attention

Seeing the Truth Through Awareness

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When faced with something in your life that you do not like, rather than immediately resisting, take pause and rest assured that whatever is happening is happening for you and not against you. I understand that you may feel that it is wrong and that it should not be happening. However, you may not have taken time to see or feel anything other than your egos dislike for it and immediately rebelled. When we sit in resistance to the present moment, it is impossible to stand in awareness, and without awareness, it is impossible to see the truth.

You may have already experienced this in your life, perhaps many times. Where you resisted an experience, and then one day after the fact, you looked through the eyes awareness and saw the positive effect it had on you. However, at the time, this was not possible because you were too busy battling with what was taking place.

The level of awareness required to see the truth was there all along but not available until you let go of your resistance. Once you did, you fell back into peace again, or a more comfortable space, albeit for some, this is very short-lived, lasting only until the next event.

Pause, find connection and choose peace rather than harm when you feel overwhelmed in the crashing ocean of life. – Cuong Lu

The harm we cause can be towards others or ourselves and levied through thought and deed. Unfortunately, most of the time, this harm is toward ourselves. However, it is always due to a lack of awareness.

If we are aware, we can notice it in the moment, and if not, we may still be fortunate enough to see it after some time passes. However, on too many occasions, it goes unnoticed, which can cause problems for us, either emotionally, physically, or both. Not to mention the consequences it can have on our relationships with others.

The impact on our personal lives can happen immediately, or multiple events can build on each other, leading to a very uncomfortable body, illness, sleep problems, emotional issues, or other disorders. For example, have you ever been upset with someone and gotten a headache or became sick to your stomach? Maybe you think this is no big deal, or you believe that this is just how you are because it has been happening for years. If it happens repeatedly, it could be missed as the underlying cause of your health issue or emotional state since it seems normal to you.

There are many ways to deepen your awareness. Therefore, I will not go to great lengths in this post. However, like a muscle, regular use will make it stronger. A good starting point is to pay closer attention to your thoughts and your actions. Are they unkind at times? Are you easily distracted when you try to pay attention to your thoughts? What does your mind say to you when you try to pay attention? How does your body feel when you are upset or try to pay closer attention to your thoughts? Have you ever noticed? Or is it hard to do anything else but feel your body during these experiences?

Please keep it simple to start with and allow grace to guide you. Do not solely rely on your intellect and knowledge for this guidance because for many, it keeps them stuck in mind. Know that intention gives awareness direction and is the spark. Therefore, make a clear and unbending intention to deepen your awareness, and you cannot fail. Failure is impossible unless you begin to believe what the mind is telling you without awareness. And remember to reach out for support if you need it. That is not a sign of weakness but a higher level of awareness.

Future Prediction

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How to Change the World

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The next time you get frustrated, angry or upset with another person for his or her actions or words, remember that we are all doing the best we can in every moment; this is a fact.

Remembering this fact is not always easy to do because we will react to our thoughts, which are influenced by our conditioning. Past conditioning can cause our response to be inappropriate or disproportionate to what is happening. Our thoughts will tell us that it is the other person’s fault that we feel this way, but in truth, no one’s action or words alone have the power to upset us. We do that all on our own.

Think back to a time when your response to what someone did or said was inappropriate, or you overreacted. Also, notice if your reply was out of character or went against how you see yourself. Noticing this will allow you to see that there is more going on here than just what the other person did. You are witnessing your conditioning in action.

It was your thoughts and perceptions about the person’s words or actions, which evolved from your conditioning that generated your response. These misleading thoughts will make it difficult for you to respond appropriately until you let go of your conditioning.

You cannot think your way into reconnecting with your True-Self, you need to let go of who you have become for this to happen, to do that you have to become aware of your conditioning. How do you become aware of your conditioning? By paying more attention to your thoughts and the actions that arise out of those thoughts.

The next time a loved one, friend or co-worker is treating you in a way that makes you feel irritated, see if you can notice what you are thinking. In the beginning, you may not be able to hear your thoughts or notice your behavior until after the fact; know that this is okay. By paying more attention to your thoughts during or even after the event, you will begin to see your conditioning.

Know that every person who acts poorly towards you is suffering in some way. With this new understanding, release your suffering and conditioning, by being compassionate towards them. Use your personal experience to draw from; can you remember a time when you were angry or rude to someone? Don’t you wish that you had received compassion and love and not their displeasure with your behavior?

Remember the past is only a predictor of the future when we are not paying attention and then taking action from what we learn. Pay attention to your thoughts and actions. Release your conditioning and reconnect with your True-Self, this is our highest calling, because when we change from within the world outside us will also change.

Where is your ATTENTION?

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What do you want in your life?

Is that what you think about during the day?

On the other hand, do you spend all your time thinking about your problems, the problems of the world and the people who anger you?

I can assure you that if you only focus on what you do not want; in fear, worry, frustration, and anger, you will never create what you do want.

