These are articles of inspiration that inspire us to be more loving and understanding with ourselves, fellow humans, and our planet.

,

Getting Unstuck When the Head and the Heart Disagree

Getting Unstuck When the Head and the Heart Disagree
By Ronda LaRue

The anxiety of being faced with a crossroad in life where a next decision must be made in order to move forward from this stopped, stuck place, is often tremendously stressful.

The inner debate and frustrating angst can seem insurmountable and hopeless. That’s what makes it so paralyzing; that’s how we stay stuck. And in a way, the situation is indeed insurmountable and hopeless. Let me explain. The situation is insurmountable in the aspect that two arguing forces not only want two different choices, but that they don’t even speak the same language.

When the head argues for one path and the heart for another, it is like trying to compare “apples to oranges” – they don’t even view things the same way or with the same value of importance — thus making it “impossible” to make a sound decision. So you can see how this awful self-tormenting experience of being stuck in an unsolvable and circular dialogue takes place, right?

Few situations in life are more frustrated than feeling stuck and stopped when needing to make a decision and act. Talk about flushing the cells with stress hormones and adrenaline!

We hear people speak of this experience nearly every day. A person might say something like this:

“How do I know if I am listening to my head or my heart in this situation?”

“Which do I trust in this situation with which I am faced: the head or the heart?”

“How do I know what to listen to? How can I trust my own inner guidance when I am confused and stuck in contradictory circular inner arguments, thoughts, and feelings?”

Sound familiar?

I am going to offer you a way through this seemingly insurmountable dilemma. But first, it will help to get a feel for the landscape of these two dialoguing forces inside of you: The head and the heart.*

*Please note that the head and the heart are not literal distinctions as if there are 2 discreet entities inside of you. Rather, my use of head and heart are used here as pointers to two distinct operating languages and aspects of your consciousness.

When we more clearly see how these two functions operate within us, we are more able to stand clear of the circular arguments and counter-arguments between the head and heart.

When we learn to stand aside and see the dynamic and relationship at play between the head and heart, we become able to access our deeper truth of being where nothing is stuck.

So let’s look at these two forces: the head and the heart, each in turn.

Let’s see how the head and heart each “think” and what they each value… Let’s look at the language of the head and at the language of the heart, and start to see how difficult it is for the two to understand one another. (It is rather like asking a person who only understands French to make an important decision with someone who only communicates through sign language. They will have a challenging time as they sit and facing some obstacle or crossroad that requires a partnership agreement in order to move. Heck, they won’t even necessarily see or agree on the same problem or even that they are at the same crossroad!)

Let’s just play this out for a minute:

Picture yourself in some uncomfortable situation where you need to make an important choice, and your heart and your head are at war or in disagreement as to the right choice. Find that inner confused anxiety feeling; it’s pretty easy, we’ve all faced it, and in fact face it many times each day.

The Heart of the Matter:

Arguments from the heart have these tendencies in common:

  • the heart evokes a feeling of inspiration and longing at the very foundation of our soul (aka it’s voice is deeply compelling);
  • the heart can seem timid before the head, but really is surprisingly strong and tenacious in the emotional feelings of desire;
  • the heart might seem a bit narcissistic or careless in terms of its powerful appeal for “throwing caution to the wind” and enjoying life in the moment. It doesn’t care!
  • The heart does not fear; it feels. It loves everything alive. It feels – just feels and shares what it feels. The head fears (for the heart in a way). The head doesn’t feel, it’s not good at that at all. It is emotion-less and comparative.

The Manner of Grey Matter:

Arguments from the head have these tendencies in common:

  • the head dangles the “carrot of our comfort” out as an enticement to over-rule any contradictory feelings of the heart;
  • the head tries to convince us (and often very convincingly) that it is only looking out for what is safest and therefor, best;
  • the head does a very good job of convincing us to make a decision based on our fear of making the wrong decision;
  • the head strives to keep us on the good safe straight known path…

In other words — when there is confusion around a decision; when there is discord between the thoughts of the head and the wishes of the heart; when there is anxiety over how to trust which voice is which… and worse: which one is right in this matter: the head or the heart! This, my friend, is where we often create confused havoc and weave tangled webs of complicated stuckness in our lives! Been there, done that. You?

