I at first believed that a still mind is absolutely silent and devoid of everything and anything. I eventually came to accept that a silent mind is alert to surroundings. A silent mind is devoid of judging, clinging, rejecting, comparing. The silent mind is free from hatred, anger, jealousy, confusion and conflict. I began to understand in time that stillness of mind refers to inner peace and serenity and that there may be thoughts of love and kindness or other positive thoughts that do not at all detract from the stillness of connectivity. What I want in fact is connectivity. Being devoid of everything and anything is not the point of stillness at all. The point is connection to everything that is loving.
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich.” ~ Lao Tzu
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good and honest
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Treat those who are good with goodness, and also treat those who are not good with goodness. Thus goodness is attained. Be honest to those who are honest, and be also honest to those who are not honest. Thus honesty is attained. ~ Lao Tzu
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I like these teachings; the Tao Te Ching speaks to everybody on different levels. The book is felt rather than understood. Empty yourself and let the mind be still. This is the way that opens onto the mystery of the empty vessel that is used but that is never filled. Love the world as your own self and then you can truly care for all things.
I haven’t worked out all yet of my self-sabotage; reading of Tao passages is definitely helpful. Sometimes, I tend to be philosophical to have no action. Usually though, I like to immerse myself in Tao passages for the reason of relaxing and to enjoy being. Isn’t that action?
NOTE: The Tao Te Ching is not a religious study. Unlike Taoism, Zen is philosophical. However, Zen philosophies were greatly influenced by Taoists. Zen is the Chinese Taoist philosophy with its central image of “yin and yang” which are Tao.
A study by researchers at the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that adults can be trained to be more compassionate. The report, recently published online in the Journal Psychological Science, is the first to investigate whether training adults in compassion can result in greater altruistic behavior and related changes in neural systems underlying compassion.
Discover your divinity, find your unique talent, serve humanity with it, and begin to experience your life as a miraculous expression of divinity — not just occasionally, but all the time. You are to know true joy and the true meaning of success — the ecstasy and exultation of your own spirit.
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Everyone has a purpose in life
….
a unique gift
or special talent
to give to others.
And when we blend this unique talent
with service to others,
we experience the ecstasy
and exultation of our own spirit,
which is
the ultimate goal
of all goals.
When you work
you are a flute
through whose heart
the whispering of the hours
turns to music.
And what is it to work with love?
It is to weave the cloth
with threads drawn
from your heart,
even as if
your beloved were to wear that cloth
….
— Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
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This is the seventh Deepak Chopra law for success from his book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.
If you’d like,
open the series
from its beginning point
or continue along from here.
Each skill builds on the previous skill.
If you want to make maximum use of the Law of Purpose, then you will make several commitments. The first commitment is: I am going to seek my higher self, which is beyond my ego, through spiritual practice.
The second commitment is: I am going to discover my unique talents, and finding my unique talents, I am going to enjoy myself, because the process of enjoyment occurs when I go into timeless awareness. That’s when I am in a state of bliss.
The third commitment is: I am going to ask myself how I am best suited to serve humanity.
According to this law, you have a unique talent and a unique way of expressing your specific talent. There is something that you can do better than most anyone else in the world — and for every unique talent and unique expression of that talent, there are also unique needs. When these needs are matched with the creative expression of your talent, that is the spark that makes you right to fulfill your purpose.
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I will put the Law of Purpose (Dharma) into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
(1) Today I will pay attention to the spirit within me that animates both my body and my mind. I will awaken myself to this deep stillness within my heart. I will carry the consciousness of timeless, eternal Being in the midst of time-bound experience.
(2) I will make a list of my unique talents. Then I will list all the things that I love to do while expressing my unique talents. When 1 express my unique talents and use them in the service of humanity, I lose track of time and create abundance in my life as well as in the lives of others.
(3) I will ask myself daily, “How can I serve?” and “How can I help?” The answers to these questions will allow me to help and serve my fellow human beings with love.
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Summary of the 7 Laws The universal mind choreographs everything that is happening in billions of galaxies with elegant precision and unfaltering intelligence. Its intelligence is ultimate and supreme, and it permeates every fiber of existence. Everything that is alive is an expression of this intelligence.
Every cell has its birth in the Law of Pure Potentiality. DNA is a perfect example of pure potentiality; in fact, it is the material expression of pure potentiality. The same DNA existing in every cell expresses itself in different ways in order to fulfill the unique requirements of that particular cell. Each cell also operates through the Law of Giving. A cell is alive and healthy when it is in a state of balance and equilibrium. This state of equilibrium is one of fulfillment and harmony, but it is maintained by a constant give and take. Each cell gives to and supports every other cell, and in turn is nourished by every other cell. The cell is always in a state of dynamic flow and the flow is never interrupted. In fact, the flow is the very essence of the life of the cell. And only by maintaining this flow of giving is the cell able to receive and thus continue its vibrant existence.
