Psycho-Spiritual Practices
Life itself is the spiritual practice
The meaning of life is to evolve, expand and grow into the fullest realization who you are. If every waking breath is used for self examination, learning and growing through close observation, then your life is indeed the spiritual practice of coming to know yourself as both fully human and fully divine. The enlightened state is to see, accept and love it all.
In the moments when we can be the observer, without judgment, and yet still use our awareness to transform our lives, are the moments of enlightenment.
In the beginning they come occasionally but with practice we re-member to observe. Re-membering is reconnection, instead of living in a split off state.
It is this observation of seeing the splits and fragmentations, the constrictions and prisons we live in, that is indeed an awakening and realization. Eventually the truest revelation of yourself as the observer, one with Spirit, (Consciousness) that loves and accepts every aspect of every stage of your journey, will happen, through grace. You put in the effort and hard work of practice, and the final revelation is through Grace. And so, it is through the great Work of your life and through Grace, revelation occurs. It is indeed a human and god relationship and joint effort.
Intentionally practicing to be the observer and being fully aware of everything that arises within ones experience, with non-judgment, is the practice of meditation. As humans we have preferences as to what is easier to observe and how to observe.
Some people find it easiest to sit quietly and observe their thoughts, emotions, needs and defenses. Others find it easier to do this actively through yoga, walking, running. etc. Others find it easier to start with the observation of what happens in relationships. Some people find that emotions and needs are the doorway into a deeper understanding. There are as many ways to observe oneself in relationship to the world as there are people on the planet. Every way is valid. Every practice is valid. The core of them all is self-observation without judgment, leading to organic and radical transformation.
However, below are some practices in self-observation that have been helpful for me. As you reflect on your inner world, you will find other practices that are specifically helpful to you. However, perhaps one of these practices provide a beginning focus and a way of helping you be more self observant. Our way of practicing can change over time.
God of Infinite Knowing and Ultimate and Absolute Truth,
Help us let go of our notions of weakness, so that we may act Powerfully,
our ideas of inadequacy, so that we may fulfill our potential,
our judgments that limit so that we can can fly free,
Make it easy for us to
reject what is ugly in our minds that we may walk in Beauty,
surrender dark unconscious fears and needs
for the light of your all accepting and loving embrace,
question every belief to which we cling, so that we may live in Truth
give up our learned dualities, so that we may come to know union
and lean into the essence of everything around us.
Assist us in realizing that there is not
the sacred and the profane,
the earthly and the heavenly,
the sinners and the saved
but to know your Holy Intelligence and Presence,
infusing and infused into everything.
Let us come to know our bodies as our soul’s sacred vessels,
instruments through which your truth sings, laughs, labors and loves,
reconciles, bridges and heals,
Help us become the yes through which you can see,
the mind through which you meditate,
the hands through which you touch,
and to know our bodies as the materialization of divine energy, truth and love.
In silence,
before words,
we come to you,
to know you...
Sitting Meditation
“In ignorance, I am something; in understanding, I am nothing; in love, I am everything.”
~Rupert Spira
Sitting meditation is probably the most difficult way of observing yourself, and is also the most fraught with misunderstanding and spiritual dangers.
Meditation is about being immediately present to your own inner condition and experience, with complete acceptance and non-judgment. And it is the inner condition of suffering that has to be witnessed first and foremost. This is a practice that should be occurring all day, every day, no matter what you are doing or not doing. It should be a way of life. Until it is, we practice and maybe even set aside a specific time to do so. In order to pay attention to our suffering we need to define what this is. For more, click here…
What is Ego Functioning? A-B-C-D
“Self-observation brings man to the realization of the necessity of self-change. And in observing himself a man notices that self-observation itself brings about certain changes in his inner processes. He begins to understand that self-observation is an instrument of self-change, a means of awakening.” ~Gurdjieff
In reading the instruction on sitting meditation, I referred to the first task as being, observing ego functioning. Below is a map for how to do that, and observe and analyze yourself when you are in an activated state, that can be internalized for self reflection. It is important to understand that what is referred to as Ego, is merely a function that arises within who you are, which is always soul - or one drop of eternal Love and Truth in form.
For more, click here
Active Meditation
“Global harmony is only the reflection of humankind's internal harmony.”
~Abhijit Naskar, Fabric of Humanity
There is no doubt, great merit is sitting quietly following all the instructions of posture and breath that are given in all the religious traditions. Doing a daily practice is important in teaching discipline, in an undisciplined world. Routine and rituals of discipline need to then be extended to the external world of action too. If you are able to sit for 10 minutes every morning, then perhaps you are able to also make your bed regularly, do your laundry, fold and pack it away regularly, and so on. If this is not occurring, then clearly your sitting practice is not resulting in any results. Why do I say that? Because if you are not living a disciplined life in action, then clearly you are not examining the fears, resistance, hurt, shame, pain and issues that are getting in the way of doing so. For example, if you resist making your bed every morning, turning the eye inward in meditative practice means asking the question “Why?” (And, because, I don’t want to, is not an answer… the question still remains, Why?)
For more … Read here
Heart Meditation /Prayer
Universal Source of my being within,
Help me always to remember that
I am
the great Heart of compassion
connected to you,
the Infinite Spirit of Love.
