Dear Lover of Truth
We are living in a time of great challenge and great awakening.
We are being called to clearly see through the habits of misunderstanding that cause suffering,
and to remember the simple and profound truth of who we really are.
We are discovering that we are not merely the persona that we dream our self to be,
but exist as something so pure, so limitless, so mysterious
that no words can capture or adequately describe what it is that we are.
One of the revelations of this discovery is that true happiness and peace is already our very nature, it is not something we need to acquire, earn, or deserve. It is already the case. When we see directly into our true nature, we realize an inner dimension of pure being where no problem, tension or fear has ever existed. We are now beholding our infinite and original face of truth, beauty and goodness.
However, for most everyone who is awakening to this timeless truth of our deepest essence, the challenges of daily life seem to provide evidence that we need to use some form of tension and unhappiness in order to live. We have learned to use unhappiness and self-contraction as a strategy to help us get something we think we want, and we habitually return to this default setting strategy when our circumstances provide the right cues. The happiness and bliss of our true condition can then seem to be overshadowed once again by self-contraction and unhappiness.
This is a completely normal part of the awakening process. What is important is how we respond to unhappiness. If we accept it as a blessing and a teacher that is helping us to deepen in true freedom, then unhappiness will serve us, awaken us and guide us. One of the keys that allows us to use our unhappiness well is the rather mind blowing discovery that it is actually possible to be completely happy with the experience of unhappiness. This discovery of our capacity to be "happy-with" (or "allowing-of" ) whatever we are experiencing – including pain, fear, anger and depression (and even our negative reactions to these feelings) – is the foundation for a life of freedom and peace.
Entering direct experience reveals the pure awareness that is beyond all concepts and stories. Here we can be still and recognize that nothing needs to change, all is well as it is. We are more than enough as we are, and what we are is much more than what we thought. Here we can find peace and happiness, compassion and understanding. Here we can invite our stories, fears, and tensions to be allowed and received. And in this space of allowing and clear seeing – tensions can unwind, emotions can be experienced and released, insight dawns, and the light of our heart penetrates yet deeper into our bodily felt experience.
We are being called to clearly see through the habits of misunderstanding that cause suffering,
and to remember the simple and profound truth of who we really are.
We are discovering that we are not merely the persona that we dream our self to be,
but exist as something so pure, so limitless, so mysterious
that no words can capture or adequately describe what it is that we are.
One of the revelations of this discovery is that true happiness and peace is already our very nature, it is not something we need to acquire, earn, or deserve. It is already the case. When we see directly into our true nature, we realize an inner dimension of pure being where no problem, tension or fear has ever existed. We are now beholding our infinite and original face of truth, beauty and goodness.
However, for most everyone who is awakening to this timeless truth of our deepest essence, the challenges of daily life seem to provide evidence that we need to use some form of tension and unhappiness in order to live. We have learned to use unhappiness and self-contraction as a strategy to help us get something we think we want, and we habitually return to this default setting strategy when our circumstances provide the right cues. The happiness and bliss of our true condition can then seem to be overshadowed once again by self-contraction and unhappiness.
This is a completely normal part of the awakening process. What is important is how we respond to unhappiness. If we accept it as a blessing and a teacher that is helping us to deepen in true freedom, then unhappiness will serve us, awaken us and guide us. One of the keys that allows us to use our unhappiness well is the rather mind blowing discovery that it is actually possible to be completely happy with the experience of unhappiness. This discovery of our capacity to be "happy-with" (or "allowing-of" ) whatever we are experiencing – including pain, fear, anger and depression (and even our negative reactions to these feelings) – is the foundation for a life of freedom and peace.
Entering direct experience reveals the pure awareness that is beyond all concepts and stories. Here we can be still and recognize that nothing needs to change, all is well as it is. We are more than enough as we are, and what we are is much more than what we thought. Here we can find peace and happiness, compassion and understanding. Here we can invite our stories, fears, and tensions to be allowed and received. And in this space of allowing and clear seeing – tensions can unwind, emotions can be experienced and released, insight dawns, and the light of our heart penetrates yet deeper into our bodily felt experience.