The Law of Cause and Effect is exquisitely executed by every cell, because built into its intelligence is the most appropriate and precisely correct response to every situation as it occurs. The Law of Least Effort is also exquisitely executed by every cell in the body: it does its job with quiet efficiency in the state of restful alertness.
Through the Law of Intention and Desire, every intention of every cell harnesses the infinite organizing power of nature’s intelligence. Even a simple intention such as metabolizing a molecule of sugar immediately sets off a symphony of events in the body where precise amounts of hormones have to be secreted at precise moments to convert this molecule of sugar into pure creative energy.
Of course, every cell expresses the Law of Detachment. It is detached from the outcome of its intentions. It doesn’t stumble or falter because its behavior is a function of life-centered, present-moment awareness.
Each cell also expresses the Law of Dharma. Each cell must discover its own source, the higher self; it must serve its fellow beings, and express its unique talents. Heart cells, stomach cells, and immune cells all have their source in the higher self, the field of pure potentiality. And because they are directly linked to this cosmic computer, they can express their unique talents with effortless ease and timeless awareness. Only by expressing their unique talents can they maintain both their own integrity and the integrity of the whole body.
The internal dialogue of every cell in the human body is, “How can I help?” The heart cells want to help the immune cells, the immune cells want to help the stomach and lung cells, and the brain cells are listening to and helping every other cell. Every cell in the human body has only one function: to help every other cell.
By looking at the behavior of the cells of our own body, we can observe the most extraordinary and efficient expression of The Seven Spiritual Laws. This is the genius of nature’s intelligence.
In the series, I used descriptions and text from Chopra almost exclusively — because his work works as he wrote it. I just want to add this:
This is the language of God. If you begin with this and prayers and meditation to build a positive inner serene peaceful outlook then you are on your way to a deep understanding of the profound mysteries in life. The miracles — the seemingly supernatural occurrences — are natural — not really so unusual; not at all. If your science or if your education tells you otherwise, let it go — it may be flawed. You don’t need it if it isn’t bringing you inner peace, happiness, joy, and freedom to be who you are intended to be. The realization that you can be, do, and have the genuine you is extraordinary and exhilarating. Listen to your heart and when it tells you to get more positive, do that. You are meant to know your maker. This series is only about love. Do it that way.
Deepak Chopra observes in his book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, that desperate striving isn’t necessary or even desirable. To the contrary, this law says that in order to acquire anything in the physical universe, you have to relinquish your attachment to it.
This doesn’t mean that you must give up the intention to create your desire.
You give up your attachment to the result.
This is a very powerful thing to do.
The moment you relinquish your attachment to the result, combining one-pointed intention with detachment at the same time, you will have that which you desire. Anything you want can be acquired through detachment, because detachment is based on the unquestioning belief in the power of your true Self. Attachment comes from poverty consciousness, because attachment is always to symbols.
From his book, “The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success“ — Chopra lays out another of seven laws of spiritual success — The Law of Detachment — one each day is recommended.
If you’d like, open the series from its beginning point or continue along here, the sixth day in the series. Each skill builds on the previous skill.
Detachment is synonymous with wealth consciousness, because with detachment there is freedom to create. True wealth consciousness is the ability to have anything you want, anytime you want, and with least effort.
In detachment lies the wisdom of uncertainty . . . in the wisdom of uncertainty lies the freedom from our past, from the known, which is the prison of past conditioning. And in our willingness to step into the unknown, the field of all possibilities, we surrender ourselves to the creative mind that orchestrates the dance of the universe.
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Put the Law of Detachment into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
1. Today I will commit myself to detachment. I will allow myself and those around me the freedom to be as they are. I will not rigidly impose my idea of how things should be. I will not force solutions on problems, thereby creating new problems. I will participate in everything with detached involvement.
2. Today I will factor in uncertainty as an essential ingredient of my experience. In my willingness to accept uncertainty, solutions will spontaneously emerge out of the problem, out of the confusion, disorder, and chaos. The more uncertain things seem to be, the more secure I will feel, because uncertainty is my path to freedom. Through the wisdom of uncertainty, I will find my security.
3. I will step into the field of all possibilities and anticipate the excitement that can occur when I remain open to an infinity of choices. When I step into the field of all possibilities, I will experience all the fun, adventure, magic, and mystery of life.
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December is self-improvement month at this blog — let’s all get in touch with our best true selves and make this our month to end the year at our best. I’ll feature lots of content to improve the inner and outer us. Check back frequently.
From his book, “The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success“ — Chopra lays out another of seven laws of spiritual success — The Law of Intention — practicing one each day is recommended.
