Embracing the Now

8/13/2019 Embracing the Now

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Embracing the Now

Finding Peace andHappiness in What Is

Gina Lake

Endless Satsang Foundation


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CONTENTS

Introduction 4i

PART 1 Discovering Who ou Are

1wareness Is Who 6ou 1re 7"ecoming 1ware o2 1wareness *

1liveness '$oticing as a 8oorwa/ into the $ow +)"eing $o0od/ and Ever/0od/ +7

1cceptance +* 9ust "eing +% 1wareness :editation -- Who Creates 6our ;ealit/< -,=wo >inds o2 8esires -'Following 6our Heart 7+=he Simplest :editation 7

:editating on What Is 7* 1ligning with Essence 7'Going 8eeper into Essence )


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PART ! The Ego

Seeing =hrough the I =hought ,=he Ego Is a =rou0lemaker '=aking a "reak 2rom the Stor/ o2 :e ,+=he End o2 Striving ,7=he Ego Is Irrational ,*Li2e Is Springing out o2 the $ow *)How the Egoic :ind =akes 6ou out o2 the $ow *-Fi4ing =hings =hrough =hought *,

Wanting to >now the Future *&Fear =he Ego?s :ost Power2ul =ool &)8ou0t =he Ego?s :ost Insidious =ool &7=he Ego?s Favorite Weapon &,How 9udgments @ndermine ;elationships &'=he Ego Is Con2used '-:aking Peace with Li2e ',

PART " #rea$ing %ree o& Conditioning

Seeing the =ruth a0out 8esires '%Feelings 1re $ot What 6ou =hink =he/ 1re %7

Feelings Point to Conditioning %& What to 8o with Feelings %%Healing Emotional Issues +)78isengaging 2rom the Ego?s Aoice +)*


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'PART " Continued(

Bne =hought at a =ime +)' 1 ;adical In5uir/ +++ 1ccepting 8eath and Loss ++Letting Go Is Letting Go o2 a =hought ++'Surrender +-+Living without :irrors +-Living Without ;e2erring to "elie2s +-&

What 1re 6ou "ringing into the $ow< +7)Sta/ing in Essence in an Ego(8riven World +7-

1 Li2est/le 2or 1wakening +7

PART ) Secrets to *a++iness

Happiness Is Here ;ight $ow + +"eing Satis2ied + ,

What 1re 6ou 1ttending to< + &Good Enough +,)=he Hidden "lessing in Limitation +,7Loving What Is +,&Em0racing the :oment +*)

God Is in the 8etails +*-=here Is 1lwa/s Something to Love +*,Love What 6ou 8o +*'8o What 6ou Love +&+8o What Essence Loves +&


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PART , Trusting -i&e

=rusting God +&% Who 6ou 1re Is Goodness +'-God Is Good nessD +',=aking the Leap o2 Faith +'&=he Importance o2 E4periencing Essence +%)

What Is =rustworth/ 10out Li2e +%7Seeing Li2e as It Is +%&Getting and Giving -))

PART . /a$ing the /ost o& the /oment

:ake the :ost o2 Li2e -),I?d ;ather "e Fishing -)&8o What?s in Front o2 6ou -)%Finding Pleasure -+-

Waiting -+, What >eep 6ou 2rom "eing Happ/< -+'Get into the Flow --)Events 8on?t Change E4perience --7

What Stor/ 1re 6ou ;elating =o< --*

@nnecessar/ =houghts --%$oticing the Impact o2 6our =houghts -7+=he Present Heals -7Essence Is a Feeling o2 Home -7&


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PART 0 Cu tivating a New Pers+ective

=he $um0ers Game - +Li2e Happens - 7Little =hings :atter - *It?s $ot =hat Important - %Good $ews3 "ad $ews -,+Li2e Is Interesting -,7How We Create Pro0lems -,*How to :ake 6oursel2 :isera0le -*)$avigating Change and Challenges -*-Pro0lems 1ren?t Solved 0/ =hinking 10out =hem -*,It =akes as Long as It =akes -*&

1re 6ou Willing< -&)

About the Author -&7


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INTROD2CTION

=his 0ook is a collection o2 essa/s that came out o2 m/ one(on(one work with others 2or the most part. 1s I worked with peoplearound emotional and spiritual issues3 I 2ound the need to addresscertain 5uestions common to spiritual seekers and those in theprocess o2 awakening to their true nature. "ecause the 0ook ismade up o2 essa/s3 it is organi ed in parts rather than chapters. 1s aresult3 it lends itsel2 to contemplation o2 one essa/ at a time anddoesn?t need to 0e read in an/ particular order3 although it has anintentional order.

Introducing some terms might 0e help2ul3 in case this is the 2irst0ook o2 mine /ou?ve encountered. =he terms I?ve used in this 0ookand m/ others are ver/ similar to those that Eckhart =olle30estselling author and spiritual teacher3 has used in his 0ooks3 ThePower of Now and A New Earth. In those 0ooks3 he introduced theterm the Now to re2er to the present moment. He also introducedthe term egoic mind, which is the aspect o2 the mind that serves the

ego3 or the 2alse sel2.The ego is the sense o2 0eing a me and all theideas3 0elie2s3 and other conditioning entailed in the sense o2e4isting as an individual. =he ego is called the 2alse sel2 0ecause theego isn?t who we reall/ are3 although it seems like it is who we are.

=he egoic mind3 which is a re2lection o2 the ego and itsconditioning3 is the chatter0o4 mind3 which produces a nearl/constant 2low o2 commentar/ a0out li2e 0ased on our conditioning.

We e4perience it as the voice in the head3 as Eckhart =olle calls it.For simplicit/3 I sometimes re2er to the egoic mind as the mind.


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However3 the egoic mind is distinct 2rom the functional mind, whichis the aspect o2 the mind that we use to read3 calculate3 anal/ e3

design3 2ollow instructions3 and so 2orth. We need the 2unctionalmind3 0ut we don?t actuall/ need the egoic mind to 2unction. =heegoic mind is the aspect o2 the mind that talks to us3 while the2unctional mind is a tool we pick up and use when we need it.

In writing a0out the ego3 I have somewhat positioned it as theenem/3 as a device to help people detach 2rom it. When people areidenti2ied with the ego3 the/ are3 in a sense3 in love with the egoicmind3 and I?m hoping to help them 2all out o2 love with it3 0ecausethe ego and the thoughts and 2eelings it produces are the source o2human su22ering. B2 course3 even the ego 0elongs to the Bneness3and the ego serves e4actl/ the 2unction the Bneness intended.

=he ego isn?t actuall/ an entit/. ;ather3 it is the sense o2 0eing aseparate individual3 which is innate to us. We 2eel like individuals3

although we are actuall/ mani2estations3 or e4pressions3 o2 Bne"eing. =his is the Bneness that m/stics throughout time havereali ed as 0eing 0ehind all li2e and which the term nondual3 whichmeans not two3 re2ers to. While cloaked in a human 0od/3 wehave lost awareness o2 our true nature3 and we are meant torediscover the truth. =hat discover/ is what the spiritual path is alla0out and what spiritual practices are meant to reveal.

=he sense o2 0eing a separate individual is accomplishedthrough the mind. We are programmed to think o2 ourselves asseparate and as having distinct characteristics and la0els I?m aman3 I?m smart3 I?m a mother3 I?m 2ort/(seven. 1n/thing thatcomes a2ter I am3 de2ines us3 and we take those de2initions as

who we are. 1nd /et when /ou e4amine those assumptions3 /ou seethat the/ are ust ideas. =here is no you 0ehind the thoughts a0out

/ou. =his you that /ou think /ou are is made up o2 thoughtsJ Whata revelation that isJ


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=hen who are /ou< =hat is the perennial 5uestion. =r/ing toanswer it results in the discover/ that we are not a thing, 0ut more

o2 a 0eing3 an e4perience o2 e4isting. I2 we strip awa/ all la0els andideas3 we are le2t with ustI am, ust e4istence. We are that which ise4isting right here and now and aware o2 that e4istence. Spiritualteachers o2ten call the true sel2 Awareness 0ecause the e4perience o2the true sel2 is that it is aware. "e/ond that3 who or what we reall/are can?t 0e de2ined. It has 5ualities that can 0e 2elt3 such as peace3acceptance3 love3 compassion3 gratitude3 kindness3 patience3

wisdom3 and strength3 although those words don?t come close tode2ining the m/ster/ o2 our true nature.

