Source within me and everyone. Each meditation is a moment where I stop and apply myself wholly to the purification of my heart. Every deep inhalation is becoming a physical cue to deepen my faith in all my needs met, my trust in not knowing, and my desire to embody God in every thought, word and deed. In essence, I am coming to realize that meditation is my cue to focus on Source.
I do not meditate to become anything or to attain a goal. I meditate to become one with that which I meditate upon. I meditate upon my being the drop in the ocean and know that it is the ocean. I meditate upon my being the ray of light and know that it is the light. Any sense of self, or ego as it is so commonly termed, must be embraced to the point of surrender. If there is a goal in meditation it is growth, where my sense of self grows to a sense of One, where an instinct to plan, analyze and worry become an indescribable urge to merge my awareness with the Allness of the Creator.
If you have read these words and are not certain what to do with them then I cannot help you; only you can decide for yourself what your journey must be. But in the meantime, until you discover what meditation means to you, I would suggest that you start by focusing on your soul's purpose, what you want to be, mix in some honesty and humility, and then meditate to be what it is you are meditating upon. Close your eyes and try to imagine Infinity. Be awed by it. Imagine yourself a ray of light within the Great Light. As you do so, merge your sense of soul's purpose with this awe-inspiring sense of that which is beyond the beyond, and pay homage to it.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Connection and Service
This morning I had the pleasure to be in service with the Practitoner Team at the Centre for Spiritual Living, Edmonton. I have to confess that I love arriving at 9am and beginning the setup for meditation. By the time 9.30 am comes I feel beautifully aligned and ready to serve.
For this morning I had an intuition to introduce the mantra I blogged about yesterday. I wrote the phonetic words on the white board and then proceeded to spend a minute or two explaining about meditation and mantras in general. After that I invited them to either use the Buddhist mantra or to say God Is, or I am that I am. This felt right as it offered people an option depending on where they were.
However, in the interests of it being a 15 minute meditation and that mantras are not normally done in this setting I invited them to focus on this mantra mentallly before starting the meditation with one round of chanting this mantra out loud.
Specific feedback was not needed but I felt very connected after that meditation. The exchanged glances were of peace and joy, and I was left with the sense that we had all been moved.
After that the service was a delightful blur of awareness and peace. My Practitioner-Intern friend who had recently been in hospital (and for whom I'd been visiting and offering affirmative prayers for) had sent a testimonial letter to the Practitioner team, which Reverend Patrick then read in both services. I have to say that I cried as he read her letter. There was something so very real. Perhaps it was my state of mind, perhaps it was the simplicity of a story of healing where someone who, according to the surgeon, was not supposed to live through this experience? But then I don't think that knowing the answer to this question is what matters.
Today I was reminded of what beautiful connection and service are. I touched in with the Divine today and I will confess the day has been a wondrous morphing of smiles, tears, and mantras. Awakening is truly a delight.
For this morning I had an intuition to introduce the mantra I blogged about yesterday. I wrote the phonetic words on the white board and then proceeded to spend a minute or two explaining about meditation and mantras in general. After that I invited them to either use the Buddhist mantra or to say God Is, or I am that I am. This felt right as it offered people an option depending on where they were.
However, in the interests of it being a 15 minute meditation and that mantras are not normally done in this setting I invited them to focus on this mantra mentallly before starting the meditation with one round of chanting this mantra out loud.
Specific feedback was not needed but I felt very connected after that meditation. The exchanged glances were of peace and joy, and I was left with the sense that we had all been moved.
After that the service was a delightful blur of awareness and peace. My Practitioner-Intern friend who had recently been in hospital (and for whom I'd been visiting and offering affirmative prayers for) had sent a testimonial letter to the Practitioner team, which Reverend Patrick then read in both services. I have to say that I cried as he read her letter. There was something so very real. Perhaps it was my state of mind, perhaps it was the simplicity of a story of healing where someone who, according to the surgeon, was not supposed to live through this experience? But then I don't think that knowing the answer to this question is what matters.
Today I was reminded of what beautiful connection and service are. I touched in with the Divine today and I will confess the day has been a wondrous morphing of smiles, tears, and mantras. Awakening is truly a delight.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
My New Favourite Meditation
Over the couple of weeks I've been leading a series of meditations through Second Life and focusing on sharing thoughts about different practices and approaches. Over the past few years I've enjoyed many meditations but this one was quite exceptional. I can still feel the resonance and the vibration through my body.
