Dear Friend
The finite mind, bound by layers of identification with self, body, gender, roles, beliefs, groups, memories of the past and fantasies of the future, yearns for liberation, yearns to cast off its chains and live a life of true freedom. Yet all the mind imagines eventually becomes another prison.
How is true freedom known? How do we escape the confines of the mind when it is the mind itself that confines our consciousness?
Our spiritual and religious traditions give us practices and disciplines to reign in the mind and begin the work of transformation. But in the end we can only directly and fully know our boundless, infinite nature through the power of knowing whose source is beyond the mind, whose source is the Infinite, the One, the Divine, Para-Atman, Buddha, Christ-consciousness...
Through the power, the grace, of our inherent Buddha mind - bodhicitta, Holy Spirit, the Great Mother Prajnaparamita, or Kundalini - the yogic term for our innate universal power of revelation and transformation - consciousness regains awareness of its eternal fullness once again, knowing its all-encompassing, all-embracing, all loving nature, enveloping us as gracefully as space envelops our body, dissolving all boundaries.
The poet saint Kabir says, "all know the drop merges into the ocean, but few know that the ocean merges into the drop."
Thank you all
for your notes of appreciation for our
newsletter. It's great to hear from you!
Everyone has
the heart to be a true friend of the soul, an
"Anam
Cara." By embodying that ideal we
may serve to help
others to find love and compassion within
themselves and the world.
Our highest nature is always
manifest in
relationship - to all other beings, to the
environment, community, loved ones, and in relation to our own body and
mind. Becoming mindful of the quality of our
relationships
allows us to learn where the light shines and
where it
needs to shine more. The ideal of Anam
Cara is to
continuously endeavor to expand the depth
and the
inclusiveness of the loving kindness we bring
into
every relationship, every moment, every breath.
If
you have any
suggestions, comments or sharings, for our
newsletter please don't
hesitate to e-mail me and I'll do my best to
respond.
The Anam Cara Meditation
Foundation is a 501
(C) 3,
non-profit
educational organization dedicated to
teaching
meditative practices. Our non-
denominational
programs are open to all. There are free
meditation instructions and downloadable
audio files of guided meditations on the
meditation page of our website.
Thank you for the many ways you have shown
support for Anam Cara . Because
of your gifts we can offer free programs and
instruction to thousands of people. If you
would like to
make a tax deductible donation please send it to the
address listed below or go to our website
where you
can make a secure online donation.
A special thank you to our generous supporters who give donations and make regular pledged donations.
I look forward to welcoming you
in person to our programs.
With
all my
appreciation and love,
I thank you all.
May all beings know complete freedom from suffering and may all our actions reflect only wisdom, compassion, patience and love.
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