Once upon a time, a man reached that stage in life when he pondered its meaning. Why did he continuously slave for material gain at a job he detested? Why was materialism rampent in society and in his home. Gradually, these questions captivated so much of his attention that all the people and things in his life were ignored and slowly melted away. He lost his job, then his wife. He alienated his children and friends, all in his study of and search for the meaning of life.
And so it was, that when he had lost all but the ragged clothes on his back, he heard of a most learned guru hidden in a mountainous cave in India. He vowed and struggled to get to the guru, and, ultimately, when he was broken, bloody, and near death, he crawled into the entrance of the cave and came upon the meditating presence of the Great Guru.
"Oh, Great Guru," he said, "please share with this humble seeker. What is the meaning of life?"
The Great Guru smiled warmly and gently spoke, "Life is a flower."
"WHAT?" the seeker shouted! "I have lost everything precious to me - wife, family, all posessions. Many times I was near death in my struggle to find you, and you tell me 'Life is a flower'?"
The Great Guru's eyes flew open in astonishment, and he said, "You mean it isn't?"
The Old Monk
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
WARNING!!! Work to do!
I hate it when I have work to do. I'd much rather have fun, which I don't consider work to be (that's why they call it work, right?). But we also know it is very good for us, particularly when we define the work ourselves for ourselves. Well, that's where I'm going right now. It's good for you, like a vitamin pill or exercise.
I've been talking about Discernment for a few weeks now. I stress how very important it is, but the written word here can't really impress on you how crucial it is to your understanding how you are using the Law of Attraction right now (randomly and reactively) and how you should use the law (creatively and consciously). So I have an exercise for you to do. Total active time around 20 to 30 minutes. Can you spare that alone somewhere? Over coffee some morning or beer in the evening? Consider the drink or food to be the reward for the effort. Here is what you do:
#1: Set a timer for at least 10 minutes. 15 or 20 would be better. Take a full 8 1/2 x 11 pad of paper and start writing down your stream-of-consciousness thoughts. Most likely, the first sentence you write will be something like this: "What the hell am I doing this for I don't know what to write down or what to think and I've got to keep this shit up for another 9 1/2 minutes?" Well, you see where I'm going. Don't censor anything! If your mind goes to how much your butt itches, then put it down. No one other than you are ever going to read this anyway, and ultimately you'll be throwing it away, so say anything. Don't sweat punctuation or spelling - just get the thoughts down as they come, regardless.
#2: Get three markers: a yellow highlighter, another highlight color like pink or blue, and a black. Now, re-read what you have written and for each thought, judge for yourself what style each was. For happy or positive thoughts highlight them with yellow. For thoughts that are pissy or annoyed or in any way negative (I would put the above quote in this category), hit them with the black marker. Anything you really can't put into either category, use the third color. You need to be honest here. If you are trying to judge a particular thought and can't decide if it is negative or not, think what your life would be like if that were the only thing you ever said.
#3: Step back and look at your colors. If you are "normal", meaning like most people, I'll bet at least 75% of your page is blackened out and you wish you had used a paint brush rather than a marker. The more yellow you have and the less black, horray for you, all the better. Do you see? Do you see where your mind goes? And since your thoughts, and particularly your emotion behind the thoughts, create what the Universe brings in front of your face, do you see why you are getting what you are getting? It's going to match. I know for sure that it is going to match. If it is not, then you are not being honest with yourself somehow, which actually magnifies the situation.
#4: Love the result and love yourself for the result you found. Love the pages full of black. You have done that!! You have experienced that and you have put the black down on paper. Otherwise you would never be in the place you are now to recognize the black and to say to yourself, "Now, I know what I didn't know. And I choose yellow-highlighter-thoughts".
I warned you. It's work. But boy is it necessary work. You can't figure out where you want to go if you don't know where you are. And you are the only one who can do this. And don't forget #4, to love your black results and to love yourself. I do.
The Old Monk
I've been talking about Discernment for a few weeks now. I stress how very important it is, but the written word here can't really impress on you how crucial it is to your understanding how you are using the Law of Attraction right now (randomly and reactively) and how you should use the law (creatively and consciously). So I have an exercise for you to do. Total active time around 20 to 30 minutes. Can you spare that alone somewhere? Over coffee some morning or beer in the evening? Consider the drink or food to be the reward for the effort. Here is what you do:
#1: Set a timer for at least 10 minutes. 15 or 20 would be better. Take a full 8 1/2 x 11 pad of paper and start writing down your stream-of-consciousness thoughts. Most likely, the first sentence you write will be something like this: "What the hell am I doing this for I don't know what to write down or what to think and I've got to keep this shit up for another 9 1/2 minutes?" Well, you see where I'm going. Don't censor anything! If your mind goes to how much your butt itches, then put it down. No one other than you are ever going to read this anyway, and ultimately you'll be throwing it away, so say anything. Don't sweat punctuation or spelling - just get the thoughts down as they come, regardless.
