Tag Archives: Enlightenment

Realization

A Different Mind For Enlightenment – By John Gregor (Guest Teacher)

It was Einstein who said that “you can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it,” and the same principle applies to realizing Enlightenment. Basically all the obstacles that limit your consciousness from experiencing your reality in a different way (which is essentially what Enlightenment is) need to be changed from the inside out. The mind that doesn’t believe in or know about Enlightenment needs to start believing and knowing – big time. This is the belief that gets the engine moving and keeps it moving. Through belief a person can then take the logical steps to seeking knowledge, gaining practice and having real experience of Enlightenment.

Through cultivating a different state of mind, a person will find that the old mind has been left behind. Doubt and self-criticism hold value, but they cease to exist as limiting beliefs in the Enlightened mind. As “light” moves in darkness must change – this is natural law.

All esoteric training has some element of “no-mind” practice and the reason for this is because the mind that is always thinking will always delude itself into believing it has the answers. It will “discover” new knowledge and seemingly understand new perspectives – but all along these perspectives are being seen from the same eyes and mind.

This is the same mind.

The practice of “no-mind” is a shift into a completely different state and it is this state that offers true expansion of consciousness because instead of simply rehashing and re-shuffling old material – it steps out into the new.

And so the old is changed.

Now it does people little good to walk around all day in “no-mind” but the trick is to be the “master” mind. That is to have the ability to stop, move, shift and shuffle at will. It’s not so unlike dancing – and just like the master dancer’s body changes so that even walking and breathing is performed differently, so must the mind to know Enlightenment also change and find a new way.

John Gregor

Mastery, Realization

The Steps to Enlightenment – By John Gregor (Guest Teacher)

“Everyone has within them the potential to be a master, a spiritual warrior and to know infinite power. The path of Enlightenment is known by few simply because adversity seems too overpowering and so they never break past the initial walls of illusion.” – .

When I first began Metaphysical training there wasn’t a lot of knowledge that was given out freely and in many ways this hasn’t changed. The real keys, the secrets and subtleties are still kept pretty well hidden. The sad thing is that in lieu of real Enlightenment there are teachers going around saying “you don’t need to do anything – you’re already Enlightened.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Real Enlightenment exists and its not about just going around saying “Yeah I’m Enlightened.” It’s about hunting down those damn secrets and using them.

I remember when I had my first encounter with a teacher who was well on his way to Enlightenment and his consciousness was so overpowering that I could feel it transforming my very bones just from being around him. This was back when I didn’t believe that Enlightenment was for us mere mortals…but that first meeting changed my mind completely. Power that you can feel…you don’t meet that everyday.

On to the steps to Enlightenment!

The first rung on the ladder to Enlightenment is developing some degree of self-control and discipline and using this to get a small “foot in the door” connection with the Higher Self. This gets people out of their normal headspace, a place that is not usually so conducive to getting Enlightened and into a kind of super consciousness highway where intelligence, information and understanding can process at an unbelievable rate. Where the normal mind plods along…1, 2, 3 – the super conscious Higher Self is like 1 to infinity in an instant. The knowledge is there, the understanding is there and the path to Enlightenment is all of a sudden a Hell of a lot clearer!

The second rung is developing psychic awareness – now this isn’t the type of psychic showmanship that you see on the back of tabloids – checking out who is cheating who and so forth. What it’s really about is getting a phone line to the universe – tapping into that ripe knowledge and using it to boost up your ascension and Enlightenment. I’ve heard talk that Psychic ability and Enlightenment have nothing in common but to be honest these people just don’t get it. Most of the reason that Enlightenment is seen with such unattainable awe is because people haven’t worked out how to perceive it…and what is Psychic Mastery if not the ability to perceive at an infinite level?

The third rung is what is known as the inner or Esoteric warrior. This is the stuff that you need when the real inner battle begins and believe me, it’s a battle waged on many fronts and from many angles. Learning to fight on this inner level is really important and is one of the most misunderstood things on this whole journey. Let me put it another way: Being a spiritual wet noodle gets you no where when the battle comes to the door of your consciousness. Develop your inner strength and mental fortitude like this was your last day to do it and you’ll conquer whatever comes from within swiftly and decisively.

The 4th rung of Enlightenment is purification, but I’ll leave that for next time.

