Four desires -Mooji
when man wants to experience he becomes the body
when he wants knowledge, he becomes the mind
when he wants God, he becomes the heart
when he wants truth, he becomes nothing.
MOOJI
when he wants knowledge, he becomes the mind
when he wants God, he becomes the heart
when he wants truth, he becomes nothing.
MOOJI
Oh God
Oh God, give us what we want --today (1)
Oh God, give us what we want --tomorrow (2)
Oh God, give us what is good for us --today
Oh God, give us what is good for us --tomorrow
(1) belief that God would give us something we'd want
(2) belief that God would give us something difficult to deal with, but ultimately good for us
(3) belief that what we'd like is also good for us
(4) belief that what we think is good for us is difficult
Oh God, let me see that you have already given everything to us!
amen
Oh God, give us what we want --tomorrow (2)
Oh God, give us what is good for us --today
Oh God, give us what is good for us --tomorrow
(1) belief that God would give us something we'd want
(2) belief that God would give us something difficult to deal with, but ultimately good for us
(3) belief that what we'd like is also good for us
(4) belief that what we think is good for us is difficult
Oh God, let me see that you have already given everything to us!
amen
Poems by Mooji
Lyrics: Kissed from Within
Kissed From Within. Sahaja Sat-Songs
|
"Beloved All that you perceive is transient, is passing But you are the unchanging one Timeless and perfect" ~ Mooji |
Thy Kingdom is Here
Beloved FatherWho dwells within the soul of my Being
Whose name is
I Am
Veneration to your holy name
Thy kingdom is here
Thy will prevails throughout the earth
as it does in the heavenly realms of my soul
You open your hands
and satisfy the hunger of all living beings
You heal all hearts of sorrow
So that they in turn may show forgiveness
to those whose minds
are shrouded in ignorance of the Self
Beloved Mother
Who imparts to all the sense of choice
so we may finally come to choose
You
who are Truth
and thus find everlasting freedom
Glory to your name
Oh Truth
For yours is the kingdom of existence
of peace and love
All power and glory emanates from
You alone
Who imparts to all
the wisdom, the light, the love and courage
to refer to themselves as
I Am
Amen Om
Let Go
Let go, relax, fall inside yourselfTurn in, allow, merge with being
Dive in, observe
Even silence is heard
Presence is witnessed
I am here
Let go, relax, fall inside yourself
Turn in, allow, melt in this
What brings attention to rest?
Where have you always been?
There's no you nor I here
No inside, no outside
No future, no past
Let go, relax, fall inside yourself
Turn in, allow, merge with being
The seeker of God
vanished in this space
and the I alone remains
Let go, relax, rest within yourself
Turn in, allow, merge with being
Dive in, observe
Even silence is heard
Presence is witnessed
Here I am
Kissed From Within
Since I received your first kissIt feels as if I never danced before
As if I've never even sung before
As if I've never walked the streets of this world
As if I died and was reborn yesterday
Since I met your loving eyes
It feels as if I've never seen the sun shine
As if I’ve never felt the wind caress my skin
As if I’ve never been alive before
As if I died and was reborn yesterday
Since You have entered my Heart
I know no pleasure that doesn't come from
my peace of Being
I know no music that doesn't rise from
the silence within
As if I died and was reborn yesterday
Now that I've been kissed from within
Until Only I Am
You give nothingness to nothingnessTake me away until only I am
You give emptiness to emptiness
Take me away until only I am
Before a wave rises it ocean
Before desire moves, it is emptiness
You everything to everything
Take what I am not until only I am
You give nothingness to nothingness
Take me away until only I am
This eternal moment, there are no desires
Just keep quiet and see what you really are
Before a wave rises it is ocean
Before desire moves, it is emptiness
You give nothingness to nothingness
Take me away until only I am
You give emptiness to emptiness
Take me away until only I am
The Eye of the Storm
God has built me a houseWith no walls, floors or sealing
The abode of my heart
same home for every being
And sometimes he blows
a storm through this open space
And in the eye of the storm
I can still see his Grace
Om Bhagavate Om
Satguru Ramana Ki Jai
Om Arunachala OM
Satguru Moojiji Ki Jai
Sri Ram Jai Jai Ram
Shiva take me home
Now if I make believe that this house belongs to me
With walls made of stone and doors made of steel
Then there is no doubt that it would crumble
Get caught in a tornado that never seems to pass
But how could a storm destroy
what's nothing?
