Archive for the 'Life Purpose' Category

Who Are You? Discovering Your True Self and Purpose

What makes us who we are? Is it our work? Is it the thoughts in our head? The emotions we feel? Are we our morals and ethics? Are we the inner critic? Or we the inner child? Are we the emotions and thoughts that are strongest and most prevalent – the most obvious? If so what about the weaker, subtler ones? Are we the the things that we act out? The things that we do? Or are we also the things that we do not do? That remain unexpressed?

Isn’t the truth that all these are part of us at one time or another?

Our power comes from understanding how to walk the paths of the parts of us which we truly connect with – the ones that resonate with us.

The ones that give us meaning and purpose.

This is and becomes our life purpose.

Just because we have loud thoughts, or strong emotions – does not mean that they are the only important ones. Just as in the external world it is not only the loud, extroverted people that are important. The power of the loud and obvious is that it is easily noticed. If you have pain – you know about it. If you have strong emotion – you know about it. If your inner critic is having a field day – you know about it.

Real purpose comes from meaning, not simply from presence.

The power of the obvious is in the fact that our attention goes there. It is like a telephone ringing in our ears – we find it hard to concentrate on the subtler sounds. But this does not negate the existence or the importance of the subtle. Having said that though, sometimes what is most important is big and loud and standing right in our face!

Meaning is not about big or small, loud or soft – it is about us. What is important to us. What brings us joy, passion, inspiration, love.

What gives us reason to live.

Finding and listening to that reason, focusing on that reason reveals our life purpose.

The only difference between a big flame and small flame is the fuel there is to burn. Internally, attention is our fuel. Where the attention goes, energy flows.

Sometimes when we are trying to put out big fires we are actually throwing petroleum on the flames. Our attention is so fixated on our issues that we stand in the fire while wondering why we can’t cool ourselves down.

We fight with our inner critic, we fight with our emotions and ego. The real fight, the real struggle only stops when we stop fighting.

We are like a football team that is more concerned with arguing with the fans of the opposing team, listening to their taunts and jeers rather than focusing on the ball and on the game itself.

We need to keep our eyes on the ball.

Connecting to life purpose requires looking deep within and finding that which gives us meaning.

What is important when listening for it is not necessarily how loud or distracting it is.

We are looking for the quality of the feeling.

Many of us who have low-self esteem believe that because our thoughts and feelings of doubt, confusion and self denigration are present and strong, that they are all that matter – that they must be true. We have trained our mind to see and feel mostly those feelings and thoughts that bring us down. As a result the thoughts, feelings and emotions which would build our self esteem and help us connect to life purpose have been repressed.

We all have the vibration of passion and inspiration within us.

We all have the vibration of clarity and purpose within us.

It is there regardless of the presence of fear and doubt.

It is there regardless of the presence of confusion and pain.

The truth is all of these thoughts and feelings can be part of who we are at this moment. We become empowered through recognizing the entirety of who we are, knowing where we want to go, and understanding that the main principle in how to get where we want to go is to continually fuel our destination.

Acknowledge what we are – focus and give attention to what we want to nourish and grow.

If we desire to become flexible we will not do so by constantly focusing on the fact that we are stiff while not stretching. We become flexible by acknowledging that we are stiff – this creates the desire to become flexible- and then we stretch regularly.

The continued application of practice will bring us to our goal.

If we want to feel empowered we will not achieve it by feeding the frequency of disempowerment.

Empowerment is achieved though realization.

Realization is achieved by listening and feeling for it.

Whatever it is that we desire to be, happier, extroverted, introverted, calm, excited, peaceful or angry we can achieve by placing more attention at those parts.

Life purpose does not happen by removing limits. It happens by transcending limits.

If we wait until our “limits” have been removed before we continue our journey then we will be waiting a long time. “Limits” will exist for as long as we are “limited” by them. It is not they that truly stop us – it is our mind that has fooled itself into believing that it cannot move past them. It’s like a painter who has been fooled into thinking they can only use certain colors. How to break the pattern? Start using different colors.

Explore, be adventurous, do something different.