The Sooner We Listen – The Less We Suffer

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Any malady in your physical body was a lot longer in coming than it takes to release it. -Abraham

I tell my clients that all the time. In addition, our problems do not happen just because of this or that event, meaning you bent down to pick up something and your back went out. It was not the something you picked up that was the problem; it was only the trigger for something that was already there. Physical problems, emotional issues and other life challenges usually take years of preparation. They percolate in our body and mind until we listen and when we don’t they bubble up to the surface wanting our attention. The sooner we listen, the less we suffer. The more we resist, well you know this already don’t you. You have experienced it before, I know you have because everyone has, just look back at your life. If you can see it, then you can change the experience the next time. Pay attention sooner, or at least as soon as you can and learn from every experience. This is how you stop the behavior. This is how you stop suffering. This is how you live a happier life, because things are always going to bubble up at some point. Would you listen otherwise? You can and this changes everything, I promise.

Short and Sweet #171 – Is there GOOD Pain and BAD Pain

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If you follow my blog then you know that I often talk about how problems are opportunities. Pain is something we all see as a problem and I have learned through my healing journey that it too is an opportunity. However, many people have expressed their difficulty in understanding this truth. Therefore, I want to offer you a bridge between good and bad pain and that bridge is perception.

Some of you are probably asking, what is good pain. Well even without knowing you, I know that you have experienced Continue reading →

Short and Sweet #149 –Chasing The Tail

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Have you ever been surprised when science disproves something that they had already told us was true? When personal objectives are involved not even science always leads to the truth. If science is not always right then why do we blindly follow our own thoughts and beliefs as being one-hundred percent true? We all have personal objectives and some of these are covert coming from our subconscious and the False-Self.

The False-Self is leading us astray and further from our True-Self. Working in a very convert way we are unable to see the truth if we do not pay attention and question our motives. Like a dog chasing its tail we think what we want is just insight but the False-Self has tricked us into thinking that what we want is outside us. We run towards it but just as we get close, it disappears only to pop up again in another form or we grasp it and find it does not hold our happiness. This cycle continues and before we know it years, even decades have gone by and we wonder what happened. How did we end up here, we ask. The truth is we never end up anywhere without our complete involvement. We say, but I never intended to end up here. However, the False-Self has led us all along and we just were not paying attention.

We begin losing sight of the True-Self at birth. This disconnection from the Divine allows the False-Self to gain more control over us and in time, we only see what it wants us to see. In addition, do not confuse your religious conviction with your connection to the Divine. These are not the same, if they were you would not be guided by the False-Self with your strong convictions. Moreover, you would be more conscious of the False-Self. The Church can guide you back to the Divine but it is not a substitute for your own personal experiences with God. This is why it does not matter your religion because it is only a guide and does not reveal your True-Self only you can do that. The False-Self will tell you otherwise and make you think that your beliefs are correct so you continue to chase the proverbial tail.

Remember to question your beliefs, religious dogma and pay attention to your actions because it is only when we are in the present moment that we can fully experience the Divine. It is only when we are in the present moment that the False-Self is at rest and we can finally be our True-Self.

 

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What’s on your mind? I am always open to questions and comments or for a healthy and supportive discussion about these topics.

Short and Sweet #143– Spiritual Superiority Shatters Earthly Inferiority

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When we live life from this truth things become much easier because we know that no matter what is happening in our lives everything will be OK. Now this is not just a lofty ideal or something to aspire to and never attain. It is very real, part of our true nature and can change your life and the world.

Unfortunately, we often get in our own way or we choose the earthly way over the spiritual way. There are many reasons for this, however I believe social conditioning plays a major role for making the earthly choice first. We are conditioned from birth to behave and even believe in certain things. As we grow up, we act from these beliefs without even knowing why or investigating them. Have you ever questioned any of your beliefs or asked yourself why you respond to certain people’s behavior in the way that you do? Do you just say it is their fault or they are stupid, immature or wrong? You may find that your beliefs are not rooted in truth but conditioning. With investigation, you may find that you do not believe them anymore, know where they came from or why you had them in the first place.

Start by paying attention to how you think and act in this life. Then contemplate these feeling, actions and thoughts. Do not point to something or someone outside yourself, look inward. Ask why you took that action or why you are feeling the way you are and notice the thoughts you are having at that moment. Call upon your True-Self to guide you and not acting from the False-Self or allow your unconscious beliefs to guide your every move.

Remember the title, spiritual superiority shatters earthly inferiority. This is important and goes to the foundation of all our problems. When we lose touch with who we really are and only live our lives for our earthly identity, we live through our flaws and conditioning. However, when we can connect with the True-Self and stay in touch with this higher guidance we will feel safe and secure knowing that all will be well no matter what happens.

We can all look back on our lives and see that we have survived everything that has happened to us to this point. We even survived those times and events when we thought we would not. In addition, something even more powerful happened going through those events when we were open to the teaching of the Divine, we came out the other side a better person, a stronger person and a more spiritual person. So do not fear what you cannot control, embrace it. Know that you will be OK and be open to whatever lesson comes with the experience because you will be better for it.

 

**If you like this post please help me by sharing it. Have it delivered to your inbox by signing up for an email subscription on your right.

What’s on your mind? I am always open to questions and comments or for a healthy and supportive discussion about these topics.