Who we reall/ are is indescri0a0le 0ecause it is 0e/ond an/thingthe mind can grasp. "ut to speak a0out who we reall/ are3 we haveto give it a name. It has 0een given man/ names the Source3 Spirit3Bneness3 "eingness3 Consciousness3 God3 1wareness3 the 8ivine3

the 10solute3 Presence3 Stillness3 Emptiness3 the $ow3 Essence3 theSel23 the higher sel23 the essential sel23 and the true sel23 to nameust a 2ew. I usuall/ re2er to it as Essence3 the Bneness3 the Sel23 or

1wareness. =hose words mean 0asicall/ the same thing. I generall/use Essence to re2er to the aspect o2 the Bneness that e4presses itsel2and lives through each o2 us. Words and de2initions aren?timportant. 6ou know Essence when /ou e4perience it3 ust as /ou

know the ego when /ou e4perience it. Essence and the ego 2eel ver/di22erent and are ver/ distinct.

Awakening is another term that ma/ need some de2inition.Humanit/ as a whole is awakening out o2 the egoic state o2consciousness into awareness o2 its true nature. :an/ o2 /ou aretaking that step. 1wakening re2ers to the shi2t 2rom identi2ication

with the ego3 or 2alse sel23 to the recognition o2 /oursel2 as the

spiritual 0eing that /ou are. =his shi2t happens whenever we aresimpl/ in the moment without all o2 our thoughts. So awakeness is


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possi0le in an/ moment. 1wakening3 however3 generall/ implies amore permanent shi2t to living 2rom a place o2 non(identi2ication

with the ego and alignment with our true nature.


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PART 1

Discovering Who ou Are


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8iscovering Who 6ou 1re ,

2reedom comes 2rom stepping 0ack 2rom the =A screen o2 ourmind to a place where we can take in the rest o2 the room and

what?s going on in the rest o2 the room."/ 0ecoming aware o2 what else is showing up in the moment3

we can 0egin to reall/ live in the moment and respond to itnaturall/3 uncluttered 0/ our mental commentar/ and the ego?sdesires. We are in the moment without the egoic mind in2luencingour e4perience o2 it. When the voice o2 the ego no longerdominates and colors the landscape o2 li2e3 that is spiritual2reedom3 or li0eration. =hat voice is e4perienced as one smallaspect o2 the landscape3 one other thing that comes and goes in thelandscape. =he ego?s voice 0ecomes impersonal3 something in thelandscape that has no more personal relevance than a 0ird?s song orthe temperature o2 the room. We still e4perience it3 0ut we don?te4perience it as our voice3 and we are no longer compelled to2ollow it or e4press it.

Bnce we gain some detachment 2rom the ego?s voice3 it?spossi0le to e4perience the E4periencer3 the true sel23 theconsciousness that is 0ehind all li2e and 0ehind our particular li2e.=he E4periencer is in love with li2e3 and when we let it live us3 weare in love with li2e3 and our actions and words e4press that love.Freedom 2rom the ego 0rings a 2inal rela4ation into the true sel2

and the possi0ilit/ o2 0eing that in the world instead o2 the ego. What a relie2J


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#ECO/IN3 AWARE O% AWARENESS

"ecoming aware o2 ourselves as 1wareness is as eas/ as noticing weare aware. 1wareness is so o0vious that it?s taken 2or granted3overlooked. 6et3 when we turn our attention to what is aware3 weget a glimpse o2 the m/steriousness o2 who we reall/ are. What is itthat is looking out o2 /our e/es and taking in the world< What islooking isn?t /our e/es. Bur e/es are an instrument o2 awareness30ut awareness isn?t located inside our head or 0od/3 although itseems to 0e. It?s more like awareness is 2unneled through the 0od/(mind.

1t death3 awareness is withdrawn3 and onl/ the 0od/ remains.=hen it 0ecomes o0vious that whomever or whatever was alive wasnot the 0od/. Without the animation o2 the 0od/ thatconsciousness3 or the soul3 0rings to it3 the 0od/ is ust a mass o2cells3 inert material. When something is said to 0e soulless3 we allknow what that means. =he soul3 although not acknowledged 0/science3 is evident to man/ who have 0een with someone as he orshe has died.

When the soul incarnates and consciousness3 or 1wareness3

comes into the 0od/3 the 0od/ 0ecomes capa0le o2 0eing a vehicle2or who we reall/ are. =he capacit/ to 0e aware is Spirit as it livesthrough what we call our 0od/. We aren?t actuall/ our 0od/3 0utthe awareness that?s operating through it3 although we mistakeourselves 2or the 0od/ and 2or all the other la0els given to the 0od/and the personalit/.

=he process o2 human evolution is a process o2 disidenti2ication

with the 0od/3 mind3 and personalit/ and a reidenti2ication with3


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8iscovering Who 6ou 1re &

or a reali ation o23 our true nature. =hat reali ation and shi2t inidenti2ication is called awakening.

1wakening is the destin/ o2 ever/ human 0eing. 1wakening0egins 0/ 0ecoming aware o2 1wareness3 0/ noticing and there2oree4periencing more 2ull/ what?s actuall/ alive in /our 0od/. Whatgives /our 0od/ li2e< =hat?s who /ou reall/ are. 6ou are what 0ringsli2e into the 0od/ and sustains it through 0reathing and enliveningever/ s/stem. When the consciousness that /ou are decides to leave3the 0od/ stops 0eing alive.

Who we are is the consciousness that allows the 0od/ to 0e aliveand aware. =he more we notice 1wareness3 the stronger theenergetic e4perience that accompanies it 0ecomes. =hat energetice4perience is an e4perience o2 aliveness. So although who we reall/are isn?t ph/sical3 it can 0e sensed ph/sicall/3 and it is sensed asenerg/3 a vi0rating aliveness. =he energetic sense o2 aliveness is asclose as we can get to e4periencing who we reall/ are ph/sicall/."ecoming more aware o2 that su0tle vi0ration3 or aliveness3 helpsus align with our true nature.


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A-I4ENESS

When we are in our 0od/ and senses and not in our head3 wee4perience a sense o2 aliveness that is 2elt as a su0tle energetic

vi0ration3 or tingling3 and a sense o2 0eing alive3 illumined3 andaware. =hese sensations are how who we reall/ are is e4perienced0/ the 0od/(mind. =hat aliveness is the 2elt(sense o2 who we reall/are and what we e4perience when we are in the $ow. When we arealigned with who we reall/ are and not identi2ied with the ego3 we2eel that aliveness3 Presence3 energeticall/3 and it?s ver/ pleasura0le.

=he 2act that who we reall/ are3 Essence3 can 0e 2elt energeticall/is ver/ hand/ 0ecause it makes identi2/ing when we are aligned

with Essence and when we aren?t easier. =hat sense o2 aliveness canalso help us realign with Essence when we are identi2ied with theego. I2 /ou 2ind /oursel2 contracted and su22ering3 /ou can search2or the sense o2 aliveness3 which is alwa/s present3 and 2ocus on it.$o matter how 2aint the e4perience o2 aliveness is3 it will increaseas /ou pa/ attention to it. Focusing on aliveness is a wa/ o2accessing Essence in ever/ moment.

=he more /ou pa/ attention to the aliveness3 the more o0vious

it 0ecomes. It can 0ecome ver/ strong3 and when it does3 it acts likean anchor3 grounding us in the $ow and helping us sta/ there. =hesense o2 aliveness can drown out the ego?s mind(chatter3 relegatingit to the 0ackground. I2 we 2ocus on the aliveness o2ten enough as

we go a0out our da/3 it will 0ecome the 2oreground3 and the mind(chatter will 2all into the 0ackground.

When we are grounded in aliveness3 we e4perience a deep calm

and peace2ulness3 which allows us to move through our da/ withe5uanimit/. =hat peace2ulness is un2lappa0le3 unless our emotional


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8iscovering Who 6ou 1re %

0od/ gets triggered 0/ a 0elie2 or 0/ someone else?s 0elie2 we?veidenti2ied with. When that happens3 the aliveness is still present

and can 0ring us 0ack into the $ow i2 we give our attention to itinstead o2 to the thoughts and 2eelings that were triggered.

$ot 0u/ing into our thoughts and 2eelings doesn?t make us lesshuman3 as some might think. It?s ust a di22erent wa/ o2 0eing inthe world3 although not the most common one. "eing aligned withaliveness instead o2 our thoughts and 2eelings actuall/ makes usmore e22ective and 2unctionalKand also more kindKthan 0eingidenti2ied with our thoughts and 2eelings.

"eing aligned with Essence instead o2 the egoic mind is the ne4tstep in humanit/?s evolution. Eventuall/ we will all awaken out o2the egoic mind and live 2rom Essence. Emotions will still e4ist inpotential3 0ut the/ won?t run roughshod over the 0od/(mind.E5uanimit/3 acceptance3 and love will 0e the most common stateinstead o2 discontentment3 striving3 contraction3 and 2ear. Certainindividuals are heralding this shi2t in consciousness and helping to0ring it a0out. =he potential to live 2rom Essence e4ists inever/one3 0ut onl/ some people will make that a priorit/. =he morepeople who do3 the easier it will 0e 2or the rest o2 humanit/ tomake that shi2t in consciousness.

