Archive for February, 2008
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
The Stage of Mind
One practice that can help us become more conscious is to look at our typical, circumstantial condition by comparing it to a theatrical experience. Imagine that the stage in a theater is our “mind.” On this stage of mind is a brilliant actor called the “ego.” On this stage, the ego acts out a drama [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness by Michael
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Two Truths
Many teaching traditions speak of two kinds of truth: Absolute Truth, or what has been called the “Ultimate realm”; and the everyday truth, or what has been called the “circumstantial realm.” Our day-to-day lives are filled with lots of ordinary circumstances. We get up, brush our teeth, change some diapers, get the paper, shower, feed [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness by Michael
Monday, February 18th, 2008
The Mask
When the ego’s activity of identification begins to be exposed to a more expansive awareness within us, it begins to resist what it perceives as a loss of all it has worked so hard to achieve over the years. The more we pay attention to exactly what is going on, the more we begin to [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness by Michael
Sunday, February 17th, 2008
Identification
Once you label me, you negate me.
—Søren Kirkegaard
The true value of a human being can be found in the degree to which he has attained liberation from the self.
—Albert Einstein
One of the most interesting and powerful ways that attachment shows up in our interior landscape is through the process of identification. As we’ve discussed, the [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness by Michael
Saturday, February 16th, 2008
The Shift
Many seasoned spiritual seekers mistakenly believe that in order to experience living as a Big Self, they need to destroy the ego, or small self. But this idea is one of the greatest misunderstandings that new practitioners make as they ascend the Mountain of Spirit. Getting rid of the ego is a massive impediment to [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness by Michael
Friday, February 15th, 2008
The Builder of Boundaries
From the point of view of quantum mechanics, separation doesn’t really exist. At least that’s what scientists keep telling us. I don’t pretend to understand very much when it comes to quantum physics, but its implications point us in an interesting direction when it comes to discussions about the experience of being a “self.” For [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness by Michael
Thursday, February 14th, 2008
Just Words
At this point, it might be helpful to go over a few words in order to stay clear. For instance, when I speak of wisdom, I’m referring to the knowing that flourishes beyond the separate sense of self—we could call it Knowing with a capital “K.” Wisdom is beyond the judgments and evaluations of the [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness by Michael
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008
Separation
It has not deserted its creation for a place apart; it is always present to those with strength to touch it.
—Plotinus
In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.
—Shunryu Suzuki
Although living a life sourced from a sense of separation consistently leads to suffering, separation itself is not bad. [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness by Michael
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness
To myself I am only a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me.
—Isaac Newton
The Four Noble Truths: Suffering; the origin of suffering; the cessation of suffering; and the Noble Eightfold Path, which leads to the cessation of suffering.
—Dhammapada
Most of us have a deep and resonant longing to live [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Chapter 1 - Unconsciousness by Michael
Monday, February 11th, 2008
Part I: The Climb
The Universe has a way of reminding us that no matter how hard we try, we can’t control everything. Regardless of our efforts, however heroic, things eventually fall apart. As unwelcome as these reminders of ultimate entropy might be, we can’t prevent them. Over a long enough timeline we find that all things are temporary. [...]