10 Life-changing revelations

This moment invites a new level of reflection.  During meditation, certain ah-ha moments arise within.  Ponder the implications of these 10 life-changing revelations;

1. Remembering who you are

Self-realisation is reaching that place where you know you are not your body, not the mind, not your emotions, not that which changes with time.  You are the Soul.  If you take away what you are aware of, you are still aware this is not there. Take away awareness and the light goes out.

2. Growing aware of the power of the psyche

The moment the psyche drops into the body is not necessarily as the result of traumatic events in childhood. This moment is so powerful, that it pulls our consciousness fully and instantaneously into the limiting experience. We forget who we are (infinite) because we are busy paying attention to the object of who we are instead of the source of consciousness.  The more intense the emotions, the more powerful an experience feels, the more distracting it is. When we drop into the body, consciousness is immediately distracted by senses, sounds.  Discomfort arises due to an imagined loss of self. However some beings do not drop into the body completely. They struggle with grounding in this world, staying linked to Source.

3. Creating the self concept

We define a world inside ourselves that supports our self concept. Our identity does not develop, but we create it to soften the blow, to distract ourselves from pain of perceived loss of Self.  We each pull the self concept around ourselves, like wool over the eyes, embellish it with the idea that it protects us from deeper pain.  Discomfort prompts each of us to grasp hold of labels and things to define us and enable us to feel more at ease with ideas of who we are in the environment we are living in. The lost Self attempts to redefine itself.  

4.   Changing self -definitions

Throughout our lives, we latch onto experiences to define us.  Ego is this masquerading self we pull over our consciousness.  We reflect on our curriculum vitae or accomplishments for instance, or label ourselves based on a series of changing relationships (i.e. friend, single, married, divorced, parent, widowed, etc).  We define ourselves by changing conditions and relationships to orient ourselves in an ever-changing reality that only exists in the mind.

5.  Feeling driven by fear 

Regardless of what we think we achieve, the false self is driven by fear of rejection, fear of being found out, fear of our self-created 'safe' realities falling apart. Deep down, we do not want life to pass us by and yet, any fear that arises within is pointing to the original fear of loss of Self that happened when we took a body. We subconsciously tell ourselves that as long as we can control things the way we define them, we can feel safer and supported.  Core panic unrecoginzed echoes attention is hijacked elsewhere than who we are.    

6. Distinguishing between core and facade

When someone dies or leaves our lives, grief often arises.  The majority of people are only ever dealing with emotion they feel related to the external world.  The real grief emerging is that which you feel about the illusion of separation you feel toward source consciousness, that which is never really lost, only forgotten.  As long as the predictable aspects of our realities continue, its like we have body guards and we feel secure, powerful, confident.  Our masks exist to protect us from the Truth of who we are.

7. Awakening to spirituality

Awakening to spirituality is about dealing with core Self rather than hiding from it.  We are no longer duped by or lost in the masquerade.   This is about working through the hurdles we create to get through the imagined fear, to deal with the fear of loss of who we are, so it ceases to occur.  It is about recognizing the game we buy into, recognizing the likes and dislikes we hold dear, the unconscious judgements we make about everything that attempt to control predictable outcomes.  On some level, when we feel insecure, we put loads of attention and effort into initatives to feel loved and accepted.  If we are living life to hide from Self, we never get anywhere.  Notice whenever something inside is not okay, that it attempts to feel okay by manipulating and exerting control over the external world. Growing aware that attempts to control are not working is the stepping stone to realizing what you are trying to hide from and compensate for.

8.  Finding True Being

We only ever truly emerge into this world when we stop being motivated by fear and are instead inspired by Love and compassion.  When our power and conditions arise from unconditional love (as opposed to conditional states like changing weather, finances, economy, rejection, ect), we are powerful beyond measure.

9. Recognizing everything is shiftable

Feelings are is shiftable. This has nothing to do with the external world. Stop looking outside to define yourself.  Instead, look inward to work with yourself.  Stop keeping yourself entertained, distracted so you think you are okay.  Work consciously with the part of you that is bothered by external changes.