Not only will I be including this meditation in my 'heavy rotation' list but I thought I'd come and blog about it with you. It is a Buddhist mantra that goes, "Gate Gate Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha" It is pronounced:
GAH-TAY GAH-TAY PAH-RAH GAH-TAY PAH-RAH-SAHM GAH-TAY BOW-DEE SWAH-HAH
The meanting is, "Beyond, Beyond, the Great Beyond, Beyond that Beyond, to Thee Homage."
I am not certain why I had waited all this time to lead a mantra meditation but I am delighted that I did. There is something very special and yet I am thankful to the teachers in the books I've been reading of late for introducing me to this particular meditation practice.
Know the Flow as you go, brothers and sisters in Light.
Not only will I be including this meditation in my 'heavy rotation' list but I thought I'd come and blog about it with you. It is a Buddhist mantra that goes, "Gate Gate Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha" It is pronounced:
GAH-TAY GAH-TAY PAH-RAH GAH-TAY PAH-RAH-SAHM GAH-TAY BOW-DEE SWAH-HAH
The meanting is, "Beyond, Beyond, the Great Beyond, Beyond that Beyond, to Thee Homage."
I am not certain why I had waited all this time to lead a mantra meditation but I am delighted that I did. There is something very special and yet I am thankful to the teachers in the books I've been reading of late for introducing me to this particular meditation practice.
Know the Flow as you go, brothers and sisters in Light.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Presence In All (a Spiritual Mind Poem)
Of the callings I have there are two that stand out for this poem: I love to write poetry from a metaphysical perspective, and I'm training to be a spiritual coach, or Practitioner. Then an idea came to me: Why not try and write a spiritual mind treatment, or affirmative prayer, as a poem in my particular poetic style?
Two days after this idea I opened the binder for term 3 of Professional Practitioner training. For the first week's written homework we are asked to write and use a Spiritual Mind Treatment to see the presence of God in all people and all religions.
Presence in All
With One Divine Mind,
in through, and as all,
I celebrate this Unity,
expressed in joyous thrall.
I now fall back to simple,
my sight sees all the way.
Eternal values in statement,
scripture's story purveyed.
I know religion and faith and Truth,
are One, as are all people.
Presence from beneath the ground,
and beyond the highest steeple.
Regardless of creed or belief,
the spiritual certain to evolve,
experience always a new thing,
and religion's history dissolves.
I see the presence of Source,
in all religions and ideals,
the glory of virtuous circles,
through knowledge and journey revealed.
In grateful knowing I detach.
I now set the Law into motion.
I release and know it was so,
before I even conceived of this notion.
And so it is!
(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen
Two days after this idea I opened the binder for term 3 of Professional Practitioner training. For the first week's written homework we are asked to write and use a Spiritual Mind Treatment to see the presence of God in all people and all religions.
Presence in All
With One Divine Mind,
in through, and as all,
I celebrate this Unity,
expressed in joyous thrall.
I now fall back to simple,
my sight sees all the way.
Eternal values in statement,
scripture's story purveyed.
I know religion and faith and Truth,
are One, as are all people.
Presence from beneath the ground,
and beyond the highest steeple.
Regardless of creed or belief,
the spiritual certain to evolve,
experience always a new thing,
and religion's history dissolves.
I see the presence of Source,
in all religions and ideals,
the glory of virtuous circles,
through knowledge and journey revealed.
In grateful knowing I detach.
I now set the Law into motion.
I release and know it was so,
before I even conceived of this notion.
And so it is!
(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen
Monday, May 11, 2009
Living By Spiritual Principles
As a part of my practitioner training I was set an assignment to consider Spiritual Principles and to assess where I am with how I live them. As I worked through this 'Where are you?' exercise I was both gratified and humbled. I was grateful to see how much I liked where I am, and I was humbled in realizing that the attainment of these things on an on-going basis was a beautiful vision to create.
I thought I would share my treatment. Within the part where I affirm (know) where I am, I am establishing a knowing of those things that resulted from my exercise.
