Only Kind

Only kind: 

towards the end of his life author Aldous Huxley, famous for his writing on world philosophies, was asked what he had learned from a life time of studying these traditions. His answer was thoughtful and beautiful in it's simplicity, he replied. "try to be a little kinder to each other." 

and so that's my practice.

I just try and be a little kinder, including to myself.

A Course in Miracles with the Manual for Teachers, insights offered to Course students that are now ready to engage the world in a more mindful, loving way. The conclusion is clear, we're asked to be kind, and more so, that the sincerity of our practice should have led us here naturally. What it really seems like is that our innate kindness is revealed through the mindfulness of our practice. For me, I am kind in an easier manner, joyfully so, and my life is better for this, enriched beyond measure. 

of course my own pettiness still occurs, quite often too. But it's quieter now, tampered softly with a gentle smile towards at the assertions of my ego. Self-kindness has been such a gift, arriving somewhat a little late in life, yet welcomed just the same. Everything starts from here, with compassion and self-care, truly cherishing the wounded child within me that still cries out so often. I don't have to be right, or even near perfect in any sense -

only kind.

and this gets easier everyday.

~

Love, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Just Enough Light

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Just Enough Light

Just enough Light: 

as January draws to an end, a rough month for many, I reflect upon my own struggles through the harshest, coldest days that so often begin the year. This is a month that without fail would deepen my depression, low lying through much of the year, yet already primed by holidays, January would rush it to the surface almost from its first day. 

it was a month of struggle.

and February always seemed to offer a salvation.

that, although still cold, sometimes just as bitterly so as January, there was a promise in the air, with the slightest gain of extra light more easily noticed. Spring was near., and February, being shortest month, was all that stood between me warmer, light-filled days. 

 February offered just enough light and warmth, a promise...

most days, at least.

yet January doesn't seem so harsh to me anymore, still not a favorite month, but there no longer needs to be the promise of February to see me though. Each day has just enough light of it's own, gifted to me with the warmth of sun even in its distance. I don't know what brought about this change, maybe being older, or the death of my father after years of being his caregiver has brought me to face my own mortality. But my guess is that it's the accumulation of gratitude. I'm grateful for warmth on the coldest days, and darkness now offers me its contrast for a deep appreciation for any extra light to appear.

January has it's own promise.

just enough light...

and everyday is its own salvation.

~

Peace, Eric 

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A Cookie Half

A cookie half: 

more than ever now my politics are one of kindness. I'm not sure I can really offer an explanation, or that one is truly needed. Kindness is all that matters and we are suffering from its deficit. Yes, I'm naive, but I will take the architect Buckminster Fuller's words to heart and dare to be naive as that's how we change the existing order of the world. Our self-interest at the expense of others, of the planet itself, is unsustainable and will only lead to ruin. 

only through kindness is how we'll save ourselves. 

and this is across the political aisle.

kindness is a continuous practice, moment to following moment, and doesn't really take much consideration. It's simply the re-education of the heart, remembering to pause for a silent beat and allow our spirit speak from it's long hidden depth. We remember kindness, it's the shared toy, the broken off cookie half we offered to a childhood friend. It's what we were and still are - kind. Yet we have bought into the political madness that a selfish gain is somehow now a better option. 

of course it isn't.

no one flourishes at another's expense.

ever. 

so my politics, such as they are, is without motivation other than our true concerns. How may we serve for the benefit of all. No one is excluded. I will dare to be naive and hold out hope that kindness truly matters and will resurface as our only goal. Really, this is an invitation, it's not a political movement, but simply a request for each of us to remember who we are -

and with this in mind,

here - 

a broken off cookie half...offered to a friend/

~

Love, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Beyond Belief

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Beyond Belief

Beyond belief: 

almost a leap from the page, soft words of insight that immediately bring relief from striving for anything beyond this single revelation - in chapter 7 of a Course in Miracles we're told to not be afraid of the ego, that it depends entirely upon our belief in it, and once those are withdrawn will wither on its own. That's the simplicity of the spiritual path summed up in just a few words. If I had never read beyond this point, allowing those words to truly take hold and gently lead me to the source of its wisdom, it would have proven enough to bring immeasurable peace within my world. 

for some of us though...we need a little more.

and that's what the rest of the Course is, just a little more practice, reminders that forgiveness is a tool that dispels the myth of my own self-importance. It's simple really, to forgive, to live a life of loving-kindness, is to continuously withdraw belief from ego's hold. There's an incredible amount of freedom offered here, and almost instantly it appears with just a few well chosen words -

I forgive, 

and surrender to this present moment.

as there's nothing more to do.

peace is found right here.

now.

beyond my belief in ego's hold. 

