Soul Conversations

Lately my soul searchings have been going deeper and deeper.  I keep having conversations with myself about the awesomeness and the paradoxes of life.  I keep moving from one state to another and it feels safe to do so.  The fear of so many things has left me and more is out on its way. The second half of yesterday seemed to have  spontaneously gone into a reflective phase and I remembered all the people who are no longer connected with me.  I felt a sharp twinge of sadness and wished in my heart I had one more chance to tell them I love them no matter what transpired between us.  Ideally it would have been good to pick up the phone or write a note, but perhaps for the first time, it came so naturally to me to just let it all go and whatever my heart wanted to say to theirs, it would, without a single doubt, reach their hearts and they would know for sure. The play of Life goes beyond our small, limited understanding.  Every interaction - big or small - is significant.  Every Soul I meet is part of my greater growth and development and the learning always unfolds magnificently even if it appears harsh sometimes.  No matter what the tragedy - death, conflict, estrangement, betrayal, etc.- the same learning applies.  I see that now clearly.  Without that interaction then, I would'nt be 'here' now, whatever 'here' may mean at any given moment.

And then there are those deep, melting, heart and soul connections that just bring so much radiance and love into my life and they usually stay.  I have experienced close friends parting ways and coming back with a new consciousness that brings so much soul recognition, love and worthiness and we actually begin to 'see' each other differently.  That is still happening presently in my life.  I EMBRACE everything in the vastness of the Beingness that I Am.  And that includes everything.

A lovely quote from Anita Moorjani says it all so perfectly: "It was as though every moment held infinite possibilities, and where I was at that point in time was a culmination of every decision, every choice, and every thought of my entire life. My many fears and my great power had manifested as this disease."

My 'fear' causes me pain, but my Power?  "My Great Power" is just waiting to be unleashed and when I don't live in the Beauty and Radiance of my own Light, that Holy Gift turns inwards spoiling itself.  Wow!  God's Gifts are all mine.  Its upto me to truly and intimately SEE His Grace and FEEL Her Love.  How Incredible, Glorious, Mighty and Wonderful am I?  How can I not be?  I Am an Extension of God.  No matter what fearful experiences I have, my Soul will bring me back time and time again to this Remembrance of God's Power and Radiance within me.  And as unique as I Am, the same goes for every other Soul on this planet.  Blessed Be.

"Heaven is here.  There is nowhere else.  Heaven is now.  There is no other time." ~ A Course In Miracles

I Am!

Practicing Timelessness

"In your fevered state, you project a past and a future and take them to be real. In fact, you know only your present moment. Why not investigate what is now, instead of questioning the imaginary past and future? Your present state is neither beginningless nor endless. It is over in a flash. Watch carefully from where it comes and where it goes. You will soon discover the timeless reality behind it." ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj

I have a list of all the things I would like to do in 2014, but I have ONE list that covers all of the "things" I want to do.  And that is practice Timelessness while accomplishing all that is on my list.

Time and space is only for the purpose of REMEMBERING our true Nature and wake up from the dream.  Once that is accomplished, time and space will disappear.  I have already started the practice of Timelessness by being focussed right in this moment. The Hero's Journey is always about perfect accomplishment according to the dictates of the Soul.  And the Soul always, always desires Peace.  Because Peace is Timeless.  A Timeless Soul cannot and will not be rushed.  A Timeless Soul stops living according to the dictates of the world and as It stops living life from the 'outside', the mis-creation of the world disappears in Its mind.

So here's to Eternity & Timelessness.  May you Be at Peace.

 May there be Happiness in all

May there be Peace in all

May there be Completeness in all

May there be Success in all

Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

~ Brhadaranyaka Upanishad ~

Soul Path

I have been thinking a lot about this for a very long time and today the answer appeared in my email.  Wonderful.

"God indeed can be reached directly, for there is no distance between Him and His Son. His awareness is in everyone's memory, and His Word is written on everyone's heart. Yet this awareness and this memory can arise across the threshold of the unconscious only where all barriers to truth have been removed. In how many is this the case? Here then is the role of God's teachers. They too have not attained the necessary understanding as yet, but they have joined with others. This is what sets them apart from the world. And it is this that enables others to leave the world with them. Alone they are nothing. But in their joining is the Power of God." ~ A Course In Miracles/Manual for Teachers/Can God Be Reached Directly?   

The path we choose is definitely in keeping with what our soul needs most in this moment in time.  Then we move on as per the direction of our Inner Guide.  The appearance of people in our lives is only for the purpose of learning.  There's no right ones and wrong ones. Everything is perfect and works out in perfect accordance with God.  Even while on the spiritual path, our mind of illusion still wants to make  judgments.  If we still have a conscious preference, we are still learning to transcend the ideas of opposites.  We are all students and teachers at the same time. We each teach what we need to remember and learn the most. I love that.  It makes perfect sense to me. It helps me to stay on track provided I don't allow the ego to take over with its opinions and judgments.

To sum up Jesus's teachings in one sentence: 

Love All Without Judgement.

And that's why my Soul calls me to stay on The Path of Self Inquiry.  It makes me questions all my questions, my motivations, my thoughts, the reasons for getting put off by other people's assumptions, the judgments, etc. etc. etc.

We are each guided. All Paths lead to The Light.  Just follow the Sun!

Blessings of The Light.

May there be Happiness in all

May there be Peace in all

May there be Completeness in all

May there be Success in all

Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

~ Brhadaranyaka Upanishads ~

Pondering ....

I received the following in an email from a subscribed blog.  It was perfect for how I have been feeling the last few days.  And it would be perfect to bear this in mind consciously always.  Before I do something - anything! - I need to stop, think, and ask "why"?  It is always the motivation and intent behind every action which really brings either joy or pain.  I see that now.

Excerpt:

"Imagine someone on the other side of the street walking along chatting away to themselves saying things like “I need more, I need less, I want enlightenment, I hate this, I love that.” You are on your side of the street, just as a listener. You are just aware of that person. How and why should that person’s chatter effect you? Let them talk! They are free to complain and judge and desire. You don’t need to be phased by them. You are just aware of them, that’s it. Who cares?

