Lounge Guy's Blog

Some people will misunderstand you. That's not important. It's natural to clarify yourself if need be, but no one needs to justify oneself. What's more important than all of this is to understand oneself.

Life can be so great when we discover the divine aspect of it. Otherwise, it's a rollercoaster ride.

People can drive you crazy, right? Even if we know that, philosophically, that statement is not true (we drive ourselves crazy), we often feel as if it is true: some people do drive us crazy.

Over the weekend I was put in a situation where people were inadvertently driving me crazy; and by my reactions, I was making myself insane. It got to a point that, psychologically, I couldn't take it anymore.

I decided to quit blaming others. I decided to quit blaming myself. I thought, "I will NOT drive myself crazy anymore, no matter what anyone says or does, including myself." This is not so much a vow as it was a promise to myself — it was an instruction for the ego to follow. As it is my will, then that is what I will do. The results are (almost) profound.

Loners...outsides... people who don't fit in. These can be lonely identities. Fortunately, they are illusory, as we are all the projection of the One (the Creator).

Loners don't expect others to like them. Maybe others do like them or maybe not. It's not, though, other people's job to like anyone, and I imagine loners are aware of that. Liking other people is optional; often, disliking others is not personal. (Dislike usually results from one's subconscious projections of what we dislike about ourselves.) Anyone can dislike you for any reason they choose, even if they are totally wrong about you. On the other hand, compassion is a necessary element in all true spiritual paths.

If someone doesn't like you for whatever reason — "valid" or otherwise — then (spiritually speaking), they are ignorant. Calling someone ignorant is, of course, politically incorrect in some circles. However, "ignorant" is not "stupid," the latter being demeaning. For example, I am ignorant in calculus. I don't get it at all. So what?

Spiritually, to react badly because someone doesn't like us is a sign of ignorance. We — our egos, to be exact — are buying into the me-you duality rather than seeing the Big Cosmic Picture of Oneness. Instead of going into enemy consciousness / separation, it may be more productive to see the person who dislikes you as ignorant, and to feel compassion for them. At the same time, listing to what the person says about you can help too, as it is always possible that we are ignorant in some area as well.

The ego is not our friend, although it will tell us otherwise. It keeps us in bondage to an illusory self and creates a wall to the outer and inner worlds. It blocks out Divine Light. Divine Light is ecstasy.

We must manifest our spiritual attitudes both socially and in business; otherwise our social and business lives become distractions rather than aides in our spiritual development.

It's good to know what is illusory so that you do not attach to it. Let go easily.

If we want to help others attain enlightenment, it is helpful if first we attain it.

Our true (spiritual) nature is to love everyone. We condition ourselves to block this natural impulse. This is the source of our suffering.

A true spiritual path isn't about religion, philosophy, or techniques. Of course, these things can be useful on the spiritual path. You can also have a religious person with a divine philosophy and excellent spiritual techniques, but he or she can be corrupt.

Being on the spiritual path means that you transform yourself internally. It's like an inner alchemy, transforming base "metals" — like anger, greed, impatience, and grudge — into precious metals, like "gold" — kindness, generosity, patience, and forgiveness. When one is transforming, one is on the spiritual path.

Why is sin or bad karma bad? For a Buddhist perspective, our inner-most nature is that of the Buddha. Essentially, we are immortal. Then why is, say, killing someone a sin or bad karma. In the first place, it causes suffering, not only to the victim, but to those related to him or her as well. On another level though, all sin/bad karma is an affirmation of the sinner's belief that samsara (maya; the illusion)) is in fact real. If, in Reality, their is nothing to fear, then why do we lie? Because we fear. And when we do, we affirm and maintain the illusion. We create darkness in our experience.

I believe the basic principle for social interaction is to be kind — not "nice," which is artificial kindness — but kind. At the very least, kindness is a positive "ice breaker." From there, staying on the same track should produce positive results (good karma).

If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.

"There was man in the middle of the Sahara Desert. Far ahead, he saw a lake and thought, 'Ah ... water!' But as he headed towards it, the water would seem to stay at a distance. Around the water, people, trees, camels, and buildings appeared. Then palaces and huge palm trees. Then, the man died of thirst.

This is what many people do: they chase fame, money, power, security, and sensations only to discover — too late — that they were mirages."

The ego is like a collection of pillars, making up the "Temple of James Smith" (or whatever your name is). Each pillar has a name inscribed on it, like, "I deserve attention"; "People must do as I say"; "I am a nice person"; or whatever we see as our "core life commands," which often lurk in the subconscious. This Temple though has no roof, no walls, no floor, no furniture ... nothing. It's just the outer appearence of a temple. It's only after the pillar are removed that we can be who we really are.

*If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.

*If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

*There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.

*We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.

*We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.

*Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

*With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.

The universe, or more probably, the Creator of the universe is incredibly loving. Incredibly. If you ask for a million dollars, maybe you'll get it. I think it all depends on how deeply you want whatever it is you are asking for. If you want to be more aware or spiritual, I believe that will be granted. Evolution is the Eternal Wish embedded in the heart of creation, and it must be granted.

