 “At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” ~Albert Schweitzer This week’s quote reminds us to recognize the positive contributions of others. In last week’s blog, we concluded that real gratitude is experienced when you are grateful for life itself. While this is true to a certain extent, it doesn’t quite capture the essence of gratitude. It leaves out perhaps the most important aspect: being grateful for other people. While it is important to be thankful for the journey of life, real gratitude is experienced when you have a deep appreciation for those who contribute to your journey.
To better appreciate the value of others, image how unsatisfactory your life would be if nobody else existed except you. Besides being really difficult, life would be devoid of any connection, humor or meaning. It is the presence of other people that makes life worth living. Let’s face it, life isn’t easy. It’s hard work to always carry the light inside your heart. Inevitably, there will be times when your light flickers and goes out. That’s why it is important to be grateful for the people that make your existence more bearable- for anyone who rekindles your inner flame. Remember that keeping the collective flame alight is a reciprocal process. As such, there will be times when you are the one who provides the necessary spark for others. How will you know when it’s your time to shine? As the poet Rumi once wrote, “If everything around seems dark, look again, you may be the light.”
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 "Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into." ~ Wayne Dyer The scene depicted in this week’s photo is our unique take on the Horn of Plenty, an ancient symbol of abundance and prosperity. Also known as a Cornucopia, it is typically shown overflowing with fruits, grains, root vegetables and flowers. Its curved form represents an endless flow of abundance, a visual representation of a bountiful harvest. We often see the Cornucopia this time of year, to the point that it has become synonymous with the Thanksgiving holiday. But what exactly does a display of abundance have to do with giving thanks?
A feeling of gratitude is the natural response that most people have when experiencing abundance. Simply put, when you look upon an abundant scene like the one above, you can’t help but feel a sense of richness and plenitude. Witnessing such abundance gives you a whole new appreciation for life and for the unlimited gifts that are freely given to us by the Earth. By acknowledging the generous nature of existence, you become grateful just to be alive. As Wayne Dyer once said, “Gratitude is the complete and full response of the heart to everything in the universe.” What can you do to foster an abundant mindset this Thanksgiving? It starts by becoming aware of the times when the scarcity mindset takes over. Whenever you feel like there isn’t enough, chances are you have fallen victim to scarcity. When you only concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never feel like you have enough. Switching from a scarcity mindset to an abundant mindset is relatively straight forward. Instead of fixating on what you don’t have, appreciate what you do have. In other words, to experience abundance right now, tune into the richness and blessings that are already in your life. Remember that true gratitude is not just being thankful for the good things in life, it is being thankful for life itself.  "Change is inevitable, but transformation is by conscious choice." ~Heather Ash Amara This week’s quote is a helpful reminder of what transformation is all about. The process of transformation is often misunderstood by those on the spiritual path. We see the way that caterpillars transform themselves into butterflies and we falsely believe that one day, we will undergo a similar process. However, try as you might, you will never spontaneously sprout colorful wings and flutter away.
This is not due to some failure on your part, it’s simply because you are not a caterpillar, you are a human being. There is really no escaping from yourself. You will always be you, no matter what you do. Regardless of how much transformation you experience in your lifetime, you will still be a human being in the end. So, what exactly are you supposed to transform into? The real question is, what kind of human being do you want to become? As Heather Ash Amara points out, change is going to happen anyway, whether or not you put any effort in. In fact, you could take no action at all and still undergo a transformation of sorts. The only difference is you might not like what you transform into. Real transformation, therefore, involves taking conscious control over the process of change. If change is going to happen anyway, then transformation means purposely changing for the better. Of course, transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of a sustained, intentional effort to evolve and grow and become the best possible version of yourself. There are no shortcuts. There’s no magic pill you can take or button you can push to transform yourself. Instead, transformation is the direct result of your daily actions. So, instead of waiting passively for change to happen to you, take steps today towards becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be.  “Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion." ~Democritus This week’s quote brings up an important point. Although we tend to take life very seriously, the universe is basically a creative interplay between atoms and empty space. If you were to zoom all the way out to the galactic scale, the universe would appear as an infinite void, full of sparkling lights. If you were to zoom in all the way to the atomic scale, you would find a similar scenario.
