My Personal Pantheon

The gods, goddesses, and saints I pray to most include:

My Ishtadevata Ardhnarishwara

Ganesha

Shiva

Vishnu

Durga

Kali

Hanuman

Saint Naum of Ohrid

Lakshmi

Saraswati

Blessed Father Seraphim Rose

Christ

The Theotokos - Mother of Christ

What are the gods, goddesses, or saints you pray to most? Share them with us!

Enjoy Life!

The Sri Yantra

Using the Sri Yantra as a focus point during meditation is a favorite technique I use sometimes. There are some that say meditating on it can bring wealth, both materialistically and spiritually. It is considered to be a sacred instrument that symbolically represents the aspects of divinity and the creative forces of the universe. I have found its use to be calming and that it helps to settle my mind when it is restless.

The different parts of the Sri Yantra represent different things. The dot in the center is called the bindu and it represents the unity that is underneath all aspects of this physical world. The downward triangles represent creative feminine energy or Shakti. The upward triangles represent masculine qualities or Shiva. The circles outside the triangles represent the cycles of cosmic rhythm. Time has no beginning and no end. The lotus petals represent the heart which is the seat of the soul and the unfolding of understanding. When the heart is opened, understanding comes. The square at the outside represents the boundary between this physical realm that our senses show us, and the spiritual realm.

I start by focusing on the bindu and contemplating what it represents. Then I expand my focus outward and do the same thing with the downward triangles, the upward triangles, the circles, the lotus petals and finally the outer square.I do this several times until at a certain point when I get to the outer square I decide to expand my focus to include everything in my peripheral vision. Then I allow my my focus to return to the bindu and stay there. The best way I can describe the state I reach at this point is to say it is like when somebody says, "...he was staring into space..." It isn't a state where I am in a trance or where I have separated myself from reality but rather a "zone" where my sense of reality are actually heightened. The wind blowing in from the window feels different. Sounds sound different, and my sense of smell is more intense. I am really working at being able to maintain this "zone" longer, but the second I realize I'm there, the realization causes me to snap back.

I really like using this technique and I hope if you try it that it works well for you too. Let me know...I will be posting other techniques as well in the future. What are some of your favorite techniques? Share them with us!

Enjoy Life!

Ignorance

All of our experience, including dreams, arises from ignorance. This is a rather startling statement to make in the West, so first let us understand what is meant by ignorance. The Tibetan tradition distinguishes between two kinds of ignorance: innate ignorance and cultural ignorance. Innate ignorance is the basis of samsara, and the defining characteristic of ordinary beings. It is ignorance of our true nature and the true nature of the world, and it results in entanglement with the delusions of the dualistic mind.

Dualism reifies polarities and dichotomies. It divides the seamless unity of experience into this and that, right and wrong, you and me. Based on these conceptual divisions, we develop preferences that manifest as grasping and aversion, the habitual responses that make up most of what we identify as ourselves. We want this, not that; believe in this, not that; respect this and disdain that. We want pleasure, comfort, wealth, and fame, and try to escape from pain, poverty, shame, and discomfort. We want these things for ourselves and those we love, and do not care about others. We want an experience different from the one we are having, or we want to hold on to an experience and avoid the inevitable changes that will lead to its cessation.

There is a second kind of ignorance that is culturally conditioned. It comes about as desires and aversions become institutionalized in a culture and codified into value systems. For example, in India, Hindus believe that it is wrong to eat cows but proper to eat pigs. Moslems believe that it is appropriate to eat beef but they are prohibited from eating pork. Tibetans eat both. Who is right? The Hindu thinks the Hindus are right, the Moslem thinks the Moslems are right, and the Tibetan thinks the Tibetans are right. The differing beliefs arise from the biases and beliefs that are part of the culture - not from fundamental wisdom.

Another example can be found in the internal conflicts of philosophy. There are many philosophical systems that are defined by their disagreement with one another on fine points. Even though the systems themselves are developed with the intention to lead beings to wisdom, they produce ignorance in that their followers cling to a dualistic understanding of reality. This is unavoidable in any conceptual system because the conceptual mind itself is a manifestation of ignorance.

Cultural ignorance is developed and preserved in traditions. It pervades every custom, opinion, set of values, and body of knowledge. Both individuals and cultures accept these preferences as so fundamental that they are taken to be common sense or divine law. We grow up attaching ourselves to various beliefs, to a political party, a medical system, a religion, an opinion about how things should be. We pass through elementary school, high school, and maybe college, and in one sense every diploma is an award for developing a more sophisticated ignorance. Education reinforces the habit of seeing the world through a certain lens. We can become an expert in an erroneous view, become very precise in our understanding, and relate to other experts. This can be the case also in philosophy, in which one learns detailed intellectual systems and develops the mind intoa sharp instrument of inquiry. But until innate ignorance is penetrated, one is merely developing an acquired bias, not fundamental wisdom.

We become attached to even the smallest things: a particular brand of soap or our hair being cut in a certain fashion. On a grand scale, we develop religions, political systems, philosophies, psychologies, and sciences. But no one is born with the belief that it is wrong to eat beef or pork or that one philosophical system is right and the other in error or that this religion is true and that religion is false. These must be learned. The allegiance to particular values is the result of cultural ignorance, but the propensity to accept limited views originates in the dualism that is the manifestation of innate ignorance.