And what would it leave behind
except silence
Om Bhagavate Om
Satguru Ramana Ki Jai
Om Arunachala Om
Satguru Moojiji Ki Jai
Sri Ram Jai Jai Ram
Shiva take me home
Mooji take me home
Replace me
OmNamah Shivaya Om
Replace me with Thee
Remove me
Let only You remain
Replace me with Thee
Let me die before I die
Om Namah Shivaya
Satchidananda Om
You replace me with Thee
You remove me
until only I remain
You replace me with Thee
You remove me
until only Truth remains
Om Namah Shivaya
Om
Mahadeva Shambo
Lord, you are the only onethat has ever been and ever will be
Your light is shining as us
Every moment of this life
Shiva Shiva Shambo
Mahadeva Shambo
Lord, you are the only one
that brings light upon this world
You are vaster than space
So infinite so all-pervading
Shiva Shiva Shambo
Mahadeva Shambo
No one can find you, the source of all that is
No one can see your face
This, this is the timeless one
This is amazing Grace
Shiva Shiva Shambo
Mahadeva Shambo
Soham Gita
I am unwanted by the unwise,untrodden by the untrue
Unloved by the unfit, unsparing to untruth
I am the undone, nothing to undo, nothing to hold on to
I am unto my Self
Unaffected, unaffiliated, unbound
Unknown, unowned, unseen, unfound
No mind has unveiled me, to mind I am unveilable
Unthinkable, unexplainable, unconveyable
The unconceivable, the unassailable,
Undefeated, undefended, undefiled, undefinable
The unborn undercover, to the world I'm unrevealed
Unrecognized, even said to be unreal
I am seeing unceasingly without uncertainty
I am untouched, the untouchable undoubtedly
The essence of my presence is forever unattained
The depth of my Being eternally unstained
I am, unfathomable, ever unobtained
Ever uncontained, I remain unnamed
I am by myself unsupported, unsustained
Unassociated, unconstrained
All is seen in me, yet I am unobserved
Ever unburdened, untroubled, undisturbed
My love is one, unshared, not unsharing
Carefree, not uncaring
A fire all consuming, unbiased, yet I'm unburned
My love is forever unconcerned
Eternally whole, unhealed, untorn
Ever blissful, never uncontented, unscorned
Undeluded, unconditioned, my love unconditional
Unmatched, unmixed, unmeasureable
Unshakeable, unmovable, unbreakable
Unprecious to the unkind, to whom I am unbearable
Unexplored by the hateful, unsung by the ungrateful
Unappreciated by the unfaithful
Unsought by the unawake, even undesired
I am unkept, unoccupied, I abide unaquired
Unaffected by the illusion that holds most beings under hypnosis
Not unapparent, yet mostly unnoticed
Untrancsended, all transcending
As I am beginningless, so am I unending
Unalike anything, undifferentiated
Timeless, unaging, unfading, unfaded
Unplaceable, unstated, unrelated
More simple than simplicity, uncomplicated
Untarnished, untainted, uncontaminated
Undiminished, unlimited, unabated
I Am That I Am, unaided
I know not sleep, I am unwoken
Unheard, unsaid, understood unspoken
Undivided, unbroken
Unlocked, unentered, unclosed, unopened
I am unseeming space, infinite sky untraveled
A mystery unto which I'm not to be unraveled
I am that to which the universe unfolds
Yet I stay unchanged, my reality untold
That I am, to which the universe unfolds
Yet I stay unchanged my reality untold
Sri Lord Siva
Sri Lord Siva BhagavateSri Ma Durga Bhagavate
Sri Hare Rama Bhagavate
Om Sri Hare Hare Hare
Sri Hare Krishna Bhagavate
Sri Siddhartha Bhagavate
Sri Lord Christ Bhagavate
Om Sri Hare Hare Hare
Sri Ramana Bhagavate
Sri Poonjaji Bhagaate
Sri Moojiji Bhagavate
Om Sri Hare Hare Hare
Sri Lord Siva Bhagavate
Om Sri Hare Hare Hare
Be One with This
This is all taking place in your presenceDon't bind yourself to anything
Thoughts arise from the ocean of the Self
It is all taking place in the presence of You
Even in full flight of the mind
There is an inner stillness
A deeper seeing going on
Be one with this
Just stay as the witness
Be one with this
Just be the witness
In this seeing all will change
and transform into quietness
In this seeing all will change
and transform into silence
Be one with this
Just stay as the witness
Be one with this
Just be the witness
Thoughts arise calling you to play
Something gravitates, something goes out
Attention is drifting, what watches this?
