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A HANDBOOK FOR HUMANITY

I think of the Yoga Sutras as sort of a handbook for humanity: an experiential discipline intended to reduce human suffering – and if we’re lucky, to find the most powerful, purposeful force on earth: faith.

Patanjali outlines the nature of the environment we exist in, the science of how the human mind functions, and most importantly, the distinction between mind and consciousness – all of which we can readily verify.

Behind the empirical “here’s how it works, and here’s a path to mitigate your suffering”, there’s an implied hypothesis and proof. The hypothesis is that there’s a part of each of us that’s essentially divine. The proof is in the physical and mental practices he lays out (kriya & ashtanga yoga practices).

In short, he challenges us to accept that there’s an aspect of ourselves (consciousness) that:

  • is completely intangible, timeless, immutable, and unalterable;
  • doesn’t function or age;
  • can’t be explained by science the way our tangible, functioning body and mind can be;
  • is not subject to the vagaries of time and space;
  • is utterly, infallibly, eternally perfect.

There’s literally a world of difference between the awareness OF our thoughts (evidence of consciousness), and our thoughts themselves (evidence of our conscious, thinking mind).

Patanjali implies: Skeptical? Fine. Prove it to yourself; here’s how: tie your body and mind in knots for as long as it takes; eventually, you’ll recognize that your consciousness can not be affected by anything; that it’s literally indestructible (yet without it, we wouldn’t even realize we’re alive).

Patanjali says “When that realization ‘clicks’, you’ll know it – and your life will forever change.” Life changes because that realization gives birth to complete faith in the existence of something else “unearthly”: the source of consciousness, or what I refer to as “God”.

To me, Patanjali’s Yoga isn’t a philosophy as much as it is a path to salvation from suffering. Unfortunately, that perspective can’t be taught, gifted or in any way transferred from one of us to another. As one of my teachers says, trying to do so is akin to literally trying to get someone else to see through my eyes. But faith won’t let me stop trying!

God bless, Allan 🙏❤️🕉

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SHE STOOD HER GROUND AS HER DAUGHTER DROVE STRAIGHT AT HER

That was one of a myriad of real-life horror stories shared at the second in a series of presentations on living with addiction, held last night at the Marblehead library. The series is free to the public, sponsored by a local charity, the 3 Voices. The next presentation will be held on June 4.

Her daughter was frantic – consumed and fueled physically, mentally and emotionally by her disease. Her mother was willing to sacrifice her own life to prevent her from using again. At the last second she swerved and the car ended up on the sidewalk.

What causes someone to purposefully almost kill a parent? Drug addiction.

 

[The statistics are staggering. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 19.7 million American adults (aged 12 and older) – that’s 6% of us! – battled a substance use disorder in 2017.]

What causes someone to literally defy death? Love and faith.

 

Which is more powerful? Right. Addiction can’t be overcome with serenity, courage and wisdom alone; it takes love and faith.

Love is natural; we don’t need to “do” anything to be affected by it – though as my teacher said yesterday, it’s often easier to do the right thing for someone we love than ourselves. [Keep reading; thankfully, faith engenders love for oneself.]

Faith, or complete trust in something that can’t be proven, isn’t natural; it’s typically inspired in moments of utter despair and hopelessness when we are forced to admit that without it we can’t go on.

But there is an alternative, easier, more mundane path to finding faith; ironically, it’s a science.

It’s an ancient practice of self-awareness; specifically, understanding how our minds function, and more importantly, recognizing the distinction between our functioning mind (evidenced by our thoughts), and our consciousness (evidenced by the awareness OF our thoughts).

Consciousness – your awareness – is eternal. It literally never changes. Nothing affects it. While what you’re aware of changes constantly, your awareness itself never does. Science can’t explain it, yet you KNOW it’s real since without it, you wouldn’t realize you’re alive!

The realization that an aspect of you is unaffected by anything – and that it isn’t “born” and doesn’t “die” in the same sense that our body and mind eventually will – sparks faith in the existence of something beyond human comprehension, something that can’t be proven, something essentially divine: the source of our consciousness.

