Saturday, 17 December 2011 17:10 Written by Nirmala
(Here is an excerpt from my book, That Is That which you can receive for free here.)
We usually think that suffering is caused by bad experiences, but it's actually caused by our attention flowing towards something that's not really there-towards something that's not very true in that moment, such as an idea or a fantasy, which are very small truths. Suffering ends when our attention is flowing towards what's actually happening, what's true in the moment. Suffering is the distance-the gap-between what you're oriented towards and what is. However large the gap is between what's actually happening and what you're putting your attention on is how much you will suffer. If there's no gap, then there's no suffering.
That gap can be present regardless of whether something good or bad is happening. For example, if someone close to you is dying, your awareness may be so fully focused on what's happening in that moment that the experience lacks the suffering you would expect, although suffering may appear later if thoughts creep in about how things should have or could have been. In contrast, there are times when things are going really well and you're suffering, often because you're afraid of things changing. If this truth is understood-that it doesn't matter what happens-it can change your life. It may or may not change what's happening, but it will change your experience of what's happening...
Our hopes, dreams, desires, fears, doubts, and worries aren't really happening so they are very small truths. When we give our attention to something that isn't actually happening, we suffer. When our attention is focused on these things, we never feel satisfied because they don't nourish us. But when we give our passion and curiosity to more of what's true in the moment, we don't suffer. What are you giving your awareness, your passion, your curiosity to?
It's very simple: Our suffering is a matter of how much of our attention is flowing towards what's not actually present, such as hopes, dreams, desires, fears, doubts, worries, ideals, and fantasies. What we're desiring isn't present or we wouldn't be desiring it. Nor is what we fear. Our fears are just as much of a figment of our imaginations as our desires. None of these things are real, and turning our attention towards the unreal brings us out of contact with the real, where the aliveness of Being can be experienced.
Rejection and desire are the mechanisms with which we resist what is, which results in our suffering. They operate in a cycle: We go back and forth from rejection to desire. We think, "This isn't good. Maybe if I got this or maybe if I meditated more or if only I had a better lover or more money or more freedom, it could be better." Then we go about trying to fulfill that desire and, regardless of whether we succeed or not, we come back to the point where we still reject whatever is present now. Even when we get what we think we want, we may find that it's not that great, so we dream up something else we believe will make things better.
This activity of desiring what isn't present and rejecting what is creates and sustains the sense of a small self. If things are lousy, they're lousy for whom? For me. And if things could be better, better for whom? Better for me. We're often not even conscious of rejecting and desiring because we're caught up in the content of our desires and fantasies. We get so hypnotized by our fantasies that we're not even aware they're contracting our sense of self and making us feel very small, incomplete, deficient, and unsatisfied.
Nevertheless, that sense of incompleteness can be trusted. It's telling you how true it is that your fantasy will make you feel better. The sense of incompleteness and smallness in the experience of fantasizing shows you just how little truth there is in your fantasy. Fantasies aren't very true. They only exist in our minds. There isn't much substance or reality to them.
You can also trust when your heart feels very full and complete. The simple alternative to rejection and desire is to give all of your attention to what is here right now. The only trick is to include all of what is present right now. Every sensation can be included. There is no suffering in any sensation that you give all of your attention to. The suffering comes in when we have an idea about the sensation that pulls us away from it.
And the biggest surprise is that ultimately there is no suffering even in our suffering! When you give all of your attention to the actual experience of rejection and desire, the suffering inherent in it dissolves. When we become curious and attentive to the process of rejection, it no longer has any sting. If you simply become fully present to the movement of thought, it can be recognized for what it really is: just a thought! Suffering is like a mirage that you never actually reach. It dissolves whenever you get close to it.
Saturday, 19 November 2011 19:53 Written by Nirmala
A friend emailed me to report that after years of spiritual and psychological work that he still often becomes overwhelmed by depression and discouragement. He does have moments where it all falls away and he is in touch with a more joyful and clear perspective, but then it is as if a dark cloud reappears and hides any sense of presence or Being. He ended by asking if there is anything he might be missing that could be helpful.
I replied as follows:
I do have something to offer that may be something you have been missing. But please know that I hold what I am going to share lightly, as I believe it is a small part of the truth. Because it is metaphysical, it is easy to assume that it is something big and important, but it is really just a small thing that happens to be a part of metaphysical (non-physical) reality.
That being said, there are literally dark forces that can affect us. Some people have called them entities, as they appear as individual entities, just as you and I appear as individual entities. They just happen to not be physical. And while they can and do affect us, they are actually not very powerful. Mostly they affect us by inserting negative ideas and creating fear, but they cannot directly harm us. And since they are not very powerful, it is fairly easy to clear them from our energy field. My wife, Gina, has much more of a background in the metaphysical realms and has even written a book that includes information on how to clear these entities. You can read more about this book, Getting Free: How to Move Beyond Conditioning and Be Happy on her website here.
