‘enlightenment answers’ Category

The Value of Suffering

Why do we suffer? This has to be one of the more frequently asked of the larger questions about life. Millions across the globe fall peril to daily suffering that often seems senseless. There is hardly a soul alive today that has not faced some form of either physical or mental suffering along the road of life. So where is the redemptive value in this pain?

Since life is a never-ending process of the expansion of awareness, the direction this expansion takes is based on our intents and desires. There is a certain process of gaining the knowledge necessary to achieve these creative desires. Suffering is simply one part of this process. These desires could be as simple as wanted to eat and stay sheltered or as more complex as building a large business or sharing your creativity with the world, either way there is a process to accomplish these ideas.

When information hits your senses that is not in line with what you believe is true about yourself, you suffer because of it. For example if you believe your particular job is the only way you can provide for yourself and you lose the job, your suffering will be a result of a mind that says I will not be able to provide for myself. However, if your belief is that you will always be able to provide for yourself and you lose your job, you may not suffer at all but actually may become excited about the new opportunities that may unfold for you. The suffering in this case is to represent to you that what you believe about how you provide is NOT true.

The previous example can be used for any circumstance including the loss of a loved one, physical illness, financial concern, family troubles, relationship issues etc. The point being offered is that the value in the suffering is in the underlying message it is sending you regarding what you believe to be true. Suffering is telling you that the belief you hold that causes the suffering is NOT THE ULTIMATE TRUTH ABOUT WHO YOU ARE. There is a greater truth that is waiting to be embraced and when it is embraced suffering dissolves and peace and tranquility are yours to be experienced.

This is not presented due to a lack of empathy or compassion for what anyone is going through in the world today. It is just the opposite. It is out off the greatest empathy, compassion and love that this information is offered as the way to experience the greatest amount of joy, peace and creative fulfillment along the journey of life.

Suffering births questions. It is these questions that lead you to more of the answers you are truly looking for as you continue on your creative path. Suffering is simply a more pronounced way that the universe nudges you towards the great gift of self-reelection and self-awareness that allows you to experience more of the grandeur, magnificence and possibility of who you really are. The more you can see this the less you will suffer as you will see that life is always working with you and your deepest of desires.

Howard Falco is a spiritual teacher and author of a powerful new book on self-awareness titled, “I AM: The Power of Discovering Who You Really Are (Tarcher/Penguin) http://www.thebookIAM.com He teaches and speaks on the power of the mind and the creation of personal reality. More about his work and schedule can be found at www.HowardFalco.com

 

Theh Search For Bliss

For so many on the spiritual path to greater wisdom, the goal seems to be achieving some idea of bliss, nirvana and the peace of complete transcendence from the suffering of mind. Fixated many become in this conception and the idea of a better state in which to experience life. One who desires this will do almost anything in the effort to achieve it. Meditate for hours, give up worldly possessions, stop eating meat, taking medicine, drinking or even having sex. The idea is that purity in the physical will lead to purity of mind. While there is nothing right or wrong with these ideas or practices, none of them have anything to directly do with the bliss or where it truly comes from.

In 2002 I experienced this bliss. Not once but twice. The first experience lasted for a week. The second one occurring a few months later lasted a full year. Today the mere thought of what produced it brings it all swirling back, lighting up every cell in my body, welling tears up in my eyes and causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end. When this happens all words and thoughts simply stop as I close my eyes trying to hold onto this feeling for as long as I can. Invariably, as soon as I try to hold on, it fades as quickly as a rainbow does when the sun stops shining on it.

What I can offer about the path to this experience is that it has nothing to do with some idea of purity, whatever that means to you. I wasn’t meditating in any traditional sense, I was eating meat, occasionally having a drink, taking medicine when necessary, and married with a healthy sex life. What I learned regarding these different experiences is that the impact they have on you achieving bliss or awakening have nothing to do with the activities you are engaged in and everything to do with your intent in doing the activity. Something to contemplate.

