Don’t Wait!!!

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” – so said Mahatma Gandhi, a simple but profoundly wise man who influenced the lives of Nelson Mandala, Martin Luther King, Aung Saung Suu Kyi of Burma, one hundred and sixty million Indians seeking independence and yes, even me!!!

By “Don’t Wait” I mean, don’t stand around waiting for a lottery win or someone to bail you out of trouble, especially now in these challenging times. This is a time to take stock of our skills and abilities and hone them to perfection. This is a time to remain upbeat and determined; a time to be optimistic and positive, to remain focused on what it is we want to HAVE in our lives and who we need to BE in order to achieve that. The DOINGNESSES; that is what we do, will be a reflection of what we are BEING.

If we are BEING depressed, negative, hopeless, critical, a victim and dramatising a whole array of negative thoughts, words and actions, then that is exactly what we will experience in our lives. We will attract these circumstances to us. This is the Law of Attraction; it always gives us what we repeatedly focus our attention on. Have a positive, upbeat and optimistic outlook and behold, you will attract those people and circumstances into your life that reflect that. Focus on the negative, hopelessness, victimhood, etc., and once again, this is what will show up in your life – without fail!!

Where attention goes, energy flows. We are energy beings, surrounded by and part of a huge energy field that responds to our thoughts, words and deeds.

So once again, in line with the dualistic nature of this Universe, we are offered a choice; BE positive or BE negative – which one will you choose?

Rick

Tags: Add new tag, Be, Beingness, do, Doingness, have, Havingness

Inspiration and Creativity

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to be incredibly gifted with creating things such as artwork, music, ideas, new products or just plain improving old ones?

How come all of us do not have those abilities?

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to pen some words for a new song, create a masterpiece, or even something you would be proud to hang on your wall? Those are all examples of artistic creativity of course, but what about refreshing ideas about how we can improve our lives or relationships, get more done, more efficiently, “working smarter, not harder” as the expression goes?

So what do these creative people have which results in these new ways of doing things, evolving ideas, creativity and inspiration?

Well for a start, they pretty well look like you and me on the outside, although many artists and musicians choose to look and act less conservative, so it must be something within, that sets them apart.

In her ground-breaking New York Times bestselling book, “My Stroke of Insight, A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey”, Dr Jill Bolte Taylor (www.drjilltaylor.com), a Harvard trained brain scientist, describes her amazing experience while being fully conscious through a massive stroke to the left portion of her brain. By the way, I highly recommend watching her free 19 minute video on TED at www.mystrokeofinsight.com.

The left hemisphere is all about analytical thinking, judging, planning, language, reading, and writing, talking or recalling the past and also houses the ego centre, a peanut size bunch of brain cells that cause us to separate from our true selves, others, nature and is the source of us causing harm.

The right hemisphere however, is a very different story and it gives us access to greater insights and a connection to the bigger picture, where inspiration and creativity reside. This connectedness to the source is the route to becoming more inspired and creative in any given field of our choice. By getting out of our mind and being still and quiet for a few moments, we allow the “creative juices” to flow through us and from them, new ideas, new inspirations and creations will grow.

So to be more creative, we need to turn off, if just for a few minutes, the day-to-day distractions of handphones, TV, iPods, etc., and be still enough to contemplate and allow into our space, the energy of creation.

It is not a thinking process, although the ideas will appear in the mind, its being quiet and undistracted that permits the ideas to flow through us.

I wish you all many wonderful and happy creations!!

Rick

Tags: Add new tag, creativity, insight, Inspiration, stroke

A Bright Ray of Hope

Staying Positive in Troubled Times

One only has to turn on the television or read the papers these days to hear of the financial woes around the world, of adverse climatic conditions such as floods and earthquakes, of a downturn in businesses, drops in tourist numbers and a gamut of other troubling circumstances.

It would be very easy to get caught up in all of this “bad” news and begin to feel overwhelmed and become racked with despair. With chaos comes uncertainty and confusion, but out of the chaos comes order and this is how we should view the current situation, by focusing on the positive end result of all this change.