Here’s how it goes…

The head will fight boldly and litigiously in favor of minimizing perceived threat and helping us feel maximally safe. The heart will argue persuasively and seductively in favor of seeking passionate fulfillment and by causing us suffering where it longs for more life…

In simplified terms: The head is our built in “status quo, stay safe, watch out, always on the look out for potential threats kinda guy“. The head positions itself as our “high security body guard”– ready to take on anything or anyone it sees as potential threat to our safety.

And it’s a good thing too, that we have our head and our wits about us! Without our fear-monitoring, watchful wits, we’d never have survived the saber tooth tigers, old and new. We wouldn’t be here having this discussion at all. We’d be a failed species.

And then there’s the heart:The heart is our built in “it’s time to grow and evolve, expand and explore, open and fulfill, freedom loving kinda gal” The heart seats itself as our enchanting muse and tender seductress pulling on the heartstrings of all that wishes to grow and bloom.

And it’s a good thing too, that we have our heart’s passion-seeker within us. Without our beauty-inspired, fiery spark of the heart, we’d never have grown past the cave man hiding from the saber tooth tigers, old and new. We wouldn’t be here having this discussion either. We’d be a dead species.

So the question really might be this:

“When the head and the heart are at odds (which they inherently most often are), how do we listen to the bold the watch out, protective and rational security guard head, while still hearing the whispers and deep soulful longings of the passionate heart — and then come to some balanced sense of clarity and courage of choice?”

Is that a fair way of putting the situation in which we find ourselves when the recommendations of the head and the longings of the heart have us in the self-paralyzing throws of confusion and conflict over a decision?

I think you’ll agree that it is.

So now: what to do…WHAT TO DO!?

Without trying to sound too simplistic, new age cliche, or unsympathetic, “what to do” really is simpler than we realize. Here’s the trick:

The trick of moving through this stalemate, has less to do with making “the right decision “, and more to do with stepping into true conscious awareness of the dynamics and inner dialogue that is going on between head and heart from a certain space: from a space of inner witnessing…

Eckhart Tolle in his book “A New Earth” calls this inner witness /observer your true “primary purpose”; Byron Katie points to it as “who you are without your story”; others call it your authentic self, your true nature, Buddha mind, Christ consciousness; awakened presence etc etc etc.

Regardless of what name we call this inner still point that can witness the drama of head and heart as it plays out (and not become identified with either the head nor the heart), is the pathway to finding our freedom and to making the natural spontaneous next step of “right action”. (Suggest a 3 paragraph re-read here.)

So what to do when you find yourself stopped in your tracks and racing round and round in circles of self-repeating conflict between the head and the heart?

Stop!

Look!

Listen!

I’m serious. (Dick and Jane were right.) Stop! Stop weighing all the angles; stop making pro-con lists, stop talking to your friends about which way to go. STOP! (If you can’t stop, stop anyway)

Play some meditative music or go on a walk in nature and just look at the noisy inner self through the eyes of the observer. Look at the inner divisive battle like a naturalist would look at a grasshopper jumping here and there. Just look at it all going on.

Observe the dynamics of the drama as if you are seated in the audience of a (perhaps badly or greatly performed) drama that is being playing out. Become an affectionato of the two characters: the head and the heart, but don’t become either one. Stay seated in your audience chair, observing. Get curious about seeing and appreciating each nuance, costuming, and posturing attempts of the head and heart to debate, convince, and connive. See it all playing out through your inner observing theatre seat. Watch it, eyes wide open.

Next, Listen! Listen into the observer space. The observer space is empty; without thought or feeling. The observer is neither head nor heart. The witnessing inner observer is your meditative still point, it is the place where wisdom and the intelligence of the soul resides and arises to inform you on your way (…if you learn how to let it!)

The inner observer is separate from head and heart and yet it sees both. It is neither one of these aspects and yet it is ALL of you. If you can learn how to listen from the place of deep inner emptiness, with no attachment to directing or needing an “answer”, I promise you, a direction will simply arise and you will naturally find yourself moving in a way that neither your head nor your heart could have dreamed up!

