Tag: Counselling

Meditation is for the Mind

Published on by Tony Kane

 Let’s have a decent look at this. We’ve heard a lot about the relaxing calmness that meditation can bring to your world, but some people complain that it is short lived; there’s a good reason for that – you’ve lost your focus. Again, some people get who get caught up in the teachings of the ‘Law of Attraction’ or the ‘ability to manifest at will’ complain they don’t manifest their desires and end up back where they started or worse – again you’ve lost your focus – and (this is the big one) you haven’t followed through with the work. And one more example, I’ve heard complaints that some people who are trying to control negative thinking or discover silence of the mind, after a short spurt of success, only go back to their original pattern of thinking or the noise persists; and again I would say that you haven’t followed through physically or you haven’t maintained your focus.  You can’t remain calm, relaxed and peaceful if you don’t follow through with the physical work of ‘being’ calmed, relaxed and peaceful; your body needs to be shown how it works and get used to it. And you can’t control thought or remain silent unless you have focus.

There a many reasons why anyone would want to begin the practice of meditation, but in my (almost) 30 years of practicing it, I’ve managed to recognize that there are 3 major focal points (or intentions) to apply in meditation to begin with.

1) To Discover the Mind and its silence: most people believe the mind thinks. It doesn’t; it is that part of you that provides thought dependent upon what it is focused; otherwise the mind is silent and observes thought. Once it becomes focused upon a thought it will begin to guide your body into completing that series of thoughts or thought. It also uses your 5 senses to observe and experience the outside world and then decides to either join in with it or just remain observant to it or detached from it. The Mind is reliant upon the body to complete and express whatever it is focused upon and the body is reliant upon the mind to guide it in its desired experiences.

2) To strengthen focus and will: the strength of mind is dependent upon its focus and will power. These two terms have been taken out of context in that, it has been inferred in the past that we have to force our minds to think in a certain way. This is only true if you haven’t used meditation correctly – and, by the way – it is short lived. As soon as you enter into the thought and feeling of “I have to” you’ve not only put stress upon your physical body, but your mind will reject it based upon the reaction it gets from the physical body.

Focus of the mind means to allow your inner gaze to remain fixed upon a desired thought or idea; then will power cuts in, when your gaze becomes interrupted by a distraction; and those distractions can be extremely strong! As an example, have you ever started a project you really were keen to get completed only to be swayed from your original intent and became frustrated with yourself when you realize you hadn’t completed it? It could have been something very easy and simple but the distraction got the better of you. No need to get lost in the frustration – just bring yourself back to the project until you have successfully completed it – reward yourself and feel the elation. The power of the will is gentle and reminding. When we talk of the ‘power’ as such, we tend to think and feel of something that has ‘power’ over something but in this case it’s not correct to see it this way. The power of will is the ability of the mind to bring itself back to its intent; or it can be seen as the mind reminding itself of its intent.

The same can be applied in the form of meditation; you can focus your mind on some ‘thing’ (a candle or anything will do – try an insect, that’s an interesting one) or something in your imagination, with the intention of being fully focused upon it without taking any notice of your thoughts about that thing. Or you could focus your mind upon a positive thought without allowing any other thought to interfere. You may notice your attention being arrested by a noise outside or another thought; your will allows you to gently come back to the minds original intention. You don’t have to force it; you only have to practice it. The best way is to practice it in meditation and then practice it physically – do something with your mind fully focused upon the job at hand until completion and/or success. Yes it all sounds too easy, and it is – with practice.

3) To discover the real and authentic self (Mind, Body & Spirit): Everybody has been looking for that certain something that makes the difference in their lives. Life has become difficult and fast with digital technology the way it is. Depression and anxiety have hit a high, suicides are abundant, drug taking and alcoholism is epidemic amongst the many other mental conditions being diagnosed. And in all this people are looking for answers not only for others but for themselves too. The problem occurs when we begin to look outside of ourselves to find those answers. Some look for God, some others look for inspiration from others or try to become someone else, all of which only lasts a certain time, but many don’t even bother looking for anything and become complacent puppets and wonder why they are being pushed around.

