"Wala kang kaluluwa"

Let me translate that for you. 

You don't have a soul.

"So, what am I?", I asked wide-eyed and bewildered when my meditation teacher told me this.   

In my head, what I was really saying was, "Are you saying that I am nothing!!! How dare you! So, do I belong to the devil now?!"

image from harisnurali.wordpress.com

You don't have a soul because you are a soul.

Now, I'm confused.  

She sensed my inner turmoil and  started to explain.

"All this time, you thought you were a body with a soul.  You see it's the other way around.  You are a soul with a body."

I still don't get it.  So, she asked me. "Can you please describe yourself?"

So, I rattled on...

I am Karen.

I am a daughter, a sister, a friend...

I work at  ____________.

I am from _____________.

I have _______________.

image from Brahma Kumaris Meditation

"See, you identify yourself with your false I.  You think that you are your position, your roles, your possessions.  All of these are connected to the body- all perishable when you leave your mortal coil. All false."

"So what is true then.", I queried.

"Then, answer this for me.  Think of your favorite part of nature and 3 adjectives which describe it... Now, describe yourself. Like a ______, I am..."

So, I answered.

Like a mountain.

I am strong.

I am stable.

I am giving.

image from wallpaperup.com

"See, that's who you truly are.", she replied beaming.

P.S.  This is lesson 1 in meditation.  I learned this 8 years ago.  Recently, Sister Tims of Center for Spiritual Learning, Tagaytay reminded me of this lesson when I sat in her lecture.

P.P.S.  Happy All Souls Days! Now, you know this day's for you, too. ;)  

meditation from Release Your Wings

  

Om explained

   

“Set the date for your perfection.”, said my Teacher during a 
meditation class.  

I wanted to retort, “That’s impossible!” but I was in a 2-day silent retreat (the other weekend) so I opted to keep quiet.

During the retreat, we had 5-6 hours of meditation each day.  We would go around specific meditation areas in groups and sit down in silence.  No words were exchanged as we move around or even as we sit together for meals.  

Then it just happened.  While I was immersed in silence I felt that I was a sparkling zero.  I saw myself as a sparkling star with no past    or future.  I had no ties with this old world of matter- no possessions, no relations or positions. 

I had nothing...
but in that nothingness I felt my fullness.      

I felt that I have everything I ever need- love, peace,               power, happiness.  In this state of om (I am), I felt complete.           I felt perfect. 

So, it’s possible. 

meditation by Release Your Wings

A slice of truth

"Are we all the same in a mirror image?  Is this the real life of what is?", asked my little brother.  

"Will you say a foolish thought is foolish simply because the majority ruled it as such?...Does truth lose it bearing if all is given light to?", he queried.     

Here's an attempt to answer his questions.

photo from www.brahmakumaris.org

Everything I see with my eyes is real
Not true
The reality I know is an illusion
In essence, I am just a point


A soul
a being of light
A spirit
I am energy



The body
is simply a tool for me to express
It is like a cellphone
And I am the sim


In fact, everyone's a sim
Only in different cases
Each one with different roles
Just as there are simple phones and androids


Essentially at the core we are all the same
The differences I see is not real
If we remove the cases
We are all dots


Beings of light
With everything we need
Peace, power, purity
love and happiness



The world is a stage
With the sun and the moon as lights
This is where I act out my role
Just as in a play, one day the curtains will close


This is not my home
But I have attached my heart to it
Because I've been here for a long time
I thought I am of the earth


Gradually, my battery has diminished
And so has my power
I thought I am of dust
So I grab only the visible



I thought that the goal
Is to become bigger and taller than the the skyscrapers
So I scramble for hats on my head and strings of relations
I will do anything to accumulate stickers and stamps


But I am a spirit
When I leave 
I leave the hats, strings, stickers and stamps
Only the good and bad credits remain


The world now has become a graveyard
The material and the differences hold the spotlight
People suffer because of anger
Greed, ego, lust, attachment



We have to remember
Who we truly are
We are beings of light
Stars from the abode light 
Who have come down here simply to  play our parts


We are here to express
Our truest selves
One which is filled with beauty and goodness
Up there we can only shine
Down here we can love, care and celebrate


Deep down
We are all the same
In essence we are all good
Even the seemingly foolish & meanest of us
We have simply forgotten


Please remember

On Dying

image from http://www.bkpublications.com

"Stop it!", my mom said in her loudest voice when I rattle off my planned funeral arrangements (When I Die).  Another friend  cried buckets when I calmly told her that I might have to leave this world.

There was a time when I thought I only have a few months to live. So, I started saying goodbye to some people close to me. It was then that I learned that talking about death is taboo in our society.  People simply cannot handle it or they refuse to accept that cold truth even though it is as glaring as the fact that the sun will rise in the morning and will have to retire by sunset.  Why are people afraid of death, I fathom?  Unknowingly,  a friend supplied an answer one lunch time, "It's the kids I'm worried about".  Another added, "And, where do we go when we die?"

