Michael A. Michail

Spirituality * Culture * Self-Expression

Category: Enlightenment

Inner Awareness Part 5

By

On February 14, 2022

In Enlightenment, Spirituality

Work through the first 4 parts of this exercise for awhile until you are comfortable experiencing your own thoughts without judgement.

Then –

Sit and experience the sensations or sounds around you, and the thoughts that arise from the experience. Choose one thought to think through. Choose one specific thought or emotion that seems to need your attention – a thought or emotion that you know that you need to come to terms with. Maybe something you usually ignore or something you prefer to avoid. Choose one subject and stick to it.

Think it through systematically.

Stick with it. Make it your central thought, for now. Just this one subject – keep at it – really focus on it…

And then abruptly STOP! Cease to think about anything. Hold your mind free of all thoughts.

Remember:

“I am not these thoughts.

I am the one experiencing, deep inside, resting in myself, alert, attentive.”

A thought is there. Let the mind work it out. The mind thinks itself, all you do is observe how it handles a subject – you don’t need to get involved.

This opens up a door for you: a door to inspiration. Ideas come spontaneously, you don’t look for them, they just appear – Just like the sounds and sensations around you. The opinions of others. What passes for news. Theses are just things you can observe. And you can decide what is useful and what isn’t.

The thoughts, impressions, sensations surrounding you are only important and relevant if you allow them to be.

Practice reviewing one thought completely and also practice NOT thinking of anything. Notice after a time, the control you begin to have over the things that present themselves to you or arise within you. You can observe them and then move on. Choose for yourself what is of interest. Allow inner stillness to permeate your being as you become more aware of your own inner processes.

Work at this exercise as you choose. We will leave this type of meditation for the time being, but, perhaps, return to it again with some deeper action.

Until next time –

Love and Blessings and all good wishes for Peace Profound.

Inner Awareness Part 4

By

On February 7, 2022

In Enlightenment, Spirituality

Let’s continue with this exercise.

You’ve been noticing EXTERNAL sensations and ideas and you have begun to notice that these seem to come to you from something other than your inner self. You observe a separateness – there are thoughts and there is the one who is experiencing the thoughts.

Now, let’s go deeper.

Relax and notice – Which of the thoughts reference you? Which thoughts are about you? Your concerns, your desires, your attitudes, your expectations, your JUDGEMENTS.

Notice what fills your mind – often. What attracts your attention? What preconceptions of yourself dominate your attention?

Maybe you ask –

What should I do?

What CAN I do?

What am I allowed to do? What am I allowed to think? What do I allow myself to think?

Do you notice RIGHT thoughts? Do you notice WRONG thoughts? Who decides?

Can they all just be simply thoughts, even when they are about you? Can some be good and others bad?

What thoughts influence the way you see yourself?

You tell yourself: thoughts are just thoughts. Do you believe this? Do you embrace some and want to shove others aside? Are there thoughts you wish you didn’t have?

Who is the judge?

Notice: the one judging and the one judged – are they not the same?

Notice the contents of the mind – all the things that fill your attention.

Experience yourself, again, as an observer. Especially, an observer of the spontaneous thoughts that seem to just appear out of nowhere – by themselves – without cause – without purpose – without intention.

See these thoughts for what they are: brief fragments, flickering images – things that will just disappear unless you allow them to linger and grow into longer chains, grow into brooding, memories, fantasies …

For now, you might as well learn to just accept the stuff that is filling up you attention. It’s just stuff.

Let all the contradictions surface as they are – not sorted into good or bad – acceptable or unacceptable. Notice all of it, just as it is, all equal. Just be an observer. Free your mind. Let yourself let go of tensions and apprehensions, of judgements and evaluations.

Just experience it.

Keep from turning inward – don’t search for anything. Just sit quietly and notice what comes. Thoughts are just thoughts, sensations are just sensations, opinions are just opinions …

Yet, some things seem to appear from a deeper source. Some strike you, as if physically, and resonate and vibrate from your heart, your mind, your spirit – your very inner self.

These thoughts are few and rare – relax and allow them to warm you. And if such do not appear to you, that is perfect, as well. Whatever comes, relax and content yourself with experiencing it happening.

I am not these thoughts.

I am the one experiencing, deep inside, resting in myself, alert, attentive.

Work with this exercise as it serves you for a time. More will be added, later.

Until then, relax and be gentle with yourself.

Love and Blessings and all good wishes for Peace Profound.

Inner Awareness Part 3

By

On January 31, 2022

In Enlightenment, Spirituality

Let’s continue with this exercise.