Suffering comes the moment when you, for some reason, believe yourself to be that person on the other side of the street. With this absurd belief, their problems have become yours. Their desires and aversions have become yours. Give that person back their problems and return to your safe and peaceful place on your own side of the street. Return to awareness. Relax. Let the ego be on its side of the street. Just stop believing that you are the ego. You are just a listener."

I believe if I follow this, there will be very little to talk about or converse with anyone!! LOL! and yet, so much of Life is moving and happening in the universe despite the fact that there is a deep SILENCE present in Nature ... in the Cosmos ..... A benediction to The Creator, The Source of All That Is.

Blessings!

The Perfect Teacher Within

So, today is the day after Christmas. A day of new Wisdom and Clarity.

"After every happiness comes misery; they may be far apart or near. The more advanced the soul, the more quickly does one follow the other. What we want is neither happiness nor misery. Both make us forget our true nature; both are chains - one iron, one gold; behind both is the Atman, who knows neither happiness nor misery. These are states, and states must ever change; but the nature of the Atman is bliss, peace, unchanging. We have not to get it, we have it; only wash away the dross and see it."

~ Vivekananda ~

Let God do the living. As Mooji says "There must either be 'you' living in this body, or God living in this body. Who does better? Bear in mind it was God's house in the first place. Where did 'you' come from?" 

 Mooji's Christmas Message 2013.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y42Esvgjwuw&feature=em-uploademail

I love Mooji's version of The Lord's Prayer as well. 

http://lookingthroughspirit.blogspot.in/2013/12/the-lords-prayer-by-mooji.html

Season's Greetings and a very Blessed and Renewed 2014 is wished to ALL!

Death & Rebirth: What It Means To Me

Dear Beloved Self, for the first time, I am going to take a wild leap of courage and write about my own feelings of what death means to me independent of what the saints and sages tell us it is. I am listening to my Heart as I write this.

In 1997 when I first started a journey of Self exploration, I stepped into the 'spiritual world' via Buddhism.I  practiced Buddhism for seven years and the first thing I read about Buddhism is that if one wants to know about Life, then one must first learn about death.At the time I thought it was a morbid idea!!  Today I am convinced and sure it is the most radical thinking and direct path to Self Awareness.

The Bhagavad Gita says "Even as man  discards old clothes for the new ones, so the dweller in the body, the soul, leaving aside the worn out bodies, enters into new bodies. The soul migrates from body to body.  Weapons cannot cleave it, nor fire consume it, nor water drench it, nor wind dry it."  

Any one who is living completely from the heart knows that death is really the mercy of God. If we had no death, we would have had no respite from our sufferings and bondage to this world of illusion that we have created.  Death is a Gift. It is Grace. It is a resting place till Life takes us back into Itself.  A soul needs death to resurrect into its Higher Self.  Each incarnation brings us back more and more ready to drop our ignorance and illusion.

And yet, as I now walk the path of Self Inquiry and Non-Duality I am learning that in truth there is no death, no reincarnation, no rebirth. All is a play of mind. But if someone asks me to prove this, I will be unable to do so because to begin to know the mind, one must begin to deeply explore the mind. Thank God for scientists!  They have their answers that makes sense to the world.  So, if someone wants proof, one can just dive straight into the world of science. 

Deep Self understanding is an intimate, personal and solo discovery which everyone is called to take at one time or another. I have only just scratched the surface, and the surface alone is full of potentials for deep exploration.  I cannot even imagine what I will be walking into as I take the trek within.  For this I need complete Trust.  Trust in the power of Love and Life.  This Life is emanating from somewhere, some source.  Where is the Source and what IS the Source? Inquire.

To know about Life, one must first know about death.  Within me lies the potentials to tap into becoming a sage, a warrior, or the sinner. Most people I know are terrified about death simply because they are so steeped in fear, they are unable to inquire. There are others who have all kinds of ideas about death.  Who is right and who is wrong is not the question ultimately. Deep Self Inquiry is.

My Beloved Friend and Soul Sister, Aimee just lost her precious Dad.  When she discovered her father was seriously ill, she delved into the meaning of death.  She became so confident about the Love and Life of Spirit and the 'eternality' of a soul's life, that she felt herself now being challenged to walk a new path of understanding. She took that step unflinchingly and at the risk of upsetting sensibilities of the human nature. I know because I had the privilege of walking with her throughout her father's illness.  She cried, she prayed, she meditated, she contemplated, she suffered, she hurt, she glorified the Higher Self within her, and most of all, she SAW that her father was SPIRIT - all embracing, all loving and eternally ALIVE.  She did not move from her home to her father's which was in another geographical location, because she SAW that it did'nt need to be a physical journey.  She journeyed in her soul, cherishing her father deeply, loving him, loving every moment she had with him and now she KNOWS her father has merged with The Light.  What's not to be  ecstatic about?? The suffering part is the human part of us.  The pain breaks open our hearts and creates a vast space for Love and Light to enter in its fullness. 

Nothing is happening outside.  What we see in the physical world has already happened and is a delayed reaction to what has already happened within.  Our benediction has already been done within.  What we are seeing are its effects.  

Let me conclude with my  favorite  sage, Nisargadatta Maharaj's quote:

"There is no such thing as a person. There are only restrictions and limitations. The sum total of these defines the person. (...) The person merely appears to be, like the space within the pot appears to have the shape and volume and smell of the pot."

May you see the Light that shines in the highest heavens shining in your heart too.

Aum.

Mystical Message

So, here's something very mystical that happened that has completely lifted my mind from the earth plane to the heavens.

I deactivated from facebook in June 2013 with the firm resolve to be back only in the new year. I have to admit I had some 'weaning' problems in the first few days having been so attached to facebook, but after that it felt like facebook never happened in my life because I had no thought about it at all.  My decision to return only in the new year was firm.

Till December 15, 2013. I woke up with such a nagging and strong feeling that I must get back to facebook.  I could'nt really understand why so I just left it at that and automatically activated my facebook account. My Sister Aimee was so surprised to see me back and actually exclaimed "when did you sneak in?"

This morning I woke up to an awesome fb inbox mail from a very Dear and Holy Soul named Cryst Aqueous. His note was beautiful and  he mentioned that he wished to gift me with a full set of all nine of his small Reality Absolute books.  All he needed was my address.  I was beyond touched and thanked him with all my heart.

Later in the day, I walked over to his Facebook page and almost did a double take to find a message he posted inquiring after me.  

