Our problem is that we see ourselves in the world separate from everyone else.  We think God is “out there” and not “in here”.  It is a predicament that displays itself in cruelty and violence towards others.  The criminal mind justifies hatred, the abusive husband justifies his violence, but how can aggression be right?  When I hurt you, does it not hurt me too? God is the in dweller of all beings.

It is written in the great teachings of Yoga that the mind is like a body of water, with all its mind chatter representing the ripples.  One of the ultimate goals of Yoga is the clarity of the pool, achieved mainly through meditation and the higher paths of service and devotion.  Physical yoga prepares the mind for the long journey to enlightenment; however the goal of Self reflection comes in stillness, not in movement.

The stillness of the pool is known as the mind becomes clear of thoughts.  There is peace there, residing as if for eternity.  The mind chatter dissolves and the mirror of consciousness then reveals its splendour.  To look within, to see the vast waters residing there, to know that the Self is beyond all worlds yet is wholly apart, is to be Self Realized.  And breathtakingly we are the miracles of creation.

When we look into the mirror, the mind fears its negative stowaways, but the image we see is Love of immeasurable proportions.  What keeps us from looking at ourselves is the basic belief that we are separate and that our whole reality is based on the need for separateness.  This speaks favourably for a path of service.  It is phenomenal how good we feel with charity, as the dismal life gives opportunity for the fortunate to become sanctified and visa versa.

Reality is a unified whole.  What is separate is limited in time, but Reality is limitless eternal glory.  It is within reach, known traditionally to the sage and accessible to any aspirant.  We practice, contemplate, and devote our lives to something greater than ourselves in order to achieve even an ounce of truth, which, when weighed against the entire known universe, is omnipotent.  And the truth doth set thee free.

In this moment, it was as if the water stopped.  There was a deep understanding that my mind was creating the illusion of a world around me.  My sense of reality itself was recognized as an illusion.  All is mind.  This is the essential truth that arose in that great moment.

When we are born, our senses do not yet understand the names of objects.  We do not recognize shapes and colours as infants.  More importantly, we do not identify with the forms of our surroundings.  It takes years to develop the understanding, “this is a chair where I may sit and read”, “that is a computer, where I may write an e-mail to a friend”.  It is mutually accepted, unanimously, that the sophistication of our modern world is the greatest potential of humanity.

So we surround ourselves with objects, people, and places that re-enforce our conceptual identification with the world of form.  To be without a television seems unreal to many.  Simplicity has long been forgotten, as we drive our cars four blocks to buy a magazine.  In some social circles, if you are not wearing lulu lemon or eating organic, you’re not worthwhile to know.  To the extent that we place our value on this superficial construct called reality, we are captives.  It is this captivity, created by our minds, that represents the resistance to True Reality.

True Reality exists beyond the capacity to identify the forms all around us.  Likewise, the True Self exists beyond the person we identify with as “me”.  The nature of the True Self is infinite, yet the person we tend to identify ourselves with is defined.  Resistance, then, is the false identification with personality as the True Self.

We are all mirrors for each other.  I believe Self growth is the purpose for every relationship, every experience.  It is relatively easy to recognize weakness in others, but perhaps more difficult to see ourselves as weak.  The mind is tricky, and tends to justify our own behaviours.  It makes our actions seem holy and sacred.  The mind is quick to condemn.

The behaviours of others can be used for our own self reflection.  This begins the process of confronting unconscious patterns.   Also, the qualities we admire in others can be used to show us that same quality in ourselves.  There is no separation.  We are all fragments of the same unity striving to reunite.  This truth is hard to see in a competitive world.  It often takes complete seclusion, retreat from our daily lives…or at least a break from our T.V.

Everyone is given free will to create likes and dislikes.  It is our choice.  Even when we have no control of the situation, we have the choice to change our attitudes about what is happening.  Essentially, our experience has little to do with the world around us and mostly to do with our interpretation.  We only see the surface of a depth unimaginably vast.

As we accept greater spiritual truth, old beliefs need to dissolve.  When we follow the advice, for example, to love our neighbours as we would love ourselves, we begin to have compassion for those who need our support.  Although from our perspective, others may be better or worse off, compassion allows for the dissolution of that belief that anyone is superior to anyone else.

