Saturday, March 31, 2018

Forty-Six

"The Tao gives birth to One.
One gives birth to yin and yang.
Yin and yang give birth to all things.
Now forget this.

The complete whole is the complete whole.
So also is any part of the complete whole.
Forget this, too.

Pain and happiness are simply conditions of the ego.
Forget the ego.

Time and space are changing and dissolving, not fixed
and real.
They can be thought of as accessories, but don't think
of them.

Supernatural beings without form extend their life
force throughout the universe to support beings
both formed and unformed.
But never mind this; the supernatural is just a part of
nature, like the natural.
The subtle truth emphasizes neither and includes
both.

All truth is in tai chi: to cultivate the mind, body, or
spirit, simply balance the polarities.
If people understood this, world peace and universal
harmony would naturally arise.

But forget about understanding and harmonizing and
making all things one.
The universe is already a harmonious oneness; just
realize it.

If you scramble about in search of inner peace, you
will lose your inner peace."

I am learning the reality and the importance of my own stillness. In all my other waiting, I never mastered the art of such stillness. Silence yes, but I strained so hard to listen for that for which I waited, that I was never truly still. Now, if I allow my actions to arise authentically out of stillness, I can be more confident that they are right. Less panic and worry means more clarity, peace, and joy. 

Forty-Five

"If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall
into place.
That is true because the mind is the governing aspect
of a human life.
If the river flows clearly and cleanly through the
proper channel, all will be well along its banks.

The Integral Way depends on decreasing, not
increasing:
To correct your mind, rely on not-doing.
Stop thinking and clinging to complications;
keep your mind detached and whole.
Eliminate mental muddiness and obscurity;
keep your mind crystal clear.
Avoid daydreaming and allow your pure original
insight to emerge.
Quiet your emotions and abide in serenity.
Don't go crazy with the worship of idols, images, and
ideas; this is like putting a new head on top of the
head you already have.

Remember: if you can cease all restless activity, your
integral nature will appear."

As quiet as my life is right now, I still find it hard to focus. The feeling that I "should" be doing something at all times is so strong as to be, at times, devastating. What I am learning is that it's as important to rest before a big task as after, beyond what just "a good night's sleep" can provide. Body rest, yes--soul rest, even better. Heart rest--will it ever be possible again,  now? 

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Forty-Four

"This is the nature of the unenlightened mind:
The sense organs, which are limited in scope and
ability, randomly gather information.
This partial information is arranged into judgements,
which are based on previous judgements,
which are usually based on someone else's foolish
ideas.
These false concepts and ideas are then stored in a
highly selective memory system.

Distortion upon distortion: the mental energy flows
constantly through contorted and inappropriate
channels, and the more one uses the mind, the more
confused one becomes.

To eliminate the vexation of the mind, it doesn't help
to do something; this only reinforces the mind's
mechanics.
Dissolving the mind is instead a matter of not-doing:
Simply avoid becoming attached to what you see and
think.
Relinquish the notion that you are separated from the
all-knowing mind of the universe.
Then you can recover your original pure insight and
see through all illusions.
Knowing nothing, you will be aware of everything.

Remember: because clarity and enlightenment are
within your own nature, they are regained without
moving an inch."

I guess I don't have to do anything in particular to be who I am. Sometimes, I suppose, it's enough that I am here and just trying to listen. I will learn what I am meant to, and do with it what I must. 

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Forty-Three

"In ancient times, people lived holistic lives.
They didn't overemphasize the intellect, but
integrated mind, body, and spirit in all things.
This allowed them to become masters of knowledge
rather than victims of concepts.
If a new invention appeared, they looked for the
troubles it might cause as well as the shortcuts it
offered.
They valued old ways that had been proven effective,
and they valid new ways if they could be proven
effective.

If you want to stop being confused, then emulate these
ancient folk: join your body, mind, and spirit in all
you do.
Choose food, clothing, and shelter that accords with
nature.
Rely on your own body for transportation.
Allow your work and your recreation to be one and the
same.
Do exercise that develops your whole being and not
just your body.
Listen to music that bridges the three spheres of your
being.
Choose leaders for their virtue rather than their wealth
or power.
Serve others and cultivate yourself simultaneously.

