Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Spiritual Teachers... ~Eckhart Tolle
A true spiritual teacher does not have anything to teach in the conventional sense of the word, does not have anything to give or add to you, such as new information, beliefs, or rules of conduct. The only function of such a teacher is to help you remove that which separates you from the truth ... The words are no more than signposts.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
It says it all...
"In many shamanic societies, if you came to a medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions. When did you stop dancing? When did you stop singing? When did you stop being enchanted by stories? When did you stop finding comfort in the sweet territory of silence?" ~ Gabrielle Roth
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Oneness of the Eastern Heart and the Western Mind ~Sri Chinmoy
How to Conquer Fear
Our body is limited; that is why the body has fear. Our vital is unconscious; that is why the vital has fear. Our mind is obscure; that is why the mind has fear. Our heart is not aspiring; that is why the heart has fear.
To free our body from fear, what we need is the glorious experience of our soul. To free our vital from fear, what we need is the dynamic and conscious expansion of our soul. To free our mind from fear, what we need is the transforming illumination of our soul. Finally, to free our heart from fear, what we need is the fulfilling perfection of our soul.
Man’s fear does not allow him to see the face of reality, the Ultimate Reality. Man’s fear does not allow him to reach the Golden Shores of the Beyond. Man’s fear does not allow him to fulfil God for God’s sake. But God, the Author of all good, has boundless Compassion, Concern, and Love for mankind.
God’s Compassion saves man.
God’s Concern liberates man.
God’s Love fulfils man.
When we unconsciously think of fear or cherish fear, fear smilingly shakes hands with us. When we consciously think of fear or cherish fear, fear triumphantly embraces us. But when we unconsciously think of our inner courage, God cries with His divine Cry, for He feels that here He has a chosen instrument of His.
Now, earth is afraid of Heaven’s Transcendental Light. Heaven is afraid of earth’s abysmal ignorance. God says to earth, “My son, do not act like a fool. Heaven’s Transcendental Light is not going to blind you. Heaven’s Light is not going to expose you. On the contrary, Heaven’s Light is going to illumine you. Heaven’s Light is going to transform you.”
God says to Heaven, “Do not be a fool. Earth’s abysmal ignorance cannot bind you. It cannot destroy you. On the contrary, earth’s ignorance will be offered to you. It is you who will transform the face of earth.”
God says, “I need both of you—Heaven and earth. Heaven! The message of realisation you will have to give to earth. Earth! The message of manifestation, My divine Manifestation, you will have to offer to Heaven.”
Fear comes from our deep-rooted ignorance. We do not see the light with our inner vision. We see the light with our outer, human, limited, earth-bound understanding.
Let me tell you a short story. An old man walking along the street one evening came across a rope. There was no light, and he thought the rope was actually a snake. He was all fear, and let out a scream, running as fast as he could. While running, he fell down and broke his leg. Some friends nearby heard him shouting and screaming, so they came with sticks. He was shouting all the time, thinking that there was a snake there. When his friends came, they too thought that it was a snake. In the dark they started striking the rope and, unfortunately, began hitting one another.
The shouting continued, and soon another party came with a light and discovered that it was just a piece of rope and not a snake.
Similarly, in our human life, when light enters into our physical consciousness, every kind of fear is bound to disappear. We are wanting in light. That is why fear, at every moment, consciously and deliberately looms large in our life of desire and in our life of aspiration.
But if we are sincere enough to go deep within and feel that inner courage belongs to us, inner courage can dawn at any moment. It is more than willing to come to the fore. Bringing this inner courage to the fore is the conscious awakening of our inner being. Everyone has this inner being. But, unfortunately, very few of us want to feed it. We feed our body in order to strengthen ourselves. We study books to feed our minds. We do many things to energise our outer being, but we do practically nothing to feed our inner being.
It is in our inner existence that we can grow into an adamantine will and, when we use our adamantine will, which we can easily have at our behest, we can conquer the very breath of fear. Here on earth our inner adamantine and indomitable will can and will reign supreme. Only one thing we need: a conscious awareness of the Divine Light which is ours. It is our birthright to realise and fulfil this inner Light.
There can be no fear, there cannot be even an iota of fear when we live in the effulgence of our soul. To live constantly in the divine effulgence of our soul only one thing is needed: a conscious inner cry. This inner cry is called aspiration, the mounting flame deep within us. When this flame rises up towards the highest, it illumines everything around it. Darkness is transformed into light, fear into strength, doubt into certainty, ignorance into wisdom, and death into Immortality.
To free our body from fear, what we need is the glorious experience of our soul. To free our vital from fear, what we need is the dynamic and conscious expansion of our soul. To free our mind from fear, what we need is the transforming illumination of our soul. Finally, to free our heart from fear, what we need is the fulfilling perfection of our soul.
Man’s fear does not allow him to see the face of reality, the Ultimate Reality. Man’s fear does not allow him to reach the Golden Shores of the Beyond. Man’s fear does not allow him to fulfil God for God’s sake. But God, the Author of all good, has boundless Compassion, Concern, and Love for mankind.
God’s Compassion saves man.
God’s Concern liberates man.
God’s Love fulfils man.
When we unconsciously think of fear or cherish fear, fear smilingly shakes hands with us. When we consciously think of fear or cherish fear, fear triumphantly embraces us. But when we unconsciously think of our inner courage, God cries with His divine Cry, for He feels that here He has a chosen instrument of His.