Space is everywhere- it’s the invisible glue that holds our whole universe together. But the universe is not just empty space, it also consists of light and matter. And all matter in the universe consists of atoms. Scientists estimate that the average human consists of around a billion billion billion atoms. Scientists have also determined that an atom is 99.9999999% empty space. How much space is inside an atom? If you were to picture the nucleus of an atom as being the size of a peanut, then the whole atom would be the size of a baseball stadium. That’s a lot of empty space. In fact, if you eliminated all the empty space inside your atoms, then your whole body would be able to fit inside a particle of dust, and all of mankind would fit into the volume of a sugar cube. So, embrace the space that is all around you. Space is everywhere- not just on the outside but on the inside as well. Space is like the hidden canvas upon which the whole universe is created. It’s also a common thread that binds us all together. The space inside your atoms is the same as the space that’s inside mine, which is the same as the space that exists between the stars in distant galaxies. It’s all the same space! So, the next time you feel burdened by the heaviness of the world, remember that emptiness is an essential component of all existence.  “Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on.” ~Eckhart Tolle Fall is the time of year when the natural world demonstrates just how beautiful the act of letting go can be. As the trees release their leaves to the wind, we are reminded of the importance of releasing that which no longer serves us. But what exactly does it mean to let go? And what is the best way to do it?
Letting go of something means that you stop carrying the emotional weight of it within your heart. In the case of emotional trauma, letting go means that while you acknowledge the past, you no longer allow it to bring you down. Letting go is not just releasing past emotional wounds, it’s also a heartfelt belief that better things are coming your way. As the author Daphne Rose Kingma once said, “Holding on is believing that there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future.” While this is a helpful explanation of what it means to let go, it doesn’t explain how to do it. Perhaps it’s helpful to think of letting go as an ongoing process instead of a one-time occurrence. Afterall, deciduous trees don’t suddenly dump all their leaves overnight, it’s a process that happens gradually over time. As Eleanor Brown once said, “Letting go may sound so simple, but rarely is it a one-time thing. Just keep letting go, until one day it’s gone for good.” So, release whatever it is that’s weighing you down. It may seem difficult at first, but it’s actually the easiest thing you can do. Holding on takes effort, whereas letting go requires no effort at all, other than a willingness to surrender. Ultimately, letting go involves appreciating life as it is, rather than getting hung up on how you think it should be.  “I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” ~Carl Jung This week’s quote refers to a relatively simple concept that has the power to completely transform the way you experience life. It’s a reminder that you are not a product of your past, you are the architect of your future. Whatever happened to you in the past is part of your personal history, but it isn’t who you are right now. In other words, your memories of past experiences are still valid, but they don’t define you as a person.
As Carl Jung would say, you are not your regrets, you are your aspirations. You are not the mistakes you have made or the adversities that you have endured. Who you are is better defined by how you respond to life’s challenges, how you choose to rise up in the face of adversity. Regardless of what you have been through, you always have the option to choose resilience over despair. Living your life while focusing on the past is like driving your car on a busy freeway with your eyes glued to the rearview mirror. While it can be informative to look backwards on occasion, focusing solely on the rearview mirror will increase your chances of having an accident since doing so prevents you from focusing on what is happening in front of you right now. Much better to keep your focus on the present than to remain obsessed by that which has already passed you by. So, liberate yourself from your own personal history. However, don’t get too caught up in defining yourself by your aspirations. As Carl Jung also explained, “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” Therefore, instead of making plans to transform, why not start your transformational journey today? It begins by letting go of who you used to be. By releasing yourself from the shackles of the past, you give yourself the ability to create yourself anew in the future.  "You yourself are the eternal energy which appears as this universe. You didn’t come into this world, you came out of it, as leaves from a tree." ~Alan Watts This week’s quote is a reminder that we are fundamentally the same thing as the reality that we behold. On the surface, this sounds like a fairly obvious notion. Afterall, how could you possibly consist of anything else besides the eternal energy of the universe? However, many people feel disconnected from the world, regarding themselves as strangers in a foreign land, unaware that they are a creative expression of the same lifeforce energy that gives rise to all of existence. What can you do to maintain a sense of connection to the greater whole?
One way to appreciate your connection to the universe is by understanding where all the atoms in your body come from. All the various elements that make up your body were formed inside of stars which have exploded, reformed, and exploded again over billions of years. In fact, the hydrogen atoms in your body were formed during the Big Bang itself which happened an estimated 13.8 billion years ago. It’s crazy to think that atoms formed inside an impossibly huge explosion which took place at the dawn of time would one day become an essential part of our bodies, yet here we are. Another way to understand how you are fundamentally connected to the universe is to consider the second part of this week’s quote, which explains that you didn’t come into this world, you came out of it. Alan Watts compares how we come out of the Earth to the way a leaf grows on a tree. An individual leaf may have its own unique size and shape, but it is also an inseparable part of the tree as whole. It appears that Earth is a planet that naturally produces people, just as certain trees will naturally produce fruit, as long as all the conditions are right. So, instead of thinking of yourself as an isolated individual, alone in a vast universe, remember that you are a unique manifestation of the same basic energy that makes up everything around you. You didn't just appear here by accident one day, rather you have been here all along in the sense that your essential energy is the same energy that creates and sustains the entire universe. You are not a separate entity that came into the universe from somewhere else, rather you are the universe itself- experiencing life as a conscious being for a little while.  “Things change. People change. Everything changes. The universe is in a flux. Energy reinventing itself constantly.” ~ Gina Linko Autumn has arrived in Tahoe and, as the leaves begin to turn, we are reminded that life is always changing. Change is not only an inescapable fact of life, it’s also the very nature of reality. Unfortunately, change is also one of the things that we fear the most. So, what can we do to cope with the impermanent nature of existence? You are probably familiar with the saying that the only constant in life is change, but how well do you really understand the concept of impermanence?