As humanity evolves into more personal awareness and responsibility, we become more empowered to act against injustices, corruption, inequalities and all those circumstances that stand in the way of expressing our inherently good human core values, such as trust, honesty, equality, fairness, etc. The Internet has given us access to huge amounts of information and a ready platform to express ourselves and support those who are undergoing change and need help.

And so here we are towards the latter end of 2008, witnessing great changes occurring around the world as those organisations, governments, systems and processes that no longer serve humanity fully and ethically, come under great strain to reform themselves. We have seen this in the financial sector; we are seeing it happening in the environmental movement, it is apparent in governments and we are feeling it deep within ourselves.

When we step back and view what is occurring from the bigger picture, we see very positive changes unfolding in many, many areas around the world.

Ancient advanced cultures such as the Olmecs, Mayans, Incas, Hopis and modern philosophers have predicted that the year 2012 heralds the beginning of a new era for humanity, a time of great peace, reconciliation and heart-centredness. A time where the inequalities of the world can be healed; where poverty, wars, a lack of clean water, no or poor education opportunities, insufficient medical aid and many other unwanted conditions, can and will be addressed and resolved.

It has been said that a great Golden Age is dawning and that we as individuals can bring this about though our thoughts, words and deeds. Do we remain stuck in the past, acting out all the old unworkable ways of our lives, which have resulted in so much pain or suffering, or do we move on, willing to expand and shift our point of view and behaviour to one of compassion, sharing, caring, loving, kindness and the realisation that we are all connected and interdependent on each other for our survival?

It has also been said that if we continue on with our old ways without changing, we will experience more of the same, more destruction, more suffering, a lesser quality and standard of living, ad nauseam.

Will we continue to cause harm to ourselves, to others, the environment, and the planet, or will we make more responsible, conscious choices?

What we think, say and do now, today, will be reflected in the kind of world we will live in tomorrow.

Remaining positive, optimistic, enthusiastic, motivated and inspired in the face of all challenges is the only way through and this is what you are encouraged to do.

The choice is yours, which one will you choose?

Rick

Tags: Add new tag, hope, motivated, optimistic, Positive

It’s All a Question of Balance

Well, that’s a very Buddhist point of view or even a leftover from listening to too much of the Moody Blues in the sixties, but nonetheless, its truth rings loudly.

These days we tend to excel or specialize in this or that and are very goals oriented, which in itself is not a bad thing. But when the scales are out of kilter, then our imbalance can create further obstacles for us along the way.

It could be said that most of those who are interested in spirituality as a practice, have the ‘illusive’ state or condition of Enlightenment as their goal. Well, what’s wrong with that you may ask? Has this not been the objective of many seekers over the millennium to emulate those remarkable beings who have shed the burden of ignorance, enslavery and worldliness? There is of course absolutely nothing wrong with seeking Enlightenment and one only needs to look around at the un-enlightened state of our world to see that change is required, if we are to evolve beyond anger, violence, terrorism and war to resolve our conflicts and so-called ‘differences’. However, looking here and there for Enlightenment is fruitless, for how can you possibly find something that is not lost? How can you arrive at a destination, when you are already there? How can you achieve a state or condition when you are already in it?

Back to the topic of balance - the subject of spirituality needs to be balanced too and by that I mean the esoteric, ecstatic experiences of connecting with the non-tangible, needs to be grounded in down-to-earth practical applications on a moment-by-moment basis, every moment. It is one thing to have an extraordinary, life-changing spiritual experience and another to bring that into our life to become the embodiment of that experience.

Today, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is the embodiment of Love as was Jesus of Nazareth in earlier times. Andrew Cohen is the embodiment of Enlightenment today as was the Buddha in his. Eckhart Tolle is the embodiment of Silence as was Lao Tze. What is the commonality between these few examples? They created the Beingness they have assumed and balanced it with all that they do, without fail, without deviating, without succumbing to external pressures and it shows up in everything they think, say and do.

Enlightenment is a beginning. It could be said (with tongue in cheek) that it is the easiest part, for maintaining the Beingness of Enlightenment will be challenged relentlessly, by everyone who is mired in separateness and living through their own self-created ego.