6ou are pro0a0l/ motivated to make the shi2t to living 2rom

Essence. Pa/ing attention to the 2eeling o2 aliveness is one o2 themost use2ul tools 2or awakening. B2 course3 the egoic sel2 isn?t theone who chooses to do that. What chooses to give attention to thealiveness is Essence3 as it awakens /ou. =he ego will 2ight thatchoice all the wa/. Essence is the awareness o2 the whole drama0etween the ego and the you that is awakening.


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NOTICIN3 AS A DOORWA INTO T*E NOW

=he present moment3 the $ow3 is where we meet our true sel2. Who we reall/ are isn?t who we think we are. Who we reall/ are hasnothing to do with thinking and ever/thing to do with notthinking. When we aren?t involved with the egoic mind3 we moveinto the $ow and the e4perience o2 who we reall/ are.

=he ego3 the sense o2 me3 disappears as soon as it encounters the$ow3 so the ego runs 2rom the $ow. It can?t survive in the $ow.It?s revived and survives through thought3 particularl/ throughthoughts a0out the past and 2uture3 0ut also a0out the present. =heego tells stories a0out the past3 present3 and 2uture. Pa/ingattention to these stories takes us out o2 the $ow and into the

egoic mind?s made(up realit/. When we are identi2ied with theegoic mind3 we live in the ego?s interpretation o2 realit/3 not inrealit/. We live in its e4planations a0out what is , what was3 and

what will 0e. =hese stories take us awa/ 2rom the living realit/ o2the $ow.

=o e4perience the $ow3 we merel/ have to notice what?s happening in the present moment without our interpretations3

opinions3 udgments3 0elie2s3 or concepts. =his ma/ sound di22icult30ut all it takes is a shi2t 2rom 0eing a0sor0ed in our thoughts tonoticing our thoughts. $oticing whatever else is present in additionto our thoughts without interpreting it3 udging it3 or telling a stor/a0out it 0rings us into the $ow and can keep us there as long as wecontinue to notice without interpreting or telling stories a0out

what we?re noticing. However3 once an/ udgment3 opinion3 or

0elie2 is considered instead o2 ust noticed3 we are 0ack in the mindand identi2ied with the ego again instead o2 with Essence.


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Whenever we notice and 0ecome 2ull/ involved in what is without 0ecoming involved in an/ mental activit/3 Essence 0ecomes

apparent. $oticing is a doorwa/ to e4periencing Essence 0ecausenoticing is a 5ualit/ o2 who we reall/ are. Essence is o2ten re2erredto as 1wareness 0ecause who we are is the 1waring Presence that isconscious and aware o2 ever/thing. Essence is o/ousl/ participatingin its creation 0/ 0eing aware o2 what it has created3 including itsel2mani2esting as an individual.

When we stop and ask3 Who am I< what we 2ind is nothing. We 2ind onl/ Presence3 1wareness3 Consciousness3 which is awareo2 the thoughts3 2eelings3 sensations3 and e4periences o2 theindividual that we assume we are. =his 1wareness3 this noticing o2ever/thing3 is who we reall/ areJ When we reali e we are

1warenessKthe $oticerKthen it makes sense that noticing is a wa/0ack to Essence.

Bnce we have reali ed Essence through noticing3 then allowingis necessar/ in order to sta/ in contact with Essence. Bur noticingmust 0e in2used with allowing and without an/ mental activit/. Bri2 there is mental activit/3 then that?s noticed. =he ego3 on the otherhand3 does the opposite o2 allowing. When it notices something3 itla0els it3 udges it3 and relates it 0ack to how it will a22ect me. 1ssoon as we 0ecome engaged with the mind3 allowing stops and

resistance takes its place. We 0ecome identi2ied3 once again3 withthe me3 the 2alse sel2 that opposes li2e3 rather than with who wereall/ are.

=he 1wareness that is our true nature is aware o2 ever/thingthat ma/ 0e part o2 an/ moment thoughts3 2eelings3 desires3sensations3 energ/3 sights3 sounds3 inner e4periences3 intuitions3urges3 inspirations3 and much more. When we are noticing and

allowing3 we also are aware o2 these things. 1s a result o2 0eing


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aware3 a knowing might arise a0out an action to take. 1ctivit/naturall/ arises 2rom 0eing aware o2 what is in each moment.

=he ego has its own e4perience o2 each moment and attends toonl/ a small portion o2 what can 0e e4perienced in an/ moment.=he ego acts in keeping with its limited perceptions and sense o2separateness. =hese actions are o2ten ver/ di22erent 2rom theactions Essence would take.

Essence allows us to 2ollow the ideas and 2eelings generated 0/the ego i2 doing so doesn?t inter2ere with Essence?s intentions30ecause part o2 what Essence intends is that we e4plore the worldand create according to our ideas and 2eelings. Essence is interestedin seeing what we will create3 0ut it also has intentions o2 its ownand man/ wa/s o2 guiding us toward them. It also participates increation 0/ inspiring spontaneous actionKaction that arises withoutprior thought.

So /ou could sa/ there are two t/pes o2 activit/ activit/instigated 0/ the ego and activit/ inspired 0/ Essence. "oth areo2ten going on simultaneousl/. 1s we evolve3 Essence 0egins to livethrough us more3 and ego(driven activit/ structures our li2e less.

$oticing is an important spiritual practice 2or getting in touch with Essence and with how it?s moving us. Essence is ver/ active inour lives and can 0e more active the more we acknowledge it as a

motivating 2orce. =he less attention we give the egoic mind and itssuggestions 2or how to live3 and the more attention noticeD we giveEssence and its drives and inspiration3 the more smoothl/ andhappil/ we move through li2e. $oticing and allowing are ke/spiritual practices that align us with our true nature and supportEssence?s intentions 2or us.


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#EIN3 NO#OD AND E4ER #OD

When we are identi2ied with the ego3 we 2eel like some0od/Some0od/ who likes this and doesn?t like that3 who wants this anddoesn?t want that3 who looks this wa/ and not that wa/3 who hasthis histor/ and not some other histor/3 who has certain dreamsand desires and not others. 1ll these are woven into an idea and astor/ a0out who we are3 which makes us 2eel like a certainsome0od/. We have an image3 a histor/3 goals3 and an imagined2uture. 1ll o2 this seems like who we are. "ut3 as the/ sa/3 things arenot alwa/s as the/ seem.

Ideas a0out what we like3 what we?ve done3 what we want3 what we look like3 and so man/ other ideas make up our sel2(image. "utour sel2(image is still ust an image3 an imagination3 a picture3 anidea o2 who we are. It isn?t who we reall/ are. Ever/one has a sel2(image3 0ut that doesn?t make sel2(images real. =he/ are ust ideas.

We pretend we are our sel2(image and that others are our image o2them3 0ut no one is an image. Ever/one is something other than animage3 0ecause an image isn?t what?s walking around and living li2e.

We also aren?t the 0od/ we?re walking around in. Who we reall/ are

is using the 0od/3 0ut it isn?t the 0od/.=he pro0lem is that what we reall/ are isn?t an image or even a

thing. It isn?t something the mind can understand 0ecause it?s0e/ond the mind and can?t 0e e4pressed in language. Who wereall/ are is not an image or a thing3 0ut more like an experience o2no(thing(ness. =he mind would rather not acknowledge no(thing(ness 0ecause it?s uncom2orta0le with no(thing(ness3 since it was

designed to deal with things. "ecause who we reall/ are can?t 0ee4perienced 0/ the mind3 the ego considers who we reall/ are to 0e


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nothing3 which it is3 0ut not nothing o2 conse5uence3 as the egoassumes.

When we drop out o2 our mind and into the moment and intoour Heart3 we e4perience who we reall/ are3 0ut not as an image.

