Body/Mind Relaxation Practice

Dear Classmates,
I am including here a question (scroll down) and the answer I gave. Notice, I am not saying anything about the medical conditions this person is diagnosed with. I am addressing only her anxiety and nervous exhaustion. I include this here because who hasn't (doesn't) suffer from anxiety and nervousness from time to time? Or other habits and problems you'd like to be free from? You can try this. Change it according to your particular situation. Rewrite it if you like. Do not depend upon me to do everything for you. The school is not about anyone doing your thinking for you, remember? 

Your school encourages you to think for yourself. It supports you along your way. It's hard to go through life, especially a spiritual path all on our own. Human beings are social animals. We are an interdependent species. We need each other. That's how God made us. That's why God made angels to assist us. Somehow, I broke through to the realm of angels, though I wouldn't recommend the way it happened to me, to anyone. But, alas, it happened.

From that dark and frightening experience, the light of the angels came to me, saved my life, and made me return here to my body, to be of service, to let the light of the angels speak through me. I know it sounds crazy—even to me, when I speak of it, so I usually don't. Nevertheless, it is the way it is. I never could have written or spoken or seen as I do all my own. Never. It’s not that I am not intelligent or that I don’t know things. I am a trained psychotherapist, so I know what I learned. I have many experiences I can draw upon. I have my own intuition. I have all that.

And over all that, I have the love and guidance of the angels. I have the understanding that this human life is fleeting. I know that I don’t exist, anymore than you do. And I have a life here in this human body, which I am completing, just like you. I don’t pretend to be at the end-point of Realization. 

I say instead that there is no end-point. That for so long as we are here in a human body, we are evolving. This applies to every single human on earth, no matter who they are, no matter how enlightened they may seem. Never put anyone so high above you that you lose sight of the Divinity that exists equally — equally — within everyone — or at least the possibility to contact and live from that divinity exists equally. When you elevate another person, teacher, guru, lover, anyone at all, to a position higher than your own, you have created duality. Duality is what you seek to be free from.

This doesn't mean that someone can't know more than you, be more enlightened than you—otherwise, who would we have to learn from? It doesn't mean you can't revere and respect great beings. Even musicians or writers or leaders. Even your friend. Maybe even your wise and wonderful dog. It doesn't mean you can't do puja or ritual to a saint or enlightened being, if that puts you into a sacred space in your heart.
 
It’s about what happens inside yourself — when you elevate someone and put yourself down — when you give away your power — when you revere another person and forget that person doesn’t exist, anymore than you do. THAT’S when you enter the danger zone of  “me and you”. You are not here to worship anybody — any body. Bodies all die. Why worship a body? No individual exists. Why worship an individual? That is living in illusion, delusion, and seclusion from Truth. You must know the difference between honoring someone and turning that someone into an object of worship. You must never let anyone else do your thinking and feeling for you. You must consistently find out what is true for yourself.

As to what happens when we leave this body — I can say a lot about that too — but the important point is that each soul’s journey, once they leave, is between that soul and God. Death doesn’t end a journey, it  begins a new journey—a new birth in a new land.

STUDENT QUESTION: Background: Self-diagnosed anxiety. Medical diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Current issue is Tachycardia and heart palpitations, especially when I sit and stand, but sometimes my heart surges to 160 when I am sleeping. Though there may be medical reasons for this, which have not yet been discovered by my doctors, I would like some help with anxiety in case that is the main because of the heart issues. Nervous exhaustion as well. Thank you!

ANSWER: Mind/emotions/body are interlinked. This takes time and work — but you can try this — when you are lying or sitting still in your safe place, feeling relaxed, begin to imagine — yourself slowly, slowing standing, slowly. Slow as a flower opening. Let yourself be a flower.

