Self Love On Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is synonymous with love and romance in many parts of the world. It is customary to give gifts, plan outings, and focus on the person or persons you feel most affectionate about. Is there perhaps a deeper love or meaning that can be seen or felt?

Love is a tricky topic to discuss depending on the context. In a basic sense we can say that love is the uniting of two separate beings, a coming together. If they are truly separate how could they then come together? What would make that possible if it even is?

There is another way of seeing this that is more aligned with our actual experience and can be felt into even in the absence of a traditional significant other. To start, let’s ask and answer the following question:

What is shared between all people, regardless of their sex, gender, race, species, character, history, preferences, and so on?

We all share one Being. Our essential nature is whole and complete and universal. Conventional love can be understood as the temporary falling away of the veiling of our true nature and thus a simple recognition of our own Self in the other. This can be confused with various experiences such as attraction, appreciation, and attachment. If we are aware of the difference we can practice seeing our Self in everyone we cross paths with.

I’ll speak a bit from my own experience to assist in elucidating the concept.

Typically, we see our projection of a person as the most prominent layer, then their actions and words. Usually, the aware being is hidden underneath all of these mentations and perceptions. However, if we suspend the projection and look deeply into our experience of the other we may be struck with an incredible insight: the same aware-being that I am is looking out of the others eyes as well!

This isn’t seen in the same way we see an object such as a dove flying across the landscape. It is nonetheless recognized and this recognition can be felt deeply.

When people say things like “you complete me” what do they really mean? None of us would believe that literally there is a perfect matching of missing parts of one person and that the other fills those empty spaces. No. I suggest that the completion that we celebrate in these circumstances is simply the recognition of our _own_ completeness as it is revealed by the other.

There is a beautiful saying used in India “Namaste”. I like to think of its meaning as “Spirit in me recognizes Spirit in you”. I know of no equivalent in the west. There may be, but if so, it certainly isn’t as common as one would wish.

This greeting is an excellent opportunity to deepen our spiritual understanding through real world application. Many people may be uncomfortable using the word and if that is the case for you I suggest saying your usual greeting but in a slightly different tone bringing the full intention of the practice of seeing your Self in the other to bear on the greetings pronunciation.

If successful, even people you “don’t like” can be recognized as sharing the same being. This has brought me tremendous relief in many circumstances. Although I will admit that it initially was quite a bit easier with people that were easy to be around!

As an example I can share that a few weeks ago I was driving to pick up a gift for someone. During that drive the motorist behind me laid on the horn and tossed me the bird. Anger arose at first which is a normal biological reaction to the situation then as I took a breath and held it a few moments I could imagine the person and in recognizing Spirit a sense of calmness and compassion washed over me.

This practice is a gift of profound love that you can give to yourself, loved ones, and strangers alike.

May you be overwhelmed with love this Valentine’s Day.

Namaste

EFT: Urges & Panic Attacks

Does Emotional Freedom Technique help during panic attacks and bouts of craving?

My experience is that it can help depending on the intention behind the process.

I was first taught EFT by a holistic MD. Then again by a skilled therapist. The last I spoke with them they still used the techniques when they felt that the situation called for it. 

So, what kind of situation calls for EFT? 

I would suggest EFT for anyone who needs help with particular emotional struggles and otherwise isn’t equipped with more elaborate techniques or who doesn’t have access to immediate support. 

That isn’t to say that an experienced meditator wouldn’t be able to apply the technique to great effect. I am and I have. It perhaps isn’t necessary for those with tools that work for them already though.

For a person that is new to working with their emotions it can be a life saver however. 

A great example of this would be working with cravings. If, for example, someone has cravings for chocolate but they are trying to lose weight or need to lower their glucose levels to avoid diabetes they may get some significant milage out of EFT.

The moment you notice that familiar old craving rise up you can release it with the help of EFT. More accurately, you can suspend your reaction to the urge with EFT. This “pause” provides some time for a noticing of the pattern and the option to chart a new course of action.

The difference is subtle but important. If you try to “release” an emotion, you are fundamentally saying “NO! I don’t want you here!” to the feeling. This is unwise. It tends to reenforce the pattern. If however, you allow it to be there and release any need to push it away or act upon it you can find peace within the storm. EFT helped me learn that. Perhaps it can help you as well.

Two Ways Of Viewing Spirituality

There is a misconception that many have regarding spirituality. Simply stated, it is the view that enlightenment results in some kind of divine acquisition. Something you don’t have is imagined to be added to you and after that point everything will be OK. Life will become easy and painless. “If only I had what these sages have…”

Thinking about this issue sparked the following illustration which is fun and hopefully clarifies the point nicely.

Two friends and spiritual seekers travel far and wide to find a true master from which they hope to receive grace and wisdom. 

Upon arrival they prostrate and provide offerings. The master asks “You have traveled a great distance, what is it you would ask of me?”

The travelers share their wishes to receive grace and wisdom so that they could be happy and peaceful from that day forth. The master remains silent for a few moments then replies “I will only give one of you a gift. You both will leave changed however.” 

Looking at each other they immediately feel a rush of excitement and then one of concern. Which one would receive the gift?!?

Before they can sink too deeply into their jealousy and self concern the master looks to one and with extended arms presents a flawless gemstone. She says “This stone will infuse upon you an aura of holiness and attract good fortune to you.” 

The seeker thanks the master profusely and takes the gemstone holding it tightly to his chest. The other seeker can barely hide the feeling of hope draining out of him and into the dirt beneath his feet.

The master reaches over toward the fire pit where dinner is being roasted. Grabbing a steaming hot potato she exclaims “Your turn!” and tosses the second seeker the food. 