Practice self-awareness. Learn to distinguish between your perpetually changing thoughts, and your immutable awareness OF them.

 

The spark of faith will come as an “Aha moment”. Once ignited, faith can’t be extinguished – and you will forever be blessed with the most powerful force on earth!

God bless all of us; especially the families of those suffering from the scourge of addiction.

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Train Your Mind

The link below has several more contained within it. A couple talk about the mechanics of meditating: sitting upright & still, breathing rhythmically, and focusing on something preferably inside yourself (like the mechanics & sensations of breathing) – but the common theme throughout is self-awareness which yogis practice all day, every day.

Self-awareness in this context refers to the recognition of having – and discerning between – three invisible parts: your conscious “thinking” mind, sub-conscious “doing” mind, and consciousness itself.

Bottom line: your “thinking” mind can literally only think one thought at a time (yes, we multi-task, but not with this aspect of ourselves). Doubtful? Try simultaneously counting and reciting the alphabet. Not going to happen.

Want to “see” your sub-conscious “doing” mind in action? Recite the alphabet and dance around, or fold laundry, or do the dishes, take a shower – any action. Since your thinking mind can literally only do one thing at a time, everything you’re doing other than reciting the alphabet is evidence of your naturally sub-conscious mind in action. When it clicks it’ll freak you out; it’s as if our bodies move on their own!

Consciousness is the holy grail of this practice. Your awareness is exactly the same today as the day you were born. While our thoughts change constantly, our awareness OF them never does. Once you realize there’s a part of you that literally NEVER changes, it’ll freak you out! Never changes = eternal. This is where the spiritual aspect of the discipline kicks in.

Without awareness (aka consciousness), our body and mind would still function – we just wouldn’t know it!

What’s the practical point of all this? 1) being able to mute the voice in your head at will can be tremendously advantageous – especially under pressure, and 2) when the nature of your own awareness dawns – and you realize that part of you is immutable – well, tangible things like desire and anger begin to fade away.

Here’s the link, feel free to ask me anything you want – I LOVE THIS!

https://www.rajamarblehead.com/2018/06/14/meditation-tips-for-beginners/

Best, Allan ❤️😊🕉

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KNOCKED OUT

Pats fans just saw the immediate results of a concussion: a wobbly head and “woozy“ unsteady walk. 

A commentator said, “[after a few minutes, you] get a little of your awareness back”. 

Apparently, when you get a concussion from a whack on the noggin, the “outer”, “energetically densest”, “thinking”, conscious aspect of your invisible mind gets “knocked out of gear” or interrupted – knocking your otherwise sub-conscious mind into full awareness. 

I’ve not had a concussion (might explain a lot), but it sounds like getting the wind knocked out of your lungs.

In that moment of instantaneous internal shock – an instant that feels suspended and more and more protracted – all you’re aware of is your inability to draw breath. 

You slowly regain a clearer sense or state of awareness (i.e., your conscious, thinking mind “catches again”, or comes back into awareness) as the distress is either relieved – or literally renders you unconscious. 

Tough way to experience your sub-conscious mind up close and personal. I prefer meditation.

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The Beginning & End of Life

[a letter to my QiGong instructor]

Dear XXXXXXX,

Regarding the key political issue behind the objection to Kavanaugh (women’s rights), from an entirely ‘scientific’ point of view, what is ancient TCM’s [Traditional Chinese Medicine’s] view on when humans are endowed with individual awareness – shen or consciousness?

I assume the presumption is that we acquire all three human aspects (jing, chi & shen) [form, energy & consciousness] simultaneously – that seems consistent with the TCM calendar calculating age from conception.

Is that same ‘scientific’ argument applied at the end of life? In other words, when do we lose our shen, the intangible aspect of ourselves?

Specifically, if a human body is no longer physically or energetically independent, does it still have shen? That answer is easy: yes! Everything is infused with shen.  If a rock has consciousness, so does a human body regardless of its condition.