If you’d like, open the series from its beginning point or continue along here, the fifth day in the series.
Everything we do and think affects the people in our lives and their reactions in turn affect others. Getting every day grounded in a solution for my whole self is essential, I think. Thus, I declared for myself that December is a month for self-improvements. Thanks for looking in on my blog. I hope this post is helpful for you personally or someone that you know.
There is always abundant energy and information necessary for creating. We are so fortunate of being capable to accept training of our minds to become consciously aware of the abundance of energy and information. The lesson today is about tuning toward this energy and information to accept the tremendous enlightenment of effortless living in abundance.
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The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra
The seven spiritual laws aren’t difficult or mysterious but are easy to understand and to apply. Dedicate each day of the week to one of the seven spiritual laws. Develop a daily practice in which you meditate or take a few moments to quiet your mind, and then read the spiritual law of the day and practice applying it throughout the day.
The Law of Intention (and desire) Inherent in every intention and desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment . . . intention and desire in the field of pure potentiality have infinite organizing power. And when we introduce an intention in the fertile ground of pure potentiality, we put this infinite organizing power to work for us.
This law is based on the fact that energy and information exist everywhere in nature. A flower, a rainbow, a tree, a human body, when broken down to their essential components are energy and information. The whole universe, in its essential nature, is the movement of energy and information. The only difference between you and a tree is the informational and energy content of your respective bodies. You can consciously change the energy and informational content of your own quantum mechanical body, and therefore influence the energy and informational content of your extended body—your environment, your world—and cause things to manifest in it. Intention lays the groundwork for the effortless, spontaneous, frictionless flow of pure potentiality.
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Put the Law of Intention into effect making a commitment to the following steps:
1. I will make a list of all my desires. I will carry this list with me wherever I go. I will look at this list before I go into my silence and meditation. I will look at it before I go to sleep at night. I will look at it when I wake up in the morning.
2. I will release this list of my desires and surrender it to the womb of creation, trusting that when things don’t seem to go my way, there is a reason, and that the cosmic plan has designs for me much grander than even those I have conceived.
3. I will remind myself to practice present-moment awareness in all my actions. I will refuse to allow obstacles to consume and dissipate the quality of my attention in the present moment. I will accept the present as it is, and manifest the future through my deepest, most cherished intentions and desires.
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Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Longevity and Health with Deepak Chopra The Atlantic Meets the Pacific 2013
Steve Clemons (re book: Super Brain)
conference interview (begins at 2:10)
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December is self-improvement month at this blog — let’s all get in touch with our best true selves and make this our month to end the year at our best. I’ll feature lots of content to improve the inner and outer us. Check back frequently.
“Get out of your head and into the moment.”
~ Eckhart Tolle
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This post is from work
by Eckhart Tolle
“The past has no power over the present moment.”
What does this mean?
Observe Your Mind Do you complain about yourself, for example, how useless you are? When you hear in your mind repetitive thoughts, you may realize, “I’ve been thinking these same thoughts again and again (almost every day lately) without really knowing it.” Allowing futile regrets, hurts and resentments, bitterness and frustrations to dominate the present moment closes us off from living enjoyably. The repetition of negative thoughts destroy joy, happiness, peace of mind — serenity. We need to stop harming ourselves.
Distinguish Between the Voice of Ego and the Actual Situation Becoming free of destructive ego thoughts comes by way of a dawning of new awareness, first of the happening of this and next by taking action that is freeing. It is in these moments that you realize that your thoughts — and the negative emotions they produce — are dysfunctional. They are unnecessary. You were irritated by what your ego-mind began telling you about a situation. Perhaps instead, you could actually be enjoying that moment. This is the dawning of a new awareness.
Let Go of Limiting Stories We devise and cling on to fairy tales of supposed happiness. We hold on also to futile regrets. Its time to let go and to focus instead on what is actually happening; without judgment.
Bring In Your Awareness When you see the difference between your voice and the reality of the situation, that’s the moment of awakening. Recognizing that the torturous thinking is unnecessary is freeing of itself.
Lay Down Your Defenses Your challenge will be to become more aligned internally with the present moment and of making choices of neutrality in the present moment. Fighting with your ego by self-will just makes the ego stronger. Surrender to being present. Coming into enjoyment will follow from this with practice. Take time in the morning and at night before retiring to enjoy some freedom from the ego mind.
The following are helpful recordings and lessons by Eckhart Tolle.
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Eckhart Tolle – Silence and Stillness from ‘Stillness Speaks’ by Eckhart Tolle Stillness is your essential nature. What is stillness? The inner space or awareness in which the words on this page are being perceived and become thoughts. Without that awareness, there would be no perception, no thoughts, no world. You are that awareness, disguised as a person. When you lose touch with inner stillness, you lose touch with yourself. When you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world. Your innermost sense of self, of who you are, is inseparable from stillness. This is the I Am that is deeper than name and form.
