Living Light

Concentration is the first thing to learn in life. Everyone has some degree of concentration but it can always be stronger, the stronger it is the more power one has to accomplish in life.   Concentration is what builds Will-Power and Will-Power is the motive force of the entire universe. “ The only subject that matters is getting an understanding of Truth, developing our souls; but in order to develop our souls we must have some knowledge of the power of concentration. If you can learn and practice right concentration, there is no good thing in the universe that you cannot attain. Concentration means literally "bringing to a common center." Until you can put your attention where you want it you have not become master of yourself. You will never be happy until you can determine what you are going to think about for the next hour.” Emmet Fox Now I must confess that when I was first told I had to develop concentration, I really didn't want to hear it. Yuck, I

Developing Faith, Self-Confidence, Determination and Will-Power - this is the power behind a light bearer for to hold light in the world takes strength. (please, don't be turned-off the word 'faith' - read on, it may not be what you think) First let me be very clear that when I speak of faith I do not mean a belief in something like God, Dharma, religion or some philosophy. The Faith I speak of is a divine quality of knowing and trust in a powerful omnipotent part of reality that is beyond our belief systems. It is an awakening awareness to this all powerful part of the One Reality to which we are an expression – this is the ultimate self-confidence. Success is in store for the faithful, for faith ensures success. Self-confidence is the true meaning of faith, and in faith is the secret of the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of every desire. –Inayat Khan The development of true Faith results in a progressive uncovering and reclaiming of a powerful part of what we really

Faith and determination are essential in our lives, both inner and outer, for they allow us to succeed - which we are all meant to do. Ah, but what is success? Simply to feel inside that, in general, you feel like you are fulfilling your life. Success is not something determined by comparing oneself to others – it is only how you feel inside about your life!   Of course there are always ups and downs and tests, but if we don't generally feel satisfied with our life then there is something more that we need to do.   You and only you can determine what that is, no one else. What I can tell you is that it is Faith and Determination that will give you the confidence, determination, strength and energy to do it. Today’s daily contemplation from the “ Bowl of Saki ” says: “Success comes when reason, the store of experience, surrenders to will.” - Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan Hazrat Inayat Khan tells a story of when his master would bless him with faith … “The golden words of my

To enter the Sister/Brotherhood of the Light Bearers requires only a committment to work for light in the world.  To strive, to the best of ones ability, to bring or uphold light in the world in whatever way works for you. There is no right or wrong way, there is no perfect way and we are accepted into this cosmic initiative just for our sincere desire to be a part of it. Once the cosmos accepts our committment, it will show us the way to work and it will strengthen us with its light in our life.  Our committment is accpeted if, or once, it becomes sincere (which does not mean that we still don't slip and fall) but it is a committment between ones heart and God - and you can't fool God :-) The source of the Light Bearers' is the Divine Light; the emobdiment of the Light Beares' is all the illuminated souls, most prominant among them being all the Prophets for this is a prophetic, cosmic initiative. One of the best ways to become a Light Bearer is to simply make a

His vision was vast, his being illuminated an entire country if not the world.   His consciousness is a part of the stream of light that is the living consciousness of the Rasul. Those of us who have made the pledge to be Light Bearers will find a powerful connection to his being as part of the Sister/Brotherhood of light. Take a moment, if you want, to reflect upon his presence in the world: his great Compassion, Self Sacrifice, Love, Wisdom, Breadth of Vision, Faith in God, Unity of perception, Humility which gave Strength, and all this directed toward fulfilling a critical evolutionary mission acted out within the United States. I leave you with these two inspiring quotes from him: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.   Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." (1963) "We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." (1967) ---------------------------------- When I desire to

Making a connection with that part of ourselves that is already awake or enlightened costs nothing - it is freely given to each of us who claims it!  How wonderful! In fact, I believe that this part of ourself is pushing to make this connection within us more strongly than we are seeking to connect with it.  This is because we are an expression of the One Reality and that reality is constantly awakening through all of its parts, in fact through the awakening of its parts the whole evolves and awakens and vise-versa! Consider a flower, the force of Nature (of Love actually) is constantly moving the plant to bud and the buds to open.  It actually takes no effort on the part of the plant or bud except to 'go with the flow'.  The bud awakens into the flower as part of a natural unfoldment - thus we too are constantly evolving and awakening, often in spite of ourselves - I find this thought very heartening! Our special privilege, being human, is that we can consciously partici

The fact is we are enlightened already! There is nothing nothing we need to learn or aquire that is not already there.  So what are we doing in the process of awakening?  We are unlearning and clearing that which blocks our ability to be what we are. That which blocks this ability has been call by many names in many mystical orders: In Buddhism they are the Three Poisons: Attachment, Averson, Delusion In Yoga they are the 5 Kleshas: Ignorance ( avidya ), Ego ( asmita ), Attachment to Pleasure ( raga ), Aversion to Pain ( dvesa ), Fear of Death ( abhinivesah ). My teacher Amin simply said that we have been hypnotized or conditioned into believeing we are something we are not. How do we break the hypnosis?  By connecting with that part of ourselves that is free of these poisions. The contact must be direct, not intellectual. By making this connection eventually the real in us overcomes the unreal and we remember once again who and what we are! Yes, this is a lifetime practice bec

