The identifications, the barriers, the divisions, the group belonging; these are the things which cause prejudice, conflict and violence. True austerity is not material austerity but psychological austerity; to give up identity, to give up nationalism, religious identity, group affiliation, political ideology, your self-importance and status and belief in money and power. This is true austerity and renunciation, self-abnegation.
When there is no "you" then there is awareness and truth. Truth destroys illusion, this is the action of awareness.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
"I" Do Not Want to End
We thrive on continuity. We want everything to continue, the good and bad, anything to feel like "something". And we want it to continue with "me" being associated with it. It is "I" which we want to continue. "I" is the ego, the conglomeration of ideology, identity, experience, feeling, and thought. When the thought that "I" will not continue with "you" comes, we panic; the thing we cling to for security is threatened and we feel dread and fear.
The thing is the "I" does not exist.
The thing is the "I" does not exist.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Nothing New
We follow old patterns, think old thought, respond from what is already established; we do not think spontaneously or have an original thought. Nothing springs up on it's own, it's all borrowed from conditioning and operating mechanically.
It's strange when we see that we're doing this, when we silently observe and begin to understand what we are doing, it falls away naturally. Then we have direct perception, wholeness, action comes from silence.
It's strange when we see that we're doing this, when we silently observe and begin to understand what we are doing, it falls away naturally. Then we have direct perception, wholeness, action comes from silence.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
A Quiet Mind
What it takes to hear the chatter of the mind, it must need to be very quiet to hear the chatter.
We are accustomed to being busy, inside and out. Our survival seems to be dependent on our willingness to be busy all the time; the stress, totally unnatural, comes to seem natural. And when it stops, we are lost.
And the chatter continues.
We need that quiet. We need things to stop.
You don't need to try. Anything that can hear all that chatter must be quiet.
We are accustomed to being busy, inside and out. Our survival seems to be dependent on our willingness to be busy all the time; the stress, totally unnatural, comes to seem natural. And when it stops, we are lost.
And the chatter continues.
We need that quiet. We need things to stop.
You don't need to try. Anything that can hear all that chatter must be quiet.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Freedom, Energy, and Space
Generally how we live is in limited space. We think in specific patterns, follow certain doctrines, and have ideas about ourselves. These are limited space. They create barriers, division, violence. And they limit energy. Energy is only allowed within a certain space.
To take on a task, to see clearly, to take action, there must be energy. When energy is confined, it is limited. Like the prisoner confined to a cell, then allowed another limited freedom on the yard, we are unable to bring energy sufficiently into our lives because our lives are limited by thought.
When we consider freedom, we are considering space. When there is less freedom, space has been limited. When space is limited, energy is corrupted, broken up and broken down, and not available. It might be available in a limited way, but not in a complete way. And complete energy is what brings action.
And action is what changes lives.
To take on a task, to see clearly, to take action, there must be energy. When energy is confined, it is limited. Like the prisoner confined to a cell, then allowed another limited freedom on the yard, we are unable to bring energy sufficiently into our lives because our lives are limited by thought.
When we consider freedom, we are considering space. When there is less freedom, space has been limited. When space is limited, energy is corrupted, broken up and broken down, and not available. It might be available in a limited way, but not in a complete way. And complete energy is what brings action.
And action is what changes lives.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Mental Projections
The mind is accustomed to projections. These projections are done in time: What has happened and what will happen. These are illusions. Time and thought create fear and distortion.
When the mind is caught in habit, it becomes mechanical and can't stop it's wheels from turning. It becomes a worn-out machine, deteriorating.
In old-age, the mind accustomed to projecting, does it on its own and this is dementia. The hallucinations seem real and can even create terror, and always confuse.
Unfortunately, people are encouraged to project; whether it is the technique of modern psychology of visualization or the tradition of religion, people are taught to make things up and to follow preconceptions.
Unwittingly, we destroy ourselves.
When the mind is caught in habit, it becomes mechanical and can't stop it's wheels from turning. It becomes a worn-out machine, deteriorating.
In old-age, the mind accustomed to projecting, does it on its own and this is dementia. The hallucinations seem real and can even create terror, and always confuse.
Unfortunately, people are encouraged to project; whether it is the technique of modern psychology of visualization or the tradition of religion, people are taught to make things up and to follow preconceptions.
Unwittingly, we destroy ourselves.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Vulnerability
It happens when there's no barrier, when you see someone as they are, when you see yourself; when there is no you and them.
You feel open and you feel like anything could come in, like a flood. For this reason, some do not want to be vulnerable. I guess that's why there are so many barriers, so many divisions, walls thrown up for protection: And this is why no one can see and no one relates to one another.
It feels like you could be wounded. It feels like you could fall endlessly. It feels like there's no floor, no wall, nothing to catch you. There is no safety. There is no security.
And that's where you're finally safe.
You feel open and you feel like anything could come in, like a flood. For this reason, some do not want to be vulnerable. I guess that's why there are so many barriers, so many divisions, walls thrown up for protection: And this is why no one can see and no one relates to one another.
It feels like you could be wounded. It feels like you could fall endlessly. It feels like there's no floor, no wall, nothing to catch you. There is no safety. There is no security.
And that's where you're finally safe.
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