To discover the real self is to discover your mind first, then it will naturally point itself to the body and heart (the authenticity of yourself physically). The ‘something’ that is going to make the difference is the mind. It is the most powerfully dynamic part of you that once focused and used correctly, will give you any experience you want. You can’t find yourself outside but you most definitely will on the inside.

The Nature of Life and Meditation

Published on by Tony Kane

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“Life is when we exist to observe and enjoy the beauties of nature; meditation is when we observe the beauties of the observer”

If we are at all serious about the wholeness of life, and by that I mean by not reducing it with philosophy, a religion or by being stuck within the knowledge of what we think we know – and by knowledge I mean everything that appears to be ‘logical’ or brain centered – if we are at all serious about living life observing and enjoying the beauty of nature and ourselves, entering within it, understanding it without drawing a conclusion upon any part of it including the color of skin, race or creed, monetary status, etc, – for nature and life itself doesn’t make a distinction between any of this –  if we are at all serious about the life we desire to live, and the wholeness it provides outside of all the fads, being tossed from pillar to post trying to look as good as anyone else, or trying to live within a mask of happiness and contentment – and by that I mean when we present ourselves as one thing in society but are another in the privacy of our homes – if we are at all serious about living our own lives in all truth, honesty and integrity, we’d be more concerned with our own actions, our own ways of thinking and our own ways of living the life we are gifted with.

To understand life one must, at the very least, attempt to understand self or the one living it; to observe our own actions, our own ways of thinking, our own feelings, and emotions which will eventually bring us to ask more questions of ourselves; to ask those questions within ourselves and – listen very carefully. This, of course, is the meditation that will enhance our lives; to become self-aware and conscious of what makes us tick. But that’s just the beginning because when we observe the self we currently are, we may begin to either like or dislike what we see. We can then become trapped within our own judgments upon ourselves either good or bad, but it makes no difference; none of what we observe is the silence, the enlightenment, the intelligence and motivation of what we really are; what we are observing is the subject and not the observer. And this is the nature of meditation; to live and experience being the observer of life; emotions, thoughts, and actions – to enter into a higher understanding and the higher intelligence of mind and heart.

My recent experiences within the meditations of my ‘self’ have led me to a query of the observer and the self being observed. I became aware of a quote I had read a few years ago as it came back to my memory as if to be a reminder and a pointer directing me to another depth, stripping away another layer of belief and fantasy.

 “The observer is observed” – Krishnamurti

Again, being an avid participant of meditation and using it to open up the mind within which there is a type of intelligence all of its own (unique, knowing and understanding itself) – and to be honest a type of madness to those who have not experienced it – the above quote made a lot of sense. To try to understand it with intellect alone is quite difficult – everyone knows that the observer and the observed need to be separate otherwise it cannot work. It works hand in hand with another quote, which comes to mind while I write, “An eye is not an eye because you see it; it is an eye because it sees you”. A beautiful understanding of meditation if there ever was; as you enter into the experience of meditation and observe yourself, physically, mentally and emotionally,  you soon become aware of something else looking back at you. This takes a bit of focus but that is what meditation is all about; to learn to focus an otherwise unruly mind, wasting itself upon the past and future that don’t exist and bringing it into the present moment, which is the only point in time that does exist. In the initial stages of learning to meditate, you are, or become aware, or have the perception, that you (in your physical-ness) are observing yourself, and you become comfortable with that. As you progress, you will become aware that not only are you observing yourself but that you are actually ‘the observer’; there is a definite distinction between the two in which the observer cannot be ‘the observed’ – you have rediscovered a hidden part of you that holds a lot of motivation and profound wisdom but, also, it is quiet but powerful in its silence; you experience a higher intelligence coming from your depth.

