Filed under: Echo's Thoughts, Philosophy, Uncategorized | Tags: Echo's Thoughts, India, meditate, meditation, mindfulness, philosopher, Philosophy, waling meditation, Yoga
Earlier in the week I was walking down the street practicing mindfulness. I just have to say I don’t particularly like the phrase “practicing” anything but I feel this is the best choice of words to communicate my frame of mind.
With that said… there I am walking down this neighborhood street in Tempe, Arizona and I walk by a tree. This tree I’ve passed by for several weeks now but there was something drastically different this day. To tell you the truth I’m not sure if I noticed the tree or if it noticed me.
So there I was… standing still, motionless with the exception of an occasional batting of the eyes so that I could maintain this new clarity. There was a fantastic calm and abundance of energy looking at this beautiful tree. There it stood leaning back with a lazy posture amongst the grass hugged by bushes and inhabited by a family of singing birds… there it stood alone, just like me.
As I’m observing the beautiful brown bark, green leaves and crooked twigs a rush of thoughts and emotions flooded my mind… I smiled!
I was taken back to a time in my youth were there wasn’t a tree safe in my neighborhood… if there was a tree it was going to be climbed. In what seemed like several minutes was in all actuality just a few seconds, now I was continuing on with my walk (to the bus stop).
As I sat on the bus and reflected on what had just happened and wondered to myself, when did I stop climbing trees? It has been several years since I climbed a tree… why?
I remembered how exciting it was to climb trees, the adventure I enjoyed it immensely. Up in the trees there was a different world, a different perspective, peace and quiet.
I miss those days, sitting up there squatting on my perch like a wild monkey away from the household chores, homework and the bully on the bus. I miss my sanctuary and I wonder if I can find a similar solace now that I’m an adult.
Do I have it in me to climb a tree and leave the troubles, anxieties and responsibilities of this so called life down there. Can I find my way outside of all the distractions so that I can see clearly what is really happening in the world?
I think I can…
I know I can…
Only now I don’t have to climb up a tree to get to that place, the tree and I are one… like I notice the tree, the tree notices me, I’m a reflection of the tree and the tree is a reflection of me. My sanctuary isn’t up in the trees anymore but rather inside myself, its just a matter of taking the time to go there NOW.
Seeing that tree, taking notice, being aware and observing the way I did was a reminder that I can be here right now any time I want and right now is where its all happening, this is where its at not back then or tomorrow but right now.
In order to live a life of virtue and bring about the change that is needed in our world it will be from minds that are aware of this. The change that is coming, the change that is happening right now is being nurtured and cared for by the minds that are here right now.
There are those who are still unaware there are those who still walk past the tree without taking notice but now isn’t going anywhere and the people that have awakened to the now will still be here when those are ready to be here now too.
Namaste,
Filed under: Philosophy | Tags: guru, Gurus, India, krishnamurti, Krishnamurti Videos, meditation, ojai califoania, ojai krishnamurti, Philosophy, religion, religious, spiritual, spirituality, walking meditation, Yoga
A’hoy there!
I just completed uploading the entire Krishnamurti series, “What Love Is Not”. I haven’t even had the opportunity to watch all the videos myself yet but as I do I’ll be posting separate post on each individual video to give you my thoughts and perspective.
There are plenty of other videos in the fold so stay tuned. Also if anyone reading this would like to donate videos of other teachers please contact me. This blog is to be diverse and varied so the more the better.
[[[ TO THE VIDEOS ]]]
Filed under: Krishnamurti Videos, Philosophy, Uncategorized | Tags: awareness, buddhism, buddhist, Can We Together Create A Good Society, Dharma, is there a way out, j. krishnamurti, krishnamurti, krishnamurti video, Krishnamurti Videos, meditation, mindfulness, spiritual, spiritual videos, Videos, walking meditation, Yoga, yoga practice, Yogi, zen
This is the 2nd of 12 videos in the series “What Love is Not”, this particular video is titled “What Can We Do Together To Create a Good Society?”
In the beginning of the video -K- recaps on the previous days discussion touching on the topic of thinking together. He emphasizes how important it is to put ones own history, dogmas and beliefs behind so that the group can think together.
He then asks us to examine the very nature of thought. If we look closely we can see that thought itself has been conditioned. The very nature of thought as we know it is an evolutionary process our thoughts are always trying to do something or be something.
-K-, then asks us to ask ourselves, psychologically is there a tomorrow? If we find that there isn’t a tomorrow psychologically what then is the relationship between 2 humans?
It seems that over time we as humans have accepted the idea that gradually with time things will get better. It is also apparent that measurement has become extremely important to societies around the world. This becomes notably clear when you see the individuals mentality within a society is… what one was, what one is and what one will be. This is all measured in time.
If you can see this then one must ask is there psychologically time at all or has thought invented time psychologically?
Is it possible that thought has invented time because it is trifling and lazy? Thought doesn’t want to deal with what is happening right now, thought puts a plan together to fix whatever the problem is in the future, down the road somewhere. If you examine this closely you will see that this is how we’ve been taught to think, this is a reflection of our conditioning. It goes the same for us here in America as it does in Africa, Europe or wherever else, the root of this is the conditioned mind.
