Going forward despite all trepidation means learning to live with fear. If we wait until there is no fear, it is not going to happen. Going forward and trying new things requires an acceptance of fear. That acceptance is fearlessness. The future is unknown and common ground for all of us. Trust and faith are lacking in most of us, but when these two qualities are developed through small acts of risk, we then know what it is to act on faith. We act in spite of our fear. The risk that it might not work is a factor that … [read more]
Blog
Mindfulness Schmindfulness
I recently read a list of “mindfulness practices” that was circulating the interwebs. It is a worthy list and I am sure we would all benefit from doing these things, but it doesn’t necessarily promote mindfulness. However, I am using it to point out something about the misunderstood concept of mindfulness. I do not mean to offend anyone who has posted the list. The word mindfulness is losing its power. It is a word often used to substitute for being careful… be mindful of this or that. It seems to engage the thought process without the general public understanding that … [read more]
Recognition, Confidence and Conviction: Integral Elements of Letting Go
Recognition, confidence and conviction are the integral elements of letting go. Usually, when the dam breaks, it is not a sudden occurrence. It is the slow and steady dislodging of small parts that weaken the structure. This analogy can easily be applied to human nature regarding freedom from the egoic stronghold. Our attachment and suffering is not easily dissolved but eroded over time with the proper work of developing awareness and recognizing the true nature of mind. Each glimpse of the true nature of mind gives us hope and confidence that there is something outside of our version of reality. … [read more]
The Path Of The Mystic
Throughout my 30 years of spiritual seeking, the ideas and practices of the Fourthway stand out like a beacon in the night. They have rooted me in practical means that built strength of essence and opening of heart. I was shown a system of meditation, given inner exercises to be done out in the world, and participated in retreats that offered something beyond anything I could have ever imagined. It is a teaching outside of time. It is the path of the mystic. The level of depth that this teaching carried allowed me to experience an inner freedom beyond anything … [read more]
Opinions
As we get skilled at self-observation, we may discover how utterly opinionated we are. We see the prevalence of opinions in our lives and how they justify our behavior. If I can see my opinions for what they are, I have a chance to work with them. I begin to make the effort to detach from that opinion since I now see it as just that: an opinion. Opinion is based on our likes and dislikes but is a more cemented version that has developed into a belief. We seem very attached to our opinions because they have formed over … [read more]
Living On The Edge
Living on the edge emerged as one of the themes at our most recent Awareness School retreat. The edge is a place of transition where one thing changes to another. It is where two different things meet. One cannot diminish the significance of edge when looking at presence and consciousness, but living on the edge is not confined to things of a spiritual nature. Magic happens at the place of yes and no. Holding that place of two things simultaneously brings about a third thing. It is not one or the other, and cannot exist without either of them. The … [read more]