And yet again, as your experience in meditation increases and your mind becomes more focused, another progression is realized; within that progression, you become conscious and very aware that your mind is not what you initially understood it to be – the progressions of meditation and the will to focus begins to present to you that you really are your mind (the observer) unfettered by the demands (the perceived needs and wants) of the body. You begin to initiate an understanding that you are now experiencing yourself as you once were before the influx of error-ridden education and misunderstanding of the life experiences you have survived up until now. All the trauma and negative experiences make sense with the mind intelligently making use of that knowledge – this is but an initial rebirthing of your ‘self’; in a sense, it is an experience of a new ‘you’, but in reality, it is the return home – to the real you, the unconditioned mind.

As if that wasn’t enough already, there is yet another progression. Which brings me back to the quote at the top of the page “Life is when we exist to observe and enjoy the beauties of nature; meditation is when we observe the beauties of the observer”. This progression is sometimes seen as the final one, whilst still living in your body – the one in which you receive an understanding that even though you are the observer but you, as the observer, are also being observed. Life becomes the meditation and meditation ceases to exist; it is superfluous and unnecessary.

Within this progression, the mind you are experiencing dissolves into nothingness; you become life and life lives through you, unhindered and unfettered by the desire to reason with it; you trust it profoundly because you are the trust of yourself. You cease to want and try to explain your experience of it; you are it and that’s all that matters because nothing matters. The experience of love, for example, is unspeakable and a return to the ‘old ways’ is not on the table for negotiation – you attract that which you now are and settle for nothing less. Silence becomes the teacher, as the teacher becomes silent. The experience of being the creation and the creator itself; you are one with it all.

There is a scripture from the bible which is a favorite of mine that makes so much sense of this phase or progression, please read it and understand the profound truth hidden within it.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,

I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy,

And understand all mysteries and all knowledge,

And though I have all faith, so that I could move mountains,

But have not love,

I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,

And though I give my body to be burned,

But have not love

It profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind;

Love does not envy;

Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

Does not behave rudely, does not seek its own,

Is not provoked, thinks no evil;

Does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the Truth;

Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Try as hard as you might, the explanation of it all becomes an arduous task; it seems the language you speak is not intelligent to those who want to understand it or want to understand you. The language you speak is of your heart and soul and understood by, maybe, the few who have taken the time to understand their selves, but know this well, you will be misunderstood by many. It is within these times you know there will be a time for silence and a time for speech but you will be measured upon your action; your life will be the explanation and only the fewest of words necessary if any at all. You, the love you are, will never fail you even as it recognizes itself in another. Resilience is one thing, but endurance – yes, endurance – is your best ally whilst experiencing this phase of the meditation of life. It becomes you – and it becomes easier.

Visit Unconditioned Mind Masterclass   contact Tony now for more information on meditation and mindfulness

If you desire to know more of the processes of Mindfulness please contact Tony through the email form below. Or for Mindfulness Workshops please follow this link: Mindfulness Workshops

 

 

Mindfulness – The Placebo that Isn’t

Published on by Tony Kane

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I was recently involved in a discussion that took a turn into something in which I was being judged for what I know within myself to be a ‘truth’ about life and, in fact, about my existence and purpose for being here. A fair bit of my life has been in the search for something that religion had taught me was only for a select few, and couldn’t really believe in. During this search, I have discovered many things but the most beneficial has been the processes and practice of mindfulness and meditation and the benefits of them psychologically, spiritually and physically. The unfortunate transition that has taken place in the western world is that Mindfulness has been used as a placebo in the treatment for a lot of mental and physical issues, and although I believe this is a great thing because all scientific evidence is proving beyond any doubt that it works, it still remains a placebo.

When I come back to the discussion that took place, I felt as if I was being harshly judged for even trying to discover ‘truth’ in whatever form it may take and had to prove and disclose a valid reason for doing so, but there’s an upside to this; after sitting down and replaying the discussion, I realized the proof and valid reason was myself and there was no point in even trying to supply what the other person was asking for or even remain connected to the sense of doubt that the discussion provided, even for a very short period of time. Which brings me to another point: the doubt provided me with the knowledge that I knew my ‘self’ well with the proof and validity not being necessary – and there was and is no doubt about that!

