Certain Thoughts Are Too Attractive To Just Let Pass By….
The personal sense of self is made up
of a whole bunch of thoughts
that attention has held on to.
Certain thoughts are too attractive
to just let pass by
and so attention holds on to them,
chews on them, elaborates on them.
And because attention has given itself
to a thought in this way,
the thought sticks around,
it becomes part of the personal self,
of who you think you are.
It arises
and you identify with it.
Because you identify with it,
it comes back
and you identify with it again
and in this way it strengthens.
It is constantly reinforcing itself in this way
as a personal sense of who you think you are.
There is no solid identity
that is made of thoughts,
but rather it is just an action
of attention repeatedly grabbing hold
of the same thoughts over and over.
And with this holding on to thoughts
comes separation.
Attention which is free of duality
contracts itself into a thought
and from that distinguishes itself
from everything else.
The more thoughts it attaches itself to,
the greater that separation becomes.
And from that comes conflict,
the need to protect all of these thoughts and beliefs
because it has become what you are.
Meditation is the process
of breaking down this structure of
identified thoughts
so that the peace that you truly are
can shine through.
By consciously not holding on to the thoughts,
the energy behind the thoughts dissipate
until attention becomes free of them
or the thoughts stop arising all together.
Shakti is the energy
that awakens your attention
to the bliss that you truly are
and in that awakening,
this structure of a personal self as
thoughts being held on to
starts to collapse.
And so there is the conflict:
If you really commit to
meditation and shakti,
you will awaken into
unfathomable peace and love.
But it will also
require you to let go of
who you think you are.
So in meditation,
you make a decision:
which is more important,
the thought that is arising
or the bliss that is your true nature?
Because it will not always be easy
to let go of a thought
you have claimed to be important.
It will not always be easy
to rest in the place of not knowing;
to be in the place where the mind no longer
has anything to hold on to.
Yet it is far worse
to go through life
gripping all the thoughts
that make up who you are
never realizing the unconditional peace & love
that is your true nature.
Because immersing yourself
in the depths of that peace
is better than anything that could be imagined.
-Zuli Masih
Photo source: (incredible) lightning storm over The Grand Canyon