Power vs. Force

We all have opinions and beliefs, and we express them constantly, but are those opinions and beliefs actually true, or is it just wishful thinking on behalf of the ego? What if those opinions and beliefs are in reality quite negative and harmful to us, creating all sorts of discord and suffering in our life that we're not even consciously aware of?

As David R. Hawkins points out, the fundamental limitation of the human mind is that it's unable to tell the difference between truth and falsehood, positives from negatives, and that which is beneficial from the harmful. Thus, we have problems in our lives and in the world.

If we all actually knew the truth, and were living that truth, there wouldn't be a single man-made problem in the entire world, ever, because truth doesn't ever create problems. Only falsehood creates problems, or the illusion of "problems."

David Hawkins' book Power vs. Force provides a solution to the human brain's built-in ignorance; a means to tap into pure all-knowing consciousness so that we can drop negatives from our life, adopt positives, and solve the world's problems. We can now tell - instantly - whether anything at all is true or false, despite all opinions about it.

Power vs. Force is a monumental achievement in the study of consciousness that will undoubtedly, if practiced, change the world in profoundly beneficial ways. The painful process of learning by trial and error can now be a thing of the past, and consequently, the evolution of mankind has the potential to make huge leaps and bounds in very little time.

If you're a fan of "The Power of Now" and other such "self-help" style books, or anything on the topics of enlightenment and the nature of the ego, Power vs. Force will change your world in ways you can't even imagine. I HIGHLY recommend this book (and Hawkins' others). It's absolutely vital reading for anybody on the spiritual, philosophical, or even scientific path. If you seek truth of any sort, at any level, this is the ticket.

To give a (very) small taste of what you'll find, here's a few quotes from the book:

"Intelligence and rationality rise to the forefront when the emotionalism of the lower levels is transcended."

"By taking responsibility for the consequences of his own perceptions, the observer can transcend the role of victim to an understanding that 'nothing out there has power over you.'"

"Relatively few people are genuinely committed to peace as a realistic goal, for in their private lives, most people prefer being 'right' at whatever cost to their relationships or themselves."

"At the lower levels of consciousness, propositions are accepted as true even when they're illogical, unfounded, and express tenets neither intellectually provable nor practically demonstrable."

"Facts are accumulated with great effort, but truth reveals itself effortlessly."

"Man's dilemma - now and always - has been that he misidentifies his own intellectual artifacts as reality. But these artificial suppositions are merely the products of an arbitrary point of perception."

"There is only one absolute truth; all the rest are semi-facts spawned from the artifacts of limited perception and positionality."

Is the LOA Spiritual?

Practicing the "law of attraction" as taught by the movie The Secret basically breaks down into "my will be done."

Practicing the spiritual teachings as taught by Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Jesus, Krishna, and so on, breaks down into "Thy will be done."

That's a huge difference.

So, is practicing the LOA really a spiritual practice if it's constantly fueling the desires of the ego instead of surrendering the ego and its workings to God/Truth/Love?

When looked at in this light, the LOA is all about the me, mine and I, while true spiritual practices are all about losing the me, mine and I.

It's no wonder that it's said that "God laughs at our plans". We're all too eager to try to control every aspect of our life, but where does that leave the perfect infallible Will of God that always knows what's in the best interest of All? (That which is everything, knows everything.)

A Zen Master once said "Don’t try to win. Go out with nothing in your mind. Give up the thought, 'This is how I’m going to win.'"

It's important to remember that the word "spiritual" refers to the non-material and non-physical, so the practice of spirituality is the evolving beyond the material & materiality.

A Course in Miracles says "Those who perceive and acknowledge that they have everything have no need for driven behavior of any kind." Since this quote is taken out of the context of the whole I should make clear that by "have everything" it means "are everything". And that's what Oneness is; all of existence is Oneself. What's there to get, gain or obtain when you are already the Allness of Existence?

Dante is Daunting

I say, reading Dante is a bit daunting,
though no longer in native tongue,
the great Comedy remains haunting.

Many weeks will be spent reading,
entranced in the beauty and grace,
it urges one's soul to sing.

Though just beginning, I already sense
that words are just words,
and of value is the primal essence.

The message is timeless and true,
turning from vice, and toward virtue,
transcending inner hell are the few.

Clinging to beliefs and desires,
ruled by the mind and rarely the heart,
chasing illusions till the body expires.

Experiencing within, feelings of all sorts:
Of inferno, purgatorio or paradiso,
whatever it be, the mind distorts.

"Leave the mind behind" say the wise,
and with this I must agree.
Stay true to the heart and thou shall rise.

The heart thinks too, but not with words,
it just knows, innately, intuitively and always.
Adopting love and peace has many rewards.

When pushing on and reaching towards
a heart of perfect wisdom,
just know that your heart is the Lord's.

For years now I have been led,
and thanks to the graceful Lord in my heart
there are few illusions left to shed.

I know Dante's message before it's all read,
far from my first spiritual book,
I've almost lost my head.

Christianity, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen:
There remains little I haven't read.
Love & truth are universal, Amen.

Inspired by

The Divine Comedy, Translated by John Ciardi

Dalai Lama DVD

Something worth sharing...


There's a new documentary movie on DVD about the Dalai Lama and his meeting with 40 of "America's greatest thinkers". The movie is called "Dalai Lama Renaissance", it's narrated by Harrison Ford, and has won 12 awards.

Here's the trailers...

Spirituality & Buddhist Jokes

Practically every person who has ever looked into psychotherapy, spirituality or medicine understands the healing properties of smiling, laughter and humor. It's a well known scientific fact, and I don't feel it's necessary to explain the topic when it's already been done by countless others, so let's skip straight to the laughing part...