If you have internal obstacles or karma standing in the way, that must be dispelled first — that is what separates us as human s from embodying our Divine Self. If a million dollars will help that, then go for it. If your wish comes true, then your life will unfold in a different direction. Ultimately though, if not in this life then the next (or next, or next...), all of us will discover first hand who or what we really are.

Ask, focus, hope, have faith, make the right decisions, and persevere. Oh, and don't be attached.

It's best not to owe anyone anything. I don't owe you anything; you don't know me anything. For whatever reason, this idea can cause minor shock to some people.

First, I want to clarify that I'm not necessarily talking about explicit agreements that we enter into — ones that we have agreed to fulfill certain obligations. For example, if you get a credit card and use it, you are expected to pay off the debt that you incur. Otherwise, you could get into trouble. Rather, I'm talking about the "debts" of what we expect ourselves to do for others or what we expect from them.

If, for instance, someone cuts in front of you in line at the grocery store, you may think that they "owe you" the "courtesy" of not doing that. They don't. People do what they want to do. If you can be unattached to the idea that people will "do what they're supposed to do," you can act more freely and rationally, without getting emotional.

Also, you won't be obliged to do things that you don't feel like to do. You act from the heart, not a guilt-tinged mind. The act is better received, and the results are purer.

Does not owing each other anything make us irresponsible? While it may not improve our performance in relation to the expectations of certain roles we are playing, it does free us to live more authentic lives.

Update: I've been working with this "owe-me-owe-you" idea for the last couple of days. I've seen that if you do something because you "owe" it, and if the results don't turn out as you expected, you can become disappointed or angry. Authenticity enters the mix here; acting because we "should" doesn't produce authentic behavior. This applies to behaviors ranging from the most intimate to most casual. Lastly, about the "explicit agreements" that I mentioned above: If you apply "owes" to them, you may be disappointed. How many marriage vows are kept — and then broken — even though the partner "owes" the other a lifetime of devotion?

One other thing.... It possible to think that a "not owing" lifestyle would be cold and selfish. That idea, I believe, is due to the mistaken idea that people are innately selfish. Scientology and other belief systems think that this is so. However, if we are truly all one, then that belief is false. At heart, we are loving beings in the highest sense. Giving freely from the heart is natural and perhaps above all, evolutionary.

I think, Where's my home?
Yes, "Home is where the Heart is."
My heart is right here.

Head Mind and Heart Mind:
One shows logic, one shows love.
Put Heart first, be happy.

Have you ever noticed something like this? A friend and you are eating at a Chinese restaurant. He orders something, which has lots of MSG. Ten minutes later, he starts having a tremendous headache. Next week, the exact same thing happens. You say, "Hey Ralph, do you think the MSG is giving you the headache?" He says, No. One week he tries the same dish without MSG. No headache. Later he goes back to the MSG and gets a headache.

What happens is this: Everybody does want they want to do. You can say anything. There are two kinds of people though: open systems and closed system. The example above is that of a close system. Whatever he has in mind — who knows — he will continue eating MSG and getting headaches. If you keep bugging him about it, he will eventually get angry with you. After all, you are not respecting his to choose (even though you think it's definitely the wrong choice). He will do what he wants to do.

On the other hand, open systems will listen and evaluate rationally. If he realizes MSG is the problem, he'll quit eating it. He may even thank you.

An obvious conclusion is that you can give advice or share ideas freely with an open system but not a closed one; closed systems know everything. The problem is nobody is 100% open or closed. You find the closed areas through experience, that is, by running into a closed area.

War and peace are not polar opposites, like the North Pole and South Pole: two different ends points of one thing. Rather, peace is a state of being, while war is a state of mind.

Books are tools. They can be of great help, but they won't get us there. We have to do the inner work, not the book.

"Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now." Suite: Judy Blue Eyes Lyrics, Crosby, Stills, & Nash

How would you prefer to be treated, nicely or kindly? Superficially, there doesn't seem to be much difference. But if we think about it, we can see there definitely is.

Being nice implies a certain restraint, a political correctness, in which we withhold some truth so as to not offend the sensibilities of another. It can also conceal the many forms of anger. In short, it is neither a direct nor particularly honest way to express ourselves.

On the other hand, being kind allows us to speak our hearts. The intention is pure, and the feeling tone is one of caring. Nothing is hidden. And behind a kind expression is always love. Kindness is a vehicle that allows the expression of the True Self and the co-creation of Heaven on Earth.

You've probably heard something like, "We had a great relationship...until we got married." This is more common than one would think. Why do relationships deteriorate after the wedding and the honeymoon?

What happens is that going from the non-married, "single" state to a married state changes an aspect of our identity. We are now a "husband" or a "wife." We are no longer "single"; we are "married." In itself, this is no big deal.

However, each identity is a cultural role and has a set of standards to which some sections of society expect us to comply. We accept our "duty" and apply these standards in the form of demands and expectations.

If we are aware of what is happening, then we can avoid the pitfalls: We simply do not act "like a spouse should," if that behavior is in conflict with our True Self. If, though, we do act out the unnatural aspects of our role — we start behaving like a "spouse" — then the problems begin.