~

Peace, Eric

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Only Love

Only love: 

I appreciate the stark choice laid clear by A Course in Miracles, that we have love and fear, both voices found within us, with one representing the reality of the Holy Spirit, while the other gives us a continuation of ego's illusions. 

love or fear - our only two options. 

and only one is real.

the truth is, we so immersed within ego that it doesn't seem we have a choice at all. reality is flipped around to give us a living world of chaos while love becomes an occasional act of folly. We are so deep within illusion that not even the brightest lights of Jesus or a Buddha shines its way through to us. We're lost, completely so. 

until we're not.

the voice of God, synonymous with love, is ever present. 

a whisper, yes, for love makes no demands.

yet patiently so,

a continuous whisper,

choose only love, for only love is real.

and eventually...

I do.

~

Love,Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Hierarchy of Illusions

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Hierarchy of Illusions

Hierarchy of illusions: 

some deep understanding now dawns, decades after initially picking up A Course in Miracles and 17 years out from completing the workbook book for the first time. Not an easy journey, but always fulfilling in the insights that it brought me. What I find these days is that the Course shines even brighter, that things once glossed over capture my attention and draw me even closer to the happier dream that's offered. See, the Course doesn't really talk of enlightenment, it's only concern is in awakening from the illusions perceived into the light of truth, reality - and that until happens we can begin to see the world in a much different way, a kinder, more gentle landscape of illusions.

I am not a happy dreamer, not yet at least. 

but I'm drawing ever closer.

an important insight, vital actually, is that there is no hierarchy of illusions. It's difficult to understand that meaningless is, indeed, meaningless, and that all we see fits within this category. This is what makes true forgiveness possible. An illusion is always false and only our beliefs give weight to its existence. We make our every grievance and resentment real. 

and so they carry on.

but without a hierarchy there's no difference between our slightest hurt and most grievous wound - everything is forgiven equally, and so the illusion of a fearful world begins to unravel. True forgiveness can never be done by the ego as the entirety of its existence is based upon a hierarchy of illusions. We believe that somethings must remain unforgiven and other wounds may be forgiven over time. The Course says that this is a misuse of time and that it only projects a continuation of a very unhappy dream. To forgive is to undo it all, right now, and enter into a brand new world. 

or at least a happier dream. 

and so for me, at this point in my dream, I begin to forgive more frequently now, more easily, and to catch that glimmer of light that extends as my awakening. It's right there, an eye flit away from dawn, and truthfully, I'm in no hurry.

as it is with every dream,

awakening happens on its own.

and until then...

I'll just continue to forgive. 

~

Love, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Smallest Things

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Smallest Things

Smallest things; 

so what I'm hoping for is to give away a little bit of kindness, just a tiniest seed, planted through connected hearts and leading to a more peaceful world. It's a tall order, a task greater then I'm capable of performing alone. Yet fortunately, I'm only asked to do the smallest thing, often, and then repeated though a lifetime of practice.

 I'm only asked to be kind to others -

to everything really.

nothing more.

this is my directive, living a life of kindness, displayed through smallest actions. It might be called a mindful life, attentive to so many things gone unnoticed. I'll be honest, I'm not very good at it, forgetful, and so often caught up in my own petty concerns. Yet a life of kindness starts here, right with my forgetful nature and repeated lessons of forgiveness, 

first offered to myself,

and then extended to the smallest thing, forgotten,

and in need of my attention.