When we are in the Heart EssenceD3 images and ideas drop awa/3and what?s le2t is simpl/ an e4perience o2 0eing3 or o2 0eing no0od/in particularKnot a male or 2emale3 not /oung or old3 not attractiveor unattractive3 not smart or dum03 not an/thing we can name.=he e4perience o2 our true nature is an e4perience o2 emptiness.Bur true nature is empt/ o2 all de2inition and /et3 it?s 2ull andcomplete3 lacking nothing. =he e4perience o2 0eing no0od/ andnothing is e5uall/ an e4perience o2 0eing ever/0od/ and ever/thing0ecause this emptiness is without 0oundaries and there2oreincludes ever/thing nothing is le2t out. =here?s no me and /ou3 0utonl/ spaciousness3 0eingness. =hat unending spaciousness is who

we are.It?s possi0le to e4perience no0od/(ness or ever/0od/(ness in an/

moment 0ecause our true sel2 is alwa/s hereKit?s what is living li2eJ=he reason the empt/ spaciousness that we are isn?t e4periencedmore o2ten or more consistentl/ is that the ego isn?t com2orta0le

with it. =he ego runs 2rom the e4perience o2 who we reall/ are anddraws us into its arenaKthoughtsKwhere we lose awareness o2 our

true nature. Whenever /ou e4perience who /ou reall/ are3 notice how the

ego comes in with a thought to 0ring /ou 0ack into its world o2ideas about li2e and out o2 the experience o2 li2e. Who /ou areKno0od/ or ever/0od/Kis e4periencing li2e3 while the ego ust thinksa0out li2e and makes up stories a0out it. What a di22erent realit/the ego?s realit/ is than real li2eJ When we give our attention to

thoughts3 those ideas and 0elie2s 0ecome our realit/ and when we


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give our attention to the e4perience o2 the present moment3 ourtrue nature 0ecomes our realit/.

=he more /ou notice the e22ect that pa/ing attention to /ourthoughts has on /ouKcontraction3 stress3 tension3 unhappiness3 andnegative 2eelingsKthe more /ou will choose to turn /our attentionawa/ 2rom the world o2 thought and onto this simple moment. =he$ow is 2ull and rich and has all the peace /ou have ever wanted.

What the $ow doesn?t have are the pro0lems and drama created 0/the ego3 which the ego wants 0ecause pro0lems and drama keep usattached to our thoughts. 1re /ou read/ to e4change /our pro0lemsand the drama o2 the ego 2or peace3 contentment3 and thee4perience o2 0eing no0od/< It?s a reall/ good deal.


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ACCEPTANCE

1cceptance is a 5ualit/ o2 our true nature. =he 1wareness that weare3 Essence3 is naturall/ accepting. It accepts 0ecause it loves li2eKall o2 li2e and ever/ possi0le e4perience it might have through us. Itis so in love with li2e and the possi0ilities li2e 0rings that item0races even the di22icult e4periences. It is curious and an4ious toe4perience ever/thing that li2e its creationD o22ers. It umps intocreation with eagerness and o/. We are a0le to 2eel that o/ i2 weare willing to. B2ten we are too caught up in the ego?s re ection o2li2e to notice the acceptance and love o2 li2e that is the ongoinge4perience o2 who we reall/ are.

=he ego?s resistance to li2e overshadows Essence?s love andacceptance o2 li2e until a certain point in our evolution when thatshi2ts. =hat shi2t is called awakening, and with awakening comes thepossi0ilit/ o2 loving and accepting whatever li2e 0rings. =he2reedom that comes 2rom spiritual awakening is not 2reedom 2romdi22icult e4periencesKthe same challenges e4ist a2ter awakening as0e2oreK0ut 2reedom 2rom seeing a di22icult e4perience asundesira0le. Essence loves undesira0le e4periences as much as it

loves desira0le ones3 sometimes even more 0ecause o2 theirpotential 2or growth.

1cceptance isn?t something we can talk ourselves into i2 we areidenti2ied with the ego. =he ego has man/ good reasons 2or notliking or accepting a di22icult e4perience. 8i22icult e4periences aredi22icult3 a2ter all. ;ather3 acceptance is something that we notice isalread/ here3 however su0tle. 1cceptance isn?t produced 0/ the

mind3 although it can 0e o0scured 0/ the mind. 1cceptance ust is.It?s unwaveringl/ here right now and in ever/ moment. 1ccepting


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whatever we are e4periencing is alwa/s possi0le 0ecause who wereall/ are is alread/ accepting it. 1ll it takes to accept something

that?s di22icult to accept is aligning with who we reall/ are instead o2identi2/ing with the ego3 which is resisting that e4perience.

Bne wa/ to align with Essence is to 0e willing to acceptsomething even i2 /ou don?t like it. "eing willing to acceptsomething creates an environment in which aligning with Essenceis possi0le. 1s long as we are determined to not accept something3

which is the ego?s usual stance3 we will remain stuck in the ego andthe su22ering it causes. However3 a simple statement o2 willingnessto accept what we don?t want to accept can 2ree us 2rom 0eing stuckin the ego?s resistance to li2e and open the door 2or movementtoward Essence and acceptance.

=o accept what?s happening3 we don?t have to approve o2 it orlike it we onl/ have to 0e willing to have the e4perience we are

having now. "eing willing to have the e4perience we are having issimpl/ a sane choice3 since things can?t 0e an/ other wa/ than the wa/ the/ happen to 0eK2or now. 1ccepting things as the/ aredoesn?t mean the/ won?t change3 which is the ego?s take onacceptance. 1ccepting things the wa/ the/ are is simpl/ more2unctional than not accepting them. 1cceptance helps us deal moree22ectivel/ with whatever we are e4periencing. Instead o2 0eing lost

in 2ears and negative stories a0out what we are e4periencing3 wecan 0e present to the situation3 and when we are3 we 2ind ourselvesresponding naturall/ and wisel/ to it.

=he ego 2ights to change whatever it doesn?t like 0ecause3 to theego3 li2e is all a0out getting what it wants and avoiding what itdoesn?t want. =he ego doesn?t see li2e as having an inherent wisdomand reason 2or 0eing3 0e/ond avoiding pain and getting more

pleasure and whatever else it wants. It also doesn?t see li2e as aprocess o2 evolution.


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"ehind whatever we are e4periencing3 is a wisdom andpurpose2ulness. Sa/ing /es to what we are e4periencing ena0les us

to discover its purpose2ulness and 2ind 2ul2illment in that. Ever/e4perience is an opportunit/ to grow3 learn3 evolve3 and 0ecome

wiser and more loving3 which is how Essence views li2e. 1cceptance allows us to tap into the potential 2or good that an

e4perience holds. It allows us to 0ene2it 2rom an e4perience andmove through it as grace2ull/ as possi0le. 1nd it allows us to 2eelthe o/ Essence 2eels in having that e4perience and ever/ othere4perience. 1cceptance aligns us with Essence?s plan and the rolethat an e4perience is pla/ing in our plan so that we can grow 2romit3 as Essence intends.

I2 /ou are having di22icult/ accepting something3 acknowledgean/ resistance and con2usion /ou might 0e having and a22irm that

/ou are willing to have that challenging e4perience. =hen ask 2orhelp in accepting the e4perience3 learning 2rom it3 and movinggrace2ull/ through it. =hen3 i2 /ou can3 tr/ to align with Essence?sperspective o2 that challenge 0/ 0eing ver/ present in the moment.=he peace3 o/3 acceptance3 and wisdom o2 Essence are alwa/savaila0le when we are willing to tune in to Essence instead o22ocusing on the ego?s resistance and complaints. 1cceptance is theantidote to the ego?s resistance to li2e and the wa/ out o2 the

su22ering caused 0/ that resistance.


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52ST #EIN3

9ust 0e. =hat sounds simple enough. How can we do an/thingother than 0e< "eing isn?t something we do3 which is what makes

ust 0eing challenging in our culture o2 doers. "eing isn?tparticularl/ respected among egos. We have to 0e somebody3 and the

wa/ we get to 0e some0od/ is 0/ doing 6ou are some0od/ who hasdone this or that. =he person and persona are created 0/ doing3not 0/ 0eing. However3 when all the accomplishments and la0elsare stripped awa/3 all that?s le2t is a sense o2 0eing3 o2 e4isting3 inthis simple moment. Such an e4perience o2 pure 0eing is the gi2tthat happens ust 0e2ore death 2or some people3 0ut it can 0e ourongoing e4perience.

In the state o2 pure 0eing3 the sense o2 me, or ego3 drops awa/3 which is wh/ the ego avoids ust 0eing. =he ego is striving to 0especial3 not annihilated. =his striving keeps the ego intact.Ironicall/3 when we stop striving3 2or once3 and ust allow ourselvesto be, we get what we were looking 2or all along peace andcontentment.

Isn?t peace and contentment what /our striving has alwa/s 0een

a0out< I2 /our striving hasn?t 0een 2or peace and contentment3 then what has it 0een 2or< It?s 0een 2or ever/thing the ego wantsspecialness3 com2orts3 mone/3 possessions3 pleasures3 sa2et/3 andsecurit/. We want these things 0ecause we hope the/ will relieve us2rom the ego?s stress2ul striving and 2ears. We work so hard inservice to the ego?s desires3 and still we don?t 2ind peace andcontentment3 even when we get what we desire.

