Thanks to the people who are patiently giving me feedback. Ciarin, Robert, and all the people commenting on this site–much thanks for helping and sharing. photo credit: jdxyw What is it that I know for sure? There is existence. Not: I exist. Only: there is existence. I do not exist. It isn’t like I existed [...]

Because we have it backwards. Notice the way we approach awakening. You get an insight. Then you take on practices. You meditate, you practice awareness,  you practice presence, you observe thought, you release, you loosen attachment to beliefs, you try to understand acceptance, you read, you memorize, you practice, you seek. photo credit: jdxyw You [...]

You do not exist. You think you think your thoughts. You don’t think your thoughts; there is thinking. There is no you or your. It is not your life; there is just life. You don’t have feelings; there are just feelings. You don’t breathe; there is just breathing. You did not exist before life. Life was [...]

Wisdom contains no knowledge. -Zen Saying Knowledge is bondage. -The Shiv Sutras A reflection of the watcher in the mind creates the sense of “I” and the person acquires an apparently independent existence. In reality there is no person, only the watcher identifying himself with the “I” and the “mine”. The teacher tells the watcher: [...]

How can the flux of ions and electrical currents in little specks of jelly the neurons in my brain generate the whole subjective world of sensations like red, warmth, cold or pain?” -Dr. V. S. Ramachandran photo credit: Patrick Hoesly Here, I list some interesting research into consciousness. The illusion of free will Benjamin Libet [...]

Happy Mother’s Day! Here’s my mother…and saluting the strength of women everywhere… photo credit: virginia.mcmillan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Resistance Last week I said observe your thoughts, dispassionately, as a witness, and the gaps between thoughts will expand, and as you abide in the gaps, you will see more clearly. The questions which come up of course are [...]

Not to be able to stop thinking is a dreadful affliction, but we don’t realize this because almost everyone is suffering from it, so it is considered normal. This incessant mental noise prevents you from finding that realm of inner stillness that is inseparable from Being. Eckhart Tolle Witness your thoughts, quietly and passively without [...]

If you’re like most people, you will resist letting go in one way or another. You might see the value of it right away. Perhaps you read about it here or you know about the Sedona Method or M2method or Byron Katie or EFT or through some sort of meditation. If you’re like me, you [...]

In response to why we don’t do the things which are good for us, Marc asked, reasonably, how do we even know what’s good for us? What a wonderful question! What is it that you really want? The conventional wisdom The lifestyle which our conditioning and society pushes on us is not conducive to awakening. [...]

Why is it hard for us to do the things we know are good for us? What is with us? Why are we not able to do the things which are in our self-interest? What is it that is so difficult about making loving choices? Here’s a simple example. If I want to lose weight, [...]