~

Love, Eric

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Prayer of Saint Francis

Prayer of Saint Francis: 

the overall prayer, these compassionate words for Saint Francis, become a transformative experience when taken to heart. They are meant to be mediated upon, absorbed slowly through the mind and all the way to spirit. My own first exposure to this prayer was offered by the scholar and meditation teacher Eknath Easwaran whose book Passage Meditation helped cement my love of these words as well as the spiritual direction my life would take. It's drawing close to 40 years now, and although my meditation path has taken different turns, I always return to this prayer and the heart-felt message from both Saint Francis as well as the contemplative path as outlined by Easwaran. 

it's been a beautiful way of life.

what's important is to take these words to heart, literally so, practicing the selfless service that's offered here. And indeed, it truly is a practice, not meant to be perfected with a few readings, but made into a lifestyle of serving God through the guise of others. It's the most important work we do, most especially in these times where God and compassion might seem so far from where we are. But this is a prayer of the heart, always and truly present within us all. 

trust it.

meditate.

we're planting seeds of compassion with every read.

our lives then become a fertile ground.

we are made...

an instrument of peace.

~

Love, Eric 

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List Line

Last line: 

the last line, summary of the entire prayer, that it is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life - and this is the crux of why we prayed earnestly for each previous aspect of the prayer. We have asked for ways to live past the point of ego so that we may be born, reborn really, into a life of spirit, beyond our smaller concerns, and fully engaged in the care of others. 

it's a beautiful way to end the prayer.

asking for our transformation.

so the truth is, we are not ego, it's an illusions of beliefs that has overly gained our attention. So the Prayer of Saint Francis is simply a reminder to return our focus to what we truly are and to live our life from there. This is a prayer that we continuously return to, a practice, and not one that we abandoned in our most difficult times. That's why it's framed in this way, listing the places we might find ourselves, feeling injured by our life's journey, alone in despair, without hope, and lost sadness. The divine Master that we're asked to turn to is our own highest order, God, synonymous with all abiding love. That's our healing source and it's how we heal the world.

past the ego that can be injured...

spirit's unharmed.

and it's there we continuously turn to.

an instrument of love.

~

Peace, Eric 

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That We Are Pardoned

That we are pardoned; 

perhaps it's no accident that forgiveness has been referenced twice in this prayer. The second to last line sets clear that it is in pardoning that we ourselves are pardoned. Only love is also mentioned twice and I believe that this because forgiveness is the key to fully understanding who we truly are, that to know ourselves as the reality of love we most remember to see others through forgiving eyes, heart-seen, recognizing their original innocence. 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned. 

so it's here that Saint Francis declares our true nature...

 and we claim it through forgiveness. 

this is such a gift to give to others, to ourselves as well, as if unlocking a prison door and inviting the entire world to join us in a sense of freedom. Yet as it in in every self-created prison we are entrapped by our own beliefs that some our worthy and others not - keeping us closed within the illusory walls of our perceptions. For us to be free, truly so, we have to pray as Saint Francis, asking for just a moment of clear seeing so that our own innocence is returned. The key to this freedom is in recognizing that perceptions have clouded our vision, that we are lost in a haze of guilt, fear, and judgment that we have projected upon others. To be free, we rely on others as our guide. 

we forgive, clear-seeing, and find our way home.

together. 

as no one stays behind.

~

Love, Eric 

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A Circular Prayer

A circular prayer: 

so it's here, the beginning of the end, first of the last three lines, and we're given the secret to the entire prayer - we haven't just been praying for the concerns of others, no, we ourselves have been included all along. This line reveals that it is in giving that we receive, everything we've previously asked for has really been a self-request. 

we are praying for our own salvation.

we're asking for grace.

maybe it was here that I began to fall in love with this prayer, it's transformative power is shown. If I truly wish to be at pace, to know love deeply for myself, then I only have to offer it to others. To be, as Gandhi said, the change I wish to see. This is such a circular prayer, how much I can offer others is my exact return, and the more I'm able to give selflessly the greater I receive - even as my own needs are reduced through through selfless service. 

truly, this prayer is spiritual technology.

an alchemical process.

I have been transformed by the practice of this prayer, heart-touched by the living energy of Saint Francis that now work their way through me several generations from his passing. But surely his presence is alive in me, a whisper through my actions as I seek to offer only love within the world. My prayer deepens now with a wish to always do these words justice.

that I may truly give so that I may receive...

and then only give some more.

my life now being, 

a circular prayer.