Now, earth is afraid of Heaven’s Transcendental Light. Heaven is afraid of earth’s abysmal ignorance. God says to earth, “My son, do not act like a fool. Heaven’s Transcendental Light is not going to blind you. Heaven’s Light is not going to expose you. On the contrary, Heaven’s Light is going to illumine you. Heaven’s Light is going to transform you.”
God says to Heaven, “Do not be a fool. Earth’s abysmal ignorance cannot bind you. It cannot destroy you. On the contrary, earth’s ignorance will be offered to you. It is you who will transform the face of earth.”
God says, “I need both of you—Heaven and earth. Heaven! The message of realisation you will have to give to earth. Earth! The message of manifestation, My divine Manifestation, you will have to offer to Heaven.”
Fear comes from our deep-rooted ignorance. We do not see the light with our inner vision. We see the light with our outer, human, limited, earth-bound understanding.
Let me tell you a short story. An old man walking along the street one evening came across a rope. There was no light, and he thought the rope was actually a snake. He was all fear, and let out a scream, running as fast as he could. While running, he fell down and broke his leg. Some friends nearby heard him shouting and screaming, so they came with sticks. He was shouting all the time, thinking that there was a snake there. When his friends came, they too thought that it was a snake. In the dark they started striking the rope and, unfortunately, began hitting one another.
The shouting continued, and soon another party came with a light and discovered that it was just a piece of rope and not a snake.
Similarly, in our human life, when light enters into our physical consciousness, every kind of fear is bound to disappear. We are wanting in light. That is why fear, at every moment, consciously and deliberately looms large in our life of desire and in our life of aspiration.
But if we are sincere enough to go deep within and feel that inner courage belongs to us, inner courage can dawn at any moment. It is more than willing to come to the fore. Bringing this inner courage to the fore is the conscious awakening of our inner being. Everyone has this inner being. But, unfortunately, very few of us want to feed it. We feed our body in order to strengthen ourselves. We study books to feed our minds. We do many things to energise our outer being, but we do practically nothing to feed our inner being.
It is in our inner existence that we can grow into an adamantine will and, when we use our adamantine will, which we can easily have at our behest, we can conquer the very breath of fear. Here on earth our inner adamantine and indomitable will can and will reign supreme. Only one thing we need: a conscious awareness of the Divine Light which is ours. It is our birthright to realise and fulfil this inner Light.
There can be no fear, there cannot be even an iota of fear when we live in the effulgence of our soul. To live constantly in the divine effulgence of our soul only one thing is needed: a conscious inner cry. This inner cry is called aspiration, the mounting flame deep within us. When this flame rises up towards the highest, it illumines everything around it. Darkness is transformed into light, fear into strength, doubt into certainty, ignorance into wisdom, and death into Immortality.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Modern Social Activism
It is my humble opinion that the sheer volume of charitable organizations in this country quells the spirit of social activism. It’s been my experience that the majority of these organizations require a financial “donation.” And isn’t that the American way to throw money at our problems? Here’s a hundred dollars to get that poor child off of my television. If social activism has become an act of raising money than it castrates the “lower class” (majority) and gives a false sense of altruism to the middle and upper class in this country. Social activism should be about raising the awareness of injustices, of failed systems, and impending crisis! Uniting to democratically fight the powers that be, not financially (impossible!), but with our humanity!
Save your money, increase your awareness!
Questions/comments please
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Yoga-piphany
For those of you that are saying what the heck is that... Every now and then a Yoga student experiences an "Ah-ha." A discovery about one's self. A movement pattern, a missing breath, a handstand etc...
My Yoga-piphany happened while planning a Yoga class...
My Yoga-piphany happened while planning a Yoga class...
Sharon Gannon said "A good teacher lives for their students and is only interested in facilitating the student’s enlightenment."
Since our own ideas of enlightenment or realization can be different, my goal as a teacher is to "soften" those rigid or blocked areas of the body, mind, and subtle bodies. By softening those areas within, we invite self-discovery. Does that make sense?
So the idea of "Yoga-Court" in my humble opinion is not a court of public opinion, but the realization as a teacher of your own intentions. I shouldn't simply teach a certain way because it is popular; I need to teach what's in my heart. I needn't worry about the results only the genuine love that I can offer. It is all that I can offer :)
Humbly yours,
Justin
Since our own ideas of enlightenment or realization can be different, my goal as a teacher is to "soften" those rigid or blocked areas of the body, mind, and subtle bodies. By softening those areas within, we invite self-discovery. Does that make sense?
So the idea of "Yoga-Court" in my humble opinion is not a court of public opinion, but the realization as a teacher of your own intentions. I shouldn't simply teach a certain way because it is popular; I need to teach what's in my heart. I needn't worry about the results only the genuine love that I can offer. It is all that I can offer :)
Humbly yours,
Justin
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Formula for 2011
Give more, take less.
More singing, more dancing, more Bliss.
Less TV, less computer, less Hesitation.
More hugging, more kissing, more Love.
Less anger, less jealousy, less Judgment.
More tolerance, more respect, more Refinement.
Less Despair
More Sunshine
Less Frustration
More Freedom
Less Privacy
More Intimacy
More Fresh air
More Books
More Conversation
More Community
Connect in 2011!
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