Tag Archives: new thought

The closer we come to Enlightenment the more ordinary we become

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Part 8 of “How do You Qualify Yoga?”

Toward the One,
the Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty,
the Only Being,
United with all the Illuminated Souls,
Who form the Embodiment of the Master,
the Spirit of Guidance.

I find such comfort in this prayer from the Sufi master, Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan.  Especially when I contemplate the line, “all the Illuminated Souls who form the embodiment of the Master”.  Pause to savor that concept.  There is not one Master, there is not one path.  When the Buddha was asked, “who are you”?  He replied, “I am awake”.

Self-realization is an experience shared by numerous individuals from numerous traditions.  One can argue that the Buddha, the Christ, and Rumi were all describing the same level of consciousness with different words.  To believe that the omnipotent Ultimate Reality is confined to one tradition belittles it.

One hallmark on enlightened Masters is simplicity.  Not merely renunciation; because like a dry drunk, mere physical renunciation without renouncing internally is playing a role.  Internal renunciation is the letting go of the attachment to the outcome; yet continuing to strive for ultimate Reality, as described in my previous post.

All illuminated Masters incline towards simplicity.  Furthermore, the closer they are the less they are drawn to the fleeting transient world.  They taste what is “real” and tasting leads to savoring.  What could be more satisfying; to know the Ultimate Reality or to go on with the mundane temporary–even if it is stimulating to the senses.  Everything “out here” is subject to change.  The only constant is that core, “the perfection of love, harmony, and beauty”.

All Yogic approaches require the implementation of Discipline and Detachment.

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Part 7 of “How Do You Qualify Yoga?”

People think that sadhana–the yogic path–means the day-to-day process.  In a way it does, it is what practices you do (meditation, breath work, etc).  But, abhyasa is the moment to moment committment to this way of being and living.  It’s the cultivation, not obsession, of remembering your committment to reach Yoga.  But, all of the work you do has to be done with surrender–if you expect an exact outcome you are living in the world of control.  Control is an illusion.  There are many factors affecting us at any given time; our karma is coiled and spiraled in ways we cannot imagine.  So we do the work, we commit to the path, and we let go.  We make mistakes and we try again.  Life throws curve balls and we still meditate, contemplate, pray, and offer gratitude.  We are not bargaining with the Center of Consciousness– we are trying to connect to it.  Although, the irony is, we are never away from it.  Let the trials help you remember that every moment is Holy and Divine.

From Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati

Love Maker, Earth Mover

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The old rule, are you ready to break it?
Convention just isn’t strong enough to make it
It collapses under the weight
of a new world order played out in faith
enlightened by a good man worthwhile
An indigo child running wild
sparkling eyes so sweet, noble to the core
No story quite like this has been written before
He speaks kindly and clearly to every man
He’s a language that everyone understands
He’ll stay with you come whatever may
Staring down the impossible, he always sees a way
So simple yet so profound is his gift
No need to struggle, he’ll lend a hand and just lift
this burden into the ether and off your shoulders
He’ll laugh with you as you grow older
A hero that wants only your favor in return
A fireman to rescue you as this world burns
A great example that equalizes the good books
A man that forces you to take a closer look
at the version of truth you’ve chosen to greet
and if you look both ways before you cross this street
you’ll surely see his gorgeous, speeding karma
blow by brilliantly and run right over your dogma

Hand In Glove

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Holding each other’s hand
so we are whole, not just a part of.
Shiva and Shakti be damned.
They’ll not survive the night,
when we leave them in favor of
serenity in our guiding light
beckoning from within, not above.
Unravelling dualism’s intricate plan
to decode the illusory distinction
between pigeon and dove.
Arriving at the promised land
of tomorrow, accomplished in love.

Elevated Fantastical

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treasuresofLight

Dripping high gloss
liberties in home spun lines,
becoming mental floss
barbed with cosmic rhyme.
There’s a new word for high –

Elevatastical.

Sounds ridiculous, I know.
But go ahead save it in your phone,
let it infiltrate your auto correct.
Accidentally send it to your best friend
in a message trying to describe it –

Elevatastical.

It’ll sneak in and interject.
Don’t blame me, blame the sentiment
as it loops around to circumvent
a crash landing, saving your life
popping your cockpit so you can eject –

Elevatastical!

