The Horns of the Devil!

‘Intelligence is corrupted by likes and dislikes. The result is the problematical human condition.’
                                                                                                        Barry Long.


'The conditioned mind is controlled by what it likes and what it does not like, what it believes in and does not believe in . . what it considers to be good and what it considers to be bad.

In other words it is governed by ‘polarities’, or opposites (opposite positions).

Right and wrong are opposite positions taken by the conditioned mind as are good and bad and what you attach yourself to as your likes and dislikes.

These conditioned polarities stick out of your consciousness like the horns of the devil. Like two mountain peaks of personal ignorance that control your life until such time as you do something about it.

What do you have to do? You have to become aware of all your conditioned ignorance and in the process of becoming aware or conscious of it, so it will dissipate, dissolve and leave you.'

                                                                                                               Doug McMillan.

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The Natural State.

‘Wisdom or truth is the original and natural state of intelligence.’

                                                                                                   Barry Long.


'The pristine state of being, the original state, is one of pure intelligence.
Pure intelligence is the intelligence of consciousness.
It is a state  that is ‘free’ of all conditioned suffering or unhappiness.
This state is centered in stillness or inner peace.
Wisdom or truth, naturally unfolds out of this intelligent state of consciousness, stillness and inner peace.
What prevents wisdom and truth from naturally unfolding out of the intelligent state of consciousness? It is the conditioned mind that creates a blockage in the system and prevents the natural flow of consciousness/intelligence.
How can you identify the conditioned mind, what is it? It is an accumulation of all your likes and dislikes, imagined rights and wrongs and what you think of as good or bad.'

                                                                                                       Doug McMillan.

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Enlightenment.

"One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious."

C.G. Jung

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Enlightenment Q & A: Day Eight . . How to Still the Mind.

The Over Active Mind.

I was recently asked about meditation and how it can be used to help an overactive mind. My reply was that all minds are overactive unless they are ‘stilled.’ I hope that together, you and I, will be able to look at this subject and discover the ‘truth’ with regard to an overactive mind, and discover the way that meditation can bring the mind peace and stillness. First of all let us look at a few facts regarding meditation:

• The aim of correct meditation is not simply to still the mind.

• Stillness naturally unfolds as you becomes practiced in the art of true meditation.

• Meditation is a method, a process, that expands consciousness/self-awareness.

• Meditation is not something that requires effort, which means that there is nothing you have to try to achieve.

The aim of meditation, if there is such a thing, is to expand your self-awareness/consciousness but it requires no effort, just dedication. That may sound like a contradiction, but it isn’t, let me explain.

In the process of learning to meditate, especially in the early stages, you become aware of all the activity that is taking place within your mind and psyche. This is an ongoing process that many teachers call self-realization, which is a process whereby you discover and realize the truth about your “self.”

The self-realization process begins with self-observation. That is you observing your ‘self.’ Your self consists of all your thoughts, emotions and actions/behavior. If you are to realize the truth of yourself then you’re going to have to do plenty of self-observation and in the beginning you may well find this difficult.

To begin with your aim is to become aware of all the discursive thinking that is taking place within your own mind. Initially it can be quite a shock to discover just how much aimless and problematic thinking is taking place within your mind. Yes, within your mind dear reader, I'm discussing what is going on within your own psyche, this applies to you, especially if you think it doesn't. Only the individual who sits in self-observation will become aware of just what is happening within their mind and psyche, everyone else lives in total ignorance of the subject, that's just the way it is!

The more time you spend in self-observation (observation of your thinking/emotional habits) the more aware you become of all the discursive thinking and emotive reacting that is taking place. It is at this stage that many people give up, even before they have begun, because they are unable to cope with what appears to be an overload of mental activity. Remember, the aim at this stage is simply to become aware of all the discursive, aimless and problematic thinking, including emotional reactivity, that is taking place within your mind/psyche. Your task is to simply observe and be aware of it. There is nothing more to be done. There is no battle to get involved in. Just observe the thoughts and emotions taking place within your field of experience, which means within your mind and psyche.