There is one magnificent and Infinite Intelligence working in, through and as everything. Just as God has breathed life into me as an idea I in turn breathe into this Greater Idea. Just as God creates through idea, I create as God through my ideas.
I always know specifically what I want. I take affirmative prayer and meditation into my daily life. I always follow my intuition. I always love myself and others. I always count my blessings.
I release this knowing into the Law with great and humble gratitude. I celebrate the fact that as I think these ideas they are already so. I give great thanks for the demonstration that is already headed toward me. And so it is.
I thought I would share my treatment. Within the part where I affirm (know) where I am, I am establishing a knowing of those things that resulted from my exercise.
There is one magnificent and Infinite Intelligence working in, through and as everything. Just as God has breathed life into me as an idea I in turn breathe into this Greater Idea. Just as God creates through idea, I create as God through my ideas.
I always know specifically what I want. I take affirmative prayer and meditation into my daily life. I always follow my intuition. I always love myself and others. I always count my blessings.
I release this knowing into the Law with great and humble gratitude. I celebrate the fact that as I think these ideas they are already so. I give great thanks for the demonstration that is already headed toward me. And so it is.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Integrity
Until a moment ago integrity was, for me, a perception that my actions, values, methods and principles were consistently good. In this light integrity is the alignment of all values. By living in integrity I have a value of goodness and acceptance for, and through, all actions.
Wikipedia defines integrity as “the quality of having a sense of honesty and truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one's actions.” As I read various definitions for integrity I started to wonder if could integrity mean more than this? What if integrity is to seek God without purpose?
God has been defined as infinite intelligence, infinite wisdom, and infinite understanding. Seeking God without purpose is also considered by some to be the ultimate spiritual realization. Assuming these axioms are true, could integrity be demonstrating God in everything you think, say and do?
I have come to believe that living in integrity is essential to a conscious life, regardless of which of the above definitions may resonate with you. In the past I have certainly had moments where I was not in integrity. Before my mother made her transition I often failed to approach her with integrity, and I believe I opted to treat her differently. Sometimes this was out of fear and at other times I thought out of love. I do not believe I was treating her badly in trying to ‘soften’ the blow of some of our interactions, but as I look back I think that the only person that was being hurt through my choices in this regard was me. I now note with interest that since my mother made transition that I have not only been more conscious and mindful throughout my life, but the following Sunday was the first service I attended at the Centre for Spiritual Living in Edmonton. Is the timing coincidence or symbolic? I like to think both; but then the beauty of perceptions is that we do have the option to choose how they sit in our minds (insert knowing smile here).
In finding God for the sake of allowing God to work in me and through me I allow that which is God to be my values. And if I seek God in every moment I seek to let the values of God live through me, in alignment with the Divine intent, in every moment. Surely there can be no better alignment of all my values if each thought, word or deed is a seeking an expression of God in, through and as me. When looking to others we must see the integrity of the God that is their true self, and know that they have what they need to live in integrity. If this is true then I would propose that a path to mindfulness is to be loyal to our integrity and to those in our awareness in all that we think, say and do.
I offer the following treatment for your contemplation:
That Thing that pervades everything, that Truth, is here with me now. In this moment I recognize Divinity. I think of all things created and see them as an Effect, but more than that I bask in and recognize the Cause. I only have to choose It and It chooses me.
I know that every moment in this incarnation, every thought that I think, every word that I utter and every action that I take is seeking God without purpose. For the joy of joy I live. In surrendering and allowing God to work through me I become divine. I look forward with delight at seeing what God does. From this moment on I need only one desire, I need only experience God. In this experience I realize God. I walk forward on feet unburdened by the ball and chain of desiring anything but the One Mind in my life, and I celebrate the knowing that the joy of communing with God is enough.
Just as God maintains and sustains the world we live in without advice from man or woman, I place myself and these words in the care of God Governance. I trust and understand the idea behind these words, the words themselves, and the faith I place within and about them. In turn, these words are fulfilled. It can be no other way. My whole heart and soul yearns for God and in this place of self-surrender I offer joyful thanks and gratitude. And so it is.
Wikipedia defines integrity as “the quality of having a sense of honesty and truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one's actions.” As I read various definitions for integrity I started to wonder if could integrity mean more than this? What if integrity is to seek God without purpose?