What a surprise it is to discover that we never needed to striveto survive and 0e happ/ a2ter all. Like 8oroth/ in The i!ard of "! 3


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who discovered that she alwa/s had the means 2or going home3 wealread/ have what we need to 0e happ/ and sa2e. We have never

reall/ le2t Home. However3 i2 we don?t 0elieve we alread/ have what we need to 0e happ/ and sa2e3 it?s as i2 it isn?t true I2 we don?t knowthat the ru0/ slippers will take us home3 it?s like not having them.=he ego keeps us 2rom seeing the truth a0out those ru0/ slippersKitkeeps us 2rom seeing the truth a0out li2e. Home is right here3 rightnow3 0ut we ma/ not reali e that and there2ore not e4perienceHome3 or Essence3 as much as we might.

=he good news is that no matter how lost we might 0e instriving3 there are moments when we e4perience the peace andhappiness at our core. =he e4perience might 0e 2leeting3 and wemight not think much o2 it 0ecause it isn?t what the ego wants3

which is something 2lashier. "ut peace2ul moments spring upune4pectedl/ even in the 0usiest da/. "rie2l/3 we touch into theradiant and e45uisite truth o2 our 0eing. 1nd then that taste o2 thetruth is gone3 like a dream3 and we are 0ack in the illusion o2 the2alse sel2 and its 2antasies o2 what it needs to 0e happ/.

We can make room 2or more e4periences o2 radiance3 peace3and 0eaut/ and when we do3 the/ arrive. When we make anintention to e4perience peace3 when we value peace enough tomake room 2or it and invite it into our 0us/ lives3 it arrives 0earing

gi2ts. We make room 2or this guest3 not 0/ doing an/thing3 0ut 0/ ust

0eing3 ust allowing ourselves to rest3 once and 2or all3 in this sweetmoment with no agenda3 no purpose3 no reason 0ut to uste4perience the moment as it is. We make room 2or peace andhappiness 0/ ust noticing them. We notice that peace andhappiness are alread/ here3 and noticing them 0rings them more

strongl/ into 2ocus. Peace and happiness are alwa/s here3 0ut the/o2ten go unnoticed.


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=o e4perience peace and happiness3 all it takes is noticing. 1ndnoticing is eas/. It?s our nature to notice3 to 0e aware. It?s ust that

most o2 the time what we are aware o2 is our thoughts. "eing awareo2 what?s going on outside our head takes nothing more thanturning our attention awa/ 2rom thoughts a0out me and onto whatis real.

What is real is li2e3 as it e4ists 0e/ond thoughts a0out me and0e/ond all the ego?s evaluations and commentar/. When we noticereal li2e3 when we step into the 2ullness o2 the $ow withoutthought3 we discover peace3 contentment3 and happiness3 anordinar/ simplicit/ that?s 0eauti2ul and o/2ul. =he e4perience o2peace and happiness is the e4perience o2 the real /ou that is livingthis li2e.


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AWARENESS /EDITATION

:editation is such an important practice 0ecause it ac5uaints us with Essence and trains us to move out o2 our mind. =he state o2ego identi2ication is rein2orced whenever we 0elieve the egoic mindand the 2eelings it generates. When we 0u/ into the ego?sperceptions3 the ego is strengthened. =o discover that otherperceptions and another wa/ o2 li2e e4ist3 we have to turn awa/2rom the mind3 which has 0een so empowered 0/ the attention wehave given it.

"reaking the pattern o2 pa/ing attention to the egoic mind takescommitment3 and the ego will 2ight us ever/ step o2 the wa/. Itresists 0/ 0alking at meditation3 telling us that meditation won?thelp or isn?t helping3 that it?s too hard3 that we don?t like it3 or that

we don?t have time. =he ego digs up e4cuses 2or not meditating. When we do meditate3 the ego chats incessantl/ at us. It also

stirs up 2ears a0out what we might e4perience during meditationand how that might change our li2e. =he dissolution o2 the ego thathappens in meditation can 2eel 2rightening3 0ut that 2ear is natural.Fear is what the ego uses3 and alwa/s has used3 to control us. =he

ego is onl/ open to meditation 0ecause o2 the possi0ilit/ o2 havinga spiritual e4perience that would 2eel good and make it 2eel special.I2 special e4periences aren?t happening3 the ego won?t sta/interested in meditation.

=here?s no good reason not to meditate and ever/ reason tomeditate. :editation is the most important thing /ou can do tosupport awakening. For most people3 a practice o2 meditation or

something similar is necessar/ to awaken and em0od/ thatawakeness in dail/ li2e.


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:editating doesn?t have to 0e complicated. It?s as simple asan/thing can 0e. What?s di22icult a0out meditating is committing

time to it dail/. =he regularit/ o2 meditation is important in orderto counteract the rein2orcement we are ha0ituall/ giving the egoicmind 0/ 0eing so involved with it.

Something else ver/ important happens when we commitourselves to a practice o2 meditation Spiritual 2orces that areassisting our evolution are summoned. 122irming our desire toawaken and 0acking it up with a practice o2 meditation sends aclear signal to nonph/sical 2orces that we are read/ to awaken3 andthe/ take it as a cue to help us wake up.

:editation is as simple as ust sitting and noticing3 or 0eingaware o23 what?s occurringKwhat?s coming into our senses whatenergetic sensations are 0eing e4perienced what thoughts3 2eelingsintuitions3 inspirations3 drives3 and urges are arisingKwithoutgetting involved in the mind?s commentar/ a0out these things.Getting us involved in its commentar/ is how the egoic mind takesus out o2 the $ow. I2 we 2ollow its train o2 thought3 we will nolonger e4perience the 2ullness o2 the $ow3 0ut onl/ a small slice o2it.

=he goal o2 meditation is to e4perience our true nature3 orEssence. Essence is the noticing3 aware Presence that we imitate

when we sit down to meditate. In imitating 1wareness 0/ 0eingaware o2 ever/thing we are e4periencing in the moment 0ut notidenti2/ing with itD3 we become that 1wareness3 we drop into it.$oticing without getting involved in an/ thoughts a0out what weare noticing aligns us with Essence.

When we are aligned with Essence3 our e4perience o2 themoment changes. Bur 0oundaries so2ten3 we ma/ 2eel a sense o2

e4pansion3 and the sense o2 me 2alls into the 0ackground ordisappears altogether. Peace3 contentment3 acceptance3 gratitude3


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W*O CREATES O2R REA-IT 6

We are an e4pression o2 the Bneness3 or Essence3 and it createsthrough us in two wa/s It inspires and moves us to create therealit/ it intends 2or us3 and it also allows our ego to create therealit/ the ego chooses. So two things are going on in an/ momentEssence is attempting to move us in keeping with its intentions3and the ego is attempting to move us in keeping with its desires30elie2s3 and other conditioning. In an/ moment3 we have the2reedom to 2ollow the ego or to 2ollow Essence.

=he ego has 5uite an advantage 0ecause we are programmed to0elieve we are the 2alse sel2. In addition3 we are programmed to0elieve the ego?s 0elie2s and desires are ours and that the/ are trueand use2ul guides 2or how to live our li2e. =hat setup leads to a loto2 learning and growth 2or the character we are pla/ing3 and theego and the programming were created to do e4actl/ that. Burprogramming3 or conditioning3 was designed to 0ring the Bnenessa uni5ue e4perience3 0ecause each o2 us has di22erentprogramming3 and so we are 0ound to have di22erent e4periences.

=he Bneness is having this e4perience through us 0ecause

creating li2e is its wa/ o2 pla/ing3 e4ploring3 and e4panding itsel2. Ite4periences li2e through us3 and it also a22ects li2e through us. Itshapes li2e to create the e4perience it wants 0/ inspiring us to takeaction and 0/ communicating intuitivel/ to us. When we?re not2ollowing our thoughts3 we discover that we still speak and act inthe world. Bur thoughts don?t determine all our speech andactions3 although the/ determine most o2 them when we are

identi2ied with the ego. When we are in Essence3 our speech and


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actions come 2rom Essence3 not the ego3 and that creates a ver/di22erent li2e and e4perience than when we 2ollow our thoughts.

=houghts are power2ul creators o2 realit/. What we 0elieve o2ten0ecomes a sel2(2ul2illing prophec/. For instance3 i2 /ou think /ouare competent3 /ou will 2eel con2ident3 and that will help /ou0ehave competentl/ when 2aced with a task. 6ou?ll 0e determinedto prove /ou are competent 0ecause that?s /our sel2(image. Bn theother hand3 i2 /ou 0elieve /ou are incompetent3 /ou won?t 2eelcon2ident3 and insecurit/ a0out /our capa0ilities is likel/ toundermine /our will to 0e competent. We don?t like to have our0elie2s proven 2alse3 even our negative ones. Bn an unconsciouslevel3 we?d rather prove that our negative 0elie2s are true thanchange them.

