Gentle & Profound Basics Of Spirituality: Stop Fighting Life

It's so obviously true,

And that truth is an invitation to release my argument against life.

When you're in a battle against life,

You are pushing away the life that is designed to take care of you.

We then can feel so separate and alone,

As if we have to do this life thing all by ourselves.

Do you see that sense of separation that arises?

How alone we could feel?

It's almost like a sensation of belief that is convinced God doesn't love you.

That is convinced that life doesn't care about you.

You know,

Let me begin by talking about something which will help me get a sense of my own grounding here as I show up with you.

And see where that goes,

Because as I mentioned,

I'm not really sure what to explore today.

But that's also what I love about this job that I have.

And that I've been doing for quite some time and traveling around the world and speaking.

Whenever I have the opportunity to speak to people,

Which I consider to be a form of holding space.

Is it's an opportunity for me to show up and empty myself out.

And really focus on just being here with you in the most authentic way that I can.

And allow the heart to say whatever it feels moved to say.

Sometimes as I do these talks,

There will be a title or a theme.

But I always end up bringing any title back to a very similar point.

Which in some way is an invitation to open up,

Fear less,

And love more.

Which is also like saying an invitation to connect with more love,

Compassion,

And freedom.

And I've never been good at strategizing a talk and then speaking from a list of bullet points.

I've always spoken in a very spontaneous way.

And this is what feels the best for me.

It kind of reminds me that I don't have to say anything.

And it's okay to not know.

And that just really helps me to relax and just be here with you.

And together we can trust the moment.

And see what's there.

And granted doing a live stream is a little bit different from being with people in person.

Which is what I really love to do.

But this is also just a great opportunity because it allows me to sort of check out from the busyness and the commotion of my everyday life.

And check in with my own heart,

Check in with life.

And see what there is to see.

And so this is the opportunity that we have right now.

And I understand that might be weird for some people who aren't familiar with that.

Because so often we are agenda driven.

So we want to know,

Like,

What am I going to talk about?

What's going to be the value?

Yada,

Yada,

Yada.

Why should I listen?

And really the why in this for me,

Which is also an invitation,

Is much more meditative.

Where we give ourselves permission to just be here.

And allow the noise in the mind to calm down.

And recognize something beautiful about life and about being human.

To look past all of the mind's commotion.

Get deeply honest with ourselves.

And in doing so,

What we will recognize is a deeper wellness.

And hopefully this will lead us back to more love,

Compassion,

And freedom.

I don't know how I'm going to say these things that I see and feel.

And hopefully I can find some words that helps you see them too.

This is going to be a meditative journey.

I'm going to speak slowly.

I'm just going to hang out here with you.

And this is only an invitation to see something.

In no way is this an attempt to tell you what you should or shouldn't see,

Do,

Believe,

Think.

It's an invitation to notice something that is real and true.

That is beautiful.

And will always be real and true.

And there aren't really words for it.

Which is why this is playful,

Because I'm using words.

And I know that the words fail.

And so the words are not serious.

So beyond anything you hear coming out of my mouth.

Really what I'm saying is that I love you.

You are appreciated as you are.

And you are swimming in a miracle that supports every aspect of what you are.

You're free.

What I love about this spiritual journey of being human is what I'll just call the basics.

The fundamental basics.

And no matter how much we might long for the more advanced things on the spiritual journey.

I find them all to be such a distraction from the basics.

And in all of my times of struggle.

And in all my times of profound insight that opens my heart and exposes more love,

Compassion and freedom.

It's found through remembering and embracing the basics.

And when we are lost in the mind.

The mind is looking for complexity.

Which is like saying the mind doesn't believe it could be so simple.

And so it wants to find something complicated.

It wants to find a hard problem to solve so it can feel like it's being productive.

But really it's so profoundly simple.

And so as we're here today.

I just want to invite you into that profound simplicity.

The basics.

And let me start by saying that.

The fundamentals of spirituality.

Is inviting you to discern the difference.

Between what you imagine to be happening.

And what is really happening.

And then an invitation to embrace what is really happening.

Which is also to say embrace the truth.

Can we recognize this for a second?

The profound difference between what we imagine.

And what is real.

Can we recognize.

The difficulty in our human journey.

Is a difficulty taking place in the mind.

And not so much a difficulty that's in life.

Can we see clearly that our emotional disturbances.

Are not a result of what's actually happening in life.

But are a result of our interpretations.

Which is to say the mind.

Can you see that when we suffer to any degree.

We are suffering over the mind's content.

And not over the reality of the present moment.

Can you recognize.

That in this moment right now.

This immediate moment.

Right now.

You and me here.

Right now.

You and me here.

There is a wellness.

That is untouched by the mind's noise.

Meaning.

There is nothing real in this moment that says you're not enough.

There is nothing in this moment.

That says.

You're missing anything.

In this moment.

And it's difficult for the mind to see sometimes.

Well let's say that the mind can't even see it.

In this moment.

You are incredibly whole and complete.

And just discern that.

To whatever degree that you can.

