The Bodhisattva Way

On the spiritual path, eventually, you come to the point of experiencing enligtenment. There can be many stages of enlightenment, but at some point you become aware of the Bodhisattva way. You understand the reason you are here, and how important it is to help others to understand as well. I talk about the Bodhisattva way, enlightenment and do a deep meditation on this subject.

Transcript

Aloha, I'm Cindy Palos and I want to talk about the enlightenment experience and the bodhisattva's path, Which ties in with a path that really everyone on the spiritual journey encounters at some time. And it's not really even a matter of how long you think you've been on the spiritual path. I mean, I can say this and know this because I had been starting meditation when I was 13 and I had an enlightenment experience when I was 15. So, No, It can really be any time. It kind of is due to a lot of different things that that happens. But I think it's important for anyone who's meditating and following the spiritual path to realize that on this path there's a few elements that you should be aware of. One is that it's a very long journey and it can involve lifetimes of awareness from many other lifetimes that you've existed. And for some, And I think the case is more and more, The decisions made at some point from the higher places where your soul dwells do not go on to other places of existence, But to come back to this earth and serve and try to help others make it to the higher realms. And that is a kind of rough, A rough description of the bodhisattva's path. But the ideas on the bodhisattva's path, The bodhisattva came back as not just the bodhisattva, But many masters have made that decision, Including Christ and other enlightened beings, To try to help in the best way they can. I think the only differentiation, Differentiation, And that would be in the Christ case and just a couple of others, Couple of others, They were able to hold and maintain that highest consciousness, The Christ consciousness, The lighted consciousness, While in a physical body, Which is a very, Very enlightened way of living and not everyone can attain that. Now, Let me just read a poem that I wrote that brought me to deciding I wanted to talk about this today. I meditate every day and after I meditate, I write down what comes to me in the form of a poem. And I got this one, At the dawn of enlightenment, Will you leave the rest behind? Or from the mountaintop, Turn and return to what you left behind? From darkness to light, From light we share what we've come to understand with others while we're living here. We are the ones who pledge to serve those yet to come. We see what it takes to get the job done. It seems so simple from that higher place. And yet it's so hard in the depths of ego's games. From darkness to light, We come face to face with all the illusions created, Still open to that gateless gate. So we pray to the Master to show us the way and we seek the answers when we stop and meditate. And in moments of silence, We remember to pray for all on this journey to reach that mountaintop and then return to show others the way. So one Master once did say, The first will be last and the last may be first. It seems that was our purpose to serve as it once was conveyed. And there was many times when I was younger where I kind of contemplated the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Now it probably has had many interpretations, But it really is something to ponder because throughout our typical way of thinking, We want to get to our goal. We work hard to get to our goal. We try to be the winner. We try to get there first. It's like, But you get there and then it's like, Oh, Okay, Go back and start over again. Right. And this happens a lot in our spiritual path, Of course. But what if it really happened when you worked a lifetime to get to your spiritual path or you work lifetimes to get to enlightenment and then you stopped and realized, Oh, Oh, Aha, I get it. I could, Well, There's a clash song. Should I stay or should I go? I don't know. I was raised in rock and roll. I'm a rock and roll DJ. But the clash said, So well, Should I stay or should I go? And I think it comes down to that. Should you stay in enlightenment and that bliss, Or do you go back and try to serve and help others get to that point you got to? Now, The bodhisattvas felt with that compassion that they could help someone suffer less. And they knew that everyone is capable of that. And it's been said, We need more bodhisattvas in the world. And I agree. The second part of that phrase was, We need more bodhisattvas, Not Buddhas in the world. So yes, You can achieve nirvana. Yes, Many people are becoming more aware and are getting blissed out than ever before, I think. But the bodhisattva path is a heart-centered path of devotion and compassion. And it takes a lot of courage. It takes a lot of courage to get to that place where you realize, Gosh, I signed up for this. When it gets hard, Right? I'm not detached. I'm in it. Right there on the front lines, Right? Many times you are. And at the same time, If you stop and meditate, And you have achieved that point of enlightenment or bliss or nirvana, You can go back in meditation and reconnect, Which is always recommended. So coming with recommendations to remember to meditate in case you forget while you're here. I think this is a very important thing for us to always just hold as part of our discipline. Okay, Okay. We decided to be here. Let's remember our purpose. Let's remember to meditate. Let's remember we signed up for this. And also to remember that in the midst of this, You have to treat yourself with great compassion and love. Why? Well, You know the answer why. You have to love yourself so you can love others more. You have to have compassion for yourself so you can have compassion for others more. You have to forgive yourself so you can forgive others. And part of that bodhisattva way is also to just to be kind. In case you get up to your elbows in alligators and you forget while you came to drain the swamp, Just remember this, Be kind. You can always use your own way of remembering this. For me, It's aloha. I've been an away now for 33 years. I did an album called Practicing Aloha. And I know this, You know. And I know also that living aloha is not an easy thing. Even if you make that your intention, There's going to be times you're going to get tested. So you have to remember you can feel kindness and you can express kindness. You can feel that aloha and you can express aloha. If you take a breath, Maybe you could even write yourself a note, A reminder, A stick it, You know, A stick it on your computer, Stick