Who we are is not set in stone it is simply a pattern of what is now. This does not determine who we must be tomorrow. It’s about choice. We all have the freedom to choose who we want to be, but that freedom is not realized unless we give ourselves permission to choose.

Permission as it exists in the mind is about focus and awareness. When the door of permission slams shut it is focus and awareness that opens it back up. When all we can see are our patterns and old beliefs it is focus and awareness that allow us to see more. These tools are the bridge between intellectual concepts and actually experiencing real change.

Hieu Doan

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The Truth of the New Age – Understanding the Higher Purpose

New age idealism is often seen as unrealistic. There is even among those dedicated to personal development a distinction where we do not wish to be perceived as practicing “new age fluff” but rather “real” and practical self development.

I would ask that we consider another perspective.

If we could have had the unconditional love that new age philosophy speaks of, if we could have had that inner peace, that true bliss and happiness – the majority of us would still be there.

What human being would not truly enjoy love? What human being would not truly enjoy bliss and happiness? Joy and peace?

We sought the reality of these ideals but we couldn’t find them to last or work in any sustainable way – and so we discarded the ideal as a myth.

We believed that if we couldn’t achieve it – then it doesn’t exist.

We touched on the new age – tried to grasp it’s ideals and found that they didn’t seem to mesh with reality. We wanted love but when faced with our own resentments, failures, anger, sarcasm and hatred were unable to love these.

The fact is the ideal wasn’t false we simply were unable to cultivate this level of love.

We were like untrained boxers stepping into the ring with a pro, getting knocked out and then blaming boxing for being stupid and unrealistic. We totally missed the point.

The pioneers who reminded us of unconditional love and divine peace were showing us a destination. It wasn’t in most cases a “how-to”. It was a more like a tap on the shoulder
to say “look over there!”

New age love is neither illogical or unrealistic – we were simply lacking in the skills and understanding of how to apply them.

Unconditional love and happiness, bliss – and all the other things we call “fluff” are destinations. Explorers of the new age connected that this is what we ultimately wanted to find. They didn’t leave the “how-to” because it wasn’t part of their message.

Their message was vision. A painting of beauty and love.

It is the journey of others to understand how to paint that painting.

Instead of rejecting the vision lets look at our skills.

Let’s look at our understanding.

Let’s look at how we can develop ourselves further.

Unconditional love is flexible and strong enough to embrace all the things that we call light and dark. The reality of this is that we must feel and face all of it. The good, the bad and the ugly. This is what it truly means to be “real.”

Work with this exercise:

Right now become observant of your thoughts and feelings.

Observe your body, your breathing.

Ask yourself if you really do desire unconditional love.

What comes to mind?

What thoughts?

What feelings?

Is it a taunt or yearning? Recognition or denial? Criticism or encouragement?

It is valuable to understand the other voices, the other parts and aspects that would ridicule or restrain the places in you that desire love.

Acknowledge them all and allow them to be.

Find the places in you that desire unconditional love.

Find the places and feelings in you that desire inner peace.

Do not be concerned with whether or not the you are doing it right. Do not worry about doubts or criticisms. Simply observe them, allow them to be and place your attention on the places that desire love, peace and acceptance.

Begin to imagine the essence of unconditional love. It is there. You simply need to remember how it feels.

Without force, allow yourself to remember the feeling.

It is a feeling that encompasses all of you.

It allows what is to just be.

It allows pain to be pain. Joy to be joy. Pleasure to be pleasure.

It sits with your inner critic as unconditionally as it sits with your inner nurturer.

Bring your awareness to the feeling of peace.

Imagine and feel it. It exists right here and now. Your mind is simply learning how to remember.

Trust that it is coming in.

Whether you perceive clearly or not your attention is allowing it to form.

Peace allows all that is to be exactly as it is.

Pain is pain. Joy is joy. Anger is anger. Love is love.

Your mere attention breathes life into those embers – no matter how dimly they may appear right now. By continuing to place your attention on those feelings no matter what your doubts, no matter what your criticisms you are training your mind and body to remember unconditional love and peace.

Attention is like a torch – it illuminates what we focus it on.

Simply continue to spend time placing your attention on the feeling, the imagination of unconditional love, peace and happiness.