Understand that true growth comes from meeting and
solving the problems of life in a way that is
harmonizing to yourself and to others.

If you can follow these simple old ways, you will be
continually renewed."

I understand now that my purpose in starting and continuing this blog has been to focus and simplify my life. This has led me to a moment where I feel few things are difficult, or have to be, at least for long. I have found some internal and external tools for making my way through life with greater ease, more awareness, and less pain. As I feel burdens lift, I am freer to create and enjoy. 

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Forty-Two

"Nothing in the realm of thought or ideologies is
absolute.
Lean on one for long, and it collapses.
Because of this, there is nothing more futile and
frustrating than relying on the mind.

To arrive at the unshakeable, you must befriend the
Tao.
To do this, quiet your thinking.
Stop analyzing, dividing, making distinctions between
one thing and another.
Simply see that you are at the center of the universe,
and accept all things and beings as parts of your
infinite body.

When you perceive that an act done to another is done
to yourself, you have understood the great truth."

Isn't it wonderful to think we are not bound by narrow, shallow, or hateful ways of thinking? That we can overcome such thoughts just by looking honestly within? It's incredible to me that I don't have to stay hurt, sad, angry, broken, or afraid; no matter how long it takes me to acknowledge those feelings, there is always the potential for change and improvement. 

Monday, March 26, 2018

Forty-One

"Good and bad, self and others, life and death:
Why affirm these concepts? Why deny them?
To do either is to exercise the mind, and the integral
being knows that the manipulations of the mind are
dreams, delusions, and shadows.

Hold one idea, and another competes with it.
Soon the two will be in conflict with a third, and in
time your life is all chatter and contradiction.

Seek instead to keep your mind undivided.
Dissolve all ideas into the Tao."

All I have been wanting to do for most of my life is quiet the chatter, see through the bullshit, get to the heart of what's really essential and true for our time together. I pick a path not knowing if it's the right one; only when I look back do I understand that it couldn't have been any other way. I know know that I can only learn as I go to pick better, so my path will become more clear as I forge ahead.

I have also tried to live my life along this path so that nothing gets left behind. Even when I seem to let go, I carry the experience with me so that I can remember and grow from it. 

Forty

"The natural laws of the universe are inviolable.
Energy condenses into substance.
Food is eaten through the mouth and not the nose.
A person who neglects to breathe will turn blue and
die.
Some things simply can't be dismissed.

It is also a part of the cosmic law that what you say
and do determines what happens in your life.
The ordinary person thinks that this law is external to
himself and he feels confined and controlled by it.
So his desires trouble his mind, his mind troubles his
spirit, and he lives in constant turmoil with himself
and the world.
His whole life is spent struggling.

The superior person recognizes that he and the subtle
law are one.
Therefore he cultivates himself to accord with it,
bringing moderation to his actions and clarity to his
mind.
Doing this, he finds himself at one with all that is
divine and enlightened.
His days are passed drinking in serenity and breathing
out contentment.

This is the profound, simple truth:
You are the master of your life and death.
What you do is what you are."

Wherever else my courage in life has failed me, I have always acted on the courage to evolve. I face change and welcome it. Sometimes, I even encourage it--when it needs encouragement from me. To me change means not only growth and learning, but also greater potential for joy. 

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Thirty-Nine

"If you go searching for the Great Creator, you will
come back empty-handed.
The source of the universe is ultimately unknowable, a
great invisible river flowing forever through a vast
and fertile valley.
Silent and uncreated, it creates all things.

All things are brought forth from the subtle realm into
the manifest world by the mystical intercourse of
yin and yang.
The dynamic river yang pushes forward, the still valley
yin is receptive, and through their integration
things come into existence.
This is known as the Great Tai Chi.