Most people take for granted that what they experience is all that is possible.  The reality we tend to experience is only the interpretation of “all possibilities”.  This is a marginal fraction of what is available to us, as the brain filters out the greatest majority of what we see.  When in fact we have the capacity to choose among potentially infinite possibilities, we are intellectually only able to capture in true focus a few.

Why do we limit ourselves to such few possibilities?  What is the meaning of our experiences if we are so held back?  As a seeker of spiritual truth, these questions cannot be avoided.  Given that we can change our understanding of what we call reality by simply altering our attitudes, an astounding thing happens when we do so about our entire lives.  If we allow our desire for “good” feelings to run our lives and avoid what is “bad”, our experience will be limited.  Understanding that feeling are neither good nor bad allows for the unknown possibilities to unfold.

Adopt an “attitude of gratitude” because thoughts create reality.  Welcome and allow feelings to be bestowed graciously and suspend labelling, suppressing, or attaching meaning to them, and new experiences will manifest.  The challenge is opening the heart to new possibilities and recognizing that our potential for new experiences is limitless.

Most people are caught in deep seated chronic emotional patterns that govern their experience.  If we are not the victim, we are the bully, the rescuer, or some other personality.  The main themes are easily identified in our lives with a little introspection.  What helps most is an understanding of the true nature of the self free of these patterns.  Experiencing of this state of being is what we are all here for.

The realization of profound inner stillness and peace came on suddenly.  It was astounding.  Since that time, I have sought the return of that feeling, as it opened an inner door that will remain open for ever.

I read in current mystical teachings that the Reality of Divinity is the ultimate of peaceful experiences.  Each of us is, at a very deep level, struggling to return to this core truth of a profound inner peace and tranquility.  This feeling cannot be compared to any reward or comfort or pleasure that the world brings us, and it is ever present and available to all.

With casual observation, it can be seen that the world is full of distractions. Without a discernable effort to look within, the fixation on external fulfillment can consume us.  This is commonly known to the addict, who recklessly consumes one fix after another, chasing the seeming resolve of an inner need.

There is never any real satisfaction in external gratification

Without the capacity to see, appreciation of an image would not be possible.  What then is doing the appreciating in the first place?  How does the appreciator have the capacity to appreciate anything at all?  The tendency is to believe that the world around us exists independent of our perception.  Rather, without the capacity for awareness, there would be no world to perceive.

Many are caught in their perceptions and do not see the subtlety of how perception arises.  If one were to devote one’s life to “realizing the root of consciousness”, one would certainly discover the fulfillment of all worldly desires is already present in an internal gratification, innate to life.

So how do we “get there”?  

The qualities which one begins to identify with are acceptance, surrender/letting go, listening, devotion and unconditional love.  We progressively withdraw from the material satisfaction for the recognition of an internal satisfaction.  Just as there are goals in the material world, so are their realizations of the spiritual Self.  This is brought about as one withdraws from the need for immediate gratification.

The irony comes when the material gratification has been let go, and instant “soul” gratification is achieved.  This achievement is normally eclipsed by the vice of addiction.  How we arrive at the realization of our full potential comes when our willingness to see reality clearly is exemplified by a disassociation with the world of form.

We are all here to learn lessons

If it were not for a material reality, we would not have the experiences that are unique to living life in the physical form.  It is as if we completely forget the truth of what we really are when we incarnate into a body.  This spiritual amnesia is widespread as the norm of society that values materialism and the body above “holism”.

To detach from a materialistic perspective is the lesson of the material world.  We then replace materialism with consciousness that is in servitude to God.  What we have with materialism is servitude to the body, when the body is only a temporary shell or vehicle of life.

What needs to happen is a shift in our emphasis of life over spirit to a spiritual based existence.  Unlike the stresses of life, the identification with spirit brings joy and ease.  The term “stress less” becomes a mantra for this new way of being.

The resolve to turn one’s perspective within is a choice that can take many lifetimes.  Once the inner truth of the nature of the self in bliss becomes apparent, there is no turning back.  The joy and ecstasy of a spirit centered within the grace of God cannot be matched by any physical means.  It is a freedom that has, and will always be, the core of our true nature as eternal, spiritual beings.