Impermanence is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. Nothing that you encounter in life is permanent. Everything that you experience is in the process of vanishing, only to reappear again in a different form. All things in the physical world, including your own body, are subject to impermanence. In fact, scientists have proven that every single cell in your body is replaced every 7 to 10 years. As a result, you literally aren’t the same person that you were ten years ago. This state of impermanence is not only limited to the physical world. Your thoughts, emotions and external circumstances are also in a constant state of flux. The universe itself is a dynamic energy system, and energy never wants to be static. The nature of energy is to move, to flow, and to transform itself. Knowing this, you can’t really expect anything in your life to stay the same forever. And yet impermanence is the source of almost all suffering. More specifically, our attachment to impermanent things is what causes us to suffer. For example, we irrationally expect our loved ones to go on living forever, and then we are devastated when they can’t live up to our impossible expectations. Likewise, we wish that our youth would go on forever, causing us to lament the passage of time. Whenever you are attached to something that is impermanent, you will inevitably be disappointed and suffer a feeling of loss when change comes. Only by fully understanding the impermanent nature of reality can you release your attachment to the world of form, liberating yourself from the cycle of human suffering.  “The life of inner peace, being harmonious and without stress, is the easiest type of existence.” ~Norman Vincent Peale This week’s quote cuts right to the heart of the matter. Afterall, what is the point of being on the spiritual path if you don’t experience any real-world benefits? We all know we should be cultivating a state of inner peace, but we rarely question why. What is the benefit of being at peace? Why bother pursuing a life of harmony? What is the purpose of self-realization?
The short answer is that inner peace makes your experience of life so much easier. When you are at ease, everything you do is easy. Whereas being in a state of tension only adds unnecessary strain to a given situation without providing any benefit. Tensing up your shoulders and gripping the steering wheel won't get you through a traffic jam any quicker- just as squinting your eyes doesn't actually improve your eyesight. Instead of pursuing inner peace, maybe we should be pursuing inner ease. To do this, don’t worry so much about silencing your thoughts, instead focus on opening your heart. Most people believe they will find peace once all their problems are solved and all their distractions are gone, but as Eckhart Tolle says, “you find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.” And so, once again, we are faced with the ultimate question: who are you at the deepest level? This is when the path of self-realization comes into play. Because when you know that your true essence is both infinite and eternal, you carry within you a deep well of tranquility. As the author Elizabeth Gilbert once wrote, “We don’t realize that, somewhere within us all, there exists a supreme self who is eternally at peace.” So, the next time you feel yourself getting tense, see if your tension is serving you in any way. If not, then simply let it go and return to a state of inner harmony. Being at ease might not solve your problems, but it will make them much easier to deal with.  “Nothing has ever happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now.” ~Ekhart Tolle This week’s quote is a reminder that the past and the future are merely constructs of the mind, while the present moment is the only tangible reality there is. It’s strange to think that nothing has ever happened in the past. However, the present moment is really the only time that anything can happen. Events don’t happen in the past, they happen right now, after which they turn into memories. Similarly, the future exists only as intention and expectation until it is eventually experienced in present time.