Tai chi is the integral truth of the universe.
Everything is a tai chi: your body, the cosmic body,
form, appearance, wisdom, energy, the unions of
people, the dispersal of time and places.
Each brings itself into existence through the
integration of yin and yang, maintains itself, and
disperses itself without the direction of any creator.
Your creation, your self-transformation, the
accumulation of energy and wisdom, the decline
and cessation of your body: all these take place by
themselves within the subtle operation of the
universe.

Therefore agitated effort is not necessary.
Just be aware of the Great Tai Chi."

I put a lot of effort into everything I do, most recently into striking that balance between strong effort and a relaxed approach. The latter did not exist for me for a long time. I still struggle with the whole notion of it, and tend to hope that my previous efforts have laid the groundwork for a calmer future. I am in a time of seeing some evidence of this, just in the way I have slowed down since the end of last year. I am grateful for my staying power, and for enough work to sustain and grow my life in new directions. 

Friday, March 23, 2018

Thirty-Eight

"Why scurry about looking for the truth?
It vibrates in every thing and every not-thing, right off
the tip of your nose.
Can you be still and see it in the mountain? the pine
tree? yourself?

Don't imagine that you'll discover it by accumulating
more knowledge.
Knowledge creates doubt, and doubt makes you
ravenous for more knowledge.
You can't get full eating this way.
The wise person dines on something more subtle.
He eats the understanding that the named was born
from the unnamed, that all being flows from non-
being, that the describable world emanates from an
indescribable source.
He finds this subtle truth inside his own self, and
becomes completely content.

So who can be still and watch the chess game of the
world?
The foolish are always making impulsive moves, but
the wise know that victory and defeat are decided by
something more subtle.
They see that something perfect exists before any move
is made.

This subtle perfection deteriorates when artificial
actions are taken, so be content not to disturb the
peace.
Remain quiet.
Discover the harmony in your own being.
Embrace it.

If you can do this, you will gain everything, and the
world will become healthy again.
If you can't, you will be lost in the shadows forever."

I had a good day today, but there were lots of mistakes in it, too. I find most of my mistakes occur when my self-doubt finally becomes too much to bear in a given moment. I'm still learning to ask for support, and find I'm pretty good at "listening out" once the mistake has occurred and I can't fill my own head with second-guesses anymore. I still have a long way to go in terms of tuning in to the fact that I have the resources I need to do all the right things and prevent mistakes when needed.


Thirty-Seven

"A superior person cares for the well-being of all
things.
She does this by accepting responsibility for the energy
she manifests, both actively and in the subtle realm.
Looking at a tree, she sees not an isolated event but
root, leaves, trunk, water, soil and sun: each event
related to the others, and "tree" arising out of their
relatedness.
Looking at herself or another, she sees the same thing.

Trees and animals, humans and insects, flowers and
birds:
These are active images of the subtle energies that flow
from the stars throughout the universe. Meeting
and combining with each other and the elements of
the earth, they give rise to all living things.

The superior person understands this, and understands
that her own energies play a part in it.
Understanding these things, she respects the earth as
her mother, the heavens as her father, and all living
things as her brothers and sisters.

Caring for them, she knows that she cares for herself.
Giving to them, she knows that she gives to herself.
At peace with them, she is always at peace with herself."

While I recognize my individuality, I understand that it's wrong to separate myself from others. In whatever differences exist there is usually some parallel that can be drawn to deepen recognition, understanding and, eventually, community. While we are all more than the sums of our parts, each part of ourselves does contribute something integral. Without them all, we wouldn't be who we are, or grow the way we were meant to. 

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Thirty-Six

"It is entirely possible for you to achieve immortality,
and to experience ab solute joy and freedom forever.
This practice of undiscriminating virtue is the means
to this end.

Practicing kindness and selflessness, you naturally
align your life with the Integral Way.
Aligning your life with the Integral Way, you begin to
eliminate the illusory boundaries between people
and societies, between darkness and light, between
life and death.
Eliminating these illusions, you gain the company of
the highest spiritual beings.
In their company, you are protected from negative
influences and your life energy cannot be dissolved.
Thus do you achieve immortality.