In the mind, things we experience need to relate objectively through a weighing process.  Everything is measured in the mind against past experiences and a false appreciation, called perception, is generated.  This is all based on personal memory, the sum total of all our experiences, including our feelings, thoughts, imaginings, sensations etc.  In general, the result is a perception of the world that is safe and predictable to our mind.

When we enter the heart, what we find may not be safe or comfortable.  It might scare us to bits.  We are not ready for the love of our heart to be unleashed because we are not ready to let go of the drama that comes from perception.  Knowledge and perception are two completely different things.  We are not ready for true knowledge of the heart because it cannot exist in our awareness so long as we cling to illusion.

The truth is that we have been given false ideas about ourselves and the world and most importantly, what is possible.  Imagine there is infinite possibility and infinite potential, but so long as we identify with our perception, “what is possible” remains outside our grasp.  So long as what we perceive in the mind is what we identify as “who we are”, there will always be limitations to our experience.  Likewise our choices will be coloured by that perception and our life’s path directed by a limited understanding of who we are.

We are beings unimaginably vast.  In the heart this is clear.  In the mind, our perceptions are doubtful because all things are judged based on our illusion of who we are.  Every moment is an opportunity to dismantle illusions and recognize what we truly are.  There is tremendous power in love, the face of which truly makes us tremble.  Few “go there”, yet we must all go there.  It is the silent peacefulness, awaiting our return to our own truth.

What is required of us is a leap of faith into the unknown.  It is scary, mysterious, unsafe, blind, hard, impossible, but this is only our perception of the matter.  In Reality, it is waiting for us with open arms and a heart that is bare.

Often times we are confronted by another person’s “bad habits” and we think that their actions place them in “the wrong”.  What is actually happening?  To assume that another person is wrong means that we are essentially right.  It means we have the answer when the other is mistaken.

Just as my opinion varies from the next person, the personal relationship to right and wrong is very much individual.  We can be going along in our lives, thinking and feeling great about ourselves and our actions, while others may see us in another light altogether.

Out of insecurity, it is possible to invest considerable energy in changing other people’s perception of us.  This is accomplished through fashion, smoking, lifestyle, popularity etc.  That is to say that some people create a false image of themselves for the world in an effort to come across a certain way that is different from whom they really are.  This is all in an effort to force others to believe we are the kind of person they would accept.  It is not our business to make another person accept us, nor to control their reactions to what we do. People will perceive our actions depending on what they are willing to see.

If I am not liked, my need to be liked is unfulfilled.  What if instead of making others like me by putting on a mask, I accepted that they have their opinions of me.  More often than not, it is a matter of learning to let go of the need to be liked at all, which stems from neediness.  We need to learn of the power of forgiveness and to let go.  To try to change another as a means towards peace neglects the real reason why we feel disturbed in the first place.  The root of the problem is insecurity with the self.

To want to change another person is to willingly defy the gift of free will. People are placed into our lives that we are meant to be with, who portray negative qualities we would like to change or positive qualities we would admire.  Our relationships are the trials for which we owe the karmic debt of our lives.  Here we are granted the opportunity to change our perception of another by exercising our own free will, and make the choices to be more in the spirit of acceptance and love.

The short cut to overcoming negativity is to choose the positive.  If we are being presented with negative behaviour from another, it is simply a matter of choosing the positive for ourselves.  This is much easier, and far more rewarding, than forcing “better” behaviour on another.  Such an attitude is righteous and presumes there is a way of being that we have mastered, while others are only amateurs.

