whats in a reflection

Looking in the mirror I have reminded myself:

The image is of you
But you are not it

Because reflections of a mirror are only two dimensional
We must look deeper to truly find ourselves.

This sounds much easier said than done... but it has a lot to do with that quiet stillness that exists if we can just sit with ourselves in a meditative state.

For me, this means sitting on a mat or pillow for 30 minutes to an hour and battling my own intensity. It is a kind of battle that I surrender to, because I know that right before the gong is rung, I feel a little bit more relief, a bit more space within my being, that reminds me that all of this is called practice for a reason.

now practice doesnt mean perfect, and one should not strive to sit in utter stillness to be blissed out and in peace the entire time, but waves of this centering calm will fill you and help steer you on your path.

In order to feel connected to the divine we must know of ourselves through reflection within.

Get in touch with your attitudes and beliefs because they are the blockades with which to trancend

ask yourself some deeper questions:

like:

what do you feel about yourself?

that your not enough

that you'll fail

work with these falsehoods

The death of the self is realised after we realise the self

Everything in life has meaning

As you walk the path towards wholeness you will find mirrors, be them in your interactions with others or in your own meditation time. Acknowledge each, knowing that they are not the totality of you, but merely glimpses, useful reflections that hint towards the truth.

Have Heart, Seek Deeper.

Namaste K

a tip on wisdom

Wisdom
Is attained through first listening.

we must train our minds to listen hard, and then to retain,

then to study and then question.

A way to delve deeper into study practices is to take notes while you are reading, then coming across themes group those notes into themes. Taking the most relevant potent and important pieces of knowledge

Nothing Needs to Happen

Nothing? Really?!?

Well, lets face it, nothing is never nothing... but our concept of nothing... now thats an area of discomfort...

what is the unknown but a big empty sounding word like nothing...

Being here,

right here,

right now

is truly profound

and it lends itself to a world of intricate nuances and an assortment of delightful beauty.

Have you ever just sat and stared off into the ether for a moment, just to see how it would feel?

Have you ever just spent a moment of stillness noticing whats around you?

Seeing and appreciating what is?

The expansiveness of how blessed we are...

How interconnected!!!

They say Impatience is a resistance to learning and changing....

its the restless discomfort of the ego

... writhing around, trying to make sure that it is seen and fed

after all if we were to let the ego go entirely,

we would

Enter back into oneness...

Now thats a thought... ;)

Meditate Everywhere

I just had the best Bikram Yoga class ever... why you might ask? Because I was able to turn completely inward and be present in my practice.

As I have said before to people, if you have a meditation practice and you sit in a quiet space for an alloted amount of time, great... but if you arent challenging yourself in other areas of your life to meditate, then the only time you will find peace is on the pillow. Maybe its time to meditate at a metal concert? Its pretty fun, you should try it! :)

That being said, I think it is easy to be all over the place when you are trying to settle your mind, that is the nature of the mind, it wants to be apart of the action! Living in a society that lends to attention deficit disorder, I think that it makes it all the more difficult to find that point of stillness within yourself. But meditation is conscious observation...

Plus, it seems to come in various forms, the kind I practice fluctuates. Because I dont prescribe to the concept that one way is the best way, I use a variety of techniques, from visualization, mantras and affirmations, to observation, acknowledgement and release. I think it depends on where you are at in the day, and trying on what works best for you. This is something you come to know as an intuitive practice when you take the time to look inward.

Meditation is consciously turning inward, it can be a moment or a collection of moments, and we can do it anywhere. I chose today to do my meditation while doing intensive yoga postures in a hot room... I often do this, as a way to strengthen my mind and also as a reminder to stay in my body.

What I learned today was that I have a very strong affirmative voice that cheers me on...

and that voice reminds me of this very important truth that Id like to impart...

"You are held by the divine, go forth in faith, and with courage"

"With each step forward, know that you are surrounded and supported in love."

The great mother is with us, she holds us in her warm embrace, she reminds us that we arent given anything we cant handle, and when it seems like its too much, she will be there to catch us.

Listen deeply, turn your eye inward, and see that there is vast wisdom within your being... that is the spirit.

A Talk on Violence

When discussing violence it is easy to cringe and feel a bit of an adrenaline rush.

Most of us have been victims or perpetrators in some form of violence or another, and as mindful people on the spiritual path, we have to ask ourselves how we can disengage with violence at all costs.

In Buddhism, non-violence is of the utmost highest attainment, and is the prime facet for which the philosophy is based.

But what should happen when you find yourself in an unpleasant situation, when feelings of anger arise, and you wish to act out?

And what happens when there are violent acts around you

or occurring to you?

1. BE MINDFUL

The first stage in these affairs is to really narrow in on whats going on, almost like a camera would be going into auto focus

a) See Whats going on and then

b) Focus in on the situation

to begin this we must scan the whole picture

this is the moment to practice your mindfulness, when you are in the eye of the storm so to speak

When chaos is abound, breathe, and pay attention

2. Ask Questions

its important to ask if you can, to inquire... most of the time, violence is acted out of misunderstanding and conflict, if you can get to a dialogue then you can come to some understanding... which leads me to the next point

3. Give Compassion

many of us think that to have compassion we must have sympathy, when in reality, true compassion isn't as engaged as sympathy, which acts as an energetic force field, sucking one into emotions and thoughts that are not their own. Having Empathy on the other hand is key to compassion, because it allows for the kind of distance to a) have had the experience of suffering yourself b) relate with understanding without taking on another persons experience

This is a far more respectful tactic, and it allows for the diffusion of violence

4. Be Creative

If all else fails, after scoping the scene, being creative might be the best way to go, and shouldn't really be at the bottom of the list, so much as an alternative to asking questions if the situation doesn't call for it. Taking people off guard can disengage them. What is key is that you are doing something to relate to their sense of humanity... one can do this through quirk and humor, or simply by showing that you are a peaceful force and will not partake in perpetuating violence.

this leads me to the ultimate of things which is

5. Be Brave

bravery is sometimes thought of as something one does on a battlefield, but if we think about what it means to win, we realise that in winning we must all walk away winners. A bitter loser, is an enemy, and he will want to go to battle again. If we can all work for the greater good, with grace and poise then we can come to a place of divine strength, and lasting peace. This kind of bravery means that you stand your ground, which can be the square you stand upon, or the beliefs you hold in your heart. If you stand for nonviolence, then you will be powerful beyond measure, being brave means teaching through surrender, it allows for stillness at the center of your being, and an unwavering amount of conviction in what one believes.

................

The next time you are in a situation where there is violence and tension, think about these things...

ponder what you might do, and how you can disengage and become a peaceful force

Thank you for reading

Namaste K