As a kid, I remember thinking that time machines were a real thing, and that people could legitimately time travel. I thought you could visit any year in the past and it would be full of people going about their daily lives. I also thought that the future was a real place you could visit, full of advanced robots, ultra-modern skyscrapers and flying cars. Now, thanks to people like Ekhart Tolle, I realize that the past and future are just thoughts inside my head. I’ll never travel back to the past because it’s gone- it’s not there anymore. Likewise, I’ll never be able to travel to the future since it hasn’t even happened yet. The truth is, the present moment is all there is and all there ever will be. It’s also the only place you can ever be. By internalizing this truth, you can change your entire concept of time. You might believe, for example, that time is linear, with past events leading directly to future events. But, as Alan Watts would say, “The past cannot push your future forward any more than a wake can push a boat.” As Ekhart Tolle puts it, "The past has no power over the present moment." This is because every moment is unique, existing independently from all other moments. So, free yourself from past regrets and future worries. Don’t allow your past experiences to color your experience of the present. And don’t let your anxiety about tomorrow prevent you from enjoying today. Remember that time is not so much a linear progression as it is a constant unfolding of the present moment. Since both the past and future exist only as thought forms, find your joy in the eternal now.  “You may have expected that enlightenment would come ZAP! instantaneous and permanent. This is unlikely. After the first ‘ah ha’ experience, it can be thought of as a thinning of a layer of clouds.” ~ Ram Dass This week’s quote from Ram Dass contains a very important lesson. You might think of enlightenment as a sudden and profound revelation about the true nature of the self- one that comes to you in a flash and continues for the rest of your life. However, Ram Dass reminds us that enlightenment is neither instantaneous nor permanent. Instead of being a single moment of insight that imbues your consciousness with everlasting clarity, enlightenment is more like a series of realizations, each contributing to the gradual awakening of your inner wisdom.
If you imagine your consciousness as the expansive sky, you can see how your thoughts are like little fluffy clouds, gently passing by. However, any fear based beliefs or misconceptions that you held about yourself or the nature of reality would act like layers of clouds in the sky that obscure the sunlight. The purpose of the spiritual path, therefore, is to dispel the clouds of ignorance that prevent your radiant inner light from shining through. How exactly is this accomplished? According to Ram Dass, after the initial ‘ah ha’ experience, enlightenment becomes like the thinning of clouds. But, what exactly is the first ‘ah ha’ experience? Perhaps it is the realization that you are not the clouds, you are the sky. In other words, you are not your thoughts, you are the consciousness that is aware of your thoughts. Or, perhaps the first ‘ah ha’ experience is best summed up by Thich Nhat Hanh who once taught that, “Enlightenment is when a wave realizes it is the ocean.” Either way, the most important takeaway here is to embrace the journey itself, rather than focusing solely on the destination. You don’t want to spend your whole life chasing after enlightenment, only to realize too late that the answer was right there in front of you the whole time. Keep in mind that enlightenment is not like a sudden lightning strike, it is more of a gradual process like the blossoming of a lotus flower. Just as a flower blossom reveals the beauty of a plant’s inner essence, trust that the process of enlightenment will do the same for you.  “It's better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.” ~ Alan Watts This week’s quote brings up an important point. Your quality of life is not determined by how long you are able to stay alive but by the richness of your experience. There is nothing wrong with wanting to live for a long time, but the length of your life should not determine your overall satisfaction with it.
Movies, for example, are not judged solely by their run time. If total time elapsed was the only thing that mattered, then all the best movies would be the longest ones. The same is true for music. You wouldn’t say that long songs are necessarily better than short songs. What matters is the quality of the tune, how the music makes you feel while it's playing. We are taught to believe that more always equals better, that the goal of life should be to live for as many years as we can. But, living longer is not the same thing as living better. It's not really about the length of your life, it's about the depth of your experience. So, don't worry that life is too short. Instead, figure out what you like to do, and then do it as much as you possibly can. Life is not about how much misery you can endure, but how much joy you can create. Whatever you choose to do in this world, do it passionately and with all your heart. In the end, a life lived in alignment with your passions is a life well-lived, regardless of how long it lasts.  “Truth is not something outside to be discovered, it is something inside to be realized.” ~Osho This week’s quote from Osho is a reminder that the spiritual path leads ever inward. You can travel the Earth in search of the truth, but, ultimately, what you are seeking is not something that can be found in the external world, it can only be found by turning inward and exploring the depths of your own being. At this point in your spiritual journey, you have no doubt come across the claim that the truth lies within. But what does that even mean? What exactly is this great truth that resides within us, and how do we go about realizing it?
Deep down inside, we all want to be happy. However, for many of us, our happiness is reliant on external factors. We believe, for example, that our possessions make us happy- that the more possessions we own, the happier we will become. But relying on material goods for happiness only creates dependency and attachment in the long run. Being attached to your possessions leads to fear and anxiety about losing them. You also run the risk of identifying with the things you own, thinking of them as an integral part of who you are. By doing this, you tie your self-worth to your possessions, leading you to constantly seek out validation from others just to feel good about yourself. So, where does lasting contentment come from? The answer lies in the realization of your true nature. Who are you really, beyond the illusion of your ego? Of course, this is a question that you must answer for yourself. If you take someone else’s word for it, then the truth won’t feel as genuine. Instead, we’ll end with a quote from Alan Watts who once explained that, “You don't look out there for God, something in the sky, you look in you.”  “The resistance to the unpleasant situation is the root of suffering." ~ Ram Dass This week’s quote by Ram Dass is a reminder that suffering is not caused by unpleasant situations, but by your resistance to them. While we would all like to lead a harmonious existence, life consists of both ups and downs. It is easy to maintain your inner equilibrium when things are going smoothly, but you will inevitably encounter situations in life that you find unpleasant or challenging. How can you keep your balance, even when you find yourself in undesirable circumstances?