Here's the message:

"Greetings Beloved India. About one year ago a wonderful being from India sent a friend request to me, her name was Lavina Jain. I have lost capability on earth technological devices to connect back to "You" Lavina, however I am communicating telepathically with you all the same as always. If you happen to see this post from me to you today I ask that you please respond and resend a new friend request to me so we can resume Spirit communications on this earth mode. Thank you. With Loving regards, Crys."

In that instant I knew why I came back to Facebook.  This Beloved  Holy Soul beckoned me back telepathically!! Plus the concluding blessing in his email kept swirling in my heart ~ "I appreciate you Dear One of the Spirit World in Whom and whereat Every Good Thing Abounds, Crys". I so appreciate you too Crys! 

My heart felt so warm for him and so grateful for the privilege of connecting with him that all I could respond was the following:

"Beloved Cryst! Here I Am! I deactivated from facebook in June of this year and returned two days ago. I visited your page after receiving your inbox mail for which I am beyond beyond GRATEFUL. I am so touched by your message above. Its the very first time in my life a Sweet Soul from across the seas has actually inquired after me. I love you. I am privileged to know YOU. Thank YOU. Namaste! Aum."

This is beyond precious for me. Namaste, Radiant One! Aum.

CRYST AQUEOUS

All Is Incredibly Well!

I feel like I am at a mystical gathering in an  ethereal realm as I am beginning to see Life in all its aspects for whatever reality it is taking on at any given moment.  Its like I'm in the center of ALL aspects of creation, feeling it, being in it - stewed up and served out - and yet, here I am on this beautiful planet - Mother Earth - enjoying every moment of life - the cloudiness and fogginess of the winter in my city, each soul busy doing his/her own thing ... there's the joy, the pain, the sickness, the suffering, the antics of our pet, three new Angels we have for tenants now ... so much happening and yet, nothing is happening!! I cannot describe this feeling but it is beyond description. Everything is so perfect.  So sublime. So in the moment.  I am feeling grounded in my inner radiance, shinning, smiling, scowling, frowning, etc. and yet knowing that all is exactly as it is and how it should BE. How perfect!  

All Is Well.  All Is Incredibly Well.

Living In Brilliance & Radiance!

Notes to My Self ~ To be able to bring yourself to a place in you where you can begin to see and feel your own radiance is a blessing.  I don't mean a physical color or shine.  I mean to be able to really SEE it through the form, through the mundane, the worldly, through everything.  I have noticed when I live deeply in this moment, all the other physical stuff seems to recede to the background and there is great calm and serenity when focussed just in the moment, but when, say, when I walk my dog my mind is preoccupied with everything else but him, I go through a range of emotions and feelings not at all related to Sparkie my pet and his walk.  Depending on what I am thinking, I begin to feel tired, fatigued, enthusiastic, happy, smiley, whatever - so much going on in my world of mind BUT nothing happening in this very precious, alive, awakening and REAL moment!!!  I 'wake up' when my dog suddenly pulls the leash trying to chase another bigger sized dog than himself, or he wants to pee or poo.  In that moment when I refocus on him, slowly I begin to see his radiance, his antics, his love, his absolutely doggy Self!!  

And in that moment I feel my own Radiance. Life is so freaking brilliant!! 

More ramblings :)) http://namasteradiantone.weebly.com/1/post/2013/12/living-in-brilliance-radiance.html

Being a Good Steward of My Life!

Notes To My Self ~ On Saturday I was down with an extremely painful migrane – well all migranes are painful, but each time I get one, I seem to feel it’s the worse of all.  I guess it’s the illusive workings of the mind.  Anyway, I was down and as always, I re-emerged refreshed on Sunday and a day slimmer because I am never able to take in a morsel of food as long as the pain is present.  But I have turned these now-much-lesser-frequent migranes into a spiritual meditation. I wondered what I needed to do the most in my life this new year and even before I completed the sentence, my mind just started flooding up with thoughts and inspirations and surprisingly there were no confused questions but very clear guidance.  

I am directed to have a quiet and gentle year.  That's good. I need the time to sort out my priorities about everything from my daily living to my relationships, personal interests, my 'me' time, etc. etc.  Turns out I do not have to make too much effort because as I read the fifth Foundation of Adyashanti's The Way of Liberation - Be a Good Steward of Your Life, it became increasingly clear how I should live in each moment.  In fact the guidance was so clear and resonated with me so much that I knew at once what I need to drop and what I can pursue.  There are so many wounded parts in me that still need complete healing and I can recognise those parts by merely observing how I react to situations and people and their reactions to me.  Do I feel hurt, upset, angry? Why? Its only the ego and has no real existence, but the habit of the mind has made it real.  Something else also came into my view yesterday that was such a leading and a million dollar question from a very soul searching deep question Byron Katie asked in her post....... 

Did you just choose precisely what would hurt you most?  If so, what were you thinking just before ‘you’ made the choice? Inquire.

I inquired! I am a master at precisely that!!!  I simply have a penchant to keep repeating stuff.  I waste my time on stuff that don't hold any more value, on people who are not even interested in keeping up a connection, on trying to infuse life and love into practically non-existent relationships (well the 'relationships' are there by default) but that is all there is to it - a default! and yet I am trying to refresh them.  I waste so much time on books that no longer have any meaning for me but I just keep reading them because I have bought them, and so on and so forth.  I keep coming back in circles constantly.  I could see in my mind's eye what I would be without all of that stuff and I felt loads lighter!! How would I feel if I just blanketed everyone with as much love and understanding I could share and allow everyone else to choose how they want to live without my seeming neediness to have them notice me too? Awesome! Just Freaking Awesome!!  When you are full up with the Light shining brightly from within you, you dont need shadows cos there aren't any shadows once the spot lights are on. For an eternally happy life keep the spotlight on 'you' by watching every moment my thoughts and where I Am present precisely - some far off non-existent past or the very intense, profound, present moment?? Everything else begins to disappear.  There's only the Light and 'you'.  That 'you' - who is that 'you'? Inquire!

And that indeed is my cue!

Aum.

