Synopsis
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” ~ Epictetus
You cannot alter your past, but you can better your future. That possibility begins now. Living is itself a skill. Excellence is an exercise of self-control. You must discipline yourself to live transcendentally.
“Habits are qualities of the soul.” ~ Tunisian historian Ibn Khaldun
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” ~ Aristotle
The process of attaining the contentment of enlightenment comes from domesticating the mind. Meditating daily is indispensable.
“The value of regular meditation is that it takes you away from the humdrum of daily routine and reminds you that you are not what you believe yourself to be. For a seeker of reality there is only one meditation: the rigorous refusal to harbor thoughts. To be free from thoughts is itself meditation.” ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj
Learn to live in meditation via subduing the mind. Let thoughts, desires, and emotions flow past without giving them attention. Insist that the mind squelch its noise and quietly do its job. Then iteratively refine the mind’s outputs to the degree needed for optimal efficacy and enjoyment. The mind improves itself as you demand better from it.
Comprehend that concepts are not actuality. All concepts are merely instruments of the mind. Their only legitimate employments are for amusement and skill.
Lacking mental discrimination, the Collective facilely mistake their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs as representing reality. They live in their own self-constructed fantasy which they take as real, and even insist it is so. This is the nature of ignorance.
The journey to freedom is a discipline which necessitates giving up all attachments, as these are the chains by which your mind binds you.
Assume nothing. Abandon all axioms, all beliefs, all expectations. Expectation is only a formula for disappointment.
Be skeptical. Disbelieve.
Actuality is not reality. Yes, you must deal with being trapped in your mind-body shell until it expires. The vital opportunity is witnessing entertainment and creating some for yourself. Believing any of it does not improve the show, but can in fact detract, as you have already experienced.
The world is a mirage made by your mind. Your life is nothing more than a parade of abstractions. To believe in symbols as something critical to your well-being is nonsense. Give it up.
Attaining enlightenment is a process of letting go: of lightening your cognitive load and living in the moment. Only by unburdening yourself of your cares can you be carefree. You are losing nothing, because there is nothing to lose. Fear and worry have never done you any good.
Emotions are the glue which keeps you believing that something is important to your happiness. Emotions are the mind’s cruelest deceit.
Quieting your mind will give you greater clarity, improve your concentration, make you more productive, and elevate your general mood. You will find the contentment you have sought by strengthening the connection of your consciousness with Ĉonsciousness, by living with a clear and quiet mind.
“Keep your mind silent and you shall discover.” ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj
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“Corruption can only come from ignorance. Seeing the interconnections between all things, between all beings, only increases the ability to make ethical and wise decisions.” ~ American novelist David Simpson
While in the world, be not of this world. Elevate yourself.
Yes, there is much evil in the world of men. Alas, you cannot change a society simmering in its ignorance: the inertia is unyielding. Whatever your situation, you do not have the power to root evil out. Do not even try. Leave the Collective to futilely slog through it.
“Nothing is real. And nothing to get hung about.” ~ English musician John Lennon in the song “Strawberry Fields Forever” (1967)
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Accept your mortality in actuality. Another adventure awaits if you want it. The most you can do is enjoy this life.
Nothing really lives nor dies. All that appears to exist is merely the shuffling of symbols in your mind on a vast, fantastic canvas. Nature is merely an entertainment platform.
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The enjoyment of life is an outcome of self-control. You cannot do anything without discipline, without commanding your mind. Every act is a product of willpower. Living well is a skill.
“A steady, persevering, and concentrated effort alone can lead to realization.” ~ Indian guru Samarth Ramdas
Practice presence of mind: focus on the task in front of you. Do only what needs to be done and what you enjoy doing for its intrinsic entertainment.
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“Being spiritual has nothing to do with what you believe, and everything to do with your state of consciousness.” ~ Eckhart Tolle
The transition to enlightenment is a positive biological change: an elevation in state of consciousness, not just a shift in perspective. That said, actively altering your views to accentuate the affirmative is conducive. If something irritates, find humor in it through ridicule (though not necessarily aloud). Reject all negativity that cannot serve a constructive purpose, either in deepening understanding or in savoring human folly.
As quietude sets in, dissociation from your “self” deepens. Your psychospace expands. Engage at will but remain the witness of your life.
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Unlike the rocky journey from pignorance to quietude, the road from enlightenment to realization is well-paved, a relatively smooth transition.
Watch the connectivity of all that is. In unity consciousness, you are sincerely connected to Nature, coherence, and Ĉonsciousness.
True spirituality is the epitome of practicality: accomplishing the chores of living by witnessing and savoring what is. Amusement may be found in abundance. You just have to tune in the entertainment channel. Enjoy!
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Spokes of the Wheel gets underway with Unraveling Reality: Behind the Veil of Existence.
