What we need is to wake up, remember who we are – what consciousness is. We find hints: flavored tastes; yet, fears of letting go drown us in vanilla puddles, not fully aware of the boundless flavored dimensions beyond our self-imposed ingredient constraints.

Pick up a banana.

Feel the banana – the friendly familiar texture, the unprocessed closeness. The confident banana not pretending to be, it is. No label can tell you better.

Peel the banana thoughtfully – one strip at a time. Feel the pull of the peel from itself; attentively tearing with natures perforated detachment. Notice the unevenness of the strips: the lowest in perfect apposing harmony to the highest – no competition. The naked fruit revealing itself: perfect exhibition. The banana Is.

See the banana. Take in the vivid colors: individually – yellow, green, white, brown, and shades in between; in contrast – yellow reflecting whitish pink, cream-yellow, glistening speckles of white. Notice the beautifully colored architecture; simple, yet complex.

Take a bite of the banana with your entirety.  Consciously be available for this experience. Nothing else exists: nothing before, nothing after. Meditatively taste the textured beauty. Let your thoughts go. Thinking limits, it just scratches the surface. Contemplation has no boundaries, only focus. Contemplation absorbs thinking; it observes thought.

The nature of the banana shows itself without search. Ready for ecstatic awareness. Nothing is hidden. Be still – permit its natural essence to engulf your consciousness. This should be enough reason to break the attachment from processed flavors that one bites down on in unconscious delusions of potential pleasure.

Let the luscious fruit effortlessly dissolve as the mouth dances in rhythmic harmony. No forcing. No anticipating. In contemplative awareness perfection exists. In this state there is no judgment, only beauty. This is the awakened consciousness that we seek. However, there is nothing to seek. It is already upon us.

Seeking prevents awareness. Awareness exists. Seeking does not. Seeking has a prescribed future that is attached to a false past. Let go of it. Understand that the future is not there as well as the past. What is left? The present. Stop dreaming of a better tomorrow. Wake up and realize everything exists now – the awakened state.

Glimpses of dreams we think we see out of the corner of our eye driving fast down a road to nowhere that we mistaken for our destination. Our destination doesn’t exist away from us. It isn’t in the distance. It is in the present – our journey. Consciously eating the banana.

Compare this to the way we eat: aimlessly thrusting our tongue searching for hidden flavors that seem to only exist beyond our limited sensory reach. Or the unconscious illusion of thought that we swallow faster and faster, and mistaken for enjoyed expectations. This is your “reality?” Your unconscious dream. Your dream of the future?

Feel the subtle flavors. Taste the colored textures. They don’t need to be searched. Searching only exists where there is a future. But there is no future as there is no past. Clinging pasts project disillusioned futures. Where is the happiness in that? Breathe in the moment. For it only exists. In this one breath is the universe, existence in its entirety. In this breath is its meaning, our conscious awakening. Consciously eat the banana.

Changing a pattern is exercising our free will. Typically we are subjected to the conscious and unconscious impulses of the mind, body, and emotions. Our mind tells us that we can’t, and our emotions react to our fear by getting angry, scared, sad, depressed, etcetera. Then we revert to our old ways.

We can change this common cycle. First, we have to understand this internal fight. Since there are an almost unlimited number of psychological reasons that we are unable to exhibit free will I will not get into the specifics or the manifestation of behaviors associated with them. Instead I will talk about the process of employing free will to changing patterns of behavior.

The all too common question: Can we change? First, we have to define who “we” are. “We” are not our body, mind, or emotions. “We” are our soul. So the question is then – Does our soul change?

Things that change die: Trees, plants, our physical body, etcetera. However, we – our soul are eternal, and never die. So, if our soul never changes, that means that it is already perfect we just need to recognize it. Then what are we attempting to change? We are trying to change a behavior – to act differently. Our behavior is based on our psychology: how we see ourselves. Typically people include how we see the world as well. But really how we see ourselves and how we see the world are the same. Our external view is just a projection of the internal.

Our behavior originates from the way we see ourselves: we act according to the view we have of our self. When we talk about change we should be focused on the view that we have of our self because change is seeing our self differently and acting according to this new perspective. Once we are able to recognize the perfection in ourselves, we can act with perfection.

Acting with perfection means exercising our free will. We often think that we are acting with free will, but mostly we are not; we are giving in to conscious and unconscious impulses. If an action is not in the best interest of our soul, it is not free will. Free will means acting according to the soul, any deviation is giving in to an impulse.

We are not our mind. Many times we associate ourselves with our mind and emotions. Our mind says something and we react. We need to understand the mind is our instrument. We – our soul, is the one who should be controlling the mind. We can learn how to do this by observing our mind and its functions. Through meditation we can learn to create this awareness and strengthen our mind, our instrument, to do what is in the best interest of us – the soul.