Then ask yourself honesty – do I want this?

The practice of connecting to this feeling will begin an inner dialogue of whether these ideals are important to you or not.

It is an opportunity for sincerity.

Sincerity is about asking yourself what it is that you deeply want – and allowing yourself to move towards this ideal. It does not matter that we have doubts, self-ridicule or criticism. What matters is that we choose our path regardless. This is what it means to be true to ourselves. This is inner strength and it is the strength required to realize the truth of the new age.

Hieu Doan

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How to Realize Life Purpose – Awakening the Mind with Meaning, Empowerment and Spirit

At it’s heart Life Purpose is about feeling. We are seeking to find that which gives us the feeling of meaning, reason and purpose. This is the reason why two people can duplicate the same external experiences and yet not attain the same inner experience. We must look within for what truly resonates with us as purpose. We must begin with listening to what makes us as individuals feel purposeful.

It begins with knowing desire.

By listening to what it is that we desire we will find our purpose. This is what something as seemingly simple as a wish list is. A wish list is asking ourselves – what do I want? What do I desire? Then simply writing it all down. Allowing it all to come out, the “good”, the “bad” and the “ugly.” It is listening to what we desire as opposed to telling ourselves what we should desire. This is what allows us to truly know ourselves – and what allows us to know our life purpose which is of course a part of ourselves.

The written word is perhaps one of the quickest and easiest ways of manifesting our expression of desire into the physical world. In mere moments of the desire being acknowledged it is there before our eyes. It is not enough particularly in the beginning to simply connect mentally to our desires and wishes – they can be fast and fleeting – in short forgotten and overlooked. Writing them down and seeing them in physical form makes our conscious mind acknowledge them.

The power of this expression is that it allows us to know – and knowledge is the whole point here.

Connecting to our life purpose is difficult only when we do not know what we desire. Know what we desire and life purpose becomes easy.

Begin writing a wish list – keep it safe, keep it private.

Keep updating and adding to it and see and review what you have after a week, a month and a year. Once we get started it can seem like we have an infinite supply of dreams, wishes and desires – and only through experience and practice can we learn to recognize the ones that are just fleeting and the ones which deeply connect to our purpose.

Remember it is not about saying “no to those desires and wishes that seem too ridiculous or too childish or wrong. It is about connecting to the emotion of desire and purpose in whatever form it may appear. As we learn to connect to the feeling of desire our consciousness will begin to reveal our life purpose.

For most people the main obstacle to starting a wish list will be the belief that it is a ridiculous thing to do. Do it anyway. The results will be found in the experience of it.

Wishes can be anything – just as desire can be anything. Some examples that I’ve heard are:

being really really funny; creating an empire; for the phones to stop ringing for 5 minutes; telling people what to do; learning how to paint; inner peace; world peace; becoming an astronaut; seeing the pyramids; going for a walk on the beach; unlimited wealth; respect; a day off work; true love; knowing absolute happiness; eating chocolate all day;

Just to name a few!

Remember that what is important is not to judge whether this energy, desire or wish is wrong or right – but to simply acknowledge that it is desire. Observe and enjoy the feeling that desire awakens in you.

All the wishes that we express have within them a link to deeper and emotional purpose. If we enjoy telling people what to do perhaps we would make a good director, a project manager or personal development coach. If we wanted to be really funny we could set a goal to tell at least 1o new jokes a day, start noticing the funny side of life or practice laughing! Nasa may or may not accept us becoming an astronaut, but in any case knowing that we are interested in space travel could lead us to writing science fiction, taking up classes in creative visualization or building life size model space ships!

If our wish is to be truly happy we may perceive many of our other wishes and desires to be “superficial” or “frivolous.” The thing is if it is true happiness that we seek, then perhaps we need to consider that the reason we have not found it, is because we have closed ourselves to the echoes of the very thing that we seek. The trick is to learn to recognize it wherever and whenever it appears. When we begin to define when it is appropriate to feel happy and when it is not then we shut ourselves to the experience and reality of it. All our wishes and desires echo and reflect our connection with happiness in some way. Understanding all that we desire is the key to connecting with the deeper and greater well of purpose and life’s desire that dwells within.

