Rites of Passage

All of us go through challenges and trials in and throughout our journey in life. When one begins a new phase of it, it is important to remember that these things are rites of passage and necessary to cleanse the karmic baggage of our past lives. These rites of passage can then be viewed as opportunities to grow and be liberated from the bonds of samsaric consciousness which keep us locked in hell.Life has given us all tremendous freedom and potential. Freedom of thought, speech, and action. What we do with these gifts depends heavily on the perspective or viewpoint we enter into when we think, speak, or act. This perspective is a direct result of our level of consciousness which can be either samsaric (dualistic) or nirvanic (unitive). Dualistic consciousness creates a world of hell for our experience and unitive consciousness creates heaven for us. It is our free choice. Hell is not where God sends you when you die! It is where you wind up if you have created it in your own experience and existence while you are alive. Heaven has given us the tools for our own salvation, but it is up to us to use them or not! This is our great blessing and ultimate responsibility, to choose heaven or hell. May the light of love and compassion lead you on your journey!!!

Building Tombs of Pleasure

For most of us who live in samsara ( dualistic consciousness ) the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain is central to our existence. Somehow we mistakenly believe that it is possible. We believe that if we try hard enough, or if we have enough money, we can eliminate pain and live totally emersed in pleasure, sipping mai tai's on a beach in the Carribean, or any other fantasy that our samsaric minds can conjure up. Unfortunately, this is pure illusion! It is in essence building a tomb for ourselves. It is like a kind of psychological prison that makes the fulfillment of this illusion our master and our consciousness a slave to the almighty god of pleasure and leisure. As someone who has work with, and known many rich people as clients and friends, their lives are anything but happy. The bigger and more complex their lives become in this endless pursuit, the grander and more difficult a tomb or prison they create.Real happiness and freedom become impossible in this lifetime and have to wait until a future life.

The Process of Conscious Awakening

All of us, whether we realize it or not are being awakened by Life. It is a spiritual process that cannot be accomplished by our limited mind and effort alone. The majority of the work is done by Life itself as it leads us on a path of awakening and clensing. We all have emotonal resistance not only to the current moment, but lodged in our psyche from past resistance in this life as well as past lives. This material all must come out of the unconscious mind and be brought into awareness. Otherwise, it will remain stuck in our unconscious mind and cause blockage between our conscious mind and our soul essence. When these challenges emerge from our unconscious mind, it presents us with both opportunity and challenge. If we can open our hearts and embrace that energy, we can remove the blockage and realize a deeper level of awakening. If however, we resist and close down, that energy may take us into further unconscious spiritual slumber which is not a pretty place to be. Sometmes it is necessary to be pulled down in order to be awakened to ultimate reality. This trip into the valley is called purgation. Even if this happens to you, have courage and use it for your further awakening and growth. Nothing is ever lost when you bring it back to the path!

The Futility of Resistance

When we experience resistance to what may be happening to us currently, we usually do so out of fear and insecurity. It arises out of a deep seeded distrust of Life. This distrust originates from our spiritual slumber cause by the thinking mind and unconscious mind. The irony is that the very sense of trust and security we are looking to hold on to through our resistance. can only be realized when we surrender to life and give up resistance. Therefore resistance is basically insane. Life including each human being is one organic whole and ultimately cannot be resisted in any real sense or way. Resistance is just an illusory self defense or delusion.

The Purpose of Life

The majority of humanity believes that the purpose of life is the pursuit of happiness. This then manifests in a wide variety of activities and pursuits that are driven by that persons definition of happiness. Some doggedly pursue money in an effort to buy their way to fulfillment. Others may have more lofty definitions which are related to helping others in different and unique ways. And for others, power and prestige are their view of the ultimate. However, whatever pleasure or limited happiness that may be derived from these pursuits will wither away when the body, mind and ego disappear at death. From my view the purpose of life is happiness, however I differ as to how it is attained or realized. If happiness is pursued or gotten through dualistic activity, it is but a small echo of the real non-dual happiness that is available to all of us that is hidden deep within ourselves.
Here is my definition of true happiness. To become aware of our deeper soul essence, and to nurture it's growth and flowering until we realize our own divinity which is the source of eternal happiness. True happiness is realized as we transcend all duality and attachment to things, and realize who we are at our core! This is why whenever we experience some kind of loss or tragedy in life, underneath that surface experience lies an enegry and experience of boudless peace and joy which has no cause in the manifested world. Ah, the peace of God!It is omnipresent.