So, I asked my ‘self’ “Why go to the trouble of writing this?” Because I have become aware and concerned that the term ‘Mindfulness” and the practice of meditation to discover the truth about ones ‘self’ has been subverted and downplayed by those who wish to keep the reality of mindfulness to a minimum, and make no mistake, there are those out there who see it within themselves to do just that. You see, the other person’s understanding of mindfulness was limited but only due to what has been taught by those who know nothing or extremely little about it in the first place or….have only used it as a band-aid/placebo, and I feel for this person; the point of meditation and mindfulness has been missed by a country mile.

Mindfulness and the meditations that bring about a state of peace and calm are not about the healings it can bring; the healings are a fantastic by-product but they are not, should not and, in fact, never have been the focus of meditation and mindfulness in their purity. Don’t get me wrong, if that’s all you are looking for then that’s all you will get and if that makes you happy, then knock yourself out, it’s ok; you are experiencing the effect. But mindfulness and the meditations practiced within it have the effect of taking you further into yourself so the placebo effect ceases to exist; you learn to become the thing that is doing the healing; your confidence and knowledge about your ‘self’ become true and effective; you become the cause of the effect, and so the healings are permanent.

Now, I’m wondering, isn’t that the truth of ‘self’ anyone wants to get to know and become? Yes, truth is something to search for if you know where to look and you are passionate enough about it;  it exists inside you and you realize there is no other place to look.

Then, again, I wander back to the discussion that took place, and the question of ‘energy’ was raised. I know that in the greater scheme of things that this is yet another ‘truth’ of self that can be discovered using the correct teachings of mindfulness and the meditations used to bring about a state of ‘oneness’ and harmony with life. How do I know? I experience it daily…and, for the sake of those desiring it, it is proven scientifically! The question of ‘being energy’ and becoming one with it has been a point of discussion for centuries but during this discussion, I became aware of being ridiculed behind the not so hidden smirk. But like I mentioned, it wasn’t until after I replayed the discussion later that I became aware of any of this. Why was I the target of such hidden ridicule? Because I teach it, I believe it; actually, more than anything, I understand it and live it, and because I do, I don’t live life the way other’s think I should do and therefore become something and someone they don’t fully understand but that’s only because they don’t take the same amount of time I enjoy, in getting to know another person – without judgment – and they haven’t spent the time to stop and understand their selves either.

So let’s have a look at energy. Energy is in everything, of everything, and in one place and everywhere at the same time; it is everything. The earth is full of it, animals live it, it is in plants, insects, rocks, sand, water, the stars, the moon, the universe, music, the human body…you…and I could go on forever more. Where is the scientific proof of this? Quantum physics is one obvious proof, and even engineering uses it, another is David Attenborough’s many videos on the earth, evolution, and animals, etc, and yet another is Albert Einstein with his famous E=MC2, oh for goodness sake, do I really have to spell it out? Without the energy of life, nothing would or could possibly exist. The problem that exists within humanity is that it thinks it is above that which created it – the energy of life. But I can tell you it is alive and well, thank you very much, and even though it can do without us, we cannot ‘do’ without it. This would suggest that the energy is intelligent; that it can make decisions and think. And it sure does! It does it through us – its creations!

But what is my message within all this? Well, its about the use and understanding of mindfulness. Mindfulness is all about discovering the mind, the cause of your life and the ability to experience your life within your own authenticity and uniqueness without being affected by the chastisement or judgment for being your difference within a world hell-bent on making you ‘normal’ or having to fit into someone else’s perception of what you should or shouldn’t be. My annoyance at being judged so unjustly is tempered by the fact that this person is also trapped within an error-ridden concept of mindfulness. And that is sad…really sad. But here’s the thing and it’s even sadder; so many others in this world today are also trapped within this limited concept of Mindfulness and consequently trapped within the world of normality that they have forgotten what and who they really are and now can’t express themselves in all honesty for fear of breaching ‘political correctness’  and all the other rules now in place to stop the freedom of speech, or more correctly, the freedom of expression.