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
—Albert Einstein

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice."
—Meister Eckhart

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."
—Buddha

"Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality."
—Alfred Painte

"When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them."
—Chinese Proverb

"No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has emerged from the kingdom of night."
—Elie Wiesel

"Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life."
—Christiane Northrup

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."
—Thornton Wilder

"If you can't be thankful for what you receive, be thankful for what you escape."
—Unknown

"Being thankful is the key to knowing the innate love of the universe."
—Anon

One of the focal points of Buddhism is the inevitability of death of the human body ... actually, the death of all things in form. That we must all join the dead is a fact of life. From the tiniest particle to the universe itself, all things — including the gods — must pass. "Change form" is more accurate than "pass," but emotionally we experience "pass" more strongly than "transform."

Death is not morose. The Creator made it a non-discriminate law of the universe that includes everything. Cosmically, it is not personal, although most beings naturally take it that way. It is curious though that those who kill indiscriminately — impersonally — are often viewed as monsters or, in some cases, heroes. In any case, if dying — changing form — is a requirement for everyone and everything in form, then there must be some good reason for it.

Aside from being the Great Mystery, my guess is that the ego creates the "personal" perception of death. As the ego is an illusion, then so is the finality of death. It is simply a matter of misplaced identity.

"Love, compassion, and art are necessities, not luxuries; without them humanity would not survive." Eduardo Marturet

Love is the answer. Jesus took the Old Testament's Ten Commandments and boiled them down into Two: "Love God; Love one another." I don't even think the order is important. Within each of us is God (however, when an ego claims it is God, it's not exactly true.)

The reason why relationships fail is often the lack of love. It's easy to blame the other person for whatever problem(s) we perceive. But if we look within ourselves, the root of the problem is usually there. This information is nothing new, although it's very easy to overlook.

Earthly power is a trap. It leads you to believe that you own something or someone. Often, this in turn leads to the strengthening of the ego and the disregard for others. Earthly power is not even real power ... it's force. Power is spiritual, comes from within, and is peaceful yet strong. Look at Gandhi as an example. Force is ultimately materialistic, comes from without, and is violent and weak. Look at Stalin as an example.

You could easily argue that Stalin was not weak: he was responsible for the deaths of over 50 million of his countrymen, making Hitler look like a boy scout. How is that weak? Eternally, he used force efficiently, and this can be construed as "power." As a person though, internally, he lived in fear. He was paranoid of everyone. You can read an excellent analysis of the power/force dynamic in David Hawkins, Power vs. Force.

Now
moments appear and fade,
appear and fade,
and on
around me.
So real
this film of light:
a concrete mirage —
trees, water, sun, and sky
and all things living.

At times, maybe for years, you'll be with people who will bring you loss or gain. The loss or gain could be financial, moral, intellectual, or physical. For example, someone may have influenced you to smoke cigarettes or to be greedy; that "stepping on a crack breaks your mother's back"; or they steal or misplace some of your resources. On the other hand, someone may be a source of revenue; tell you not to steal; tell you that generosity is a virtue; or recommend that you eat healthy food.

The same people from whom we gain will also provide loss, and visa versa. So loss-gain isn't a good way to measure the value of a relationship, especially if you start getting obsessive about the "loss" part. Usually, there's karma and lessons to experience. I try to avoid the loss-gain judgements unless they become extreme, and even then, I check myself first to see what part I'm playing in the drama.

"Ultimately, you must forget about techniques. The further you progress, the fewer teachings there are. The Great Path is really NO PATH." Ueshiba Morihei

Once upon a time in my development, I had read that it's possible to change your past. I doubted it, but I gave it try. Soon I realized, "How would I know if it worked or not?" as a change to my past would change my present. You have to ask something even more fundamental: Does the past even exist? Experientially, only the present is real. If that's the case, you can't expect to change something that doesn't exist. This, of course, applies to the present as well.

Use this potent format for manifesting the reality that you want. Note: there are two _"fill-in-the-blank"_ sections in which you customize the prayer.

” [ _Spirit_ ]¹, please give me your attention.

By the power of your Divine Grace, Love, Compassion, and Will,

will you manifest fully within me and through me,

the highest possibility

that:

[ _I am infinitely patient and my tolerance is boundless_ ]².

And all of this happens instantly or as soon as possible,

and miraculously or in the easiest possible way,

so that my True Self is manifest powerfully Here and Now

for the benefit and liberation of all sentient beings

and the co-creation of Heaven on Earth.

And so it is. Amen.”

1. Address the prayer to "God," "Master," "Jesus," "Buddha," or whoever you pray to, worship, or try to emulate.
2. Here is where you describe in detail what you want manifested. Think it through: make sure it is what you really want.

It is the nature of the ego-mind to control things. The bigger the ego, the more it feels it must control its environment. This is a trap. Those who feel that they must control just about everything are sometimes known as "control freaks" or "little [or big] dictators." Psychologically, the desire to control stems from a lack of faith in God and the universe. It lives in the subconscious as fear and manifests as a display of force, either subtle or overt. You can see it most clearly in individuals, but it exists collectively in most systems (religious, political, philosophical, etc.). Using force inevitably leads to the experience of separation from those who we try to control.