Having trouble centering - no worries, do a little Sitting :-). Personally when I can do no other practice I turn to the simplicity of Zazen. I find Zazen to be such a wonderful practice when my mind or emotions are very tumultuous or I can't seem to focus, because in Zazen I can simply ignore them, they become irrelevant.  How cool is that. So just sit and be aware of your breathing - nothing more - in and out - nothing more, nothing more. Crazy thoughts, crazy emotions - so what, it doesn't matter - let everything go by just sitting and breathing. What is Zazen? Zazen is not a meditation technique. It is simply the Dharma gate of joyful ease, it is practicing the realization of the awakened way. Here, the open mystery manifests, and there are no more traps and snares for you to get caught in. - Dogen from Fukanzazenji There is a delightful description of the prctice of Zazen or Shikantaza (just sitting) given by Master Dogen Zenji that I wish to share, this descript

Teilhard de Chardin said, in regards to our interdependent actions on the planet: “ The day is not far distant when humanity will realize that biologically it is faced with a choice between suicide and adoration.”   Juan, an Andean Paco (teacher) I’ve studied with once said: 'we think that if we don't change we are going to destroy the Earth - we are not going to destroy the Earth, the Earth will survive, we are going to destroy ourselves.' Most all of us, who are even partially awake from the hypnosis of self-centeredness, agree that a major change is needed in the way humanity perceives existence and the social/political/monetary power structures that maintain this perception. Llewellyn Vaughn-Lee offers a nice description of this paradigm shift in his book Light of Oneness : Dynamics of duality have embedded our world in conflict and patterns of opposition… A different archetype is emerging within the collective psyche of humanity, an archetype not defined by th

The Love of love begins as a personal emotion that deepens with the awakening of the heart into a selfoverwhelming consciousness of Oneness. To deepen in this way allow your heart to surrender to ' Ishk Allah Mabood Allah' as often as possible. Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love . - Rumi

What Opens the Heart?  Pain and Love. Pain melts or breaks the heart, creating a condition that allows it to be reborn; Love, where we feel utterly carried beyond ourself, overwhelms and expands the heart. We live in a condition of various degrees of open heartedness, but in the process of awakening the heart must always open further. There are different wells within your heart. Some fill with each good rain, Others are far too deep for that . -Hafiz You will notice that in both of the conditions (love or pain) there is something in us that is dissolved or shattered to allow for the heart to continue to open - herein lies the rub, for it is not easily that we go into that good night. Great pain or love shatters the self-centeredness of the ego, breaking down long held foundational values, perceptions, judgements, and opinions all upon which we have built our security, life and personality. "Either the lover exists or the beloved but not both." - Khan Once the hear

On Wazifa and Mantra In this blog you will find me referencing words of power, which in Sufi terms are called Wazifa and in Yoga terms Mantras. These are not normal words; they are words that manifest divine attributes or qualities. The essential point is that each word (for example  Ya Nur , meaning Light) is a living cosmic vibration, and that vibration IS the reality of that divine attribute so that when it is spoken (Dhikr), wispered (Fikr) or thought (Fikr-Asir), it manifests. The power of a wazifa or mantric word is beyond what our minds can comprehend but they are not beyond what the heart can know. These divine attributes are centered in the One Reality, the Only Being, they are the universal living expressions of this One Reality and thus, in the mystical schools and orders, they are considered quite scared. It is like holding an aspect of the divine beloved in ones arms; The Sufi Master Pir Vilayat has called them ‘the signature tune of angels’. In past times is was forbid

Knowingly or unknowingly, Light Bearers are those who bring light into the world simply by considerate thought, kind speech and beneficial actions. The ultimate source of the light I'm speaking of is perfection and it manifests unity, love, harmony and beauty. Some Light Bearers bring light into the world through meditation and prayer, some are trained specifically to work on the inner planes with the catalyzing and manifestation of light in the world. This daily affirmation of the 'Light Bearer' is good for all : In the One, united with all the illuminated souls, I will hold aloft the light of Truth. The power of this simple affirmation is that as one uses it, it draws this light directly to oneself.  So there is actually an implicit ending to this affirmation which might read: ... and in so doing I am fortified and strengthened by this light and in my ability to bring light to the world. Many will naturally ask ... ' what do you mean by "Truth&quo

I read a Koan this morning that said: "Water heats slowly but boils suddenly."  My reaction was: Thus is awakening! ------------------------------------------------------------ Meditation, prayer, contemplation, Zikr are a special fire we can make to heat and transform this water which is our awakening.  The water of our lives is heated to boiling many, many times in the continual process of awakening.  It is easy to get discouraged or impatient, yet take heart for the water will boil and we will awaken!

New Years Day 2012 Blessings for a wonder-full New Year! Actually, I think New Years day is really the day after the Winter Solstice but nothing wrong with honoring it twice! Today we honor the start of a new year, a new ‘you’ – still in the seed state, but now something new will begin growing within the womb of our awakening evolution. The seed of the future year, infused with the fruits of the previous year, is awakening - its purpose will form and grow protected by the deep stillness of winter. May our purpose grow strong in the coming New Year, may it be informed by the wisdom and achievements of our past and the potentialities yet to come in the future, so that in the Spring we may rejoice in the rebirth of yet another new dimension of our being and purpose in life. A blessing for this may be found in the Martra/Wazifa: Ya Razzaq - Ya Mussawwir (The Divine nourishing and fashioning our being) The New Year prayer of Hazrat Inayat Khan: O Thou who abidest in our hearts, Most M