So our thoughts are power2ul3 0ut the/ are onl/ one aspect o2our realit/ and o2 what?s creating our realit/. Bther people?sthoughts and actions also a22ect our realit/3 and we have onl/ somuch in2luence over those. :ore importantl/3 Essence is guidingour li2e3 and it a22ects our realit/ in an/ num0er o2 wa/s3 primaril/through our intuition and 0/ inspiring us to take action. Essence isalso in2luencing other people?s actions and choices in the same

wa/. :an/ 2orces are at work in the creation o2 our realit/ our will3other people?s will3 and Essence?s will.

=he Bneness is an active participant in li2e through itsam0assador to li2e Essence. =he Bneness didn?t create us and thenleave us to do whatever we wish. It co(e4ists within us3 as Essence3along with the ego3 which is ust the sense that we are an individualthat is separate 2rom other creations and 2rom the Bneness. Inrealit/3 there?s no separation 0etween ourselves and others and theBneness 0ecause the Bneness has mani2ested ever/thing and lives

through ever/thing. It is pla/ing in this material world 0/ creatingthe character that we think o2 as ourselves and 0/ inspiring and


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moving this character to act in certain wa/s. =he Bneness3 viaEssence3 is ever(present and active in our li2e.

We co(create our realit/ with Essence. We co(create 0/ choosingto 2ollow our desires and thoughts or 0/ 2ollowing our intuitionand the spontaneous movement o2 Essence as it lives through us.

1ll the while3 ever/one else has the same 2reedom o2 choice3 whichmakes 2or a ver/ unpredicta0le3 0ut delight2ull/ chaotic3 set o2circumstances 2or Essence and usD to en o/.


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TWO 7INDS O% DESIRES

8esires make the world go around. We desire something3 and then we do something a0out it. Ever/one is 0us/ doing something a0outtheir desires. Ever/one is tr/ing to get what the/ want. "ut wheredo our desires come 2rom< 1nd are the/ worth/ o2 our time andenerg/< =here are two kinds o2 desires3 and one is not as worth/ o2our time and energ/ as the other. Bne kind comes 2rom the ego3and the other 2rom Essence.

=he ego?s desires can serve Essence3 in the sense that Essence wants e4perience3 and it wants to evolve. Pursuing what our ego wants 0rings us e4periences and challenges that evolve us.However3 the ego?s desires can inter2ere with certain intentionsEssence has. For instance3 the ego o2ten makes choices that lead tomone/ and power3 and those choices ma/ inter2ere with Essence?sintentions. Essence ma/ 0e moving us to pursue something thatdoesn?t result in wealth or power3 0ut something else it valuesmore.

Essence?s intentions aren?t alwa/s di22erent 2rom the ego?s3 and when the/ aren?t at odds3 we 2eel little internal con2lict. Some o2

the con2usion and con2lict we 2eel around decisions comes 2romthe ego wanting something di22erent 2rom Essence3 although theego o2ten has contradictor/ desires as well. Contradictor/ desires ordrives arise simultaneousl/ sometimes3 and then we have to choose0etween them. Following the ego?s desires instead o2 Essence?s will0e less satis2/ing3 0ut we ma/ 2ind that out onl/ a2ter we?ve alread/made that choice. Li2e is o2ten a series o2 corrections We choose

something3 and then change course a2ter e4periencing the outcomeo2 that choice.


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What Essence wants usuall/ eventuall/ triumphs 0ecause we 2eelits intentions so strongl/ and deepl/. What inter2eres most with

2ollowing our Heart is our conditioning and other people?sconditioning. When we are ver/ attached to our conditioning3including our 2ears3 we o2ten make choices we later regret 0ecausethe/ aren?t aligned with Essence. Even then3 i2 our conditioning isstrong3 we might not choose di22erentl/. $ot 2ollowing our Heartcauses a lot o2 su22ering and unhappiness.

Fears are what keep most people 2rom 2ollowing their Heart.Fears go hand and hand with desires. For instance3 /ou want securit/ and com2ort3 so /ou are afraid to 2ollow /our Heart 0ecausedoing so might not provide the securit/ and com2ort /ou want. Wema/ also sta/ with what?s 2amiliar 0ecause tr/ing something new2eels scar/. =his3 un2ortunatel/3 is the stor/ o2 man/ people?s lives.Even so3 no li2e is ever a waste3 as something is learned 2rom ever/

choice. However3 much more happiness and 2ul2illment can 0e had2rom choices aligned with Essence than 2rom those that are 2ear(0ased.

Essence allows us to choose the ego?s desires over the Heart?s 2oras long as we wish. :ost people live man/ li2etimes 0e2ore the/have enough trust in li2e EssenceD and enough detachment 2romthe ego to 2ollow their Heart. Eventuall/ ever/one learns to 0e true

to themselves. Bnce we see that there?s something to choose0etweenKthe ego or EssenceKthen we are ver/ close to 0eing a0le tolive 2rom Essence.

$evertheless3 in ever/one?s li2e3 there are turning points3 ortimes o2 transition3 when change is called 2or3 and the unknown2eels 5uite scar/3 no matter how much we?ve 2ollowed our Heart upuntil then. 8uring times o2 change3 the ego gets ver/ stirred up3

and 2ears can 0ecome a real 0arrier to moving into something new.


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Bnce we reali e that all 2ears are produced 0/ the ego3 it 0ecomeseasier to dismiss them and not allow them to shape our choices.

What does Essence want< =he answer lies in the 2eeling o2 o/. Whatever Essence wants 2eels o/2ul3 like a 0ig /es.8iscriminating 0etween the ego?s desires and Essence?s isn?t asdi22icult as /ou ma/ think 0ecause Essence?s intentions show up as

o/ rather than as a thought. =he/ are known intuitivel/3 or the/ma/ pop into the mind as an 1ha3 which 2eels ver/ di22erent 2romour usual thoughts. Ideas inspired 0/ Essence are accompanied 0/

o/ and e4citement3 while the ego?s desires o2ten make us 2eelcontracted3 since the/ come 2rom a sense o2 lack.

We are meant to co(create with Essence3 0ut we are 2ree to co(create with the ego. :ost people go 0ack and 2orth 0etween thetwo. 1t some point in our evolution3 however3 we want more thanan/thing to 0e done with the ego?s desires and to 2ollow our Heart.=hat desire comes 2rom the Heart when it?s time to awaken. =henli2e can 0e lived much more happil/ and peace2ull/.


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%O--OWIN3 O2R *EART

Ever/one seems to know what 2ollow /our heart means. 1lthoughthe Heart is so su0tle and so unlike the mind3 people are aware o2it3 and man/ do honor it. =he 0ene2its o2 2ollowing the Heart are3no dou0t3 5uite o0vious to /ou in /our li2e and in other people?slives. Still3 trusting the Heart can 0e hard at times. =he mind can0e so nois/ and instill so much 2ear that seeing past it to what theHeart is sa/ing and trusting that can 0e challenging.

=he ego?s voice is one o2 2ear and distrust. It doesn?t trust li2e. Ite4pects di22iculties at ever/ turn and tries to avoid them throughplanning and thinking a0out the 2uture and mental rehearsals o2the 2uture. However3 the truth is that such thoughts are impotent.=he/ don?t protect us 2rom li2e3 and the/ certainl/ aren?t capa0le o2predicting the 2uture. =he/ keep us 0us/ in our heads and result innothing o2 value.

8espite the impotence o2 the egoic mind3 we trust it. It?s a2amiliar old 2riend. "ut when we look closel/3 we discover thatthe egoic mind isn?t much o2 a 2riend. It o2ten scares us and0elittles us until we 2eel compelled to listen to it. It convinces us

that we can?t trust li2e and that we are sill/ i2 we do and that onl/ ithas the answers to li2e. We trust the egoic mind out o2 ha0it3

without e4amining whether it?s trustworth/ or not. When we o0serve the egoic mind3 we discover ust how

untrustworth/ it is3 although most people don?t e4amine or5uestion their thoughts. =he egoic mind causes us to make poorchoices and 2eel negativel/ a0out ourselves3 others3 and li2e. 1nd

we don?t see that our own mind has done that. =hat?s how strongthe programming is around 0elieving the mind. We reall/ trust it3


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without 5uestion. When we 0egin to 5uestion our thoughts3however3 the whole house o2 cards collapses. How is it we didn?t see

this sooner< Indeed. =he programming is trick/. =hat?s the thinga0out programmingKwe aren?t supposed to see through itJ

=he pro0lem is not onl/ that we so thoroughl/ trust the egoicmind3 0ut that the ego so thoroughl/ distrusts ever/thing else3especiall/ Essence. We are programmed to look to the egoic mind2or answers and to distrust answers coming 2rom an/where else.@ltimatel/3 that isn?t a pro0lem 0ecause Essence eventuall/ comesto the 2ore2ront and we allow it to guide our li2e more. =he egocan?t perpetuate its ruse inde2initel/. Eventuall/ the ig is up3 and

we see the truth a0out the egoic mind.Even those still deepl/ enmeshed in ego identi2ication are in

Essence man/ times a da/. Essence 0reaks through into even themost contracted states. It rescues us 2rom entrapment in the egoicmind man/ times dail/. "ecause Essence is present in ever/one3even those who are 5uite ego identi2ied can live a 2ul2illed li2e3although the/ are 0ound to su22er some in the midst o2 it. Ever/one2ollows their Heart to some e4tent. We can?t help 0ut 2ollow it0ecause we are the Heart. Bur programming can onl/ keep us 2romit so much. =hat?s ver/ good news.