You can share information with others, and it would not necessarily be a control issue. For example, say that someone put a cup of water on top of my computer. I could remove it myself or tell you to do so; or, I could say, "It might be better if you put the cup on the coaster on the desk." Is this a control issue? If the person does not do what I said, did I throw them out of my heart? If I did, then I am dealing with a control issue.

In contrast, power is. Power, in essence, is indestructible, infinite, and eternal. It exists in the heart of everyone. As an energy, it does not rely on force; in fact, it cannot manifest when clouded by any degree of force. Whereas control is darkness, power is light.

In the end, we will have to give up control of everything anyway. The more entrenched our attachment, the harder it will be to let go; consequently, the more we will suffer. Letting go, at all stages of life, is the key and the door to freedom.

As people create their own reality, and you move into their physically direct sphere of creation, there is a very good chance they will judge you. This subconscious action is a projection of their ego, and as a thought-form it will impact you. If their emotions are involved, it will hit you harder. Although you can learn from these projections, they are not primarily about you; they are about the person doing the projecting. Often, we feel the need to react, defend or attack, these assaults. It isn't necessary, though, because they are evaluating you based on their imperfect understanding of you and of themselves. Everyone does this — some much more than others. If you are fully awakened 24/7, you would be an exception. For all others, it's a matter of degree. The less you judge, the freer you are.

Have you ever noticed that with some people, your humor works well, while with others it either isn't encouraged or falls flat? This has to do with the synergy between people and one's inclination towards humor. Successful comedians have a great inclination, but no comic is funny to everyone.

When you mix two chemicals together, a reaction of some sort may or may not take place. Hydrogen and oxygen combine to make life-sustaining water, but gold and neon (both "noble" elements) won't mix at all. People are the same way.

Just because a person is psychic doesn't mean he or she is enlightened. This is obvious, right? Have psychic abilities is a gift, although you could rightly say that everyone has a psychic sense. However, some people have it more pronounced than others. Personally, I attribute that to strong influences of Neptune and the Moon (and Pluto to some extent), plus the Water Signs in a person's natal chart. In any case, being psychically aware doesn't guarantee a good heart, which is the hallmark of being Enlightened.

As a teenager, I studied various forms of personality analysis: handwriting, color choice, astrology, palm reading, Gestalt therapy, the Rorschach inkblot test, etc. In the end, I saw the limitations of these techniques when I asked the question: How would an analyst judge the results of, say, Jesus, Buddha, or any other enlightened being if those beings were the ones who took the test?

In the 1960's, it took about five years before the Peace Movement grew to the point of becoming effective. In contrast, we have the February 15, 2003 anti-war protest, a coordinated day of protests across the world against the imminent invasion of Iraq. Millions of people protested in approximately 800 cities around the world. According to BBC News, between six and ten million people took part in protests in up to sixty countries over the weekend of the 15th and 16th; other estimates range from eight million to thirty million.^[1]

This reflects an awakening, which I believe is a sign that we have entered the Age of Aquarius. My guess is that we crossed that threshold in the mid-to-late 1980's. (More on this in the upcoming Astrology section here at LightLounge.) Aquarius the Water Bearer isn't pouring liquid water from his vase. Aquarius is an air sign, and air, among other things, is a symbol of communication. The Water Bearer is pouring down communicative energy, which the internet as a new form of communication, embodies. We can communicate worldwide with one another, practically instantaneously.

Water, as opposed to air, is a symbol of emotion and beliefs. Water characterizes the passing Piscean Age and the rule of dogma, especially Church dogma, but also the dogma of science. Both religion and science have become fossilized in form; they have lost their soul, at least the status quo groups. Status quo groups, though, are dismantling.

Science has been successful in debunking many religious myths. For example, the sun does not revolve around the earth. Ironically, science has done quite well in debunking its own myths. The more information they discover and the deeper their theories become, the more they realize that reality is, in effect, beyond the reach of science. Their most promising "Theory of Everything" is String Theory and M-theory (and advanced version of String theory), which involves "strings" that possess only the dimension of length, but not height or width. In any event, the size of a string is so minute — about 10^-33 centimeters, or about a millionth of a billionth of a billionth of a billionth of a centimeter — that in all probability, they will never be able to see or test one. Our current visual reach is ~10^-15.

But back to the topic. Aquarius is sitting on a high cloud, pouring "water" from his vase. This "water," representing high, spiritual, or other-dimensional energy, is awakening the inhabitants of earth. While I believe it is a form of spiritual energy and reflects spiritual awakening, it is manifesting as a social awakening. People are working towards and demand social justice, the ending of poverty and hunger, and the alleviation of suffering in as many forms as possible.

In a way, ignorance is invisible. If a person is ignorant, then that person will think he knows something, but he doesn't. That's why they are ignorant. You could be aware that you don't know something, and if you do, you are not "being ignorant"; you simply admit that you don't know something. That's being open, rather than being closed and deluded.

