Awakening Self Blog
Finding is Better
I’ve spent a lot of my life seeking, seeking, seeking. Looking for God everywhere, searching for my teacher or my spiritual path.
Today, I was looking for space to store my daughter’s Christmas ornaments, and opened up the hall closet. There’s just enough room to fit the box up high on the shelf above the coats. But wait – what’s that green tassel I see?
Reborn!
Today, January 17th, is the rebirth of my website, AwakeningSelf.com! After a lot of hard work, I have this gem to share with you. Thank you to my wonderful web designer, Mani Sheriar, for being so delightful to work with and for sharing her very special talents to create this place of beauty and inspiration. Also a special thank you to my very gifted photographer, Lisa DeNeffe, who did all my new portraits for the site. She really brings out everyone’s natural essence in her work.
I hope you enjoy all the content I’ve created here to give you a meaningful and uplifting experience as you explore Awakening Self. Share freely with others!
Sit in Not-Knowing
For the first time in a long time, I really don’t know what’s next.
What a relief!
Yes, I’m used to always knowing what I was going to do. To have a plan. Plenty of ideas would come to me and I’d figure out how to make them happen.
Poppies on the Tracks
You or I would complain bitterly. Living in barren conditions, seldom any water. Frequently, large vehicles pass right overhead making thunderous noise, and trampling the living space so you can barely stretch up without being hit. Garbage is part of your living landscape.
Let It Be Meaningless
I’m the kind of person that is looking for meaning in everything. This opens up my perspective on life to be able to look at ordinary things and find great lessons inthem. It inspires me daily.
But lately, I’ve also come to appreciate meaninglessness. Sometimes, it’s nice just to be myself, do something, and not search intensely for what great spiritual message may be coming through. It’s refreshing just to be.
Would the Buddha Eat An Ice Cream Cone?
The funniest thought arose in my meditation today, after I had been contemplating the Eightfold Noble Path – Buddha’s prescription for eradicating suffering and attaining liberation. Apparently, my thoughts weren’t entirely still (big surprise) and thus this image of an ice cream cone being offered to the Buddha somehow sprang to my awareness. Would he eat it? What would the Buddha do?
I can’t claim to know what the Buddha would do, to be quite frank. But, based on his teachings, I can certainly take a stab at it. There’s one thing I do know – the Buddha would be aware that he has choices. He can choose to eat it, he can choose not to eat it. He would know that any desire or aversion that arose regarding the ice cream would be continuing the cycle of suffering in this life. He also knows that judgment would be a slippery slope – it feeds the ego, the idea that we are right if we choose one way, and wrong if we choose another. This would lead to either pride or shame, which again is back on the hamster wheel of suffering.