The equivalent of external noise is the inner noise of thinking. The equivalent of external silence is inner stillness. Whenever there is some silence around you — listen to it. That means just notice it. Pay attention to it. Listening to silence awakens the dimension of stillness within yourself, because it is only through stillness that you can be aware of silence. See that in the moment of noticing the silence around you, you are not thinking. You are aware, but not thinking.
When you become aware of silence, immediately there is that state of inner still alertness. You are present. You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective human conditioning.
Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness.
When you look at a tree and perceive its stillness, you become still yourself. You connect with it at a very deep level. You feel a oneness with whatever you perceive in and through stillness. Feeling the oneness of yourself with all things is true love.
Silence is helpful, but you don’t need it in order to find stillness. Even when there is noise, you can be aware of the stillness underneath the noise, of the space in which the noise arises. That is the inner space of pure awareness, consciousness itself.
You can become aware of awareness as the background to all your sense perceptions, all your thinking. Becoming aware of awareness is the arising of inner stillness.
Any disturbing noise can be as helpful as silence. How? By dropping your inner resistance to the noise, by allowing it to be as it is, this acceptance also takes you into that realm of inner peace that is stillness.
Whenever you deeply accept this moment as it is — no matter what form it takes — you are still, you are at peace.
Pay attention to the gap — the gap between two thoughts, the brief, silent space between words in a conversation, between the notes of a piano or flute, or the gap between the in-breath and out-breath.
When you pay attention to those gaps, awareness of “something” becomes — just awareness. The formless dimension of pure consciousness arises from within you and replaces identification with form.
True intelligence operates silently. Stillness is where creativity and solutions to problems are found.
Is stillness just the absence of noise and content? No, it is intelligence itself — the underlying consciousness out of which every form is born. And how could that be separate from who you are? The form that you think you are came out of that and is being sustained by it.
It is the essence of all galaxies and blades of grass; of all flowers, trees, birds, and all other forms.
Stillness is the only thing in this world that has no form. But then, it is not really a thing, and it is not of this world.
When you look at a tree or a human being in stillness, who is looking? Something deeper than the person. Consciousness is looking at its creation.
In the Bible, it says that God created the world and saw that it was good. That is what you are to see when you look from stillness without thought.
Do you need more knowledge? Is more information going to save the world, or faster computers, more scientific or intellectual analysis? Is it not wisdom that humanity needs most at this time?
But what is wisdom and where is it to be found? Wisdom comes with the ability to be still. Just look and just listen. The truth will come to you as needed. No more effort is needed. Being still, looking, and listening activates non-conceptual intelligence within you. Let this stillness direct your words and actions. You will grow in this wisdom in time. It will be with you and you will be enjoyment.
This post continues to cover another of Chopra’s seven laws of spiritual success that are detailed in his book, “The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success“ — practicing one each day is recommended. If you’d like, open the series from its beginning point or continue along here, the fourth day in the series.
Many of us grew up with the belief that achieving success requires relentless hard work, grim determination and intense ambition. As a result, we may have struggled for years and even reached some of our goals but wound up feeling exhausted, our lives out of balance. Such desperate striving isn’t necessary or even desirable. In the natural world, creation comes forth with ease. A seed doesn’t struggle to become a tree―it simply unfolds in grace.
The seven spiritual laws aren’t difficult or mysterious but are easy to understand and to apply. Dedicate each day of the week to one of the seven spiritual laws. Develop a daily practice in which you meditate or take a few moments to quiet your mind, and then read the spiritual law of the day and practice applying it throughout the day.
The Law of Least Effort Nature’s intelligence functions with effortless ease . . . with carefreeness, harmony, and love. And when we harness the forces of harmony, joy, and love, we create success and good fortune with effortless ease.
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Put the Law of Least Effort into effect making a
commitment to the following steps:
1. Practice Acceptance. Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur. I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. I will not struggle against the whole universe by struggling against this moment. My acceptance is total and complete. I accept things as they are this moment, not as I wish they were.
2. Having accepted things as they are, take responsibility for any and all those events that seem to be problems. I know that taking responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for my situation (and this includes myself). I also know that every problem is an opportunity in disguise, and this alertness to opportunities allows me to take this moment and transform it into a greater benefit.
3. Today my awareness will remain established in Defenselessness. I will relinquish the need to defend my point of view. I will feel no need to convince or persuade others to accept my point of view. I will remain open to all points of view and not be rigidly attached to any one of them.