There's many reasons, or opinions about, why we have incarnated here. If you are here to co-create Heaven on Earth, then part of the process is to train the human body/mind to behave properly or to adapt it to spiritual principles. In the past, some religious sects would "beat the body into shape." They would flog themselves or deprive the body of food, sex, sleep, or whatever they thought was offending to God or the gods, although I believe that the gods were less demanding about such practices. Buddha went through the ascetic thing, quit, and came out the other end enlightened.

Our training, in whatever form we use (religious, spiritual, metaphysical, or humanitarian practice), is to strive to become more aware by releasing the ego. The ego is apparently hard like stone, but in reality, it's more like a cloud. The ego thing — it is a thing — is what blocks the light of spirit from shining through us. It happens whenever we identify with that false sense of self.

In some circles, it's fashionable to say that you are "spiritual, not religious." It's not only fashionable, but if it's true, that means you have moved beyond the form of the religion into the heart of all religions. However, saying to be fashionable is not same. If someone insults your official religion and you take offense, then you are still religious.

I think everyone avoids some people. Everyone has their reasons why they don't want to see a certain him or her. If you analyze all the reasons, I think it boils down to one: that person causes you to suffer. Think about it for a moment. Think of someone you'd rather not talk to or be with.

The next step, if we want to get to the bottom of this, is to discover how that person makes us suffer. Then, we can go inside and see if we can disconnect that "pain button," because the pain and its trigger is within us. Ultimately, karma is involved. For example, if say your father beat you when you were young for "looking at him the wrong way," you are going to suffer when you are around a man who has that same issue of being looked at. The cause is in your childhood, the effect is today; the issue is the same, but we haven't realized it.

The article directly below this post says that we have "mirror neurons" in our brains: when we see someone, say scratching their head, the same neurons that are lighting up in the other person's brain light up in ours! The implications are staggering. It reminds me of when scientific-type people say, "Astrology can't work, because there's no mechanism." Well, if astrology works, then there is a mechanism. We just don't know what it is. As far as I can tell, there's no mechanism for the "mirror neuron" phenomenon. Does that mean that it's not happening? Of course not: we see it happening.

I believe that what they are seeing is that the mirror neurons are a non-physical vibrational field. When that part of the field is stimulated, it lights up the mirror neurons. The brain, then, is not directly responsible, but provides the physical manifestation of that vibration. The effects of this vibrational field is not limited to neurons. ESP would be another related area in which this could be involved. And, as I mentioned earlier, this field could be what is responsible for making astrology work. However, I think that the field is layered multidimensionally, and when dealing with planets and people, the higher dimensions would be involved.

In the early 1990's, neuroscientists were studying the brain activity of monkeys, particularly in the part of the brain’s frontal lobe associated with distinct actions, such as reaching or eating. They saw specific neurons firing for specific activities. But then they noticed something they didn’t expect at all: The very same neurons fired when a monkey was simply watching another monkey perform that action.

“Monkey see, monkey do” suddenly took on a whole new meaning for me. We humans are wired like our close relatives, and when we observe someone else, our own brains are simultaneously experiencing at least something of what that person is experiencing. The significance of these copycats, called “mirror neurons,” is huge. We do walk in one another’s shoes, whether we want to or not. “[Our] intimate brain-to-brain link-up ... lets us affect the brain—and so the body—of everyone we interact with, just as they do us,” writes Daniel Goleman, in Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships.

We therefore co-create one another, moment to moment. For me, our “imprintability” is itself a source of hope. Our actions, and perhaps our mental states, register in others, so that we change anyone observing us. That’s power.

Everyone makes judgements. Usually these judgements are separative. One way to circumvent this acquired habit is to reframe the way we see things. Instead of thinking, "Jim is such a jerk," (because he hurt his child emotionally), we can think, "That being is submerged in samsara [maya]." Doing this has two benefits.

First, it consolidates all of our opinions into one manageable category. We are not judging a specific action; rather, we are understanding a spiritual condition. When a person is psychologically bound to samsaric living, he or she will act in ways that perpetuates or increases suffering for himself and others.

Second, while judgements separate us, this way of discerning the actions of others produces compassion. Only a person who is suffering himself would do such a thing. If we want to address this situation, we do so from a unified state of mind. We respond with one of the infinite forms or love. We are not judgmental and, consequently, do not create karma in the process.

War and peace are not opposite ends of a "war/peace" polarity; they are not the two sides of the same "war/peace" coin. They are manifestations of two distinct states of mind. The war mentality treats those who promote peace with suspicion and as the enemy. Peace, however, does not treat the war mentality as the enemy; if it did, it would be manifesting the energy of war, not peace. In short, war is always against a perceived, imagined, or created threat (enemy), while peace is always for itself.

Because greed, power, and fear are essential elements of war (and possibly inherent flaws in our nature), we can conclude that war is inevitable. We can even sympathize with those fighting wars against oppression. Humans abhor being enslaved and will do what they can to avoid or fight it. If the fighting is organized, then it becomes a war of resistance. Wars of resistance are still wars though, "just" though they may be.