The key to overcoming suffering is to learn to accept unpleasant situations as they are. This doesn't mean that you have to like what is happening, it simply means that you acknowledge what is happening and you let go of your resistance to it. What does it feel like to be in resistance? When you find yourself clenching your jaw or your fists, chances are you are in resistance. When you grip your abdominals and tighten your chest, causing your breath to become short and shallow, you are physically resisting what is taking place in the moment. There is a certain level of freedom that comes with the realization that you are the prime cause of your own suffering. It's not the situation you're in that makes you feel bad, what makes you feel bad is not breathing properly while you are in it. What happens when you don’t get enough oxygen? You start to panic. Your heart starts racing and claustrophobia kicks in as you desperately look for ways to escape from the moment. However, there really is no escaping since the present moment is all that there is. As Thich Nhat Hanh once said, “Anxiety, the illness of our times, comes primarily from our inability to dwell in the present moment.” The key to living in the present is, of course, to breathe. Breathe through the good times, breathe through the bad times. Breathe when you are in a hurry and breathe when you have all the time in the world. By doing this, you generate your own inner harmony, one that is unaffected by outside circumstances. By accepting the present moment, regardless of what it brings, you can remain centered and grounded at all times. By simply breathing in and out, you can release your inner tension and be in a harmonious state wherever you go.  “We are all one. Only egos, beliefs and fears separate us.” ~Nikola Tesla In the world of spirituality, you will often hear people proclaiming with great conviction that we are all one. But, what does that even mean? There are currently over 8 billion people living on this planet, how could we possibly all be one? Perhaps they mean that, at the core of our beings, beyond our individual identities, we are all fundamentally the same. If so, then what exactly is the common essence that unites us?
Although we appear different on the outside, when you think about it, we are all basically the same on the inside. For example, we all have the same five senses through which we experience the world. We all have minds capable of thoughts, emotions, memories, expectations, beliefs and desires. We all find ourselves right at the center of our reality. While we have different names, we all refer to ourselves as “I.” Most importantly, we all have consciousness- the silent witness within that is simultaneously aware of both our inner and outer worlds. Consciousness is the common ground we all share. As the Nobel prize winning physicist Erwin Schrodinger put it, “The total number of minds in the universe is one. In fact, consciousness is a singularity phasing within all beings.” To understand this concept, imagine that you have a lamp with an exceptionally bright light bulb. You decide to put a lampshade over the light, but first you take a thumbtack and make a series of holes in it. When you put the lampshade on and flip the switch, hundreds of tiny lights will shine though. Although each individual light will appear to be separate, they all emanate from the same source. Now substitute the light of consciousness at the center of existence for the light bulb at the center of the lamp, and it’s easy to see how we are all, in fact, one. With this concept in mind, you can understand what Ram Dass means when he says, “There is only one of us. One consciousness manifesting into different forms.” Beyond our egos, personalities and beliefs, we all have the same witness within. The consciousness that is aware of my experience is essentially the same as the consciousness that is aware of yours. By truly embracing this understanding, you can cultivate not only empathy and compassion for others, but also a deep appreciation for the richness and diversity of humanity.  "The Tao is formless, yet it gives form to all things. The Tao is nameless, yet it is the source of all names." ~Lao Tzu In our last blog, we learned that the trick to navigating the void is to surrender to it, to become one with the infinite, eternal nothingness at the center of existence. However, we were left with a few unanswered questions. For example, how does merging with complete emptiness lead to oneness with all that is? To answer this question, we need to rethink our understanding of the void. It's not so much eternal nothingness as it is a boundless field of infinite possibility and creative potential.
In Taoist philosophy they have great reverence for the void, referring to it as the “eternal and inexhaustible wellspring” from which all existence is derived. They describe the Tao as being formless, nameless and eternal- the source of all creation and the underlying principle of all that exists. Buddhists also believe that emptiness or “shunyata” is the core principle of existence. Emptiness is thought to be the true nature of reality, transcending all dualistic concepts. Therefore, the idea of surrendering to the void shouldn’t necessarily frighten you. It doesn’t mean disappearing forever, it means returning to your original state, your true self, one that is both infinite and eternal. Think of the void as the ultimate ground of being from which all things arise, including the universe, including you. With this in mind, it quickly becomes apparent that physical reality is the real miracle, and that life as a conscious being is the greatest gift of all.  “The eternal void is filled with infinite possibilities.” ~ Laozi. In our last blog, we discussed how a drop of rainwater returning home to the ocean is similar to the soul’s journey after death. When a raindrop lands on the surface of the ocean, it loses its individuality and becomes one with the entire ocean. In the same way, it is said that when we pass away from this world, we enter into the void where our individual souls merge with the One. But, what exactly is the void? And how can you best navigate it so that you can easily become one with the whole?