~

Love, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: As To Love

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As To Love

As to love: 

this is the last that we ask for, the key-line for me as everything the proceeded and follows stems from the realization that we are truly made to offer love. Here, right before the end, our prayer turns to a request that we not so much seek to be loved as to love. With this one realization everything else false easily into place - love is indeed what we are, and it is the explanation of how the Prayer of Saint Francis becomes our daily guide. What's asked for in the entirety of the prayer is simply the removal of all that block our awareness of the presence of love.

with these obstacles gone...

only love is remains.

now, everything becomes easier, our every request of being able to forgive. console, and able to better understand others falls naturally into place. Love shows us the way, it extends as the answer to every problem of communication, comforting, healing heart-deep injury, bringing light and faith. With love, there is no despair. The eleventh line is pivotal, tying the entire prayer together before closing with three lines of explanation. But it's love that provides the energy, the life-essence, for the transformative power of this prayer. 

nothing prayed for, no understanding is possible without it's realization. 

grant that I not so much seek to be loved,

as to love.

and once granted,

we see...

that it's the very same thing.

~

Love, Eric

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As to Understand

As to understand: 

imagine this, just a wish to understand others more than our own desire to explain ourselves, surrendering our need to be right in order to simply be kind. That's the possibility that this particular line represents, asking that we not so much seek to be understood as to understand. Yes, a tall order indeed, but this is a prayer that humbles, making these words truly a living energy that work their magic through us. Of course this doesn't mean that we don't have our own convictions, or that we abandon our own beliefs for the sake of someone else's understanding.

we only ask for the ability to listen,

fully and deeply so.

allowing others to be heard. 

in order to understand anyone our minds must be open, we should be able to offer a giving space of heart-centered compassion where others can be understood. It's a true gift, pure, and it can only be offered when we let go of our own insistent need to always be certain in our view. Again this shouldn't imply that our opinions aren't valid, only that for a moment, briefly even, we just let them be and offer ourselves as a listening place. This is where transformation happens, friendships occur, and long held resentments begin to disappear. It's magical, truly so, based entirely on a single line of kindness...

may I seek less to be understood,

as to understand.

if only for a moment.

~

Love, Eric

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To Be Consoled

To be consoled: 

it's at this point in the prayer that an profound realization seeps in, asking that we seek not to be consoled but only to have the depth of heart to console others - by now we come to the understanding that our own best interest arrives through the light of service, we wish to offer comfort to those who suffer while knowing that this very act of care provides for our every need as well.

as the sage Ramana Maharshi stated...

there are no others.

and that's the path of service, a heart-path, not leading home, but only revealing that heaven is already present through every act of care. Tending to those who suffer is enlightenment itself, no need for ashram or temples, our own presence, open and spacious, is given as a place worship. This is where love is found, in the willingness to listen, truly so, with full body attendance, accepting the grief, the sorrow and despair of others...knowing too that they our our own.

grant that I not so much seek to be consoled, 

as to realize that there are no others,

only love.

and this is what is shared. 

~

Love, Eric

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O Divine Master

O divine Master: 

the second half of the Prayer of Saint Francis begins with invoking the divine Master, it's a plea for something deep within us, intimate, yet somehow forgotten. This isn't a prayer to some far off entity begging for our life to change, it's really a call to our own true essence, our God-connection, asking for our divine nature to be shown. 

o, divine Master, grant...

and what follows is a request for selflessness, for qualities of our innate nature be revealed and then offered to the world. This is the answer to every seeker, those seeking enlightenment, or answers to their deepest longings - what's been searched for is already present within and in using this prayer, calling upon the divine Master, we are answered through by an interior silence, a selfless presence that fills us with an urge to serve others. 

o, divine Master, grant that I...

and this I, our self-identity crying out in prayer, 

all but disappears. 

while only love remains.