Even in full flight of the mind
The movement is watched from this inner place
There is an inner stillness
A deeper seeing going on
Be one with this
Just stay as the witness
Be one with this
Just be the witness
Beloved
Nothing to hold on toNowhere to go
No burdens to carry anymore
No concepts to marry
This life is for You
Only for Truth
This life is for You
Beloved
So where would I go now
When you've showed me I'm motionless?
And what could be rejected here?
In this vast emptiness
This life is for You
Only for Truth
This life is for You
Beloved
Here I am like dust under your feet
The most sacred space of all
And such a sweet discovery
To see the walls of illusions fall
Because I cannot die
I cannot die
This I cannot die
Beloved, most Beloved
This life is for you
Only for You
This I is Truth
Beloved, most Beloved
Words from Mooji
BelovedAll that you perceive is transient, is passing
But you are the unchanging one
Timeless and perfect
Rid yourself from all delusions
And come lay down here in the silence of Being
For unlike time, you are not passing
You are the formless within all forms
The silence and stillness inside all movements
of time and manifestation
Arise into the fullness of your real nature
As the unchanging Self
The goal and source of all being
Om Namah Shivaya
You
One wishOne prayer
One reason I am here
One focus
One desire
The only purpose of my life
It is for You
You
So the prayer is to see You
To feel You everywhere
To only hear You, only sense You
To always be in Your embrace
My all belongs to You
My heart is only Yours
It's all for You
You
When You are my only focus
All else disappears
I die in You
This I is no longer here
There's only You
You
Om Arunachala Om
Om Arunachala OmArunachala Arunachala Arunachala
Shiva Shiva Shiva
Om Arunachala Om
Arunachala Arunachala Arunachala
Shiva Shiva Shiva
Om Arunachala Om
It Is Done
Om Aham Soham Tat Tvam AsiI Am
I Am He
That You Are
I Am
Shiva I Am
Shiva You Are
You are always in my Heart
Never shall we be apart
Om Namah Namah Shivaya
Om Namah Shivaya
It is done It is done
Alleluia It is done
You are always in my Heart
Never shall we be apart
I am always in your Heart
Never shall we be apart
Om Namah Namah Shivaya
Om Namah Shivaya
It is done It is done
Alleluia It is done
Om Namah Namah Shivaya
Om Namah Shivaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Mahadeva
Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Arunachala Shiva
Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Punjaji
Om Sri Sat guru Gurudev Ki Jai
Namah Shivaya
The idea of a perfect marriage
sounds to me like an eternal war! Each person continues to try to change the other
into what they would like.
It should say that the two people accept each other as they are,
letting go of how they would like them to become.
Littleness in lesson 30
LESSON 30.
God is in everything I see because God is in my mind.
The idea for today is the springboard for vision. From this idea will the world open up before you, and you will look upon it and see in it what you have never seen before. Nor will what you saw before be even faintly visible to you.