Here’s where we often get trapped by faulty understanding and fall back into the drama identification:

We believe that we must find clarity before we can move. Not so!

No clarity is possible when we buy into a division between head and heart. Clarity is actually that which arises from the silence, sees the drama, appreciates the play, but is not attached to, nor identified with, it.

Clarity realizes that there is no “right answer”…only a right relationship to be in, so that action can arise, spontaneously, from this consciously- seated space. To be in right relationship to all circumstances, decisions, and seeming choices, is to remain seated as the observer-self from which your true nature simply moves you on your “right next way”… It takes a direct experience of what I am saying here to know how profoundly true and life-transforming this statement is.

“Right relationship” with life challenges, questions, and directions, is one that stops and steps out, then looks back at the drama being played, and listens into the stillness of the observer self and simply waits for the movement that naturally next comes – of it’s own — when the need and the noise of mind and heart are stilled in this deep waiting pool of inner peace.

From that remarkable place, clarity comes — not as “the one right decision” but as a simple spontaneous next step along your path. And as you simply respond by making that next step along your path, the head and the heart find themselves freed into a new way of walking with silence (aka with your “authentic self”).

The head and the heart (our dual separating selves) begin to realize that they do not command your entire reference point and are not the sole “gig”. The head and the heart (the ego-identified self structures) begin to feel the Observer/Witness here and present within you. The head and the heart experience you standing in your True Nature.

It is then, that a new friendship becomes possible between the head and the heart and the old game of self-paralyzing confusion and stuckness stops. The fight is simply seen through when one becomes seated in their true authority (authentic self – the observer-witness).

When the need for “finding the right way” is seen through for the drama trap that it is, and is given up, then the next good step on your path unwinding, simply walks…

It is then, that walking in ones truth becomes as natural as breathing. See and experience this one time and you are free of stuck.

May you fall in love with your authentic self as it simply witnesses and walks you along your true way.

Internationally-sought teacher, author, Ronda LaRue, offers spiritual mentoring programs and training apprenticeships in her SoulArts Process of Awakening ™ – A uniquely embodied and creative process for attuning to the language of soul and living your Life’s genius in every day, real life.Ronda’s life-changing apprenticeship retreats and Center for Soul Arts, in Ojai California, rated one of the “Top 10 Spiritual Retreats in the World” (Asia Spa Magazine, 2007). Learn more at www.rondalarue.com/
www.ojaisoularts.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ronda_LaRue
http://EzineArticles.com/?Getting-Unstuck-When-the-Head-and-the-Heart-Disagree&id=6844216

 

/by
,

Spiritual Question And Your Journey Into Knowing Yourself

Spiritual Question And Your Journey Into Knowing Yourself
By Adonis Alexander

Is it possible to extinguish the ego in order to make progress on your spiritual journey?

For such a question, may I ask, why do you want to extinguish the ego? Do you see its destructive nature and that is why you are wondering? Have you watched its every movement in your daily activities that you can see its limitations and absurdities?

All this has to be observed without the slightest desire to get rid of the ego at all. As long as you are interested in extinguishing the ego-self, the mind as thought wants to continue. The desire to end the ego is the ego and is its game of continuity.

So, it is not about getting rid of the ego but seeing the ego for what it is. This is a movement of the mind as thought. This ego, this thinker, is a movement of thought. To be free of the ego, the ‘I’, cannot attempt to end it. It is the continuous trick of the mind.

As long as ones thoughts, which are disorder, confusion, and chaos, is the whole of ones consciousness, you cannot see, clearly. To see is vital to living a holistic life of love and happiness. Ego is the denial of happiness.

You cannot go beyond the limitations of mind as ego and discover if there is anything beyond it. Simply, because you are being blinded by the mind. When at once you can get a glimpse of this ego for what it is, perhaps you can understand it.

Not try to get rid of it. The very understanding of it, you transcend its limitations. However, to try to end it yourself, that is like a cat chasing its own tail not knowing it is her own self. You cannot get rid of the ego because; you are the ego-self.

So, we do not get rid of the ego but understand it for what it is. Seeing that it is the movement of the mind we may shed light on it. The light of seeing ends it.

