Poem
Musing
Existence
The Source
The Source of all that exists is nameless and timeless. The Source enters the bubble of Existence•Non-Existence to express, experience, and know itself by creating, preserving, and dissolving forms. Existence is a dream state bound by the illusions of space, time, and matter. The Source forgets itself when entering the bubble and experiences Existence as awareness embodied in forms. Out of the primordial Non-Existence came Existence. Out of Existence, the mind was born. The mind is simply thoughts. The mother of all thoughts is the thought "I-Exist" or ego. The ego is an illusion of a separate and distinct existence that enables the Source to experience Existence from unique perspectives. The Source projects thought-based forms ('thoughtforms') on the screen of Existence to create existential experiences. Once the intended experience has run its course, the Source dissolves the embodied form so that it may return to the state of nothingness and reconstitute as a different form. This is the eternal loop of Existence•Non-Existence that makes up existential reality.
Inner Stillness
Inner stillness is where bliss lies; it's experienced when awareness is focused inwardly and outwardly at the same time but remains non-reactive to the movement of thoughts, emotions, and circumstances. This state is also known as Existence-Awareness-Bliss. Inner stillness cannot be achieved through physical effort or intellect; it requires us to be choiceless and effortless. How then do we relate to people, events, and situations? We remain centred in the blissful knowledge of our inner essence and engage playfully with a heart and mind that are ever cool and tranquil. We simply play our role without becoming entangled in the drama.
The World is a Mirror
The external world reflects our inner world. We manifest experiences based on our conditioned thoughts and beliefs. Our habit of thought on any subject is conditioned by impressions derived from past experiences and desires for fulfilment in future experiences. Our thought patterns influence the way we perceive people, things, events, and situations. Nothing is inherently good or bad, right or wrong; it's all a matter of perception. Our continued attention to anything keeps it in our experience. We have recurring experiences in different places with different faces because we are unable to be non-reactive to unpleasant experiences or change our negative beliefs regarding certain kinds of people and situations.
Quiet the Mind
As soon as resistant thoughts arise, turn within and ask, 'To whom are these thoughts occurring?' The unspoken reply would be, 'To me'. Ask further, 'Who am I?' without conceptualising an answer; then, observe the gaps in-between thoughts. As you repeat this exercise regardless of how many resistant thoughts arise, the reactive thinking mind would lose momentum and calm down. Why? Because the depths of who you are is 'Stillness', and mental noise - which is no more than movements on the surface - would subside when you stop engaging in resistant thoughts and be the non-reactive observer. You would need to be alert and ask the question as soon as resistant thoughts arise. Over time, this self-inquiry will lead to a noticeable reduction in mental noise and a corresponding increase in inner peace.
Existential Reality
Existence is not an objective experience; it's a subjective dream. Every point of awareness is experiencing a unique individual existence. Most of us are unaware of the dream state due to the veil of illusion. Eventually, the dream state would lose its stranglehold and our false sense of self will start to erode, giving rise to doubts and confusion. In our darkest moment, an inner voice will nudge us to go within and inquire, 'Who am I beyond the body, mind, and emotions?' As we persist with this inquiry, there'll be signposts to guide us in the right direction. This gentle and gradual awakening process will culminate in the knowledge of our innermost essence. We'll awake in the dream by remembering our nameless and timeless nature. Once awakened, a three-fold transformation occurs: first, we'll become centred in self-knowledge and simply play our role in the dream; second, we'll no longer become overwhelmed by or unduly attached to everyday experiences; third, we'll adopt a light and playful attitude towards people, events, and situations because we've ceased to treat the unreal as real. After the awakening, we'll go about living our daily lives in a calm, composed, and joyful manner. Occasionally we'll lose our footing and slip back into the old ways but they will be few and far between.
Creative Playground
We came to have unique individual experiences through our physical perspective and navigate the maze of unpredictability through our non-physical perspective; it's a co-creative process. Our physical and non-physical perspectives are two sides of the same coin. We are light, mirror, and reflection. We are the experiencer, experiencing, and experienced. Each experience - whether desirable or undesirable - is intended by us and will run its natural course to a conclusion.
Pain & Suffering
Physical pain is an experience; it's an inherent part of existential reality. Like rain, pain comes and goes with varying intensities and for different lengths of time; however, pain does not necessarily equate suffering. Pain can be experienced without any suffering. Unlike physical pain, suffering is a state of mind that arises from resisting change. Nothing is permanent, wanting it to be so causes suffering. Sometimes, suffering acts as a conduit for awakening when all else fails. At the root of all suffering is one or more of the following reasons: first—ignorance of our true nature; second—belief in separate and distinct existence; third— ‘attachment’; fourth—lack of equanimity; fifth—fear of death.
Do Nothing
Existence•Non-Existence is a hologram. The hologram is an imaginary bubble that encapsulates your existential reality. You - the embodied awareness - are inside the bubble. You - the nameless Source - are outside the bubble. You, on the inside, are physically focussed with a limited perspective. You, on the outside, are non-physically focussed with a limitless perspective. The physical and non-physical perspectives interact and merge to guide the direction of individual and collective experiences within the hologram. Your inside-the-bubble desires and preferences will be taken into account in the changes to the hologram; however, you must first let go of the need to control or influence outcomes. You have to stop trying to make things happen by force, manipulation, or purposeful actions and just go with the natural flow. What does that mean? First, don't strive for anything—take things as they come. Second, accept all, resist nothing. Third, don't react—wait, only respond if necessary. Fourth, align your actions with the path of least resistance. Fifth, don't obsess over outcomes.
I am That
Every form that exists - be it animate or inanimate - is a different version of your nameless self. There is nothing in your experiential reality that does not reflect an aspect of the timeless 'You'; therefore, it follows—to love and accept everything in your experience is to love and accept yourself. That is the meaning of self-love. Once you merge your ego with 'All-That-Is', you'll no longer judge or resist anything that appears in your experience.
The Eternal Cycle