10. Being okay with reality

This is not the false reality you have created and perpetuated much of our lives.  This is not about forcing conditions and people to be or do what we want.  This is about being okay with whatever is unfolding, working with it, accepting that it is for the best even if we do not yet grasp the bigger picture.  We do not access our magic if we do not surrender our desire to control and see the blessings in everything. Decide to notice what is bothering us in this moment.  Choose to relax amidst the discomfort.  Disengage. Stop complaining or resisting or taking things personally. Stop allowing external unfoldings to disturb us. Allow the distrubance to pass through.  Discomfort pass through as we leave it alone.  We let go of te parts of the world we were using to define us. We honour and respect the flow of everything. Consider 12 ways to reframe fear and failure and 5 Tips to own it.

Release the thoughts

Everything you think helps or hinders innate ability to see things as they are.  Thoughts arise on four levels relating to ; a) the body, b) the mind, c) the soul and, d) the invisible realm.  Watch what happens as you realize that thoughts are impermanent and release them.  Holding on to them keeps you from seeing clearly.  Notice what it feels like to be at peace with and without thoughts.

1) Open the heart to all that can be known. Be receptive. Be aware that you are the only thing that stands in your way. Let go of doubt, fear and all that blocks panoramic views.

2) Practice discernment. As you cease mistaking the mind for Self, pain, pleasure, and suffering no longer exert a hold over you.  Accept it allwith grace. Joy is ever-present.

3) Notice when you confuse the Seer for the seen. To identify with the external is to judge, be drawn into emotion, illusions of ownership and power. This confuses a road map with the road.  Attain mastery of the senses.  Allow being true to self as if its the first time.

4) Look with the inner eyes. Perceive all the conditioned mind misses. Lose your fascination with the body. Be open to the Spirit within. Know the mind and physical world arise only because you dream them up. Be aware of how it feels to penetrate deeper into the essence of being.

5) Identify with your True Self. This is infinite, knows no boundaries, observes where thoughts take form and sees through the games the mind plays.   True Self is grounded in peace and is unaffected by external events.

Re-align where you are

Some people believe themselves to experience one struggle after another in their search for happiness.  Notice that true happiness is not found in things that change, dissolve or, fade away. Pleasure and pain are polarities that balance out.  Realize contentment only comes from the self.  Rediscover who you are.  What matters emerges to tell you it never leaves you.  Transform your life through perception.

Grasp the scope of suffering

To connect more deeply with people, common Humanity, and to better understand thyself, it's useful to deepen understanding of the scope of suffering.  What types of suffering do you notice or overlook? How do you react? With emotion? Indifference? Compassion? Now what?

1) Mental & physical pain: This includes everything from the stubbed toe and toothache, back pain and arthritis, to discomfort and restlessness.  If you overindulge in something, like food, or exercise, you may know physical pain. Most people seek to medicate, to heal if possible, and to move beyond pain psychologically and otherwise. You may not know that believing in or dwelling on pain gives it life. What if pain is actually illusion that you devise, bring on or exaggerate? Notice what you observe, the story you tell. Do people magnify their sense of suffering to cling to the past or something else unreal? What about yourself?

2) Financial pain: You may find it easier to empathize with someone who experiences poverty than with someone living in apparent prosperity. Yet, suffering is a perception, state of mind, that can be linked to every condition. Why distinguish someone as being better off than another? Is this not a way to perpetuate illusion of separation and suffer yourself?

3) Emotional pain. Temporary pleasures have an underlying nature of pain or loss.  As you grasp nature of overuse and impermanence in anything you experience, you can gain insight into the power of resistence, temptation and the potential difficulty of adapting to what you have when it differs from what you desire. Dissatisfaction is a feeling you may find yourself grappling with on some level.  Notice when emotions control you and you, them.

4) Conditioned pain. People are constantly being influenced by cause, conditions, and events beyond their control. This kind of cycle can create a sense of suffering. You may become susceptible to undesirable experiences which alienate you and convince you that you must feel discomfort. You may also sense helplessness because you're unable to control the actions and reactions of other people.  Rather than take steps to control the uncontrollable, be open to gain insight into yourself.  Expand your awareness of suffering.

Consider the benefits of moving beyond a superficial understanding of suffering. Your sense of peace and contentment would not falter. As you interact with people then, you could imagine painful situations, and yet, not be controlled by them.  Instead, you remain grounded in  inner nature.   As you grasp meaning behind your actions, you'll effectively remove yourself from conditioning and expand how you see and connect with people.

Accept that suffering includes more than what you think you know.  As you expand your vision, you'll understand better suffering means more than what one has or has not.  Deficiency is a human invention.  Perception differs. We have much to unlearn.

"Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinion at all." -George Lichtenberg