To read The Way of Liberation go here http://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Way-of-Liberation-by-Adyashanti.pdf

Yoga of My Soul

A Note to My Self - Dear Beloved Soul, if you raise your eyes to Heaven, you will see only Light.  Not light as in visual light, but light as in an expansion of your mind and heart. When your heart expands, you will welcome every bit of Life no matter what it is. During the next 24 hours there will bound to be many disappointments, failures, goodness, beauty, sweetness, conflicts, etc. but ACCEPT all. The power of acceptance induces a deep silence within the soul within which, lies boundless power not found in the physical world. You can face love, unlove, truth, untruth, light, darkness all with the same calmness, peace and serenity. This is Yoga of the Soul.

So speaks the Voice of my Soul.

A Special 2014 Is Wished for YOU!

A very Blessed 2014 to the whole world!!  May we each learn to harness the awesome power and potentials of our very own Souls and may we find all that we ever need to live amazing lives right  from within our very own Beings.  May we each know, breathe and live from the very depths of our most intimate, sacred and holy Self.

With Much Love,

Lavina

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Winding Down

Dear Beloved Self, Its that time of the year where one needs to wind down and take stock of one's life, do an inventory of the self, and sow new seeds and wait for new life to burst forth in Spring.  For the first time in my life I am feeling a sense of oneness with Nature where I feel strongly drawn to hibernating in every way and retreat deep into my Self.  I feel my inner warm softness inviting me in to take REST.  Yes, REST. Deep Rest. And that is exactly what I shall do.

It has been a hectic year in so many ways.  I discovered new things and learned how to infuse the old with new ideas.  I have opened my heart a lot more.  I have had less expectations from people.  I have appreciated many times over those that have particularly made my life so much sweeter.  I have also done the same for those who have not because through that process I was able to peel off old painful layers of the past. I have cut down and I am still cutting down all the stuff I don't need in my life any longer.  I am removing myself from the lives of people who are clearly not in sinc with me.  I have received great insights and  intuition  this year that have helped me forge a deeper relationship with my Higher Self.

My determination for the New Year: No matter what, I am living from the Center of my Soul. No matter what it takes, that's what I am going to do.

And So It Is.

Unconditional Follow-Through

Second Foundation from Adyashanti's "The Way of Liberation" is "UNCONDITIONAL FOLLOW-THROUGH". The first is "Clarify Your Aspiration".

So, Adyashanti says "Making clear what you aspire to is the first step. It has the effect of gathering energy and attention together into a unified force and directing it toward your aspiration. Once you have clarified your aspiration, you now need to follow through on it. Following through has to do with what you are willing to do or let go of doing." 

I am so enjoying going through this.  Its like a refresher's course.  You know all these things (provided ofcourse you have been at it for years)but you tend to forget it very often.  As I meditated alot on my Aspiration, I began to see more clearly and uncompromisingly the patterns and grooves that were deeply ingrained in my psyche.  I have gone through many programes where the ultimate agenda of that course would be to come out victorious because, it appears, everyone ought to look good - the participant, the teacher and all other fellow members.  It does good PR work overall.  Going through this with Adyashanti's honest and straightforward declaration in the 'Introduction' part of "The Way of Liberation" made me WANT to reassess my spiritual growth.  

This is what he says: "This is not a book about spiritual betterment, self-improvement, or altered states of consciousness. It is about spiritual awakening, going from the dream state of ego to the awakened state beyond ego as quickly and efficiently as possible. The journey isn’t what anyone anticipates, and enlightenment isn’t what it is frequently sold as. I won’t be telling you how to achieve bliss or unending happiness, find your soul mate, or the ten easy steps to making a quick million bucks. I don’t believe in deceptive advertising or luring in spiritual seekers with false promises. Many spiritual seekers already live on a steady diet of spiritual junk food, those nice-sounding platitudes that have little or no transforming effect other than to dull the dissatisfaction inherent in the dream state. If you like that sort of thing, this isn’t the book for you." ... Cool!!

I am invited to go through a thorough and honest investigation and follow through with absolute willingness and determination allowing every illusion to fall away.  I discovered something about myself which ought to have triggered my attention much earlier, but for some reason I never got any inspired thoughts about it and I  realize now, that was so because I was still was  unclear on subjects like "Love" and "Compassion".  The two got all meshed up with The Truth and the truth of the world's understanding of it.  Though ACIM says nothing can be hidden.  Everything must come out, I still could'nt come clear with myself honestly because of lingering fear which I did'nt know was still there!!  Fear that if I talked about the deepest feelings of anger which included, in my mind, the wish to want to physically strangle particular people whom I thought made me feel less than myself amongst a few other violent assaults. I wanted, in my mind, to physically beat them up!!!  To bring light on this scared me. I still prayed so much for more loving relationships but they were just not happening till I read a few days ago this life changing line "It is not possible to have a loving relationship with someone you don't have a relationship at all". Wow! in that split second a big shift happened in my heart.  Bingo! that's it.  I was trying to infuse love into something that was not really there even though physically it had valid name e.g. mother, father, brother, sister, etc. I was working from the outside worldly ideas and trying to take it within. I was trying to create ideal worldly situations for myself thinking everyone will wind up happy.  The truth?  NOBODY WINDS UP ON THE GOOD SIDE!! You can be related biologically or through marriage, or anything, it doesnt mean a fig.  If the hearts have not connected, the question of trying to create a loving relationship seems such a futile exercise.  

And so I began an exercise of seeing each "relationship" for what it really appeared at this present time - if I had hidden anger or rage, I brought it all out and named it and expressed it in my mind and saw the needlessness of it.  I said the words describing those feelings aloud even if it sounded harsh to my ears.  As I began to do that, I began to feel lighter because I accepted my role in the mis-creation and surrendered it to Spirit for cleansing and healing.  This process already has started showing dramatic changes in one particularly  harassing relationship which just seems to keep on churning dramas after dramas.  My self honesty brought the Lights of Heaven shining straight into my soul.  It felt good because ACCEPTANCE is that way - it just takes loads off your weary and painful shoulders.  No need to be in shame and guilt.  God is surely not interested in the 'good' ones alone.  "The Prodigal Son" story is a good example of that.

Most important, I have stopped being concerned by someone else's timeline for me. Timelines for fully awakening and self realizing do not exist.  Again, Adyshanti reminds me:

"Spirituality does not require that you work hard toward achieving a result in the future as much as it requires you to be fully present, sincere, and committed now, with absolute honesty and a willingness to uncover and let go of any illusion that comes between you and the realization of Reality. Therefore, spirituality does not have to do with time or what can be achieved in time; it has to do only and always with the eternal present."

