Peppering the Day with Mindfulness

Posted March 12, 2015

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!

Lemons into…

Posted March 9, 2015

Filed under Musings

Having a 4-year-old daughter is a blessing; it’s also a science experiment. Saturday morning began with a sore throat, it progressed to a fever, then I was in urgent care being diagnosed with strep throat. After a shot of antibiotics that looked like they should have been used in equine medicine, I was in bed for the weekend.

Since I consider myself to be spiritual, as all the self-righteous do, I googled “Best Spiritual Movies”. Naturally, I couldn’t just lay in bed and peruse sacred texts. It was an opportunity to watch some old favorites…

I started out nobly enough with Cloud Atlas, into Fight Club (which is profound and eye candy), then (under the guise of watching a movie with my aforementioned 4-year-old) there was Stardust, and (when they had all gone to dinner at my mother’s house) I snuck and watched Bridget Jones’s Diary.

I tend to overwork myself. I tend to believe that if I push harder I’m doing better. Even with my spiritual practices–although I always tell my students, “you cannot fail or do this incorrectly”. I am not excusing laziness; discipline is essential for deepening our practice. But, the universe in his infinite wisdom sometimes makes you just chill out. I definitely felt immense gratitude for my clean and soft bed. Sometimes 24 hours in jammies is extremely cathartic.

Foresee

Posted March 8, 2015

Filed under Poetry

Loving freely
intertwined completely
In you there’s a better me
So effortlessly happy
laughing so easily
The best is yet to be

One

Posted March 7, 2015

Filed under Poetry, Prose

One

Looking for love
from all of the wrong
corporations
when I should be looking above.
Looking for love from the
administration,
when I should be looking within.
Falling out of love with my
fellow man
when I should be falling in.
Shouldn’t be asking so many questions.
I don’t need suggestions!
I know love’s going to win.
Stopped, dropped, surrendered,
And I’ll never stop giving in.
Already knew, just had to remember.
All is well under this powerful spell.
A perfect life for me,
conflict is done.
The truth is and always will be
that love’s already won.

The Spiritual Path is Purification

Posted March 5, 2015

Filed under Insights, Simple Tips

Recently, I was very moved by my beloved teachers words, “There is a myth circulating that to experience the truth you must first be completely, 100% purified, and that is simply not true. First seek the direct experience of the top of the spiritual mountain, and then learn to purify the subtler aspects“.

This seems like a paradox–even in contrast to the Yoga Sutras on which Swami Jnaneshvara was commenting. The penultimate treatise on Yoga begins with the expulsion: prior work must be done before the endeavor of Yoga is to begin. Furthermore, as the Sutras unfold, Patanjali recommends adherents develop a moral base before the endeavor of meditation. The 10 “Suggestions” (not Commandments) of the Sutras are yamas and niyamas. Among those we find tenets, such as: ahimsa (non-harming), aparigraha (developing greedlessness), and tapas (which means fire and austerities)–it all sounds a lot like purification to me!

To those of us (notice I say us), who grew up in the West, with a guilt-inclined (misinterpreted) Christian background, ate junk food, cursed, and were occasionally inebriated–this sounds daunting. However, again as one who speaks from experience, it should not make us feel less than worthy.

The simple, not easy, effort to adopt a spiritual lifestyle (and perhaps to embark on a path to Our Highest High) is inherently purifying. <Sigh> Again, the spiritual path is purification.

Now, I am going to share a very personal experience… But, it is important for readers to understand that everyone’s path is different. As you proceed, understand that in Sanatana Dharma (the group of traditions from which the Himalayan Tradition emerges) a Guru is not a mere person. The Guru represents the Highest Consciousness–Superconsciousness.

Many years ago, I was chanting an ancient text of Kashmir Shaivism, the Guru Gita, with my meditation group. I came across this verse, “Blessed are all the relatives, Blessed are the ancestors, Of one who serves the Sadguru; Such a soul is rare indeed“. That stanza changed me forever; such a soul is rare indeed.

What the Guru Gita is revealing is the rarity (not the perceived flawlessness) of an earnest seeker.

Knowing that rarity can spark a fire of passion, which is was one needs to obtain the Highest Realization.