John Gregor

Realization

The Perception of Enlightenment – by Tashi (Guest Teacher)

My perception of Enlightenment had always been that it was to come through the purification of the senses and the mind. This was a very mechanical point of view and in many ways Enlightenment is as mechanical as the learning of any skill, however there was a big piece of information that had been missing. This was the Higher Self connection.

The Higher Self was something that I had heard talked about while I was at the monastery but the direct training of this was never taught. I now believe it to be one of the last and fading secrets of the tradition that I was part of.

The first time that I met my Higher Self was after being attuned to a new meditation practice by a very unorthodox spiritual teacher. I opened my eyes and there before me materialized a person that looked like me yet every aspect of this person radiated perfection. I knew that this person was me and that this me was my Higher Self – it was my essential Buddha self. This being emanated the love and compassion of a saint and when he reached over and touched the crown of my head, my body dissolved into light.

The next thing that I knew I was flying through plains of light. I experienced in one moment all the pain, suffering and striving that I had faced in my life and I felt it all transform as it was engulfed into compassion so intense that it was all encompassing. This occurred through this life and then the life before and the life before that. I experienced pain and suffering that I had no idea existed within me. Lifetimes of pain met with pure love and compassion and was eradicated from my soul in an instant. Piercing through this compassion a deep frequency of peace arose and I knew then that I was looking Enlightenment in the eye.

This experience changed me beyond words. It was not the complete Enlightenment that I had always sought, but it was a very important window that was showing me that I was now heading in the right direction.

Tashi

Realization, Truth

The Journey to Enlightenment – Part 2 – By Tashi (Guest Teacher)

The city brought up the depth of my illusions. I was surrounded by people who lived in the ups and downs, to whom enlightenment was but a myth – something achieved by Gods and chosen ones. The struggle here was for survival and I looked on in amazement. I could not understand how people could forsake a path of true liberation for one that so obviously led to further suffering and torment – and yet something in this life beckoned to me. There was something here for me.

I decided that if I was to discover what I needed in this way of life then I would need to immerse myself in this way of life. In time, I found work and accommodation and I set myself to observing what it was that intrigued my intuition.

The first thing I noticed was that my mind lost its equilibrium very easily in this place. This surprised me, as holding meditative states was something I thought I had mastered long ago. Others were intrigued by my spiritual knowledge and this was something that brought up parts of my ego that I did not know existed. Mastering these seemed simple at first, but the way of the ego is alluring and in time foundations took hold.

I believed that I had come to this place to teach these people about Enlightenment.

For a time I became a spiritual teacher where others looked up to me and asked me for knowledge. As time passed however I noticed that those that were coming to me were not cultivating Enlightenment. I noticed that among my most fervent students there were those that would talk most heatedly and passionately about it, yet there were few that would practice with sincerity. I saw this and all I saw was my reflection.

I knew then why I had come to this place.

I had come to find my True Self and my path required that I find this Truth by revealing to me my illusions.

I was no teacher. I was simply a student of truth.

That very day I bid the city farewell and I continued on my path.

As I left I felt a deep part of myself awaken – this was a part that had been asleep for many years. It had been asleep when I was a child and it had been asleep when I was a monk. It was the city that rung the bells to awaken this part again.

I had come here to find something that eluded me. That something had been an illusion, yet I needed to find that illusion so that I could overcome it. Now my True Self beckoned me onwards.

I was soon to meet a very unique teacher – one that would irrevocably change my understanding of Enlightenment.

Tashi

Realization, Truth

The Journey To Enlightenment – Part 1 – By Tashi (Guest teacher)

When I lived in the monastery training was very disciplined. Each day was the same as the one before, we would wake at 4am, then meditation, meditation, meditation. Some times we would chant. The chanting would purify the atmosphere around us and the meditation would purify the atmosphere inside us.

When I was 17 I left the monastery and went into retreat. I did this for 4 years. The training was meant to penetrate my illusions and ego, but I found that the more that I tried to slay my ego the stronger it became. Some days it would fight me like a mad dog and other days it would try to be my best friend, bargaining with me and distracting me with visions.

Eventually however all this subsided and I recognized that all of this was simply my karma being burned off. In the 3rd year my Kundalini raised and brought with it a brief bout of madness as it cleared out the remaining debris of my ego. Continuing to practice the simple purification techniques helped to return inner peace from all these conditions. By the 4th year I truly thought that I had achieved something great.