The Tip of Your Nose

The Source is as close to you as the tip of your nose. It is just as natural for human beings to be connected to the Source, as is it for the Sun to rise every morning! Don't try to find that connection by searching outside yourself. Instead, focus on removing the barriers and blockages that have cut you off from that connection. These blockages are caused by tension, stress, and negative emotions which prevent that energy from flowing naturally in and through you at all times. This is why it is so important and essential to exercise, meditate, and practice some form of spiritual bodywork ( yoga, tai chi, kigong, reiki etc. ) When these things become a natural part of your everyday routine and practice, you will see and feel the Source close by both within and without. Your world then becomes a divine sea of Ki life energy to swim and play in!

Instruments of Spirit

We are all born with manys gifts that can take a lifetime to develop full awareness of. These are the gifts of body, mind, soul, and spirit. They are not in our sole possesion, but are instruments of the Great Spirit as the native americans call it. This is why Saint Francis of Assis prayed " Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace". We are spiritual beings in a material world so goes the song by Sting. To allow that to manifest fully, our body mind and soul must vibrate and resonate at a similar frequency as that Great Spirit ( Tao ) does. Our whole spiritual life focus should then be centered on fine tuning that vibration. Each day and moment is then an opportunity to move closer to that resonance, or move further away. Ask yourself every day " Are my thoughts, emotions, and deeds bringing me closer, or creating more distance from that reality". Ah, the razors edge!

The Cure

The fundamental afflication of humanity is samsaric consciousness created by the illusion of separation and ego identification. This gives rise to all illness, misery, and suffering on the planet at all levels. The cure or medicine for this insidious malady is meditation. This includes sitting meditation, moving meditation ( yoga, tai chi, kigong, and other forms of conscious excersise), and active meditation ( dynamic, kundalini, gourishinkar, and others). When meditating, imagine that you are treating yourself and your fundamental illness with the most profound and natural medicine available in the world. It is Life's prescription for you at no charge.It also works on every level of your being ( physical, mental, emotional, astral, spiritual, and akashic ) What more could you ask for from a medicine! It is Life's gift. Use it well and daily. Over time see how much of a profound impact it can have on you.

The Three Basic Minds

As Life has created each of us, we all have three minds. The first and most recognized is the center in the physical head where we create ideation, intuition, and intention. This is our guiding or directive energy of thought. The second mind, which is located in the heart area is our emotional center and emotional intelligence. Through interaction with the first and third minds we experience love, compassion and other emotions. The third mind which is located in the abdominal area, is our fundamental energy center , which also has its own intelligence. We experience this throughout our lives as a gut feeling or foresight. Understanding, managing, and balancing these three centers or minds is the great, mysterious challenge of living Life. When they are in conflict, or are out of balance, we suffer. This suffering is not necessarily a bad thing. Many times it is Life's way of letting us know where we are unbalanced, and acts as a tool of our awakening out of unconsciousness. We aso have three basic types of Ki (life energy) that relate to these minds. Jungki (pro-creative), Ki(vital), and Shinki(directive or intention)are these energies. Jungki is centered in the sexual center, Vitalki is in the kidneys, and Shinki in the mind and heart center.When you master these minds and energy centers,you become a master of Life itself.

True Heart and the Ego

Where there is true heart and compassion, there can be no ego. Where there is ego, there can be no true heart. They cannot exist in the same place or space. They are like water and oil. They don't mix at all. Becoming egoless as a goal or focus on the spiritual path is not attained or realized by fighting or negating the ego. It is realized through the realization and practice of true love and compassion. The ego will naturally diminish in that environment and energy. True love comes from and is connected to the Source. Ego is just a manifested form that originates in the mind and thinking. It serves a certain function in relating to others and the rest of the manifested world. However, it is not who you are at the deepest level. This forgetting and substituting of ego as our fundamental identity is called ignorance and spiritual slumber. We should awaken out of this unconsciousness to realize our true nature and identity as a buddha!