© Rick Pursell

www.spirituality-bali.com

Tags: Question of Balance

Enlightenment and the Ego

Well what I would like to share with you an experience I had some years ago
in Rishikesh in Northern India. I had been introduced to Swami Kaivalianda by a fellow Aussie and as a prerequisite to becoming his student, I diligently wrote him aerogram letters (no e:mail on the banks of the mighty Ganga in those days) for two years, before being invited to study with him.

Swami invited only one or two students per year, always westerners and not until he had thoroughly “cased us out” as being diligent and serious neophytes. He lived with his scruffy but faithful dog, in a very basic adobe hut close to the banks of the Ganges River near Rishikesh in Utter Pradesh State. He was a simple man, wore no saffron robes or showed any outward appearance that would give a hint of his wisdom and furthermore, was totally detached from the numerous ashrams that are widespread around the area. In fact, he was often critical of the so-called gurus who would strut around Rishikesh with a band of adoring; awe-struck students at their heels.

Swami’s training and evolvement was passed down the hard way from his guru, who was well versed in Vedanta and the Upanishads and it was from these that I took my twice daily lessons.

When Swami was in “teaching” mode, he transformed from a somewhat bizarre, non-conforming and sometimes agitated human, into the most highly evolved being I had ever encountered. I use the past tense as he left his body in October of 2005. When he was in “normal” mode, Swami would swear like a trooper, curse the government and all their asinine regulations and criticise the ego-driven gurus who were all too quick to relieve naive and wide-eyed seekers of their hard earned dollars. It was like living with the original Jekyll and Hyde!! At the conclusion of my lessons and the bombardment of my ego, I would take refuge in long walks in the Himalayan foothills or bathe in the icy cold waters of the Ganga. Only Mother Nature could comfort this battered ego, but I stuck with it, being of service to Swami and a committed student.

In hindsight, it could be said that he was acting out the ways of the ego, as that was the exact thing he was tackling within me. He constantly rubbed my nose into the ego’s fears and desires, reminding me with every question or opinion of where my thinking was coming from and verbally forcing me to re-evaluate my perspective and look at things from an enlightened point of view. Backwards and forwards between ego and the teachings, ego and Authentic Self, tirelessly, relentlessly beating down the former and permitting the inner light to shine through.

t was the toughest thing I had ever endured, tougher than a year in the Vietnam War and witnessing man’s inhumanity to man, tougher than any inner work I had experienced previously.
When the time came, Swami passed on “transmission” and I experienced first hand the wonder of Oneness. The physical universe dissolved and I felt untold bliss and stillness. It was a major catalyst in my life, the effects of which are still felt to this day. Swami refused to receive my hug of gratitude and love and I was taken aback, until I realised he did not want to be assigned the Source for this remarkable event, but that he was merely a Messenger. Such was his humility when in the “teaching” mode.

Sometimes I wonder if Swami was living two lives. Is it possible to be an enlightened being and still live in the grips of the ego? Is it possible to move aside the ego temporarily and dwell in the realm of a highly evolved being, a great teacher, a guru, an enlightened soul? Do we not see elements of this schizophrenia in our own lives and those of others? |
To me it reinforces the need to take our enhanced states of consciousness that we have evolved into and apply them daily, (no, make that moment-by-moment) into our lives. Living, breathing, thinking, saying and doing enlightened actions in every moment.

© Rick Pursell

www.spirituality-bali.com

Tags: Enlightenment and the Ego

Esmeralda - A Short Story

Once upon a time, in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains, lived a beautiful horse called Esmeralda. The arrival of the foal brought much joy and excitement to the village children who, bound by the wonder of birth, jostled their bodies closer to the little mare as she lay exhausted by her first efforts to stand on her spindly, shaky legs, just minutes after her arrival in the crisp morning air. Esmeralda’s mother would have been happier without the gawking entourage and protectively nudged Esmeralda towards the rear of the stable, putting herself between her offspring and the excited children.

Within days, Esmeralda had mastered with the utmost confidence, the art of walking and always in the spirit of play, would leap and kick her back legs in the air in defiance of any restrictions, about which at her tender age, she knew or experienced nothing. She was free to roam the emerald green slopes with her dotting mother ever close by.

