Re: my life.

[Guest guest]

I saw that enlightenment for most part

was a very " selfish " quest.

It was about 'I want to be peaceful',

'I want to be happy', 'I want to be free',

'I want to have knowledge', 'I want to

know truth', 'I want to be free of

pain' - why???

I saw that it was fueled by the same

greed that many other endeavors in life

are and not surprisingly this too, like

many other selfish, narrow endeavors,

was met with same resistance and often

resulted in same conflict and pain.

On little closer examination, I saw

that Life was not really about " me " and

because of this very reason, it

resulted in conflicts and pain whenever

I tried to make it about " me " .

" Me " that I thought I was, itself was a

product of Life. For a large part,

this " me " had happened because the Life

through a man and woman willed to

birth it.

Little later too, this little life

survived, grew, got education, job only

because the Life through its many

manifestation willed him to live, grow,

learn and work in a job. Though, I did

much of what I did thinking that it

was " about me " and " for me " - that

thought was nothing more than an illusion,

an illusion which created disharmony,

conflict and pain.

I saw that it was only through seeing

and realizing this Larger View that

the right perspective could emerge. " Me "

as a separate life-form was barely a

tool through which Life was carrying

its own process of growth, evolution,

learning, experiencing, experimenting,

adapting, imbibing, teaching.

This life-form had occurred only

because of Life and as an individual

life-form, it was going to expire

pretty soon. Its only real significance

was in what Life learned, experienced,

experimented, thought and created, taught

through it. Because, whatever it did,

in the end was going to 'benefit' [be

used by] the Life itself. It was going

to 'benefit' [be used by] Life because,

Life was going to outlast and out-span it

from every direction.

[Guest guest]

I knew very little about Christianity,

but this Awareness of the Life Process,

made me realize the Great significance

of the concept of Conscious Service.

It also made me Aware of the possible

reasons, why someone supposedly

'enlightened' like Buddha, someone who

thought all was 'false', still wandered

village to village teaching villagers.

It made me realize why someone like

Shankara who taught 'non duality';

then, turned to 'service' and bhakti.

I realized Life was growing, evolving,

experimenting, experiencing. . .

PLAYING and individual life-forms were

the mediums through which this play was

taking place.

Every life form was destined to play a

part in this 'leela' and in the end,

whatever a life-form did was going to

ONLY benefit Life itself.

To be in alignment with this play was

to look at EVERYTHING from the

perspective of Life, it was to think

from the perspective of Life and to

realize and do consciously what

intelligence saw serving the Flow of

Life.

I realized that each and everybody was

already doing it - irrespective of what

each and everybody was really doing.

Difference was only in whether someone

was being " pushed " [often against their

'will'] to do so with the illusion of

'self interest' or if someone was doing

it Consciously with its own Conscious

Will [called " love " ].

To think and imagine that " life " was about

" me " was to live in an illusion.

And, confusion, conflict and pain were

the results of such illusion.

To 'serve' Life Consciously was to be

in its alignment, it was to use the

awareness, intelligence that each life-

form is born with, to serve the Flow Of Life as

intelligence SEES it!

it was to ask each Moment. . . God

[, Life, Universe, World, Leela, Play]. . . what can I

do for you!

[Guest guest]

I meant it as " one of those things that just happen "

as far as finding yourself apart from the body. I

didn't necessarily mean that you'd travel off to

Syberia to see how Polar Bears live (although that

would save a lot of money - travelling without the

body .

Why wouldn't you consider yourself to be an

" enlightened " being?

Where are you when observing your body and life? Do

you observe from inside the body, behind it, all

around the body, above?

I think its neat that you are peaceful and happy most

of the time.

If you don't mind my asking, do you have a family you

live with?

Warmly,

Evie

--- Steve Daily wrote:

> Dear Evie,

>

> Yes, sometimes I find myself observing myself; but

> it never seems to

> occur to me to go anywhere? (Where would I go?) By

> the way, I do not

> consider myself an Enlightened Being. There still

> appears to be a me

> that is observing this body and this life and I

> still appear to have

> some preferences. However, I do seem to be happy

> and peaceful most

> of the time.