Today we are trying to use a new kind of “projection.” We are not attempting to get rid of what we do not like by seeing it outside. Instead, we are trying to see in the world what is in our minds, and what we want to recognize is there. Thus, we are trying to join with what we see, rather than keeping it apart from us. That is the fundamental difference between vision and the way you see.
Today’s idea should be applied as often as possible throughout the day. Whenever you have a moment or so, repeat it to yourself slowly, looking about you, and trying to realize that the idea applies to everything you do see now, or could see now if it were within the range of your sight.
Real vision is not limited to concepts such as “near” and “far.” To help you begin to get used to this idea, try to think of things beyond your present range as well as those you can actually see, as you apply today’s idea.
Real vision is not only unlimited by space and distance, but it does not depend on the body’s eyes at all. The mind is its only source. To aid in helping you to become more accustomed to this idea as well, devote several practice periods to applying today’s idea with your eyes closed, using whatever subjects come to mind, and looking within rather than without. Today’s idea applies equally to both.
---
Today I felt very hurt that my partner did not want me to make him lunch. I felt useless as a result.
How silly! This shows me what is in my mind... The belief in littleness. The need for being wanted, being needed, the need for being special. Look clearly at this. See this little self. Who sees it? I must not be it. Give up these victim scripts!
Amen
Depressive Emotion vs Peace
LESSON 34.
I could see peace instead of this.
The idea for today begins to describe the conditions that prevail in the other way of seeing. Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. It must begin with your own thoughts, and then extend outward. It is from your peace of mind that a peaceful perception of the world arises.
Three longer practice periods are required for today’s exercises. One in the morning and one in the evening are advised, with an additional one to be undertaken at any time in between that seems most conducive to readiness. All applications should be done with your eyes closed. It is your inner world to which the applications of today’s idea should be made.
Some five minutes of mind searching are required for each of the longer practice periods. Search your mind for fear thoughts, anxiety-provoking situations, “offending” personalities or events, or anything else about which you are harboring unloving thoughts. Note them all casually, repeating the idea for today slowly as you watch them arise in your mind, and let each one go, to be replaced by the next.
If you begin to experience difficulty in thinking of specific subjects, continue to repeat the idea to yourself in an unhurried manner, without applying it to anything in particular. Be sure, however, not to make any specific exclusions.
The shorter applications are to be frequent, and made whenever you feel your peace of mind is threatened in any way. The purpose is to protect yourself from temptation throughout the day. If a specific form of temptation arises in your awareness, the exercise should take this form:
I could see peace in this situation instead of what I now see in it.
If the inroads on your peace of mind take the form of more generalized adverse emotions, such as depression, anxiety or worry, use the idea in its original form. If you find you need more than one application of today’s idea to help you change your mind in any specific context, try to take several minutes and devote them to repeating the idea until you feel some sense of relief. It will help you if you tell yourself specifically:
I can replace my feelings of depression, anxiety or worry [or my thoughts about this situation, personality or event] with peace.
---
Sometimes the world simply takes you over. Tiredness, depression, victomimization receptivity, all work together to keep you locked in the prison. Yesterday was like that. This was my lesson, but i could not even read it. At least i remained pressent to the situation and did not make a story about it.
Today i feel resurected in comparrison.
Lesson 37 - my holiness blesses the world
LESSON 37.
My holiness blesses the world.
This idea contains the first glimmerings of your true function in the world, or why you are here. Your purpose is to see the world through your own holiness. Thus are you and the world blessed together. No one loses; nothing is taken away from anyone; everyone gains through your holy vision. It signifies the end of sacrifice because it offers everyone his full due. And he is entitled to everything because it is his birthright as a Son of God.
There is no other way in which the idea of sacrifice can be removed from the world’s thinking. Any other way of seeing will inevitably demand payment of someone or something. As a result, the perceiver will lose. Nor will he have any idea why he is losing. Yet is his wholeness restored to his awareness through your vision. Your holiness blesses him by asking nothing of him. Those who see themselves as whole make no demands.