As soon as your heartbeat increases, or you feel any anxiety at all, stop the imagination and bring yourself back to your body, safe, relaxed, lying or sitting down. Stay there until you are relaxed again, heartbeat normal. Then try again. Each time, go only so far as can. You are in control. Stay aware and notice what you are experiencing, feeling, giving yourself all the time you need to come into touch with mind, spirit, emotions, body.

Remember, you are doing this in imagination. This puts you in control. It can help with the fear. I am not saying this is a cure-all. I am saying that we are whole beings. Everything is part of everything else. The body/mind/emotions so easily fall into habits and patterns—and keeps these, even when they are harmful. It's hard to break free from ingrained ways of being. So you may want to softly, gently try this — teaching, guiding yourself to peaceful, relaxing responses as you grow and evolve and learn about what is going on with your body.

I wish you well.

Letting Go

Like a sandcastle, all is temporary.
Build it, tend it, enjoy it.
And when the time comes
let it go.

Buddha

“Your days pass like rainbows, like a flash of lightning, like a star at dawn. Your life is short. How can you quarrel?”~Buddha

Gianni Crow

I was very young when Someone called me "Sinner" I got curious because in our language there no such word so I decided to ask my grandfather about it, he said; there is no such thing, our consciousness does not recognize this kind of words because it was made to manipulate and put guilt in our hearts, there are no sins what we have is choices and sometimes we make mistakes. Fear is what people use to take away your freedom, do not allow anybody to do this to you again grandson. -Gianni Crow

A story

According to a 19th century legend, the Truth and the Lie meet one day. The Lie says to the Truth:

Painting by Jean-Leon Jerome, 1896.

"It's a wonderful day today!" Truth looks up to the sky to find out for herself, and nods. The day really was nice. Truth and Lie  walk together and come to a well. Lie says, "How lovely the water is. Let's bathe together."

Truth tests the water and agrees it is the perfect temperature. So they undress and jump in. As they are bathing, Lie sneaks out of the water, dons the clothing of Truth, and runs quickly away.

Truth jumps out and chases him, so she can get her clothes back, but she can't find Lie. The world, seeing Truth naked, turns its eyes away in shame and contempt.

Truth returns to the lake and disappears there, hiding her nakedness. Since that time, Lie moves through the world dressed as Truth, satisfying the desires of society, because the World that man has created has no wish to meet the naked Truth.

Compassion not Competition

Essie  (Esperanza) Chihuahua/Dachsund

Science is proving that the basis for survival of a species is compassion rather than competition. We've been sold a bunch of competition hoopla to keep us small and divided. The world of man, of media, of politics, seeks not to guide us into Oneness, but divide us into parts. This is because the world that man has created is a world of ego, which is a world of darkness, which is a world of pain. Wake up! Come out of the world into your true nature and find a world of peace.
____________________________________

DO IT AND YOU WILL SEE.

By being aware, one discovers how one is conditioned. By being aware, I know I am conditioned as a Hindu, as a Buddhist, as a Christian; I am conditioned as a nationalist: British, German, Russian, Indian, American, Chinese; I am conditioned. We never tackle that. That's the garbage we are, and we hope something marvelous will grow out of it, but I am afraid it is not possible. Being aware doesn't mean a chance happening, something irresponsible and vague. If one understands the implications of awareness, one's body not only becomes highly sensitive, but the whole entity is activated; there is a new energy given to it.

Do it, and you will see. Don't sit on the bank and speculate about the river; jump in and follow the current of this awareness, and you will find out for yourself how extraordinarily limited our thoughts, our feelings, and our ideas are. Our projections of gods, saviors, and Masters—all that becomes so obvious, so infantile. —Krishnamurti, The Collected Works, Vol. XV,138, Choiceless Awareness

How the School first began

The idea for this school came to me as a sudden inspiration, as if a light flashed into my mind. I was filled with joy and enthusiasm. I was surprised because I wasn't thinking about writing anything ‘spiritual’ at all, and the idea of having an email school had never occurred to me. Just the opposite.