When I returned to the monastery however something was different. Of course everything is always different but this was something very important inside me. I could not quite name it – but I knew that something was wrong. I needed to leave the monastery. 10 days later I made my leave and with blessings from my brothers I made my way to the city.
It was here that I was to face my karma. My path seemingly changed drastically from what had been dedication to Buddhism, yet in time I was to see that this was simply another step on my spiritual road.

Tashi

Paths of Power, Realization, Spirit, Truth

The Secrets of Enlightenment – By Tashi (Guest Teacher)

Enlightenment means to bring ‘light.’ In terms that we can practice bring light means to bring awareness and insight to our consciousness. The path of complete enlightenment is the path of bringing light and pure awareness to all aspects of our consciousness.

Are there still secrets to achieving Enlightenment?

The answer is a resounding “yes!” A secret is merely hidden knowledge or mystery. Whether is has been hidden through deliberation or simply because of ignorance and lack of information – it is still hidden and it is still a secret.

The fact that enlightenment is not a common achievement in this world is proof that many such secrets exist. The fact that the mere word “Enlightenment” is often associated with the unachievable or with myth is proof that such secrets exist.

A secret will always be a secret to those that do not know – and so for those that do not know there are many such secrets!

It is the duty of any who would seek Enlightenment to also seek and reveal all the secrets that would limit complete Enlightenment. Some of these secrets will be revealed through your practice, but others need to be shown and will require teaching. A teacher is a seeker who has walked this path a little longer than you have – that is all. They are not superior to you, nor are you inferior to them. It is just like you would teach a baby or a child the ways of this world.

The ancient traditions of achieving Enlightenment are as empowering as they are limiting. So much has been lost because of secrecy within the schools. It is time to share the teachings, but is also time to ask that the teachings be shared. Only when all secrets are revealed will Enlightenment be open to all.

Tashi

Enlightenment, Intuition, Unlimited Mind

The True Inner Critic – Empowering Enlightenment through the Master Consciousness and Mind

Evolution only has meaning when we decide to imbue our choices and purpose with meaning. The integration point is the point where survival on this planet connects with our inner truth. Survival is necessary. Where we take it from here is up to us. We have decided that survival extends to having the right type of lifestyle, the right job, the right car, the right partner, the right house, the right watch, the right holiday and so on. During this time we decide that we’ll put off the inner truth part. After all there’s always time for that later isn’t there?

We shift our mind into critical mode, but it is different from the critical consciousness of our true essence. Instead of refining and seeking the elements that are most congruent with our true self, we create a critical mind that seeks ways to find gratification through the eyes of society, the image and the esteem that we find in the eyes of friends and family. We learn to play a game of painting the right picture and saying the right lines. All along the true critical mind goes to sleep.

We need to put the true critical mind to sleep during this time, because if it woke up it would be asking us with very little subtlety why we decided to become so daft. Accepting adoration through having a certain car or sports jacket? Tilting our noses up when we walk past people that we secretly want approval from? What is this game that we are playing, the true critical mind would ask – and why haven’t we finished with it yet?

It would point out with no concern for our attempt at ignorance that trying to win approval and self-worth from others was only an affirmation of our own need for approval, and so in fact was an affirmation of self-worth issues. It would then go on to inquire as to why we were kicking this dead horse.

The true inner critic isn’t about beating us up gratuitously. It is actually about taking apart everything that doesn’t work and fixing it so that it does. In short its about results.

Not getting the approval we need from our new shoes? Well how about bypassing the fashion sector and plugging in direct to the heart center? Want respect from our peers and colleagues? May or may not happen – but how about giving it to ourselves instead?

Results. The true inner critic cares little for the way of image and illusions. The true inner critic is about truth. What will truly bring happiness, worth, empowerment and meaning. With this goal firmly fixed it moves through flaws and fixtures without mercy and tears them apart. If we scramble to put our image back together then this just indicates to our true inner critic that we’re not so comfortable being naked and it has no problem prodding us and asking us why? Further more it wants to know how we can expect to become strong or at the very least attain a certain level of happiness if we just bundle our fears and insecurities up under the rug.