An experience of the void is an experience of absolutely nothing at all. It is complete emptiness- like the state of the universe before the Big Bang exploded onto the scene. Imagine nothing whatsoever expanding out from a central point towards infinity in all directions. Also imagine there is no time. Time is a dimension of the physical universe and since, by definition, there is nothing physical in the void, time does not exist there. What is it like to enter the void? It can be very disorienting at first. Your conscious awareness has been operating inside your physical body for your entire life, and suddenly being unbound from the physical plane can be terrifying. It’s like jumping out of a plane without a parachute, only there is no ground below you to fall towards. Also, you are not just falling downwards, but in all directions at once. You can hold on tight for as long as you want, but there is really nothing to hold on to. Besides, holding on inside the void is like desperately clinging to a paddle after your boat has already drifted over the waterfall. Eventually you stop resisting and, in the ultimate act of faith, you let go. This is when a powerful epiphany takes place. Because, even in the absolute emptiness of the void, your consciousness remains at the center of your experience. You remain the silent witness, the presence inside the abyss, the awareness that's taking this experience in. What's more, since there is nothing else for your mind to focus its attention on, it becomes the subject of its own inquiry. This leads to perhaps the highest realization of all, “Oh my God… I am it!” This is the point when the raindrop becomes the ocean, so to speak. The duality between you, the experiencer, and that which you are experiencing disappears. The next thing you know, you are not just in the eternal void, you are the eternal void. It's like getting turned inside out- all self-created boundaries dissolve, all paradoxes resolve, and you merge into unity with all that is. Of course, since an experience of the void is really an experience of yourself, everyone's journey to oneness is going to be different. However, in the end, we will all need to release the basic struggle inside our own being before we can experience infinite bliss for the rest of eternity.  "The soul is like a river, flowing towards the ocean of God. As it merges with the divine, it loses its individuality and becomes one with the infinite and eternal." -Paramahansa Yogananda After an epic winter season here in Tahoe, the billions of snowflakes that fell in the mountains over the last six months are finally melting into water and flowing into the lake. As these various streams travel effortlessly downhill and merge into one, we are reminded of the soul’s journey here on Earth. Just as individual water drops lose their distinct identities and merge into the collective body of the lake, our souls will eventually reach the end of their journey here in the physical realm and merge into the single, all-encompassing consciousness of the Divine.
But, while the “river flowing into the sea” metaphor is insightful, it also appears to be missing something. It doesn’t explain how we became rivers flowing towards the ocean of God in the first place. What we need is a metaphor that demonstrates how these water drops are, in fact, returning home. The water in a river that merges with the ocean, for example, began as water droplets that evaporated from the same ocean in the form of clouds. When these droplets fell to earth and eventually merged back into the ocean, they returned to their original state. But, here's the kicker, these individual water droplets were actually the ocean the whole time- it’s just that they took on a temporary form which made them appear as distinct entities, separate from their original source. This reminds me of a quote by the poet Rumi, who explained that, “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” A single drop of sea water may seem small and insignificant in comparison, but it still contains all the same qualities as the vast ocean. In the same way, your divine spark is indistinguishable from its source. While you may appear as a unique individual, your essence is fundamentally the same as the infinite light of creation from which it came. In other words, the light inside you is the Light! So, don’t get too caught up trying to discover the proper way to connect with Source because you are already it! You have always been it and you will always be it! To connect with Source right now, all you really need to do is get out of your own way and let the light shine through.  "If the thought of lack - whether it be money, recognition, or love - has become part of who you think you are, you will always experience lack. Rather than acknowledging the good that is already in your life, all you see is lack." ~Eckhart Tolle This week’s quote is a reminder that your thoughts and beliefs shape your reality, for better or for worse. Simply put, your experience of reality is a reflection of the ideas that you hold to be true about yourself and about life. You might believe that, if only you just had more money, more recognition, or more love in your life, then you would finally experience happiness. However, if you are constantly dwelling on what you don't have, you will continue to experience a sense of insufficiency. This way of thinking is a trap, one that keeps you stuck in a cycle of discontent and dissatisfaction.
