The faster, more excited, move one's thoughts, the more solid the illusion there is a "self" that sits at the center of them.

Living within us... is a lower level of consciousness. This "in-the-dark" nature does not want to know itself, and resists any form of light that reveals its highly conflicted character. Fortunately -- by grace -- within us also dwells a Living Light whose awareness not only reveals the dark realm of this unconscious "self"... but, in so doing, liberates us from having to live out the lashing it inevitably creates for itself.

Just as the physical eye can't see itself other than through a reflection, you cannot see your "self" other than by gazing upon some mental image of your own creation. So, when "seeing" yourself as a failure in your mind's eye, just remember in that same moment it isn't you who made that picture, and that it's not you who fears any sense of inadequacy that may appear with it. Now, instead of feeling overcome by these negative images, choose instead to see through the works of this false self, including its "dark room" wherein it develops all of its painful self-pictures.

The power of any unwanted moment to "punish" us is directly proportionate to the extent of our unseen resistance to it.

Just as Great Nature effortlessly guides the life of all Her creatures -- ceaselessly perfecting them in the ever-present now -- so does Love know exactly what to do with us... if only we would learn how to ask, wait for, and then act in accord with (its) Divine instruction.

The body can be disciplined. The mind should be trained. But, spiritual realization requires that one's wild heart be surrendered.

The more we try to take from any given moment, the further away we are from the gift of realizing our real higher possibilities.

The futility of ambition hides behind the pain of false pride... save for those inevitable, inescapable moments of seeing how we have labored for a "treasure chest" to come that was empty, barren in the same moment of its imagined conception.

One of the great, unseen contradictions in our life is that we can so easily "talk ourselves" into acting against our own best interests. If anything deserves our dedicated spiritual study then, surely, it must be how we can be deceived into jumping into a pit that we dug for ourselves!

Part 1

In this world, in time, perfection is the ceaseless integration and transcendence of the imperfection inherent in all things created. Temptation is the futile -- and always painful -- attempt to prove that this perfection can be known before it's revealed.

Part 2

Every form of verbalizing -- said aloud, or taken in thought -- separates us from the revelation of Real Life as told in the "arrival" of each moment: a holy story unto itself, "each" moment is already replete with meaning even as -- at the same time -- it "whispers" its secret to us about our role in its divine appearance.

Part 1

Many are those who love, but only because they are loved, and so their love is not true. But those who love, in spite of being spurned... their love alone is true.

Part 2

Don't do what hurts another, but not for the sake of being someone who doesn't do what he believes his "goodness" forbids... but, rather because by working to be watchful in that moment of being pushed to punish those who displease you... in that stillness you can see the goodness of not doing that badness.