To see that it is a thing of change, the mind is movement and time, we understand it is illusory. That which changes cannot be real. Yet, we identify ourselves as being the ego-self. A false thing!

Realize in truth, you are not the ego-self, which alone is such a beautiful, joyous thing to understand.

Now, when at once you see the ego as a false thing, what becomes of you? Surely, that is the dissolution of ego without any form of effort. The very seeing of this fact is a movement of freedom.

When at once you truly see what you are not, the realization of what you truly are awakens in you. Then there is nothing any one can say to you. The eternal joy is just there. Is this really something you would love to realize within yourself?

To receive additional FREE insights by spiritual teacher, Adonis Alexander, to change your life, go to his website: http://www.adonisalexander.org

Or, you may purchase his spiritual book, Secret Sayings Of Adonis

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adonis_Alexander
http://EzineArticles.com/?Spiritual-Question-And-Your-Journey-Into-Knowing-Yourself&id=6850154

 

 

 

Related articles
/by
,

Triumphant Living – The Seven Secrets

 

Triumphant Living – The Seven Secrets

 

By Linda Marie Prejean

 

Activate the Law of Attraction by following important life’s secrets. Ariel Ford’s latest book Wabi Sabi Love, tells about the ancient Japanese tradition which honors all things, including the old, the worn, and the imperfect. For example, if a treasured vase had a crack down the middle, a Japanese museum would place it on a pedestal and shine a spotlight on it.

 

We can value the cracks in ourselves and our relations in the same way.

 

A secret, as defined by Webster, is something hidden, kept from view, not acknowledged, or revealed only to the initiated.

 

This year is already revealing secrets for the ‘initiated’ – those of us inducted into life’s membership through trial by fire. One is in the lesson of learning to accept imperfection, whether in things, circumstances, or people.

 

My mother was known for her needlework and her beautiful knitting. I would watch as her fingers, bent and knobby from arthritis, would move with expert grace across soft rows of yarn, the steady rhythm of clicking needles forming a sweater for me. Just before getting to the end, she would rip it all apart and start over. I would protest, telling her it looked perfect to me. “No,” she would reply. “I can see my mistake.”

 

Discovering the difference between what is to be celebrated, or what needs to change can be transformational and reflective of a new inner harmony. Secrets often lie in the paradox, the riddle, the mystery. Life holds many secrets, often missed. Here are just seven:

 

Secret #1: Gently, make room for imperfection, in people, or in yourself. Shine light on your circumstances with the beam of your acceptance. Psychologist, Carl Rogers says, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”

 

Secret #2: Learn to live life through the senses, engaging life on its terms. Allow for life to speak to you. Take action on what is in front of you. Don’t look back with regret or self-doubt.

 

Secret #3: Become whole-brained, by learning to be ambidextrous. Practice using your non-dominant hand. Studies are showing great results for everything from diabetes, to possible prevention of the onset of Alzheimer’s to an overall improvement in the quality of life.

 

Secret #4: Change your life by mastering your emotions. A Chinese Proverb says: Control the emotions or they will control you. A little gland, the Amygdala in our brain, was for our protection from saber-toothed tigers. We still need to be able to sense danger, but anger is stealing your life. Learn to let go by controlling the noise inside your head. Learn how to be calm.

 

Secret #5: Take boredom to an art form. Become an expert at one thing and the results will pay dividends in delightful and unexpected opportunities. If you are bored, you already know a lot about something.

 

Secret #6: If you feel you have lost yourself in a relationship, or it’s become toxic, take a time-out, give yourself the gift of space. People report feeling like themselves again and wonder how they ever got so lost. Fresh and inspired thoughts for change will appear.

 

Secret #7: Redirect the energy behind your biggest fear, problem, or challenge and find a way to be grateful. Be consistent and watch for the evidence of this power.

 

Triumphant living is about getting started, doing your best and feeling good about yourself. Today, my mother might have used her knitting mistakes creatively with sequins, or a colorful patch to celebrate the imperfection. I’m sure I would have worn it with love – Wabi Sabi style.