Yep, mindfulness gives us the ability to be mindful of our words or how we express our selves to one another, yes mindfulness allows us to be in the present moment; that in itself is a fantastic thing to experience in a world of hustle, bustle, and stress. But don’t forget that mindfulness is about discovering the truth about self; discovering the energy that creates you every day without a worry in the world; it is the vehicle assisting you to discover you. If that isn’t something worth searching for, I don’t know what is – but then again – who am I?

 

Enlightenment

Published on by Tony Kane

The leap of faith

The Tao te Ching says:
He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened

Everyone,on one level or another, is searching for enlightenment; the state of mind and ‘beingness’ that transcends the apparent ugliness of the world we perceive. Enlightenment has been described as a journey; a journey of self examination in which we have to change everything we know and understand about ourselves; and possibly you may think that it is reserved for a select few. You can be forgiven if it sounds like a lot of hard work!

The truth is it isn’t a lot of hard work and it is not for a select few; you don’t have to suck on yoghurt, nor do you have to become a toothless yogi and renounce all your possessions and sit in an uncomfortable position for hours on end gazing at your navel to become enlightened; but by gaining enlightenment you will certainly experience a completely new perspective of life but most importantly your self. The only things you will need to sacrifice and renounce is your current beliefs; that which you have been taught is true and correct; or that which you think is keeping you safe. None of them exist but may have been working for you up until now. Change is the only constant in this world.

Enlightenment is a state of mind in which you begin to live a life from a completely different understanding and intellect; it changes your old thoughts (those ones that tell you what you think is true and probably unconscious of) into new and self empowering thoughts. If you knew how close you are to enlightenment right now, would you jump at the chance?

I get asked the obvious question “If enlightenment was that easy why isn’t everybody enlightened? “. The truth is this: You are already enlightened but you may not be conscious or aware of it. Enlightenment is such a personal thing; all you need to do is understand your present condition; stop fighting it (yourself). If you sat still long enough to create a bit of silence within your mind you’d discover that the silence itself is enlightened.

The biggest challenge is to silence the mind. And this is the fundamental error. You don’t have to silence the mind; it is already silent. Your brain is the one that makes all the noise; your mind is the one that observes it all; your powerful mind is the one you’ve been searching for all this time and maybe didn’t know it. I’ll repeat it: enlightenment is a state of mind. Discover your mind again and you discover enlightenment; be the enlightenment (live it) and you live your life as an ‘enlightened one’.

Your brain, your heart and your body is a technology that far out-reaches anything mankind (or humans if you’re wanting to be a bit PC) could possibly create. The mind is that part within you that is unconditioned and unseen. If it is focused upon the yelling and screaming of the brain then that is all it will be able to create in your external world. If it is focused upon the heart, it then begins to create “your hearts desires”. Attitudes change and with the change of attitude comes a change of the perception of your life; your thoughts will become things that you can work with and easier to focus upon . The path to enlightenment involves understanding the technology of the heart and brain and how it can either work for you or against you. This is probably the most difficult part of the journey because we have been taught a lot of stuff about the brain and the mind that is completely error ridden. But we believe it without question; therein lies the problem. We have forgotten to question the truth of some of the education we have received; to question and investigate a belief or our education is a right we seem to have forgotten; we, for the most part, have taken someone else’s ideas as fact without the process of investigation, we’ve become lazy and solely reliant on those who think they know, when maybe they don’t! Religion is a fine example! Cross the barrier of belief and question those teachings and you find you self being branded as a sinner; an outcast at least; our right to question our education has received the same treatment; how dare we question those that know! Maybe they only know in part and its all a theory? The inherent freedom of your mind is the beginning to your own enlightenment. There’s nothing wrong with education but it is your choice to question it or not; to accept without question is also your right but maybe doing you a lot of harm in the long run. And yes I’ve just had a rant; I’m not apologising for it!

Your enlightenment depends on your own ability to question every belief you have taught yourself (via experiences in life whether good or bad) or have been taught by others. This is the only mental exercise you need to follow at this stage. It takes time but as you begin to accept that there’s a flaw within those beliefs and values you hold so dear, you begin to open up the possibility that none of them matter anyway; in essence you are beginning to give your unconditioned mind a chance to show you something incredibly different and so much more enlightening; the more often you question the quicker the expansion. The ‘light bulb’ moments become more frequent.