How often do we get the opportunity to express our wishes and desires? How often does someone ask us “what do you want out of life?” When we take the opportunity for ourselves then we wait for no one. Take the time right now – open a notepad and right down at least 5 wishes. Write 500 if you wish. Keep adding to it.

As soon as you begin you start a process in your consciousness whereby you are taking action to discover your life’s desire and purpose. Continue and sustain this process and you will eventually come to full understanding. This is the nature of experience.

Hieu Doan

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The Power of Commitment

Perfecting an art and completing any journey requires commitment. Commitment holds us through to gaining the necessary experience which we then reflect upon and refine into skill. Skill keeps the ball rolling and perpetuates the development of real world applicable knowledge – and this positive cycle continues.

The journey of deep understanding, mastery of the self, empowerment, realization, enlightenment or where ever it is that our own personal mountain peak may be, becomes clearer as we advance, because we gain skill, knowledge and technique. Our mind has already learned to move beyond certain limits and discovered experiences that it could once only imagine. We build on prior experiences, we extrapolate from our skills, exploring tangents, working on grander ideas and simpler methods. We develop guidelines, rules and structures which we have proven to ourselves work time and time again in the real world. These rules give us stability, they provide us with a knowing that we have a partial map of how to get to our destination.

Without commitment however, all the rules change.

Commitment is what will see us standing by our game when skill fails us. It will see us being steadfast when the world is seemingly against us. Commitment is what will give us the humility to honestly look at ourselves. It is what will give us the strength to surrender the parts of ourselves that no longer serve.

There will be times on the path when it seems like all our teachings, knowledge and understanding have failed us. Perhaps there will be many times. Look down at your feet and just concentrate on taking the next step.

In this moment here and now commitment is just taking that next step.

We talk about empowerment. We talk about enlightenment, magic, healing, self-mastery and personal development. The real magic is commitment. When we find ourselves at the very last step of our lives and we look back at everything that we have experienced and reflect on the directions that we have chosen, we will know that what brought us to this final step was commitment. The question is not whether commitment was there – it is whether we have been committed to what is important to us.

Have we lived lives that are integral to us or have we forgotten our meaning? Are we truly okay with our compromises? Or do we wish for more?

Commitment is power when we are committed to purpose and meaning.

If we seek greater intimacy in our relationships, more passion in work, enhanced spiritual awareness or connection to meaning and purpose – commitment is what will have us standing at the pinnacle of those goals.

Seekers may argue over the relevancy of different types of technique and skill, and even masters may quibble over the specifics of knowledge and concept. That’s just the way it is. There are many ways up the mountain. Even half way up there will be people who tell us we’re going the wrong way, “that you need to climb up the other side!” Or that perhaps we are climbing the wrong mountain. The one thing that cannot be denied however, is that the journey takes commitment to succeed. And interestingly the details of right and wrong will usually become apparent as we continue the journey. At times we may even turn completely around and head the other way only to find that we are closer to what we truly wanted after all. There are many mountains. What is important is that we climb somewhere and continue to climb. Through this journey we connect to the source of who we are.

Hieu Doan

The Power of Honesty – The Secret of Unlocking the Ultimate Power of Your Mind

Honesty is integral for achieving real empowerment.

Without honesty we never really know what we truly want. Dishonesty within, will struggle against any developments in awareness. The two are fundamental opposites. To be honest with ourselves means to listen and see – even when what we hear and see is not particularly to our liking. It is the difference between telling ourselves what we like, want and feel – and listening to what we actually like, want and feel.

Honesty is the reality as it is, not as we want it to be.

Without looking and perceiving clearly what reality is here and now, we are living in delusion – a state which must be cleared before the path to our destination becomes clear. We need to start where we are. We must listen to the many voices that speak within us. The many feelings that rise to be heard – and then we must ask what is the meaning of this communication?

When we create an internal governor, an entity or aspect of our mind that will stand for the purpose and meaning for our highest good, then we have the opportunity to bring understanding and unity to the other selves. First we must hear them speak, and to truly hear we must be willing to be honest.