After a certain amount of time – weeks, years, decades we find new ways to get around our inner critic, we find ways of re-talking and affirming new directions. Counters and counter-counters – but the heart of the issue remains as true as it ever was.

The truth is patient. Denial on the other hand is forever desperate, for it knows that all it takes is one wrong turn, a slip up – and all fakery is revealed. Through this gap comes the true inner critic. Here comes the psychological beating that we have been running from for so long! But instead we turn and face it – and listen. We listen openly and we listen and feel for the part of the inner critic that is truth. We see to the part that looks beyond punishment to the source, to the very core and reason of its existence. The true inner critic has a purpose. This purpose is to see through the illusions of all that is not congruent with inner peace, real self-worth, happiness and empowerment. In truth it does not need to destroy anything. It simply prompts us to see – and in seeing we realize the flaws and limitations of illusion. That is all that is needed. That picture speaks a millions words. It tells the story of hope and exploration. It reminds us why we set out on this adventure of discovery in the first place. It wasn’t for half-baked dreams and easy compromises. It was to find real happiness, real peace and real power.

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Healing, Realization, Unlimited Mind

Inner Peace – Transforming Darkness into Enlightenment

Peace is a truly destructive influence. Any energy that meets peace is instantly changed by the very fact that it is met with complete acceptance and embrace. There is no struggle or attempt to change it at all. All intention, all perspectives, all moves and counter moves are accepted completely. Every other energy within the universe seeks to express a specific frequency or influence. Peace is different. Peace takes whatever comes and because the energies have no resistance to bounce back off and thus no cause for expression and recreation, these energies are destroyed. They are destroyed and transformed into peace themselves. Complete annihilation of the form and essence of the energies involved.

This is how the peaceful warrior works. There is no co-existence. Everything the peaceful warrior closes with, the peaceful warrior destroys – completely. There is no malice or hatred. These would require that their opponents be wrong and thus the belief that they should change. Peace takes all comers as they are. Right and wrong are both embraced and destroyed unconditionally.

The true essence of peace is one of the reasons that it is so misunderstood on this planet right now. We have a tendency to believe that peace means that we must avoid struggle, conflict and agitation. The truth is the opposite. Peace runs towards struggle, conflict and agitation just as easily as it runs towards love, joy and bliss.

The type of peace that avoids struggle has no chance of creating peace in a world that contains struggle.

The type of peace that avoids hatred, anger and sadness has no chance of creating peace in a soul and mind that experiences these aspects.

A peace that is not able to make peace with struggle and conflict is a very limited peace indeed. It is a peace that only exists when it ignores or creates ignorance and denial. On the other hand a peace that opens its arms to everything is a peace that exists regardless of struggle, agitation and conflict. In truth unconditional peace is the only true peace. For how can we call it peace if we are secretly afraid of feeling fear, hate, anger or sadness? This simply becomes a game of peace. An illusion that we create to fool ourselves in believing and hoping that we are content and at peace. It’s a perfectly normal and human game to play, but it will never deliver the goods compared to real inner peace.

The minute we stop running, pretending and denying our so called negativities and dark sides – all of it trembles. It trembles because we’ve turned and looked it in the eye. It’s the beginning of creating real destruction and transformation. It’s the beginning of real peace – looking and feeling who we are and letting it be as it is.

All the illusions of spiritual and religious dogma may at that moment be booming in our ears. How can we be spiritual and such conceited people at the very same time? How can we strive for such lofty peaks and yet feel such base emotions?

Let them come.

The more we let them come as they are, the more we feel their taint. The more we feel it, embrace it and allow it to be as it is – the greater our peace.

It may not be evident at first.

It may feel dirty, disgusting, tainted or just plain wrong.

And well it should.

Real peace is not requiring that it change. Not one bit. In time that consciousness that is letting things be will look in the mirror. It will see something special, something that does not struggle, that yields to everything and that accepts everything. In that reflection that consciousness will realize how great its inner peace has grown. It has grown large enough to perceive, to feel and to be a true destroyer of all that comes its way.

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Enlightenment, Paths of Power, Unlimited Mind

The Power of Destruction ~ Transforming Towards Enlightenment

Destruction is the cleansing aspect of the transformation cycle. It is a changing of the old that makes room for the new. Spiritual destruction flows from universal consciousness and is integrated into our actions and intent by the way that we would choose to evolve ourselves and the planet that we interact with.