This is an important point: Do not react emotionally to what you are observing, remain a detached observer, like a teacher watching school children running around the playground while they make an awful noise . . simply observe your mental activity without the need to judge what you are witnessing. There are no right or wrong thoughts and emotions, there’s nothing to judge as good or bad, simply see it all taking place within your mind. Be the detached witness or observer of all your discursive thoughts and emotions. In this way your meditation, as self-observation, should be effortless, but you will need to be dedicated to going through the self-realization process. Without a dedicated approach to meditation and self-knowledge you will fail like countless others have done before you.

 
‘Meditation is the seeing of what is and going beyond it.’
J. Krishnamurti.

If Meditation really is the seeing of what is and going beyond it then what you have to see with great clarity of perception is all the discursive thought and emotion that is taking place within your mind and psyche. Only in the seeing of it can you take the next step by discovering what lies just beyond it.

You have to discover, see what is, taking place within the thinking mind with perfect clarity of perception before you can go beyond it into another level of being or perception.

You can’t jump levels of being or perception, they have to be experienced one at a time, in sequential order. So first you have to see, then you can go beyond. So, begin with meditation in the form of self-observation, and remember, no one can do it for you. In the end you are the One, there is no other . . although you are not alone, there are those who have gone before you . . . and they are here to guide you home.

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Enlightenment Q & A: Day Seven . . begin with Meditation.

Q. Why begin with Meditation?

Meditation to Realization.

Meditation awakens Intelligence. Not the intelligence of the so called intellectual, which is really only a form of cleverness, but the intelligence of being.

After the awakening of intelligence, through continues practice of meditation, your intelligence begins to speed up. It becomes swifter. At this stage you will begin to have realizations and the more you practice meditation the more realizations you will have as your intelligence becomes swifter and swifter. Eventually, or in time, this leads to the realization of the highest Truths available to each of us. What you realize will amaze you . . and I'll be discussing some landmark realizations in the future on this site.

Now, because everyone is equal in the integrated state of being, Truth is available to each of us. However, all are not equal are they? Some do not Meditate and never experience the speeding up of intelligence, or enter another state of being, one that is free of problematic thinking/living. In other words not everyone experiences a more enlightened way of being and living. But still, all are equal in that all can, if they are ready and willing, begin to meditate and experience the speeding up of their intelligence.

Obviously only those who put in the work (which is learning to meditate and putting it into practice on a daily basis) will get the required results, I trust you understand me? It won't happen on its own will it, we do agree on that, yes? So at some stage you have to begin to meditate. Of course you may already be involved in some form of meditation, and there are many forms available to you, but sooner or later you will need to discover the correct form of meditation for the awakening and speeding up of intelligence.

The best book that I have ever read on the subject, and I've read very many over the years, is 'Meditation A Foundation Course' by Barry Long. I highly recommend it to you and it is available in my amazon bookstore . . just click on the links to it on this page. It can be difficult to get hold of in some bookstores although not impossible to order. Please note, this is a book which will guide you into a correct form of meditation for those seeking a more enlightened life. You should also consider his tape 'Start Meditating Now', which will verbally guide you into the depths of your being. The book and tape work very well together, and I recommend them to all, they are an eye opener for the experienced practitioner of meditation and a great introduction for the beginner.

Q. What is Meditation?

Meditation is a process. It has a beginning and eventually, over a period of what is normally years, it reaches an end. It takes you from where you are now into the awakening of intelligence, then into deeper and deeper levels of your being, before reaching a totally integrated state of being where formal meditation is no longer required. It is no longer required because you are now whole and complete. In other words the job is done and you are now in a state of pure and clear perception. Your mind is now in a place of alert stillness and present moment awareness, and you're no longer disturbed by discursive thinking and emotive reactions. At this stage you are the realization of Truth itself. You begin to see the truth of everything with great clarity of perception . . although you may choose not to voice it to another! There are those who would simply trample all over your pearls . . .

. . . but you reach a point where that is of no consequence, it is not even a consideration, it is a difficult task to knock down a house that has been  built on foundations of Truth.

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Enlightenment Q & A: Day Six. Looking at Opinion and Belief.

Today I want to take a closer look at opinion and belief and relate it to our prime subject here, enlightenment.