Honesty reveals the way through and to all levels of the self.

Perhaps one aspect of the self is restless or agitated. In listening we will understand why there has been struggle in this area, and so we gain the opportunity to resolve and reconcile. This cohesion brings inner peace at this level. Perhaps another part is grieving and in listening honestly, we gain the opportunity to understand why it is grieving, and so we gain the opportunity to find healing.

Without honesty we choose to live in the dark and yet wonder why the feelings, thoughts and reality that we have are not the ones we want. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is truly insane. In being honest we allow ourselves to look and see the cause and effect of our actions. We gain the opportunity to ask: “Is this what I truly want? Or do I desire a change in paths?”

Honesty is congruent with the development of observation and self-awareness. On one level honesty is admitting that we do indeed desire a particular experience, be that emotional, physical or mental. On another level observation may show us whether or not the path we are on will likely bring us that experience. If for example we seek empowerment, are the choices and actions we take supporting the creation of that reality? Are we feeling more empowered overall than we were last year? If we would like to have more fulfilling relationships, are the choices and actions that we have taken supporting the reality of this desire? Are we experiencing more fulfillment here and now than we have in the past?

Honesty allows us to achieve results in a concrete way. Rather than hoping that chance will throw a bone our way, we systematically learn to know ourselves and understand the nature of cause and effect. Understanding brings empowerment.

Mechanically speaking honesty is easy. It is the simplest way to true fulfillment. In practice it is challenging because of pride.

If we do not want to “lose”, then we may hold back from admitting that we already have. Until we allow ourselves to look honestly at what is actually happening here and now, we don’t have a chance of creating our reality with any conscious direction. It all just keeps rolling from the product of our past patterns and reactions.

The honesty path although it may require us to look at some truths that sting, actually allows us to create a life that is imbued with experiences that contain for us meaning and purpose. In retrospect the sting of honesty will be like water off a ducks back. It’s this experience that allows people to genuinely laugh at themselves, because they have elevated themselves above the part of their ego that would do anything to avoid that sting, that feeling of loss.

In letting that part lose, we actually win – big time.

We laugh because we experience real inner victory. We see what we have gained and realize the experience of that sting of pride for what it is. No big deal.

In the long run we gain exponentially more by allowing ourselves to grow than holding ourselves back. At the top of the mountain the pride that we gain from having achieved so much far outweighs any pride lost in the journey. Furthermore the journey itself has shown us the transient nature of pride itself – and so we learn to laugh at ourselves, because we can see that regardless of our “flaws” and “foibles” we are capable of climbing mountains!

Be honest about your strengths and be honest about your weaknesses. Each has the capacity to help the other.

Admitting that things have not worked out, that our “causes” have not had the “effects” that we desired, we actually get the biggest opportunity to make a major overhaul. It’s like a company realizing that a certain product just isn’t selling. If they don’t want to admit that they might have been wrong on something, then they continue to lose. If they admit that for some reason it’s just not working, then they gain opportunities to turn it around.

Hear what the inner critic has to say, but know that just because the voice comes from within, it doesn’t mean that it’s the last word. Develop the inner governor, a voice of reason and wisdom that can communicate with all the other aspects of yourself with understanding and compassion, but also firmness. It is the part of you that will listen but then make the decisions that need to be made. It is that part that listens with understanding, responds with compassion and acceptance, but is still able to do what is needed. In short it is the councilor who hears, loves and respects the child’s voice yet knows that there are other considerations also. It is the higher self that sees from a bigger perspective that can understand the paths that lead to fulfillment and those that are dead-ends. The honesty exists in listening to all concerns openly, knowing that they may come in the form of thoughts, words or feelings and emotions. The strength exists in allowing the honesty to be there. It also exists in learning how to meet each aspect of the self with understanding while still directing a larger, higher and more expansive picture.

Each aspect, each voice has a purpose, a reason for being that is connected with us. Understanding that purpose gives us the opportunity to integrate directions and find reconciliation within. All aspects of the self have an honesty that is revealed when we are honest with ourselves. Meeting each one openly and allowing the inner governor to genuinely seek understanding with each is the essence of honest communication.