 

Linda Prejean is a Life Coach with a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology, with many years working with women and men in transitional stages of life. Visit her website for articles and a multitude of videos with helpful take-away hints: http://www.mysecretdreamslifecoaching.com

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Marie_Prejean
http://EzineArticles.com/?Triumphant-Living—The-Seven-Secrets&id=6831348

 

 

 

/by
,

What Happens During Spiritual Enlightenment: You Are the Ocean, Not the Lotus Flower

What Happens During Spiritual Enlightenment: You Are the Ocean, Not the Lotus Flower
By Dr. R. Puff

As we journey toward the path of enlightenment, what can we expect to happen in our lives? What can we expect to happen inside of us? In truth, there is nothing that we must do. Life just unfolds and we are merely the witness to this unfolding.

How do we live our lives if we’re seeking the path of awakening, in order to truly be awakened to who we are and to live an enlightened life? How are we to live our lives if we aren’t the doers of the living but merely the witness to this doing?

Embrace the Oneness of the Universe

At first, I wasn’t actually seeking enlightenment. I was raised in the American farm belt and had a normal, Christian background. There’s a strict duality in Christianity: Christ is the exemplar, someone who we strive toward and seek to emulate. We’re never going to be Christ, even though Christ Himself was in many ways a non-dualist. He said, “The Father and I are one. I can do nothing, except if the Father allows me to.” The Christian mystics came to the same conclusion as Jesus. When you read the writings of Julian of Norwich, one of my favorites, there is a sense of a non-separation from herself and God. I think many Christians are troubled by mysticism because it is far more non-dual. Even though I was familiar with the mystics, I still saw life as a constant journey until I was exposed to other types of non-dual thinking. I realized what is constant is that which always is, or the permanent. What is impermanent can’t be real because it changes.

Although in my meditations I had many experiences with the non-dual relationship with the universe, I didn’t apply it to my whole life. However, when my teacher said, “Embrace it. Be that,” within a matter of weeks something happened that allowed me to see the non-dual nature, the one-ness of all that is. People around the world seek enlightenment. I wasn’t even seeking it, yet I was blessed with an awakening.

It is inevitable that growth will occur, perhaps in this life, perhaps in the next, or when we die or are in heaven. We don’t know. What we do know is that we’re on this journey of discovery which is leading us to who we are. It’s natural and will happen, with or without our effort.

Flow with the Journey of Life

Why don’t we live a life far less concerned with finding enlightenment, but rather focused upon waking up and just living our lives? If we relax and just flow with life while trusting that where we’re headed is exactly where we’re supposed to be, two things can happen. First and foremost, we’ll live a beautiful life because we’ll just flow with it. When we don’t fight life, we enable this to happen. In living this life of freedom, we become free. Secondly, we may discover who we are. We may wake up, just like Jesus, Buddha, or Julian of Norwich did. When we discover our true permanent self, everything that is and everything that always has been is what we are. Life, then, can be love.

Imagine we are a lotus flower in a river. If we start floating toward the ocean, fighting the current will cause a lot of scrapes and scratches along the way. But if we just float, we’ll find that sometimes we stop, sometimes we hit a whirlpool, sometimes it’s a little rocky, but mostly we just float along until we arrive at the beautiful infinite ocean of who and what we are. We discover that the lotus flower which we thought we were was really just an illusion; who we truly are is the infinite ocean.

We have always been this ocean, but we forgot. Life is a journey of discovering who we are. It can be a wonderful, beautiful journey if we just flow with life and stop fighting it. Even when the fighting occurs inside of us, realize that it’s a conditioned response and if you don’t identify with it then you can relax and allow life to flow again.

Everything is Connected

The journey itself is not important. What’s really important is discovering the journey as part of the vast, infinite ocean. Everything is connected. Everything is not two, non-dual. When we reside in that, then we just flow with life and life truly becomes beautiful.

Open up and allow yourself to just be. Perhaps today you too will discover who you are, who you’ve always been, and who you will always be. You just have to let go of everything, including everything you have believed yourself to be. Just be – it’s really that simple. Everything resides in that being-ness. All there is, is. Be that.