Money! Honey! (From Lesson 66)

How do you handle your money? Do you have a savings account? Are you saving for your old age? Do you have a special fund you could live on if you suddenly were without an income? Do you keep track of your money? Do you know where your money goes each month? Do you earn enough for your needs? Do you spend more than you earn? Do you rely upon someone else to support you? Do you work hard and earn very little? Are you a workaholic? Is money your god?

Are you greedy with money? Extravagant? Generous? Foolish? Do you think carefully before making a big purchase? Are you gullible when a salesperson comes along trying to sell you something?

Do you fret and worry about money? Do you envy people with more money? Do you think you are superior to people with less money? Do you think you are inferior to people with more money? Do you associate money with fear? Are you in debt? Are you a borrower?

The better you handle your money, the happier you will be. Some people have a great deal of money, but don’t handle it well, and this brings friction into their lives. Some people don’t have much money but they handle what they have very well. They live below their means. They do not covet what they cannot have. They are content with what their money can buy.

Ramana Maharshi

Angels Abound

Andrew Wyeth

The angels say, Fear Not!

St. Francis of Assisi

Canticle of the Sun:

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name. 

Praise be to God. Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness. 

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, precious and beautiful. 

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance. 

Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure. 

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong. 

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Happy trails

Everyone gets lost now and then. So have some compassion for yourself. It’s all right on your way home. It’s all right! Yes! Yes, even the detours. Even getting lost. The journey is the thing. So why not enjoy it?

The love and blessings of angels are with you now and always.

Happy trails to you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgw_yprN_-w

Response to Student

Dear Students💚
Today's message is a reply to an email a new student recently sent me. I am posting her email as she wrote it, though I made a few corrections in punctuation, for clarity. Her first language is German, so please keep that in mind. I will post the email exchange exactly as it happened. I am leaving out her name. She gave her permission to post her emails though. And if she chooses to post something here, she can. Love, Indira

This is my response to her first email (which I have not copied here, since it was long and not so coherent):

Dear One💚
I have read what you have written. Could you please write to me what your exact question is, in a more clear way? You don’t really seem to have asked one, just told me what you are feeling and experiencing. This will also help you to get more clarification for yourself and what your real true question is. The angels always say…if you want the right answer, you have to ask the right question.

So she wrote a more clear email:

Dear judy💚
Thank you for your quick reply. Now I hope I'll get it to the point. My exact demand is—I want to understand, why I can't still  switch to the other state—the state of more surrender, of more being okay with me and reality, of more being myself. Why am I apparently not ripe yet for going the next step? I yearn so much for this condition and I think (perhaps another concept)  that I am so far and so willing. What stops me yet? I feel bogged down, how can I get out? This rubber band makes me helpless, anxious, and also aggressive. What can I do so I don't feel so discouraged? I guess it's more than impatience. For me, it is a great longing, and it´s very hard for me to feel stuck. How can I get out? (I guess) I cannot wait for it to change. In my imagination I see me as a child in front of the closed ice cream shop. Ihat´s what i wanted to ask you. Thank you for taking time for me! Best regards 💚

And here is my response, which may benefit you too:

Dear One💚
Your questions will be answered in the fullness of time.
You are like someone standing in the dark, watching the moon that is only half full, asking:  When will it be full?

In Truth, the moon is always herself, always full, already blossomed. A person with knowledge knows that the moon is always full. That person does not yearn for what it knows is already there.

The search for happiness is itself unhappiness.

Sit in the stillness when you can. Be like a scientist. Observe. Watch. Witness. Learn. Let the Watching be your Teacher. Do your best not to grab hold of each thought and turn it into an “I”

I long to be happy. I am not happy. I am anxious. I am stressed.

This is false identification. There is no I—  no  ME  to  be  anything at all. A me comes into being with each passing thought that you identify with — and so create a myriad of stories. Just let each story pass by. See each thought like a bubble floating past the otherwise calm abode of the mind.