There are two important qualities necessary to realizing our intentions and enacting our free will. The first is having a strong foundation: to remove fear, to feel safe, and secure in this existence.

We need to feel safe and have no fear to liberate ourselves from habits, and to create new patterns of living. A strong foundation is necessary. The only thing that prevents us from realizing our intentions is ourselves. Nothing is difficult. Let me repeat – nothing is difficult! The feeling of difficulty appears, when self-doubt arises. This self-doubt comes from fear. Fear that we are incapable of succeeding.

Remember when we were kids and we got a new game that we had so much fun learning how to play. It wasn’t difficult, it was challenging. When we were young we approached things with a sense of enthusiasm, a sense of adventure. It was fun. There was no self-doubt. Well, this is how we need to approach things as adults – with the enthusiasm of our childhood. With this attitude nothing is difficult, only a challenge. The only thing that makes something difficult is fear!

The second quality necessary to realizing our intentions is having a strong will: to be unshakable in the face of obstacles, to commit to our path.

To successfully apply our will we need to dedicate ourselves. Surrender ourselves. This is different than striving, or using ambition to focus our will. When we dedicate ourselves – we commit without desire. We surrender and dedicate ourselves to the path without regard to outcome.

Committing is walking down the path and enjoying the walk – no matter what obstacles you encounter. Applying your will through ambition is an attachment, it is focusing on a destination, on an outcome. Which one are you going to be discouraged more easily from obstacles? The one focused on the results because when obstacles arise, self-doubt will happen caused by fear of failure. You haven’t committed to the path – you chose a destination. You need a strong foundation, a connection with the path – a connection with your soul.

Give your life to your soul, to its purpose. The opposite is giving your life to your ego, your mind. If you give your life to your ego you are impulse and materially driven. If you dedicate your life to your soul you are spiritually driven. It is impossible to be in the middle. The middle is a justification for a weak will. It is a giving to the ego, except where it’s easy to withdraw.

How do we change our patterns of behavior? We have all heard the mantra – discipline. However, discipline alone is not sufficient. Also, the common definition of discipline often invites problems, making the struggle even more difficult. To create new patterns of living we must observe and understand existing patterns. Observe yourself when you feel like enacting the particular pattern. Ask yourself – what just happened? What emotions am I experiencing? How does this behavior make me feel when I do it?  Don’t cast judgment, just observe. Understanding doesn’t come through judgment. Instead of saying, “this behavior makes me feel bad/good”, use language that is more precise. This behavior makes me feel good because it is distracting me from my worries. With this type of language we can really understand the behavior.

It is through the bringing to consciousness that we can begin to break attachments we have to patterns of behavior. Not just replace them with another behavior. If we replace one behavior with another we are always going to be using some level of force to continue – some days not so much, others a lot. Furthermore, with force there is a duality: part of you is pulling in one direction and part in the other. Peace does not exist in this duality.

We can continue down this path of force until this new behavior becomes a habit, and the avoidance of the old behavior becomes a habit. But remember we are trying to employ free will. This is just replacing one habit with another. A habit is an attachment, and likewise aversion is an attachment. This is not exercising free will. Sure, the new habit may be better for our life, but it is a habit just the same. This will not bring deep peace.

Remember, we can choose to experience the consequences of our actions, repeating patterns of behavior. Or we can enact our free will and make a conscious choice to realize our true selves and fulfill our destiny by living our purpose, and allowing ourselves to achieve our potential.

Kundalini Yoga Kriya and Meditation

Flexibility of the body means flexibility of the mind. Changing patterns takes flexibility. Yoga aids this flexibility. Understanding patterns takes awareness and focus. Meditation trains this focus.

The Kundalini Yoga set below helps focus your will and feeling secure here on this planet.  It works the First Chakra, The Root Chakra, Muladhara, and the Third Chakra, The Naval Chakra, Manipura.

This set increases the vital capacity and improves muscle coordination. It gives you balance. It also aids digestion and brings an overall nerve strength. It adds power and will to your actions.  It opens the power of pranic energy from the navel center and extends it along the entire spine.

Series to Increase Your Vital Energy:

1)    Sit on your heels separating your knees as much as you can. Put your hands in Venus Lock behind your neck. Breathe long and deep for 5 minutes.

2)    Frog pose: Squat down with put your hands on the ground in front of you. The heels separated by 30 cm. Inhale and raise your hips, lowering your head. Exhale and back to the original position. Repeat 26 times with strong breathing.

3)    Sat Kriya:

Sit in Rock Pose, sitting on heels.

Stretch the arms over the head with elbows straight, until the arms pressing the sides of the head.

Interlace all the fingers except the Jupiter (Index) fingers. Men cross the right thumb over the left. Women cross the left thumb over right.