it on something where it's in the center of your forehead and you see it before you forget while you're here. Enlightenment is a wonderful experience. I mean, It really is. It's amazing. It's an awakening. It's the light of a million suns. It's that source that connects you with all. It's that unconditional love of all loves. And you get to that point in enlightenment where you connect with God and you don't want to leave, You know. It's like saying, Well, Why would I ever want to leave this? But then you take a look back and you go, Oh, Oh yeah. Look at that world there below. It's kind of all cloudy and dark. And oh my gosh, Look at all the suffering. And oh, Look at all the pain. And oh, Wow. Maybe, Maybe they just need someone to remind them. So it's an interesting, It's an interesting circle with no beginning or no end. And it's one that's made easier when you get into that place where you realize, And you realize it in enlightenment, But you can realize it in meditation, That you're all one. That you're one with the whole. That a lot of the separation is just an illusion. If there's really no beginning and no end, Well, Then would it matter? Would it make a difference? You know, The hero's journey is to decide to help, You know, In many ways. And you'll slip and you'll fall. Guaranteed, You will slip and you will fall. But that's part of this journey, Right? You know, It's interesting that we recognize others who are on this path of light and love. We have a sense of recognizing their light. And there's so many now, More than ever before. But there are certain things that can remind you if you are on this Bodhisattva path. There are certain key things you see in others, You know. There are certain key things you see in yourself if you're wondering if you're one of those who are here to serve. I think empaths feel this quite a bit. If you feel a lot of pain for the suffering of the planet and for others who are going through stuff and you feel that so deeply in yourself, I mean, That is one of the one of the signs, Right? If you feel a strong calling to help and to guide and to uplift others. If you find that you are devoted to try to be of service, If you've gone through these awakenings and are still wanting to help more, That's another amazing sign. It's very possible. It's very possible if you're listening to this. You're listening to this for a reason. Because on this long and winding road that we're on, There are really so many twists and turns. And it's laid out to get guidance and help from others sometimes. And there isn't a mistake when that happens. There are those ones who are not here now, Who we can't see, The guides and the masters and the angels who are also helping, Who have left this earth plane, But use others to guide them along as well. There's a lot of safety nets out there. And each of these safety nets help remind us there are lessons to learn no matter where we are on this spiritual path. Now let's take a couple of moments and get quiet and go into a state of meditation. Breathing in and holding and pausing for a second and aligning your spine and your body. And breathing out. Just release any tension. Breathing in, Check your body as you're holding your breath and just send light and love. I just felt my whole body aligning there. Click, Click, Click. I heard my spine aligning. Breathing in light, Holding that light, Shining that light to the body and surround yourself now and let that light go up under protective armor of light. Six feet up, 12 feet up, 36 feet up, 100 feet up, All around you, Above, Below you, On either side, To the left and right of you, In front of you, And behind you. If you're a sensitive empath, You need to have a wonderful armor of protection on this path. So remember to do that every day in the morning. Breathing in love, Great love for yourself. Surround yourself with this wonderful light of love and send it to yourself in your heart of hearts. Breathe that love in and let it feed your heart. Let it light up your heart with love right now. And now see that love expanding out hundreds of feet to the whole area where you live. Let there be love. Breathing in again and seeing that love expanding to the world. Seeing the whole world surrounded in love and light. And now feel that you are one with all love and light. And go to that place in your soul, That still point, The still point within, And be still and know that you are God. Breathe that energy of the presence of that stillness in. Let it reignite that spark in your soul. And in this wonderful sacred place, Allow that light of enlightenment to bless you. And let's just dwell in the presence of that light and love and an energy. Let's share it inside. Just breathing that Christ light, That one light, That pure light of consciousness of the presence in and just breathing it out. Breathing spirit in and breathing it out. Just being, Being present here and now. And allow yourself to remember your purpose here in life and let it renew your energy. Let it re-inspire you. Let it re-dedicate you. Feel that energy expanding throughout your entire body, Your mind, Your heart, Your whole self, Body, Mind and soul. It's lit with that wonderful inspiration here and now. Let it be. And anything that you need to let go of on the journey that's burdened you, Just lay it down. Let it go. Anything that may have been a negative block or energy you may have picked up along this long path, Just let it go. Just sigh, Let it go. It's okay, Just let it go. And in the place of that energy that you might have been holding, Let the energy of your pure, True soul light from the one source, Feel that energy and let it change the colors of your aura, Of your soul. Fused now with that one light of all enlightened beings from the highest source, Let yourself be aware of the Bodhisattva Path and accept the guidance and the help and those who are with you on this path. Let's bow in gratitude for the teachers and the masters and the guides, The angels and all of those who are guiding us and there to help us on this path. I bow to you in gratitude now and always. And now come back, Come back fully embodying all of who you are within your body and your consciousness and your mind and your many levels of beingness and your whole entire self and feel good. I thank you. I thank you so much for being on this journey with me. God bless you always.

Reviews

God bless you always and in all ways. That's what your talks do for us. I like being reminded I signed up for this spiritual journey on earth. 🙏

Thank you Rev. Cindy for the understanding of the path to enlightenment. Your information is always so useful for me. With Love, Blessings and Gratitude 💖🙏🦋