Imagine that the Buddha and other enlightened ones from humanity's past were alive today. 

 

What would they think about the state of the world?  How would they respond to what is happening? 

 

What solutions would they propose to resolve the world's growing array of crises?  How would they describe the jewel of enlightenment for these modern times?

 

If one of these enlightened beings were sitting in your living room, what questions would you want to ask?  Allow a few questions to come naturally into your mind right now. 

 

Go with the first ones you think of, trusting your inner knowing to reveal to you some issues you often ponder. 

 

Of your list of questions, which one seems the most urgent, the most crucial, and the most pivotal to your success? 

 

Which question relates to present moment concerns? 

 

Which one is really more of a "what if," connected to something that might happen? Which question seems to repeat like a broken record in your head, perhaps keeping you awake at night?

 

Contemplating your life questions can provide useful clues about your own inner process.  This can be valuable information as you seek to better understand yourself, your world, and your role during these pivotal moments of history. 

 

The idea is to become more present with what is occurring in your outer world, seeing the connection between these things and what's going within your mind, emotions, and body.  

 

When you are able to regularly get in touch with your response to today's huge changes, the insights can help you to transmute fear and shift your focus into more positivity.  Look for patterns and themes as you consider your questions.

 

 

1. Energy-how do I find my center and sustain my energy levels?

2. Fear-what can I do to become less fearful when there's so much to worry about?

3. Health-how do I prevent a health crisis when under so much stress?

4. Perfectionism-will we get it right this time?

5. Safety-will I be safe?

6. Survival-will I have enough?

7. The Old Paradigm-how do I progress when I feel limited by the old paradigm?

8. Time-is there enough time for me to fulfill my purpose?

9. Trust-how do I know who and what to trust?

10. Unknown-what will survive the great reconfiguration?

11. Value-what really matters?

12. Why-what is the point and why bother to care?

 

If you personally relate to a number of these example themes and questions, you are in good company.  It's natural to have such questions when so much is changing and you are enmeshed in your own personal upheavals of change. 

 

Most of the people around you are asking at least one of these questions regularly.  Even those still asleep to the bigger picture of what's going on are regularly focusing on some of these themes.     

 

There are many details and convoluted issues you can explore here.  Know that it is very useful to unravel them, shining light on each one as it comes up within your awareness. 

 

You can greatly accelerate your spiritual progression by doing this. 

 

 

If the Buddha were sitting in your living room, he would have plenty to say about such topics.  Much of what he would say, though, might not sound that different from his teachings of over 2,000 years ago. 

 

Those timeless teachings arose out of his quest for truth and an understanding of human suffering. 

 

The Buddha is but one of many ordinary humans over the ages who discovered how to master the duality of the Earth plane.  Each of them became enlightened in a process that involved recognition of universal truths, and the application of these truths to living in the ordinary world.  

 

These enlightened beings came from diverse heritages and parts of the world.  A number of religions prevalent today were started by their followers.  Those followers recognized the truth and light in their teacher, and sought to preserve and spread the teachings to help others. 

 

The Buddha and other enlightened ones who found liberation from human suffering have left you a path to walk.  To understand that path and walk it with ease and grace, you will want to discover and learn to embody the teachings they left behind. 

 

These teachings include simple universal truths about life and the nature of reality. 

 

The Buddha and other enlightened beings did not intend to establish rigid religions on the Earth.  They did not seek followers or to be worshiped.  They simply shared what they had learned about the path of awakening.  

 

To travel the path these wise ones laid out, there are no rigid rules to follow.  The approach of this path is not linear.  It is not a path with a "destination," or involving a timeframe you can force with your human will. 

 

How do you go about walking this path, with ease and grace, and what is required?

 

First, know that in order to walk the path of enlightenment, it is not required that you:

1. Be religious or affiliate with any specific religion
2. Memorize sacred books of knowledge or master dozens of spiritual practices
3. Be employed in the outer world
4. Have the luxury of extended vacations
5. Be wealthy
6. Go into seclusion on a mountaintop or otherwise disconnect from society
7. Be beautiful, young, or famous
8. Have a high IQ or an advanced degree
9. Live in any particular location
10. Remember all of your past lives and "where" you existed before your Earthly experiences
11. Be in a relationship or partnership with any particular person
12. Have a fanciful purpose, or even know the outer world specifics of what you are on Earth "to do"

 

For the human on the path of awakening, these things are not requirements. 

 

To be sure, a person may find inspiration and clarity from some of these things.  The elements helpful to one's path are unique to each person.  A person may need to be exposed to a certain teacher, teaching, or life lesson. 

 

The helpful catalysts will vary, depending on the person, the stage of awakening, and timings involved. 

 

Timings include:

1. The timeframe of the person's lifespan and their waking up process
2. The number of lifetimes a person has been evolving spiritually and advancing on the spiritual path
3. Humanity's cycles of evolutionary change, including pivotal windows of time such as that which is occurring now, leading up to 2012 and beyond

 

Second, know that the Earth's enlightened beings have left a common message to show the way.  Their message involves wisdom about how to move out of fear and to be:

1. Loving
2. Kind
3. Compassionate
4. Present
5. Fearless
6. Without judgment
7. Heart-focused
8. Cooperative
9. Patient
10. Joyful

 

You live now with unprecedented opportunities to evolve spiritually.  It may seem to be the worst of times, with chaos and catastrophes seemingly at every turn.  You may question how you can advance when your world is so full of hate. 

 

You may wonder how, in the window of 2012, with its many question marks, you can achieve the kind of realization modeled by the Buddha. You may doubt that the jewel of enlightenment can be yours this life. 

 

For just a moment now, set aside these doubts.  Let go of your preconditions, your impatience, and your judgments about what is possible. 

 

 

Trust that there is a Divine intelligence within you that can guide you along the path of enlightenment.  This wise part of you can connect you with insights about the baggage you will want to let go of in this current cycle. 

 

It can help you to prioritize your energies, your focus, and your actions in the world.  It can lead you to the people, teachers, and transpersonal help you need to view yourself and your life differently. 

 

You can discover new resources, new applications for transformational tools, and simple methods to greatly accelerate your forward movement.  You can learn to connect more with the synchronicities of life, and with eternal time rather than linear time. 

 

Here are 5 things you can do daily to progress rapidly:

1. Monitor your emotions, thoughts, and body.  Each will give you very helpful clues about what is out of balance and why. 

2. Set specific intentions for what you want to have, be and do.  State these intentions in a positive way, rather than negative.  Example:  I am feeling more and more confident each day.

3. Take action on the things you say you want to create.  Act on one thing at a time, allowing your intuitively guided wisdom to help you prioritize.  Even if all you did in one day was to take the 1-mile walk you intended to, acknowledge yourself for doing that.

4. Find one or more simple practices to help you open your awareness.  These can be straightforward spiritual practices like deep breathing, moments of silent contemplation, or just being as loving as you can in each moment with your words and actions.  The important thing is consistency and finding something you will do daily.  You will want to have your "practice" in your mind and awareness during the day, allowing it to become a part of your routine. 

5. Begin and end each day with some positive and loving thoughts.  Loving thoughts include those of gratitude.  Remember that your inner state will determine how you experience your day as well as your sleep state.  Therefore, be as loving as you can towards yourself.  Allow that self-love to grow over time, creating an energy field inside of you and around you, effortlessly broadcasting from you in all directions.  This love will begin to attract fortunate circumstances, opportunities, and the love you seek from others and your world.