-K-, then briefly looks at the history of mankind and how we’ve tried to create perfect and peaceful societies. He compares the systems that were put in place by the ancient Greeks and Hindus. Both of these systems were independent of one another and for a time succeeded but as any system or idea that is implemented into society both of them eventually failed.
Now here we are today in present society, can we together create a good society?
If we are to bring about a peaceful and good society will it come about from some set of ideas or a system or is it something that has to happen immediately with us thinking together?
If we are thinking together is time involved in bringing about this new society or is that something our minds have been conditioned to think?
Please do watch this video and ad your comments. Tell me what you like or didn’t like about it, let talk and investigate together.
Peace.
Filed under: Krishnamurti Videos, Philosophy, Videos | Tags: awareness, buddhism, buddhist, Dharma, is there a way out, j. krishnamurti, krishnamurti, krishnamurti video, Krishnamurti Videos, meditation, mindfulness, spiritual, spiritual videos, Videos, walking meditation, Yoga, yoga practice, Yogi, zen
The beginning of this video starts off like most Krishnamurti videos, he asks the audience to think and investigate together. I must say however that this particular introduction is the best one I’ve seen to date. The attention that -K- demands is amazing.
In order to think together -K- points out that one must let go of all oppositions, accepting or denying. In order to think together there cannot be your thinking and my thinking, separate… it is together thinking. He goes on to explain either you understand it as a intellectual concept which then becomes your concept and the others concept drawing from all your previous experiences and the other drawing from their previous experiences and you both intellectually reach separate conclusions. That is not thinking together.
To think together there cannot be any barrier between your thinking and the others thinking… you have to do it together. If you can think in this way where there is nothing personal then you can move forward to investigate questions together. This movement is a totally different quality of insight into a problem and you can see things for how they really are.
Is it possible for you and another or for any 2 people or group of people to actually do this? Can you put aside all of your previous experience and judgments so that your mind and the others can come together?
Filed under: Echo's Thoughts, Philosophy, Uncategorized | Tags: Buddha, buddhist, daily meditation, Dharma, Echo's Thoughts, Karma, meditation, New Age, philosopher, Philosophy, self help, spiritual, spirituality, Yoga, zen, zen meditation
What is it going to take for you to take your life back? When I ask this question, I see in the distance another question simultaneously arising. For me to ask, what will it take for you to take your life back implies that you had a life to begin with. So the other question that arises is, have you lived?
What is it to live, what does it mean to you? I fear for far to many people in the world the answer to that question might revolve around their work, who they know, where they’ve been, how much money they make or something to that effect. As the days go by turning from weeks to months then years (32) to be exact its gradually become clear and as of late ABSOLUTELY clear… living has nothing to do with ANYTHING I’ve been told.
From the day we’re born we go into somebody training, we’re told how to speak, what is good, what is bad, who to pray to, what people are nice and what people to be afraid of. This somebody training has another alias, its called “conditioning”. Lets take a look at what dictionary.com has to say about the word “conditioning”.
con⋅di⋅tion⋅ing
- 1. Also called operant conditioning, instrumental conditioning. a process of changing behavior by rewarding or punishing a subject each time an action is performed until the subject associates the action with pleasure or distress. (link to reference page)
That’s right you, like myself have been conditioned and the only thing worse than being conditioned is not knowing your conditioned. WAIT… actually there is something even worse than not knowing you’re conditioned! What’s worse than not knowing you’re conditioned? The one thing that is far worse than not knowing you’re conditioned is finding out you are conditioned and not doing anything about it or denying it until you’re blue in the face!
I think Pink Floyld summed it up best with the song “Comfortably Numb”.
When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse,
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone.
I cannot put my finger on it now.
The child is grown, the dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.
I’m sorry but you can have a few million dollars in the bank, a house that’s paid for in the Hollywood Hills, trophy wife, trips to Spain, Bugatti and the social life that goes with it… if you don’t recognize all of that ISN’T WHO YOU REALLY ARE… please keep it. Who wants to “live” their entire life without knowing who they really are?
These days its so easy to give your attention, your LIFE to material things. Having material things doesn’t have to be a bad thing but if you find that you are identifying yourself with them then you are setting yourself up for a rude awakening and a rude awakening is sure to come sooner than later.
The days we have here on this earth are limited and although it may seem at times that we have all the time in the world, tomorrow will be here before you know it. Before you know it you’ll be old, before you know it the friends you had won’t be around anymore, before you know it your hair will be gray and you’ll wonder where all the time went.
Its time to wake up… NOW, not tomorrow not next week but this very moment, wake up! Find it within yourself to see you’ve been led astray, recognize that you’ve only yet to discover who you truly are and the infinite possibilities within. YOU ARE the unlimited… YOU ARE the impossible, stop pretending and just be yourself. There’s no amount of money, job title, lover, wife, husband or electronic gadget that defines you… its ALL charade, don’t get distracted from your true nature.
If you’re going to play the game, play it well and play it true but don’t forget its just a game and don’t forget who you are. This is just a friendly reminder from yourself, you made the rules… you can change them too!
What’s it going to take for you to take your life back?
degreesofemotion.wordpress.com 