The key to breaking free from this cycle is to shift your focus from lack to abundance. The truth is, no amount of money, material possessions or external validation can bring you true happiness since happiness comes from within. Instead of focusing on what you don't have, try acknowledging the good that is already present in your life. You can do this by paying attention to your thoughts and becoming aware of when you are thinking in terms of lack. Whenever you catch yourself doing this, take a deep breath and consciously shift your focus to what you are grateful for. It's important to remember that this is not about denying your problems or ignoring the areas of your life that need improving. It's about approaching those problems from a place of abundance rather than a place of scarcity. So, take a moment to recognize all the good things in your life. Remember that happiness does not depend on getting more of what you want, it depends on your ability to be grateful for what you’ve already got.  “An optimist is the human personification of spring.” ~Susan J. Bissonette After enduring a long and challenging winter, this week’s quote is a reminder that spring has finally arrived. And with it, an all pervasive feeling of optimism. Why? Because, after passing through the equinox, during which light and dark were held in perfect balance, the day is now officially longer than the night. That is, for the next six months, we will experience more light than darkness. This alone is reason to be optimistic. Spring is also a time of growth and renewal. Just as spring brings new life and energy to the natural world, a sense of optimism brings new life and energy to your world.
Examples of spring’s optimistic attitude are found all around us. Trees that were battered by storms and covered with snow form new buds on their branches despite the adversity they just faced. Plants begin to grow and blossom regardless of the challenges winter threw at them. Birds, long silent and missing in action, return to the world and start to sing. The sun, so often hidden behind clouds, moves higher in the sky and begins to share its warmth. It's like the world is remembering how to be beautiful again. So, if your goal is to lead a more optimistic life, embrace the spirit of spring and all that it represents. This means not only looking on the bright side, but also looking for the potential for growth and change in any situation. Develop the resilience to weather any storm, knowing in your heart that brighter days are on the horizon. Most importantly, no matter what you have been through in the past, don’t let it discourage you from sharing your gifts with the world.  “There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.” ~Rumi This week’s quote comes to us from Rumi, a Sufi mystic and poet who lived in the 13th century. Although he wrote his poetry over 800 years ago, his powerful words have truly stood the test of time. The voice he is referring to is, of course, your intuition- the silent wisdom within. Rumi believed that the heart is a gateway to the divine. That, by connecting with the innermost core of your being, you can connect with the wisdom of divinity.
How do you listen to this voice that speaks without words? To begin with it is necessary to cultivate a state of inner stillness. If your mind is busy with thoughts, feelings, worries and regrets, then it is difficult to hear what your intuition has to say. Once you allow your mind chatter to settle down, your subtle, intuitive sense can emerge. Sometimes referred to as the sixth sense, intuition is beyond rational, logical thought. Since it doesn’t use words, it communicates with images and feelings. You may recall the last time you had a “gut feeling” about something- a strong knowing, conviction or intuitive sense about what to do or about what will happen next. Intuition is like having a dependable friend within, one that always has your best interests in mind. A truthful friend you can ask anything, knowing you will get an honest response. Next time you are faced with a difficult decision, pay attention to how each choice makes you feel on the inside. Understand that, deep down, you already know the right answer. Whichever choice makes you feel the most harmonious within, that’s the right one. By learning to trust into your intuition, you can live in accordance with your highest self, making choices that are aligned with your true purpose in life.  "Because of your smile you make life more beautiful." ~Thich Nhat Hanh What makes you smile? One thing that everyone in the world has in common is the propensity to smile. It is perhaps the easiest and most effective way to positively impact yourself and those around you. But, what exactly is smiling and why do we do it? Why is it that people throughout the world perform the same bizarre act of baring their teeth and squinting at each other?
While there are many reasons to smile, the most obvious one is because you are happy. Your smile is a reflection of the joy you are experiencing on the inside. Pleasure is another reason to smile. Whether you are enjoying a delicious meal or receiving a really good massage, you’ll find that your mouth will naturally contort into a smile. You might smile when you feel comfortable, when you feel satisfied, or when you are connecting with others on a deep level. You are also more likely to smile when you witness beauty or perfection in the world, like a rainbow or a colorful sunset. The funny thing about smiling is that it is appropriate in seemingly opposite situations. For example, you may smile when you feel nervous, but you may also smile with confidence. People smile when they do something exciting like skiing, but also when they reach a state of relaxation, like soaking in a hot tub. You are just as likely to smile when you are embarrassed as you are when you are proud. When is the right time to smile? Whenever possible, really. Studies have shown that frequent smilers tend to be happier and have a more positive outlook on life. Furthermore, when you smile, your brain releases endorphins, which helps improve your mood and reduces stress. The best part about smiling is that it’s contagious, triggering others to smile in response. In this way, you can literally spread joy wherever you go. So, as the saying goes, don’t let the world change your smile, instead use your smile to change the world!  “True communication is communion- the realization of oneness, which is love.” ~ Eckhart Tolle What does Eckhart Tolle mean when he talks about true communication being communion? Surely he isn’t referring to the Catholic ritual of sharing bread and wine with churchgoers? He’s probably referring to the other definition of communion, which also happens to be about sharing. Specifically, communion is “the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.”