Each of us attracts the lessons needed to learn about raising our frequency from lower denser existences of thought and emotion to ones of a higher nature.  Letting go of righteousness, anger, hate, and pride is the lesson when such feelings arise.  It takes humility to overcome negativity and to realize there are lessons to learn in order for the spirit to become more the reality that is experienced.  To do so, we are required to rise above the vanity of popularity and ego.  We are nothing if not for the spirit that is eternal. ]]> http://ilovenelson.com/acceptance/feed/ http://ilovenelson.com/withdrawn-from-the-world-of-form http://ilovenelson.com/withdrawn-from-the-world-of-form#comments Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:15:06 +0000 awakenings Spiritual Awakenings http://ilovenelson.com/withdrawn-from-the-world-of-form Concepts and ideas are fleeting and change with time.  What is termed “important” today will change depending on who is talking.  From my perspective, it is generally regarded as important today to identify with a particular roll on Earth.  Such a roll, is meant to define us and we say, “I am a doctor”, or “I am a father”.  Who asks the question, “What am I really?”Quite often we are dissatisfied with the life we live.  We foolishly blame God for our problems or prey for the solution to be created on our behalf.  But dissatisfaction with the world is really a sort of inner need unfulfilled. Fortunately, there is another kind of path, but not generally encouraged, and is sort of discovered.  This is the inner journey.  Throughout civilizations there have been individuals that stood out as mystics, saints,  sages and Avatar.Highest of the pursuits in life is Self discovery.  When we become stuck in patterns of comfort, we tend to take for granted how rich our inner life actually is.  To go about our days as if we are counting the seconds until quitting time is commonplace.  Most people do not understand it is our inner satisfaction that we bring to our lives that matters; it is our attitude and our approach.

We are generally taught to follow a material path to fulfillment.  The majority of us don’t know any better.  Survival is good and risk is uncomfortable or even wrong.  However, the path of Self discover demands we do things a different way.  This can be as simple as changing a belief.  If what we believe is that life is meaningless, you got it!  What we experience is coloured by our perception and expectations.  The miracle is happening behind the veil of our perception which is limited in its field of possibilities.

The world of form, called “maya”, is illusion.  This is similar to the concept of the Matrix, as in the program we are living does not represent our true state of being.  Contrary to the movie, when we wake up from our slumber, the reality we wake up to is based on miracle, love, compassion, forgiveness, surrender, hope, and absolute gratification.  The only prison is in the mind.

It is almost expected and assumed that we identify with a material reality primarily.  Like Caroline Myce says, we have to open ourselves up to the world behind our eyes.  To follow the traditional path of the mystic is perhaps not practical with today’s standards of living.  We are all mystics, embodying life for the sake of learning.  What we learn is Self development and the lessons around being a better human.  As important as survival is to life, in the grand scheme of things, it is only the maya, or illusion we are meant to grow beyond.

Perhaps the underlying illusion, that we are our physical bodies, limits us to believe we are only here a short while.  True reality is limitless and true self is infinite.  When we identify with the physical body as “me”, we limit ourselves to the material reality.  The world of form then has power over us.

To challenge beliefs is part of being human.  It is like graduating from high school and going onto post secondary studies.  The professors do not want a cookie cutter answer, they want critical thinking and outside the box investigating.  Our society does not need everyone doing the same thing as one another; it needs individuals who are willing to challenge themselves for how things have always been and to realize the potential inherent in being alive.

Recognize how the “norm”, the familiar, the comfortable and the standard are concepts that are based on luxury when much of the world struggles even to survive.  If it is possible we are taking for granted the plentitude of North America, could it be possible we are taking more for granted as well?

If only we had a glimpse of what lay behind the veil of our illusions.  Just a peek, a glimmer, or a ray of light peering through is all we would need to realize that God is behind the curtain. ]]> http://ilovenelson.com/withdrawn-from-the-world-of-form/feed/ http://ilovenelson.com/spiritual-aesthetics http://ilovenelson.com/spiritual-aesthetics#comments Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:08:41 +0000 awakenings Spiritual Awakenings http://ilovenelson.com/spiritual-aesthetics Spiritual Awakenings at the Bodhi Day Spa…The first question that comes to mind, “what does aesthetic beauty have to do with spirituality?”  Are not these two qualities opposites in our lives?  In spirituality, we often need to rid ourselves of the vanity that comes with striving for a particular personal image, as the spirit is indifferent to how we present ourselves physically.

These philosophical points have become part of my awareness recently since my family has taken over the ownership of Bodhi Day Spa.  We offer a full spectrum of aesthetic services including facials, waxing, manicures, and pedicures.  As well, we have relaxation massage, deep tissue, hot stone and aromatherapy.  Although the spa is not a business that necessarily deals with the awakening of consciousness, our business practices are such that, we hope, our spiritual integrity will shine through.

As business owners we are confronted with the challenge of addressing the issues of quality and standards.  It is obviously tempting to squeeze more profit where ever possible, cutting corners and lowering expenses.  Such temptations, we recognize, are not the means with which we will arrive at our objectives.  We feel it is a worthy goal to put our client’s and practitioners needs on the forefront of our business.