I think it’s important to learn to resist the influence of the ungodly. In this age of mass indoctrination, gaining access to the source of true knowledge and meaning will help block out the negative world views that intrude on our awareness.

Now, you’re beginning to separate the sensations of the external world from your own inner awareness. You start to realize that what you experience has a lot to do with your own interpretation of the experience.

Continue to notice your thoughts. Sit quietly and experience thoughts, emotions, preconceptions, opinions …

Be an impartial observer who doesn’t get involved in the drama of events and happenstance. Be alert and interested, yet remain apart.

Just what are your thoughts? What comes up for you as you sit quietly and observe?

This isn’t about analysis. It isn’t about acceptance, rejection, agreement or conflict. It isn’t about liking or disliking these things you perceive or imagine. It’s just about noticing them.

Let each thought flow freely and unfettered, no matter how provoking or tempting it may be. Let any emotion or sensation just be what it is.

Remember, you are the One who experiences these things; you are NOT the cause. Not yet. These things are just happening around you.

Continue, steadily, easily, without interference, experiencing your own inner life – let it happen, relax, accept it. Experience without judgement.

Acknowledge – “I am NOT the one who thinks; I am the one who NOTICES the thoughts.”

Forget about “trying” to meditate or do an exercise – just sit. Let the thoughts and perceptions come as they may.

You might find yourself being attached to one particular thought and you might start to dwell on it. Once you realize you are doing this STOP and let the thought go its way. Give equal, uninvolved attention to every thought, image and impression that comes up.

The effort lies in realizing the experience of what you are thinking. How many and how few thoughts, emotions, impressions, or what each one is or appears to be is less important than the realization that there are thoughts that you experience that seem to come from outside you. They are there. What they “mean” is up to you – your inner self. For now, they should mean nothing – they are just thoughts that appear to you – they are only as real and lasting as you allow them to be.

There are many ways of thinking – a different way for each of us. Pictures, emotions, words, sensations: anything might come to you. Notice them only as an uninterested observer.

Continue this practice as long as you like (and notice whether you like it or not). Do it as often as you choose. There will be more guidance to come.

Until then –

 Love and blessings and all good wishes for Peace Profound.

Inner Awareness Part 2

By

On January 24, 2022

In Enlightenment, Spirituality

I thought it would be good to continue the exercise from last week and add some extra actions. What we are striving for is to develop the ability to receive information without judgement and interpretation, and clear away the filter imposed by the media and public opinion. We want to evaluate information based on OUR OWN experience and understanding – an understanding strengthened by connection to inner awareness and the emanations from Universal Consciousness.

CONTINUE

When you have practiced becoming aware of sounds or sensations around you, realizing that they are just sensations and have no meaning for you other than the meaning you, yourself, impose on them, begin to take notice of your thoughts.

First, just notice all the various thoughts that come to your attention as you experience your surroundings. There will be many thoughts – and also many judgments and evaluations. Perhaps, you might notice how these thoughts interfere with your actual experience. But, for now, just notice them.

Give the thoughts equal attention without being impacted by any one thought. Is this challenging?

Experience everything that occupies the mind. Let it wander as it will, freely.

Sensations.

Thoughts.

Emotions.

Moods.

Experience your body – breathing, comfort levels, irritations – whatever occurs. And choose to experience all equally without being attached or concerned with any one thought or sensation.

Let your mind be free.

Relax completely and fully give yourself over to this experience.

Then, begin to address yourself.

Say: It is ‘I’ who experience all of this – this is all around ‘Me’ – this is in ‘My’ body and in ‘My’ thoughts – deep within ‘Me’ ‘I’ am the ‘one’ experiencing this – ‘I’ have ‘My’ own life and ‘I’ experience that life with AWARENESS.

For this stage of the exercise, come to the appreciation that you are an individual and that you have the ability to control the interpretation of information that enters your awareness.

You choose what to emphasize and what to set aside. You decide what will influence you and what will not.

As you realize the personal power you have, allow yourself the space and opportunity to relax and accept the world appearing to you and accept the power you have over how things appear to you.

Until next time – Love and Blessings and all good wishes for Peace Profound.

Inner Awareness

By

On January 17, 2022

In Enlightenment

We live in a world of information. Facts, figures, opinions, viewpoints come at us from all angles – some information is accurate and some, well, not so accurate. It’s hard to tell the truth from untruth. Information abounds from multiple sources that one person or another, one organization or another, avows is correct while others, equally vehemently, avow is fake.