Beyond a mere exchange of information, communication is also an energetic exchange. Your thoughts and emotions have no substance, they do not exist in solid form. However, they do exist energetically, in vibrational form. Authentic communication is about giving voice to your internal energetic experience- translating your mental/emotional energy into sound energy to create a shared understanding of your reality. By sharing your thoughts and feelings you find common ground with others, which leads to the comforting feeling that you are not alone in this world- that we are all in this together. Of course, speaking is only one part of communication. Listening is just as important, along with the ability to recognize the emotions and intentions behind the information that’s being shared with you. As Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “It takes two to speak the truth: one to speak, and another to hear.” Therefore, always speak from the heart with the goal of creating genuine connection between you and the person you are communicating with. When it’s someone else’s turn to talk, be present for them, hearing what they have to say instead of eagerly awaiting your next chance to talk. Finally, keep in mind that all speech takes place on the exhale. Regardless of what your truth is, be sure to take a breath in before speaking it.  “Life as it is should be enough of a reason to laugh. It is so absurd, it is so ridiculous. It is so beautiful, it is so wonderful. It is all sorts of things together. It is a great cosmic joke.” ~Alan Watts This week’s quote is a gentle reminder that you don’t need to take spirituality so seriously. We often confuse being spiritual with being solemn and withdrawn, like a monk or a nun on their way to morning prayer. We think that having a serious facial expression somehow means you are more holy, more in touch with the Truth. However, according to Alan Watts, the moment that you really understand the truth about life, you will burst into laughter. What exactly is this hilarious insight? How can we get in on the punchline to the great cosmic joke?
It has to do with understanding that you are it. That this universe, this body, this mind, this moment, this breath- this is it. The relationship between God and the universe is commonly explained using a metaphor in which God exists as a brilliant light, one that is somehow veiled, hidden beneath the various forms of the world. But, as Alan Watts tells us, “The truth is even funnier than that. It is that you are looking right at the brilliant light now. That the experience you are having that you call ordinary everyday consciousness- pretending you're not it- that experience is exactly the same thing as 'it.' There's no difference at all. And when you find that out, you laugh yourself silly! That's the great discovery.” If this is true, then what you have been searching for has been hiding in plain sight this whole time. So, relax. Lighten up, as the expression goes. There is really no need to force it. Meditating with a furrowed brow won’t bring on enlightenment any quicker. The only way to grasp the truth is by letting go. If this experience really is ‘it,’ then the best thing you can do is enjoy it.  “If you love a flower, don’t pick it up. Because if you pick it up, it dies and it ceases to be what you love. So if you love a flower, let it be. Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.” ~Osho This week’s quote about love was chosen in honor of Valentine’s Day. While it is nice that we have a holiday dedicated to love, it is also somewhat confusing. Afterall, we aren’t celebrating love as the fundamental force that created the universe. This isn’t about honoring love as the very fabric of our existence. Instead, we are being sold the romantic version of love- the version that includes attraction, infatuation and possession.
In today’s consumerist society, the idea of love is often confused with that of ownership. Our popular love songs, for example, have lyrics like, “I’ve got to have you,” or “I’m going to make you mine.” We are led to believe that love means holding onto someone tightly and never letting them go. This tendency towards ownership and possession of another can be the cause of great suffering, especially since you can only lose someone if you are convinced that this person actually belonged to you in the first place. There is nothing unnatural about wanting to hold onto that which you find attractive. Whenever you see something beautiful, you naturally want to possess it- to make it yours. Perhaps you think that its beauty will reflect on you. That is, by owning something beautiful, people might think that you are beautiful too. However, contrary to popular belief, true love is not about holding on, it’s about letting go. As Osho points out, the moment you pick a flower, it stops being what you love. In the same way, loving someone is not the same thing as owning them. The best way to love someone is not to limit them or control them, but rather to give them all the space and freedom they need to grow and blossom. So, don’t get too caught up in trying to make someone your Valentine this year. It’s far better to appreciate the one you love than to possess them. |
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About The AuthorNick Hughes is a massage therapist, yoga instructor and co-owner of Well Being. Influenced by the ideas of Alan Watts, Eckhart Tolle, Ram Dass, and Deepak Chopra, Nick presents his unique take on human existence with the goal of helping others live a happier life. Archives
November 2023
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