Coming back to my Aspirations.  Peace is what I declared to be my Aspiration and Peace it shall be, but first the unpeaceful must leave the domains within my inner territory which it had occupied all this time.

To round it off, here's Adyashanti:

"Aspiration is not so much a matter of the mind as of the heart, in that it is a reflection of what you cherish, love, and value most. You do not need to be reminded of what you truly love, only of what you do not love. And what you actually love is most truly reflected in your actions, not in what you feel, think, or say.When aspiration lines up with unconditional follow-through and love, it becomes a very strong force in the universe. Only then are we unified and one-pointed enough for our aspiration to survive the winds of folly, fate, and circumstance."

End of story, as I love to say!!!

Clarifying My Aspiration ~ Peace!

So, here I am, reading this wonderful book by Adyashanti “The Way of Liberation -  A Practical Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” and  benefiting greatly from his no-nonsense, unemotional approach to Enlightenment. "Dreaming big" has always been a big problem for me because frankly speaking I do not know how to dream big and what that really means. And then I thought maybe I'm just plain lazy.  Turns out it was none of that but something else quite different altogether. I did'nt want to dream big because unconsciously I did'nt want to dream at all.  I want to awaken and remember who the great ancient Indian Rishis and Sages say I Am.  Well, I have'nt come quite near that, but I believe I am half way there or better still I don't know where, but I am somewhere - of that I am certain!! I find great comfort from the wisdom of our modern day Non-Duality teachers because they are quite ruthless about The Truth - not the truth, but THE TRUTH.  Like other great Vedanta masters, Adyashanti says : 

"It is impossible to know what words like liberation or enlightenment mean until you realize them for yourself. This being so, it is of no use to speculate about what enlightenment is; in fact, doing so is a major hindrance to its unfolding. As a guiding principle, to progressively realize what is not absolutely True is of infinitely more value than speculating about what is."

Bingo!! I am always open to receiving new and fresh ideas to help me remember deeper and become more awake.  I cannot boast of "Awakening", "Enlightenment" and "Self-Realization" because listening to others say they have has made me cringe a bit because they still seem so attached to the attractions of the world.  I don't want to go down the judgment road, but I do want to say of myself always "I don't know" because I truly don't know if I have awakened or become enlightened or self-realized.  Sometimes I feel like the most enlightened Being and the very next day, I feel as shallow as you can find them!

So, naturally Adyashanti's "Five Foundations" interests me alot.

The first of "The Five Foundations" is "CLARIFY YOUR ASPIRATION".

To clarify your aspirations "means knowing exactly what it is that your spiritual life aspires to, not as a future goal but in each moment. In other words, what do you value most in your life—not in the sense of moral values, but in the sense of what is most important to you. Contemplate this question. Do not assume that you know what your highest aspiration is, or even what is most important to you. Dig deep within, contemplate, and meditate on what the spiritual quest is about for you; don’t let anyone else define your aspiration for you. Look within until you find, with complete clarity, what you aspire to."

I KNOW what my Aspiration is. It is manifesting PEACE within and without. Its another matter that I have been unsuccessful to a great degree, but that is precisely the point.  I aspire to DEEP PEACE.  A Peace that is beyond me, beyond this planet, beyond it all.  Well, naturally my success is not going to come by a given date because the more deeply rooted I am getting into Peace, the more muck is getting cleaned out of my world.  And once again, more comfort in the amazing guidance from Adyashanti - 

"As your realization and spiritual maturity deepen, you will find that some aspects of your aspiration remain steadfast while others evolve to reflect what is relevant to your current level of insight. By reflecting on and clarifying the issues relevant to your current level of understanding, you stay focused on the cutting edge of your own unfolding." 

And so It Is.  Peace Be with You. Peace Be with Me.

~~~~~~~~~~

Your Self

When you begin to unravel the truth about your Self, everything else in the world will begin to make sense.  Your Life will begin to make sense.  You will begin to see purpose.  You will begin to SEE your Self.  The Self is The Guiding Light and that Light is still shining brightly within YOU.  Remove the haze and the light will come through.

Seeing Through The Lying Game

Dear Beloved Self, A great moment of clarity for me! I am seeing through the lying game - all the stories and labels I attached to myself.  The first, biggest and the most ancient lie of all time: the serpent's lie to "us" at "Garden of Eden"!!

The human story is that people lie.  My story is that I have witnessed, been a part of, been at the giving and receiving end of untruths and lies simply because I believed in the most baseless and unfounded lie of all - "I am alone"

I Am Loved.  Deeply Loved. I am not alone. I come from the sun, moon and stars.  I am a thought of God - Beautiful, Bountiful, Blissful and more .....  I AM eternally ALIVE.  I can never die.  I Am made in Absolute Perfection in the Mirror Image of The Creator.  How can I be alone?  How can anyone be alone?

~~~~~~

Read more of my ramblings about "Seeing Through The Lying Game" here:
http://namasteradiantone.weebly.com/1/post/2013/12/seeing-through-the-lying-game.html

In Love, Service & Care

Dear Beloved Self,  It seems at the end of the day, no matter where in the world we are or what status we hold in life, ultimately Service is what calls us to shed our obsession with our small self.  I do not have to go too far to be of service to anyone.  I just need to look at the people around me - my family and endeavor to be of the best possible service to each of them at all times. When we share our 'stories of service' we get to meet a lot of other Beings who are also on the same path and their stories are so encouraging and filled with love and compassion.  Ultimately that is what Service teaches us - to extend out of our small self and reach into our Higher Self and just keep sharing and loving without conditions.  We don't need to be part of big organisations (that is very easy), we just need to BE AWAKE, LIVE and LOVE everything and anything that comes into our experience.

