Every Need Fulfilled

In the absence of

desire -

only you...and all my

needs fulfilled.

 

 

 

Tantric scriptures tell us that desire for material possessions and people are fine yet misplaced as our true search is for the Divine. We are never satisfied for long with mere playthings as long as our soul seeks a reconnection with itself. Our ultimate reality calls and that's the nature of all desire - to search for this hidden self. There's a clever Hindu story that tells of God hiding an aspect of Himself on earth in the one place we would be sure to search last - ourselves. The search for God within is desire - finding Him is the absence of all desire. Our every need is met.

 

Peace,

Eric



Petty Tyrants and Great Teachers

Our greatest teachers are the ones who are least aware of what they're teaching - the ones who call into play the greatest patience, the most kindness and compassion and grandest acts of courtesy and empathy. Carlos Castaneda would calls these teachers our "petty tyrants" and laud their importance in our lives. Of course we mistake our petty tyrants for enemies and try to defeat them with tactics unfit for the destruction of our real enemy - our own self importance. Here's a favorite quote for The Fire Within (Castaneda) -

"Self-importance is our greatest enemy. Think about it--what weakens us is feeling offended by the deeds and misdeeds of our fellow men. Our self-importance requires that we spend most of our lives offended by someone.
Every effort should be made to eradicate self-importance from the lives of warriors. Without self-importance we are invulnerable."
Our greatest weapons in this fight are simply recognition, awareness, and humor. If we're offended - we've recognized the symptom. Awareness brings light into the situation and humor dissolves the offense into the clear light of our recognition. Castaneda likens this awareness as being a stalker - to cast our awareness wide and deep and look for this signs of prideful offense. A Course in Miracles would simply urge us to smile at the demands of the ego - the tiny voice that "forgot to laugh".  Castaneda recognized the difficulty of this task and likens it to the call of the warrior. I prefer a more gentle approach as a war fought within is never won - it's in the surrender of self importance and ego that spirit comes to pass as our true identity. However Castaneda casts a powerful metaphor that serves many well and underscores the importance and difficulties of this endeavor.
With even a little progress (in a lifetime pursuit) we will find ourselves offended less and giving more. And a smile always near.

Peace,
Eric

Priorities

So my upcoming focus will be on deepening my meditation, lengthening my runs and sorting through my life - discarding what no longer serves and adding people and things that nourish and bring joy. Tall order? Sure - yet I have all the time in the world. With proper priorities material concerns - while still pressing - will fall into a natural rhythm. Peace is a priority. Joy and sharing joy are priorities. Kindness, compassion and forgiveness are all priorities. Everything else is a bonus that flows abundantly into a life that expects infinite possibilities and wishes fulfilled.

Peace,
Eric

Growth

It helps you grow. Everything - the good, the bad, friction and the smooth ride. Yet only when approached with gratitude for all and keen awareness. Otherwise we are at the mercy of life's waves - there is only madness top the ebb and flow and the magic of the moon is lost from view. Pay attention to patterns, coincidences and random encounters - they all hold deeper meaning and are the key to lifting ourselves to new heights.

Peace,
Eric

In The Wake Of Thanksgiving

In the introduction on her new book (The Law Of Divine Compensation) author Marianne Williamson shares a report from economist Jeffrey Sachs stating that one-sevenths of the annual military defense budget (one hundred billion dollars) could eradicate deep world hunger within ten years. Two things immediately jumped out at me - eradicate - the complete elimination of a global catastrophe in a decade. The second was what a slim figure one-sevenths actually is. With a simple paradigm shift deep world hunger could be on be on the path of global elimination in a moment - a single moment. Many may claim that we cannot possibly shift our priorities (even by one-seventh) away from home defense in a dangerous world where many seek to do us harm. I won't make the argument other-wise. It's not for me to debate an issue that clearly has merit on both sides. I have seen facts and statistics that show we can indeed spare such a figure without a compromise in security and I have heard counter arguments. The debate goes on and people - children - continue to die. I will make this one statement though and leave it for each to workout on their own - imagine the esteem and gratitude heaped upon a nation that eradicates deep world hunger and the suffering that ensues. Yes, we may still have enemies that wish us harm - yet maybe many, many more that sing our praise. With gratitude comes one less enemy.


For what we can do please visit
http://www.results.org/

Peace,
Eric

On Losing A Friend

So a friend has written me out of her life, just a moments notice and not a word said in advance. I could rationalize and tell myself that I am better off without someone like that in my life and like all rationalization there may be some truth behind such thought. But the bottom line is that it always hurts to lose someone and to lose someone because they feel there is a flaw in my personality hurts all the worse. Truth is there are many flaws in my personality and in everyone as well - that's life and that's people. We come to love one another through our flaws. They're gifts. Viewed through different eyes what seems as a flaw can reflect back to us a deeper truth - if we're willing to see ourselves reflected back from another eyes. Not many are. So news that someone may hold a negative opinion of me is not hurtful - but that they would sacrifice our friendship over it does indeed hurt. My heart is always open for a friend and does not slam shut by their behavior (at least not for long - once I'm over myself the door remains open) The best I can do is say I love you. And I do.

Peace,
Eric

Out Running Ego

The question remains on whether we can out run our ego or not - can we use the vehicle of the body to advance the goal of the spirit. According to Kabbalah that is the only true goal of the soul to bring the Infinite to the finite. Kabbalah holds that the world of this reality is only 1% of ultimate reality and that Infinite world of true reality uses us as a vessel to transport truth between worlds. Running can take us to the edge of these two worlds yet without care we can find ourselves striding more into the 1% world of ego and (seemingly) leaving spirit far behind. My goal with the 100 mile race is to out run ego, training to the point where only the body remains in motion and the mind returns to original stillness. Miles alone won't do this - but mindful miles will. So every stride my prayer will be that every step will fall with spirit.

Peace,
Eric