Do Not Fear Emptiness

Do not fear death or emptiness. It is the birthplace of Life and fullness! When you fear the unknown, that fear prevents you from knowing and experiencing the great mystery of Life itself. To know takes courage and commitment to explore beyond your current mindset and consciousness. At death you have the greatest opportunity to know and become aware of your deepest self. What a blessing death is then. It is a portal to greater conscious awareness. Let it lead you to the Source!

White Canvas

Every day when you wake, imagine in your minds eye a big blank white canvas. This represents your opportunity to start every day afresh and new, and participate with life in the co-creation of your journey. Even though we bring our past with us into each day and every moment, we do not have to allow it to be a hindrance or barrier to the infinite possibilities that Life gives to us. Life is not what happens to us or what we believe in, it is the white canvas that is given to us all in each and every moment, or should I say in the One Eternal Moment that is!As such, we have a choice as to how we use, waste, or abuse this precious gift. If you want happiness, then create happiness. If you want love, then create love. And if you want peace, then create it. You have that power and potential within yourself. You don't have to wait for someone to give it to you. If you wait for it to come, it is like watching the kettle boil. Waiting also becomes the breeding ground for resentment and an emerging victim mentality or identity. If this is where you wind up, only you can liberate yourself from that hell. Life will help you out of it and open the door to your freedom, however you have to walk through the door to make it to the other side!
This is the way it is. Don't lose that chance.

Judging Yourself

Be careful not to judge your thoughts or actions! Simply be fully awake and aware of them as you allow life to flow within you and without you. We are trained from a young age to live by a standard of conduct imposed on us by religion and society in general. This standard then becomes the basis for the "Judge" to emerge from within our personality. If left un challenged or unrecognized, this can be very destructive to your heart and spirit. Allow your "self" to be as you are and let awareness guide your growth. It is okay to make mistakes and go astray because through those experiences we learn and grow. Judgement will paralize and cripple that growth. This is why Jesus said " Do not judge ". Darkness is there to ultimately allow your divine light to emerge. So Be It!

The Purpose of the Guru or Master

When walking on the spiritual path you will enevitably meet a master or guru. This can have a powerful effect on you and your growth spiritually. The core of that relationship, should it develope, is love and devotion. If you can make a strong connection of heart ( Shimjung in Korean terms ) you will learn and inherit much blessing from them. However, this love is not of this world, and should not result in dependence on the master. The Master does not need your love and devotion! You as well should love him/her without ego attachment. This is your challenge. Ultimately they are there to teach you how to love yourself at the essential level. By bringing your awareness to the deepest aspects of your being ( buddha nature ), you should practice the same love and devotion to your own divinity as you do towards them. At some point they will disappear when the time is right!

The Ego Capsule

Most of humanity lives within their limited mind & egoic consciousness . This is called the ego capsule. Their life energy system is closed and encapsulated mostly within themselves. It is therefore very difficult for them to feel a real connection to life at its source . It is a kind of contraction of the meridian system based on fear and anxiety both conscious & unconscious ! A small minority however have been able through different practices and experiences to open themselves up to both cosmic and earth energy and establish a growing connection to the promordial source or tao energy. I call this Immortal Vitality Energy Practice ! It can have a very profound effect on every aspect of human life ( physical, mental, emotional & spiritual ) and can help anyone reach their highest potential . Although still a very small minority , the numbers of people now experiencing this are growing as never before in human history. This is the base of the revolution in consciousness that began in the sixties and continues today to spread all over the world ! May you all find your original connection to this energy that transcends the material plane and begin to understand and realize that new consciousness !!!!!

The Path of Consciousness

In each lifetime we go through stages on our path . It begins with "I Need " , then " I Want " , then " I want to Become " , then " I Am " , then " AM " , then " IS " , then " ISNESS ". A beautiful analogy to these stages would to liken them to the flow of water from the single drop to a creek and stream to a small river then a large river finally arriving in the ocean!!! At the stage of " ISNESS " the "I" is no more. This is samadhi !!! The illusion of separateness dissolves !