Embrace the delight
you’ve come to expect
from the previous lines
that flowed from the mind
of a gifted astronaut –

Elevatastical!

No, not Buzz Aldrin.
We left him on the moon because
he was holding us back from resonance.
He ignored the bell that sounded –

ringing Elevatastical!!

Warning us of our fleeting chance
to ride into energy surrounded
by a symphony of the intertwined –

radiantly Elevatastical!!!

Vibrating in a trance,
that stillness designed
finally realized in these
heavenly bodies, embracing the rise.
With pure hearts free,
we’ll make our way outside –

and together we’ll get so Elevatastical!!!!

Profession

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I’d like to talk to you
about a lucrative career opportunity!
It offers fulfillment through good work
and can provide the raise you’ve been waiting for.
It requires no experience, but is quite life changing.
It’s impossible to be overlooked for promotion,
you are your own boss, and everyday feels like a vacation.
The meetings are spectacular.
It’s a new and different endeavor with each breath.
It’s exactly what you’ve dreamed of, been searching for,
and the answer to the questions that keep you up at night.
First off, you’re hired!
Just keep doing what you’re doing –
but fight hard to hold it all in a place of pure love.
Let negativity go and hold each moment
in a bright clear light.
You may not notice anything at first.
But, give it a year of sincere effort
and you will have the wealth of life you knew you deserved.
This work will reward you with perfect happiness.
If you make this career change for entirely selfish reasons –
it doesn’t really matter.
The benefits are universal and undeniable.
Love and let love be our future.
Do it for you!
Do it for me!
Let’s watch our children flourish
in the indigo of our perpetual prosperity,
an ever-glowing example of a lovely life’s work
that endures and continues to elevate.

Discipline

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Discipline is ready to love you.
It is a cool, uplifting wind
enlightening this life’s path,
putting one foot mindfully
before the other,
giving faith in each step.
This intricate dance, practiced
will one day be as tight as the drum
producing the rhythm
compelling your advancing feet.
This song of the divine
is only possible
with hard work and cultivation.
This watered and tended
garden gifts us
an abundance of nourishing food.
Since we are what we eat,
our discipline leaves us
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
at our little corner markets,
offering freely from
baskets of leftovers
even after we’ve had
more than enough.
Embrace the discipline!
Roll up your sleeves and endeavor
to meet the very best you.
With dedication we can feed the world.

Peppering the Day with Mindfulness

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spicy

I try to avoid reminiscing–not reflecting–on the past.  Reminiscing means that I there is a longing, a desire for what cannot be, a nostalgia (the root word of which is pain).  During reflection, I deliberately consider a past experience, asses if I chose the best course of action, and affirm to continue or discontinue what I was doing.

It is not a lack of sentimentality, rather, I believe (and have been taught), to fully experience one’s life, you have to be awake in the moment–right now.

The highest consciousness is expressing as all of us–right now.  During the state of samadhi we are able to realize this consciousness manifesting as us.  However, it is not something we can do yesterday, it is a level we awaken to in the present.

My teacher eloquently expressed, you are already in samadhi right now; however, that samadhi is on this human incarnation.

The yoga sutras prescribe five efforts and commitments aspirants should cultivate to assist them in remaining fully, nondually, in the present moment: shraddha (faith), virya (positive energy), smriti (mindfulness or remembering), samadhi (seeking sustained meditation), and prajna (pursuing the highest wisdom).

Smriti is not an obsessive needling, it is a gentle determination to perform one’s actions in a way that holds to attention on the highest goal–assuming that is your goal.  Smriti does not pertain to only renunciate, a layperson can practice smriti through their everyday actions.  One classic way is offering all actions to where they came from–the highest source.

The Unity Offering Prayer encompasses this concept (there are many variations available):

“Divine Love as me,
blesses and multiplies.
All that I have, all that I give,
all that I receive”.

When we are in our everyday life, there is a perceived duality. Our locus of operation and the Other. Simply, consistently, “seeing” our actions as service to the Highest is a way to remind us of Our True Nature. If we really believe that there is only One, all actions come from the One. Therefore, offer cleaning the car, mowing the lawn, preparing a meal as seva–selfless service.

P.S. As usual, click the links–the one on the five efforts has an exquisite meditation practice on it!