Begin to chant “Sat Naam” with a constant rhythm of about 8 times per 10 seconds. Chant “sat” as you pull the navel point in, applying the root lock, or Mulbhand – contracting the navel, sex organ, and anus. Pull the energy up the spine, through the chakras. With the sound “naam” relax the navel center releasing the energy through the crown chakra. Continue for 1 ½ minutes.

To finish, inhale and apply the Mulbhand, pulling the energy up to the crown chakra. Exhale and relax.

4)    Repeat frog pose 10 times

5)    Repeat Sat Kriya for ½ minute

6)    Repeat Frog Pose 10 times

7)    Sit in Sat Kriya pose. Inhale deeply, exhale, apply Mulbhand, mentally direct the energy up to the third eye. Repeat one more time and relax.

8)    Relax 8 to 11 minutes

I like to follow this set with the Meditation on the Divine Mother. This meditation gives concentration and mental beaming. It tunes into the frequency of the Divine Mother, and primal, protective, generating energy. It helps eliminate fears and desires. Gives power of action by removing blocks of insecurity.

Meditation on the Divine Mother (Heart Centered World, page 141):

1)    In Easy Pose, meditate on infinite energy coming out of the primal womb, in an unending spiral without beginning or end, going on to infinity.

2)    With eyes closed cup hands 10 to 15 cm before the face and beam a mental light through them to the infinite light. Watch with mental eyes, through the hands, and see a beam of light going to infinity. Meditate with long, deep breathing.

3)    Then chant: Saataanaamaa

Maintain above position with hands up. Going deeper into meditation.

4)    Maintain above position, chanting the Adi Shakti Mantra for 3 to 31 minutes.

Adi Shakti,

Adi Shakti,

Adi Shakti,

Namo, Namo.

Sarab Shakti,

Sarab Shakti,

Sarab Shakti,

Namo, Namo.

Prithum Bhagawati,

Prithum Bhagawati,

Prithum Bhagawati,

Namo, Namo.

Kundalini,

Mata Shakti,

Mata Shakti,

Namo, Namo.

Meaning of Mantra:

I call upon the Primal Power

I call upon the Eternal Power

I call upon the Divine Power of Love

I call upon the Kundalini, the Mother Energy

We become discouraged with our efforts, and self-doubt arises. Am I capable of more? Am I on the correct path? We feel a lack of direction and meaning in our lives. This sensation is the main cause of depression and dissatisfaction. If it is persistent and strong enough it has a detrimental effect on our mental and physical well-being.

If the overwhelming feeling that we are not progressing toward our potential fills our lives with misery, then the opposite must be true, fulfilling our life’s purpose and moving toward our potential will fill our lives with happiness.

What is our purpose and its relation to our potential?

We can examine this from the perspective of yoga, since people of various backgrounds do yoga and subscribe to its philosophies. The word yoga in Sanskrit means union. This union is defined by the union between you and your higher-self (self-realization), and you and your god (god-realization). In this context we can say our purpose are these unions. Additionally, each of us has our own unique life purpose. It is this individual life purpose that guides us to our potential, and is a direct path to self-realization and god-realization. Following our life purpose leads us to our potential, and as we travel down this path we realize ourselves – discovering the god within.

Our mission is to discover and develop our path, move toward our potential, and find true and lasting happiness. These three aspects are directly related to each other, and all share a common attribute necessary in achieving them – free will.

In essence we are talking about truly experiencing free will, because it is free will which helps us achieve our potential. Moving toward our potential is what brings us happiness, and finding our unique life purpose is the path that guides us there.

We all feel that we are capable of having a better life.  At times it seems within reach; while at other times, it appears like a distant plane flying over us in the sky. If we have free will why do we continue living the same patterns? Think about all the possibilities that exist. What binds us to these patterns? Currently, we are subjected to the fleeting impulses of the mind and the reactions to our emotions, consciously and unconsciously.

These impulses and emotional reactions are part of a pattern. To learn how to truly enact free-will, we need to understand what is preventing us, we need to understand the patterns in our lives. In order to do this we need to first have correct perspective.

We often think of ourselves as human beings that, at times, have spiritual experiences. However, a more appropriate perspective is that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Moreover, this human experience is an aid to our spiritual development. With this view we can focus on our soul as experienced in its journey. This perspective opens our eyes to the language of the soul, showing us how all events are an integral part of our soul’s development.

It is important to understand that our external experience is just a projection of our internal experience. The only way to change our external life is to change the internal. With this understanding it is easier to create an awareness of the psychological patterns and obstacles that we impose upon ourselves.

If we want a fulfilling and happy life we have to understand what this means, how it relates to our purpose. Which path will get us there? Then we have to understand what is preventing us from attaining it.

We have to think of ourselves as scientist. We will investigate what provides our life with meaning – our life purpose, what prevents us from achieving it – our life lesson, and how we can move toward our potential.

In the next blog I will talk about finding your own individual purpose.