The power of self inquiry

 There is an infinite energy source at our disposal. We sometimes can’t see and feel it due to the conditioning that generates our illusionary—and limited—personal existence. But then, whenever we become aware of the fact that we have cut ourselves off the nourishing well we can reconnect. That’s the boon of Awakening that many of us have received. It’s a big accomplishment to have steady access to “That,” but even if we are temporarily cut off, becoming aware that we are unaware is something we can do as long as we are honest and upright.  

Yesterday I was sitting with a personal obstacle for a while. It wasn’t the most pleasurable experience, but it wasn’t so bad either; just seeing previously suppressed and stagnant energy moving. The discomfort lasted until the nourishing Source started shining through and the interference was gone. That’s the power of self inquiry. It’s human to encounter personal problems but the capacity to be aware of our unawareness is a resource we all possess. Sit with this uncomfortable state without escaping and see what happens.

Know Yourself

 The source of our beliefs may come from education, social culture, or deeply rooted patterns in our consciousness. This is why some people appear to be walking on the right path, yet at a critical moment, they go astray. It is because certain seeds remain hidden in their deep consciousness.

 

For example, we may take the thought “I have to work hard, or I won’t be accepted” as a given. We believe this is the correct way to live, so we act without questioning it. This is why we are always pushing ourselves to work hard. Now, we can begin to question this belief. Is this thought really set in stone? Can we look at it and understand where it comes from—not to analyze it intellectually, but to truly see it?

 

When you are not feeling well, when problems arise, or when you are facing an important decision in your life, the first step is to pay attention to your thoughts, layer by layer. Then you will begin to understand why you are experiencing these situations. It is these unnoticed thoughts that have slowly guided you in this direction.

 

Although observation may sound cliché, without it, all practice is in vain. Without observation, you will not know why you are doing what you are doing, even if you have been meditating for years. Without observation, there can be no wisdom. Begin by observing your thoughts, then go deeper into karma. Allow this observation to go all the way to the root, seeing yourself from every angle. When this happens, the pain at the root can finally come to an end.

 

True spiritual practice is grounded in this. It is not about complex terminology, but about paying attention to yourself from all angles while living your life. True spiritual practice focuses on the ordinary, on what is closest to daily life. Pay attention to your thoughts; pay attention to these subtle places. This is both the beginning and the end. This is true Dharma.

By Suzhen Liu

If you enjoy Suzhen Liu’s writings, please check out her new book, “Discover Love Within—Release Your Suffering” available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Discover-Love-Within-Release-Suffering/dp/0999251732

 

The Way gets its way with or without “you”

 What in retrospect is perceived as a Way 

is a continuous stepping into a changing Flow.

If you are happily drifting downstream, enjoy!

If an interference catches “you” off-guard,

let it help spotting an illusionary interfering entity.

The Way gets its way, with or without “you.”

Your Thinking Creates Your Own World

 Pay attention to your own thinking, because you create your world through your thoughts.

Thoughts are forms of conditioning in our consciousness.

 

When you were born, you didn’t know what milk was. When your mother fed you, she said, “Come have some milk.” After a few repetitions, you learned what milk was. The same happened with apples, cookies, and many other things. Gradually, your understanding expanded.

 

In the same way, our thoughts are learned. From a young age, we are taught what we should do and what we should not do. Because these thoughts take a long time to form, we rarely question them.

 

Every conclusion and every thought is learned. We think this or that and seldom examine or verify it. Gradually, we become imprisoned by our thoughts and lose our sense of ease. When we look deeply, we may realize that what we believe is good for us is often just a conclusion formed through long accumulation. The mind creates thoughts one by one without questioning them, because without them, we may feel lost if we do not live this way.

 

By Suzhen Liu

If you enjoy Suzhen Liu’s writings, please check out her new book, “Discover Love Within—Release Your Suffering” available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Discover-Love-Within-Release-Suffering/dp/0999251732

Spirituality 2.0

 Letting go involves being aware of a feeling,

letting it come up, staying with it,

and letting it run its course,

without wanting to make it different 

or do anything about it.

David R Hawkins

You try to be nice. 

You want to be kind. 

You surround yourself

with crystals and books;

hear Eckhart and Sadhguru.

You do sound healing and Yoga.

Are you ready for spirituality 2.0?

Just sit there and stare into space.

See programs running, even “good” ones.

Doing good is a good first step, but not enough.

Sit and experience self at work in all manifestations.

Know, sense, feel and see self and let God do the rest.

Learning in Relationships

 When we see a beautiful place, we want to visit it because it radiates attractive energy and makes us want to stay. When we meet people we like, we are drawn close to them—sometimes even wanting to possess them—because they radiate a lovely energy that attracts us.

The common quality of attractive energy is that it feels peaceful and warm. Most importantly, it does not feel harmful. When someone radiates this kind of energy, people around them do not feel threatened and do not feel the need to protect themselves. Naturally, they want to draw closer.

Similarly, when we encounter someone or something we dislike, it is often because they radiate an energy of judgment or contempt—not necessarily directed at us, but present nonetheless. Our instinct, then, is to distance ourselves or exclude them. Rejecting unpleasant energy is a natural human response. Another common situation is that two people with similar unresolved issues may attract each other.

Most people react according to the energy they perceive in others. After learning to meditate and practice mindfulness, it is important to observe whether we are still functioning in this pattern of direct reaction. When we notice such reactions, can we transform the energy? This transformation is not about changing the other person, but about transforming ourselves. It is an awakening—to see, soften, and loosen our own inner challenges. When we can do this, we rise into the energy of compassion.

By Suzhen Liu

If you enjoy Suzhen Liu’s writings, please check out her new book, “Discover Love Within—Release Your Suffering” available on Amazon.

Enjoy the show when “you” join the flow

 What we once lived and experienced as self occasionally clashes with “life as is.” Recognizing “life as is” and living in accordance with its flow is the means to getting the conditioned self out of the Way. It’s an inside job though, since body, mind and world are an item. “Life as is” manifests as 

S (tillness)

E (nergy)

L (ove)

F (low).

Actually, “life as is” always gets its way, but we only enjoy the show when we join the flow.