Yesterday, with some encouragement from my friend Poonam, I participated in a contest "ARE YOU A FEARLESS CAREGIVER? SHARE YOUR STORY" from http://www.caregiver.com/story/.  I must admit I was very reluctant because I thought to myself "why does one need to advertise one's 'good deeds' or whatever?"  I slept over it and the next morning I was inspired to add my story to the list of contestants - not for the prize but for the sheer joy of getting to read life stories of people all around the world and the creative ways they have adopted to adjust and live and be of absolute service to their loved ones.  After submitting my story, I read a few of the others and I was blown away.  The Soul is so resilient and filled with only Love at its core that it can surmount any amount of battering in this world.  I am beyond touched. I have managed 8 votes as of now and it feels really good even if I don't compare with the 500+ votes of some others.  There are many who do not have any vote, but I do not think this in anyway reflects the degree of loving service, but rather that perhaps they are more private people with a small group of family and friends whom they are connected with.  In any case, I will give a vote for each story today, because no matter what the story is, everyone deserves to be acknowledged for their very act of loving service that raises the vibrations on our beloved planet.

My story is personal but it is bringing out the deepest form of love and caring from my husband who is an excellent and devoted caregiver.  He, alongwith his siblings, did the same for their Mom some years ago and they put their lives on hold for some years to give her the best possible attention and be at her side. I greatly admired what they did, and the truth is, I am discovering, is that when we are each called to stretch ourselves beyond our daily living, we become Warriors.

In the process of garnering support for votes, Poonam and I shared so much of joy as well with others. Poonam too was on this path of intimate loving service to both her parents who were seriously ill at the same time many years ago. That experience changed her life altogether. Her life has taken on one of service to anyone she meets no matter who they are.  One of my old friends from some 25 years ago got connected through this process and he was reminded of his own mom for whom he had the privilege to take care of before she passed on.  It created a space for him to have a slight shift in his own presently preoccupied thoughts about the cares of living and remember her in deepest love.

I am so grateful for all the love, support and encouragement from my husband, Poonam, Aimee, Terry and a few other Angels I have had the pleasure to meet along the way.

May we ALL always be united in Loving Service eternally.

Rediscovering ......

Dear Beloved Self, Its been hectic in more ways than one - zillions of ways actually. I have never been so busy in my life, or so emotionally disturbed / charged and at the same time filled with gratitude, hope, knowing and enthusiasm. This whole experience of "caregiving" is giving me a whole new perspective on all of my beliefs as a "Spiritual Enthusiast". Perhaps that is what the experience is intended to be and do for me - REDISCOVER my Self in a whole new way.  The tears are far less now and that's a good thing.  There are bouts of anger and frustration, irritation and impatience, but I have stopped condemning myself.  I am embracing all of it. No exclusions at all. Not at all.

Through this experience I know now how guided I have been right into this present moment.  Every so-called dysfunction, pain, sorrow, agony had a reason.  I was not meant to live the way I thought was a normal way of living.  I was challenged and pushed and pulled to awaken me to the  transiency of my journey.  Everyone travels so uniquely and yet we are so enmeshed into each other acting as rocks, stones and/or dust for each other, if you know what I mean.  I am sure you do!  You are my Self - one and the same. 

Self Inquiry

Dear Beloved Self, to live in Truth is bitter sweet.  Self Inquiry is the sword that cuts deep and the fire that burns.

When fate brings old friends back into our lives, there is always a reason.

Dear Beloved Self, the following piece feels absolutely true for me - it rings the bells of resonance loud and clear!!

"Every person that passes through our lives makes a contribution to our life stories. There are those who play large roles and make deep impressions, but sometimes a brief special appearance before life takes them in another direction creates a meaningful connection. It is a rare gift when they suddenly reappear in our lives after a long absence.

Though the world may seem full of more people than we could ever know, we are often drawn to people with similar energy, which brings us together time and time again. On first meeting, the characters in our life stories may seem familiar. We may know each other from past lives or perhaps we merely recognize the energy of a kindred spirit. But when fate brings old friends back into our lives, there is always a reason. They may act as messengers, reminding us of a part of ourselves we have forgotten to nurture. They might appear to give us a chance to react in a new way to an old situation. They may even bring up unresolved issues so that we may complete them, giving us the chance to move forward on our life path. Whether old friends, previous romances, or once and future partners, their reappearance is more than mere chance. They may never know what they bring into our lives, but the renewed contact is a gift.

If this hasn’t happened to you, maybe you are meant to initiate contact by seeking out old friends. If old friends come to mind or into your dreams, use their appearance as an excuse to get in touch. If an old song or movie reminds you of them, reach out to share the gift of renewed contact. Wherever you fall in the circle of connection and reconnection, be sure to look beyond the surprise of the moment to enjoy the deeper gift that this revelation brings."

~ Madisyn Taylor, "Daily Om" ~

Creating Authentic Power

Dear Beloved Self, I love how YOU guide me constantly. You bring forth knowledge and wisdom in abundance in so many many ways.  Your Love expresses Itself constantly and spontaneously. My only job is to stay awake and keep remembering my Authentic and True Self.

In keeping with your constant love, I received a wonderful mail yesterday from Gary Zukav talking about creating AUTHENTIC POWER.  I loved it. I loved it because it was something I was looking for but did'nt know exactly what I was looking for if you know what I mean. Thank You.

In my present role as primary caretaker I find myself being constantly challenged and every time I create a little joy, the feeling settles down like gold dust not only on me, but on everyone else as well at home. The same happens when I give into impatience and irritation.  With joy, however, more love and understanding is created.  Yes, created!!  We are creators!!  I never understood what this meant spiritually.  Every time I read a profound spiritual message about the fact that we are creators, I found myself hard to understand this because in my small limited, worldly and material mind I thought only those who were famous for inventing 'something' which got world attention are 'creators'!!  Well, the good news is that I have come a long way since then.  I AM A CREATOR!! period.  What do I create?  I create what I want in my life knowingly or unknowingly through the thoughts I hold in my mind.  When I finally got that bit, there was a mind explosion within me!!  I got it!!

Since then, the spiritual world opened up to me in a new way and began bringing to my attention all the ways I can create a better world for myself.  I Am already created perfect.  I have to REMEMBER that constantly.  Now, I have to uncreate the versions of me, those parts of me that bring fear into my life.  Like the Yoga Asanas, I have to stretch and breathe and feel which part of me needs healing and stretching and loving and smiling.  I noticed my world was filled with people and circumstances that my mind drew to me.  The quality all depended on the quality of my thoughts. We have to constantly PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!  What we do now will reflect in our golden years or at the time of a serious crises. How we see our pain and deal with it will show up in times of health and other crises.  How we approach healing all depends on the  continuum of our thoughts.  Thoughts are prayers.  Prayers are always granted.  The quality of our thoughts determines the quality of our prayer requests/gratitude, etc.  God created me with a Thought. I Am a Thought of God!