Dr. R. Puff, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, author, international speaker, and meditation expert who has been counseling individuals, families, nonprofits, and businesses for over twenty years. A contributing writer to Psychology Today, he has authored numerous books, including Spiritual Enlightenment: Awakening to the Supreme Reality and creates a weekly podcasts and articles on enlightenment, spiritual enlightenment, nonduality, Advaita Vedanta at: http://www.EnlightenmentPodcast.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._R._Puff
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Happens-During-Spiritual-Enlightenment:-You-Are-the-Ocean,-Not-the-Lotus-Flower&id=6817219

 

 

 

Related articles
/by
,

Anatta “Not Self”

Anatta “Not Self”
By Shelton Ranasinghe

Anatta

Just like Einstein discovered the general theory of relativity, over 2000 years ago the Buddha disclosed the “No Self” concept. This is remarkably an extra ordinary discovery. The people at that time did not know the function of the brain. Whether the Buddha understood the function of the brain is not known as there is no reference to the brain in his teachings. However through self evaluation of how the mind process works he disclosed this fact. The function of the brain was understood in the very recent time, about 300 years ago. The Buddha had thousands of disclosures during his life time. The discovery of “No Self” concept was so important to the Buddha that he prioritized this disclosure to be his second sermon and named it as Annattalakkhana-sutta. The “Anatta” (meaning “Not Self”) doctrine is presented through this sutta. This sutta very deeply explains the philosophical aspect of self. This specific topic of teaching stands out uniquely in the world of religions as all the other religions believe in a self or soul.

The Buddha explained that there is no personality as self or soul. What we experience as self is an illusion, imaginary mental projection, a false belief and non reality. The sense of self only seems solid, but this is in fact an illusion. The true nature is something else entirely. The man attains enlightenment only when he overcomes the delusion of self.

The doctrine of impersonality (Anatta) was very controversial even at the time of Buddha. It is complicated to understand though many books have been written by various scholars based on their understanding. The Buddha stated very clearly that “All ‘Dhammas’ are without self”. “Dhammas” include conditioned things (ex. Samkhara – mental elements and formations) as well as non-conditioned things (ex. Nirvana – State of enlightenment). Though the Buddha vehemently rejected the “soul” theory that was popular at his time, on various occasions he did not openly attack the other religious leaders who preached the soul theory. Attack was not the strategy of his mission. The dialogue Buddha had with disciple Ananda after being silent on the famous question asked by Vacchagotta on “Self”, is a well known recorded incident in Buddhist scriptures. In this particular dialogue the questions were directly associated with the two streams of definitions given for soul at that time. One stream was the belief in a permanent soul, transmigrating from one life period to another. The other was about the soul that only confined to the existing life period.

To explore the understanding of “Anatta”, it is good to know how the Buddha explained the two categories of truths. These were “Conventional truth” and “Ultimate truth”. In day-to-day life most of the things we perceive can be categorized as conventional truth. A few examples are following. We perceive our earth as flat. That is the conventional truth, but it is not really flat. We know that an atom is over 99% hollow, because the electrons circle around the nucleus of the atom are at vast distances compared to the size of the nucleus of the atom. We are made of atoms. Hence we must be over 99% hollow. But we do not define our body that way. White light is made of seven colors but we do not see them separately. Hence, there are conventional truths and ultimate truths as indicated. In everyday life we refer to both these streams for the purpose of understanding and explaining things. If people try to be absolutely specific or scientific in selecting words, we will run into problems in communicating to each other. The self exists as a conventional entity but not in the sense of ultimate truth. “Anatta” has to be evaluated in the context of the ultimate truth and if one tries to explain it in the context of conventional truth it would be a failure.