~

Love, Eric 

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Wherever There is Sadness

Wherever there is sadness: 

the last line of the first half of Saint Francis's Prayer seems to be asking for a complete transformation, maybe even bypassing the current emotion of sadness and putting on a false from of joy. Where there is sadness, joy, is a lot to ask for, and most especially when we find ourselves immersed in the heaviness of our sadness. Yet what's prayed for here isn't bypassing at all, nor even a request to transform the presence of sadness into something other than it is right now -

what we prayer for is recognition.

where there is sadness...

joy.

it's more truly known that both my coexist at the same moment, not one replacing the other, but that there's an ever present joy in simply being alive and able to experience the fullness of all that life offers, and that this sense of joy only awaits our recognition to be known. 

wherever there is sadness...

joy

even in the very moment of our deepest sorrow.  

and this is what we prayer for,

~

Love, Eric 

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As Light

As light: 

we are beckoned to the light, perhaps at first just briefly, being barely flickering and dim in its initial illumination - yet still a soft glow that's offered to the darkness of the world. Our reality is light, synonymous to a greater love, and as Saint Francis pleas in his heart-felt prayer... where there is darkness, may we be as a light that's extended to the care of others. 

always,

where there is darkness...

may we be as light.

personally, I'm curious about this illumination, about how much love can I truly offer to another. What I've discovered is that, so far, is that it's infinite in its source, indefatigable in extension, and every shadow vanishes quickly in its gleam. This is my favorite line in Saint Francis' prayer as it shows me my reality as a beam connected to the very source of light, and that my only role here is to shine brightly, my reach unlimited in the love it offers. 

where there is darkness...

may all that blocks the reality of light be removed.

and may we all shine brightly.

it's what we're meant to do.

~

Love, Eric 

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A Greater Hope Prevails

A greater hope prevails: 

admittedly, addressing hope is a tough one for me, it can seem a faint promise, a hollow wish for something better than whatever's occurring right now. The Buddha taught the hope can often lead to suffering, that we can become attached to a specif outcome or desire and refuse to accept what the present moment offers. This has often been my experience as well, hoping for many things, yet always left disappointed in their failure to appear. 

but Saint offers us a different course of hope.

praying, from despair...

and asking for a transformation. 

hope, from this perspective, is more a belief in our ability to transcend, it's not a faint promise at all, but more of a powerful tool to accept this moment of despair, while knowing that even now it's in the process of shifting to something other. To hope is a prayer of strength, it's asking for the courage to remain true to my spiritual heart in the face of all that shows me despair. 

so I see things differently now.

from despair, 

I ask for hope. 

not for things to be other than they are, but only that I accept this moment, 

whatever might be present, 

knowing that a greater hope prevails.

~

Love, Eric

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Where There is Doubt

Where there is doubt: 

here, where there is doubt, faith, we're not asked the impossible but to only recognize the changing nature of our lives. Our faith is placed on acceptance of the present moment, things being as the are, yet with a conviction that a greater presence guides us, lovingly, along the way. This present might be different for many, for Saint Francis it was Jesus, for others it might be their commitment to a particular practice that brings them a sense of peace and understanding. 

our faith is in the transformation of the moment.

by whatever means this happens. 

but always there's a surrender, as faith ultimately calls for a letting go, and through this the transformation happens. If we cling to anything as it changes we add suffering to the challenge, causing a difficult situation to worsen to despair. The prayer of Saint Francis asks only for the courage to have faith in our innate capacity to love, that we have a quality deeply hidden in our heart that arises to the suffering of ourselves and others and carries us through these times.

I have faith in a loving heart.

it belongs to me, a gift...

I give to you.

shared.

~

I love you, Eric

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Where There is Injury

Where there is injury: 

the third line of the Prayer of Saint Francis will be difficult, not just for some, but for all of us at some point in our lives. It's here that we are asked to pardon others in the light of injury to ourselves, to offer forgiveness without a sense of justice to prevail. Of course this seems impossible, that it should be left to realm of saints who are better suited to such tasks. 

yet this prayer is for all of us.

where there is injury, 

pardon.

this is spiritual technology, it's transformative prayer, and will it seem to demand the most difficult assignments for us to perform. Forgiveness doesn't belong to the ego, it's simply impossible for it to comprehend the deeper sight involved here. So yes, to pardon in the light of injury, even the slightest insult, will cause the ego to rebel. What's needed then is a forgiveness beyond the ego, something far greater, 

a more loving presence than the thoughts of who we are. 

and to reach this,

we simply ask for a miracle.

it's here where the transformation begins, relinquishing our smaller role of bargaining and negotiating terms of forgiveness, letting go of our endless demands of always being right and certain...and surrendering our every perceived injury and injustice to the heart of God. 

forgiveness belongs to the realm of love.

it's not our task to perform.

and so the Prayer of Saint Francis doesn't ask us to perform the impossible, but to only recognize our limited role here, to open our heart and allow the presence of love to shine ever brighter now. Our practice to to prayer, asking for a greater wisdom than our own to light our world. Forgiveness is the beginning of our transformation...or more truly, our revaluation.

it shows us who we are.

we're love.