While Western medicine says it’s OK to pull the plug on someone in a vegetative state, from a yogi’s point of view, someone in a vegetative state is actually, literally in the penultimate yogic state – in which their consciousness has nothing to be aware of other than itself – and the eternal aspect of each of us rests in the awareness of itself.

So from a wholly objective, non-judgmental, scientific (as opposed to heartfelt) point of view, a yogi’s position would be: no abortion; no pulling the plug.

But that’s obviously not a practical application of yogic theory. Yogis come from the heart.

Just wondering what the ancient Chinese thought about the beginning and end of shen.

Thank you, Skip 🙏

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PUBLIC LOVE LETTER

So wish you could see through my eyes.

I wish you could see yourself laugh and smile. I can’t express the feeling it triggers. It’s as close to heaven on earth as I’ve been – and you know how deeply I’ve searched.

We’re like energetic onions [sorry for the unromantic analogy]. Most people never see beyond the paper surface – let alone tap into the source of an onion’s unique appearance, taste, smell: it’s essence.

You are divinity incarnate.

I cry when I think about living without you – yet [unfortunately for you?!] you KNOW we will ALWAYS be together: you and I (as well as S & J, our parents, their parents – and infinite others) have always and will always “be”.

We are infinite consciousness living on what’s left of the Garden of Eden.

We just each “see” life from from one of an infinite perspectives. We’re here but for the blink of an eye having this indescribable “life” experience.

It stabs like a knife through my heart that I didn’t see you for who and what you are long ago – but you’ve got my attention now.

DO NOT LEAVE ME HERE! Not until you come home with a few more tennis championships under your belt. Preferably with your doctor’s permission!! I’m seconding Sarah’s house rule that NONE of us ever dies: I can’t live without you.

You are my everything.

Love, Skip (my name sounds different when you say it. I know when I’m in trouble (most of the time) but I don’t want to live without hearing you say it everyday.

Knock the fuzz off that f&cking ball!

Yours ‘til the end.

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GIVING BIRTH TO FAITH

Hi Kaya,

This is for your student who asked about fostering Faith.

According to Chinese self-mastery disciplines like Tai Chi and Qi Gong, winter is the best time of year to foster Faith [not coincidently, the time of year we tend to “go inside”].

I found Faith by practicing Patanjali’s Raja Yoga, the science of mind control or meditation.

Raja Yoga is experiential. When we put it to use in our life, we’re practicing. Until then it’s just information.

According to Patanjali, success (realizing the secret to life, or finding Faith and purpose) requires two things: consistency (i.e., never giving up) and non-attachment (i.e., always letting go).

HERE’S THE SHORT VERSION

Humans are multi-dimensional beings. Not sure? Do you think? Can you see your thoughts? Would your thoughts exist without you? Right. Our invisible thoughts are an integral part of who we are.

We have at least three invisible dimensions:

Our Conscious Mind functions; it’s always on; the conscious or “thinking” aspect of our mind functions like our heart and lungs: singly and sequentially – until our body no longer holds an electrical charge. 💔 Like  our lungs, our Conscious Mind naturally functions involuntarily, but we can override those systems and breathe and think voluntarily!! This aspect of our invisible Mind is evidenced by words in our head.

Our Sub-Conscious Mind also functions perpetually but at a lower energetic frequency; we just don’t hear it! The multi-tasking, “doing” aspect of our mind runs the ship silently and seemingly on autopilot. It’s also where our memories are stored [not unlike the furnace and storage areas in our home: they’re generally “downstairs”]. Our Sub-Conscious Mind is evidenced by sensations, insights and intuition.

All you need to know about our Sub-Conscious Mind [aka our “reptilian brain”] is that anything an alligator can do, this Sub-Conscious aspect of our Mind is capable of: walking, chewing, stalking prey, mating; further, this aspect of our mind works flawlessly (at Olympian athletic levels!) as long as our Conscious Mind is thinking clearly and correctly!

