It is said that soon after his enlightenment the Buddha passed a man on the road who was struck by the Buddha's extraordinary radiance and peaceful presence. The man stopped and asked, "My friend, what are you? Are you a celestial being or a god?" "No," said the Buddha. "Well, then, are you some kind of magician or wizard?" Again, the Buddha answered, "No." "Well, my friend, then what are you?" The Buddha replied, "I am awake."
According to most spiritual sages and adepts being awake means being aware. Most of the time, you and I are not aware, meaning our eyes are not fully open to see what is really going on around us and within us. "We have eyes, but we do not see," Jesus observed. What we see is our conditioned and programmed version of reality, colored by faulty perceptions, prejudices, fears, judgments, concepts, and labels that taint the plain truth of what lies before us and within us.
Our awakening to a Divine reality is a sowing and reaping process; of more of this and less of that. We awaken by letting go of conditioned mind patterns and opening our hearts and minds to the Presence of Love along a grace-lined path. This is what Jesus described as the requirement to "become as little children" in order to enter the kingdom.
Because we are spiritual beings in a physical incarnation, we have the innate capacity to witness our reality in a present, aware state of mind. We are in the world but not of it when our awareness of life takes precedence over our reactions to life. When I can be the observer of my life experiences, I remain connected to the part of me that is spacious, changeless, and invulnerable. Then whether I gain or lose as the world measures, I do not lose my soul sense. I am not carried away by victory or upended by defeat. I am able to stay centered in the big picture, able to recognize the interconnectedness of life, and awake to infinite possibilities. In this aware state, I am more likely to meet life situations with curiosity, resourcefulness, and creativity. I am more likely to conclude that despite all appearances, all is well.
Join us this Sunday live or virtually (Zoom link below) as we take up Part I of a new series based upon the excellent spiritual text, The Untethered Soul. Waking up is easier in a community of dedicated seekers, so please join us and be a part of the enlightenment process that we create together.
To our awakening,
Rev. Larry
Zoom room opens at 10:30 at Unity in the Olympics where I will share the talk beginning around 11 am. The link to watch and listen in is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81744972867?pwd=b2dRclQvREl2dnBpdm0wb2F4NjdpQT09
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