December is self-improvement month at this blog — let’s all get in touch with our best true selves and make this our month to end the year at our best. I’ll feature lots of content to improve the inner and outer us. Check back frequently.
“How do I feel” and “What do I need?” keeps things nice and simple – what is in the way of my joy? Am I okay with what I am doing, saying, feeling — whatever it takes — take the little bit of action that gets me out of my defeat — life can become a jumble of conflicts if that is what I allow the ego-mind to make of the present. Someone once said “Life is a gift – enjoy the present.” or was it: “Today is a gift – that’s why we call it a present.” I’m presently working on what Karol Ward is writing about in this reblogged post. I enjoyed reading it and I decided to follow http://bringingupbuddhas.com/ too. ~ Eric
Unexpressed emotional needs are like a stream that gets blocked by fallen branches forming a dam. Eventually the water behind the dam finds its way over or around the blockage and the stream continues on. When you don’t acknowledge what you need, either to yourself or to another person, the emotions don’t go away. They either get expressed indirectly or can show up in your body as physical symptoms: headaches, ulcers, teeth-grinding, etc. These painful physical signals show the effort the body goes through to manage unexpressed feelings.
As a side note, I do want to clarify that some physical symptoms are not emotionally based, and all should be discussed with your medical or wellness practitioner.
In my experience as a therapist, unexpressed emotions continue to knock at the door of our conscious minds, waiting to be released. Maybe your needs to have more rest, more fun or to get support are being ignored. Perhaps…
This post covers Chopra’s Law of Cause and Effect from his seven laws of spiritual success that are detailed in his book, “The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success“ — practicing one each day is recommended. If you’d like, open the series from its beginning point or continue along here, the third day in the series.
Law of Cause and Effect This is commonly understood even in the West as Karma. “Karma” is both action and the consequence of that action; it is cause and effect simultaneously, because every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in kind.
Everyone recalls the expression, “What you sow is what you reap.” If we want to create happiness in our lives, we must learn to sow the seeds of happiness.
We must become consciously aware that the future is generated by the choices we are making in every moment of life.
Do this on a regular basis, making full use of this law. The more you bring your choices into conscious awareness, the more you will make those choices which are spontaneously correct — both for you and for those around you.
The energy flow of life is a harmonious interaction of all the elements and forces that structure the field of existence — that maintain reality. Because your body and your mind and the universe are in constant and dynamic change, stopping the circulation of energy is like stopping the flow of blood. Whenever blood stops flowing, it begins to clot, to stagnate. That is why you must give and receive in order to keep anything you want circulating in your life. Thus, the more you give, the more you will receive.
Deepak Chopra defines success as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals. This definition is quite different to society’s rules for success, which is almost always connected to material gain or external recognition. Although these things are often the result of success, it is by no means the cause or even the definition of success.
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The abundance of the universe is circulating in our lives. When choosing actions that bring happiness and success to others, the result is that happiness and success abound.
Here are three steps for putting the Law into effect:
1. Today I will witness the choices I make in each moment. And in the mere witnessing of these choices, I will bring them to my conscious awareness. I will know that the best way to prepare for any moment in the future is to be fully conscious in the present.
2. Whenever I make a choice, I will ask myself two questions: “What are the consequences of this choice that I’m making?” and “Will this choice bring fulfillment and happiness to me and also to those who are affected by this choice?”
3. I will then ask my heart for guidance and be guided by its message of comfort or discomfort. If the choice feels comfortable, I will plunge ahead with abandon. If the choice feels uncomfortable, I will pause and see the consequences of my action with my inner vision. This guidance will enable me to make spontaneously correct choices for myself and for all those around me.
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The Secret of Creativity
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Program Description
Deepak Chopra explores the dynamics of a creative life and relationship of creativity and age (we don’t have to lose imagination as we grow older). How do you keep your creative spirit alive even as you progress further into adulthood? Rediscover plasticity.
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You’ll possibly enjoy the debate and comments in “what danger?” where Chopra and Dawkins debate on consciousness and the origin of mankind and so on.
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December is self-improvement month at this blog — let’s all get in touch with our best true selves and make this our month to end the year at our best. I’ll feature lots of content to improve the inner and outer us. Check back frequently.
On being in the world, but not of the world
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
John 18:36
Consciousness is the origin; the source of all that is.
Consciousness is the quality or state of awareness, or, of being aware of an external object or something within oneself. French philosopher René Descartes proposed the notion of “I think, therefore I am” claiming that the act of thinking about one’s existence proves there is someone there to do the thinking. Descartes believed that mind is separate body—there is a mind-body duality—and these interweave in the brain’s pineal gland. I don’t know how Descartes made a case of this. However, today, we are able to determine via scans and scientific inquiry to make a case that humans project their own individualized reality by a complex process that involves everything of the body from the quantum information that is the essence of all matter to the complex brain and even our hearts and gut we may believe play an important part in our consciousness.
