“From Biology to Buddhism: The Science of Spirituality”

I’m beginning to assimilate a deeper understanding of how connected we all are, not only to one another, but also to the collective energy source. This week has been a reminder of this ubiquitous unity. We are all teachers as well as students.  Each day I am presented with lessons of the universal laws of life.  I can choose to flow with these natural decrees or I can struggle against the current. I believe everything in life has a purpose and reason.  If I decide to be in alignment with this force, I will always be propelled towards the realm infinite possibilities. 

 “The Joy of Living, Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness,” explores such phenomena from a spiritual and scientific level.  Written by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, an immensely wise Buddhist monk, the book integrates the study of the biology of the mind with experience of shifting consciousness. Through my own meditation and yogic practices, I can subtly comprehend this transformation.  


According to Rinopche, “when neurons connect they form a bond very much like old friendships.” These neurons habitually send the same messages between them just like “old friends reinforce each other’s judgments of people, events and experiences.” This association process is what forms mental triggers and patterns. Neuroscience reveals that recurring experiences alter the functioning of the brain.  By consciously changing your perception, which is the primary function of the Buddist philosophy, it is possible to eradicate the barriers you’ve created to reaching your limitless potential. 

It amazes me how truly complex and intricate our mind really is. The psyche is in a perpetual process of transition and the spirit is the guiding power behind it.   As I continue to embark on this journey in exploring the inner-workings of my own cognitive processes, the more fascinated I become. And So it is.

                 

“Applying Toltec Wisdom”

      From the Toltec tradition and “The Four Agreements,” I’ve learned to not take anything personally.  This week, I applied this knowledge to a once anger-provoking situation.  I was astounded at the positive outcome that was elicited. 

Late Thursday night, as I was procrastinating packing for my trip to San Diego, I received a hostile text from a phantom of my past. There were several unresolved issues between this person and I that still lingered.  She aggressively informed me that she felt disrespected by something I had recently done.  Instead of replying with an antagonistic and condescending response, which was my initial reaction, I made the decision to answer instead with compassion.  Adhering to another agreement, “being impeccable with your word,” I chose my response carefully.  First I made the discernment that whatever her resentment was about, in reality it had nothing to do with me; hence there was no reason to take it personally.  As with everyone, her frustration was a reflection of her own internal filter system which was being projected onto me. I then recognized that her bitterness, trepidation and pain were a cry to be nurtured.  I apologized for acting in a way that upset her and assured her my intent was innocent.    

As the conversation progressed, her animosity dissipated and we actually began to bond.  The interaction created healing for both of us.  We were presented with this opportunity to begin the process of resolving the negative feelings that had been generated through the years. Though I am aware that it will take time and effort for the trust between us to be established, I knew that this was a constructive foundation.  Overall, I felt invigorated and as though an immense weight had been lifted from me.  

The progression of transformation I’ve experienced since I began my journey is remarkable.  When I alter my thinking to align with love instead of fear, I change how I feel and get different results. It’s a simple formula to live by and with each occasion I have to practice these principals the more ingrained they become. And so it is.            

Shifting Perspectives: Are you living in love or fear?

It is my belief that we primarily have two choices in life: to think and act in accordance with fear or to be in alignment with love.  This week I experienced a lesson in shifting my perspective along this continuum. 

On my way home from chi gong, I stopped at the CVS by my house to pick up some lavender Epsom salts.   As I waited in line, there was an older couple, perhaps in their late sixties, at the register in front of me.  In my mind, which was focused in a mode of impatience, they were slow and sluggish.  As the man struggled with the credit card machine, my annoyance grew.  Silently, I criticized this man’s observable senility.  Once I recognized my insensitivity, I took a moment to analyze it.  What was manifesting as agitation, was actually fear in disguise; fear of myself getting older and becoming feeble-minded. At this point, I was able to shift from a place of fear and judgment to one of love and compassion, my restless impatience instantly lifting.

          

        Though the choice to be in a state of unconditional love for myself and others is not always such a simple task, the more I practice this shift, the more habitual it becomes.

So how do we apply this new strategy?  The first step is recognizing when your emotions are being expressed as fear. Then, once this understanding is established, you must take the time to investigate what the fear is really about.  If the fear is based on a firmly held belief, we may need to begin to dispute this belief. Some questions you may want to ask yourself:  Is there evidence to support this thought? Does this thought help me or hurt me? What thoughts can we use to replace this thought that are more realistic and loving?  The result is we consciously shift our perception from one of fear to one of love.  And so it is. 

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…”

Living a few blocks from the inter-coastal, I tend to go for brisk walks to the water often.  Every time I venture on these mini-excursions, I take the time to consciously connect with my breath and the serene nature that surrounds me. On one such occasion this week, I was greeted by a neighbor’s amiable tabby cat.  She affectionately pushed her faced into my hands and pranced around me, her tail and body gracefully warping around my limbs. Every time I attempted to walk on, she darted in front of me and blocked my path.   

During our brief encounter, my heart was captivated with the pure bliss of living completely in the present moment.  The first thought that emerged in my mind was “if only humans could express such genuine love and kindness to a complete stranger without fear or judgment.” After saying this to myself, I smiled as “Imagine all the people” began orchestrating in my head.  Although the notion may seem as naive and idealistic as a Beatles song, I began to contemplate the concept of unconditional love.  It’s an attractive theory, but is it truly possible, not only at an individual level but for humanity as a whole?

This questioning catapulted me back to the famous Gandhi quote “you must be the change you wish to see in the world.”  It’s amazing how much truth resides in such a simple statement.  The most significant contribution I can generate in my existence is to offer my best and lead by example.   Every day I am blessed with the chance to challenge my character flaws and express my limitless perfection. Every day is an opportunity to think and act in accordance with my divine potential.  Each of us has this option as a possibility within us.  One day at a time, one person at a time, we can transcend the hatred and negativity that plague our society and replace it with love, compassion and understanding. And so it is.     

Planting Seeds of Transformation...

This weekend I was a participant in an intensive yoga retreat at the Amrit Institute in Ocala National Forest.  The trip served as a vital hiatus from the stressors of my mundane routine, as well as an exploration in self-discovery. The lessons I internalized were as subtle as the sensation of a placid breeze, yet as they gradually seeped in, the impact became immensely profound.

The focus of the program revolved around connecting with prauna, also referred to as the life force.  Alignment with this energy is said to enhance your yoga practice while simultaneously directing you easily and effortlessly through life’s challenges.

During the two-day workshop, we were exposed to a combination of explanatory lectures, interactive exercises and guided meditations. Inundated with this novel information, I came to several realizations about myself.  The most fundamental of these was the insight that my soul, that wise intuitive spirit that resides on the crest of each breathe, is always whispering gently within.  Through my conditioning and domestication, I learned to tune out this universal frequency. Intellectually, I’ve known this concept for some time, yet until yesterday I was never as acutely aware on a physical and emotional level how passively detached from life I have become. The beauty of having such deep sensitivity to this disposition is that I now have the opportunity to investigate and resolve the resistance interfering with the expression of my own vitality.       

To some such a revelation may not seem so significant. And although this expedition did not trigger an orgasmic explosion of enlightenment, it did succeed in rooting embryonic seeds of metamorphosis.  I have the awareness that if I desire these healing buds to blossom, I must nurture them diligently with practice, patience and perseverance.  The choice is up to me:  I can allow this potential to remain dormant, or I can transform the knowledge I’ve absorbed into wisdom, allowing it to permeate my daily existence.  Most of my life I’ve been paralyzed by fear and incapable of cultivating joy. In this moment I choose to embrace this journey called life with love and acceptance. And so it is.