Following the Heart is the onl/ trustworth/ choice3 reall/.

=rusting the Heart ma/ seem di22icult3 0ut once /ou see howuntrustworth/ what /ou have 0een trusting actuall/ is3 then trustingthe Heart 0ecomes much easier. Has 2ollowing /our Heart ever2ailed /ou< Ever/one has had e4periences o2 2ollowing the Heart.

What happened when /ou did< 6es3 it was pro0a0l/ scar/ ande4hilaratingD3 and doing so didn?t mean ever/thing went smoothl/and e4actl/ as /our ego wanted 8oes it ever


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T*E SI/P-EST /EDITATION

Here?s the simplest meditation3 which /ou can do an/where andan/time. It?s meant to 0ecome a wa/ o2 li2e3 not ust a meditation$otice3 without getting involved in an/ thoughts a0out what /ouare noticing. Ignore all o2 the mind?s commentar/. $otice not onl/

what?s o0vious3 such as what /ou are seeing3 0ut also what?s moresu0tle3 such as /our inner e4perience and state3 /our energ/ andsense o2 /oursel2 is it e4panded or contracted


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in particular are all a0out. Spiritual practices are meant to 0ring usan e4perience o2 Essence. What we are isn?t something in another

dimension or apart 2rom us it?s right here3 noticing the letters onthis page. Who do /ou think is reading this< =hat which is aliveand conscious is reading this3 and that is who /ou reall/ are. Who

/ou reall/ are isn?t hidden and apart 2rom li2e3 0ut engaged andem0odied in it.

We are programmed with a sense o2 0eing a me, with certaindesires3 thoughts3 and wa/s o2 0eing in the world. "ut who wereall/ are is what is a0le to notice our desires3 thoughts3 andtendencies. We are programmed to think we are the me, 0ut we areactuall/ what?s aware o2 and a0le to contemplate the me. :oreover3

we are what can choose to do what the me wants or not. Bnce we?reno longer identi2ied with the me, we can choose how the me wille4press itsel2 in the world. =he me doesn?t have to 0e run 0/ the

ego3 which tends to make negative and sel2ish choices.Bnce Essence takes over3 and /our choices come 2rom it rather

than 2rom the ego3 li2e goes much 0etter. =he simple act o2noticing is one o2 the most power2ul things /ou can do totrans2orm /our li2e 0ecause noticing moves /ou out o2 egoidenti2ication and into Essence.


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/EDITATIN3 ON W*AT IS

:editation is the practice o2 keeping our attention 2ocused onsomething that?s coming in through our senses the air moving inand out as /ou 0reathe the movement o2 energ/ in /our 0od/ amantra3 music3 or other sounds a candle 2lame3 a mandala3something 0eauti2ul3 or a guru?s picture. =he practice is to 0ring

/our attention 0ack to these sensor/ e4periences whenever /ou 2ind /oursel2 caught up in a thought. When /ou notice /ou arethinking3 gentl/ 0ring /our attention 0ack to whatever /ou are2ocusing on.

=he purpose o2 this practice is not onl/ to 2eel peace3 0ut totrain ourselves to 0e more permanentl/ in our senses and in thee4perience o2 the moment rather than in the mind and its versiono2 realit/. For most people3 meditation provides temporar/ relie2and respite 2rom li2e and 2rom the mind. However3 with a regularand dedicated practice o2 meditation an hour or more a da/D3 thee22ects o2 meditation spill over into ever/da/ li2e and in2luence how

we e4perience li2e and how we are in li2e. =hat?s wonder2ul newsand a ver/ good reason to meditate.

$evertheless3 meditation can 0e much more than something wepractice once or twice a da/. Ever/ moment can 0e a meditation 0/learning to 0e present to whatever we?re doing or whatever is goingon. "eing present is a matter o2 attending to our sensor/ e4perienceand not 0ecoming involved in the mind?s commentar/ a0out thator a0out something else. 1s with meditation3 0eing present to li2eis a matter o2 getting 2ull/ involved in whatever /ou are

e4periencing and 0ringing /oursel2 0ack to that e4perience whenever /ou get caught up in a thought.


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Functional thought has a place in our da/3 o2 course. We needour minds to read3 calculate3 stud/3 plan3 write3 drive3 design3 and

do all the other things we do in our 0us/ lives. =he thoughts wedon?t need3 and the ones that meditation and 0eing present trainus to ignore3 are the ones a0out me and how it?s going 2or the me. =hese thoughts 0elong to the egoic mind the ego(driven3 orchatter0o43 mindD3 not to the 2unctional mind. =he egoic mind3

which takes us out o2 the $ow with evaluations3 udgments3 stories32ears3 dou0ts3 and ideas a0out the past and 2uture3 is not2unctional3 0ut d/s2unctional. It draws us out o2 the experience o2li2e and into its stor/ a0out li2e3 which is a place o2 dr/ness3contraction3 discontentment3 and unhappiness. =he ego is anunhapp/ and negative sel2. Fortunatel/3 it isn?t who we reall/ are.

Learning to 0e present to what is and sta/ present to that takes alot o2 practice. 1ll o2 our lives we?ve 0een practicing giving our

attention to the egoic mind3 so some e22ort is needed to neutrali ethis ha0it. 8etaching 2rom the mind isn?t eas/ and re5uires a lot o2diligence3 0ut the alternative is 5uite unpleasantJ People o2tendon?t reali e there is an alternative to listening to the chatter0o4mind3 0ut there is Something else is living li2e3 and the egoic mind

ust chatters awa/3 pretending it?s the one in control. =he ego isn?t who we reall/ are3 although it pretends to 0e3 and it isn?t in control3

although Essence allows us to 2ollow the egoic mind i2 we choose.=he more accustomed to 0eing present we 0ecome3 the more we

0egin to live as Essence. =he $ow is not onl/ a place o2 sensor/e4perience3 although that is su22icientl/ rich3 0ut also where li2ecomes out o2. I2 we aren?t pa/ing attention to the $ow3 we mightmiss what li2e is tr/ing to 0ring a0out through us. We can 2ollowthe egoic mind?s plans and ideas 2or our li2e i2 we want to3 0ut

something else right here and now has a plan3 and that plan will 0emuch more satis2/ing than an/thing the ego has to o22er.


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A-I3NIN3 WIT* ESSENCE

We are actuall/ alread/ aligned with Essence 0ecause we areEssenceJ We can?t 0e an/thing other than Essence3 0ut we areunder the illusion that we are the roles we pla/ and the ideas wehave a0out ourselves. =he I that we think o2 ourselves as is ust theidea I. Like ever/ other concept3 the I has no o0 ective realit/. =heidea I gives us a sense o2 e4isting separatel/ 2rom others and 2romthe rest o2 li2e3 0ut the I is ust the thought I. Sit with thisrevelation a moment. 6our sense o2 sel2 is derived 2rom a set o2ideas a0out /oursel23 which came 2rom others and 2romconclusions /ou drew a0out /oursel2 0ecause o2 /our e4periences.

=he I is so adorned with images3 0elie2s3 opinions3 desires3 2ears3

and 2eelings that it can 0e di22icult to see that these3 too3 are ustideas3 or stem 2rom ideas. We have 5uite a complete image o2ourselves in our mind3 and people rein2orce each other?s sel2(images. =he e4perience o2 our 0od/ as a 0oundar/ 0etweenourselves and other people completes the picture o2 who we think

we are. We 0elieve we e4ist within the limits o2 our 0od/. It doesseem that wa/3 0ut we don?t actuall/ e4ist within that 0oundar/ or

in an/ particular location. ;ather our soul3 or spirit3 gets assignedto a 0od/(mind3 and we take that 0od/(mind as who we are.