>

> As far as paying taxes and other bills, those things

> happen, just

> like water still appears wet and fire still burns.

>

> Steve D.

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Dear Evie,

I seem to be sometimes inside the body and sometimes behind the body.

I don't think I would travel to Siberia because it seems perhaps too

cold there for me. It appears to be better suited for Polar Bears?

I would seem more likely to travel to Sidney, Australia and hug a

cute Koala Bear....

Yes, I live with my wife and I visit my 3 children (2 sons and one

daughter, all married) and 3 great grandsons weekly.

I have a story that I was a self-employed computer consultant for the

past 15 years and that I recently began a new job (last October) as a

Software Analyst with the Family Services Agency of the State of

Indiana. I believe that I go there at 7:30 Am and stay until 4:00

PM, Mon thru Fri.

I do not consider myself an " enlightened being " mostly because I do

not kow what that is and would not know how to determine if I was or

not? I would have to ask myself - " Who is here to be enlightened? "

Besides, my belief is such that we are " all enlightened beings "

merely awaiting to be awakened.

I have a story that my wife and I have meditated together daily for

the past 33 years, thanks to the encouragement and incredible

discipline of my wife. My story is that I feel that this entering

the stillness regularly and focusing on the mantra " God Is Love and I

and The Father are One " has been a pleasant experience.

I simply find that I enjoy being happy. Steve D.

>

> > Dear Evie,

> >

> > Yes, sometimes I find myself observing myself; but

> > it never seems to

> > occur to me to go anywhere? (Where would I go?) By

> > the way, I do not

> > consider myself an Enlightened Being. There still

> > appears to be a me

> > that is observing this body and this life and I

> > still appear to have

> > some preferences. However, I do seem to be happy

> > and peaceful most

> > of the time.

> >

> > As far as paying taxes and other bills, those things

> > happen, just

> > like water still appears wet and fire still burns.

> >

> > Steve D.

> >

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Daily,

You do not believe or remember that you had coffee. Do you accept the

taste now as a natural status of your system, as part of your body?

nel

> Right now, I seem to have the taste in my mouth from coffee that I

> drank 30 minutes ago and that story could give me a sense of time and

> a past; however, in reality, I have no proof that the coffee or the

> seeming past event ever existed except in my story I am telling now?

>

> Thank you for sharing these thoughts titled " My Life " . I found them

> interesting and enjoyed reading them.

>

> At one point, while speaking of what you called " Conscious Serving " ,

> you said: " it was to ask each Moment. . . (God, Life, Universe,

> World, Leela, Play). . . what can I do for you! "

>

> My experience regarding this is:

> " I don't see anything that needs to be done; however, I find that I

> appear to " do things " . " My Life " feels like a leaf that falls from a

> tree and lands in a stream of water. The leaf then is moved by the

> water to wherever the stream takes it. Perhaps the leaf tells itself

> stories along the way about how it is doing things, perhaps it tells

> itself it is intentionally swimming in this stream or going some

> place or ?. When, in reality, it is merely being pulled along in the

> flow of the stream.

> Right now, I seem to have the taste in my mouth from coffee that I

> drank 30 minutes ago and that story could give me a sense of time and

> a past; however, in reality, I have no proof that the coffee or the

> seeming past event ever existed except in my story I am telling now?

>

> So, I find that the only thing I feel is grateful. I am grateful for

> being able to observe the play I am cal

ling " My Life " . Thank you all

> for joining in my Play. Thank you AC for sharing your thoughts.

>

> S. Daily

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve

You wouldn't be cold unless you believed it that

way because you wouldn't be bringing the " solid "

physical body to travel . But I had just meant out

of body, mostly .

I have a dream to travel to Australia (with the

body . I think it would be great fun!!

Wow! I love your story. In my story's opinion

- it would be great to have more and more people with

your attitude and happiness with their own stories.

Its also my opinion, that the meditation has helped

greatly towards that happiness. Seems to help people

be " in the now " much more which is where happiness

many a time lays (but again that's my think on the

story of my own and a projection on how it might be

for others).

Enlightened being - well, someone once said

something I considered as " cute " . If you want to

be enlightened then lighten up - to me that just about

sums the whole thing up .