When asked what he wanted for his birthday the Yogi replied, "I wish for no gifts, only presence."

Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused novocaine during root canal work? He wanted to transcend dental medication.

What do you call a schizophrenic Buddhist? Someone who is at two with the universe.

How many psychotherapists does it take to change a light bulb? Just one, but only if the light bulb really wants to change.

How many Zen masters does is take to change a light bulb? None, there is no light bulb. http://bit.ly/HuangPo

The waffle company created a product for Buddhists. The slogan is "Leggo my ego."

The spiritual student walked up to a hotdog stand and said "Make me one with everything."

Heard about the new Buddhist vacuum cleaner? It comes with no attachments.

Nisargadatta Maharaj loved animals and even made a pet food product called "IAMS Cat". http://bit.ly/IAmThat

Nisargadatta Maharaj wrote a Broadway play called "Thats", but it had no story.

People thought there were 2 lake monsters, but actually there's only one-ness.

Sorry, I didn't mean for my karma to run over your dogma.

I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.

What's the difference between Peace and Nirvana? Peace became popular in the 60's and Nirvana became popular in the 90's.

What's Krishna's favorite video game? Gita Hero. http://bit.ly/Gita

Meditation - It's better than sitting around and doing nothing.

I hear that the classic fable by Aesop is being rewritten with a religious twist. The new version is called "The Torahtoise and the Hare Krishna."

Feel free to comment and add your own! :)

Love That Actually Works

Love is not the emotional and physical kind that most people know it as.
Love is not a fluctuating unstable negative emotion.
Love is not greed, possession, owning, attachment, neediness, desire, infatuation, lust, craving, addiction, jealousy, anger, control, blame, guilt, or judgmentalism.
These are all selfish attributes, so it's not really love at all.
That which is selfish can't be love because love is selfless.
True happiness will never form in a relationship based on those things.
You cannot have or own another person when we are all free.

Love is good intent. Love is service. Love is selfless. Love is devotion.
Love is respect. Love is kindness. Love is compassion. Love is good will.
Love is forgiveness. Love is acceptance. Love is tolerance. Love is neutrality.
Love is unconditional. Love is non-selective. Love is all-encompassing.
Love is pure. Love is Divine. Love is Eternal.

Love is a way of being in the world.
It's the full blown radical forgiveness and acceptance of absolutely everything, as it is right now in this very moment, always.

Love is an INFINITE resource.
It cannot be exhausted or used up.
The more you give, the more you are able to give.
The more you love, the more you can, and everybody has to start with where they are right now.

Love should not be given because you expect something in return.
It is done out of selflessness (the absence of self).
It's not about getting. It's about giving with no thought of reward.
Not even a "thank you" should be needed or expected because that's neediness.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Love for the sake of loving.

Neediness often pushes other people away.
Relationships "fail" because people are searching outwardly for happiness and love.
Relationships fail to work because we're trying to get, gain and obtain love.
We are meant to share and give the happiness and love that we ALREADY ARE, with others.
In doing so, it grows constantly and continuously within the one who is giving and sharing it.
Love is then experienced by being it yourself.
Love is experienced from within, which means the source of it is WITHIN, when it's chosen.
Love is not an outside source. It's already inside you.
You make love happen to yourself by loving others and by being love yourself.

We give and share the happiness and love that we are by simply BEING it.
When we choose to be it, it's automatically being shared with others.
Doesn't the energy of a room suddenly change when a particular person enters it?
"Everything is energy." It doesn't require any "doing". Just be love/peace.
In becoming a better person yourself (losing the selfish self), you will be helping all others (and yourself) in turn.

There is no longer a "special" individual to love when all is loved equally and unconditionally.
When all is equal nobody is "more important" than anybody else.
Real Love is all-encompassing.
It's not selective, choosy, picky, fussy, judgemental, or discriminatory.
Real love, when unobstructed by false individual opinions, beliefs, perceptions, thought processes and emotionalism is unconditional and non-selective, no matter what.
No matter what.

That's why this is love that actually works!
And that's the difference between Divine Love and emotional love.

Zen Biology Lesson for Enlightenment

The heart pumps blood all by itself without you doing it.
The lungs breathe air all by themselves without you doing it.
The brain associates concepts with other concepts all by itself.

The mind is thinking (randomly babbling) completely on its own.

Let's look inside for just a brief minute...
How long can you keep the mind completely silent?
If you try to stop thinking, it just starts right back up again.
Words, verbalization, thoughts, thinking, and emotionalism are completely automatic.
You can't stop it by controlling it, but you can (eventually) stop it by non-judgmentally watching it.
The brain works completely by itself.
It has nothing to do with "you" doing it.
This means that you are not the doer of deeds, nor the thinker of thoughts.
The mind/body is an "it", not a "me".

The brain's thoughts and body's actions are just the result of cells doing work.

We are not the physical body/mind and its senses.
We are not the mind and its automatic rambling thoughts.

We are the still, conceptless, silent Awareness that is aware of them.
We are the Awareness that is watching the body/mind's automatic functioning.
We are the Silent Formless Observer.
We are the Life/Consciousness/Awareness that is simply aware of Itself as existing.

We have mistakenly identified ourselves as being the physical mind/body.
We have mistakenly identified ourselves with form.
It was an erroneous belief all along.

The real "you", the Silent Aware Mind, is not confined to a brain, or anything else.
It's Infinitely Everything beyond physicality.
It's the (formless) Allness of Existence.
It's No-Thing, yet Infinitely Everything.

But thinking about that won't help you realize/experience that.
You have to stop identifying with thoughts altogether to realize that.