Ordinarily, that would be the end of the discussion. Gandhi, however, came along and reframed the war/peace picture by showing the world an alternative response to oppression. He ended the British colonial rule of India (of one that empire's most profitable foreign enterprises) without firing a shot. His strategy, which he based on the teachings of Jesus, was to coordinate and implement a nonviolent resistance movement, which held the core belief that all humans are brothers and sisters. Most everyone knows his story, and it was beautifully told in the movie named after him.

Essentially then, war is always against something — the enemy — which is something to fear and defeat, often "at all costs." War is divisive and represents the embodiment of enemy consciousness. In size and scope, this collective madness is the ultimate act of cruelty. On the other hand, peace never strikes at others. There are no enemies. If war embodies enemy consciousness, peace embodies unity consciousness. For the mind living in peace, there are only brothers and sisters acting either in darkness and ignorance or in harmony with the divine.

I'm using pride here as the egoic problem of thinking that one is better than others. Pride is a burden, although if we're not aware that we are suffering from this, then we just think we're better than everyone else. We are unconscious sufferers. In many cases, pride is one end of the pride/worthlessness polarity: we bounce between feeling superior and feeling inferior. At least when we are proud, we don't feel worthless. It hurts less.

Yet, pride separates us from others and, at a deeper level, we feel alienated. As this can be a chronic condition, these small jolts of suffering add up to a heavy burden that we end up carrying.

It's not easy to release pride, although it's possible. One technique is to be aware of its main weapon: judgement. We use judgement to put other people down, to make them wrong, so that we can maintain our superiority. We can judge people either mentally or verbally. The former is a more refined way to express it, while verbal abuse is more coarse. If we are caught up in our own importance, we don't even notice that we are being judgmental. We're just "telling it like it is." Sometimes, when we irritate ourselves because of what another person says or does, we react with anger. Here, anger is a judgement in action.

In any event, becoming aware of our judgments, understanding how they relate to pride, and how they separate us from others are positive steps in releasing the burden of self-importance.

"It's better to give than receive." In a way, this is true, although both giving and receiving are part of the process of life. Giving is about letting go, and that is often harder than receiving. Letting go is harder, because the tendency of the emotional body is to hold on, to become attached. However, letting go plays an amazingly important role in life. If our mothers did not let go, we would never have been born.

We live in a universe where everything changes and passes. This means that everyone and everything in this world that we call our own or feel attached to will leave, whether we like it or let go or not. Not letting go simply makes the emotional body suffer. If the attachment is great enough, it can make the physical body sick. If we cannot let go at all, we will reincarnate, looking for whatever it is we have lost but have not relinquished.

When the inevitable arrives — the angel of death — we have to give up everything worldly: possessions, friends, family, wealth ... everything. This is part of what makes us afraid of dying, especially if we are attached to our ego identity, which we must leave as well. As everything worldly is bound to be lost, now is a good time to release everything, at least our emotional attachment to it. Jesus had a radical solution: sell everything, give the profits to the poor, and follow Him. Whether or not that strategy would work for many people today is not the point. The message is about letting go — non-attachment — and having faith that God provides.

the many forms of guilt: self loathing and hating, anger, humiliation, and others

Some people hate, loath, or are generally angry or embarrassed at themselves because of something that they've done in the past. Because it happened in the past, it cannot be undone. No form of guilt will make it right. The cure for this is to unconditionally forgive ourselves. This is difficult but not impossible. Once we learn how to do this, we can extend it to others more easily.

As far back as I can remember, I wanted to "be good" with other people. I still feel that way. For me, acting in harmony with everyone is one of the most valuable traits. When I am in that state, I am happy and content.

Everyone knows that on the material level, people are, well, people. As they say, "Nobody's perfect." Yet, when we run across someone (or ourselves) who is behaving imperfectly, we react with anger, fear, disappointment, guilt, or some other less-than-desirable emotion. Why is that? It's how the ego works. In those instances, it doesn't know how to accept existential reality — what is in front of us — so it suffers (and so do we if we are identifying with the ego). Rejecting what is in front of us adds a layer of illusion to our experience.

We can take this idea of "nobody's perfect" a step or two further. We can apply it to human institutions: religions, governments, corporations, fraternities, etc. None are perfect, and to expect them to be shows that we do not, in that moment, understand the nature of samsara (maya). Our ego is caught up in The Drama.

We can go further: human institutions are an illusion on top of an illusion — they exist only as concepts. For example, what is a religion? Generally, it is a form composed of beliefs, rituals, duties, and hierarchies, with rituals and prayers performed in specific buildings ("temples," "churches," "mosques," etc.). Similarly, governments are only people. People who work "for the government" perform certain tasks and are paid by people for their work. Each employee/public servant has a title and job description. They work in designated "government" buildings — usually a specially designed or decorated structure — and are guided by a specific goals and ideology. A better description is that they are not working for a government but are performing tasks that serve themselves and others.

Religions and governments — institutions — then, are people, some wearing clothes (uniforms) that specify their hierarchical position and power, each performing certain functions and, when performed collectively, creates the illusion of something other than people just doing stuff with some more-or-less collective purpose.