Then, I realized that people prefer to stay mum about it because death opens so many scenarios we cannot control.  We are afraid of what will happen to the ones we'll leave behind.  (I guess, they will keep on living.).  We afraid of where we will go when the dark angel with the infamous hook calls.  Though, there have been reports of the after life or reincarnation (whichever belief suits you), there's really no way to call the departed ones to confirm where they head off.

Every time  I go to a funeral, I always hear, "He has left us." But, the body still lies in the casket.  So, who has left? Definitely, not the body because it still lies there as immobile as a log or in a condensed form as ashes (for those who opted for cremation).  I have been taught that it is the soul which leaves the body.  Essentially, we are really souls, points of energy.  The body is simply like a car we use and we, the souls, are the drivers. Death simply means the car can no longer function.  So, the driver (the soul) has to leave so it can continue its journey.  Physics supports this, it says, energy cannot be created nor destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another. (Law of the Conservation of Energy).

Therefore, it's ok to die.  A senior dadi (sister) tells us, it's just like going to another room. Well, there's nothing scary there.

Why Do We Like Heroes?

Picture credit

We love watching them or reading about them.  We are fascinated with The Avengers, Superman, Batman, Spiderman.  Most of these heroes are human like us- they just have extra abilities.    

I figured, we like them because there is a part of us that resonates with them. 

Heroes are good.  
If we really look deep inside, whether we accept it or not, our core is good.  The folly lies in believing that we are just humans.  We forgot that we are also beings (human beings).  And this is where our extra factor lies, much like the added capabilities of the heroes.  If we examine this being, this spirit, this psyche, this soul- we will find out that our original blueprint is made of the beautiful qualities of peace, power, purity, love, bliss, mercy, and knowledge.  If we talk, walk, and move holding a particular quality in our awareness, then our actions and interactions will be of a higher notch, hero-caliber even.

Heroes fight.  
They fully understand that they will have to battle with different obstacles and villains.  In the same way, at this time in the world’s cycle, no one can be exempt from defeat, sorrow, and difficulties.  These things will come our way and we have to confront these using our power of peace, purity, love, bliss, mercy, knowledge and all our other virtues.  

Heroes fly, or smash or jump.  These are the very tactics we ought to use when facing our problems-  fly above it,  smash it into pieces,  jump towards it and slash it from behind.  Heroes do not hide in a nook and cry when the war is upon them.  They muster all the courage and strength they have and take on the enemies.

            

We love heroes because they remind us of our true nature.  The hero spirit is in each one of us.  We just have to nudge it to come forward.

Let Me Tell You Why this Blog is Narcissistic

Picture credits

"In the face of eternity, a lot of things don't really matter".

This is what struck me in a weekend retreat with Anthony Strano , the director of the meditation centers in Greece and Hungary.

So, one fine day, while waiting for my sister to finish her college interview, I sat cross-legged on a bench outside and  I asked, "What is eternity?".

I held this single thought for nearly an hour until I dipped my finger on it.  In a second, eternity stood before me in the midst of the bustling day scene of people moving to and fro.  It laid placid and unlimited.  Whilst everyone rushed, it stayed in complete standstill- unstirring, unperturbed.

In that moment, I felt that nothing really matters in this absolute vastness and stillness except for 2 simple truths- I, the soul and my Father, the Supreme Soul.

At least for me, only these 2 truths are real- it can never ever be destroyed.  These are the only things worth my time and attention.  Everything else will come and go.

Pasalubong from India

At least once in your life, you will have an epiphany.  Mine happened a year ago, when I was sitting amidst a crowd of 20,000 in India.  I felt God's love.  He loved me fully, completely, and so deeply that I need nothing more.  I truly experienced that the whole world- the earth and the sky belong to me.

Surprisingly, I also felt that He loves the one sitting beside me and the one at the far end of the assembly as much as He loves me- as full, as deep, as complete.

In a second, I understood how unlimited and unconditional God is.  And from then on, I strive to do the same- love everybody. 

So, in my recent trip to India this year, I was inspired to bring gifts (pasalubong in Filipino) for everyone.

You see, whenever, I stay for 2 weeks in Madhuban, also known as the Brahma KumarisWorld Spiritual University Headquarters, I share some of my reflections to my friends back home.  Here is one those letters.

This was sent to Monday, 28 March, 2011, 11:05 PM

Om Shanti.  Greetings of peace from Mount Abu, Rajasthan India.  
I just e-mailed to let you all know that I am fine.  More than fine, actually.  I really am enjoying the inner journey.  