1ligning with Essence is a matter o2 reali ing that we are not the0od/(mind we are 2unctioning through 0ut the essence o2 li2e itsel23poured into3 i2 /ou will3 a particular 0od/(mind. =he essence o2 li2ethat we are doesn?t 2it inside one 0od/(mind3 so our 0od/(mind ishardl/ a complete representation o2 who we reall/ are. We are

s5uee ed into this container3 which shapes and limits oure4pression. =he container is that o2 a human 0eing at least this


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time aroundJD. We are ust pla/ing at 0eing a human 0eing3 and wehave pla/ed at 0eing a human 0eing in man/ other li2etimes. We

are learning certain lessons that 0elong to this particular li2e 2orm3and we will go on to e4perience other 2orms3 including nonph/sicalones.

=he mind isn?t designed to comprehend the truth a0out who wereall/ are3 nor is it designed to 0elieve the truth. $evertheless3 apart o2 us does know the truth and resonates with the sense o20eing much vaster than we seem to 0e. =hat larger sense o2ourselves is what calls us Home.

=he e4perience o2 our true nature is alwa/s availa0le3 sinceEssence has never 0een an/thing 0ut here all along. =o 0e aligned

with Essence3 there?s nowhere we have to get to. 1ligning withEssence isn?t something we do 0ut happens more as a result o2allowing and noticing what we alread/ are and suspending our0elie2 that we are who we think we are.

When our thoughts stop or aren?t given attention3 Essenceshines through. =houghts temporaril/ o0scure3 or cloud3 thee4perience o2 Essence3 0ut Essence is alwa/s there3 aware o2 thecharacter it?s pla/ing and all the thoughts that character is having.Essence is aware o2 the 0elie2s3 opinions3 2ears3 dreams3 2eelings3desires3 and udgments o2 this character3 and Essence allows it to

have these thoughts and do what it will do with them. When theactor 0egins to wake up out o2 the role that he or she has 0eenpla/ing and glimpses the truth3 the truth propels him or her on thespiritual path.

1ligning with Essence is a matter o2 turning our attention inever/ moment to our true nature rather than to the illusor/ 2alsesel2. We wake up out o2 the dream o2 the 2alse sel2 into the realit/

o2 our true nature. What a dream it has 0eenJ


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3OIN3 DEEPER INTO ESSENCE

"eing in our senses 0rings us into the $ow. When we reall/ take in what we are seeing3 hearing3 2eeling3 and tasting without 0ecominginvolved in our mind?s commentar/ a0out it3 we are in the $ow."ut there?s much more to 0eing in the $ow than sensor/e4perience. Bur senses are onl/ a doorwa/ into the $ow. =he o/o2 0eing in the $ow goes 0e/ond the pleasure o2 the senses. =o godeeper into Essence3 there?s another ver/ important step3 once weare 2ull/ sensing without the inter2erence o2 the mind?scommentar/3 and that is to 2ull/ e4perience the effect that sensor/e4perience has on our "eing.

When /ou look at a 0eauti2ul 2lower or hear a 0ird sing3 whatimpact does that have on /our internal3 energetic e4perience< Whatis /our "eing e4periencing< What is Essence?s e4perience o2 that 3 i n a - a $ e

1vaila0le in paper0ack3 >indle3 and other e(0ook 2ormats.D

Embracing the Now9 %inding Peace and *a++iness in What Is .=he $owKthis momentKis the true source o2 happiness and peaceand the ke/ to living a 2ul2illed and meaning2ul li2e. Embracing theNow is a collection o2 essa/s that can serve as dail/ reminders o2 thedeepest truths. Full o2 clear insight and wisdom3 Embracing the Now e4plains how the mind keeps us 2rom 0eing in the moment3 how tomove into the $ow and sta/ there3 and what living 2rom the $ow islike. It also e4plains how to overcome stum0ling 0locks to 0eing inthe $ow3 such as 2ears3 dou0ts3 misunderstandings3 udgments3distrust o2 li2e3 desires3 and other conditioned ideas that are 0ehindhuman su22ering.

Radica1 *a++iness9 A 3uide to Awa$ening provides the ke/s toe4periencing the happiness that is ever(present and not dependent

on circumstances. =his happiness doesn t come 2rom getting what /ou want3 0ut 2rom wanting what is here now. It comes 2romreali ing that who /ou think /ou are is not who /ou reall/ are. =hisis a radical perspectiveJ (adical )appiness descri0es the nature o2the egoic state o2 consciousness and how it inter2eres withhappiness3 what awakening and enlightenment are3 and how to livein the world a2ter awakening.


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Trusting -i&e9 Overcoming the %ear and #e1ie&s That #1oc$ Peaceand *a++iness? Fear and distrust keep us 2rom living the li2e we

were meant to live3 and the/ are the greatest hurdles to seeing thetruth a0out li2eKthat it is good3 a0undant3 supportive3 andpotentiall/ o/ous. Trusting 'ife is a deep e4ploration into them/ster/ o2 who we are3 wh/ we su22er3 wh/ we don t trust li2e3 andhow to 0ecome more trusting. It o22ers evidence that li2e istrustworth/ and tools 2or overcoming the 2ear and 0elie2s that keepus 2rom 2alling in love with li2e.

-oving in the /oment9 /oving &rom Ego to Essence inRe1ationshi+s . Having a trul/ meaning2ul relationship re5uireschoosing love over /our conditioning3 that is3 /our ideas3 2antasies3desires3 images3 and 0elie2s. 'o$ing in the #oment descri0es how tomove 0e/ond conditioning3 udgment3 anger3 romantic illusions3

and di22erences to the e4perience o2 love and Bneness withanother. It e4plains how to drop into the core o2 /our "eing3 whereBneness and love e4ist3 and 0e with others 2rom there.

Anatom> o& Desire9 *ow to #e *a++> Even When ou Don@t3et What ou Want will help /ou discriminate 0etween /ourHeart s desires and the ego s and to relate to the ego s desires in a

wa/ that reduces su22ering and increases o/. "/ pointing out them/ths a0out desire that keep us tied to our ego s desires and thesu22ering the/ cause3 Anatomy of +esire will help /ou 0e happ/regardless o2 /our desires and whether /ou are attaining them. So itis also a0out spiritual 2reedom3 or li0eration3 which comes 2rom2ollowing the Heart3 our deepest desires3 instead o2 the ego sdesires. It is a0out 0ecoming a lover o2 li2e rather than a desirer.


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Return to Essence9 *ow to #e in the %1ow and %u1&i11 our -i&e@sPur+ose descri0es how to get into the 2low and sta/ there and how

to live li2e 2rom there. "eing in the 2low and not 0eing in the 2loware two ver/ di22erent states. Bne is dominated 0/ the ego(drivenmind3 which is the cause o2 su22ering3 while the other is the domaino2 Essence3 the 8ivine within each o2 us. 6ou are meant to live inthe 2low. =he 2low is the e4perience o2 EssenceK/our true sel2Kas itlives li2e through /ou and 2ul2ills its purpose 2or this li2e.

-iving in the Now9 *ow to -ive as the S+iritua1 #eing That ou Are? =he %% essa/s in 'i$ing in the Now will help /ou reali e /ourtrue nature and live as that. =he/ answer man/ 5uestion raised 0/the spiritual search and o22er wisdom on su0 ects such as 2ear3anger3 happiness3 aging3 0oredom3 desire3 patience3 2aith32orgiveness3 acceptance3 love3 commitment3 hope3 purpose3meaning3 meditation3 0eing present3 emotions3 trusting li2e3trusting /our Heart3 and man/ other deep su0 ects. =hese essa/s

will help /ou 0ecome more conscious3 present3 happ/3 loving3grate2ul3 at peace3 and 2ul2illed. Each essa/ stands on its own andcan 0e used 2or dail/ contemplation.

3etting %ree9 *ow to /ove #e>ond Conditioning and #e

*a++>? Freedom 2rom /our conditioning is possi0le3 0ut the mindis a 2ormida0le opponent to 2reedom. =o 0e 2ree re5uires a new

wa/ o2 thinking or3 rather3 not thinking. =o a large e4tent3 healingour conditioning involves changing our relationship to our mindand discovering who we reall/ are. etting -ree will help /ou dothat. It will also help /ou reprogram /our mind clear negativethoughts and sel2(images use meditation3 pra/er3 2orgiveness3 and

gratitude work with spiritual 2orces to assist healing and clearnegativit/ and heal entrenched issues 2rom the past.


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What About Now6 Reminders &or #eing in the /oment . =hesecret to happiness is moving out o2 the mind and learning to

delight in each moment. In hat About Now 3 /ou will 2ind over+,) 5uotes 2rom Gina Lake s 0ooksK (adical )appiness, Embracingthe Now, 'o$ing in the #oment, 'i$ing in the Now, and othersKthat

will inspire and ena0le /ou to 0e more present. =hese empowering5uotes will wake /ou up out o2 /our ordinar/ consciousness andhelp /ou live with more love3 contentment3 gratitude3 and awe.

%or more in&o= + ease visit the #oo$sB +age at

http //www.radicalhappiness.com


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Embracing the Now