In short, institutions are just people. The "members/believers/employees/public servants" accept (to some degree) the purpose of the institution and perform their duties in an official/office/sacred buildings. Institutions are just people organized in certain ways. They seem to exist only because believers mentally imagine a structure, convince themselves that its purpose is worthwhile, and do stuff with others who share that purpose. By giving this collect activity a name, we imagine that something exists. In fact, all this activity is part of the dance of maya, but we think it is real. It's a society-scale "The Emperor's New Clothes."

This brings up the point mentioned in many scriptures that says, for instance, "For by grace you have been saved through faith ... not as a result of works,..." (Ephesians 2:8-9) [emphasis added]. Buddhists share a similar belief, about the futility of samsaric deeds. Contrary to this, we have the idea, "You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone." (James 2:24). Most religions and other institutions as well call for people to do (their version of) good works. Therein lies the paradox: We should do good works, but they don't mean anything.

I believe a middle path to understanding this paradox exists. If we do good works from the ego, it will not get us anywhere. Well, maybe our positions in samara will shift, but we won't necessarily make spiritual progress. However, if we act from the heart or our spiritual center, then we doing something. We are being channels for grace to enter the material plane. Ironically, when we act from the heart, we are doing nothing. We are simply being, like an open window.

It's not easy for the Western mind to accept that (samsaric) works are futile. Simply put, though, when we're operating from "samara mind" (the ego), then that's what we'll produce. When people say, "Human nature will never change," they are talking from that level ... and they are right. However, if humanity is evoluving, whcih I believe it is, then we have a different story.

The only worthwhile happenings, evolutionally speaking, are spontaneous expressions from the heart. They burst into the material plane like divine sparks, lighting the universe. As the universe becomes "enlightened," veils drop, and we inch closer to Heaven on Earth. This, I believe, is the purpose and worth of good works.

A judgment is an observation that we charge with emotion. Usually these emotional charges are negative, based on our ideas of right and wrong. If someone beats their kids, these days people generally judge that person as bad. The point of this discussion though is not whether our judgements are correct, but the metaphysical mechanisms involved with them and their effects on ourselves and others.

When we make an observation or a judgment, our brain creates a thought form. Thoughts have structure — form — and these forms exist on a level of reality vibrationally higher than the physical plane. Dogs can hear higher sounds than we can; bees can see into ranges that we cannot. The same with thought forms: they are beyond the reach of our five senses. People who can see auras can see the effects of thought forms, but not the thought form itself. A negative form will darken the aura's color while a positive one will brighten it. Auras exist on a vibrational plane somewhere between the material and thought-form planes.

Somewhat like a voice, thoughts travel — though the "air" of the mental plane. Astrologically associated with the wings-on-his-feet god Mercury, they travel faster than light. We can tap into them using the sixth sense of ESP, where minds communicate instantaneously. And just as these forms have a place of departure (within the brain), they also have a destination — the brains of others. Note that I'm using "brain" here not solely as a biological organ, but one with metaphysical capacities as well. A thought form that is a judgment rather than a simple observation will carry a positive or negative charge. When it arrives in the brain of another, the charge will make it more noticeable to the receiver than a neutral observation.

The more sensitive a person is, the more aware he or she will be when receiving one of these forms. In astrology, people with their Sun or Moon in a water sign in their birth chart will have the natural tendency to be more attuned to them. Also, an aspect from Neptune to the Sun or Moon will add additional sensitivity to a person. This is especially true for aspects to the Moon, because the Moon represents the character of the emotional body.

The emotional body is usually associated with the element of water. When a thought form hits it, there is a "splash." Most splashes go undetected — they stay at the subconscious level — especially those caused by neutral observations. In this respect however, not only is the character of the emotional body important (as in "Moon sign") but the condition of the emotional body will influence how we interpret these forms as well. So both character and condition are determining factors in our perception of thought-form forces.

If the emotional body is peaceful, then it will receive impressions much easier and clearly than if the body is agitated or distorted. Watching a pool of water provides a good analogy. If the water is still, the sky and whatever is on the banks of the water reflect clearly. If the wind is blowing or it's raining, the images become distorted. We can add that if the water is dirty or polluted, the images will be discolored or broken. This "pollution" can be due to any number of factors, like traumatic emotional scars or conflicted religous, political, ideological, or philosophical beliefs.

The direct result of negative thought-form projections is that when they hit their intended "victim," they will impact the person at some level. This creates karma for the sender and possibly the receiver. It's like striking a bell: vibrations go out from the strike. It goes around. If the "victim" is consciously aware of what is happening however, he or she will observe what has happened, make a note of it, and let it pass. The "victim" has no offensive reaction — no negative forms sent in retaliation — so no karma is created. With a clear mental and emotional body, a person can feel the form and interpret it accurately. These are clean interactions, as we do not take the psychic assault personally.

A common result of these assaults is that when we are hit, we feel that we are a fault for something. This can create guilt, the lowering of one's self-esteem, or other inhibiting reactions. It can take a while to bring this process to light.