In all world religions other than in Buddhism, there is a clear belief of a soul that carries the ownership of self from one life to another. As explained in many religious scripts the soul gets punished or rewarded through its journey and is eligible to end up in the kingdom of God, in a place called heaven. In Hinduism the soul can end up in heavenly worlds and also it could be worked out to achieve “Moksha” which is defined as the freedom from the cycle of birth. A soul of a person who has achieved the state of Moksha is supposed to be joining the ultimate flux of energy after death where everything defined to have originated from. In great books of Hinduism, the subject of self is characterized in association with two facets of entities namely the “Nama” (Soul or Atman) and “Rupa” (body). Hindu teaching is very much like the Buddhist teachings in many respects and hence it is interesting to understand the marked difference between the two ideologies in respect to the definition of soul. In Hinduism the self can be explained around the following slogans: “You identify your body (nama), but you are not your body, your soul is the witness of your body; you identify your thoughts (rupa), but you are not your thoughts, your soul is the witness of your thoughts; you identify your emotions, you are not the emotions, your soul is the witness of your emotions”. As phrased above, the self or the soul is directly correlated to a witness with the “nama” and “rupa” concept. Buddha took a step further on this and explained that there is no “witness” either, to be defined as self. In other words there is no thinker of thoughts or a feeler of sensations or a receiver of reactions under the context of ultimate truth that was discussed earlier. Self is an illusion and a non-reality. At every moment there is a birth followed by a death and vice versa. Every instant is a momentary rebirth without a soul. The nature of this illusion is the crux of the Buddha doctrine disclosed by Annattalakkhana-sutta.

It is interesting to note that there are books written about out-of-body experiences. Leave alone the subject of out-of-body experience, if someone asks you to explain exactly where you are in a body (in-body), other than merely giving some references as an answer; there is no proper answer to come up with or to explain who you are. This is exactly what the Buddha pointed out by saying that self is an illusionary process that we have been fooled by. To explain this further, Buddha fragmented all elements which we perceive as self and pointed out that all those fragments are ever changing entities. Either none of them or any combination of them or all of them, can be defined as self as ascribed in soul theory. To explain what people believe as self, the Buddha talked about the five aggregates (Khandhas – piles). By talking about the five aggregates Buddha did not define self as the five aggregates but acknowledged that it is what people considered as self. The five aggregates are defined as form, feeling, perception, fabrication and consciousness. Buddha explained that either none of those aggregates or any combination of those or all of those does not constitute a self. The fragmentation study of self and the dynamism of our existence are further expounded by the Conditioned Genesis (Paticca-Samuppada) in Buddhist teachings. Conditioned Genesis is a law of conditionality based on the following formulation.

“When there is this, that comes to be.

With the arising of this, that arises

When there is not this, that does not come to be.

The ceasing of this, that ceases”

Buddha derived the following fragmented logic elements by applying “Paticca-Sampuppada” to the dynamism of our existence.

1. Conditioned by Ignorance, Intentional activities arise

2. Conditioned by Intentional activities rethinking Consciousness arises

3. Conditioned by Consciousness, Mind and matter arise

4. Conditioned by Mind and matter, the six fold base arises

5. Conditioned by the six fold base, Contact arises

6. Conditioned by Contact, Feeling arises

7. Conditioned by Feeling, Craving arises

8. Conditioned by Craving, Grasping arises

9. Conditioned by Grasping, Becoming arises

10. Conditioned by Becoming, Birth arises

11. Conditioned by Birth, aging, death, sorrow, pain, grief and despair arise.

This explains the process of all elements associated with life. It is to be considered as a cyclic process. Some scholars explain this formulation as cyclic as well as a complex interwoven network process. It touches the birth and death elements. It is a “cause and effect” theory. For example, say that you have craving to buy a luxury car. That craving, ultimately results in an arising of grief when you are unable to buy it. As long as you have the car in your mind the logical elements from 1 to 11 given above keep on forming as a cyclic stream. The simple meanings of the two Pali words in the context of the computer model discussed earlier translate as “Influences (Paticca) of Inputs (samuppada)”.

Buddhist scripture states – “The foolish man conceives the idea of self, the wise man sees there is no ground on which to build the idea of self. Acceptance of the truth of the impermanence of self and the world will therefore free a man from much suffering, if he only makes the effort”.