Hieu Doan

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The Power of Experience

There are no concepts or theories that can ever compare to actual experience. Experience is the truest and deepest teacher because it allows feeling and sensation to penetrate our being to the core and allow us to realize true meaning and power. Perhaps just as importantly experience is the difference between dissecting what works and what is fantasy.

When so much in the spiritual and personal development arena is puffed up by words and promises the only thing that will directly cut to the core is experience. Experience, actually feeling and living the reality of a theory or concept will immediately clear the table of all that is not real. What is left is solid and tangible. The opportunity that this provides us is two-fold. On the one hand it provides us with a foundation upon which to build further skill and on the other it presents our intellectual and doubting mind with results. From these results we sow the seeds of confidence and this confidence in turn fuels and sustains our practice. This is the cycle that ultimately brings us to our goals.

The first fundamental of all practice and therefore experience will always be focus. Without focus our energies and mind are scattered. We may have direction, we may have ideas and knowledge, but without focus all these are rendered impotent. Focus is the energy and mind state that allows us to integrate our other skills and knowledge. After focus we must realize awareness. Awareness is the art of listening and it is the only way we have of understanding the “canvas” upon which we are creating. Without awareness or listening it is like having a conversation and not knowing what the other is saying. The communication becomes ineffective. Where ever we are on the path these two fundamentals must be entrained into us. Our mind and body must be guided to experience the feeling of focus and the feeling of awareness. It is only through this experience that our consciousness can receive the knowledge at the deepest levels of mind and body. Without this integration we will always lack focus and awareness and without these developing other skills is a relative waste of time. They will have no foundation to stand on and no way of assessing their potency.

When the foundation is built and by this I mean experienced solidly then there are many paths or branches available. There is the path of Enlightenment, Realization and Alchemy. There is the Hermetic path, the path of Magic and Metaphysics, the Astral path or the path of Yoga. All these paths require their principles to be internalized through experience to truly be understood. Otherwise they are merely metaphors, stories, concepts and theories. Without experience it is easy to argue about the differences of these paths for they surely do seem very different. Through even the most rudimentary of experiences and actual practice it is easy to understand the one true source that underlies them all. This unifying essence is the mind which through all these practices is being moved, stretched and shaped. It is learning forms and formlessness. It is experiencing the finite and the infinite, yin and yang and the Tao. Through experience whole books of lore can be proven to be dead ends or a single phrase can show the way. Eventually all the texts and teachings will give way to the experience of the inner-tuition that is true and alive knowledge and wisdom.

The journey to the top of our mountain is achieved when we stop to reflect on the way we are going. Reflection is listening. Listening is observing the effects of our experience. Through honest and open reflection we are able to navigate our path. Is it likely that we will progress in this direction? Do we require the development of other skills? These are the questions that come from honest reflection and the answers provide us with the opportunity to go further.

Sitting at the bottom of the mountain it can be easy to dream about the peak and perhaps not as exciting to think about picking up the rucksack and taking those first steps. Even less exciting can be the prospect of sore muscles and aching breath, but it is only in experiencing the mountain that we can develop mastery of the mind and body. Sitting at the bottom we merely develop mastery of dreaming. Furthermore it is only through taking the climb that we may discover that we are able to not only climb the mountain but perhaps fly from its peaks. Potential is only realized when we stretch who we are and experience all that we could be. All of this lies in the province of practice and practice is experience.

Hieu Doan

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The Power of Intention Part 1

Intention is the directing of consciousness. It is moving the consciousness into areas with a desire to affect a particular result. Intention is a powerful tool for manifestation when used to gather the specific frequencies and knowledge required. Weaving the psychic skills with direction of intention allows us to gather the exact information that we need be it in the form of visions, sounds, feelings, smells, tastes or other forms of knowledge. Integrating this knowledge which can often be done immediately begins to elicit the changes that we desire. The process of refining the practice utilizes the exact same principles. If something is not occurring the way we wish it to then we direct our intention to gathering the information as to what needs to be added, subtracted, sped up or slowed down. This is a two fold development of learning how to manifest and learning how to gain precise information. In time the process of intention, information gathering and implementing this knowledge will occur simultaneously and accurately.

