This week, our teacher has been Alan Cohen. And today being a Sunday silent meditation, I tried to find quotes where he speaks about silence or meditation and I couldn’t find much, so for today’s message I’m just including a few thoughts that sit really well with me…
“If you are not living with a whole heart now, the end of the world poses no threat; your life is already gone. Life is only as valuable as our presence to enjoy it. To miss the beauty of the moment because you are preparing to protect yourself from the next one, is to trade a precious gem for a cheap trinket.” – Alan Cohen
Fear is what prevents us from being present. Being constantly on guard for the possible threat that the next moment might bring, robs from us the ability to express our full potential right now.
“The world you see is less of an indication about the world and more of an indication about your seeing.” – Alan Cohen
There’s another old teaching that sounds really similar, “we don’t see the world as it is, we see the world as we are.” It’s almost impossible not to see the world through the lens of our own past experiences and the messaging we took on board since childhood. The way we see the world reflects our own internal state, not necessarily some objective truth about the world.
The reminder for me is to always question myself and ask, “Is there a more empowering way to see the world than I do right now?”
“Guilt: punishing yourself before God doesn’t.” – Alan Cohen
Alan Cohen offers a different perspective on guilt. He sees it not as a divinely mandated punishment, but as self-inflicted suffering that doesn’t achieve anything meaningful. This suggests that guilt isn’t something predetermined, but rather a choice we make to dwell on past mistakes.
And then a beautiful thought that does lead us into today’s meditation…
“If you want to find God, start hanging out in the space between your thoughts.” – Alan Cohen
When you clearly see and understand that none of the thinking is YOU, that thought is something a brain does on autopilot – just like perspiration is something that sweat glands produce on their own – then it becomes easier to take a step back and simply watch thoughts come and go. When you are the observer of your thoughts, you’ll start noticing the spaces in between thoughts, and you’ll come to understand where your soul lives…
Finding your inner sanctuary:
- “My thoughts are not me.” Simply observe them as they arise and depart.
- “The present moment is all I have.” Don’t let fears from the past or future get in the way of expressing your full potential in this moment.
- “There is peace beneath the storm of thoughts.” Take a deep breath and allow yourself to sink into the stillness.
- “I am worthy of experiencing inner peace.” Believe in your ability to find calm amidst the chaos.
Take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, and begin to observe your thoughts without judgment. Notice the spaces between them, and allow yourself to simply be there. This practice, even for a few minutes each day, can create a profound shift in your perspective and open you to a world of possibilities within.
Let’s slip into that space of silence between thoughts together.
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: Finding silence.
(image credit: https://hakanstrand.com )