The mind doesn’t think; that’s the job of the brain, and it doesn’t feel; that’s the hearts job. The mind is quite steady and impersonal as it observes everything; it is the energy that creates that which it is focused upon.

And here’s the thing; I don’t want you to take my word for it; if you’ve read this with an open mind or a closed one, it doesn’t concern me at all, I’d rather you experience it for your self; become your own mental scientist; allow your own inner discoveries, it’s a lot of fun! Your ‘self ‘ (that which you are) depends upon it. Know and Enjoy yourself!

If you feel you require help with any of this please do not hesitate to call or email me.

Tony Kane 0474 570 063

Email: tonykanecounselling@gmail.com

Meditation & Becoming The Observer

Published on by Tony Kane

The Problem: Being Unaware of Thought

The problem is not what we think and not that we think; thinking is easy and we connect with our thoughts without a moment’s notice.

“Thinking is easy and we do it all the time without even knowing we are thinking”

Within this statement is the secret of reconnecting with our reality as beings of creation.

  1. Thinking is easy. This part of the statement is fairly obvious. It’s easy! Too damned easy!  But we do it all the time and there’s no way you are going to stop it. Yes you can slow it down but to try to stop it is almost impossible unless you’re really good at being mindful and have been meditating for a number of years, in which you consciously stop your thoughts and enable consciousness and awareness. But the plain fact it is that most who try meditation find it extremely difficult, haven’t got the time or find it an arduous task. Or we’ve become lazy!
  2. Because thinking is real easy, so many people aren’t aware they are thinking in the first place. Awareness is the ability to know when you are thinking; it’s not necessarily the content that is the issue; although without some sort of awareness of what thoughts are being processed, depending on the person, some thoughts may be extremely damaging.
  3. Then there are those who have become addicted to thought and can’t or won’t release themselves from their thought life. They have completely identified with their thoughts and believe this is who and what they really are. In this state of mind, all sense of personal power has been lost and everything external becomes a powerful and uncontrollable force in which there is no ease of living. Life becomes exhausting, a drudge, boring and in most cases, a huge fight for existence. They have become victims to themselves and no-one else.

This is: “I think therefore I am” in which your thoughts become your creation.

An Awareness Exercise to Try

Being ‘Aware’ is, most definitely being aware that you are thinking. It goes further than this though, in that, the object of the exercise is to become aware that you are the awareness. The more you sense that you are the awareness, you will sense a freedom and greatness within you that has no connection to your thinking at all. (Please don’t try this while you are driving or focusing on an activity that may cause injury. Pick a time that is relaxing and comfortable for you in which you are doing nothing. This time is for you and you alone)

1)      At any time during the day or night, stop what you are doing whatever it may be. Allow your thoughts to materialize.

2)      Observe them without entertaining them or connecting with them. Don’t judge or label them. Just observe them.

3)      Now, ask yourself “Who is the observer of my thoughts?”

4)      Once you have sensed or located the feeling of being the observer, focus on it (the observer). The observer is Awareness; you have connected with awareness itself and the awareness is the real you, without being interfered with by thought.

It’s almost like looking through the window of your mind, knowing that the mind and its thoughts are not the real you; the real you is the one looking through the window; Awareness itself.

Meditation

Meditation does the same thing if followed correctly. If you have a quick observation of the above exercise, you may notice it is a form of meditation with your eyes open or while you are doing things in the here and now. Meditation in the here and now is the most important ingredient to discover awareness of self.

Attempting to create a world by imagining positive scenarios is nice and one way of connecting with your desires but does nothing, on its own, to create an awareness of self, if that’s as far as it goes. In a way, you’re in a dream state without the ability to create your dream; it has the potential of becoming a frustration and the death of a perfectly valid and potential way of life (your life being the one dreamt of).