Does God Really Exist ?

Before this question can be attempted to be answered, We must first define the term " to exist ". In the dictionary the word exist means to stand out or apart from . In other words to be an objective thing ! If God were an objective thing , He/ She would have been found long ago. In the Eastern view God is the non-dual basis for all existence . In other words the unmanifested ground for everything else or all things to exist. This means that God does not exist in the same way that the manifested world does. Another more accurate way to put it would be that God Is ! This Isness is the basis for all forms to exist without which existence would not be possible . It also means that God is nowhere to be found yet is within and contains all the manifested universe.To tradtional logical thinking this is quite paradoxical , yet it is true . If there were no God, nothing could possibly exist !

In God's Presence

Many believe that sometime in the future when they die and go to the afterlife , they will come before God and be in His presence to receive blessing or judgement according to their deeds in life. If this is the case then it could be a wonderful or fearful experience. Let me share another perspective on this . God or Tao or whatever name you want to express it as is not to be found in the future or exclusively in the afterlife. God is here and now , omnipresent !!! He/She/It is the basis of existence and within all the manifested and unmanifested universe. The question is not where is God . The question is are we attuned to the reality of His/Her/Its Presence or are we lost in the dream of egoic consciousness which prevents us from seeing reality as it is ?
If this is the case then why don't we try imagining that we are always in God's presence in this moment !

Eternal Impermanence

Eternal Impermanance sounds like a huge contradiction. How can something be both eternal and impermanent at the same time ? However this is the case with life. It is the great paradox . The permanent nature of life and existence is to exist in a state of change and impermanence. Nothing which has been born or created stays the same . It is a flow of constant change which has always been and will always be. If we look a little deeper at the nature of life as well we can see that beyond the veil of all these changing forms is an eternal base or ground that all forms come out of and return to . This is consciousness itself . If there were no eternal ground or base , there could also be no life as well . If there was no space , no form could arise in that space.
Unfortunately most of humanity is unaware of these realities and lives, out of a sense of fear, in resistance to that flow of life seeking security and happiness in some state of fixed reality. When that resistance to the flow of life arises , suffering is created. This is why Buddha said life is suffering and the way through that suffering is to align oneself with the "suchness of life" . If we can align ourselves is this way we can find our inherent happiness and bliss and see the eternity beyond the impermanence!!!

Well Being

For most people in the world , well being is an essential goal or objective in life ! However, first we must understand that there are two kinds of well being . They are circumstantial well being and transcendent well being. The first type , circumstantial , is dependent totally upon ones external circumstance or condition. When all is well with your life on an external level , there is a sense of well being or happiness that seems to be . However if one or many aspects of those conditions or circumstances go wrong in some way, that sense of well being can and will evaporate quickly. If this is the case , most will try desperately to fix those circumstances as quickly as possible in an effort to restore that sense of well being . That seems to be the most rational approach . However, if one is successful in getting back to that place , it again can be easily lost if circumstances change again , which is highly likely. Such is the nature of life!
The second type of well being , transcendent , can be found when one uses the difficult conditions or circumstances to look more deeply into ones inner spiritual dimension , and through that connect directly to the source of life itself. When one can start to realize that connection , even in the midst of difficulty a sense of peace and well being will still be felt as an underlying presence. This is transcendent well being. It is a state of freedom and peace that has no opposite!!!
This reminds me of the story of the old Indian sage who was sitting under a tree with a big smile on his face on the day of his death . Many came to him and said how can you be happy and smiling even on the day of your death ? You have always been happy throughout your whole life as well . We want to know your secret. His was response was very simple . He said " No matter what happens , I give it no mind ".
At that point he died a peaceful death with a big smile on his face !!!!
In conclusion , we all face difficulties in life at some time or another . When this happens , it is important to know that we have choices in how we approach dealing with those difficulties. If you limit yourself to purely circumstantial solutions, you will go on playing that game time and time again until the ultimate difficulty arise , which is death . Or you can take the transcendent approach , even though it may be much more difficult , and begin the process of eternal well being and life that emanates from the Source within you!!!