This post includes video and I’ll be adding links and additional information in the comments section.
Program Description
Our existence and everything we experience is dependent on our consciousness. But what is consciousness? Using animations, Deepak Chopra addresses the age-old question of what conceives, governs, constructs, and becomes the universe around us.
THE RABBIT HOLE features fast-paced and mind-blowing explorations of BIG questions – What is death? Who is God? Is life an illusion? Are we alone in the universe? Using visually-stunning graphics and music, we fall down the rabbit hole as Deepak Chopra provides his unique and intriguing take on some of humanity’s eternal questions.
THE CHOPRA WELL is a new Youtube channel created to encourage people to live healthier, fuller lives and to be more aware.
Deepak, Mallika and Gotham Chopra, as well as many other friends and experts, join together in this inspiring project for personal and global transformation. The channel features daily shows about wellness, healthy living, spirituality, humor, and much more. Please show your support and subscribe to our channel!
(its free): http://bit.ly/M5z254
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December is self-improvement month at this blog — let’s all get in touch with our best true selves and make this our month to end the year at our best. I’ll feature lots of content to improve the inner and outer us. Check back frequently.
This post covers Chopra’s Law of Giving from his seven laws of spiritual success that are detailed in his book, “The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success“ — practicing one each day is recommended.
If you’d like, open the series from its beginning point or continue along here, the second day in the series.
Law of Giving Energy exchange appears to be the single most important and central law of all because everything directly or indirectly needs appropriate exchanges or transfers of energy for either sustainability or to grow/expand. The universe operates through dynamic exchange — flow of matter and energy.
The flow of life is nothing other than the harmonious interaction of all the elements and forces that structure the field of existence. Because your body and your mind and the universe are in constant and dynamic change, stopping the circulation of energy is like stopping the flow of blood. Whenever blood stops flowing, it begins to clot, to stagnate. That is why you must give and receive in order to keep wealth and affluence—or anything you want—circulating in your life. Thus, the more you give, the more you will receive.
Deepak Chopra defines success as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals. This definition is quite different to society’s rules for success, which is almost always connected to material gain or external recognition. Although these things are often the result of success, it is by no means the cause or even the definition of success.
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The following are Chopra’s three steps for the willingness to give that which we seek — the abundance of the universe that is circulating in our lives.
1. Wherever I go, and whomever I encounter, I will bring them a gift. The gift may be a compliment, a flower, or a prayer. Today, I will give something to everyone I come into contact with, and so I will begin the process of circulating joy, wealth and affluence in my life and in the lives of others.
2. Today I will gratefully receive all the gifts that life has to offer me. I will receive the gifts of nature: sunlight and the sound of birds singing, or spring showers or the first snow of winter. I will also be open to receiving from others, whether it be in the form of a material gift, money, a compliment or a prayer.
3. I will make a commitment to keep wealth circulating in my life by giving and receiving life’s most precious gifts: the gifts of caring, affection, appreciation and love. Each time I meet someone, I will silently wish them happiness, joy and laughter.
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You’ll possibly enjoy the debate and comments in “what danger?” where Chopra and Dawkins debate on consciousness and the origin of mankind and so on.
December is self-improvement month at this blog — let’s all get in touch with our best true selves and make this our month to end the year at our best. I’ll feature lots of content to improve the inner and outer us. Check back frequently.
There is always abundant energy and information necessary for creating joy and happiness, peace and serenity. We are so fortunate of being capable to accept training of our minds to become consciously aware of this abundance.
From Deepak Chopra’s book, “The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success“ — this is the first of the seven laws of spiritual success — The Law of Pure Potentiality — practicing one each day is recommended.
If you’d like an
introduction,
the series begins here: Spiritual Laws
Law of Pure Potentiality This law is based on the fact that we are, in our essential state, pure consciousness. Pure consciousness is pure potentiality; it is the field of all possibilities and infinite creativity. When you discover your essential nature and know who you really are, in that knowing itself is the ability to fulfill any dream you have, because you are the eternal possibility, the immeasurable potential of all that was, is and will be. One way to access the field is through the daily practice of silence, meditation and non-judgment. Spending time in nature will also give you access to the qualities inherent in the field: infinite creativity, freedom and bliss.
Deepak Chopra defines success as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals. This definition is quite different to society’s rules for success, which is almost always connected to material gain or external recognition. Although these things are often the result of success, it is by no means the cause or even the definition of success.
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1. I will get in touch with the field of pure potentiality by taking time each day to be silent, to just Be. I will also sit alone in silent meditation at least twice a day for approximately thirty minutes in the morning and thirty minutes in the evening.