That being said, what is most critical to coming to the experience of this sought after state of being is your DESIRE to ask questions about a greater idea of who you are and your WILL to accept the answers when they show up in your reality,(Here’s a hint: they are always showing up in your reality) (Here’s another hint: This moment is no different). It is in your quest for greater self-awareness and your will to embrace what’s offered that the biggest door opens for you.

Everyone has the same access to this knowledge and the freedom of mind it offers. It is the understanding that leads to the liberation of mind from the idea of death or a “finite” nature that results in the bliss. It is the liberation of mind from the idea of “time” that result in the feeling of nirvana. It is the liberation of mind from the idea of “imperfection” that leads to the kingdom of heaven.

The understanding of these powerful ideas is what awaits you on your journey of life. Take heart, you will not be denied for this path is your destiny. What you do have free will over is the speed at which you come to these realizations. In your own time and at your own desired pace. There is no need for rush or pressure. You are right where you are supposed to be. The universe will always be ready when you are…

Howard Falco is a spiritual teacher and author of a powerful new book on self-awareness titled, “I AM: The Power of Discovering Who You Really Are (Tarcher/Penguin) http://www.thebookIAM.com He teaches and speaks on the power of the mind and the creation of personal reality. More about his work and schedule can be found at www.HowardFalco.com

The Quantum Field Responds

 

I have recently begun to take questions about life from people dealing with the challenges of their everyday reality. These individuals are looking to understand how to incorporate a greater sense of awareness and perception into their situation that leads to real change. Presented here are this months selected questions and the responses offered.

QUESTION # 1

I understand so much of what is being offered by this new thought movement logically, but I can’t seem to embrace it emotionally for real change. I feel like I should get this by now. How do I overcome this?

First let me just say that you said, “I can’t seem to embrace” which is a present tense creative statement. You may want to say it as ,“I haven’t yet been able to embrace…”

Secondly, remember you are always right where you’re supposed to be because there is no other place. Give yourself a break, accept and love where you are in the process. Anything else is denial. There is no timetable or benchmark on your personal evolution of consciousness.

Third, once you are in this balanced, loving and accepting state of mind, ask yourself what it is exactly that you haven’t yet been able to embrace in this moment. This has been your point of resistance.

Well, saying that I’m right where I’m supposed to be doesn’t exactly feel good when where I am right now is in pain.

Accepting where you are right now is not the acceptance of it for your future. Ironically, your acceptance of it is actually what will liberate you from the experience of it in this moment. If you don’t understand that right now, this is where you are, regardless of the circumstances that got you here, you will use all of your energy to defend yourself against this truth by holding up woulda, coulda and shouldas in your mind, rather than to use your infinite supply of energy to take the action that actually changes what is true for you. Denial will get you nowhere.

Ok so I’m supposed to be in pain?

You are wherever you decide to be based on how you interpret the circumstances of your world and your personal story.

Well I’m sorry, but struggling financially and feeling tired and unhealthy is not where I want to be.

So where do you want to be?

Financially stable and healthy.

Then choose to be this now. Begin in this moment to make new choices in relation to how you make and how you spend your money. Begin right now to love and honor yourself in a new way where you generate the positive energy that heals your soul and cleanses your spirit giving you renewed energy and vitality to go after any job you truly desire. Start yourself on a path where you never give up….ever.

Most importantly, if you cannot do this ask yourself why? Discover the false beliefs you hold of imperfection or lack. This is the coding that is driving your current experience of reality. On some level your thoughts about who you are contain the current limits you are experiencing in life. Challenge them and choose to replace them with new ideas for who you are that contain abundance and vitality.

And if I do this and nothing changes?

The do it again. Do it until you finally have learned all you need to learn to change the reality. You cannot fail. The truth of your beliefs, however, will always be your experience at any given moment of your reality.

And the part about embracing these ideas more in my daily life?