~

Love, Eric 

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Monumental

 

Monumental:  

we're asked to love, specifically, Saint Francis says that where there is hatred let us sow love - and the question is if this is even possible, are we capable of being love in the worst of all possible time? I don't know, honestly, it does seem a monumental task. However, what's asked for is to simply sow the seeds of love, gently planted, tended, and then allow God to do the rest.

easier,

but still monumental in occurrence. 

and this is because it's we, ourselves, that's transformed. We are that tended field of love that blossoms with compassion, flowering with the joy of what we offer to the world. Where there is hatred doesn't mean the absence of love, only a failure to recognize it's presence beneath the surface of turmoil. What's really asked for is faith, not a faith of distance, but an active belief in who we truly are. I have faith that I will always return to love, eventually, and maybe after countless wring decisions. 

but eventually. 

so with every opportunity now, while it's easy, or at lease easier.

I plant the seeds of  love.

having faith they will be sown. 

~

Love, Eric 

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An Instrument of Thy Peace

An instrument of thy peace: 

it's spiritual technology, transformative, a prayer that shifts the heart towards an ever present light. This is the prayer of Saint Francis, each line offered as a possibility to live a more loved filled life. Early on in my meditation journey I encountered the power of this prayer in the form of Passage Meditation as presented by Eknath Easwaran, a very important teacher to me. Passage meditation is a profound, yet simple, practice of centering the mind upon words that have stood the test of time for their power to invoke a change of heart and mind, it calls for concentration and faith the our minds will absorb these words and then act on them through the challenging times of life. The prayer of Saint Francis is where Easwaran asks us to start -

it begins, 

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

and if we went no further then this, sincere in our request...

perhaps these words alone would be enough.  

but the prayer unfolds beautifully from here, giving us a vision of our truest potential as spiritual beings living happily in the world. The prayer doesn't ask for anything we're not capable of, there's no demands, nothing called for that isn't already present within our hearts. 

we're only asked to be who we truly are.

really, it's only a reminder.

and to use this prayer in meditation is just the practice of remembering, an intent, planting the seeds of our potential blossom to the reality of love.

it begins,

an instrument of thy peace.

and so it shall be.

~

Love, Eric 

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A Bhakti Yogi

A Bhakti yogi: 

the call is to be a Bhakti yogi of my own faith, continuously forgiving the errors of my perception, and steeped so fully in love that it's all I offer others. I'm not there yes, not even close really, but the call is strong and persistent, drawing me closer to a complete surrender. 

at the very least, I am now devoted to my practice. 

a Bhakti yogi is one who is drawn to the Divine, traditionally expressed through chanting and devotional acts, selfless service to others, and quiet contemplation. This is one of the four paths of yoga outlined by Krishna in the pages of the Bhagavad Gita. It's a beautiful display of love and compassion, a life worthy of consideration to those drawn to the heart of unconditional love. 

as for me, I'm less traditional, a yogi of a more subtle practice. My call seems to emerge from the heart center, a softer voice than my own, and only asks that I surrender to a life of continuous forgiveness, bypassing the ego, offering love to all. It's Bhakti yoga for those who listen to the voice  the Holy Spirit, an internal guidance system that connects us to God, a personal path of pure devotion that doesn't really ask for any outward display of its practice. 

I'm only called to listen,

and more then ever now...love is all I hear. 

~

Love, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: The Path of Kindness

Also, please visit to buy: How to Love Better

Thank you. 

 

The Path of Kindness

The path of kindness: 

somewhere along my long and happy spiritual journey, without any conscious thought, I decided to just be kind, to make kindness my only true practice, and that awakening to my heart center and extending love from here was more than enough for me. I don't have to go any further, there's no greater depth of consciousness - this is it, the end point, as enlightenment itself, for me at least, is found right here - 

a simple wish to be kind to others. 