Our Consciousness doesn’t function. It just “is”. Our Consciousness CAN NOT BE AFFECTED BY ANYTHING. Raja Yoga is a personal discipline that inevitably makes that Self-evident. 😉

Consciousness is evidenced by the awareness OF whichever of the two aspects of our Mind is most energized.

You can imagine the practical benefits of never having to listen to the nagging voice in your head again – but here’s the catch:

this Truth must be experienced between our own two ears to be of any use!

 

HERE’S HOW

The first step in learning mind-control is discerning between when and which aspect of your Mind is engaged.

  • Do you hear words? You’re in your conscious “thinking” mind.
  • If instead, you’re only aware of sensations, images, memories, insights and intuition – you’re in your generally Sub-Conscious Mind: your operating system and storage area.

The second step is to figure out how to “drive” your Conscious Mind. It’s simple, it just requires constant practice. The critical thing to realize is that while we CAN simultaneously multi-task, we CAN NOT simultaneously multi-think [try simultaneously counting and reciting the alphabet].

After that, it’s like driving a sports car with three forward gears, reverse and neutral, that runs on five types of fuel, has a steering mechanism, and volume and speed controls. Search my blog posts for “driving your mind”.

The third step is to figure out where your Conscious Mind’s “neutral” is – so you can comfortably let your Mind idle. You can’t turn it off but you CAN allow it to slow down!

BUT WHEN DOES FAITH BLOOM??

It’s the “what happens next” part that’s harder to describe – but there are both short and long term physical, mental and emotional benefits: initially, mind control or meditation is stress relieving (imagine being able to control the voice in your head). Longer term, it deepens our intuition.

When does faith emerge? It depends on you and your teacher. My teachers say our purpose is to grow up – not just old, and the sooner we begin the sooner we’ll bloom into our inborn potential. 😉

It took me 13 years, but if you start with a map and an experienced guide it’ll make your journey infinitely easier!!! [btw – if you know me, you KNOW I’m NOT fully Self Realized – YET!!!]

The awareness OF thought (Consciousness) is eternal, immutable, and more subtle than the very fabric of the known universe – completely unaffected by the vagaries of time & space – yet a CRITICAL aspect of our life experience – because without awareness we wouldn’t taste, smell, hear, see, or feel!!!!!

It will freak you out when you realize a) the distinction between thought and the awareness OF thought, b) the eternal nature of Consciousness, and c) that IT’S INSIDE YOU!!!

You DO have a ‘spirit’ or ‘soul’!!  Those are modern religious synonyms for Consciousness!!!!!!!

That realization gives a whole new meaning to Faith.

Unfortunately, while the knowledge can be freely given (I’M TRYING!!) it must be personally experienced to be helpful to anyone. We each have to do the work. Until you use it, this is just information – like a treasure map – by itself, relatively valueless!!!

Self-discovery is like acquiring a shield in one of those electronic war games our son plays, though very real – just difficult to describe. It prompted someone to memorably declare “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me…!!”

Raja Yoga is simple but not easy. It takes discipline, tenacity and dedication (pigheadedness and being Irish help)!

As Patanjali said, when it “clicks” you know it. It’s indescribably liberating.

Love, Skip

#BringBackPatanjali!!!!!

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YOUR SECRET SELF

If I could give one thing to every person on the planet it would be the understanding of the difference between a) their thoughts and b) the awareness of those thoughts.

Thoughts are evidence of our conscious mind. The awareness OF our thoughts is evidence of our consciousness.

Raja Yoga is a personal, experiential PROOF that our

Consciousness is divine!

 

Students of Raja Yoga eventually experience six energetically-distinct dimensions of themselves (inner & outer physical body, conscious mind, and three states of sub-conscious mind), inevitably [with pigheaded determination] arriving at the conclusion that our underlying consciousness is “not of this earth”.

Consciousness or awareness simply “is”. It’s eternal & unchanging.

 

The awareness OF our thoughts NEVER changes. It’s literally the only thing in our universe that doesn’t! Obviously, WHAT we’re aware OF (our thoughts) changes every second – but not our awareness OF them!