Remember: it is not that those who cultivate
wholeness and virtue in themselves do not encounter
difficulties in life.
It is that they understand that difficulties are the very
road to immortality: by meeting them calmly and
openly, however they unfold, and joyfully
developing themselves in response to them, they
become as natural, as complete, and as eternal as the
Tao itself."

I sometimes like to think that my difficulties are a proving ground, with a purpose for refining and focusing me as I move forward in life. With this mentality sometimes all I feel I move onto are more difficulties, but slowly I find this coming into balance with more peaceful, joyful things. I'm grateful.


Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Thirty-Five

"Intellectual knowledge exists in and of the brain.
Because the brain is part of the body, which must one
day expire, this collection of facts, however large
and impressive, will expire as well.

Insight, however, is a function of the spirit.
Because your spirit follows you through cycle after
cycle of life, death, and rebirth, you have the
opportunity of cultivating insight in an ongoing
fashion.
Refined over time, insight becomes pure, constant,
and unwavering.

This is the beginning of immortality."

I am grateful for my increased and continued focus on spirituality as I grow in life. If I can back up the knowledge I have with the wisdom I live, I will have done right. 

Monday, March 19, 2018

Thirty-Four

"All things in the universe move from the subtle to the
manifest and back again.
Whether the form is that of a star or a person, the
process is the same.
First, the subtle energy exists.
Next, it becomes manifest and takes on life.
After a time, the life passes away, but the subtle
energy goes on, either returning to the subtle
realm, where it remains, or once again attaching to
manifest things.

The character of your existence is determined by the
energies to which you connect yourself.
If you attach yourself to gross energies--loving this
person, hating that clan, rejecting one experience or
habitually indulging in another--then you will lead
a series of heavy, attached lives.
This can go on for a very long and tedious time.

The way of the integral being is to join with higher
things.
By holding to that which is refined and subtle, she
traverses refined and sub the realms.
If she enters the world, she does so lightly, without
attachment.
In this way she can go anywhere without ever leaving
the center of the universe."

The longer I blog like this, about this, whatever this is, the less I fear death. Perhaps death is, after all, just another change--more like a final chapter than an absolute end. 

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Thirty-Three

"Just as the world can reveal itself as particles, the Tao
can reveal itself a human beings.
Though the world and particles aren't the same, neither
are they different.
Though the cosmic body and your body aren't the
same, neither are they different.

Worlds and particles, bodies and beings, time and
space:
All are transient expressions of the Tao.
Unseeable, ungraspable, the Tao is beyond any
attempt to analyze or categorize it.
At the same time, its truth is everywhere you turn.
If you can let go of it with your mind and surround it
with your heart, it will live inside you forever."

With all this talk about particles, it's hard for me to take anything seriously just now. Between this and the language of the verse I chose for today (I of course don't have to use the Catholic translations, but I prefer to in general) this post must be a disappointment. Fortunately, it, like most everything else, is transient. Onward to better things! 

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Thirty-Two

"The ego says that the world is vast, and that the
particles which form it are tiny.
When tiny particles join, it says, the vast world
appears.
When the vast world disperses, it says, tiny particles
appear.

The ego is entranced by all these names and ideas, but
the subtle truth is that the world and particle are the
same; neither one vast, neither one tiny.
Every thing is equal to every other thing.
Names and concepts only block your perception of the
Great Oneness.
Therefore it is wise to ignore them.
Those who live inside their egos are continually
bewildered: they struggle
frantically to know
whether things are large or small,
whether or not there is a purpose
to joining or dispersing,
whether the universe is blind and mechanical or the
divine creation of a conscious being.

In reality there are no grounds for having beliefs or
making comments about such things.
Look behind them instead, and you will discern the
deep, silent, complete truth of the Tao.
Embrace it, and your bewilderment vanishes."