This is not bad. It is just what is. Our attachments can lead to war but they also manifest as helpful technologies and different arts that are of great benefit to the world. As long as we are unenlightened we participate in dualism, and that is all right. In Tibetan there is a saying, "When in the body of a donkey, enjoy the taste of grass." In other words, we should appreciate and enjoy this life because it is meaningful and valuable in itself, and because it is the life we are living.

If we are not careful, the teachings can be used to support our ignorance. One can say that it is bad for someone to get an advanced degree, or wrong to have dietary restrictions, but this is not the point at all. Or one might say that ignorance is bad or normal life is only samsaric stupidity. But ignorance is simply an obscuration of consciousness. Being attached to it or repelled by it is just the same old game of dualism, played out in the realm of ignorance. We can see how pervasive it is. Even the teachings must work with dualism - by encouraging attachment to virtue, for example, and aversion to non-virtue paradoxically using the dualism of ignorance to overcome ignorance. How subtle our understanding must become and how easily we can get lost! This is why practice is necessary, in order to have direct experience rather than just developing another conceptual system to elaborate and defend. When things are seen from a higher perspective they tend to level out. From the perspective of non-dual wisdom there is no important and unimportant.

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

An Introduction

I am a very eclectic and individualistic man, and I tend to go through periods of intense and deep change. I am always aware of an intense spiritual and energetic connection to something far greater than anything in this illusory world. It pulls me to grow and become something more than what I was before.

I am intensely interested in all areas of individual regeneration and healing, psychologically, physically, and spiritually..

I value individual self-expression more than self-discipline, but I also value being dependable, responsible and fulfilling my commitments and obligations.

I consider honesty to be one of the most important virtues. I strive for it in myself and I expect it in others.

I am unusually empathetic and sensitive to other people’s feelings and I am usually able to sense their moods and emotions even before they say anything

I am very curious and eager to explore new ideas and learn new things. I actually consider learning to be tied into my purpose in life. Sometimes I think I want to learn everything there is to learn.

My mind is very active, quick, and curious. I love to talk and ask questions, although sometimes I speak when I have nothing to say. The more I can see, experience, and learn, the happier I am.

I have really strong emotions and sometimes they influence my thinking so much that it is difficult for me to be objective.

I am inventive and resourceful and easily see things from different angles.

I am almost obsessively organized and neat. I like for my surroundings to be comfortable, pleasant, gracious, and artistic.

I am a generous person. I like to take care of people and protect those I love. It makes me feel good about myself and reinforces my self-image. I want to be known as someone who can be depended upon to help in times of need.

I have an intense desire to be loved by those around me. I tend to be very reserved at first and because of that I find meeting people very difficult.

I love to laugh and make others laugh.

Enjoy Life!

Contact Me

My main goal is to share the knowledge I have gained both from research and experience in the hopes that it might help someone along in their journey. I am also hoping that this will be an open, inviting blog, where people feel comfortable enough to share their own knowledge and experience. I hope that anyone that reads my blog will comment about the things they have found helpful. It would also be great to hear from you concerning any problems you might be having....if you need support, comfort, or advice. I don't have a string of letters after my name, and I'm basically anonymous here, but I will help when I can. I am a very intuitive, compassionate person. If I can't help, I will do my best to help you find out who can. If you have a spiritual question, there again If I don't know the answer, I will do my best to help you find out the answer. By doing this we can both learn.

If you want to contact me on a more personal level you can email me at hopeabounds4me@yahoo.com

I hope you will! I'd love to hear from you....

Enjoy Life!

Let Us Prepare

I'm so glad you found The Oracle...You may already be on a spiritual path. If you are that's great! Tell us about it. Share what you have learned. If you're not on a spiritual path, maybe you found The Oracle for a reason. I'm a firm believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason. Maybe it's time for you to take a look at your spiritual health. Have you found yourself dissatisfied with life? Do you want material things but when you get them they don't give you the pleasure, the fulfillment you thought they would? Does it make you turn around and want something else, creating an endless cycle that you can't escape from? Well, shed this desire for material things and pay attention to your inner voice. What is the root cause of this desire? Pay attention to the answer you get...

If you are serious and really think you are ready to start down this path then I have a few suggestions. Take time each day, even if it is only for five minutes, or walking from you car in the parking lot into a building, to get in touch with your true self. I am working on an article about how to find your true self. I will be publishing it in the coming weeks. Once you get in touch with your true self each day then turn your focus to a higher power. The Creator. The Absolute. The Supreme Consciousness that we as a collective are actually a part of. Whatever your idea of God is right now. Spend some time in fellowship and oneness. Drop the dualistic worldview we are all trying to work through!

I have also found it amazingly helpful to establish a part of your home as sacred space. Even if it is a small table in the corner of the room with one candle. Find an image of your interpretation of God and place it there as a focal point. In time you will see how this will help. Along with the article on finding your true self, I am also working on an article about how to create sacred space.

There are more things you can do, and you will find them as you walk the path with or without my help if you are truly seeking. If you want, check back in with The Oracle. I am always working on it. Rather than publish articles sporadically, I have decided to work on my articles through the week and publish them on Sunday, so Monday would be a great day to check back in with us.

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable it is, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open… You have to keep yourself open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open.”        Dancer and choreographer Martha Graham (1894–1991) on respecting and expressing our own individual personality.