If self is an illusion, the question arises as to “who” gathers or receives the Karma or the resultant reactions (conventional merits and demerits associated with actions) associated in most of the eastern religions. The soul theory in Hinduism perfectly answers this question as it recognizes a transmigrating entity. Most Buddhists tend to grasp the soul theory inadvertently as a result of this. Acceptance of soul theory contradicts the Buddhist teaching. Buddha pointed out the in-validness of the above question. Because, since there is no self or soul, the word “who” does not bear any validity or meaning in the question of “who” gathers or receives the Karma. Because the question is not valid, an answer cannot be composed. Self is an illusion. This non-self theory puts a spin onto operational logic of rebirth and Karma concepts. Rebirth and Karma concepts existed prior to the Buddha era, and were integral parts of Hinduism, and became elements of Buddhist doctrine as well. However Buddha’s explanation of the Karma and rebirth theory is not soul based and shall be understood in that respect.

Shelton Ranasinghe

Author: Buddha Impetus to Primitive Psyche, Heaven at SETI’s Doorstep

Shelton Ranasinghe

sr2665@gmail.com

B.Sc (Eng), C.Eng, P.Eng, MIMech E(London), MIE(Australia), FIE(Sri Lanka), ASME(USA)

Author of Buddha Impetus to Primitive Psyche and Heaven at SETI’s Doorstep

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelton_Ranasinghe
http://EzineArticles.com/?Anatta-Not-Self&id=6817142

 

 

 

 

Related articles
/by
,

Crown Chakra Meditation Exercise

Crown Chakra Meditation Exercise
By Jessica Tanner

The Crown Chakra

The crown chakra is our seventh chakra in the kundalini system. This chakra is placed at the top of our head and is our connection to the Divine, our Higher Self and our intuition, and it is therefore the most spiritual connected chakra we have, compared to the root, which is mostly connected to the earth and nature. The colour that is connected with this area is either purple or a bright white light.

Crown chakra meditation can help you reconnect with your Higher Self and be able to receive guidance and ideas from a more spiritual side of your being.

Crown Chakra Meditation

Turn off all electronic gadgets and find a quiet place and time with absolutely no disturbing elements. Sit in a way that is comfortable for you. Maybe you want to sit in the lotus posture, but if your are not that flexible, you may want to do the Seiza posture instead which is a kneeling position and can therefore be a lot more comfortable than having to sit cross-legged. You can also lighten some candles to set the mood and make you more focused on your meditation.

Close your eyes and direct your focus to your crown chakra area at the top of your head. Take a deep breath, and imagine that the inhaling air is entering your body through your crown.

Visualize it as a bright beam of light coming down from your Higher Self above you and penetrate your chakra. Feel the energy of the light. Breathe in this glowing light and guide the light down into your body filling every part of you. Exhale normally through your mouth and visualize the air that leaves your mouth as a drained and colourless wind.

Take another deep inhalation and take in more of the powerful light from above. This energy source that you can just tap in to and fill your physical body with its great energy whenever you need it.

Allow yourself to reconnect to your spirituality and to your Higher Self and intuition. Open this connection between the two parts of you and allow messages and ideas to flow with this beam of light and into your head. This is a great way to practice your intuition, which can be a great guide in life if we know how to listen to it. We will be able to know when we are making the right decisions by the way that we feel because something in us knows, what the outcome will be.

Do this for 15 minutes and then return to your day. Start by visualizing your crown chakra closing gently so that you won’t be vulnerable to other types of energy out there. Open your eyes and take a moment to feel the effect of the meditation and the energy that you have absorbed from the universe.

If you are seeking meditation exercises that can help you restore your energy level, you may also want to try Solar Plexus meditation, as this chakra is the location for energy, as well as other closely related characteristics.

Jessica T.
I am no meditation or yoga expert but I am simply interested in these things and I am just sharing the knowledge that I have about meditation in hopes of helping you with your meditation practice.
At my website, Meditation for Beginners, you can find different meditation techniques that you may want to try.
Learn more at: How to be a Hypnotist

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_Tanner
http://EzineArticles.com/?Crown-Chakra-Meditation-Exercise&id=6812906

 

 

 

Related articles
  • The Crown Chakra (blissreturned.wordpress.com)
  • The Seven Human Energy Chakras (zazenlife.com)
  • Meditation and Good Karma (siliconvalleylatinoleadership.com)
  • Do You Have the Courage to Meditate? (tappingthewellwithin.com)
  • Role of Meditation in Relieving Stress (yourthoughtsyourfuture.com)
  • Meditation (thoughtprocessseven.com)
/by