“OUCH! That’s hot!” yells the man as he tosses what he felt was a truly crappy gift back to the master. In a display of incredible agility, and all while laughing heartily, she catches and slices the potato and it falls onto her plate.

Unamused, the second seeker poured water on his hands to stop the burning. 

“Come back to me in two weeks time.” she says.

Shortly after they return she asks “how have you fared?”

The seeker who received the gem shared that the first week was amazing but the gem must have lost its charge because things haven’t gone well the past few days. The seeker who caught the potato said that the burns have healed and he was feeling much better.

“The peace and happiness you seek are this way also. Anything you add, whether objects or powers, will cease to provide you benefit sooner or later. True awakening is about the loss of something you mistook as your self, not the gaining of something else, however divine, to cling to!”

While I’d like to say they were magically enlightened on the spot I can’t. The way was cleared for understanding to come in its own time, however. Which it did.

The Minimalism Of Vibrational Astrology

One of the things that I like the most about Vibrational Astrology is it’s elegant minimalism. It sheds all but the most consistently reliable techniques and interpretations. This approach to astrology has tremendously positive results.

Minimalism to me is never about finding oneself in a situation where you need something that’s missing. Rather, it is having everything you need and letting go of the rest. Vibrational Astrology does just that out of the box. Some folks integrate various techniques from different branches of astrology in their process. In my approach I actually minimize VA even further! 

Here’s a simple example: when looking at midpoint patterns in vibration charts strict Vibrational Astrology uses orbs of 1°30’. I rarely give emphasis to anything over 1°. I have found that pushing too far past 1° yields an unwieldily amount of information much of which is significantly less important to the client then the “big stuff”.

What does that mean in practice? A pattern might indicate a predisposition to become obsessive about ones point of view or beliefs. If we add all sorts of extra midpoint structures to the pattern that are weak we could fall into the trap of believing that we know what exactly the person gets fixated on. While presenting this we may fumble a great opportunity for a helpful and healing conversation to ensue. 

Sticking to the core of VA provides practitioners with the clarity necessary to focus in on the most relevant patterns in a persons makeup and that’s a strong foundation for healing work if you ask me!

Discovering The Holy Grail

You’ve heard the tales. You’ve seen the movies. The Holy Grail has a rich history of legend that spans millennia. The Grail has been conceptualized in literal terms as the cup used at the last supper and to catch Jesus’ blood and metaphorically as the ultimate prize in one area of life or another. 

What if I told you that I found the Grail?

What if I told you that you can have it?

Now, what if I told you that you already do?!?

That’s a ludicrous claim but there it is. Undoubtably this needs to be explained in more detail so let’s start with a description: 

The Holy Grail…

1. Is A Vessel

2. Has Healing Powers

3. Grants Eternal Life

4. Is The Goal Of Spiritual Quests

5. Is The Ultimate Prize Of Life

Now let’s take each characteristic in turn:

Vessel

A vessel is a container of one craft or another. It’s function is to hold something within it. A goblet may hold wine or ale for example. A shaker cup might hold a protein drink for post-workout nutrition. A vase holds flowers. You get the idea. 

What holds your experience?

The totality of experience can be said to be in consciousness. If you’re not conscious of it, well, you’re not experiencing it. Therefore, consciousness or awareness is a vessel for experience. Jesus’ blood was experienced in one vessel and one vessel only…consciousness!

So, let’s toss a checkmark next to Awareness as a vessel.

Healing Powers

This is slightly more challenging but can be contorted to fit nonetheless. Can you change a habit that you aren’t aware you have? No, well, not intentionally anyway. Bringing something to the light of awareness in my experience usually precedes the start of a healing process. The realization “Oh, look at that, I ate 3 dozen cookies this month and gained 4 pounds.” might come just prior to a new exercise and nutrition program to get back in shape.

A bit tenuous but I still feel that after exploring this we can check the box next to healing powers and that is without even getting into siddhis and other super-awesome phenomenon. 

Eternal Life

Ok, this one is easier than the last to explore as long as our definitions are clear. I am going to describe eternal as “beyond spacetime” not “ever lasting within spacetime”. That distinction will be key.

Does the Holy Grail of Awareness grant an ever lasting physical or mental existence? If it does, I am not aware of that. However, if we look at the qualities of awareness and evaluate the evidence we can say with confidence that a) it is what you are and b) spacetime is experienced within it. Therefore realizing your identity as awareness brings one to the felt experience that you are beyond space-time and without being subject to spacetime could not have been born and cannot die: therefore you, Awareness, are eternal.

Another checkmark!

Goal of Spiritual Quests

This is almost not worth addressing it is so self explanatory. That being said, there is a very valid and important point to be made here and that is: knowing oneself as awareness and not its contents is halfway to a full enlightenment. We can call it “classical enlightenment” in that it would be a witnessing position and therefore maintain a subtle subject-object duality. Non-duality goes a step further. An “integral” enlightenment would go further still!

That, however, is a juicy topic that deserves separate attention so for now…checkmark!

Ultimate Prize Of Life

Hmm, not sure about this one. Heres the thing, the mind is the only thing to say what the meaning or goal of life should be and the mind can’t ‘know’ awareness. What we could argue is: the results/symptoms of enlightenment on daily life are to the mind the ultimate prize of life.

What are these symptoms?

Peace, Happiness, Love, Security, Ease, Freedom, etc.

I agree that these are what the mind wants. The catch is that the mind wants them for the illusory separate self and what the mind gets from awakening is freedom from the selfing-process! 

Either way: checkmark!

There you have it! The Holy Grail is Awareness. 

Oh wait, you wanted the grail for yourself and I said you could have it.

Let me ask you this then…

Are you aware?