Student Is Ready

Posts Tagged ‘Peace’

I’m really excited to present a report that I just finished called Foundation Wealth.

It’s about finding that solid place within you so that you can take steps in the world with the confidence of knowing your true essence.

Go to http://www.foundationalwealth.com to pick up a copy

Also, I’d love to hear your comments once you’ve read it.

Cheers,

Angelo

I was reading a book recently that spoke about happiness and how money simply has no bearing on being happy (the guy that wrote this book has hundreds of millions of dollars, so he should know!). While we’ve all heard that money doesn’t make you happy, I think a lot of us still cling to the hope that somehow it will and if not happiness, that it will give us something.

So I thought it may be useful to look at defining what exactly happiness is.

Webster’s dictionary defines it as a state of well-being and contentment: also, a pleasurable or satisfying experience.

That doesn’t really get it for me, I see happiness as a state of harmony where this moment right here and now is not only fine but also one where I am totally one with it and there is no thought of the next moment being different from this one (better or worse). There’s no “pursuit” involved, it’s simply a complete surrender and trust that all is as it is and I am well, my state of being doesn’t change because of the circumstances I happen to be in.

From this place, plans can be made, interactions with other people can happen, chores can be done or whatever, and the underlying state of wellness doesn’t change. There are no concerns, no dramas, no blaming and no problems, simply joy and bliss in the awareness of this present moment being all that is necessary.

Some would say this sounds boring or unrealistic and if that’s the way you see it, that’s ok too. It’s not about changing anyone to conform with your bliss, it’s complete allowance for all and in that you are in equilibrium with Self.

You may say that if everyone went around like this, nothing would get done and everyone would be in LA-LA land. But that line of reasoning is the mind looking to make it wrong in some way so that it can survive as an identity. It’s not easy to keep your ego alive when you give up the stories it loves to hold on to.

The way I see it is that true desires come from YOU as opposed to your mind that wants to believe that the attainment of the desire will change you in some way and make you better!

A true desire inspires you to a point where the journey feels exciting and the destination is not even in question. Instead what most of us do (with having desires of the mind) is become concerned about the destination and then get frustrated, annoyed or angry along the journey and then wonder why the destination (that promises so much), isn’t coming! It would be like going down a water slide and being concerned whether the water will be there at the bottom, the thrill of the ride is lost and getting to the bottom is inconsequential.

Enjoy the ride, Life is fantastic!

Angelo Campione

Student Is Ready

Another Great little video from Abraham-Hicks:

In most cases, every day involves a sequence of events that need to be dealt with, from getting up on time to get to work, to preparing the kids for school to dealing with a difficult meeting or colleague.

These can be simply dealt with as they arise or a story can be created through worry. In any given situation, there is what happens and then there is what we do with what happens. What happens is a factual non-judgemental account of a situation whereas what we do with what happens is based on the story we’ve created from the past (usually childhood) and this can involve blame, injustice, helplessness, anger, frustration and almost anything you can come up with. From there it can all be used as fuel for worry.

Probably the best definition I can think of for worry is, “the thought of a future event or situation that gives rise to a feeling of insecurity or fear, based on a perception that was formed in the past”.

So lets break it down starting from the perception:

1. A perception is formed from the past – Something happened at a point or points in your life and that shaped the way you saw things from then on. For example, lets say you grew up in a family where your parents always shouted at each other, as a child you may have perceived that they would break up at some point and that had you feel unsafe. Now as an adult when you have a disagreement with your partner, you worry that they will leave you, and that has you feel unsafe. Note, the underlying feeling that you felt as a child is what’s recreated, the surface may look completely different.
2. Gives rise to a feeling of insecurity or fear – A discomfort is triggered by the thought that signals a danger that you may need to protect yourself from.
3. The thought of a future event or situation – thinking of a possible scenario raises possible dangers that may need to be dealt with

Clearly, worry is entirely based on possible unsafe outcomes in the future formed from a perception in the past. What’s the truth?

The truth is that our mind as a foundation is unstable and our thoughts sway us like waves sway a cork on the ocean.

It’s only when we appreciate that our mind is notifying us of possible dangers and TRUST that we will be able to take the appropriate action when needed, that we can rest in this still present moment and allow the thoughts to pass through.