I used to concern myself extensively with the purpose of my life and my place in the world. I now understand that both of these, along with almost everything else, can change and evolve over time. It's so refreshing to my spirit that my identity is not fixed. I may have a certain amount of privilege in saying this, but I am no stranger to the fight against other people's fixed perceptions of my identity. All of it has made me more flexible, more determined, and more aware.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Thirty-One

"The Tao doesn't come and go.
It is always present everywhere, just like the sky.
If your mind is clouded, you won't see it, but that
doesn't mean it isn't there.

All misery is created by the activity of the mind.
Can you let go of words and ideas, attitudes and
expectations?
If so, then the Tao will loom into view.
Can you be still and look inside?
If so, then you will see that the truth is always
available, always responsive."

It's a fairly new idea for me that as I respond to the truth, so it responds to me. I suppose this is similar to what people say about God searching for us even as we are searching for Him. As much as I like to think of and imagine and try to relate to God, I also just think there's value in measuring my growth in relationship to, understanding and experience of ideas. I believe He is a god who supports and enhances our reason, and has given us all the tools we need to use it to greatest effect.


Thursday, March 15, 2018

Thirty

"Words can never convey the beauty of a tree;
to understand it, you must see it with your own
eyes.
Language cannot capture the melody of a song;
to understand it, you must hear it with your own
ears.
So it is with the Tao: the only way to understand it is
to directly experience it.

The subtle truth of the universe is unsayable and
unthinkable.
Therefore the highest teachings are wordless.
My own words are not the medicine, but a
prescription; not the destination, but a map to help
you reach it.
When you get there, quiet your mind and close your
mouth.
Don't analyze the Tao.
Strive instead to live it: silently, undecidedly, with
your whole harmonious being."

Who decides what is the most relevant and valid way to experience something? Is it not equally clear and beautiful to hear the rustling of leaves in the wind, if one cannot see the tree? Is it not equally clear and beautiful to feel the vibrations of the music, if one cannot hear the notes? With whatever senses, capacities, and insights we possess, our lives can be whole and complete. To believe otherwise would seem to disrupt the flow of life itself. 

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Twenty-Nine

"Don't think you can attain total awareness and whole
enlightenment without proper discipline and
practice.
This is egomania.
Appropriate rituals channel your emotions and life
energy toward the light.
Without the discipline to practice them, you will 
tumble constantly backward into darkness.

Here is the great secret:
Just as high awareness of the subtle truth is gained
through virtuous conduct and sustaining
disciplines, so also is it maintained through these
things.
Highly evolved beings know and respect the truth of
this."

My husband and I get in fights about daily routine. He likes it; I don't. At a time when I'm struggling to keep my commitment to this blog, I wonder if this is a character flaw on my part. I like to feel and follow the unique energy, impulses and moments of each day, so I don't get bored or overwhelmed. The truth is that while I'm not easily bored in general, I do hate the restrictions I feel from routine. At a time of life changes, I'd like to use more creativity to make one that enhances our freedom, so I can feel more joy in each day. 

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Twenty-Eight

"It is tempting to view the vast and luminous heavens
as the body of the Tao.
That would be a mistake, however.
If you identify the Tao with a particular shape, you
won't ever see it."

At this point I think it's healthy and refreshing to realize that there are some mysteries which elude even the most nuanced minds.

Monday, March 12, 2018

Twenty-Seven

"Do not imagine that an integral being has the
ambition of enlightening the unaware or raising
worldly people to the divine realm.
To her, there is no self and other, and hence no one to
be raised; no heaven and hell, and hence no
destination.
Therefore her only concern is her own sincerity."

I think the trick is to be concerned without being self-conscious, and to be self-aware without self-aggrandizement. I am grateful for the new challenges that show me there is always more work to be done toward a better, stronger personhood. 

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Twenty-Six

"There are two kinds of blessings.
The first are worldly blessings, which are won by
doing good deeds.
These concern the mind, and this are confined by time
and space.
The second is the integral blessing, which falls on
those who achieve awareness of the Great Oneness.
This awareness liberates you from the bondage of
mind, time, and space to fly freely through the
boundless harmony of the Tao.