Q. What is an Opinion?

In the dictionary we have an interesting overview, one we can all relate to.

Opinion:
1. A personal view, the view that somebody takes about a certain issue, especially when it is based solely on personal judgment.
2. Estimation, a view regarding the worth of somebody or something.

Q. What is a Belief?

A belief is an opinion that you have become so attached to that you accept it to be true or real. A firm and considered opinion is the foundation of all your beliefs.

We can see that a belief is simply a firm view or judgment based on an opinion. You have to have an opinion on a subject before you can solidify it in the mind as a belief, can you see this for yourself?

If you are intelligent enough to take a very close look at all your beliefs you will discover that they are simply hardened and compacted opinions. And opinion, what is that again? Opinion is simply hardened and compacted thought. You can’t have an opinion on a subject without first and foremost having thought about it.

Q. What is thought then?

It is the activity or process of thinking. Each of us is aware of the fact that we think but not everyone knows what thought actually is.

Thought is all your past experiences that have gathered together within the psyche [as your thinking mind] and those thoughts are repeating themselves on an ongoing loop. They are active as a background noise, a loop of thoughts that never becomes quite for long. It is what can be described as discursive thinking, which is simply thought with a will of its own. It is sometimes called 'Internal Chatter.'

That chattering loop of thoughts is always on the move within your sub-conscious mind. That is why the thinking mind knows no peace, because it is not still. It is always on the move, thinking aimlessly, problematically and with a will of its own. It is this endless loop of thoughts that creates fear, doubt and worry within your mind from time to time, and that is why you are never truly at peace for long. And it is this endless stream of thought, the endless repetition of, and movement of thinking within your mind that brings disharmony into your life. And if you stay with me I’ll gradually prove this to you, but patience is needed and you’ll need to dedicate yourself to this process of investigation into your greater reality or the truth of self-knowledge.

Q. What is The Truth concerning Opinion and Belief?

People believe that what they believe in and have an opinion about is the truth, but that is not so. The fact is that:

• A belief is a belief

• An opinion is an opinion

• Truth is neither.

A belief is a belief, an opinion is an opinion and Truth is neither.

If you think that you can believe in the truth then you can be sure that it is not The Truth about which you have a belief.

Do you have an opinion about what I’ve just said? Is it your opinion that what I’ve just said is correct or incorrect? Isn’t everything I write here just my opinion, or is there a difference between having an opinion about truth and the realization of The Truth?

Q. What is The Truth regarding Truth?

The Truth is that Truth cannot be believed in. Truth is something that the thinking mind knows nothing about, although it may have many hardened opinions and  beliefs on the subject.

Truth cannot be believed in but it can be realized. What does that mean? It means that all your opinions and beliefs hold no value whatsoever where this subject is concerned. It also means that in order for you to discover The Truth of Your Life, and discover the underlying Truth of all life on earth, you will need to suspend your belief system and enter a totally fresh and new state of being where anything is possible but, simultaneously, everything has to be investigated with the eye of a skeptic. Meaning? You have to investigate everything, leaving no stone unturned, but you must accept nothing as The Truth.

You must accept nothing you read as being a source of truth and paradoxically you must not reject it out of hand either. There must be a complete openness of mind to possibilities. Where The Truth is concerned a closed mind will not work because a closed mind is already controlled by its conditioned beliefs and opinions. The closed mind has been closed by its own conditioning, therefore all other possibilities will have been tainted by this very conditioning. The closed mind is like a door which has been bolted shut for all time, never to be opened again and through which the individual will never pass. You have to be willing to open the doors of your mind if you want to discover what lies beyond the world of belief and opinion.

Where self-knowledge is concerned you will need to begin with an open mind. An open mind is a mind that is not only ready to hear other possibilities, but it is also willing to observe its own conditioned thinking, beliefs and opinions.

Also, you will need to look at what the atheists, agnostics, scientists and religionists have to say without recourse to judgmental position taking. In other words you must not judge anything as being right or wrong. In self-knowledge 'nothing is good or bad, except when thinking makes it so.' This begs the question, If the thinking principle is still, and therefore does not make anything right/wrong or good/bad, then what remains? And that is the very question you’ll need to find the answer to . . . but how? The answers to all your questions are all within you, but you have to be able to access them. Correct meditation, as self-observation, will guide you to the solution, which is the end of all your questions.