The media, politicians, scientists, educators, friends, employers, celebrities – they all want you to accept, believe and affirm the things they consider to be “real truth.”

How can you tell what to believe?

External information sources are always going to be questionable. And when these sources declare themselves authorities and forbid you to question them, you know you have problems.

But there is one source that really is reliable: it is your own Inner Voice – the part of you that is connected to Universal Intelligence.

How can you tell if the inner voice speaking to you is really connected to Universal Intelligence or is just echoing back the information you’ve picked up from external sources? The answer is to learn to make distinctions between the two, and this requires some practice with meditation and personal, mystical contact with the Divinity within you.

Here is an exercise to get you started on your path to experiencing Inner Awareness.

MEDITATION EXERCISE

We all have different levels and degrees of mobility, yet, I hope that each of you has at least one position you can assume that is comfortable while at the same time allowing you to remain alert. Traditionally, a straight back pose while sitting on the floor is encouraged, but this is not an absolute – do what you can with the abilities you have. Meditation and connection to the Divine transcends all physical barriers. When you have found your special position, close your eyes and allow yourself to rest.

Just do that, at first, and when you have gotten used to being in the pose start becoming aware of your surroundings. Let your awareness extend in all directions. Use sound or touch to experience everything around you. Allow yourself to become aware of all the sounds or sensations in your environment.

Consciousness, like an uncovered candle flame, projects in all directions. It casts its energy on everything without discrimination. Consciousness, perceives everything with equal interest. It is only later that judgements are made about what is perceived. Remain, now, in the non-judgmental state – the state of merely being aware on the information that comes to you.

Notice a car in the street, a clock ticking somewhere, a radio or TV playing next door. Or, notice the texture of your clothes, the feeling of what you are sitting on, a slight breeze, the difference in temperatures on different sides of your body. Allow yourself to perceive everything, all experiences at once. Take in all the information without judgment. That’s all. Just allow yourself to be aware of the world around you.

Do this for, perhaps, 5 or 15 minutes a day. Do the exercise at home or while you are out. Do it just a few minutes at a time. Experience unfiltered, actual, information coming to you without the confusion of other people’s interpretation. Become aware of yourself in your own space without discriminating one item from another.  

Soon you will begin to understand that all the “news” and “communication” that pushes itself upon you is only as valuable as the interpretations you chose to give them.

Until next time – Love and Blessings and all good wishes for Peace Profound.

Happy New Year 2022

By

On January 1, 2022

In Enlightenment

Well, our Reptilian Overlords sure did a number on us in 2021. Will we let them continue their abuses in 2022? Let’s fight back!

We can’t beat them if we use their rules and their weapons – we have to use other methods. We can only fight them by becoming so full of Light that all their Darkness will be dispelled.

For this coming year, resolve to meditate everyday and expand your Consciousness to the point that no demon inspired, soul sucking politician can impact your life. Set your inner divinity free. Become such a radiant beacon of Light, Life and Love that no power of Darkness can survive around you. Resolve to be a Force for Good in the world.

Happy New Year.

Love and Blessings and all good wishes for Peace Profound!

Let in the Light

By

On December 19, 2021

In Enlightenment, Spirituality

In a few days, we will experience the Winter Solstice and Christmas. Both times symbolize the birth or rebirth of Light in the world. Astronomically, the Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere is the shortest period of daylight in the year – the darkest day. But then, the daylight period grows ever longer giving new life to the Earth. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ – spiritually the Light of the World – mystically and historically it is the time God manifested on Earth for the redemption of humanity.

Whatever your religious convictions, this time of the year is a wonderful vision and expression of illumination and life emerging from the winter darkness.

It seems appropriate to embrace this experience with a meditation period to help us unite with cosmic Light, Life and Love and become an instrument of Enlightenment to all.

The meditation procedure I propose is simple and should be something in which everyone can participate.

First, choose a position that is comfortable for you to maintain for a few minutes while still ensuring that you can retain alertness. Sitting with a straight back as in the classic meditation pose is ideal, but not necessary. Any position that allows you to be comfortable and relaxed, yet still offers a slight tension to maintain your wakefulness is fine.

Next, choose a time of day that lets you regularly devote a few minutes to the practice. Preferably in the morning to take advantage of the naturally occurring sun rise, but anytime will do. Our spiritual nature is larger and more accommodating than any physical or astronomical phenomenon.

Now, sit and breathe for a few moments. Your breath should be even and regular, controlled but not limiting – keep it natural.