2. I will take time each day to commune with nature and to silently witness the intelligence within every living thing. I will sit silently and watch a sunset, or listen to the sound of the ocean or a stream, or simply smell the scent of a flower. In the ecstasy of my own silence, and by communing with nature, I will enjoy the life throb of ages, the field of pure potentiality and unbounded creativity.
3. I will practice non-judgment. I will begin my day with the statement, “Today, I shall judge nothing that occurs,” and throughout the day I will remind myself not to judge.
This post is from Chopra’s book,
“The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success“
Practicing one each day is recommended.
Deepak Chopra about resting and playing:
Rest and play are not luxuries. It is part of our destiny to simply be. It is becoming more understood that play, rest, rejuvenation and celebration cultivate and inspire some of our best ideas.
When we are relaxing and playing, we are engaged in the here and now and more open to the ideas that come to us from pure consciousness. When we let go and have fun, we release all sense of ego and all the ‘shoulds’ that can creep into our lives. Opening the door for the creative spirit to flourish.
Play is so important in helping us find our true purpose in life. When we dance through life like children, engaged in activities that truly delight us, we open our minds and hearts to the essence of pure consciousness. When we play, we lose all track of time and are absorbed completely in the present moment.
Our best creative ideas come to us when we are delighted. Our minds are free to roam and explore. We are wide open and the world is at our feet – ours to enjoy.
Rest is equally important. As a society, we tend to be chronically sleep deprived and sometimes even proud of it since it indicates a busy life and total dedication to our work. But true dedication requires balancing the brain for optimal performance which includes rest in the form of sleep, and spending time in meditation. Connecting with the stillness of meditation, playfully engaging with nature, life and those around us, and making sure that we get adequate sleep are the perfect recipe for self care. These practices recharge and revitalize us, paving the way for creative inspiration and truth to enter our lives.
You’ll possibly enjoy the debate and comments in “what danger?” where Chopra and Dawkins debate on consciousness and the origin of mankind and so on.
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December is self-improvement month at this blog — let’s all get in touch with our best true selves and make this our month to end the year at our best. I’ll feature lots of content to improve the inner and outer us. Check back frequently.
If with stillness in peaceful serenity I may get it that…
1) Parallel with every perception of conditions, people, or situations that appear ‘wrong, bad or evil’ — there probably always is a deeper good. Deeper good reveals itself both within us and out there if we can come into an inner acceptance of what is.
2) No matter how comfortable we may be, there will always be dissolving of form. The madness of suffering brings about openings — loss must appear — don’t resist this — acceptance is essential for growth.
3) Form is temporary. However, growth while in form is essential for true self to come into or to maintain an alignment in the wholeness of living — live as if whatever suffering may occur is completely acceptable.
Its a process. Take time now to contemplate this process.
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Program Description
Eckhart Tolle points us toward the deeper dimensions of stillness we access when we’re no longer in the service of the thinking mind. When loss appears in your life, don’t resist it. Resisting contracts consciousness by actions of looking out for number one and inventing enemies to oppose; by resisting and excluding. Accept what is. Even if this means accepting that you cannot accept what is. See what happens when allowing acceptance. Resistance and excluding and resenting and so on is always uncomfortable and often is painful. Accepting and exploring suffering is a way to disengage the ego and to become again open and thus for consciousness to again expand — not my will but thy will be done, my God.
Grateful — its a privilege to live — I believe that the consciousness that provide the source of intelligence is always enjoying the universe. This is not just another day — it’s a gift. Gratefulness. Thanks Shaun. ~ Eric
Program Description New discoveries may change the way we think about everything from our personal relationships to civilization itself. Gregg Braden discusses how the world has been built on false assumptions that originate in a time that is no more — and how important it is now to reconnect to who we really are and to redefine our relationship to the earth and to others.
Gregg often discusses need for a transition from traditional Western — thinking — to making decisions from the heart. Greg teaches that belief waves emanate from our hearts when we align thought, emotion and feelings — properly putting this puzzle together to come into acceptance that the experiences are blessings. He says that the heart has no ego. Thus, our strength is in finding ways to view experiences through the heart without concluding as the ego may be inclined to do that what has happened is good or bad, or right or wrong.
What about negative feelings, emotions, and beliefs and how these experiences of negativity affect what we are? Are you able to count every experience as a blessing — even the uncomfortable experiences?
We may feel whatever it is that the universe gives us to feel. The challenge of negative emotions is to acknowledge the feelings are signs of something of the universe that is inviting examination. They are otherwise problems that if unresolved become experiences that attract negativity. Willingness to fully acknowledge uncomfortable experiences as a blessing is powerfully transformational.