Each thought demands that you give it life. Each thought tells you how to handle a situation — get angry, get sad, get despondent, do this, do that….

The moon grows full before your eyes in the fullness of time — and yet it was always full — only your seeing is not. Breathe in the longing, the pain, and give it a home in your heart. It is lonely. It believes it is real. Let it curl up inside your heart like a small kitten — let it know it can take all the time it needs to grow up — treat it with tenderness and care, not stress and anxiety.

God is with you. Angels are with you. Walk your path gently. Do not be hard on yourself. Be soft. Be gentle. Be accepting. Trust.

💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

How To Make Almond Milk

• 1 cup whole raw almonds (not toasted or roasted, etc), enough water to cover
  3 – 4 cups water, more if desired
  a pinch of salt
  honey, to taste
• 
  
• Soak the almonds overnight in a bowl with enough water to cover. 
• Drain and discard the soaking water.
• Put almonds in blender with 3 – 4 cups water and blend on HIGH speed until smooth.
•  
• Lay a linen or cotton towel (not terry cloth) inside a bowl large enough to hold all the liquid. Pour the milk into the towel, and squeeze out the excess liquid. What’s left in the towel is called Almond Meal…so don’t throw it away.
• Taste the milk and if it’s a little too nutty for you, add a pinch of salt, and 1-2 teaspoons of honey or other sweetner if you like. Add chocolate for Chocolate Almond Milk!
• Store in a glass jar or bottle. The liquid will separate between uses, just be sure to shake it up before each use.
•  
• You can use the Almond Meal that is leftover. One way is to spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake it in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Then let it cool completely and put it in a ziploc bag and put in the freezer for use at a later date.

Poetry

THE CLEAR AND SIMPLE WAY SCHOOL

The eternal now is both full and empty.
This is not the emptiness of an ego in
despair. It is the emptiness of all that
is not you. It is the fullness of Truth.
It is space. Vast Space. It is love
beyond your wildest imaginings. It is
the light of God shining through. It is
your true nature. It is living in the
present moment.
  
Das ewige Jetzt ist sowohl voll als auch leer.
Es ist aber nicht die Leere eines verzweifelten Ego.
Es ist die Leere all dessen, was nicht Du bist.
Es ist die Fülle der Wahrheit.
Es ist der Raum. Unermesslich weiter Raum.
Es ist eine Liebe, die jenseits
Deiner kühnsten Vorstellungen liegt.
Es ist das Licht Gottes,
welches durchscheint.
Es ist Deine wahre Natur.
Es ist das Leben im jetzigen Moment.

-Lektion 8, Führung durch eine höhere Intuition

George Gurdjieff

In order to be [born]... a man must die, that is, he must free himself from a thousand petty attachments and identifications which hold him in the position in which he is. He is attached to everything in his life, attached to his imagination, attached to his stupidity, attached even to his sufferings... He must free himself from this attachment. ~George Gurdjieff

Stopping by

I haven't posted in awhile, but I come often to read, and search through the archives, which are a treasure. I get more in touch with what you say Indira, that although we can share our spiritual path with others and do the work together, which is an important part of the spiritual path, we are each responsible for our own inner work. This understanding helps me to go more and more inside.

Without the lessons and this classroom, I would not be where I am today. I read so many self-help books in the past, but having the lessons arrive once a month is a game-changer. I can't ignore them, the way I can ignore a book. It's just the kind of support I need. Your insights are so valuable to me. I am grateful for the personal connection I always feel here in the classroom, as well as with your readings and counseling.

I will talk to you soon, Indira, for our usual weekly counseling session. My counseling sessions with you are a huge support, keeping me on track, and opening me to more in depth spiritual understandings. Thanks again for the school. --Kevin P.S. I like the way the schoolroom changes, reminding me that the world is a world of change. And I like seeing this friendly golden Buddha here.