Les 1
Self-Remembering
For those who are only familiar with their ordinary self the phrase “self-remembering” may be a bit confusing. However, for others, who have explored further, it is apparent that there are two distinct “selves.” The first is our ordinary day-to-day self and the second is our natural, fundamental, and essential Self. It is our natural true self that we yearn for. However, it is hidden from us by our preoccupation with our ordinary self and its incessant mind-talk. The true self is our treasure, the repository of the qualities of human flourishing. A simple awareness and practice of self-remembering allows us to increasingly access our the center of our being,
Les 2
Nothing to Wait For
There are some experiences that naturally evolve over time. The meeting with our true self and the awakening to a larger life is not one of those experiences. It is here, right now, already, and always. It requires no preparation, no preliminaries, no putting off until another day. What we are seeking is there at the beginning – complete, finished, whole.
Consider a moment when you had a glimpse of awakening, of flow – an immersion in nature, the oneness of intimacy, the astonishment and wonder of beauty and art, the absorption in dance or music. Suddenly and spontaneously you experienced an easeful and expansive sense of self. Did this require any preparation? Did you previously plan this glimpse of awakening, or schedule it? Join me in realizing that there is nothing to wait for
Les 3
A Deep Dive
The poet tells us that the way to who we truly are is by way of who we are not. The way to a profound homecoming, human flourishing, and an infinite consciousness is by way of recognizing and disempowering the false self that we wrongly believe to be who we are. When we recognize the mentally constructed self, a self made-up of fragments of past history strung together and given our name, we are no longer addicted to it. We can let its mind talk come an go as it will and no longer be influenced, afflicted or disturbed by it. This dissolves the veils obscuring our natural self. And there it is - whole, free, creative spacious, easeful, and all-knowing. It has many times - Buddha nature, Christ nature the Tao, Satchitananda, a homecoming, and so on - but it is one and the same, our true self. A deep dive beyond the false self to who we truly are and have always been
Les 4
The Treasures of Human Flourishing
The potential and qualities of Human Flourishing have been known across time and diverse cultures. They are innate to our true self, the self without a name. As a flower naturally gives rise to its perfume, our true self has a perfume as well – the qualities of human flourishing. These qualities are seamlessly interwoven into our true self. They have no cause or reason. They just are. They arise spontaneously from the center of our being. They are a permanent, unchanging, built-in expression of our natural self. These qualities are: a peace that surpasses understanding, happiness without a reason, a profound and precise wisdom, selfless love and compassion, and a boundless freedom from the known. Join me in exploring and experiencing these great treasures of human life
