Elemental Alchemy 2 [within humans]

When one gets clear about their own passion and purpose ALL things become clear.

Hesitation ceases and confusion dissolves.

Energy is focused and directed.

Courage and confidence naturally arise because when there are less distractions to misdirect one's energy intention translates into action and goals are achieved smoothly.

Work, health , relationships ALL manifest accordingly as we do NOT waste energy and are clear about what we want to invest our energy in and the practices we focus are hearts and minds on.

THIS is the nature of Intention, focus, and actualization.

It is elemental in its origin and made real by humans in the world.

It is the divine work between men and women and blessed by Heaven and Earth.

 

Elemental Clarity: an offering for freedom.

"The Wisdom of Emptiness".

As all thoughts and words are fundamentally void and empty, without actual substance, it is our self that gives them solidity by impregnating them with belief that they are real.

If we are grounded, calm and spacious in our awareness this allows us to cultivate a state of emptiness and receptivity without resistance.

This state gives us the ability to navigate all things with fluidity and non-resistance.

It is a conscious, intentional practice that can be developed.

Additionally, it is our decision to be soft and flexible or resistant and solid that directly affects how impacting any words, thoughts, or emotions can be on us.

There's no place to "land" when one is in a state of empty receptivity.

This is a truth that many people do not want to embrace.

As it holds them accountable for their actions, as well as their unwillingness to take responsibility for their innate potential to have agency over their decisions, actions, and how they live in the world.

This is not an energetic or spiritual bypass.

 No matter what comes up we still get to decide how we respond !

This is radical self-accountability and the clarity of inner discernment.

Jedi skills in action.

May we all learn to take a BREATH…and direct our energy wisely.

 

Balancing the "Absolute" with the Relational:

If one has had a long term dedicated practice they know there are 2 main elements that require attention:

Alignment with principle and understanding of the practical.

Whether it be the dance between the esoteric and the mundane or the theoretical and the functional, the most challenging practice is to maintain a realistic and functional balance while living in the world of feelings, emotions, and the human condition.

This is not an easy balance to maintain consistently.

As humans, we not only have higher spiritual aspirations but we have deep and tender hearts, as well.

This deeper practice is tested most in relationships.

One has to maintain an aligned and grounded energetic state while also being emotionally balanced, receptive and flexible.

In this practice flexibility is key, as is the clarity to adapt accordingly.

There is no ONE mindset other than clarity, kindness, and the intention to have skill-full response to all that arises.

If one always falls back on seeing clearly to have a full understanding and then kindness and mutual benefit for all concerned, the Universe will orchestrate the rest.

At that point, we just have to let go of the consequences and have faith in the practice.

 

The Process of Transformation:

In this world there are many forms, but the one constant is they are all made up of energy.

This is the Tao of form and content.

Additionally, there are many alchemical processes that arise from the dance between the two.

In truth, nothing stays the same and all is continually changing.

This is the Nature of things.

Some of the forms in which energy resides go through a metamorphosis as they evolve.

The shape may change but the essence, the energy, is still intrinsically perfect.

Humans are like this too.

As the human form goes through life, the energies inside are impacted by external conditions and often evolve and shift, yet the quality and value of the form does NOT change.

This intrinsic value is a constant and can never be diminished.

Yet, it is often the reflection from external sources that reflect displeasure and lack of acceptance that creates the shame and loss of self-belief within us / the form. {especially if our change is something different than what they are able to understand}.

Often it is the judgment of our transformation that wounds us most.

When a caterpillar comes out of the cocoon and turns into a butterfly we don't judge it for turning into something new and different.

It is just a natural process of wonder and nature.

Humans are like this too.

It is only the unwillingness to see our brilliant, original true nature in a different form that holds us back from loving beings unconditionally.

This does not support or encourage beings to transform.

Not all things manifest as we want or expect them to.

Yin and Yang energies intertwine, change and shift continually and there is NO judgment there.

Remember...

Transformation is unpredictable.

Let Wonder and kindness be your lens.

 

The Deeper Absorption :

As we go through this incarnation and have a wide range of experiences, both wondrous and difficult moments have their impact and subsequent influence. These experiences inform our beliefs and tend to start the development of coping mechanisms to deal with the things that felt unpleasant but they also can offer us opportunities to develop kindness, understanding and compassion.

It is the identification and understanding of these difficulties that gives us the ability to commiserate and be supportive of other beings going through similar struggles.

The challenge is often to navigate between the preservation of one’s own emotional “safety and comfort” in the middle of difficulty, and the ability to have compassion, understanding and patience with someone else going through the same thing at the same time with us.

The Key is the deeper absorption into Loving-kindness.

The lens of mutual tenderness, vulnerability and consideration is the filter in which this experience should be viewed through.

Sometimes we have to let go of the small “self” and step back to observe the greater whole and acknowledge our common need.

We all want to feel safe, valued and loved.

So... when things get difficult can we have the same understanding and compassion for others that we want for ourselves?

That is the moment when we have to go deeper into our own direct experience and understanding of those feelings and experiences and allow it to inform our response.

That is when wisdom and kindness arise out of suffering.

That is the most potent medicine.

That is the path of deeper absorption.

The Uncut Stone...

Chan Buddhism / Direct Experience:

Neither ceremony, education nor social background has any bearing on the experience of enlightenment.

As a matter of fact, often beings with highly engaged intelligence have a hard time returning to simple perception without thinking and analyzing the experience.

There is NO analyzing pure awareness.

The teachings are characterized by their simple striking immediacy and by their concern with direct insight into the essential nature of awareness.

The term "sudden enlightenment" refers to the moment when all falls away in an instant and there is no more confusion.

Often it is the pure, profound and simple letting go of attachment and judgment and residing in the present and the unadorned clarity of Mind.

                                The Uncut Stone.

        This the natural radiance of our true nature.

 

 

The Choice of Attachment:

Any moment can provide us with a positive or negative experience. Yet so often we cling to the negative experience and then attach to a story that supports it.    In actuality, what we really desire is a positive experience and to feel appreciated and loved but when we don't have that experience we fall into negative self-judgment and it only reinforces the story and the cycle of suffering.

So Unfortunate..

It breaks my heart when I see beings focus on their suffering and get stuck in the cycle of disbelief and lose hope. On my own journey and in my own years of practice, I have found that it is the intensity of experience that has deep impact that often wants to be felt and honored......

But what I have also learned is...

You don't have to hold yourself in suffering to honor the experience...

That just reinforces the story around the wound, is not kind, and does not support the transformation into strength and wisdom.

What has crystallized for me is...I can attach to whatever I want to.

The story, the so-called lacking, the discontent, the impatience....or....The LOVE , the mystery, the wonder, or the gratitude for the experience itself.

It's only when we attach to a negative experience that translates into a negative judgment of self that we continue to perpetuate that cycle of suffering.

Our amazing and tender selves are impeccable and eternal.

Even harsh judgment can not change that.

Self-criticism, anger, and self abuse require energy to sustain them.

Love is naturally self-generated and is self-perpetuating.

It's the constant judging of self that is the most painful, unproductive and ultimately, spiritually exhausting.

As we view both negative and positive in any given moment, we have a choice on what we attach to.           Hold on to the dissatisfaction or nurture the potential sweetness.

In truth, It's all an illusion and all-wondrous at the same time.                                                                                                     We choose the movie.