Throughout this process you will need to become the observer of  your self, meaning you will need to become more and more conscious or self-aware.

• Aware of your thought processes, emotional feeling and actions or behaviors.

• Aware of all your attitudes of mind, beliefs and opinions.

• Aware of everything you have become psychologically and emotionally attached to.

This is a mighty undertaking, one that most individuals are not capable of participating in fully because it is so demanding of ones attention . . . but this is also what every enlightened individual has had to dedicate themselves to.

What is the enlightened state again? It is the realization of, and then the living of, a life that is totally free from psychological and emotional unhappiness and problematic living. No more problems exist in the enlightened individuals life. Events happen, as they always do, but the enlightened individual does not turn events and circumstance into any form of psychological and/or emotional problem or unhappiness because they know that the solution already exists within them. They simply go still and live their life from that place of stillness and creativity within where all solutions are born. In the next moment the solution unfolds and all is well in the enlightened individuals life . . . as it was always meant to be. And so the life is sweet and flows smoothly with effortless ease . . .

Now, if that isn't enlightenment enough for you then I guess you won't be putting in the required time and effort, in the form of self-observation, to experience the Enlightened State of Being. Or will you . . . are you up to the challenge, is the prize big enough for you, or are you still happy to live in the normal, unhappy condition, the way of living and being that 99.9% of the earths population does? I'll leave that thought with you till next time . .

. . . when I'll be taking the subject on a little further. Any thoughts, questions or comments you may have will be most welcome, all feedback is useful, thanks, Doug.

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Enlightenment Q & A: Day Five, Taking a closer look at consciousness.

Q. What is consciousness?

I am consciousness. I, the reader of these words, am the consciousness that is fully conscious in this moment here and now. If I were not consciousness itself then it would be impossible for me to relate to the life I am now experiencing.

I say that you, dear reader, are consciousness itself. You are the consciousness of the individual man or woman reading these words now, is that true in your experience? You are awake and aware of your environment aren’t you? Where does this power come from? Do you think it is of your thinking mind?

Q. From where does individual consciousness originate?

Consciousness is not of the thinking mind. It is the power that exists behind, or beyond the thinking mind. It is what you are when you are not thinking, or it is what you are before consciousness enters the subconscious mind.

When the thinking mind is perfectly still, meaning there is no discursive thought or observable movement in the mind, consciousness still is. In other words you can be without thought or emotion and still be, or be fully conscious.

• If you are intelligent enough to observe your thinking mind in action, you’ll begin to separate from whatever you observe within it.

• Why will this happen? It will happen because you are this intelligent state of consciousness.

• You are the consciousness that is intelligently observing the thoughts and emotions within your mind/psyche.

• You are not that which you are observing, you are the observer. What you are observing, thought, is moving in the mind but you are not.

• You are perfectly still, what you are observing is movement within your psyche.

There is only one problem. The problem is that what you really are and what you think you are have become entangled within your psyche. A layer of mind has been formed where consciousness and conditioning meet. Where they meet is an area of mind known as the sub-conscious.

How will you know if what I’ve just said is true? Only by becoming the observer of yourself [your thoughts, feelings and actions] will you know if what I am saying is true. What will you be left with if you don’t participate? Just a worn out belief or opinion, that’s all. You can choose to believe that what I’ve just written is true or you can believe that it is false. Alternatively you can suspend all opinion and find out for yourself! And the only way that you can know for sure is to expand your awareness of what is really going on within your own mind and psyche.

Perhaps thinking and emotionalizing are unconscious acts of a conditioned mind, how will you know for sure if they are or aren’t, if you don’t fully investigate?

‘To learn about consciousness, obviously, you must come to it afresh. You may have read books, you may have ideas, opinions; what you have read, your opinions, your knowledge according to somebody—all that is not what is, is not the fact. To understand a fact, opinions are not necessary; on the contrary, they are a hindrance. And to inquire into this consciousness, one must be free, not bound to any particular theory or knowledge.’

J Krishnamurti.

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