If you find that you are constantly worrying, make notes on what the concerns are, forgive yourself for hanging on to these fears and say, “I am concerned that …… (insert your worry here), I trust life and I trust myself that I will be ok no matter what happens, I now let go of the worry and rest peacefully in love”. Write this down and read it whenever you catch yourself worrying and feel the anxiety leave your body.

Angelo Campione

Student Is Ready

We generally don’t know what it’s like to die, but I’ve had a glimpse of it and it’s not what we think.

It was one summer a few years back, I was at Phillip Island (Victoria, Australia), snorkelling in some rock pools at low tide. I’d been snorkelling for about half an hour in deeper water admiring fish and anything else that moved and then decided to go back to shore. On the way back, I found a very small rock pool that was very shallow, about a foot deep and because it was so small the water had been warmed up by the sun so I decided it would be a good spot to rest and enjoy the warmer water after being in colder water.

As I floated there I noticed that I could no longer feel my body, there was no gravity due to the water buoying my weight and the water temperature must have matched my body temperature as I could no longer feel anything, also my breathing had slowed so much that I couldn’t perceive my breath. The next thing I realised was that there was no sound, my head (and ears) were under water and the rock pool was motionless. I couldn’t smell anything in my mask and so the only perception I had left was that of sight, so I thought, if I close my eyes, I wonder what it will be like?

Well… the experience was profound, as soon as I closed my eyes, I became huge, it was an expansion that felt as though I was the universe, nothing existed and yet everything was blissful and perfect. I needed nothing and I was everything, there was no room for thought, it was unnecessary, it was simply joyful being.

Eventually I opened my eyes and came back to this reality and felt as though I’d had a spiritual enema, my heart felt huge and clear and there was a deep appreciation for all that is. It was later, upon reflection that I realised that this is what it’s like to die.

What I experienced was a temporary letting go of the body and mind and everything associated with it and what I was left with was consciousness. Nothing existed but I was conscious and formless! I realised that this is my true nature and there’s nothing to be afraid of in dying when that moment comes.

Every thought we have pretends to be important for us because this reality called living seems so real to us. We think that because we FEEL pleasure or pain, that those are real, they’re not, they’re only relative to what we perceive. It’s only when we begin to put a gap between what is perceived and the perceiver that we begin to find what’s real.

The best way I know to do that is through the breath. Be aware of your breath as it enters your nose and lungs and then out again. Practice this as often as you can in all situations (you’ll notice that you can notice the breath and still do everything else). This “noticing” puts a space in between you and what you’re doing and will enable you to make clearer decisions and also to not get so caught up when you find yourself getting into a heated discussion.

Angelo Campione

Student Is Ready

Have you ever wanted to meditate but haven’t found a way that feels good?

Well, this is the simplest way I’ve found:

• Sit on a comfortable seat with legs crossed and hands resting comfortably together on your lap
• Close your eyes and allow yourself to breathe naturally
• If thoughts come in, just come back to feeling your gentle breath moving in and out
• Sit with this and allow everything to be just as it is, nothing needs to done and nothing needs to change, everything is fine right here and now
• Sit with the nothingness for as long as you want.

You are at peace with all.

Angelo Campione

Who Am I, is a question that drives us at our core because most of us “think” we know but we don’t really. The reason for this is that the knowing, is beyond the mind but that doesn’t stop the mind from trying to tell us.

To know yourself begins with letting go of the attachment to the mind and this is what Mindfulness is all about.

As a step of detaching form what you think you know, see if you can be open to the possibility of the following:

Imagine that everyone you met, was you with a different name and face, but always YOU.

You would be looking in a mirror and you would understand that they are someone that:

• Has known sadness and despair
• Reacts to injustices
• Wants love, peace of mind and joy
• Wants to avoid pain and suffering
• Wants their needs filled
• Wants to find purpose in life

Just like you (me)!

To see everyone as yourself helps you to drop the defences that the mind creates and has you be more open and connected with the world.

This of course doesn’t mean that you allow yourself to be walked all over and become a victim, you still need to be responsible for yourself. It simply means you embrace what is and thereby become closer to being one with life.

Join the Mindfulness Series (top right hand corner) by typing your first name and primary email address, to get more detailed discussions on these types of topics.

Angelo Campione

Student Is Ready