Gary Zukav, author of "The Seat of the Soul" says :

"Creating authentic power requires stretching yourself.  It can be no other way.  Authentic power is the ability to speak and act with love no matter what is happening inside you and no matter what is happening outside you.  Frightened parts of your personality speak and act in fear.  If they are not challenged, your life remain unchanged - still angry, jealous, dissatisfied.  When you challenge them - when you choose not to act on them when rage roars through you, jealousy eats at you, thoughts of vengeance will not leave you, or sex, alcohol, food, pornography, or gambling magnetically attract you - your life changes.  This is the stretch that changes you.  It is the act of creating authentic power - the moment of consciously moving beyond the control of your fear.  Doing this repeatedly creates authentic power.  You stretch yourself again and again, and eventually the control of the frightened parts of your personality over you diminishes.  Then it disappears.  Experiences of fear - anger, jealousy, despair, rage - may return, but they do not affect you as deeply.  They run off you, so to speak, like water off the feathers of a duck.

As you create authentic power your life fills with purpose and  meaning.  You begin to give the gifts that you were born to give, the gifts that you cannot give while fear controls your deeds and words.  Your commitment to spiritual growth and courage to experience your fears consciously enable you to stretch yourself beyond them, and stretching yourself beyond the control of your fears allows joy and fulfillment.  That's the way it  works."

Right now I am into True Yoga. I am learning the Yoga of the Heart.  I am stretching and stretching and stretching.  I am seeing the gifts in all my negative emotions and the merits in the positive ones.  I am stretching and learning new ways. Only Love is Real.  This is the only Thought that matters because this is the guiding force behind creating authentic power within me.

With Love and only Love.

When we begin to understand the co-relation between yoga asanas and our own thoughts, words and action and become masters of our minds, we will have no need to practice the physical aspect of yoga because our very breaths will become  super-conscious  breathing and we will begin to follow the Way of the Heart effortlessly.

Giving Trust A Chance!

Dear Beloved Self, Through out Life , (if one sits to meditate upon on it) one will find that there is a dominant label we hold for ourselves and live according to that label.  Whatever the label, they all eventually fall into two major labels: Love and Fear.  I am discovering various ways to be in Love. But I am also discovering how to embrace Fear/Dark as something I created and so no one can really remove the darkness/fear unless I am willing to do so myself.  Once I agree to remove and release a fear based thought and habit, I see how easy it is to leave the rest to the Holy Spirit/Source.  Once that is done, the rest just moves effortlessly.  To be in Love is to be in Light.  To be in Light means to lighten one's burden of all that is fearsome in our hearts and minds.  I get it.  I've got it a zillion times and yet I forget so often!!

Today I want to talk about a big hurdle I had imposed on myself: resistance. I am nursing my mother who is practically bed ridden with a hip surgery.  My mother and I have many lessons to learn in trust - trusting each other for starters.  I can see how mystically Life has placed us in a situation where everything we say and do at this point is based on complete trust with each other. If we didnt practice this throughout our lives, the Universe was offering yet another chance to start a new direction in our relationship. She needs to trust that I will take care of her with unconditional  commitment towards her healing and without dropping her down between the bed and wheelchair amongst other things.  I need to trust that I can do it!   I need to trust that it is not me but Spirit working through me.  I need to reign in my impatience and begin a path of deep listening and patience.  I am ready for it.  Till yesterday it was impossible for me to even go there.

Last night I decided to have a heart to heart with Spirit. Lesson 49 of "A Course In Miracles" kept turning in my head. "God's Voice speaks to me all through the day."   As Marianne Williamson says "There are no different categories of love.  There isn't one kind of love between a mother and a child, another between lovers, and another between friends.  The love that is real is the love that lies at the heart of all relationships.  That is the love of God and it does'nt change with form or circumstance." ~ excerpted from "Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles". I surrendered everything to God.  I asked God to watch over us and surround us with angels so that we may both be well rested to start fresh tomorrow with a new approach. Even though I know Spirit never leaves us a single moment, but me saying it made it a real request for help and renewal of my commitment to change.  I had been up since 3 a.m. and managed to take a shower only at night before going to bed.  I asked for a good start the next morning.

A New Day! This morning I heard my mother calling out.  She needed help with her morning routines.  As usual, as I started to help her, her every day angry dramas started.  I asked her to have some faith and trust and before I could finish my sentence, she hollered at me that she does have faith, but her feet were slipping on the floor and could'nt get on them.  Okay.  I checked the time.  It was 6 a.m. and not 3 a.m.!!  That was a good start! Suddenly I felt a surge of faith.  I did get a good night's sleep. I was not hollered up at 3 a.m.  Wow! something to work with now.  I closed my eyes briefly and asked God to direct me.  After that everything went like a dream.

I wore my neck collar because I do have a severe cervical problem.  And like a soldier went into the field!  I started a line of action I never got inspired to do earlier.

I began to recognize her deep fear.  I  recognized my own place in God's world.  I saw her in God's world too. I created a little sacred space on the dressing table which was in her direct vision.  I placed the photo of The Divine Mercy because she has faith in Jesus in that aspect.  I lit a candle, burned incense and switched on spiritual chants.  It suddenly changed the whole atmosphere in the bedroom.  Then I started communicating with her my next action in order for her to get mentally prepared.  I told her that I was lifting her up from the bed to the chair and even though her feet were slipping, she must have faith that I will take every care to not hurt her.  She did.  Suddenly she became very submissive and open to instructions.  Her mood changed. Everything started happening as if in a dream. I even took the opportunity to cut her hair as well. She wanted tea. She's addicted to tea. I bargained with her.  With every meal she eats, she will get a little tea.  She gives a lot of trouble to eat proper meals. She agreed. I served her breakfast.

As I cleaned her up and allowed her to do whatever she could do for herself and finally took that leap of faith with her right from the wheelchair back to the bed, she smiled and said thank you!!

She said THANK YOU!!  That's a first.

And I will keep listening to the Voice of God.  Thank you Dear Self.  I can speak to You because I Am as You created me.

