I feel the need to begin by sharing the auspiciousness of where I am writing this. I usually send out my monthly email newsletters the beginning of the month; however, that timeframe was not flowing this month. Now that I am here, writing this in a most auspicious place, I laugh at the intelligence of life which is always present whether we are conscious of it or not. Contrary to our training, life simply asks us to be its partner, to trust and surrender to its flow, to listen and then follow through with action.
So I am participating in a Buddhist retreat at a beautiful temple in Point Richmond called the Dakini Temple where Anam Thubten, a Tibetan Rimpoche teaches. What an honor, privilege and synchronistic that I am writing during the lunch break on meditation, immersed in the energy, potency and environment of a Tibetan Master who teaches on exactly what I was intuitively guided the month previous to write about in this month’s letter. At times I was mistrusting, hearing the voices of habit in the mind, wondering when I am going to have the time to allow the message for the newsletter to flow through me, while simultaneously listening to my intuition that guided me to bring my computer today.
What a testament to intuitive living! This way of listening will lead you and bring you to places and people that will reveal their significance in the moment. Life is actually a dynamic, alive process and unfoldment. We’ve learned and been taught that the linear or rational way of living is the successful way to live and the only way. It’s predictable and lead by planning and strategizing. Intuitive living is founded on trust and surrender; listening and allowing life to unfold and lead, giving you the cues that you then can follow through with action.
In co-creating and collaborating with life the rational mind participates in the experience and is helpful, but not the sole and only leader dominating our experience. Have you ever notice how frustrating the rational or intellectual-only approach is? The rhythm of life doesn’t always align with our ideas or plans. Therefore we become like a fish out of water, flopping around wondering why we are depressed, unhappy, frustrated and struggling with life. We have forgotten to trust and surrender to life knowing our visions, aspirations and deepest heart wishes will flourish if that is our destiny in harmony with life rather than through pushing and making life meet our timing.
The fault is simply with our approach to life. We need to learn how to dance with life rather than stumble over our feet, putting our expectations, demands and timing onto life. We have simply forgotten how to listen, flow and be in harmony with the currents of life. This doesn’t mean you don’t have purpose, intention, desire or direction; rather, all that exists in concert with the flow of life and has its timing, seasons, cycles and rhythms. In remembering
this you re-learn how to partner with life effectively. Meditation helps you learn to dance with grace, power and acceptance rather than feeling tumbled, inundated and overwhelmed by life.
Yes, meditation is challenging and requires discipline and determination to commit to it and follow through with. However, I wholeheartedly encourage you. The benefits and jewels you will discover make the effort well worthwhile. In my experience, meditation is a “pearl beyond price”. It allows us to see and experience the nature of our mind, its habitual ways of thinking and the affect it has on us, others and our environment. This is key, for most suffering we experience in life is self-created and unnecessary. This may sound like a lofty thought and to those whose mind is unexamined it is. Many do not even realize this simple truth. Meditation is like a lamp that shines light in a dark room. Suddenly you can see the mind illuminated. You see clearly how you operate and the affect that has. You realize that all the thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations you attach and give meaning to create your suffering.
As you examine your mind through meditation you discover that these negative effects are simply habits. You begin to see life objectively and see what is actually happening inside yourself. You are not what or who you thought you were. What starts to reveal itself is the space between the thoughts. You realize that you exist beyond thinking, emotions and perceptions. You begin to experience the witness, the one who observes the thoughts you call “you” and “your own”. You come to know that thoughts are not ultimately who you are.
With consistent practice in meditation you realize you are actually not a “self” created by the mind and the experiences of your life. You are a much vaster, indefinable, energetic being; the source from which all thoughts, emotions and bodily sensation exist, arise and dissolve into.
However, if you are attached to your thoughts and believe them to be yourself, then you don’t experience the true nature of reality, or realize that thoughts and all phenomena are impermanent. They are energy and the nature of energy is that it’s constantly changing, existing and passing away like clouds in the sky.
As one meditates, these realizations begin to dawn on you. They give you the certainty and confidence to know who you ultimately are and to master both the ingrained habits of thought and the habit of thinking that the body, thoughts, emotions, situations and circumstances are the self.
Beyond the changing nature of experiences you come into a direct realization of the changeless nature of who you are: awareness/emptiness, luminosity/emptiness, the bliss that is all of creation.
If you would like to begin to meditate, I encourage you to simply observe the breath and or the thoughts and sensations of the body or the emotions. Begin with 10 minutes a day first thing in the morning and before bedtime then notice how as you experience the benefits of the practice it takes on a momentum of it own. Sit upright with feet flat upon the floor with the back straight and away from the chair or cross legged on a cushion on the floor. For further details on how to mediate and practices open to a teacher who is qualified or a book that speaks to you. Follow the flow of life; let it lead you through your intention to the situation and circumstances that will support you in this endeavor.
May you be happy.
Love,
Lisa
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