As an earnest seeker pursues the path, they will begin to live more ethically–because they will come to know (not intellectually; but experientially) that they are connected to everyone and everything. This desire to be non-harming, greedless, and have temperance will come naturally–as opposed to being taught such behaviors dogmatically.

Then, of course, there is grace bestowed on the earnest seeker–but, that will be another post.

It helps to remember, you are who you are seeking.

As We regularly go inside, we steep in Our true nature. The longer the steep, the stronger the brew.

Relativity

Posted March 2, 2015

Filed under Poetry

Smash the glass chains of negativity
They shatter so beautiful, so easily
under the hammer of your positivity
and as the negative blood spatters
in a Pollock on the walls of possibility
Take your seat with the Mad Hatter,
Partake in his intoxicating tea
Get caught in a whirlwind of creativity
And wake up to a wonderland born
from a happy authenticity

Blow Us Away

Posted March 1, 2015

Filed under Poetry

holding hands
helping each other stand
much more than a friend
the best of us strongly depends
on the goodwill we send
in intricate crafts unmanned
releasing bombs of intensity and number
that no man can outrun or withstand
perfect explosions shake us from slumber
drawing us to the front lines
divine weapon at our command
us and them surrender and combine
to a nuclear reworking that demands
peace and compassion as our mission
an art to be practiced and refined
beginning the proud tradition
of improving each other’s position
freeing our brilliant minds
from the confusion of opposition
setting the stage for our grandest designs

The Zen of Anger

Posted February 28, 2015

Filed under Himalayan Tradition, Insights

It would be ludicrous to think that as a practitioner of yoga meditation I don’t get angry. In fact, my inclination toward getting annoyed is one of the reasons I am so dutiful with my practice. If we follow the DISC personality typing, I am an “I”–which means Influence–but, it can also mean Impulsive! However, the same energy that is the source of my strengths is also the source of my lesser strengths.

This morning I got angry with my son–the people that we are closest to can be the source of our greatest joy. Paradoxically, they can be the catalyst of our greatest frustration! I have a lot invested in my son–he is after all, my son. With an investment comes an expectation. When the investment does not yield a return it is a disappointment. This investment is an attraction and the disappointment is an aversion.

According to the Yoga Sutras, both attraction (raga) and aversion (dvesha) are two faces of the same coin–attachment. Both of these stem from a lack of knowledge of our true nature (avidya)–our true nature is perennial, not ephemeral. However, the nature of the physical world is transient. We cling to the things and experiences of the physical world that we love. We push away the things and experiences that we abhor. But, both the pushing and pulling cause us suffering (dukha or dukkha).

I am attracted to my son doing what I believe is best for me, he does something other than that, my attraction to my expectation is not met, I experience disappointment, my disappointment is a form of suffering. To the unmastered mind, all worldly experiences yield suffering because they are impermanent. However, this does not have to be the case.

When we are rooted in our true nature from earnest abhyasa and vairagya (practice and non-attachment) then we are aware of the fleeting nature of our experiences and we can be released from the suffering of attraction and aversion. It does not mean we are apathetic or ambivalent–I am still going to parent my child–with the hope that he leads a skillful and happy life. But, I am working on not expecting him to do what I want. We still have rules. If he breaks them, he is punished. But, now it’s not a big emotional tirade–because I didn’t get what I want.

Today I got angry, I felt the blood pump and my temperature rise. But, I was very aware that this was a bodily experience and not who I am at the core; moreover, not an emotion I have to act on. I didn’t resist the anger–that is aversion–I just let it come. I went for a drive and returned as the person I want to be.

Sacred Cow

Posted February 25, 2015

Filed under Poetry

Every moment is wholly a matter of now
Not what you say more a matter of how
Leave your tumultuous past in this sacred vow
Insight is a path leading to unending WOW!!
Going on forever beyond sunset and final bow
Headlong into whatever you choose to allow
This peace a gift you willingly endow
Each step a test don’t let it raise a brow
Nothing can splinter this practiced bough
Moreover is our dedication to this sacred Tao
Enlightenment in “Om” even heard in a cat’s meow
None is above you or rather holier than thou
To this I surrender and commence to kowtow