God's Voice Speaks To Me All Through The Day

Dear Beloved Self, The other day a wonderful teacher of "A course In Miracles" emailed Lesson 49 from The Course "God's Voice Speaks to Me All Through The Day" and shared her own perspective and her journey with God.  I was very grateful for that because it came at a time when I desperately needed this reminder as I am coping with a lot at the moment and I forget that I am not alone.  So as I write this guidance from The Course, it helps me to sink this awesome message deep into my subconscious mind.

I love how Jesus guides my mind to my True Interior Self.  After many many years of searching and seeking, I have come to a place of peace in my heart about Spirit's role in my Life. I know many people would rather not discuss this intricate part of our lives because of so many societal reasons plus their own confusion about their true identity and their role on Earth.  Its okay - perfectly okay - to feel this way, because it is this very lack of understanding that eventually brings on self inquiry which in turn pushes open the door of experience and understanding better paving the way for Self Realization.

Lesson 49 ~ God's Voice speaks to me all through the day.

"It is quite possible to listen to God's Voice all through day day without interrupting your regular activities in any way.  The part of your mind in which truth abides is in constant communication with God, whether you are aware of it or not.  It is the other part of your mind that functions in the world and obeys the world's laws.  It is this part which is constantly distracted, disorganized, and highly uncertain.
The part that is listening to the Voice of God is calm, always at rest, and wholly certain.  It is really the only part there is.  The other part is a wild illusion, frantic and distraught, but without reality of any kind.   Try today not to listen to it.  Try to identify with the part of your mind where stillness and peace reign forever.  Try to hear God's Voice call to you lovingly, reminding you that your  Creator has not  forgotten His Son.

We will need at least four five-minute practice periods today and more if possible. We will try actually to hear the Voice reminding you of God and of your Self.  We will approach this happiest and holiest of thoughts with confidence, knowing that in doing so we are joining our will with the Will of God.  He wants you to hear His Voice.  He gave It to you to be heard.

Listen in deep silence.  Be very still, and open your mind.  Go past all the  raucous shrieks and sick imaginings that cover your real thoughts and obscure your eternal link with God.  Sink deep into the peace that waits for you beyond the frantic, riotous thoughts and sounds and sights of this insane world.  You do not live there. We are trying to reach your real home.  We are trying to reach the place where you are truly welcome.  We are trying to reach God."

To arrive at this place of deep listening there is nothing we need to do, but practice silence and an attitude of deep listening. When that is difficult, I set an intention of willingness to practice as guided.  The intention of willingness is powerful and sets in motion all the heavenly forces to come to my aid.  I know because I experienced this so many times.  So, all I need to do is practice.

"Do not forget to repeat today's idea very frequently.  Do so with your eyes open when necessary, but closed when possible.  And be sure that you sit  quietly and repeat the idea for today slowly whenever you can, closing your eyes on the world and realizing that you are inviting God's Voice to speak to you."

How sublimely perfect.  I Am Listening Deeply Today.  In Love & Deepest Gratitude.

Patience

Dear Beloved Self, I believe Patience is the biggest lesson a human being must learn.  Its a spiritual virtue - one worthy to note  and remember each day.  Every act in your life needs to be done with tender loving care.  Oh! I like that - three words already describe Patience - 'tender', 'loving' and 'care'!

How is it you don't worry about the physical growth of a baby? Yet, a baby just grows without you taking notes and checking every day. Your only concern to is to keep baby well and strong and nursed every day. You just 'KNOW' that baby will grow.  There's no deep insight required from you to know this.  Baby will grow. You know.  Its a given.  In the meanwhile you nurture baby as she/he grows with tender loving care.

Love yourself deeply.  Be kind to yourself no matter how long something takes to be accomplished. It could be a habit, perhaps, a situation, people, etc. - anything!  Don't be in a hurry.  Life is eternal.  If you want to set targets and goals, fine!  But your only true goal is to become 'KNOWN" to your Higher Self.  Your only goal is to look at The Light that shines from heaven because that Light is reflected in your Soul and lights your path in the world.  That path before you has already been walked by Spirit when It created you through the Masters, Mystics, Saints and Sages.  Spirit knows your path. Spirit wants to experience it through you as YOU, Dear Beloved Self.  How magnificent you are indeed.  Spirit is Love and you come from Love only.  Patience IS. Love IS.

Somebody wisely said "Patience is a kind of love.  A love that is its own explanation in  bewildered  circumstances.  It is an old, old woman placing a wrinkled-parchment hand against the cheek of a reckless child.  Because her heart is too wise to make room for reproach.  Too full to find place for offense."

May Heaven rest in your Sacred Heart.

Sing Your Heart Song!

It’s often difficult to deal with someone else’s issues, because they impact your own. No one is perfect, but sometimes (a lot of the times!) you become vulnerable to being manipulated.  Its always good to remind yourself  then that this world need not be taken seriously or personally.  A sense of humor cuts through a lot of ‘stuff’ that people tend to shove on you through their reactions and projections.  Don’t let that happen.   Don’t let anyone do that to you.  Go within and find your Heart Song. Sing it! Dance it! Chant it! Pray it!  Delve into your Joy!  There’s no need to just cope with a situation because any situation that feels painful is an illusion even though it may appear real.  Let yourself know that when you feel pain, it is an indication that you are out of alignment with your True Being.  Set boundaries.  Love yourself unconditionally.  Stay detached.  Only Love heals.  Love is not to be understood as something to demonstrate through ‘pampering’ another, or being at the mercy of another’s whims and fancies.  Love is looking beyond the form and seeing the true, the Spirit within the person facing you.  The form is nothing.  Don’t be afraid of the form.  Fear is an illusion.

Life is a Mystery. Its also Mystical. Life is Eternal and Unpredictable. Life is Movement. Nothing is ever meant to be static. Movement brings challenges that must not be resisted, for progress can only be made by letting go of what was, and welcoming what is and what is yet to come. Stay calm and composed in your center no matter what the chaos. Fortify yourself with prayer and meditation.  Call on Spirit directly. Such invocations offer power and strength and draws out all the goodness and beauty that is already within you. You are directly connected to Source. The Power of Spirit is always perfect and consistent with only Love.

Seek only love and you will be loved. Its one and the same thing.

May Heaven Rest in Your Heart Eternally.