Then, begin to visualize or imagine a great light somewhere out in space. Let this become, for you, the Source of all Light. Notice streams of Light beaming towards you. The Light enters your mind and fills your awareness. Then, allow the Light to flow down through your face and neck and into your shoulders and then into your whole body.

As the Light continues to stream from the Source, it fills your body completely. All your muscles, bones and organs are filled with the calm, warming, healing Light from the Source of all Light, Life and Love. The Light fills all your body, deep into your cells, until you, yourself, are glowing and radiating the Light. Visualize or imagine this happening. The Light from the Source pours into your body and you begin to radiate Light. In a short time, you become a Source of Light for your surroundings. Your Light fills the space around you, the room, your whole dwelling place, out into the surrounding buildings and neighborhood, out into the world around you, out into the whole world.

Visualize or imagine that through you the whole world is now filling with Light. All the people you know, all the people you care about, share in this abundance of Light. The Great Source of Light, Life and Love has now merged with you and you have become the Source of Light, Life and Love for others.

Hold and enjoy this image of yourself for a few moments, and then, when you are ready, let yourself awaken to the world again. But keep the image of yourself as a Source of Light going with you throughout the day.

Work with this meditation daily over the course of the season and even beyond this season out into the New Year. Enjoy the experience of being a channel for Goodness and Light in the world.

Love and Blessings and all good wishes for Peace Profound!

Stay Awake

By

On October 24, 2021

In Enlightenment

I saw this post on social media, recently. It’s a bit upsetting. Have people really given up on waking up the world?

I know things look bad. Frightening things are happening all around the world. It’s so much easier to ignore them. So much easier to stay asleep and avoid the fears. Many people have chosen to take this route. And, it seems, many people on the path to wakefulness are choosing to let the others sleep. This is not the way to go. As long as we are able to do it, let’s strive to carry with us to Enlightenment as many other people as we can.

OK. Many people who have seen the reality of Wakefulness have decided to go back to sleep and live in a zombie-like dream state. Fine, that’s their choice and maybe we don’t have the right to force them to take part in our journey.

But there still are, oh so many, people stuck in the zombie-sleep state who have not had the chance to make the choice. They don’t even know that there is a choice to be made. Part of our Path, I think, is to show them the option even if they refuse it.

At the same time, there are others who have seen reality and simply don’t know how to deal with it. Perhaps they believe themselves to be alone, surrounded as they are with zombies. They make the false choice to fake the zombie-state just to get along – just to avoid confronting the truth. They need us to show them that they are not alone. Worse, some of these people who have seen the Light and turned from it, deliberately work to keep other people asleep – to keep them from experiencing Wakefulness. Perhaps that is the purpose of the post above, to supress the chance for Enlightenment in others. Very nasty.

We could make the effort to wake up the first group, the ones who have never seen the Light, no matter how impossible that task might be. Part of walking the Path includes helping others when we can. The sleepers deserve the chance to make the choice. If they choose, as many do, to go back to sleep – well, that is their choice.

The others, the ones who woke up already but are afraid to commit – the ones faking the zombie-state and living in quite despair – need to know they are not alone. They could benefit from the knowledge that Wakefulness is not something to be feared or pushed away.  Somehow, we could signal to them that all is not lost- not yet – there is still hope – there is still a chance for salvation.

Now, to be very clear, when I say Wake Up, I don’t mean “woke.” Woke is stupid and possibly worse than the outright zombie-state. By Wakefulness I mean Illumination, Enlightenment, Cosmic Consciousness and being imbued with Divine Spirit. People who are “woke” are living a false dream.

This is the time to Wake Up anyway we can – wake ourselves up, if necessary, or accept the call to wakefulness made by others. Wake up and shout out to everyone the good news that there is another way of living, a way of truly living, a greater reality that is available, freely, to anyone who wants it.

Meditation; contemplation; prayer; study and research; physical training and discipline; commitment to family, friends, culture and traditional spirituality; fearless conversation with others; and even, sometimes, blindly leaping into the Light with Faith that Enlightenment exists – all these and many more ways are available to help you Wake Up.

Make the choice – the first choice – that you actually WANT to wake up. Choose to reject the zombie-like, sleep state – I know that being asleep is an easy and safe way of life, but it is not REAL life. The real life is free and light and airy and fun and exciting and wonderous. The real life is struggle and motion and discovery. The real life embodies the PURSUIT of happiness – a kind of happiness that only exists with full wakefulness and Enlightenment.

Don’t give up – Wake Up and become an alarm clock to wake up others.

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