I love Ramana Maharishi's answer to the question on how we are to treat others, his replay was a gentle smile and a reminder that there really are no others. It's a beautiful testament of our united consciousness, one being in the guise of many. This is an awakened heart center, hridaya in yogic terms, and it is the realm of love that extends itself outward to the world. 

it's our connection.

or more truly so....simply who we are.

but even this apt description isn't really needed - I am kind because my heart calls for me to be so, it's my easiest and surest path through life, and it fills me with great joy to just be alive and allowed to continuously express it. 

it's who I am.

and as there are no others...

it's who we are.

~

Love, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Halasana 

Also, please visit to buy: How to Love Better 

Thank you. 

Halasana

Halasana: 

more than a year has past since injuring my back, better now, but still a careful issue, and my feet have touched the floor in halasana pose. This is a bit of a celebration for me, a healing on many levels as it was a fearful asana for me, stretching my legs behind me in reach of faith that the floor would meet me in support, holding the posture for the length of several breaths, and then slowly return to savasana. Even before injuring my back it was never an easy pose for me. 

so it's a benchmark now.

a release of fear.

and for me, it's a sign of forgiveness.

releasing fear, working through issues that tightly bind us in its grip, is never an easy process. Yoga offers me this healing opportunity, breath and body being a proving ground for my release. It's from here, this point of finally letting go, that I step off the mat and most truly begin to forgive and heal the world. What I've discovered is that fear is projected through the body, knots formed, making itself known through pain and often injury. To truly heal requires trust, patience, and infinite care. Fear isn't really overcome, it's simply seen through and then released without effort.

it's an illusion. 

and forgiveness sees right through it.

so as my body frees itself from those fearsome knots, my trust begins to extend outwards, that sense of patience and infinite care is now given to others in a completely loving way. When my feet touched the floor in halasana there was a great release that reverberated through my world.

 I'm not healed - but healing.  

and forgiving all along the way. 

~

Love, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Listen 

Also, please visit to buy: Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga

Thank you. 

Listen

Listen: 

the metaphysics of A Course in Miracles explains our apparent fracture from God, that we only perceive are separation from the source and that in reality it's hasn't happened at all. There's never been a fall from grace, yet we deeply believe it's so. Our only true role here is to correct this belief, to heal a rift that isn't real, and we can only do this by choosing love. 

over and over.

until we remember where we actually are.

we're reminded in the Course text that we're actually the Kingdom of Heaven, that it's not just within us, but what we are right now an extension of the Kingdom. It's impossible for God to perceive us otherwise and this is why we have a world that appears to be at odds with a loving source - God cannot heal a mind that is already whole, there's no need to mend a heart that is perfect in its love. All we need to do is awaken from this dream of separation, gently so, finding ourselves as an extension of the source and reminding others that they are as well. 

how do we awaken?

simply listen to the gentle voice within that urges us to forgive. Perhaps it's dim and long ignored, even forgotten. But it's present still, patiently waiting to be heard. Be willing to listen, cultivate an attentiveness to an inner guidance that steers us towards love. It only feels like a practice until our memories stir and we begin to awaken from our dream of separation. 

it's happening now.

already.

listen...

~

Love, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Of The Two

Also, please visit to buy: Hey, Holy Spirit, It's Me Again

Of the Two

Of the two: 

there's two thought systems at play here, and all that's asked is that one is listened to with full sincerity, surrendering to its voice of love as often as I'm able. This is the Holy Spirit, ever present, a source of guidance and comfort. More often now, but not always, I'm able to turn towards this quiet voice and simply listen -

and I'm always asked to love.

that's it...

the entirety of it's message. 

the other thought system is the ego, an entity of control that always seeks to strengthen it's position. This is a demanding voice, loud, and instantaneous in its defensiveness. It's also an illusion, not an actual thing but a collection of long held beliefs, affronts, and thoughts of separation. The Holy Spirit only asks, always gently, that I choose love, guiding me to this decision. Ego only demands - and it doesn't really care if its needs are met as it will just continue onward, demanding even more, never satisfied. It's an illusion shouting to be heard and thus made real.

there's no real battle here. 

only love is real.

a gentle voice...finally heard above the loudness of the world.

I choose love.

more often now then ever before.

~

Peace, Eric 

To read more from Headless Now, please visit: Turn

Also, please visit to buy: Choose Only Love

Thank you.