Besides being the owners of Bodhi Day Spa, Monica and I are involved directly with the spa as practitioners.  Monica is integrating Thai Yoga Massage into the menu along with traditional Thai foot massage complete with acupressure and aromatherapy.  As for myself, I am proud to be offering “health and beauty”.  The aim here is to provide a deeper understanding of how physical beauty relates to our internal health.  This service draws on my background in Holistic Nutrition and Iridology.

It is a higher spiritual belief that the Earth and humanity are ONE.  Along the spirit of honoring our planet and our humanity, we strive to use only eco-sustainable and natural spa products.  Currently our facials are entirely organic or plant based and mostly locally produced. Our nail polishes, top coats and base coats are vegan and free of harsh chemicals.  The paper towel we use is “seventh generation” and our disposable pads are made of organic cotton.  We even wash our sheets with natural laundry detergent!

One does not need to give up aesthetic beauty or pampering in order to evolve spiritually.  I realize the spa experience itself can be a form of spiritual practice, much like a yoga class or meditation can be time for reflection and healing.  It is an opportunity to let go, unwind, bliss out, and feel free.

You can find more information about the spa services on our web site at www.bodhidayspa.com or contact us at 250-352-2666.  We are located at the Hume hotel on the third floor and gift certificates are available at the hotel front desk or through our website.

Bodhi is a state of spiritual awakening and enlightenment ]]> http://ilovenelson.com/spiritual-aesthetics/feed/ http://ilovenelson.com/the-great-treasure http://ilovenelson.com/the-great-treasure#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:19:25 +0000 awakenings Spiritual Awakenings http://ilovenelson.com/the-great-treasure Many call a life which is spiritually focused as “being on the path”.  What we arrive at by following spiritual practices is enlightenment, peace and liberation.

However, on the road to spiritual mastery, these practices are a means to an end.  The irony comes with the realization that there is nowhere to “be” and no place to “go”.

How can we live for tomorrow while the spirit burns eternally?  When we arrive at the destination, do we not look again to the future?  It is an endless barrage of desires that dictates our perpetual reaching for seeming improvements on our lives.  Our task is only to find what has ALWAYS been.

Although our teachers tell us to meditate, study, and devote ourselves to our spiritual growth and mastery, it is not the activity which brings us there.  We may “feel more spiritual” when we are on the yoga mat…it is important to notice that spirituality is formless.

One simple truth that can have profound significance is found in understanding how everything happens for a reason.  There are no mistakes in the universe as life unfolds as a consequence of spiritual events.  The destination is our destiny.

Beyond the literal choosing of a career, family life, location etc., we have free will to choose our attitudes in life.  What we have in our lives has been ordained by the highest commandments of the creator. It is the veil of perception that prevents us from seeing this remarkable gift.  Traditional practices of meditation center on breaking down the illusions.  Therefore, the path leads more to a thought than a place.

Actually, it is a thought housed in the temple of consciousness.  The un-manifest becomes the manifest through our being.  Our lives are the consequences of solidifications of thoughts that lead to manifestations.  The manifest world, our lives, can be attributed to information held in consciousness.
Our true nature exists prior to consciousness.  It is important to note that consciousness originates from an un-manifest potential.  This is the essence of the gift.  We may make up our consciousness via the universal Divine mind of Oneness.

The path we take is the internal road to Self realization.  It is never the world that needs to shift; it is always our selves.  This takes the form of attitudes, beliefs held in consciousness, the cultivation of love and devotion, harmony, compassion, and forgiveness.

Many are hung up on the practices themselves, thinking that by “being spiritual” we are better off.  We attend lectures and workshops in an attempt to grow spiritually.  We buy books, DVD’s, Zen sand boxes, and sacred objects.  There are special diets and supplements for self purification.  Though these things have their value, we need only the space in which to realize truth.

What is your sacred ceremony?  Can you be without it?  The tradesman is equally honoured by spirit as the clergy.  See how all actions have the potential for being devotional practices; the ceremony of driving to work is the same as the ceremony of lighting a candle.

In order to arrive at this sacred destination, it requires the willingness to be without the attachment to a particular material reality, for the Ultimate Reality exists in the infinite formless space.