It is important to observe and access the information coming through with honest and open awareness. This is perhaps one of the main difficulties inherent within the art of manifestation. For example information may be coming through that to create a certain result energy needs to be built and gathered for 4 weeks. If this crucial detail is ignored then a person may believe that their manifestation has failed where as what has actually occurred is that they have simply not followed through on all the necessary requirements. The development of accurately and clearly perceiving information is also important. The mind needs to be directed with the intention to understand and hear, see or feel clearly and then we need to observe and allow ourselves to find this space within us. Through continuous training the mind understands exactly what it is that we are wishing to access and in time we can connect with these spaces effortlessly.

The understanding of how intention works is like how water finds it’s way through rocks. If there are many rocks the water will continue to weave around them until it reaches it’s destination. Similarly intention is a direction of the mind. When the mind finds an obstacle or distraction is must allow that entity to be as it is and simply find a way around it. In the case of the mind, intention is the place of knowledge as well as the consciousness that is seeking connection with this place. In time the two become one and this is the process that dissolves the illusion of location or separateness. This is when the acquisition of knowledge becomes effortless and instantaneous.

Hieu Doan

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A Journey's Essence

All journeys require effort and energy, commitment and dedication. Like all journeys however, if walked long enough, experienced long enough, and reflected on long enough certain wisdoms will be integrated. The ability to walk longer and with less energy expended. The ability to be in the moment, and also outside of the moment. The ability to see ahead, as well as behind. The ability to understand, appreciate and experience meaning in the journey.
A journey may at times make us weary, at other times it may inspire us to great levels of energy. There may be times that we stop and in despair exclaim that we can never continue, and then in what is seemingly a new moment pledge that we will never give up. At times it may seem as if all we have achieved amounts to nothing, at other times it seems as if with all we have achieved we should surely have reached the peak by now. Through it all we may at times remember to look back at the person who we are, the person that is walking, reflecting, in joy, pain, grief, anger and love. At times we may look back in gentle compassion, other times may bring regret or remorse, love and passion, wonder and confusion. At times we may be reluctant to look back at all for fear of what we may see. At other times it may seem as if all we see, the good and the bad, clear and confusing is in perfect harmony, rolling along seamlessly like clockwork.

The truth of all journeys is revealed when we begin to look back, it is an opportunity that only exists in reflection and the fact that we do carry a past – as this past is what defines the journey. That past, that journey is our present. Where we choose to direct it from here and now is made available by the extent, depth and focus of our awareness and ability to observe. The thing about observation as it pertains to the realm of mental and spiritual consciousness however is that there are more shapes, directions and forms than in the physical. While the physical is 3 dimensional, the mental exists in potentially many more dimensions. This reality can be experienced and witnessed simply by observing dualities and contradictions easily and cheerfully existing in our consciousness regardless of our beliefs and views on how reality should be.

Empowerment comes not from dictating how reality should be but by understanding why reality is how it is, then learning how to affect this reality. Gaining perspective comes from stepping back and seeing the big picture, going up and seeing from a higher vantage point, moving to the edge of the game and seeing everything that is going on. In the realm of the mental and spiritual this going to the edge, going up and seeing the big picture works in more ways that in the physical. Just like like dual, opposing and contrary directions and feelings can exist within the consciousness, so too going to the edge can mean going in, moving out, looking sideways, feeling in shapes, hearing in color, seeing in sound, smelling knowledge, tasting direction and communicating all of this information with a direction of mind that is moving more and more towards clarity. Traced back all of these ways of expression, listening and communication are found from one faculty that all of us have – awareness.

Hieu Doan

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The Power of the True Self ~ Part 1 ~ Awakening the Master Mind

The power of the mind is revealed when we learn to control it. From control comes mastery, and from from mastery the full spectrum of opportunities to experience universal consciousness. In all of this the most empowering of experiences it that of connection and realizing the True Self.