On the other hand, if the thought-form projection is positive, then "good karma" is created. Obviously, this has a much better evolutionary effect than a negative projection. In the highest spiritual doctrines though, "no karma is good karma." If we can evolve to where our mental and emotional bodies can process incoming thought forms without resisting them and that we don't judge the sender, then we will have broken the karmic habit of unnecessary offensive and defensive reactions. These are what keep individuals, societies, and the world in conflict.

This information is focused mostly on the receiver's experience of dealing with thought forms. However, working on ourselves as senders — cleaning up what we are projecting — is equally important.

"It is what it is" ( [emphasis added]): it sounds so simple that it's like saying nothing. Yet, if we have embodied the meaning of this, it will save us from shocks and will allow us to make intelligent choices in the moment.

For example, some people have terrible tempers. They'll blow up over the slightest issues. If we know that IIWII — that this person may become "possessed" in any moment — then when they do explode, it's no surprise. The psychic-emotional shock waves of their expression don't shake us from our center. And because we remain in peace, we can calmly assess the situation. We can respond intelligently rather than reacting to their reaction.

On another level, IIWII can represent existential events. For instance, you are driving; someone cuts in front of you. IIWII. Why get upset with reality? BEcause it's not behaving like you think it should?

Another way to look at this is to relate it to your feelings. Have you ever felt that you didn't "fit in"? Well, wherever you are in the moment, you are there: IIWII. Therefore you fit, because the universe is all one piece, and you just happen to be wherever you are. Because IIWII, you fit. It's only your mind that thinks otherwise.

If we know "it is what it is" in the broadest sense, we lose our desire to meddle in the affairs of others. We also reach the point where few things shock us.

People become bitter when their dreams are unfulfilled. They try to reach a goal and, for whatever reasons, they fail. Maybe they try many times. They can become frustrated, sad, or depressed. It develops like a disease until the final symptom appears: bitterness, which often expresses itself as hostility.

So, is there a cure? Instead of focusing on the past, on what didn't work out, we can begin to focus on what we do have. We can cultivate gratitude. Being a sports hero didn't work out for you? In reality, it wasn't meant to be (at least in the past). I'm talking here about being realistic about our dreams. If we are, say, 70 years old, we are most likely wasting our time hoping to be an NFL linebacker, no matter how great shape we are in.

I'm not saying this to discourage anyone from striving to fulfill his or her dreams. But if our emotional state has degraded to the point of bitterness, it can help to accept our current state in life, be grateful, and build our dreams on the possibilities before us. Peace and bitterness cannot coexist in the same body.

Lastly, concerning spiritual paths, few people turn bitter if they don't reach their goals. They may feel like that if they felt abused, used, or betrayed by a certain teacher, cult, or established religion they were following. Following teachers, cults, etc. isn't really a spiritual path. It is a religious one. The spiritual path must be followed within, beyond the outer forms. In this sense, what our spiritual goals are — to be awakened, joyous, saved, good, righteous, or whatever — is something that we already are. I believe that is why we never become bitter when we judge ourselves as failing: in our hearts, we know we can never fail, because that — our goal — is not really our goal, but our reality.

What is real? What is illusion? According to Eastern religions, the material plane is illusion; Hindus call it maya, Buddhists call it samsara. Science calls it energy or, in String or M-Theory, "vibrating strings of light from the tenth dimension." In short, it's not what it looks like, which is a good definition of "illusion."

So, if the world/universe in which we live is an illusion, what is real? Something has to be real, right? How about you and me? We both know we are real; I'm pretty sure most people would agree with that. But this is where it gets tricky, because the concept of "you" and "me" involves identity. And one of the all-time, historically famous questions is, "Who [or what] are we?"

If we look at this scientifically (read: materialistically), the "I" is a collection of memories stored somehow in the electro-chemical matrix of the brain. This is the ego "I." When the brain dies, you and I die. Gone. The End. On the other hand, spiritual and religious people generally identify themselves (at least philosophically) as the immortal soul, spirit, Consciousness, Awareness, or God, depending on the framework in which they are working. So, the difference is the false self dies with the brain, while the soul lets go of the body/brain connection and moves to the next level of experience.

The problem with these two identities, the real self and the false self, is that both of them use the brain to communicate while we are in the human body. Convoluted as it might sound, the spiritual challenge is to differentiate between the two — the soul and the ego — and to know "who is talking."

Note that running parallel to these comparisons of "I" is the idea of Consciousness [or Awareness]. Consciousness, when referring to the materialistic self, is the brain's ability to sense and interpret the material world. When referring to the transcendental self, Consciousness is the "I Am."

Based on these definitions of self, the electro-chemical "I" of the brain (the ego) is part of the material world. It is an illusion. This leaves our spiritual or transcendental identity as real. It is the "sole" Ambassador of Reality to the material world. We can, of course, add all sentient beings to the list of Ambassadors.

So ... down here on Planet Earth ... that leaves just you and me as real. All else is distraction. Relationship between one "I Am" and another (as opposed to two egos interacting) is the beginning of Heaven on Earth. To live a spiritual life, I believe, is to stay focused as much as possible on reality and discount illusion as much as reasonably possible.

None of this, by the way, diminishes the total awesomeness of Creation in any way. In fact, the more we consciously embody reality, the more awesome the illusion becomes.