Thank you for your story, - it was inspiring!

Love,

Evie

--- Steve Daily wrote:

> Dear Evie,

>

> I seem to be sometimes inside the body and sometimes

> behind the body.

> I don't think I would travel to Siberia because it

> seems perhaps too

> cold there for me. It appears to be better suited

> for Polar Bears?

> I would seem more likely to travel to Sidney,

> Australia and hug a

> cute Koala Bear....

>

> Yes, I live with my wife and I visit my 3 children

> (2 sons and one

> daughter, all married) and 3 great grandsons weekly.

>

> I have a story that I was a self-employed computer

> consultant for the

> past 15 years and that I recently began a new job

> (last October) as a

> Software Analyst with the Family Services Agency of

> the State of

> Indiana. I believe that I go there at 7:30 Am and

> stay until 4:00

> PM, Mon thru Fri.

>

> I do not consider myself an " enlightened being "

> mostly because I do

> not kow what that is and would not know how to

> determine if I was or

> not? I would have to ask myself - " Who is here to

> be enlightened? "

> Besides, my belief is such that we are " all

> enlightened beings "

> merely awaiting to be awakened.

>

> I have a story that my wife and I have meditated

> together daily for

> the past 33 years, thanks to the encouragement and

> incredible

> discipline of my wife. My story is that I feel that

> this entering

> the stillness regularly and focusing on the mantra

> " God Is Love and I

> and The Father are One " has been a pleasant

> experience.

>

> I simply find that I enjoy being happy. Steve D.

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Evie,

Thank you for the opportunity to share.

Steve D.

-- In Loving-what-is , Evie wrote:

>

> Hi Steve

>

> You wouldn't be cold unless you believed it that

> way because you wouldn't be bringing the " solid "

> physical body to travel . But I had just meant out

> of body, mostly .

>

> I have a dream to travel to Australia (with the

> body . I think it would be great fun!!

>

> Wow! I love your story. In my story's opinion

> - it would be great to have more and more people with

> your attitude and happiness with their own stories.

>

> Its also my opinion, that the meditation has helped

> greatly towards that happiness. Seems to help people

> be " in the now " much more which is where happiness

> many a time lays (but again that's my think on the

> story of my own and a projection on how it might be

> for others).

>

> Enlightened being - well, someone once said

> something I considered as " cute " . If you want to

> be enlightened then lighten up - to me that just about

> sums the whole thing up .

>

> Thank you for your story, - it was inspiring!

>

> Love,

> Evie

> --- Steve Daily wrote:

>

> > Dear Evie,

> >

> > I seem to be sometimes inside the body and sometimes

> > behind the body.

> > I don't think I would travel to Siberia because it

> > seems perhaps too

> > cold there for me. It appears to be better suited

> > for Polar Bears?

> > I would seem more likely to travel to Sidney,

> > Australia and hug a

> > cute Koala Bear....

> >

> > Yes, I live with my wife and I visit my 3 children

> > (2 sons and one

> > daughter, all married) and 3 great grandsons weekly.

> >

> > I have a story that I was a self-employed computer

> > consultant for the

> > past 15 years and that I recently began a new job

> > (last October) as a

> > Software Analyst with the Family Services Agency of

> > the State of

> > Indiana. I believe that I go there at 7:30 Am and

> > stay until 4:00

> > PM, Mon thru Fri.

> >

> > I do not consider myself an " enlightened being "

> > mostly because I do

> > not kow what that is and would not know how to

> > determine if I was or

> > not? I would have to ask myself - " Who is here to

> > be enlightened? "

> > Besides, my belief is such that we are " all

> > enlightened beings "

> > merely awaiting to be awakened.

> >

> > I have a story that my wife and I have meditated

> > together daily for

> > the past 33 years, thanks to the encouragement and

> > incredible

> > discipline of my wife. My story is that I feel that

> > this entering

> > the stillness regularly and focusing on the mantra

> > " God Is Love and I

> > and The Father are One " has been a pleasant

> > experience.

> >

> > I simply find that I enjoy being happy. Steve D.

> >

>

> __________________________________________________

>