True Self is simply a name to define an experience and feeling. It is a connection and a re-connection, a coming home and a reunion. It is a source of intelligence and wisdom, and it is also a source of unconditional love and understanding. Realizing the true self is perhaps the highest goal of meditation, because it is the only place where the journey actually stops and is still. From this lens all things can be seen and touched, wielded and understood. At the same time, the need for understanding, the search for wisdom and knowledge ceases – at least for the moment. The moment of connection allows the understanding that all wisdom, knowledge and intelligence has been and is for the attainment of this goal, and so once reached all further seeking is superfluous.

The more the mind and body enters into the realm of True Self, the more peace, unconditional love and acceptance become what we are, rather than something we seek. The irony is that in this state although we no longer need to seek, we also do hold no more aversion to seeking, no more aversion to struggle, fear and failure. To move and create becomes a joy, and so with the smallest of movements we enter into a dance with the universe and energy and willingly leap back into a communication with that which would perceive life and consciousness as “I.” This brings us back to who we are, with all that we would perceive as flawed, unworthy and needing of transformation and transcendence. Yet there is an extra lens. An expansion and channel to a consciousness that is our True Self, one that cannot possibly exist simultaneously with our perception of a flawed and fractured self – and yet it does exist. It exists simultaneously and seamlessly. The True Self is consciousness that whether at peace or not at peace, whether ignorant or aware, in love or in hate, wisdom or confusion, is still complete, fully connected to the universe and with no falter in its willingness to experience the finite and the human.

It is one of the exquisite contradictions of consciousness, that from the lens of the finite cannot be seen the face of the infinite, yet with a shift one can be infinite and comprehend and encompass with ease all that is finite. For these to exist simultaneously is impossible – and this is the very reason why the True Self holds the key to making the impossible possible. From all seeing, unlimited and all knowing, and all accepting to limited, finite and small knowing. Yet the infinite self understands that it is only in being finite that we are able to experience so many qualities in their purest essence. The “I” is created without the benefit of perspective, wisdom and knowing, so as to experience the act of seeking and finding and all the levels of creation and reflection that form the path of power. The True Self is then able to experience an aspect of itself that is able to love single mindedly, struggle, persevere and create – and it knows that we do all this, continuing on our path and journey to seek something that we may only sense we have lost or forgotten. Rediscovery of course brings much laughter.

Hieu Doan

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Two Paths – Releasing Our True Power and Purpose

There are essentially two paths that we may choose from at any time – that of increasing awareness and truth, or that of delaying it. Awareness seeks connection, unity, understanding and truth. Denial and delaying seeks separation, removal and truth.

The path of awareness is the path that finds complete understanding through unity of all that is. Instead of seeking to separate from darkness, evil, hate, anger, negative thoughts and painful emotions, the path of unity seeks to feel through illusions that the mind has created around these. Where the path of denial would attempt to separate the True Self from darkness and negativity, the path of unity brings awareness to ignorance, enlightens the dark, and exposes love in all the places of pain, hate and suffering. The path of separation creates hierarchies of experience, where the mundane cannot be profound and the student cannot be the master. On the other hand the path of unity bridges the gap between the ordinary and the enlightened and the student and the master.

The path of denial and separation understands power because of that separation. It is the perception of relative difference, that would express one experience as higher than another. Yet this difference will cease to exist on the path of unity. There will still be forms, expressions and individuality, but the defining of them as higher or lower will be gone. This occurs because the mind that would experience one thing as better and another thing as worse has learnt to feel and see the truth. The truth is that better or worse, higher or lower is a perception of consciousness that once purified allows us to be free of the need to divide and separate. At this point we see the path of denial and separation for what it truly is. A perfect game that we have created in order to experience the evolution and growth that we were unable to experience when we knew were whole. It is the perfect marriage for growth and experience. To deliberately create a state of forgetfulness knowing full well that memory will pull us to striving, struggling, practicing, growing and working our way to remembering once again.

The meaning in all this growth however needs to be remembered. It needs to be remembered that however perfect the game, however predetermined, that because of the perfection of creating finite consciousness we have the opportunity to move outside the game, through a path that exists within infinity yet has its own control and mastery within this space. Instead of being played by our own game, we become aware of and begin to direct the rules of the game. Meaning becomes something that we are, not something that we search for and we learn to walk between worlds, free and awake.

Hieu Doan

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