I thought that coming here is a retreat from everything else.  I was wrong. The trip exposed my weaknesses.  And I had to face, accept, and change it. I now understood why people are afraid of silence.  It is because you actually confront yourself in silence.  My fears, hurts, and darkness  came out and I had to make it disappear by really looking deep deep inside.  And clearing things with myself.  It was hard work but I came out with a clear mind and a clean heart.  And then, I realized how beautiful I truly really am.  And so, it's easier to connect to God (The Good, the Truth, and The Beautiful). 

I hope I can bring you all here to experience it. Will send love and light from here for now. See you in a few days.

Love & Light,

Karen

P.S. They say, yogis levitate. It's true and false. It is really when you feel so happy and so light that the soul can fly.     

This time, I want to give everyone this simple gift- a compilation of some of my realizations, experiences, and reflections during my recent stay in Madhuban, India.

The University in Video
Part 2. Inspired by the real life spiritual experience by Geofferey Wallace, former VP of The Chase Manhattan Bank N.A.

The Courage to be Human

- Dadi Gulzar's Class in Germany

After almost exactly 10 years Dadi Gulzar graced Germany again with her royal and divine presence.  In the evening Dadiji gave a concise talk. Here's the essence of her talk : 

• Everyone is looking for love, peace and happiness in their lives but why does it disappear even more and more?

• It is because human beings have lost their connection with God. Therefore the spiritual power is missing which is the fourth power after the predominant powers present in today world: Science, politics and religion.

• This spiritual power is the power of realizing: Who am I? If I realise that I am a soul, a being of light, then I have access to the spiritual power of the soul.

• Because we no longer identify with the soul, the spiritual power is missing. Only by reconnecting with God can this power flow again, because God is the Almighty Authority. Being able to keep that connection is called “meditation”.

• The 2 requirements to keep that connection are the thoughts: 

        1.  I am a soul and 

        2. I am His child.  

• Why is our happiness not stable? What are the 2 doors through which it  disappears? Firstly it is when our desires are not fulfilled and secondly we take sorrow when someone is blaming or accusing us. Therefore, remain a detached observer and don’t think about the past but about what you can change in the future. Find a solution!

• If you are able to close these 2 doors firmly, you will constantly stay happy and also give happiness to your country.

• The method to keep that inner happiness is meditation, because that is how we receive powers from God. We need these because the outer world is constantly changing, so we need to have a variety of skills in order to cope with the situations. 

Why do you love Peace?

Dadi Gulzar’s Meeting with VIPs 17 May 2010 Muscat Centre

Om Shanti. Say Om Shanti. All of you who have come, do you love peace or not? Or do you like things as they are, as life goes along. (Peace). Why do you love peace? (it spreads love). Everyone loves peace. Why? Why what is the reason? In reality our original religion is peace. In reality, this is what the human has forgotten and this is why we have become peace less. We have forgotten we are souls, spiritual beings and our original religion is peace and thus keep searching for peace in the world.

To understand that I am a soul – this is spiritual knowledge. God has given us this recognition, this understanding that I am not this human form, but am a spiritual being that resides in the centre of the forehead. The original religion of this spirit, the soul is peace. Why? Because the soul is the child of the supreme and He, our Father is the ocean of peace, so being His children, we too have the original quality of peace.

You understand this much do you not that the soul and body are separate entities? So, the reason we all love peace is because the original religion of the soul is peace, the Father of us souls is peace. Just as when we lose something we love, we keep searching for it, similarly because we have lost our peace which is dearly loved by us and we want to return to that original state, we keep searching for it.

Science has created many facilities that give us happiness but even when these inventions are created, they are done in silence. Even when we have to do an important task, we spend time preparing in silence. Silence is necessary for any invention. So, if we want to regain peace, to take back that which we have lost, what will we have to do?

According to the knowledge that we have received, if we are to regain our inner peace, we need to allow our mind to be connected to the Supreme. He is remembered as the ocean of peace, the one who has the power of peace. He is the bestower of peace. People call out to Him to give them peace. Thus if we want peace, then we need to connect our mind to the Supreme and this is what is known as meditation. Across the world hundreds of thousands have made their lives peaceful through the practice of this meditation.

The circumstances of the world are such that things are going into extremes. Peacelessness and sorrow are increasing and this will not cease. It is only when things go to the extreme, do they end. It is we who need to learn to be peaceful in the midst of all this through the practice of meditation.

In a household it is seen that even if one person comes home peace less, the entire household is affected and becomes peace less and when someone comes in great happiness, then the state of the household is similar. The vibrations of peace spread around us as also the vibrations of peacelessness. Peace is such a virtue that you can attain whatever you want to attain through it – powers such as of love, of discernment, of tolerance etc can be accumulated when we are peaceful.

As your spiritual sister, I wish that my brothers and sisters who have come here today should never experience sorrow. How can a sister see her brothers in sorrow and peacelessness? Always remember you are a soul, a child of the Supreme.

Om Shanti.