Why do I feel this way? What is this saying that it feels uncomfortable? What was I thinking? What emotion is this? Can I bless the things that hurt me? Can I see each experience as a blessing?
When thought, feelings, and emotion are aligned, there is a doorway that opens; the power to create. The key is willingness to examine the thought, emotion and feelings and to feel blessed and peaceful acceptance. Creating in joy follows from this.
Deep In Love With You live at the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.
I hope that this song and a few quiet moments in your day may awaken the stirrings of true love in your heart.
When I take one moment for myself I am lost. When I take one step in surrender, I am found.
As I listen to this song, I am reminded of the struggle, but I am living in loving surrender. God is unlike a mortal person. I know from experience that when I sacrifice myself into humility that I become an effective loving man and that my friends and family notice this.
I am learning by my surrender to the deep love of God that I am a peaceful sanctuary for love.
Willingness is but a small step to make. In one moment, any of us may make that small step. He requires only this small step.
When the sci-fi film “The Matrix” first hit theaters back in 1999, it inspired a whole new generation of amateur philosophers to ponder whether the world really is as it appears. In the film, sentient machines have subdued humanity by plugging everyone’s brains into a sophisticatedcomputer network that convinces them to believe in a simulated reality.
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The film is a play on a philosophical conundrum as old as philosophy itself: How can we know whether the world really is how we perceive it to be?
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Now a group of physicists led by Silas Beane of the University of Washington think they have accomplished what centuries of philosophy could not,according to Discover. They believe they have discovered a solution to this age-old mystery. Or at least, they believe they have devised a test that can determine, once and for all, whether we live in a computer simulation like the one in “The Matrix” or not.
Their proposed experiment has been deemed the “cosmic ray test.” It assumes that any simulation of the universe would need to be constructed out of a lattice, or grid, much as television images are built from pixels. The researchers then calculated that such a simulation would require that the fastest particles — or cosmic rays — would always bombard the Earth with a maximum energy amount.
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Beane and colleagues surmise that if we do indeed observe a maximum energy amount for the cosmic rays that bombard the Earth, that this should provide confirmation that we really are living in a simulation. (In case you’re wondering, this is what has been observed: cosmic rays always arrive at Earth with a specific maximum energy of about 1020 electron volts.)
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So does that decide it then? Is Beane’s experiment proof that we’re living in a simulated universe? Beane himself doesn’t think it matters one way or another: “Learning we live in a simulation would make no more difference to my life than believing that the universe was seeded at the Big Bang,” he suggested. To him, the issue is a mere scientific curiosity.
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Philosophers aren’t likely to be so easily sated, however. Beane’s test makes a lot of unnecessary assumptions. For instance, it assumes that any simulation of the universe would need to be constructed from a lattice or grid. Perhaps our supergenius simulator overlords have discovered some more advanced way of constructing a simulation.
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Beane’s test also can’t rule out the possibility that the universe might actually happen to function like a latticed simulation. In other words, it’s possible that reality and simulated reality are simply perceptively indistinguishable. If such were the case, then no test would suffice. We’d be right back at square one — a place where the scientist must, incontrovertibly, give way to the philosopher.
Did Jesus tell us not to learn from each other?
I’m actually sure that Jesus told us to love one another.
So, what about learning from one another?
Program Description Krista Tippett is a journalist, author and the creator and host of the public radio program On Being which discusses and debates the big questions of human life.
In this episode of Epiphany, Krista Tippett talks about the beauty and mystery in science and religion and how they go hand-in-hand, not head-to-head.
Here is her vision for the show (Let’s Talk About Religion):
Thanks for learning with me. Come back often because there is lots more to learn.
How do thoughts occur?
Well, it turns out that no one exactly knows.However, there is evidence that thought originates from our source… not the brain… no, our energy source.
Watch these video clips and then, let’s talk about it.
Before you experience a conscious thought, there are unconscious brain processes at work behind the scenes that must generate the thought. We know this, but we do not yet have a solid idea regarding what it is about brain function that gives rise to a thought.
One important point to keep in mind regarding any functions of consciousness in the brain is that, even if consciousness serves no functional role whatsoever (as some say), science must explain what consciousness is and how it is part of the natural world.
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Eric
Eric
The second commitment is: I am going to discover my unique talents, and finding my unique talents, I am going to enjoy myself, because the process of enjoyment occurs when I go into timeless awareness. That’s when I am in a state of bliss.
This doesn’t mean that you must give up the intention to create your desire.
1. I will make a list of all my desires. I will carry this list with me wherever I go. I will look at this list before I go into my silence and meditation. I will look at it before I go to sleep at night. I will look at it when I wake up in the morning.
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Photo: 
However, there is evidence that thought originates from our source… not the brain… no, our energy source.
the Hunt for Truth 