Similarly, there are two kinds of wisdom.
The first is worldly wisdom, which is a conceptual
understanding of your experiences.
Because it follows after the events themselves, it
necessarily inhibits your direct understanding of
truth.
The second kind, integral wisdom, involves a direct
participation in every moment: the observer and the
observed are dissolved in the light of pure
awareness, and no mental concepts or attitudes are
present to dim that light.

The blessings and wisdom that accrue to those who
practice the Integral Way and lead others to it are a
billion times greater than all worldly blessings and
wisdom combined."

Nothing and no one can take the true blessings of our lives away from us. I feel a responsibility to grow my blessings like never before.

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Twenty-Five

"Not all spiritual paths lead to the Harmonious
Oneness.
Indeed, most are detours and distractions, nothing
more.
Why not trust the plainness and simplicity of the
Integral Way?
Living with unconditional sincerity,
eradicating all duality,
celebrating the equality of things,
your every moment will be in truth."

I am always excited to discover and develop the ideas that light my way in life. How many of them have made my life outwardly fruitful until now is hard to know at this moment. I am grateful for the chance to keep exploring, if only to discover more of what lies inside me. 

Friday, March 9, 2018

Twenty-Four

"Subtle awareness of the truth of the universe should
not be regarded as an achievement.
To think in terms of achieving it is to place it outside
your own nature.
This is erroneous and misleading.

Your nature and the integral nature of the universe are
one and the same: indescribable, but eternally
present.
Simply open yourself to this."

I spent the first half so focused on achievements. While I remain proud of what I have accomplished during, and even since, that time, it is not those measurable outcomes that have brought me the most joy.

Tonight online I read a purported Buddhist proverb that says, "'Enough' is a feast." If I have 'enough' for the rest of my life I will be happy.  

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Twenty-Three

"The highest truth cannot be put into words.
Therefore the greatest teacher has nothing to say.
He simply gives himself in service, and never worries."

This is part of why I try so hard to quiet my mind. I want to learn how not to worry, but I agree that often worrying can be constructive. If I bring from my heart a deep and genuine concern, that could become a prayer or plan of action instead of worry. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, could I bring my talents to bear so the worrying becomes skilled? Maybe that's what I'm doing here. In any case, I'm sure it's not enough. It never is.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Twenty-Two

"How can the divine Oneness be seen?
In beautiful forms, breathtaking wonders, awe-
inspiring miracles?
The Tao is not obliged to present itself this way.

It is always present and always available.
When speech is exhausted and mind dissolved, it
presents itself.
When clarity and purity are cultivated, it reveals
itself.
When sincerity is unconditional, it unveils itself.

If you are willing to be lived by it, you will see it
everywhere, even in the most ordinary things."

I would consider it the greatest compliment if someone said of me, "Kari found the ordinary extraordinary...and by her presence, made it so." What I am learning in the meantime is that an ordinary life is not, at all. That very fact is exhilarating, and I just hope I can keep up!

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Twenty-One

"Each moment is fragile and fleeting.
The moment of the past cannot be kept, however
beautiful.
The moment of the present cannot be held, however
enjoyable.
The moment of the future cannot be caught, however
desirable.

But the mind is desperate to fix the river in place:
Possessed by ideas of the past, preoccupied with
images of the future, it overlooks the plain truth of
the moment.

The one who can dissolve her mind will suddenly
discover the Tao at her feet, and clarity at hand."

Having been blessed (possessed?) with a good memory, I sometimes wonder what purpose the memories serve. Now I think I choose to let mine anchor me in the reality of my everyday life. What I remember helps me integrate my experience, see the bigger picture, and work toward the purpose I discern. Even the painful memories serve this, which is difficult, but I am grateful. 

Monday, March 5, 2018

Twenty

"The clairvoyant may see forms which are elsewhere,
but he cannot see the formless.
The telepathic may communicate directly with the
mind of another, but he cannot communicate with
one who has achieved no-mind.
The telekinetic may move an object without touching
it, but he cannot move the intangible.