There has not been a single consciousness on this planet that sought change that did not also embrace destruction.

Gautama the Buddha created destruction when he chose to leave the cycle of suffering. Each vibration of this master would decimate the emotions of hate, anger and fear. Jesus created destruction when he chose to bring the wisdom of God to this planet. Even in his tortured death he had the ability to choose love and forgiveness.

Each of these masters brought profound and dramatic change to our world – beliefs, understandings, ways of life – all were destroyed and then created anew. The presence of these beings destroyed and created more than all the wars in the last 500 years put together. Their legacy lives on because the waves that they made while they were here, were made in stone. They called to the parts of us that resonated with the messages of universal truth – and when all was said and done we realized their messages as being worthy of religion.

To this day thousands of years after their physical incarnations on this planet, we still reflect, analyze and strive to understand the paths that these masters walked. Their steps left waves where the rest of us left the smallest of ripples – and yet they would remind us that we too were just like them.

The resounding attribute that all pioneers, masters-to-be and explorers have is their willingness to embrace their purpose. It is understanding this purpose that allows them to destroy and ultimately transform those aspects of themselves that would limit and hold them back.

Mastery is about directing the tides of change. These directions bring a deliberate and conscious guiding of where destruction is to take place – and where creation is to flow. These vibrations of change which may begin at the subtlest level as thoughts and feelings, gain solidity when they become congruent with the energies and frequencies of the physical plane. All expression interacts with its environment and in this moment of meeting the transformation elicits a destructive phase as well as a creative one. Mastery is the art of playing the smallest of ripples and guiding them into the perfect cycles of destruction and creation.

Energies of hate, anger and frustration speak to us and it is our understanding of these languages that allows us to understand the essence of our true inner self. Hatred does not exist when we are completely in love with who we are and in exploring the areas where we hate, we can come to discover and reconcile these parts. Similarly, frustration and anger do not form into these intensities when our cells are able to experience a consciousness and a mind and body that is able to create a reality with true meaning and purpose. These emotional energies speak to us of destruction. They are asking for change – inner change. When we change the way that we receive and communicate with ourselves, then our reality changes. Our experiences and purpose become meaningful in a positive way. This shift in attitude is both powerful and profound. It makes the difference between a consciousness that is passionate and inspired to live and one that is not.

It is the need and action that initiates change that destroys and it is the need and action that perceives a better way that initiates creation. The destruction needs to be understood and accepted if the creation and transformation is to be had.

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Manifestation, Mastery, Unlimited Mind

The Foundation of Magic ~ Part 2 ~ The Secret to Unlocking Magical and Metaphysical Abilities

Magic creates a direction in which to channel consciousness. At the same time the art of Magic is not adverse to the use of tools, reagents and other ingredients as catalysts and mediums of energy. These ingredients provide a window into these energies and the reasons for how they alter cause and effect. Where many practitioners of “pure” meditation can reach plateaus where they cannot bridge spaces to further development, the aid of external energies and ingredients can provide the information that is required. In principle there is no difference between guidance from a human consciousness and guidance from a plant extract, crystal or herb. Knowledge is knowledge.

Moving the mind into an ingredient or reagent is essentially the same as moving the mind into any form or shape of consciousness. Observation opens the way to recognition and by focusing the mind through this channel an understanding of the energy’s properties becomes available. If the mind feels stretched as it learns to do this then the process is working!

With practice deeper levels of connection to the specific energies are found and the ability to use lesser and lesser amounts of ingredients and reagents will be noticed. This becomes a tangible way to measure the increasing ability of the mind to take the form and property of these specific energies. As the mind gains the ability to manifest directly, the opportunity to continue the process of development can be sustained by increasing the “intensity” of the goal. This will in turn require a deeper sensitivity and strength of the energies required to manifest this goal.

The art of Magic leads to the same place ultimately as the art of pure meditation. At the peak the mind recognizes itself as the creator of all things, and this understanding reveals the universal processes inherent in all esoteric arts and sciences. The way is almost never straight and linear, and knowledge however profound will not become wisdom without the integration of consciousness. The more expansive this consciousness, the more masterful our ability to integrate and therefore access and use this wisdom and knowledge.

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