High above her, shrouded in fluffy, white clouds, stood the snow-capped mountains. Protective. Majestic. Permanent. The chill zephyrs that kissed her warm coat, brought energy and freshness. The icy-cold stream which cleaved through the hills sang as it fell over the rocks, rounded by the never-ending caress of the unsullied water.

Esmeralda was an extraordinary mare, full of adventure and curiosity. She had an insatiable thirst to explore her surroundings, her abilities, and the parameters of her young mind. Her infancy was filled with the pure joy of exploration. She knew no bounds and soon became admired by all in the village and hillsides for her spirit and inner beauty. Her coat shone like early morning dewdrops. Her limped eyes caught the morning’s first rays and reflected the unfetted joy of youth. As she learnt to gallop, her mane flowed behind like a billowing bed sheet hanging out to dry. Her tail, long and free, swished from side to side as she regally strode the hill’s gentle slopes. All who came to cast their eyes upon this magnificent specimen loved Esmeralda, but most importantly, Esmeralda loved herself. She knew nothing of the hardships, toil, discipline, regimen or conditioning that she was about to face.

Enrico, her owner’s son, poured affection on Esmeralda, as did her mother who came from a respected lineage of Andalusian horses, well known in these parts. One day, when Esmeralda was still very young but independent enough to feed herself, Enrico appeared at the gate leading into the pasture. He hung limply on the frame and as was the custom, Esmeralda trotted to his side in hope of a tasty apple or other delicious morsel that Enrico would often carry in his deep pockets. His eyes were filled with tears. This confused Esmeralda as her master was always happy to see her and would for hours, stroke her muzzle and say sweet words in her sharp, alert ears. She loved Enrico without conditions and her love was returned. As she thrust her wet nose into his face; she became aware of a great change that was to take place. It was a genesis, a mere spark of recognition that her Utopian life was about to be transformed. Enrico said nothing nor did he attempt to hide his sorrow and from the silence of those peaceful, early morning hills, Esmeralda heard the mechanical rumble of a truck reversing towards the gate and it dawned on her that her date with change was imminent. Her innocence was about to end.

Esmeralda’s new home was filled with noise and activity. No longer the leisurely stroll at her mother’s side around the green fields that filled her days, now clanking buckets and voices broke the early morning silence. She felt so alone, despite being in the company of many fine beasts. She longed for the solitude of her mountain retreat, her mother’s gentle touch and Enrico’s bubbling enthusiasm.

Her days were filled with regimen. Trainers came and went. Young boys and girls of Enrico’s age, groomed her magnificent coat and hooves, fed her nutritious grains and tendered a few shallow words of admiration, but she was aware they were not heartfelt.

Rafael was in his early thirties, strong of body and will and it was, for a few pesos a day, his job to transform Esmeralda into the prestigious role of lead horse in the troupe of Andalusians that was now to be her life. He was a harsh disciplinarian, knocking, not coaxing out of her all but the last vestige of youthful spirit from her heart. At first, Esmeralda reacted with force, but soon learnt that Rafael would not succumb to her efforts or charm and reluctantly, gave in to her fate. Every day he would teach her to lift her powerful legs high in the air, dancing the flamenco with the grace of a gypsy swirling up dust around a crackling fire. She would arch her back, standing royally on her hind legs, Rafael astride and thrash the air with her forelegs. She was a good student and despite conforming to her mentor’s every demand, he never returned her favours. Slowly, she became conditioned to his way, never asking or considering alternatives and the distant memory of her youthful freedom and experience, slowly faded. She forgot to think freely. In an effort to appease her master, she gave up the spirit of adventure and conformed. Learning only his way, she became the pride of the stable, admired by her peers for her diligence, unquestioning faith and commitment. She was transformed.

Barcelona stadium was abuzz with excitement. This was to be Esmeralda’s debut. She looked magnificent; her coat glistened like a thousand diamonds, her plaited mane tied with blood-red ribbons, clung tightly to her powerful neck and her polished saddle, crafted by the country’s finest artisans, reflected the clear blue Mediterranean sky. Esmeralda was so proud of herself. From humble beginnings in the foothills of the Pyrenees, she had risen through the ranks to be acclaimed the most disciplined and capable horse in the whole of Spain, or so the posters adorning the stadium walls would have us believe.