You will take this understanding from your head to your heart when you are finally tired enough of what you currently experience. When your desire for change outweighs your fear of the unknown. Moving this information from your head to your heart is the change and this is what you are protecting yourself from. You are always pacing the unfolding of your consciousness and the essence of your experience of time. You are always in charge of the creative energy you release to your world.

QUESTION # 2

The economy is horrible and it is really affecting me. How do I deal with this? I am a realtor and the market is terrible. How do I turn it around?

Tell me what turn it around means to you.

I’d like to make at least 60% of what I made in a good market.

How hard were you working in a good market?

4 days a week but the phone was ringing off the hook with buyers looking for homes. Now the phone barely rings.

So you will have to change what you are doing. You might have to work 6 or 7 days a week and begin a new marketing campaign to get your phone ringing again.

But I don’t want to work 7 days a week and marketing plans cost money.

I understand.

I just want it to be like it used to be.

Used to be is an illusion. There is only what is, here, and now. You refusal to be here and now is what will keep you stuck in the illusion of time.   When your stuck in time nothing changes for you while everything changes around you.

I am here and now and I say its not fair!

It is not a matter of fair it is a matter of the acceptance that you live within a universe of constant change. If you desire to be at peace by creating an income of 60% of what you used to make then you will have to accept the conditions that are now present and make new decisions from this present state awareness. With a strong desire for your stated goal nothing will stop you from the actions that will create what you desire and probably much more.

So stop fooling myself with wishful thinking?

You can always have wishful thinking but at the same time if you want things to change it starts and ends with you. You cannot operate from an illusion and experience a new reality. What you will actually get is another bigger illusion. You can only operate from an acceptance of the current reality and then from this present accepting state, with clarity, begin to create a new one.

How do I begin?

You already have begun by asking the questions. All you have to do now is be aware of what is presented to you and if you so choose to, take the next step.

QUESTION #3

Why can’t I find someone I enjoy to share my life with?

Yet.

What?

You made a present tense statement which will be used to create your future. I added yet to the end of the sentence to offer you that the first step is to open you up to the possibility of it happening in your future.

You’re saying that I don’t see it as a possibility and that’s why it’s not happening?

I am not saying it, you said it. I am only offering you what your words reveal about your true thoughts. It is your true thoughts that create your experience of life. The more you can become conscious of a previous subconscious belief and creation process, the more you have creative control over your life.

Yea well that’s great and all but the only people I meet are creeps.

So be it.

Oh I see another present tense statement?

Exactly.

So how do I change it?

Partly by what you are doing right now.  By becoming more aware of what you believe so that you can ask yourself if the beliefs you hold serve you now.

But I do believe that I am worth meeting the right person!

That’s great. So now let’s do a litmus test to see if this is true. Tell me five things you have done in the past week that validates this belief.

Reluctantly, I signed up for an online dating service. I went out with my friends the other night. Ummmm….

That’s ok, lets start first with the word reluctantly.

Well you’ve heard of all the horrors stories haven’t you?

I’m sure they exist but I have also heard of all the success stories as well. Thousands of people who are making beautiful connections each day. The point is you can have preconceived notions that jade your perception and keep you from possibility or you can open to faith and belief and allow magic to happen. Either way you’re controlling the input and output.

The big question is do you love who you are enough to KNOW that you are going to meet the right one. Because when you do you will be open to all possibility in every second of every day. The universe will become your co-creation partner in the deal and you will see all the things that enter your reality as the universes responds to what you asked for. Each will be seen as a condition that is needed to get you where you asked to go. Just like this one right now ;)

Howard Falco, is the author of a powerful new book on self-awareness titled, “I AM: The Power of Discovering Who You Really Are (Tarcher/Penguin) http://www.thebookIAM.com He is a spiritual teacher and speaker on the power of the mind and the creation of personal reality. More about his work and schedule can be found at www.HowardFalco.com

The Essence of Gratitude


Gratitude is a word that has been used a lot lately in teachings offering the “spiritual” path to others. It is especially offered as a concept to those looking to manifest more in their lives. The standard line is something of the order of “You just need to practice being grateful for everything you do have in your life”. Now, while it is true that a shift in perspective from an ungrateful state of mind to a more grateful state of mind helps one to temporarily feel more at peace, it is also true that any concept offered without the root understanding of the concept is likely to be misunderstood, misused, and lead to eventual frustration.