I vow today and always,
To enfold past suffering
that emerges in the moment
into my eternal and ever present heart.
To bring all shame and hurt
into the warm and loving embrace of my heart
To bring the courage of my heart to my fear
To find the wisdom of my heart to correct false understandings
And the discipline of my will
To be in alignment with my heart in all decisions and choices
Help me remember that this is my work to do
so that I do not expect others
To meet my needs,
hold my feelings,
correct my beliefs or
discipline my behavior.
© Lyndall Johnson
Transpersonal Practices for the Soul
“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the earth.” ~Rumi
“In your light I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest, where no one sees you, But sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art.” ~Rumi
When our focus is only on the daily grind of life, the mundane and habitual patterns of defense, we are slowly dying internally in our soul. There is an old Native American story that is instructive as to the importance of paying attention to the natural life of the soul, that is always, infinitely at play, creating, from a place of joy, peace and love as opposed to the distractions of the defenses that continually warn us to achieve, to please people, to be perfect, or to get away from suffering through addictive pursuits. In the beginning when you engage in these practices, the ego will protest about “wasting time,” the dangers of “getting nothing done,” that you will be judged by others, and on and on. So now we can combine the practice of meditation with the practices of “wasting time.” and learn to feed the soul instead of leading defended and superficial lives. There is an old Native American story that goes like this…. for more….. click here
Kindness
Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want and do. ~ Emmanuel Swedenborg
Several years ago, my best friend died of Aids. She had discovered her diagnosis days before her husband died of Aids. At that time back in the late 80’s, no-one suspected that he had Aids and it was only when he was inexplicably unconscious and near death that they finally tested him, and then Linda.
For many years Linda was too afraid of people’s judgments to tell anyone that she had Aids - even her own family. Her husband, a successful foreign journalist, never knew he had passed on the dreaded virus to his young bride. Linda believed he had contracted the disease while on assignment in another country where he had needed a blood transfusion, but she could never be sure. For more… read here
Recognizing Projection as Defense - What you See is What you Are
“When the deluded in a mirror look They see a face, not a reflection. So the mind that has truth denied Relies on that which is not true. “ ~The Royal Song of Sarah
For more … Read here
Intellectual Practices - Study
“If religion means primarily God-consciousness, or the realization of God both within and without, and secondarily a body of beliefs, tenets and dogmas, then, strictly speaking, there is but one religion in the world, for there is but one God.”
~Paramahansa Yogananda
Remember that all maps, dogmas, and teachings are interpreted through the stage of development and state of consciousness of the writer. This is not THE word of God, but an interpretation to be studied against the deep inner knowledge of your own consciousness. It something doesn’t make sense to you, work with it until you find a way that it makes sense to you. In studying all religions and systems, maps of consciousness and dogmas, find the underlying principles that hold true throughout - then you will see that all are pointing the same way towards the same outcome. When you see past differences and start recognizing similarities, you are closer to the truth of all sacred texts and maps
For more … Read here
Helping or enabling?
Giving or Taking?
Examine every Belief - eg. What do you understand about the word Selfish?
selfish 1: Concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself: seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others 2: arising from concern with one’s own welfare or advantage in disregard of others.
Definition
According to the above definition, selfish means that I disregard other people in making decisions and make decisions based exclusively on what I want or need. Whenever we do this we run the risk of controlling and manipulating others to get what we want which results in perpetrating abuse or disrespect against another person. It means putting ourselves in a one-up position over another. It destroys equality and mutuality and the possibility of intimacy and connectedness. It creates fear and shame and perpetuates fear and shame for both parties.
For more … Read here
“When you stop being used by dependent people and when you stop using others to get unaware needs met, you will find that there are many sacrifices and losses. This is the true meaning of sacrificial love.” ~Lyndall Johnson
“Only yesterday I was no different than them, yet I was saved. I am explaining to you the way of life of a people who say every sort of wicked thing about me because I sacrificed their friendship to gain my own soul. I left the dark paths of their duplicity and turned my eyes toward the light where there is salvation, truth, and justice. They have exiled me now from their society, yet I am content. Mankind only exiles the one whose large spirit rebels against injustice and tyranny. He who does not prefer exile to servility is not free in the true and necessary sense of freedom.”
~Kahlil Gibran
Acceptance
I watched myself
sink
slowly
back down
into the primeval bog.
I complained to my daughter,
I am wallowing in the poor me’s and the It’s not fairs,
mucking with old beliefs about what is good and what is bad,
squishing around in my anger and irritation
thoroughly disgruntled and out of sorts -
I think only my nostrils and eyeballs are above the mud!
No soaring high on wing today - just kind of reptilian and toady.
How lovely, she replied,
We all need a nice warm mud pack now and then,
full of minerals - and sooo good for the skin.
© Lyndall Johnson
Guppies as Teachers - Racism
“From the viewpoint of absolute truth, what we feel and experience in our ordinary daily life is all delusion. Of all the various delusions, the sense of discrimination between oneself and others is the worst form, as it creates nothing but unpleasant.” Dalai Lama
I had one lonely guppy left in my fish tank. He was clearly a survivor.
I had put some lettuce leaves on the surface of the tank because the guppies loved to eat them but this time, a few hours after putting them in the tank, all the fish died... there was only one hardy little fish left. He had a beautiful, bright red tail and fins.