Her performance was outstanding. Impeccable. Every move was conducted with the precision of a palace guard. Flawless motion. Energy abound. The grace of a swan and oh, the accolades. The crowds were mesmerised and with each ballet-like feat, rose from their seats to applaud and cheer. Thunderous roars of approval resonated through the warm afternoon air. Esmeralda thought her life was complete; it surely couldn’t become any better than this. This was the moment she had waited for all her life, the culmination of her hard work, discipline, sacrifice, commitment, and dedication. There could be no better life beyond this, she thought, as she trotted around the arena on her lap of honour at the end of the day. Nothing I have learnt could surpass this moment. There could not be a better way to live than to know what I know now she mulled, as ten thousand Spaniards rose to pay tribute to her performance. She was, for all intense purposes, in Heaven.

Esmeralda traveled throughout the land, from stadium to stadium, repeating her same routine, always to the approval of her adoring fans and with some trepidation, her trainer. Her performance and regimen perfected to flawlessness.

Years passed and after her heyday, a younger, more agile horse replaced Esmeralda and her days of fame were over. She was comfortable in her stable at the hacienda and treated with the dignity of an ex-star, but now with the roar of approval subsided and time to reflect, Esmeralda contemplated a distant memory.

Expansiveness came to mind. A faint inkling of expansiveness. What was it she thought, struggling to recall, but alas, the years of control and routine had dulled her memory. She remembered her performances and on rare occasions, how she seemed to fill the entire stadium with her very being. How she and the crowd became one. How nothing separated her from every conceivable thing that this world had to offer. She recalled the immeasurable joy in her heart and love. She felt pure love but it was fleeting and illusive. Now as she became older and less agile she felt a sense of emptiness, that something was missing, but try as she may, she could not identify what it was that disturbed her so.

One day, while she stroked the floor of her stable with her hooves, she became aware of a vaguely familiar presence and looking up, saw a family approaching her. As they grew close, the man, holding a pretty little girl in his arms, her bangles kissing her brown shoulders, called out her name, “Esmeralda”! “Esmeralda”! It was Enrico, now grown and very mature, but still with that amazing kind aura that flooded Esmeralda’s heart. Esmeralda was so elated. The children ran around in glee and Enrico’s wife, herself an acclaimed flamenco dancer, rubbed Esmeralda’s nose as if they were childhood sweethearts. That cool, soothing voice of Enrico stimulated Esmeralda’s senses and soon she recalled the mountain slopes and crisp morning air. It was all slowly coming back to her.

“Esmeralda”, Enrico affectionately cooed, “We have a lovely surprise for you”. “We are taking you back with us to the farm in the Pyrenees, where you will spend the rest of your days in peace and happiness”. Esmeralda was beside herself, as were the children. “Oh and by the way, you won’t need these anymore” said Enrico reaching for the blinkers hanging on her stable door. “You see my dear Esmeralda, when you were taken away; you were fitted with these blinkers so that you could focus only on that which was in front of you”. “You have been wearing them for years, but now it is time to discard them so you can view beyond what you have been conditioned to see and enjoy everything that exists”. And with a gesture of defiance, Enrico tossed them into an open bin. At that precise point in time, Esmeralda realised what expansiveness really meant.

Returning to innocence.

© Rick Pursell

www.spirituality-bali.com

Tags: Esmeralda - A Short Story

We Are All One

There is only one of us. This Higher Self, Life Force, Spirit, Soul, call it what you will, is Us. But even these terms imply a separation from Source. We are an individualized segment of the Whole, the Oneness, All That Is or God. Again, whatever label you feel comfortable with and if none of these fit, then use the word Life.

In our human form, which comprises of Body, Mind and Soul, we create our lives in order to experience Who We Really Are which is….. Oneness.

The droplet of water, while appearing separate from the main body of water, remains water all the same. So it is with us.

The wave that originates in Antarctica, travels thousands of kilometres across the ocean, and washes up on a beach of Nias in Indonesia, is an individual wave, but still part of the ocean. So it is with us.

The idea that we are separate comes from our ego/mind, which identifies with itself, our body, materiality and all things transient. This is the source of our political, economic and human rights problems, etc, the idea that we are separate from one another and the Source from which we originated.

