Meeting the Basics

By | | , , , ,
13 Comments
Scale by Antonietta

Sometimes, it’s worth being reminded that the challenges I talk about here on the blog are largely “First World” problems. Issues we face only when the basics are mostly taken care of. If you lacked food or security, basic needs would take a higher priority over musing about your spiritual life. If you’re reading this article, you also have Internet access. That’s not an option for many people in the world. You can browse the International Wealth Index if you’re not convinced. Of course, wealth equality is another layer, but this isn’t about economics. Abraham Maslow modelled a hierarchy of … Continue Reading… →

Core Fears

By | | , , , , ,
20 Comments
Fear by ZS

Recently, there have been waves of purification washing through the collective in greater frequency than usual. The current cycles of time call for healing. Life organized circumstances to turn many of us within and face some very old baggage. The collective is unsettled and fearful. In one wave, when I sat with it, the label “lonely” came up. This resonated with some very old energy from childhood. And yet, when I felt deeper into it, there was no emotion called “lonely.” That was a mind label. What was the actual emotion or energy? I found it was fear. In fact, … Continue Reading… →

Points in Relationship

By | | ,
8 Comments
Clay by Dean Hochman

Recently, I was asked if everything is points in relationship. I would say yes, this is true on every level. – When you and I exchange words, we are 2 points of awareness relating in relationship. – Atoms are composed of points that interact energetically to form molecules. Molecules interact chemically to form compounds. – Emotions arise, flow, and interact with other energy fields from one experiencer to another. – Devata (points of intelligence) interact in relationship to each other, creating subtle geometry (structure) with qualities to create form and experiences. – Consciousness is aware of itself globally and at … Continue Reading… →

What Is

By | | , , , , ,
10 Comments
What? by Bonbon

Initially, most adults are in that place of “what I want.” New Age approaches may amplify that, such as goal-setting our desires. Alas, so often we’ve learned to resist what we don’t want and grasp at what we do, sometimes engaging in a perpetual battle with life. This doesn’t support fulfilment but perpetuates what we don’t want. We may play the role of the victor or the victim, but in either case, that’s about controlling life rather than being with what is here. Some get into a concept of needing to fix themselves, perpetually taking self-help workshops. They see themselves … Continue Reading… →

The Child Identity

By | | , , , , , , ,
11 Comments
Child by Mao Yue

I used to write regularly about the 3 am-egos, what Adyashanti called head, heart, gut. Essentially, with Self Realization the me-concept (head) ends when the Self wakes up to itself through the apparent person. The mind goes quiet for a moment and the Self recognizes itself under the noise. Another way to frame me-concept is ego identification. Mind identifying its self-sense with our individuality. When the mind settles, it’s seen through because it’s mind-made. As we settle into Self Realization (even sometimes prior), we discover energetic drivers behind those self-concepts. Even though we’ve stopped believing in our old me-idea, life … Continue Reading… →

Celebration

By | | , ,
4 Comments
Fireworks by Adam Carter

I looked at adding an Interfaith calendar to this site until I realized how complex that would be. Each faith has many celebrations each year, many of which have to be calculated. The fourth Sunday or the full moon after the solstice, for example. However, I did want to mark the key value of celebration. While life can have struggles, we want to amplify our progress in milestones and anniversaries. Celebrations increase gratitude and bring us together. This helps refine and support the heart. Events may be full of symbolism, like the candles on a birthday cake and blowing them … Continue Reading… →

Existential Fear

By | | , , ,
8 Comments
What Eclipse? by R. Miller

The current time cycles are bringing existential fear to the surface. Many people do not recognize this and simply feel antsy. But if they stop and look, they may well see avoidance behaviours expressed in a lot of distinct ways. If we’re avoiding how we feel, we blame surface appearances; the lock-down rules, the government, the experts, the politicians, or whoever we see as “creating” the discomfort. Some will respond with protest or intentional rule-breaking. Others with attempt to dull feeling with food, alcohol, or drugs. Some will lash out or take progressively more extreme positions. And others will be … Continue Reading… →

Philosophy

By | | , , , ,
9 Comments
Sophia by Young Shanahan

Readers of the blog know I’ve studied world philosophies, particularly Vedic. If you study to higher degrees, you usually end up with a Doctor of Philosophy in your field. The roots of “philosophy” are interesting. It comes from a Greek term with 2 parts: Philo and Sophia. The first, Philo, means love. The Greeks described several kinds of love. Philo relates to the form called Philia, defined as social or brotherly love. We can say a loyalty or devotion to knowledge. Sophia is the second meaning wisdom. Thus, philosophia was for lovers of wisdom. Sophia (then called Sirach) was the … Continue Reading… →

Shadows and Truth

By | | , , , , , ,
14 Comments
Shadow by FranceHouseHunt

The key to living a life of peace and bliss is truth, of seeing reality as it is. Truth is the first leg of dharma and one that is being assailed at the moment. There are many flavours of shadow and fog that obscure truth. To discover what is real behind the veils and shadows, we need a few different tools in our toolbox. These are also the common steps for us to recognize these dynamics. The Shadow of Unknowing For many people, what is real is the world around them and the thoughts, emotions and sensations of their direct … Continue Reading… →

Many Paths Home

By | | , , , , ,
29 Comments
Path by Tim Green

On this blog, I recommend a specific approach and practices. I’ve seen this as very effective for quality of life, smooth awakening, and a full process including the refined stages. Each of us uniquely combines laws of nature. This is designed specifically to contribute another perspective to the whole. We’re designed to be distinctive variations on a theme. What I recommend will support many paths, but we each have our own journey to take. What will support your journey will also be distinct. Some of us find an obvious line early on. Others need to sample from different approaches, perhaps … Continue Reading… →

The Person

By | | , , , ,
21 Comments
Rory by Randen Pederson

There was a time in India when the householders approach had become universal. The sage Shankara revived the path of renunciation for that small percent who are naturally monks. But then the pendulum swung to the other extreme and the householders path became obscured in many teachings. Practices came to emphasize renunciation, even for householders. Inquiry is prominent, for example, even though it is primarily a monk’s approach. This is because close inquiry into reality is difficult when we have worldly responsibilities. We have to pay attention to appearances. 🙂 Extracting oneself from ego identification is key for Self Realization … Continue Reading… →

More Cosmic

By | | , , , , ,
14 Comments
Cosmic Fractoil by Nikk

On Our Bodies, I spoke of the local bodies, the cosmic, and the Divine. There is more to this that can be explored. First some background… There are 8 prakritis or fundamental values of our nature: the 5 elements (earth, water, fire, air, space), mind, intellect, and ego. These elements correspond to the koshas or subtle bodies:   Kosha  Experience Dominant element Sense Annamaya food body, physical earth smell Pranamaya energy, emotional water taste Manonmaya mental, sensory fire sight Vijnanamaya intellect, intuition air touch Anandamaya bliss, celestial, causal space hearing Chittamaya  flow, cosmic mind – – Atmamaya cosmic Self, consciousness … Continue Reading… →