| I certainly will not attempt, or pretend, to | | | | the Ultimate." It is in this awakening to |
| present you with any profound or innovative | | | | the flow of this eternal energy that we |
| wisdom that is not directly accessible within | | | | become free of suffering and capable of |
| your being. What I will discuss is change, | | | | living the enlightened life that patiently |
| or impermanence, and our relationship, as | | | | waits within our soul. Now is the time to |
| human beings with illusive egos, to this | | | | access this precious life and begin your |
| Reality. The content of my discussion will | | | | internal transformation. Enter the perfect |
| come directly from the awareness that one | | | | flow of the cosmos and you will then |
| great being discovered many, many centuries | | | | understand what Buddha meant when he |
| ago as he sat under a tree in deep | | | | exclaimed, "When you realize how perfect |
| contemplation. You may know of this | | | | everything is you will tilt your head and |
| individual as Buddha, "the awakened one." | | | | laugh at the sky." |
| Buddha discovered Truth in his quiet | | | | |
| meditative and ego-less state and shared it | | | | Is this idealistic chatter that is |
| freely with all who would listen. Truth, or | | | | impractical and impossible to apply in our |
| Reality, cannot be explained or comprehended | | | | daily lives? Is it "New Age" babble or |
| in intellectual terms; it simply lies within | | | | popular self-help talk? From deep within my |
| your being waiting to be applied in your | | | | being I must reply with a resounding "NO". |
| life. Our ego pretends to know many truths | | | | Within these words I have found peace when I |
| through its imbedded illusions and | | | | choose to detach from my ego and apply them |
| misperceptions, however, Truth can only be | | | | to my life. However, you must test this |
| discovered when we connect with the genuine | | | | wisdom yourself, consistently heeding the |
| part of ourselves that is free from the ego's | | | | words of Buddha, "Believe nothing merely |
| influence. | | | | because you have been told it." What I have |
| | | | experienced in my journey is that this |
| As ego driven human beings we have a strong | | | | awareness and practice is very simple, yet |
| desire for certainty and complete control of | | | | our dominant ego incessantly tries to |
| life at all costs. We long for permanence | | | | persuade us that life needs to be complex. |
| and the (temporary) comfort that we believe | | | | Your ego demands that you dismiss this Truth |
| we attain, however, every aspect of our lives | | | | at once. Do not allow the ego to conquer your |
| is in constant flux or change. Every atom of | | | | soul. I urge you to get in touch with the |
| every cell is in continuous motion and, in | | | | Truth that lies within you and begin your |
| our minds, feelings and thoughts constantly | | | | practice immediately. Apply the following 3 |
| come and go. Life is change, but change | | | | steps and you are on your Way: |
| triggers confusion, fear, anger, suffering, | | | | |
| and hence our ego tries to stop change by | | | | I. Begin to recognize and maintain awareness |
| conceptualizing and manipulating Reality. We | | | | of the voice of your ego and gently detach |
| have created infinite solutions to our egoic | | | | from its demands. This will allow your Voice |
| needs; strict boundaries, laws, rules, cages | | | | of Truth to emerge. (This is a continuous |
| and exclusive religions, to name a few. All | | | | process that will never be complete, however |
| of these developed to assure that things go | | | | little by little your ego will have less |
| our way, according to our plans. We simply | | | | control over you.) |
| have attempted to restrict the natural | | | | |
| changes of the Universe. Unfortunately, this | | | | II. Align your True self with the invisible, |
| resistance and fight against "what is" causes | | | | yet omnipotent flow of the Universal Energy. |
| nothing but immense suffering, due to its | | | | (You may call this energy anything you wish |
| propensity to create disharmony with Reality, | | | | i.e. God, the Tao, the Way, Spirit, etc. |
| or Truth. By trying to take control, we | | | | Remember to not get caught up in labels.) |
| paradoxically become even more out of | | | | |
| control. The Buddha called this endless | | | | III. Commit yourself to the acceptance of the |
| fight against Reality, "attachment to worldly | | | | "NOW" and embrace the perfect expressions and |
| illusions", which causes all the suffering we | | | | changes that are presented to you by the |
| experience in our daily lives. The solution | | | | Universe. (Remember that it is always Now, |
| is not in control or intentional action, but | | | | and it is here that you will discover the |
| through seeing Reality or Truth, which | | | | Truth.) |
| demonstrates to us that each single moment we | | | | |
| experience is transitory and continuously | | | | I must remind you before I depart that what |
| changing. | | | | you have just read are not just words. This |
| | | | wisdom has nothing to do with The Secret, |
| The Universal River flows according to a | | | | Chicken Soup for the Soul, or the Law of |
| perfect rhythm that we must align with if we | | | | Attraction. This is Truth! It is the |
| are to find pure peace and serenity. Chuang | | | | eternal wisdom that will guide you in your |
| Tzu, the brilliant Chinese philosopher, | | | | search for peace. This is your answer! |
| talked about this much more elegantly when he | | | | Please question it vigorously, practice it |
| suggested, "Flow with whatever is happening | | | | diligently, and unearth this precious jewel |
| and let your mind be free. Stay centered by | | | | of Truth that inhabits your soul. |
| accepting whatever you are doing. This is | | | | |