Acknowledge the truth.

In seeing.

That our human difficulty.

Is not a fight against life.

Or even other people.

But it's a fight that is taking place.

On the inside of what we are.

And that inside being.

The mental commentary.

The battle.

Which is primarily against ourself.

Can you see that?

And I'm genuinely asking.

Because I understand that without a certain degree of awareness.

That might just not be seen.

We can have this sort of conditioning where we.

Believe.

Intensely.

That.

We are experiencing something on the outside.

Which is like a form of blame.

We don't realize that.

Our emotions are responding to the mind's content.

And not responding to reality.

It's almost like thinking that when you feel offended.

You think it's because of what life is doing.

And what somebody else is doing.

Not realizing you feel offended.

Because of the interpretation that you're giving.

To what you're experiencing.

Which is taking place on the inside of what you are.

And that can be very difficult for people to see.

There's a sort of self-responsibility there.

Where you recognize that.

Your internal world is self-created.

It's not created from the outside.

And that is a radical form of self-responsibility that.

Can be very difficult to acknowledge.

But in the same way it's the pointer that.

The problem isn't out there.

The problem is a problem that's happening on the inside of what I am.

Which is in the imagination.

And this again is very basic.

Very,

Very,

Very basic.

But it's also incredibly profound.

And it becomes more profound.

The more deeply true you see that it is.

And here's why.

I love this part.

The more clearly that I can see.

That my emotional disturbance.

Is a result in me believing my imagination.

I can then let go of life.

Because I see that it's not life.

That's making me suffer.

I can see that it's not other people.

I can see that.

The emotional disturbance.

Is the result of an.

Innocent misunderstanding that's happening on the inside.

Which is to say I'm not seeing things clearly.

And do you see.

That if this was recognized as true.

There's nothing out there to blame.

This is my issue.

And there's a very beautiful release that happens here.

Even though it might be difficult to see.

Even though it might be difficult to take accountability and responsibility for.

It's so obviously true.

And that truth is an invitation.

To release my argument.

Against life.

As if life wasn't here to support me.

Isn't that interesting?

When you're in a battle against life.

You are pushing away the life.

That is designed to take care of you.

You are pushing away.

Let's just say a divinity.

That looks to love you completely.

Because of an innocent misunderstanding.

That thinks that divinity or that life.

Is at fault for your suffering.

But really it's an innocent misunderstanding.

And then when we are pushing against life.

Or battling against life.

We then can feel so.

Separate and alone.

As if we have to do this life thing.

All by ourselves.

Without the support.

Of everything.

Everything that is life.

Do you see that sense of separation that arises?

How disconnected we can feel.

How alone we could feel.

It's almost like a sensation of belief.

That is convinced God doesn't love you.

That is convinced that life doesn't care about you.

And can you see the potential.

Recognition.

That this is simply an innocent misunderstanding.

That I'm not seeing things clearly.

And in my not seeing things clearly.

I am pushing away.

An immensity of love and support.

This makes it so profoundly obvious to me.

About why it's so important.

To take a moment and discern the difference.

Between what is really happening.

And what I only imagine to be happening.

Do you see the doorway here?

Like how do you enter into that sort of space?

That opens yourself up to reconnect.

With the support.

Of life for God.

The doorway.

Is a radical self-honesty.

A self-honesty that can.

Admit what's really going on.

Rather than.

A projection of blame.

Which thinks it's everyone else's fault.

Case in point.

I don't know if you can hear it.

But behind me on the other side.

Is a door.

I don't know if you can hear it.

But behind me on the other side of this wall.

There's someone doing work on a car.

And they're revving their engine really loud.

And I find it a little bit distracting.

And do you see the.

Potential interpretation.

That could see them in an unloving way.

Or that could find argument with the way things are like.

Here I am trying to do something.

And life is in the way.

And then you can have all sorts of thoughts about this person being inconsiderate.

Which is just silly.

And do you see that's all just going on in the mind and telling stories.

Do you see that that's just life being life.

And it's not in the way at all.

It's only in the way.

Of how I think things should be.

Isn't that funny.

And I find it a little bit distracting.

As if I know how things should be.

And you see that's such a great present moment example.

To discern the difference.

I can recognize an aspect inside of myself.

That wants to be irritated.

Because I was super excited about my quiet space here.

And just really.

Giving my full attention.

And then there's something going on behind me.

That all of a sudden is making a bunch of noise.

You can see the potential for irritation.

And then as I feel that irritation.

I can get honest about the irritation.

Which is okay what's really going on here.

Oh.

I think it's in the way.

In the way of what?

How I think things should be.

Do I really know it should be that way?

No.

And on and on and on it goes.

But what you discover.

There's nothing really in the way.

Like oh this is just happening.

And what helps.

And this is another great example.

And I love how we can just be totally in the moment here with this.

But what helps is.

I love the opportunity that I have.

To just be honest with you about it.

To speak to it now as it's happening.

Rather than trying to pretend like it's not happening.

I can.

Include.

The reality of what is inside of me.