One of the best ways to create your dream is to view it in meditation but as the observer (as in the exercise above) or as the awareness of your dreamt of life. The observer or awareness of the dream is power and creation energy in itself. It is the one behind everything, making it possible to create your dreams.

I have always asked myself “Do I want the dream or do I want to be the ‘creation energy’ itself to create the dream?” In itself, the dream is nothing but a desire that is pointing you back to the origin of creation; the origin of creation is within you and not within the dream. My answer has always been to discover the origin of creation and not worry about the dream because I know the origin of creation already knew about the dream anyway; the origin of creation is the energy that runs through you right now. It doesn’t stop because you cease to become aware of it. It is always there, always has been and always will be. It is you; but you are not it and that is the issue most people have to deal with. Another way of saying this is: “You are not creation in itself but creation in and of itself is you”; you can’t become it, you become aware of it because it is already you. It is a paradox that may not make any sense at all unless you are beginning to understand ‘Awareness’ of yourself. Another very apt paradox to contemplate is: “Everything that you desire to be can only be found in the nothing that you are”.

The Here and Now

Paradoxes have a way of confusing the mind and bringing us into the here and now. Another way to understand the ‘Here and Now’ is through the use of the word ‘Presence’. Presence is being aware and conscious of ‘Now’. It is the only thing that exists outside the mind. The mind will attempt to keep us within the past or create a future based on known events (memories) that have happened in our lives whether they are good or bad; it then tries to create a future based on those same events, none of which exist in the present moment; the ‘Now’ moment. To experience life outside those thoughts of past and future is to experience the only thing that exists; the Present Moment or ‘Presence’ itself.

There has been a lot of confusing information regarding how to experience ‘Presence’ but the answer is actually fairly simple. As and when you decide to experience being the observer of your world; that is, the thoughts and dreams you are having which are being created by the mind; or become awareness itself, you have automatically walked into Presence. You quite literally become Presence in that minute moment of time. The longer you practice being awareness the longer presence sticks around.

This is “I am therefore I think” in which all creation exists and becomes your thought.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and have been able to remind yourself of the creation that you are. Your perfection, your life and all that is available to you can only be found within you; have fun with the ‘Awareness Exercise’ and discover yourself. You may be interested in The Happiness Project in which all the above is taught and in which the participants, very easily, learn to become aware and conscious of creation itself.

Self Awareness

Published on by Tony Kane

The Body

Self Awareness is not something that comes without a bit of work but you can begin to be aware relatively quickly. The starting point, of course is to begin to be aware of your ‘self’. Throughout history, there have been so many teachers and sages pointing to a separate ‘me’ which is permanent and more real than the ‘me’ that is perceived as being the body, including the thoughts and feelings being experienced within the physical body.

Try this and you will see what I mean:

  • Go to a mirror and observe your body for a few minutes.
  • While you are observing your body, look into the eyes of your image in the mirror
  • Now ask yourself (either quietly or aloud) “Is this my body?”
  • Now, who asked the question? Your body or something else that exists within your body?
  • Who or what is observing your body? Who is the observer and what is being observed?

This would suggest that at the moment the question was asked, whatever owns the body is not the body. And the body is not a permanent entity; it changes over a period of time and finally ‘gives up the ghost’.

Thoughts and Feelings

What about thoughts and feelings; aren’t they the ‘me’ or ‘I’? They may seem that way; in fact they may seem more ‘me’ than the body; but the truth of the matter is that thoughts and feelings come and go just like the body, and most of them are not our own or not under our control. The ego is affected by these thoughts and feelings, but the thoughts and feelings are a process of the brain and essentially not solid or real; they have no form. If thoughts and feelings are not real, then it would suggest that the ego is not a ‘thing’ in and of itself; it cannot be destroyed nor should it be considered for destruction.

The identification with thought, feelings and body is the issue that keeps us from being aware of the real self. When you become aware of the silence between thoughts; focusing on the silence, you will become aware of awareness itself; you will become aware of your real self. If you have been able to experience the ‘Mirror Image’ process above, you will have begun a process of ‘consciousness’ or awakening.