Such abilities have meaning only in the realm of
duality.
Therefore, they are meaningless.

Within the Great Oneness, though there is no such
thing as clairvoyance, telepathy, or telekinesis,
all things are seen, all things understood,
all things forever in their proper places."

The relative humility of my current circumstances is showing me what a solid foundation I have. I am grateful to be able to find joy and strength in simple tasks, plans, and movements. 

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Nineteen

"To the ordinary person, the body of humanity seems
vast.
In truth, it is neither bigger nor smaller than anything
else.
To the ordinary person, there are others whose
awareness needs raising.
In truth, there is no self, and no other.
To the ordinary person, the temple is sacred and the
field is not.
This, too, is a dualism which runs counter to
truth.

Those who are highly evolved maintain an
undiscriminating perception.
Seeing everything, labeling nothing, they maintain
their awareness of the Great Oneness.
Thus they are supported by it."

Sometimes I wear myself out trying to get to the truth. I don't allow myself to be supported enough.  I struggle to know that the support is there, even as I try so hard to be support. 

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Eighteen

"There is no one method for attaining realization of the
Tao.
To regard any method as the method is to create a
duality, which can only delay your understanding of
the subtle truth.
The mature person perceives the fruitlessness of rigid,
external methodologies;
Remembering this, he keeps his attitude unstructured
at all times and thus is always free to pursue the
Integral Way.

He studies the teachings of the masters.
He dissolves all concepts of duality.
He pours himself out in service to others.
He performs his inner cleansing and does not disturb
his teacher with unnecessary entanglements, thus
preserving the subtle spiritual connection with the
teacher's divine energy.

Gently eliminating all obstacles to his own
understanding, he constantly maintains his
unconditional sincerity.
His humility, perseverance, and adaptability evoke the
response of the universe and fill him with divine
light."

There are many ways to do any specific thing. Perhaps this is the essence of "doing one thing and doing it well."

On the other hand, I find that a similar approach works for many different tasks.

This is why I study. 

Friday, March 2, 2018

Seventeen

"Do not go about worshipping deities and religious
institutions as the source of the subtle truth.
To do so is to place intermediaries between yourself
and the divine, and to make of yourself a beggar
who looks outside for a treasure that is hidden
inside his own breast.

If you want to worship the Tao, first discover it in your
own heart.
Then your worship will be meaningful."

What I've called my intuitive journey for the year is really just my quest to discover the fullness of who God created me to be.

It's hard for me to imagine being fundamentally wrong in my self-concept, but I suppose such wrongness is not impossible when I have struggled so with my self-worth. I wear myself out looking for grace; here is my opportunity to create it.

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Sixteen

"Most of the world's religions serve only to strengthen
attachments to false concepts such as self and other,
life and death, heaven and earth, and so on. 
Those who become entangled in these false ideas are
prevented from perceiving the Integral Oneness.

The highest virtue one can exercise is to accept the
responsibility of discovering and transmitting the
whole truth.
Some help others in order to receive blessings and
admiration.
This is simply meaningless.
Some cultivate themselves in part to serve others, in
part to serve their own pride.
They will understand, at best, half of the truth.
But those who improve themselves for the sake of the
world--to these, the whole truth of the universe
will be revealed.

So seek this whole truth, practice it in your daily life,
and humbly share it with others.
You will enter the realm of the divine."

An old friend of mine once became very angry with me during a discussion on the spiritual nature of human beings. I kept saying we had the potential to seek and find transcendence. "But human beings are limited!" he insisted. "We can't just transcend everything all the time."

I don't remember specifically what I said in response. But I knew then, as I believe I'm actualizing now, that we have a unique awareness of our limitations and can learn ways to cope with them, change them, and, barring that, maintain some kind of healthy and helpful perspective. Whatever our awareness, acceptance, or commitment level, we are all capable of more than we think, and each of us is capable of more than anyone else knows.