In this moment.

I can.

Include.

The reality of what is inside of me.

In this moment.

I can.

Include.

The reality of what is inside of me.

Like I don't need to pretend.

It can be part of the lesson.

It can be perfectly placed.

It doesn't have to be in my way.

I can include it.

Or I can include myself in what is happening.

You see this speaks so much to the struggle that we have as human beings.

Where.

Where.

We're constantly trying to hold up a particular image of ourselves.

And this is the ego at play.

Where we have an idea of ourselves.

Of how we want to be perceived.

How we want things to go.

All so that we can protect this image.

Like we want to be seen a certain way.

And yet life doesn't seem to play along.

With our attempt to maintain that image.

And the more you want that image.

The more you want to be seen a certain way.

The more you will have to fight against life.

The more you'll have to argue with what is happening.

The more you will find things in your way.

And there's a profound simplicity there too.

A profound simplicity in.

The nature of our egos.

That are trying to survive.

Their imaginary sense of separate self-importance.

And this also feeds into the fact that.

We're constantly trying to hold up a particular image of ourselves.

And this also feeds into the invitation.

To discern the difference between imagination and reality.

Because the ego lives in imagination.

Meaning that the ego is not real.

So the thing I'm trying to protect.

Is to protect something that's not real.

To protect something that doesn't exist.

Right,

The more I'm pretending.

The more I want you to perceive me a certain way.

The more I'm trying to protect that imaginary something that's not a real something.

And the more exhausting it is too.

And the beauty in recognizing the truth of things.

As we're exploring in this present moment experience.

Is the more you see the truth.

The more you realize you don't need to protect what is imaginary.

Which is like saying I don't need to be bothered.

By life being life.

And it's not a demand.

It's not saying I shouldn't be bothered.

It's saying see the truth of things and you will see that you don't have to be.

Which is also like saying see the truth of things.

And you'll see that you're free.

And the freedom is in recognizing.

That life being life.

The noise happening all around me.

Isn't really in my way.

It's not in the way of what I really am.

It's not in the way of what is real and true.

And this is hilarious.

Because when I look at the human journey.

We live so much of our lives in the mind.

Thinking and thinking and thinking.

And if you look at what you're thinking and thinking and thinking about.

You're thinking about this character of you.

That exists in your imagination.

Trying to survive that character.

And in some way or another.

Whether it's subtle or obvious.

There's a confrontation with life.

A battle.

Maybe it's even a battle that is afraid.

That life might win.

Which is like saying you're afraid you won't get what you want.

And that puts you in a space of constant defensiveness.

Maybe where you're always on edge.

And the spiritual invitation.

Which is pointed to throughout all spiritual traditions.

In some way invites you to surrender.

Who you imagine yourself to be.

And see the reality.

Of what you are.

Which is also to see the reality of life.

And it's hard to talk about these things.

Without using.

Religion.

Or religion.

Without using.

Religious language.

And sometimes I.

Playfully try to avoid it.

Because I understand a lot of the.

Conditioning around religious languages.

Where either people cling to it.

Or either people push against it.

Which is a different form of clinging.

When really they're just words.

That's trying to point to something that can't be described with words.

And so in the spirit of that.

It's like recognizing a truth that says.

You are a child of God.

And there's nothing you have to worry about.

You see that's a pointer.

And that pointer can be interpreted a thousand different ways.

But it's attempting to point to something that's profoundly true.

About the nature of what you are.

Which is also like saying.

You are not separate from life.

You are not separate from God.

You are so.

Incredibly held.

Supported.

And loved.

It's just that this is very difficult to see.

When you are lost.

When you are lost.

In the imagination of a world that's not really there.

Or a self that's not really there.

And so this is a very.

Gentle invitation.

And now I have a bunch of dogs barking.

To the left of me.

This is a very.

Gentle invitation.

To peek.

To peek behind the veil.

Of imagination.

And see what's really true.

It's not a demand.

It's not an expectation.

It's not a should.

It's an invitation.

And we can say it's an invitation because.

And I'm going to use.

Spiritual religious language here.

But it's an invitation because.

God knows what you really are.

And God is not concerned about you.

God is not scared.

About your journey.

In any way.

At most.

God knows that you get confused sometimes.

That you get lost in your imagination.

You get lost in illusions.

And in that getting lost you get scared.

And forget what's true.

This is why opportunities like this can be so helpful.

Because we just take a quiet moment.

And remember.

Remember the depth.

Of this miracle that we're swimming in.

Take a breath.

Be still.

And know.

Know that behind all of the mind's noise.

All is well.

Even if the mind can't understand it.

Or comprehend it.

There's something in you that knows.

And so we take a moment.

And just connect with that depth of knowing.

To whatever degree that we can.

Again it's not an expectation that you should just.

Feel absolutely blissed out.

It's an invitation to release the pressure.

It's an invitation to breathe.

And the beauty of this invitation.

Is that as you come home to remember this.

To remember that all is well.

To remember that nothing is missing.

You then get to go about your life.

And go play.