Gratitude is not a practice, it is an understanding. As a practice it is forced, as an understanding it flows. Therefore, it is always the deeper nature of self-discovery and self-inquiry that leads to a deeper and more expansive self-love that results in gratitude.

This is a love that comes from the understanding that right now You are the perfection of all your past perfect choices, thoughts and actions. If you hadn’t made all those past choices you wouldn’t be on the path you’re on now coming to the amazing understanding that you are leading yourself towards each and every day. You would be delaying your evolution rather than expanding and evolving, asking questions, receiving answers and transforming into more of a peaceful, conscious creator of your life and a powerful master of your reality.

True gratitude comes from the realization that every situation in every moment, as much as it can seem against you, is always and forever FOR You. For example, in this moment, who else could these words be for? How you choose to respond, react and feel, based on what you desire to create and experience in this lifetime is your “free will”.  You are the infinite and priceless observer and creator of life, and everything you can see, feel, touch, smell and hear is here to support you in your creative effort.

When you see all persons, places and things in your daily walk as the tangible matter that gives your life its meaning and growth, your judgments will disappear and the gratitude and love you have for all of it will know no boundaries. This is the gratitude that sees all as perfection, feels itself as part of the perfection and manifests from the unlimited and unrestricted nature of this perfection. From this state of grace the great mirror that is the Universe has no choice but to respond in kind…

With endless love & gratitude,
Howard

Howard Falco, is the author of a powerful new book on self-awareness titled “I AM: The Power of Discovering Who You Really Are (Tarcher/Penguin) http://www.thebookIAM.com He is a spiritual teacher and speaker on the unlimited creative power of the mind and the creation of personal reality. More about his work and schedule can be found at www.HowardFalco.com

New TV Interview about I AM

Howard Falco is interviewed about his book I AM on The McMahon Group on AZTV. Watch the TV interview here-

Your Transformation is Happening Right NOW

This moment, these words, this information, it is all part of your continual evolution of awareness. This is an evolution that never stops.  You are on a creative journey to more and more of an understanding regarding who and what you truly are.

What is so elegant and so magical about life is that what you experience in every moment of every day is related to your truest intentions and desires. An integral piece of information is being brought to you by what you see or face each day or a lesson is being shown in an obstacle you are trying to overcome. It is all about how you learn more, grow more and continue to create and evolve more.

Whatever you choose in each moment by way of your desires is part of your creative display and the experience and the feedback you feel from that particular experience, whether it be positive or negative, leads to more awareness and a greater sense understanding about yourself and the world around you.

The universe is ALWAYS listening to you. The major question is what are you asking to know, have, experience or feel? Are you aware that in your greatest challenges are the answers to these questions? Are you aware that these answers are in every relationship you have and most predominately they are in the relationships that give you the most conflict and resistance? Are you aware that what you see happening in real time across the world is ALL FOR YOU.

The process of life is a process of transformation. A transformation into a new version of yourself that allows you the opportunity to experience more love, compassion and understanding, mainly for yourself. As a result of this new self-love the world benefits as more peace and love flow through you positively affecting everyone you pass in your world.

So as you go through your day pay attention to what shows up, whether it is with your family, your community or your world. Be open to the gift in it for you and the perfection of the experience. Have faith in the never-ending support that is around you. Being present to life this way makes the journey a whole lot more interesting!

The first place you might want to start doing this is with this message that you just directed to yourself right here. You are now well on your way to a new state of being and presence.  May you realize all the love and joy that awaits you in this space….

Much Peace & Love,

Howard Falco

www.thebookIAM.com