Religion was created by human cultures to assist those who are born into those cultures in knowing and understanding that there is an ever-present source of help in times of need, strength in times of challenge, clarity in times of confusion, and compassion in times of pain
One way to achieve being centered is to look into your own eyes in a mirror. This is an incredibly powerful tool. The trick is to not turn away if this deep looking becomes uncomfortable. If you are able to hold your own gaze for more than a count of ten, you will begin to experience such compassion and love for yourself that you will almost not know what to do with that feeling.
It could be very difficult for you to take in this feeling if you are not used to loving yourself-and most people, sadly, are not. Just be with the feeling and embrace it.
Continue looking deeply and more deeply into your own eyes. If you use a hand mirror, you can be sitting when you do this. Now all at once, after looking deeply into your own eyes for as long as you can, simply and quickly close your eyes-and be with the feeling that follows. Very often you will feel merged with the Essence. This could last only a moment-or for the rest of the day.
Elevate addictions to preferences and preferences to acceptancesThe next time you imagine that you need something, ask yourself:"Why do I think I need this?"
It is freedom in seven words.
Feeling is the language of the soul."If you want to know what's true for you about something, look to how you're feeling about it."
Start with the flickering of a candle. Look at the candle, look at the flame, see what you notice about it, stare deeply into it. Be with the flame. Don't think about it. Be with it. After a bit, your eyes will want to close. They will become heavy, fuzzy. Now, when it feels like you want to close your eyes, just close them. Don't think about it. Just let them fall shut by themselves. They'll do this quite naturally if you don't fight to keep them open.
you are now limiting your sensory input. This is good.
Now, begin listening to your breathing. Focus on your breath. Especially, listen to your breathing in. Listening to your self stops you from listening to everything else. This is when great ideas come. When you listen to your inbreath, you are listening to your inspiration.
Now, focus your inner vision. For once you have inspiration, it will bring you great "in-sight." Focus this insight on the space in the middle of your forehead, just above your eyes.
Place your attention there. Look deeply there. Don't look expecting to see something. Look at the nothing, at the no-thing. Be with the darkness. Do not strive to see anything. relax, and be content with the peace of emptiness. Empty is good. Creation cannot come except into the void. Enjoy, then, the emptiness. Expect nothing more, want nothing more.
If your mind keeps filling with thoughts, just watch that, make that okay. As the thoughts pop in, just step back and observe that this is happening. Do not think about it, just notice it. Do not think about what you are thinking about. Just step back and notice it. Don't judge it. Don't get frustrated by it. Don't start talking to yourself about it, like, "well, here we go again! All I get is thoughts! When do I get to the nothingness?"`
You can't get to the nothingness by continually complaining that you are not there. When a thought pops in-some extraneous thought about nothing in particular, having nothing to do with the moment -just notice that. Notice that, and bless it, and make it part of the experience. Don't dwell on it. It's part of the passing parade. Let it pass.
Do the same thing with sounds or feelings. You may notice that you never hear as many sounds as when you are trying to experience total stillness. You may notice that you never have as much trouble feeling comfortable as when you are trying to sit totally comfortably. Just notice this. Step back one level and watch yourself noticing this. Include all of this as part of your experience. But don't dwell on it. It's part of the passing parade. Let it pass.
In this will you find great peace. What a relief. Nothing to want, nothing to do, nothing to be, except exactly what you are being right now.
Let go. Let it be.
But keep looking . Not anxiously, not expectantly. Just . . . keeping a gentle watch. Needing to see nothing . . .ready to see anything.