God has been defined as infinite intelligence, infinite wisdom, and infinite understanding. Seeking God without purpose is also considered by some to be the ultimate spiritual realization. Assuming these axioms are true, could integrity be demonstrating God in everything you think, say and do?
I have come to believe that living in integrity is essential to a conscious life, regardless of which of the above definitions may resonate with you. In the past I have certainly had moments where I was not in integrity. Before my mother made her transition I often failed to approach her with integrity, and I believe I opted to treat her differently. Sometimes this was out of fear and at other times I thought out of love. I do not believe I was treating her badly in trying to ‘soften’ the blow of some of our interactions, but as I look back I think that the only person that was being hurt through my choices in this regard was me. I now note with interest that since my mother made transition that I have not only been more conscious and mindful throughout my life, but the following Sunday was the first service I attended at the Centre for Spiritual Living in Edmonton. Is the timing coincidence or symbolic? I like to think both; but then the beauty of perceptions is that we do have the option to choose how they sit in our minds (insert knowing smile here).
In finding God for the sake of allowing God to work in me and through me I allow that which is God to be my values. And if I seek God in every moment I seek to let the values of God live through me, in alignment with the Divine intent, in every moment. Surely there can be no better alignment of all my values if each thought, word or deed is a seeking an expression of God in, through and as me. When looking to others we must see the integrity of the God that is their true self, and know that they have what they need to live in integrity. If this is true then I would propose that a path to mindfulness is to be loyal to our integrity and to those in our awareness in all that we think, say and do.
I offer the following treatment for your contemplation:
That Thing that pervades everything, that Truth, is here with me now. In this moment I recognize Divinity. I think of all things created and see them as an Effect, but more than that I bask in and recognize the Cause. I only have to choose It and It chooses me.
I know that every moment in this incarnation, every thought that I think, every word that I utter and every action that I take is seeking God without purpose. For the joy of joy I live. In surrendering and allowing God to work through me I become divine. I look forward with delight at seeing what God does. From this moment on I need only one desire, I need only experience God. In this experience I realize God. I walk forward on feet unburdened by the ball and chain of desiring anything but the One Mind in my life, and I celebrate the knowing that the joy of communing with God is enough.
Just as God maintains and sustains the world we live in without advice from man or woman, I place myself and these words in the care of God Governance. I trust and understand the idea behind these words, the words themselves, and the faith I place within and about them. In turn, these words are fulfilled. It can be no other way. My whole heart and soul yearns for God and in this place of self-surrender I offer joyful thanks and gratitude. And so it is.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
A Tidal Wave of Vision
On this day I have witnessed a man exemplify what a vision and knowing can do. It is inspiring to see Barack Hussein Obama capture the moment as he does, present a vision, remind us of our responsibility, and to conclude that our vision is at hand if we will but know it.
On January 20th, 2009 the world paused to witness history. A scan of YouTube.com statistics showed over 40 countries had the Inauguration video in the top 5 watched clips of the day. People from across the world stood transfixed upon a moment. It is almost as if a tidal wave of hope and vision has surged as a backlash to the tsunami of our time. But you may be sure of one thing; we have a responsibility and the more we live up to this the greater the momentum’s success.
To those that would say, ‘The expectations are too great for one man’, I would ask, ‘What is your vision for the world and how will you know it?’ To those that would doubt and say there is too much to fix, I would ask, ‘What is your affirmation for world’s healing, awakening to consciousness, and knowing of plenty for all?”
As I look inward and contemplate this moment I often find my eyes welling up. After contemplation I have come to believe that the inner-Me, that part of my experience that is God Consciousness, feels the swell of awakening. Collectively we have been stirred. This is not chance or coincidence. Nor is this a time to set your consciousness up to provide a break to the tsunami’s force. This is a time to ride the waves like a ship, swaying with the consciousness about us, knowing that your course is sure and sails are as strong as they need to be, and to be clear about the moment you are in. If ever there was a day to see God in this wave, this is that day.