#2: Get three markers: a yellow highlighter, another highlight color like pink or blue, and a black. Now, re-read what you have written and for each thought, judge for yourself what style each was. For happy or positive thoughts highlight them with yellow. For thoughts that are pissy or annoyed or in any way negative (I would put the above quote in this category), hit them with the black marker. Anything you really can't put into either category, use the third color. You need to be honest here. If you are trying to judge a particular thought and can't decide if it is negative or not, think what your life would be like if that were the only thing you ever said.
#3: Step back and look at your colors. If you are "normal", meaning like most people, I'll bet at least 75% of your page is blackened out and you wish you had used a paint brush rather than a marker. The more yellow you have and the less black, horray for you, all the better. Do you see? Do you see where your mind goes? And since your thoughts, and particularly your emotion behind the thoughts, create what the Universe brings in front of your face, do you see why you are getting what you are getting? It's going to match. I know for sure that it is going to match. If it is not, then you are not being honest with yourself somehow, which actually magnifies the situation.
#4: Love the result and love yourself for the result you found. Love the pages full of black. You have done that!! You have experienced that and you have put the black down on paper. Otherwise you would never be in the place you are now to recognize the black and to say to yourself, "Now, I know what I didn't know. And I choose yellow-highlighter-thoughts".
I warned you. It's work. But boy is it necessary work. You can't figure out where you want to go if you don't know where you are. And you are the only one who can do this. And don't forget #4, to love your black results and to love yourself. I do.
The Old Monk
Thursday, March 6, 2008
PROCLAMATION
I read the following proclamation in Path of Empowerment (Makawao: Inner Ocean Publishing, Inc., 2004) pp. 274-275 by Barbara Marciniak. It is one of the most powerful uses of Intentional Creation I have ever found. I recommend everyone put this on your bathroom mirror and read it - preferably aloud - every morning. Wonderful!!
PROCLAMATION
I am a creator. I am here to create a safe and bountiful life. By vibration and frequency, I choose to be healthy, productive, and wise. I have great gratitude for my abilities to recognize that thoughts produce frequencies, and I can create a frequency that supports the safe, probable world I live in by directing my energy toward what I want to experience. I walk through life with clear, conscious intent to weave my energy, like a gossamer thread in a large and beautiful tapestry, throughout the world I encounter. I fully realize that a multitude of probabilities and belief systems exist side by side with mine. And in mine I am safe. In mine I am guided. In mine I love and trust my body. In mine I know my cells are precognitive and that I am a co-creator of the multiverse. I know I am a valuable being. I know that I will receive the impulses, the signs and signals and guidance that I require to always be in the right place at the right time, for my highest good and that of all those around me. All this I know, and for this I am most grateful.
I am a creator. I am here to create a safe and bountiful life. By vibration and frequency, I choose to be healthy, productive, and wise. I have great gratitude for my abilities to recognize that thoughts produce frequencies, and I can create a frequency that supports the safe, probable world I live in by directing my energy toward what I want to experience. I walk through life with clear, conscious intent to weave my energy, like a gossamer thread in a large and beautiful tapestry, throughout the world I encounter. I fully realize that a multitude of probabilities and belief systems exist side by side with mine. And in mine I am safe. In mine I am guided. In mine I love and trust my body. In mine I know my cells are precognitive and that I am a co-creator of the multiverse. I know I am a valuable being. I know that I will receive the impulses, the signs and signals and guidance that I require to always be in the right place at the right time, for my highest good and that of all those around me. All this I know, and for this I am most grateful.
The Old Monk
Monday, March 3, 2008
Discernment, Part II
Last post I rambled at length about the importance of Discernment in the Law of Attraction in particular and in life in general. It is a wonderfully, easy way to live your life once you are accustomed to living this way, but getting there can be a trick.
Discernment is listening to your gut and making decisions from there and not from your mind. The last post goes into why you want to do this. So how to begin... You must quiet your mind and have it be your servant and not your master. Really. You MUST quiet your mind. The only successful way I know is to practice. Slowly in baby steps and not beating yourself up for the constant failures you certainly will encounter.
The very first thing I would do is to shut off the radio in the car. Force yourself to have quiet time. When you do this, the mind will really take over, so it is an opportunity to watch yourself and see what it is that you really think about. Usually that is unhappiness about the past or worrying about the future. You know both are wrong, don't you? I'll go into why if anyone asks. But whether it is past or future, good or bad, the mind is in control, making so much noise you can't hear anything else. That is the point of discernment, though: getting silent so you can hear the prompting, suggestions, evaluation from your soul/angels/guides/God.