I bring this up because you mention dark forces and dark episodes yourself in your email, and the way you describe what happens is exactly how it feels when an entity is affecting you. There are two things that increase the likelihood that entities will hang around and have an effect. One is if there is a lot of emotional wounding. The wounding is like an opening in your energy field that allows the entity to attach or connect to your energy. And the second thing that attracts them, paradoxically, is if someone is very spiritually advanced and open. This attracts them, as it makes you a more valuable target, although in an actual moment of spiritual connectedness, it also makes it harder for them to affect you. And I would suggest that both of these things are true in your case, so you are both a good target overall and at times you are an easy target because of your emotional wounding.
So check this out if you feel moved to. There is no need to make a big deal out of it, and yet it can be very helpful to know about this dimension of reality and to take the simple measures that can address it.
In a similar vein, I would also suggest you check out a Croatian healer named Braco. He is, in a sense, the opposite of the negative entities and is a powerful way to connect to Essence and Source. I have mentioned him in a recent newsletter, so you may have already read about him there. I will paste the info I sent out below, and here is another link to info about some online gazing events he will be offering on Jan. 13-15, 2012 from Los Angeles:
https://www.bracoamerica.com/Braco_America/Braco_Live_Streaming.html
Many people have noticed definite improvements or complete healing of things like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after having sessions with Braco. It seems incredible, especially when you discover that he just gazes silently at large groups for 5-7 minutes per session, but the testimonials have been pouring in for the last 15 years.
Let me know if any of this info is helpful, my friend, and let me know what you experience if you do check out Braco.
Warmly,
Nirmala
PS: Here is my earlier message about Braco:
I am sending out this brief message to my email list to introduce Braco, a Croatian man who has been offering a gift of healing and transformation for the past 16 years by simply gazing at groups of people in person and over the internet. I personally have experienced an overnight healing of some severe nasal allergies after my second time seeing Braco in person. I am also deeply touched by the love and presence I feel when seeing him in person or through internet gazing sessions.
He comes regularly to the US and also many locations across Europe. More info about the US events is here: https://www.bracoamerica.com/Braco_America/Welcome.html
Info about his European schedule is here: http://www.braco-info.com/dcms/?lang=en
Info about the online live streaming events: https://www.bracoamerica.com/Braco_America/Braco_Live_Streaming.html
There is a lot of info and a very large number of testimonials of physical, emotional and spiritual transformations on the bracoamerica.com website. Here is a bit more of an introduction taken from the Braco America website:
Read more...
Friday, 04 November 2011 15:24 Written by Nirmala
I received an email with the folowing question:
I have something to ask that has confused me deeply. How are you going to respond if you happen to see a person molesting another person. Is it okay if we just let someone harm others? It seems that if we were enlightened, then we would perceive everything as one, so we would just let someone harm others without attachment.
Here is my response:
This is a common question as it is confusing to the mind when two opposite things are both true. So while it is true that everything is one thing, and there is ultimately nothing that can harm consciousness, it is also true that people can and do harm each other physically and mentally. And it is always possible to act in a situation like you describe also without attachment.
Another simple example of two opposite things being true is how the sun is still shining on a cloudy day. From where you stand, there may be thick clouds and even rain. And yet the bigger truth is that the sun is still shining above the clouds. I say it is a bigger truth as the sun shines on the entire earth, not just the clouds above your head, and the daily rising and setting of the sun is more constant and longer lasting than any particular rainstorm. However, just because it is true that the sun is still shining, that does not mean that you should go out in your bathing suit and some sunscreen to work on your tan! The rain is still real, and you may want to wear a raincoat instead.
When it comes to the hurt and violence in this world, the bigger truth is that the consciousness involved will recover from the pain and suffering. Yet, while the effect of the pain inflicted is temporary, it is still real, and it is still possible sometimes to do something that prevents or stops the violent or hurtful act, or at least to help sooth or even heal the person who has suffered after the fact.
Knowing the bigger truth that there is ultimately no lasting harm can actually free you to act in direct response to what is happening. It does not need to imply that you take no action to stop a hurtful act. There is nothing to lose so why not help someone out when you can? The real value of this bigger perspective is that it can allow you to see the hurt and violence that is real, and yet not be traumatized yourself by it or even overwhelmed by it. When we do not see the bigger truth, then our reaction to the pain in the world often is one of avoiding it or denying it because it can seem too horrible to acknowledge. When we see the bigger truth, then we can respond to pain as best we can since we also know it is not that big a deal.
We can keep a complete perspective on the whole situation by realizing that love and peace are still present. Knowing that the bigger truth is that love and joy are always here "behind the clouds" is what gives us the capacity to be compassionate and loving towards the victims of violence and even towards the perpetrators of violence. It is often possible to stop someone from being violent in a loving and compassionate way. In contrast, responding to violence with more violence usually just breeds even more violence.
When it rains that is not the end of the world. The sun is still shining and will eventually come out from behind the clouds. You do not need to overreact to the rain even as you might still take appropriate actions to stay dry. And even when you get wet, it is still no big deal!
I hope this helps.
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