Imagine for a moment, what our world would be like if we all felt totally connected to ourselves, each other, Mother Earth and everything?

Well we are, we have just forgotten and now is the time to remember.

© Rick Pursell

www.spirituality-bali.com

Tags: We Are All One

Creating Happiness

Ahhh… happiness. It’s like chasing the Holy Grail isn’t it? Well not really. For a start, the Holy Grail is hard to define and supposedly highly elusive. But happiness; happiness is just a decision away. Happiness is self created. No-one else or no thing can make you happy – it is a choice we make. Given a choice between being miserable or happy, of course, most of us would choose to be happy.

Well what about external factors that make us unhappy? What control do I have over those you may ask? While we may not be able to control the external factors, we sure can control how we react or respond to those factors and this is where our choice or decision to Be happy comes in.

Happiness is a Beingness. It is an assumed condition. It is the net result of us deciding and choosing to Be happy, that happiness manifests.

© Rick Pursell

www.spirituality-bali.com

Tags: Creating Happiness

Creating Abundance

Do you remember that classic movie starring Kevin Costner entitled Field of Dreams? In the movie about creating an out-of-town baseball stadium, Costner’s character hears a voice within saying - “If you build it they will come”.

When I first had the idea of setting up home in Bali, Indonesia and developing a spiritual centre, naturally enough I had doubts. Where would the money come from to build, how would I survive once it was up and running, bearing in mind I have been in very well paid jobs for the past twenty years! The Ego/Mind had a field day with my ideas and dreams and as I sought more peace from within and became clearer as to what I wanted to create, whenever the doubts crept in, the voice within reminded me - “If you build it, they will come”.

I figured that this reference was not about me building a baseball stadium and pressed on with my own ideas. Thinking about it firstly, creatively visualising and making affirmations, then talking and discussing the ideas and finally putting them into action. Voila…. The centre has been manifested, this website is testimony of its existence and the “they will come”, is unfolding very nicely.

There is enough of everything for everyone on this planet. Despite what we read in the newspapers and see on the TV, there is enough food, water, money, love, happiness and everything for everyone.

If you can “Have it”, if you feel deserving, if you remove your resistance and if you can allow it into your space, you can create abundance of whatever you can imagine. Let me repeat that - whatever you can imagine. Do you want more love in your life? More money? A better relationship with your children?

The list could be endless couldn’t it?

You can create abundance in your life and what’s more, you deserve it and the Universe has it waiting for you. It’s there for the making and taking – go after it!!

© Rick Pursell

www.spirituality-bali.com

Tags: Creating Abundance

Creating Harmony

Have you ever listened to a really good choir or vocal assembly like the South African group Ladysmith Black Mombassa? Their voices are in perfect harmony. Their high notes and low notes blend into one flow of energy. The vibrations created by the sound waves are synchronised and pleasing to the ear.

My experience is that it is the same in Life. We can be in harmony with our Higher Self, which leads to happiness or we can be in opposition to our Higher Self, which leads us in the other direction.

When we create harmony with the Universal Energy, what we wish to manifest comes along. The difficulty arises when we want to create something and are out of synch with the Universal Energy, then of course it won’t manifest.

Neale Donald Walsch’s superb trilogy - Conversations With God, tells us that feelings are what you know about a thing (knowing). Your emotions are what you do with what you know (experience). A feeling is energy and an emotion is energy in motion. A feeling is your truth, but not necessarily The truth.

So how do we tell if we are in harmony? It is quite simple really – feelings are the language of the soul and when we become aware of our true feelings, we are able to gauge our alignment. Low scale emotions such as fear, doubt and guilt which originate from the ego/mind, reveal to us that we are moving away from our true nature and alignment with the Universal Energy.

High scale feelings such as connectedness, joy, happiness, enthusiasm, etc., demonstrate we are “on purpose” and in harmony with the Higher Self, Universal Energy or whatever label you wish to use.

By application of the principles of the New Spirituality, we can bring ourselves in harmony with our Higher Self, others and everything that exists.

© Rick Pursell

www.spirituality-bali.com

Tags: creating harmony