See where your mind goes and make the decision to stop it. That will last for maybe 2 seconds, then make the decision, again, to stop it. This will last for 3 seconds, then 4, then 6, then10... What else are you doing while you are driving anyway? In fact, a good practice is to actively concentrate on your driving. Yes, you are using your mind, but you are using it as it should be used - as a servant for what YOU want. At these times, you are in the present. You are actively in the NOW. It doesn't matter what it is you are doing, but your are actively in the moment.
It helps if you can stop and meditate sometime, doing effectively the same thing. Many experts say consciously to watch your breathing during meditation. I agree. It does help to quiet the mind, which is the first purpose of meditating anyway. You can't listen if you can't shut up. Now, it can take a long time to get very good at this, but with steady work, you can get better and better, and, believe me, your life will improve dramatically as well - because your mind will not be putting out all that negative energy that attracts other negative energy that ultimately pops the proverbial zit in your experience. I'm sure there are other wonderful ways to build your discernment, but this is the methold I have used for the past 5 years or so. At this point, I would guess that I am in the moment about 60% of my time and feel pretty good about that. Sometimes, I will intentionally think about the future to aid in some active creation of Law of Attraction, but I try the very best to stay out of the past, whether good or bad. Once I catch myself thinking about the past, my intention is to actively go into the present and I am getting better and better at recognizing this and doing it.
This discussion is a bit Pollyannaish, because I do not address very difficult issues such as a constant physical pain, or relationship turmoil that can be very, very in the moment. Those are much harder to deal with. My advice here is to very quickly pick up a copy of "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. His current book, "A New Earth", is a big Oprah study right now, but go to "Power of Now" first. I don't give this recommendation in passing. This is a big deal. This is a big, important book!!! It has singlehandedly changed more lives of people I personally know than any other book. We all talk about moving books that we have read and loved, but this one is the "Bach" of the bunch. Not an easy read, but nothing better. Speaking of nothing better.... There is nothing better than you! You are so amazingly powerful, creative, and resourceful. You truly are the envy of the Universe. Millions would trade you for your life just exactly as you are right now. You are magnificent!! and I love you!
The Old Monk
Discernment is listening to your gut and making decisions from there and not from your mind. The last post goes into why you want to do this. So how to begin... You must quiet your mind and have it be your servant and not your master. Really. You MUST quiet your mind. The only successful way I know is to practice. Slowly in baby steps and not beating yourself up for the constant failures you certainly will encounter.
The very first thing I would do is to shut off the radio in the car. Force yourself to have quiet time. When you do this, the mind will really take over, so it is an opportunity to watch yourself and see what it is that you really think about. Usually that is unhappiness about the past or worrying about the future. You know both are wrong, don't you? I'll go into why if anyone asks. But whether it is past or future, good or bad, the mind is in control, making so much noise you can't hear anything else. That is the point of discernment, though: getting silent so you can hear the prompting, suggestions, evaluation from your soul/angels/guides/God.
See where your mind goes and make the decision to stop it. That will last for maybe 2 seconds, then make the decision, again, to stop it. This will last for 3 seconds, then 4, then 6, then10... What else are you doing while you are driving anyway? In fact, a good practice is to actively concentrate on your driving. Yes, you are using your mind, but you are using it as it should be used - as a servant for what YOU want. At these times, you are in the present. You are actively in the NOW. It doesn't matter what it is you are doing, but your are actively in the moment.
It helps if you can stop and meditate sometime, doing effectively the same thing. Many experts say consciously to watch your breathing during meditation. I agree. It does help to quiet the mind, which is the first purpose of meditating anyway. You can't listen if you can't shut up. Now, it can take a long time to get very good at this, but with steady work, you can get better and better, and, believe me, your life will improve dramatically as well - because your mind will not be putting out all that negative energy that attracts other negative energy that ultimately pops the proverbial zit in your experience. I'm sure there are other wonderful ways to build your discernment, but this is the methold I have used for the past 5 years or so. At this point, I would guess that I am in the moment about 60% of my time and feel pretty good about that. Sometimes, I will intentionally think about the future to aid in some active creation of Law of Attraction, but I try the very best to stay out of the past, whether good or bad. Once I catch myself thinking about the past, my intention is to actively go into the present and I am getting better and better at recognizing this and doing it.
This discussion is a bit Pollyannaish, because I do not address very difficult issues such as a constant physical pain, or relationship turmoil that can be very, very in the moment. Those are much harder to deal with. My advice here is to very quickly pick up a copy of "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. His current book, "A New Earth", is a big Oprah study right now, but go to "Power of Now" first. I don't give this recommendation in passing. This is a big deal. This is a big, important book!!! It has singlehandedly changed more lives of people I personally know than any other book. We all talk about moving books that we have read and loved, but this one is the "Bach" of the bunch. Not an easy read, but nothing better. Speaking of nothing better.... There is nothing better than you! You are so amazingly powerful, creative, and resourceful. You truly are the envy of the Universe. Millions would trade you for your life just exactly as you are right now. You are magnificent!! and I love you!
The Old Monk
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