The Self that is No Thing

After experiencing the above process a few times, you will, hopefully, get a sense of being an observer; observing your body (physical) and, with a bit of focus off your mind, observing your thoughts and feelings (mental); almost as if they are not the ‘you’ you thought you were; but you are living in a body that looks the way it does and it experiences thoughts and feelings that can be observed but not have to be entertained or argue with.

The observer is what I call the ‘Natural State’. For you, enlightenment may only go as far as this level of consciousness, but there is more yet. As I understand it, if you have experienced separation from your body and thoughts, you are experiencing your Natural State otherwise known as your Ego free from external influences; some know this as spirit or essence of self. This is the way you were born before you were taught to think and allowed your thoughts to take you away from your essence. It has no form but lives within one (your body); it has no identification with anything apart from itself. It is no ‘thing’ but it is the real you.

Once awareness and consciousness is activated within a person the realization that all things are a part of the aware self and not separate from it becomes very apparent; in fact the aware self is the creation of all things but knows it is not creation itself. To intellectually understand this, it has to become a discovery via experience only. No words and no thought can adequately explain any of it.

But Wait! There’s More!

The more you step back and discover space or silence, the more conscious of consciousness you become aware of; you become consciousness itself. Consciousness itself is that energy we have inadequately called God. God, from my point of view, is Creation itself. It needs to be understood, if you haven’t understood it yet, that God is an energy that pervades everything that exists, has existed, and is yet to exist, which includes yourself. God/Creation is moving through you right now and is conscious of all your thoughts and feelings, actions and reactions. So apart from stepping back from your body, thoughts and feelings, you can step back from your ‘Natural State’ and become aware of the power of consciousness and creation that you are. Once completed, you come to the realization that because you are creation, there is no need to concern yourself with the issues that are outside of yourself that create anxiety, depression, illness and dis-ease within the body. They are there but cease to exist within you.

Creation is your right

You can then begin to create your life the way you have always dreamt. Your dreams have always been the indication of what and who you actually are. You have probably been chasing them; some have been created but then again maybe not. As you begin to become conscious and aware that you are creation, you will discover the understanding and knowledge that you are the dream right now. You begin to create your desires as if they were actually happening in the present moment. For most people this in itself is a dream; that is because they have not been able to step back from themselves to discover what they rightfully are. Most get disheartened and give up living a life of ‘boring normality’. If this is you, you need to know that you have as many chances to begin the process of creation any time you want. Right now is a great time! Never give up!

It doesn’t stop

As you become aware of your very powerful self, you will also discover your authenticity. You will become what you are and who you are; your ego will happily portray to the outside world that which you know is the real you, without any care or hang ups about what others think. You exit the ‘matrix’ and enter reality, affecting the world around you in extremely positive ways. You will become fully aware that the world and everything in it, including other people around you are connected to you through creation; you become one with creation and the rest of creation becomes one with you; no separation at all.

Relationships begin to heal

During my counseling with couples, I have taught couples to be aware and conscious of themselves and not necessarily too much of each other; this brings each partner into an awareness of themselves as creation and love; the two major foundations of all relationships. I have witnessed the relationship itself take on new life as each step of awareness comes into being within each partner. As each step is followed, new life begins to pour from each partner to each other. Healing within each partner takes place and therefore the relationship follows the healing. Not only does the relationship heal, but if there are any children involved, they too become participants and are healed of any damage created by the dysfunctional relationship. The partners become one with creation and each other, simply because they now know they are one and always have been; no separation! Rather than being ‘in love’ with each other, you are fully aware that you ‘are love’ with each other.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and have been able to remind yourself of the creation that you are. Your perfection, your life and all that is available to you can only be found within; have fun with the ‘Mirror Image’ process and discover yourself. You may be interested in The Happiness Project (click on link) in which all the above is taught and in which the participants, very easily, learn to become aware and conscious of themselves as creation. I leave you with a little poem written by Kalu Rinpoche:

“We live in illusion and the appearance of things.

There is a reality, we are that reality.

When you understand this, you will see “you” are nothing.

And, being nothing, you are everything.