Beneath the Thinker

Imagine experiencing the massive release that floods through the body when we become aware that we are actually the expansive, luminous, naturally joyful BEINGS beneath the thoughts, beneath the suffering...

Photographer~Dustan U Wardrobe/Moral Support ~ Ethan U

To know yourself as the being underneath the thinker is freedom, salvation, enlightenment - Eckhart Tolle

Honestly, the past couple of months have been pretty crappy. I've been waiting to feel Up and Bright and Joyful consistently for what seems like my entire life, and since the passing of my brother, I can't seem to find my footing for any comfortable length of time! This growth journey I'm on has certainly made the light filled stretches longer, but I find myself still searching for that calmness...that peace of mind, that feeling of absolute ease with being me, being in this body, being in this world. I know I'm probably a long way from living like the Buddha in that coveted enlightened state, but I sure as hell will not give up until I figure out how to!

We are so fortunate to live in an age where information, inspiration and life-changing words, videos, courses are just a couple keyboard taps away! I remembered this post I had screenshot from my Instagram feed a couple weeks ago of a beaming, smiling Jim Carrey. You all know I love quotes and this one from Jim, coupled with the radiant, joyful energy that jumped off of his photo, was definitely a keeper! I quickly pulled it up and researched the man he has learned from, the great Eckhart Tolle. I'm familiar with his work, but never sat down and fully dove into it. Well, thanks to Jim, I just added another powerful voice to tune into on this journey.

Beautiful, Beaming, Fabulous Jim Carrey! I'd love me some of this energy, wouldn't you?

Eckhart teaches that we must realize that our natural state exists beneath the thoughts...beneath the thinker. We can learn to become the observer and the steadfast and calm influencer of these thoughts. In James Allen's last chapter on Serenity in his book 'As a Man Thinketh' (my absolute favorite piece of writing), he speaks of the 'Commanding Master':

Keep your hand firmly upon the helm of thought. In the bark of your soul reclines the commanding Master; He does but sleep: wake Him. Self-control is strength; Right Thought is mastery; Calmness is power. Say unto your heart, "Peace be still!"

He does but sleep!Wake Him!This Commanding Master is the Being Eckhart teaches about...the true essence of ourselves that naturally exists just beneath the thinker! Buddha teaches the same thing. He tells us that the human experience will always have some element of suffering and that the root of this suffering comes from our ignorance. We are ignorant of the fact of our divinity, of our natural connection to GOD, of our oneness with the universe...ignorant of the true nature of reality. Most of us are unaware of the great Commanding Master that dwells inside us! We tend to see ourselves as solid and singular or as the beautiful Pema Chodron (another voice I've added just from the research inspired by Jim's photo :) describes: "Seeing ourselves as objects, sense of isolation, solidness, when our true nature is limitlessness, in process, fluid. We are all part of the process, flow of energy - a part of the whole, not isolated". Or as Jim boldly proclaims, "I am bigger than what I do, bigger than my body. I am everything and everyone. I am no longer a fragment of the universe. I am the universe." I get goosebumps thinking about the magnitude of this awesome reality. An open, expansive heart, a deep knowing, a calmness, intrinsic connection with life energy, with infinite intelligence..ahhhh!!

So how do we do this???

Joy is uncaused and arises from within as the joy of Being. It is an essential part of the inner state of peace, the state that has been called the peace of God. It is your natural state, not something that you need to work hard for or struggle to attain. - Eckhart Tolle

Struggling to attain happiness has definitely not worked for me in the past. I am so ready for a different approach! Buddha teaches that one of the steps to eliminating the suffering and ignorance is the practice of Maitri. I actually came across this word at the beginning of the month and loved it so much, I wrote it down in my journal. When doing my research last week...the word popped up again and I knew that it was meant to be in this post!

Maitri is Sanskrit for loving kindness for yourself and others. Being able to have compassion for yourself and then for others. Most of us normally have no problem having compassion for others...we don't want anyone around us to suffer, yet we accept and live in the norm of our own suffering. Why do we do this? Pema teaches that 'We can learn to act and think in ways that sow seeds of our future well-being, gradually becoming more aware of what causes happiness as well was what causes distress'. I tuned in to one of her meditation type experiences on YouTube centered around the practice of Maitri...the practice of finding the root of all happiness, then wishing this happiness onto ourselves and others. It was a very powerful experience that made me feel this immediate openness in my heart, a melting...I felt a breath of fresh air rush through me, leaving my body feeling less constricted and tense. I know this is something I must continue to do in my quest for ultimate peace of mind...feel free to check it out at the link below. Mediation has been on my to-do list to figure out and practice consistently. I've had this fear of not being able to quiet my mind enough to be effective...but I know this is not the right attitude to have about it and am now aware that I am actually the being beneath that chatter...and with the use of Maitri, I can employ compassion with myself and take it one step at a time, until I become the commanding master of this mind thing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WckYIo_ydbU

"I do not know" is a tremendous possibility. Once this happens there is an automatic, natural 'seeking'. This seeking only happens when you understand that you are responsible for your knowing and your ignorance. - Sadhguru

Somehow when I place intention on my goal, like finding the right inspiration for my blog topics, the universe delivers by landing content related to what my heart feels pulled to share, direclty into my inbox :) I jumped into the Living In Bliss Masterclass with Sadhguru on Mindvalley to learn from this very humorous and wise master yogi. Golden, mind- opening words seem to effortlessly pour out of Sadhguru's lips every time he opens his mouth! If you haven't listened to him speak or read his words, look him up, he is awesome! So, from his words in the quote above, I think we are on the right path. Once we start asking the questions, wanting to discover the how, the why, the what the heck we can do differently to obtain our natural, blissful state...we are automatically taking responsibility for our ignorance, for our knowing and our ultimate reality! And guess what, the universe delivers when we set a clear intention, just as it delivers when I channel my intent and energy on the topics I want to write about. If we are fully invested, fully intent on experiencing the freedom Jim talks about, I believe that the universe will help us achieve it!

YOU ARE THE LIGHT!

Your body is light. It's energy. In the energetic science (and art) of Qi Gong, it is said that the energy at the center of the belly is heat, that the energy of the heart center is vibration, and the energy within the head is Light! Lau Tzu said, "Use the light that is within you to revert to your natural cleanness of sight. - Lee Holden from the Superehuman Experience

Ahh! The energy in our mind is Light according to the Qi Gong, the ancient form of Asian Yoga that centers on energy work. I love this. The entire premise of my blog is to 'Let In the Light', but guess what has finally sunken in (I know, I know, it takes me a while to connect the dots sometimes :)), THE LIGHT IS ALREADY NATURALLY IN US! It dwells deep within, waiting for us to channel its divinity, its expansive potential, its radiant beauty and natural need to flow through us and out into the world. I've written before that the highest energy vibration in the universe is LOVE. It's Maitri!! It's the basis of that Light within us.

Everything in the universe starts with intention - Deepak Chopra

I hereby declare to the universe and myself that I am ready to be one with the soul, the light, limitless being beneath all the chatter of my thoughts...to be the Commanding Master of my LIFE. I will respond with more compassion for myself, and learn that my thoughts don't define me. I am bigger than my thoughts...way bigger...like Jim, I am one with the universe! I pledge to live in Maitri...to intentionally keep filling my cup so there is a constant overflow of light to spread and share in this world!

With Maitri and excitement, I send you radiant light and the beautiful awareness of your oneness with the infinite!

xoxo,

Jess

Beautiful words by Pema Chodron