Home Page: Inspirations of Love and Hope

Month: December 2024

  • Into the Mystic: The Journey from Meditation to Contemplation

    As I re-read the works of St. John of the Cross, I have become more attuned to the threshold of transition—the dryness and emptiness that so often precede the invitation to move from meditation into contemplation. This is not unique to St. John; it is something pointed to by many of the great teachers. Whether it’s Namkhai Norbu, Ramana Maharshi, Thich Nhat Hanh, the Dalai Lama, or Orgyen Chowang in Pristine Mind, they all plant the seeds of meditative absorption, which only take root when the time is right. Now, it seems, those seeds are beginning to bloom, not as intellectual concepts, but as a living, unfolding experience.

    Today, I found myself drawn into this quiet transformation. As I lay in stillness, the pratyayas—those passing thoughts, sensations, and memories—began to rise and fall, like waves on a distant shore. Curiosity, that soft and patient witness, guided me deeper, not into understanding but into presence.

    The breath came of its own accord, a deep release from somewhere beyond my conscious will, as if the body itself knew what needed to unfold. And then, an awareness—a spaciousness—arose. It was not something I had summoned, nor could I hold it in place. It was simply there, naked and pure, like a clear blue sky.

    St. John of the Cross speaks of this as a kind of surrender, but not the kind we can choose. It is a grace bestowed, not earned. In the stillness, I realized that my role was not to force this shift but to allow it to happen. To remain as the observer, the witness, as the Divine unfolded in its own time.

    What struck me most deeply was the paradox of this surrender. The very act of trying to let go becomes an obstacle. Instead, it is curiosity that opens the door to pure awareness—curiosity that has no desire, no need for something to happen, but simply observes what is.

    Today, in this unfolding, I realized that even the longing for deeper experience can become a barrier. The path is not one of striving but of witnessing. And in that witness, the Divine does its quiet work, purifying what needs to be released, and bringing us ever closer to the essence of who we truly are.

    As I reflect on my own journey today, it is my hope, and the shared intention (Sankalpa) behind all of this work, that by sharing these reflections, insights, and experiences, they may serve as a guide, a comfort, or a spark of inspiration to those who come across them.

    🙏🕊️🙏

    Book Recommendation: St. John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul

    Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross is a spiritual masterpiece that explores the transformative power of suffering and the journey toward union with the Divine. This work describes the profound spiritual experience of being stripped of all attachments, both inner and outer, as a necessary process for purification and deeper connection with God. For those experiencing a time of spiritual dryness or emptiness, St. John’s words offer hope and guidance through the darkness, illuminating the path to deeper faith and surrender. The Dark Night is not a time of despair, but of ultimate transformation, where we are invited to let go of our limited understanding and trust in the unfolding of the Divine. This book serves as a timeless companion for anyone navigating the challenges of the contemplative path, especially those who feel drawn to the shift from meditation to deeper contemplation.

    Book Recommendation: Orgyen Chowang, Our Pristine Mind

    In The Pristine Mind, Orgyen Chowang offers profound teachings on accessing our natural state of mind—a state of clarity, openness, and peace. He draws from the Dzogchen tradition, emphasizing that our true nature is already pure and perfect, and that through practice, we can return to this unconditioned state. For those on a contemplative journey, Chowang’s words provide a practical path for moving beyond mental noise and distractions, guiding us back to the inherent stillness of the mind. This book is especially helpful for those who wish to deepen their meditation practice or shift from intellectual understanding to living experience. The Pristine Mind invites readers to discover the profound joy and serenity that arises when we rest in the awareness of our true nature.



  • Neti Neti #20: Taming the Restless Mind and The Story of the Genie

    Question:

    My mind often feels restless and insatiable, constantly creating desires and distractions. I’ve heard the story of the genie climbing the pole to stay busy as a metaphor for controlling the mind. How can I apply this wisdom to my own practice, especially through the use of ‘Neti Neti,’ to keep my mind focused and find peace amidst its relentless demands?

    Dear Friend,

    There are stories that come to us from distant times and places, stories that hold within them a wisdom that speaks to the very heart of our human experience. One such story, from the Sufi tradition, tells of a man who encountered a powerful genie—a being capable of granting any wish, yet bound by a condition. The genie, restless and insistent, demanded that he be given tasks to perform, lest his untamed energy turn destructive. At first, the man found this simple enough, asking for wealth, health, and all manner of earthly pleasures. But soon, the genie’s demands for more tasks grew relentless, and the man, overwhelmed and desperate, turned to a wise sage for help.

    The sage, understanding the nature of the genie, offered a solution both simple and profound: “Tell the genie to climb up and down a pole, and to keep climbing until you have another task for him.” And so, the man did as he was advised, and the genie, with no other choice, began his endless task of climbing the pole. The man lived in peace, free from the threat of the genie’s unrest.

    In this tale, the genie represents the mind—our own restless, insatiable mind, always seeking, always wanting, always creating desires and distractions. When left unchecked, the mind can become our greatest enemy, leading us into worry, confusion, and suffering. It spins endlessly, caught up in its own creations, driving us to exhaustion with its demands for more.

    But the sage’s solution is a metaphor for the power of disciplined practice. The pole that the genie climbs is akin to the focus we give our mind through spiritual practices, such as mantra repetition. Just as the pole gives the genie a task, the mantra gives the mind something to hold onto, something to engage with, preventing it from causing harm through its restless wanderings.

    You have wisely chosen Neti, Neti—”Not this, not this”—as the task for your mind. This mantra, with its gentle negation, guides the mind away from distraction, away from attachment, away from the endless pursuit of desires. It directs the mind back to the simplicity of being, to the quiet truth that lies beyond all names and forms.

    In this practice, the mind, like the genie, is given a task that is both meaningful and liberating. It is kept busy, yes, but in a way that leads to peace rather than exhaustion. The mind climbs the pole of Neti, Neti, moving up and down with each repetition, each negation, until it eventually tires of its own restlessness and begins to quiet, to settle, to rest in the stillness that is always present beneath the surface.

    This story reminds us that discipline, when applied with wisdom, is not a form of restriction but a path to freedom. By giving the mind a task, by guiding it through the repetition of a mantra, we are not suppressing its nature but rather channeling it in a way that allows it to serve us, rather than enslave us. The mind, once a source of turmoil, becomes an ally on the path, helping us to stay focused, to stay present, and to return again and again to the truth of who we are.

    Dear friend, as you continue with the practice of Neti, Neti, remember the story of the genie and the pole. Let it serve as a reminder that the mind, when disciplined, can be a powerful tool for transformation. Each repetition of the mantra is like a step on the pole, guiding the mind upward, guiding it toward the light of awareness. And as you give the mind this task, may you find, as the man in the story did, a sense of peace, a sense of liberation, and a deeper connection to the truth that lies beyond all distractions.

    🙏🕊️🙏