In all moments we have an opportunity to be mindful. Sometimes we must look to the eye of our own storm and ride through via a course of vision, mindfulness and knowing. On this day we are needed to collectively hold consciousness of what we know to be so. If ever there was a day to turn hope into knowing, to hold the vision firm in your heart, to treat for its complete success and to release this knowing into the Universe, this is that day:
That Thing that pervades everything, that Truth, is here with me now. In this moment I recognize Divinity. I feel it within me and throughout the world, heartened by the dawning of this new season of blooming vision, knowing and renewal.
I celebrate my own mindfulness and knowing of a further awakening of the world. I realize God in every moment and each step that I take is lifted by the joy of consciousness. And as I move my own feet I know that there is enough in all things, that our vision is already so. I rejoice in knowing that there is plenty for all, and that acceptance is first and foremost on my mind.
I know that Barack Hussein Obama is successful in all that he does. Every word and action that he utters is Divinely inspired. He is surrounded by the right people at the right time. He is thoughtful in all decisions, understands the consequences, grasps all the facts that he needs to be informed, hears the right advice that support the process, and concludes in perfect ways. I know that he holds to his vision, he is strong in his resolve, his words inspiring, and that love and acceptance guides him at all times in all ways.
I give thanks and stand assured that a God that can create so much beauty and wonder in the world can surely take care of what is known in this moment. I am inspired at my knowing that nothing is too great. I celebrate the many people that step up, heeding the call to responsibility and action to fuel the momentum of this time. With complete knowing in the power of these words and knowing that it is already so I release these words to the Divine care of the Love and the Law, and know that they were so the moment I shaped and thought them. And so it is.
On January 20th, 2009 the world paused to witness history. A scan of YouTube.com statistics showed over 40 countries had the Inauguration video in the top 5 watched clips of the day. People from across the world stood transfixed upon a moment. It is almost as if a tidal wave of hope and vision has surged as a backlash to the tsunami of our time. But you may be sure of one thing; we have a responsibility and the more we live up to this the greater the momentum’s success.
To those that would say, ‘The expectations are too great for one man’, I would ask, ‘What is your vision for the world and how will you know it?’ To those that would doubt and say there is too much to fix, I would ask, ‘What is your affirmation for world’s healing, awakening to consciousness, and knowing of plenty for all?”
As I look inward and contemplate this moment I often find my eyes welling up. After contemplation I have come to believe that the inner-Me, that part of my experience that is God Consciousness, feels the swell of awakening. Collectively we have been stirred. This is not chance or coincidence. Nor is this a time to set your consciousness up to provide a break to the tsunami’s force. This is a time to ride the waves like a ship, swaying with the consciousness about us, knowing that your course is sure and sails are as strong as they need to be, and to be clear about the moment you are in. If ever there was a day to see God in this wave, this is that day.
In all moments we have an opportunity to be mindful. Sometimes we must look to the eye of our own storm and ride through via a course of vision, mindfulness and knowing. On this day we are needed to collectively hold consciousness of what we know to be so. If ever there was a day to turn hope into knowing, to hold the vision firm in your heart, to treat for its complete success and to release this knowing into the Universe, this is that day:
That Thing that pervades everything, that Truth, is here with me now. In this moment I recognize Divinity. I feel it within me and throughout the world, heartened by the dawning of this new season of blooming vision, knowing and renewal.
I celebrate my own mindfulness and knowing of a further awakening of the world. I realize God in every moment and each step that I take is lifted by the joy of consciousness. And as I move my own feet I know that there is enough in all things, that our vision is already so. I rejoice in knowing that there is plenty for all, and that acceptance is first and foremost on my mind.
I know that Barack Hussein Obama is successful in all that he does. Every word and action that he utters is Divinely inspired. He is surrounded by the right people at the right time. He is thoughtful in all decisions, understands the consequences, grasps all the facts that he needs to be informed, hears the right advice that support the process, and concludes in perfect ways. I know that he holds to his vision, he is strong in his resolve, his words inspiring, and that love and acceptance guides him at all times in all ways.
I give thanks and stand assured that a God that can create so much beauty and wonder in the world can surely take care of what is known in this moment. I am inspired at my knowing that nothing is too great. I celebrate the many people that step up, heeding the call to responsibility and action to fuel the momentum of this time. With complete knowing in the power of these words and knowing that it is already so I release these words to the Divine care of the Love and the Law, and know that they were so the moment I shaped and thought them. And so it is.
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