The ancient yogis said that no amount of fire or water can affect this aspect of us.

Does that mean the essence of who we are, our awareness or consciousness, lives forever? FOREVER?! That’s the theory: that neither consciousness nor energy can be created or destroyed.

The key to significantly relieving suffering and reducing stress is to realize that the death of our body/mind is not the end of our journey!

 

While this body/mind will inevitably run out of energy and stop working, part of us lives forever!

The eternal, intangible nature of our consciousness remains unaffected by the death of its host body/mind.

Realizing the eternal nature of our own consciousness takes the stress out of life; it’s HUGELY literally empowering and transformative – because it inspires Faith!

“Yea, thou I walk thru the valley of death….”

 

Who’s to say what will happen when this body/mind exhales for the last time?

My guess is the ancient yogis were right: the eternal aspect of each of us withdraws back into a giant pool of consciousness which:

“sleeps in rocks;

dreams in plants;

stirs in animals; and

CAN awaken in man.”

 

As Amma says,

“Consciousness is essentially divine, infilling everything, pervading everywhere, impelling all. Revealing itself as Truth, Awareness, and Bliss.”

God bless, Skip

❤😊🕉

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POT vs. MEDITATION FOR ANXIETY, DEPRESSION and ADDICTION

EVERYTHING – other than prayer (meditation) and service – has both a light and dark side, including pot.

Putting aside my personal fears and desires, here’s how these two pain relievers work:

MEDITATON

PROS – allows me to drop beneath the noise and stress of my conscious “brain” mind into the quiet calmness of my sub-conscious “body” mind – effectively taking my thinking mind offline, giving it a chance to rest and refresh – deepening my insight and intuition over time.

Meditation provides short and long-term physical, mental and energetic benefits. Like physical exercise, the benefits of mind control practices extend well beyond the time we spend on the mat!

CONS – we can’t live in a state of seated perpetual sub-conscious bliss! First of all, Sue wouldn’t let me – and we have to eat!!

POT

PROS – if appropriately administered, immediately relaxes and calms my “thinking” mind.

CONS – aside from any obvious short-term impairment affects if I overdo it, my short-term memory goes out the window when I smoke (which has its own pros and cons!), and this avenue of short-term mental relief has adverse long-term physical effects (a persistent cough being one of them!)

At some point the cumulative benefits of meditating will trump the short-term relief I find in pot and distractions like comic books (read yesterday’s post)!!

When is that going to happen? I’m not sure, but it’s drawing closer. 😉

Faith comes from meditating. Find it within yourself!

 

Namaste [“The aspect of me that isn’t affected by time and space – let alone anxiety, depression and addiction – acknowledges and honors that aspect of you”],

Skip

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ADDICT

According to the Internet, an addict “devotes or surrenders him/herself to something habitually or obsessively.”

Have I mentioned that I suffer from addictive tendencies? Some good: meditation. Others not-so-much.

Karma:❤

Several years ago, as an under-challenged and grossly overpaid accountant for a large investment firm, I pursued desires with abandon, and often a single-mindedness that would make my Irish ancestors smile.

Before the bottom fell out of our lives economically ten years ago, I collected almost 2,500 girly comic books from the late 90’s. It all started – and ended with Ricky Carralero’s Double Impact – don’t be fooled by imitations; his business partner signed Ricky’s name to lots of sub-par pics – the difference is obvious! Ricky’s pics jump off the page! Just sayin’…….

I methodically organized, cataloged, photographed, labeled and stored every piece of my prized collection (some I even read!) with my usual all-in mentality – until it stopped fulfilling me, and I turned my attention elsewhere.

Fast forward ten years. Corporate America reaches out from beyond the grave and says I owe them $5,000. [I checked; they’re right. Damn!]

Anyone want to buy 2,500 girly comic books? I just told a potential buyer “It’s a teenage boy’s dream – if the boy was born before 1960!”

Easy come; easy go.💔

[You see why I say Sue is divine!]