Your holiness is the salvation of the world. It lets you teach the world that it is one with you, not by preaching to it, not by telling it anything, but merely by your quiet recognition that in your holiness are all things blessed along with you.
Today’s four longer exercise periods, each to involve three to five minutes of practice, begin with the repetition of the idea for today, followed by a minute or so of looking about you as you apply the idea to whatever you see:
My holiness blesses this chair
My holiness blesses that window
My holiness blesses this body.
Then close your eyes and apply the idea to any person who occurs to you, using his name and saying:My holiness blesses that window
My holiness blesses this body.
My holiness blesses you, [name].
You may continue the practice period with your eyes closed; you may open your eyes again and apply the idea for today to your outer world if you so desire; you may alternate between applying the idea to what you see around you and to those who are in your thoughts; or you may use any combination of these two phases of application that you prefer. The practice period should conclude with a repetition of the idea with your eyes closed, and another, following immediately, with your eyes open.
The shorter exercises consist of repeating the idea as often as you can. It is particularly helpful to apply it silently to anyone you meet, using his name as you do so. It is essential to use the idea if anyone seems to cause an adverse reaction in you. Offer him the blessing of your holiness immediately, that you may learn to keep it in your own awareness.
----here is a begining of hope in the world. Hope that there could be a purpose for living other than selfish motives. We are asked to bless everything we see, because we know it is all a projection of the mind. We know we are the dreamer of this dream, but it is a dream. We know the cause is our own guilt hidden in the mind, and we want to clearly see it. That is the small part we are asked to do. This is how to generalize the lessons of the course.
Lesson 38, there is nothing my holiness cannot do
This lesson is about reversing our subconcious belief in our own guilt...
It uses rational arguments to counter our defence against the truth...
There is nothing the power of god can not do.
Everything god created is holy.
My holiness is also God's holiness. My holininess will make god's power available.
There is nothing my holiness cannot do because the power of God lies in it.
What is the Opposite of guilt?
Lesson 39 of ACIM.
We are so accustomed to guilt. Western culture taught it with a vengence. As children we were told that God was angry with us for not obeying him, we were taught by Christendom that guilt would lead us to God, that if we felt it for hours on end, if we wallowed in it for days, months and years, that God would have pity on us in the end. The idea of penance to minimize the guilt has made many an ego simply hurt themselves.
Holiness is the opposite of Guilt.
We are so accustomed to guilt. Western culture taught it with a vengence. As children we were told that God was angry with us for not obeying him, we were taught by Christendom that guilt would lead us to God, that if we felt it for hours on end, if we wallowed in it for days, months and years, that God would have pity on us in the end. The idea of penance to minimize the guilt has made many an ego simply hurt themselves.
Holiness is the opposite of Guilt.
Purpose is within duality
'Perception has no purpose' 'In God you cannot see. Perception has no function in God, and does not exist.
-Lesson 43
Just a few lessons before, you are not living a random life....
'Your passage through time and space is not at random. You cannot but be in the right place at the right time.' Lesson 42
The idea of perception and purpose requires duality. Both concepts are worldly ideas. For one to see, the object needs to be other than us.
Purpose supports the idea of an individual self living in a world of otherness, thus god has no purpose external to himself.
---–-
Lesson 10, my Thoughts do not mean anything
Ha, my thoughts are mostly about me --a ficticious self. No wonder they are meaningless!
Lesson 11, my thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.
Lesson 12, i am upset because i see a meanngless world, and i am trying to write my meaning upon it.
Instead see it as meaningless, letting gomof the small seer and see it without comment, without any assumption underlying it.
Typical assumptions might include
I am a victim, i am restricted in this relationship, i am held back from adventure, etc.
Recognize your form of assumption, your way of writing a meaning on the events in your life....
This is not kindness
This is the ego's version of kindness: (1) judge them. (2) Then tell yourself they deserve pain of some sort. (3) Then pretend you are kinder than they.
This is really condemnation. "Judge not, that you are not judged" this statement is true because we are all one.
Recognize rather that they are all doing their best, and kindness is what they deserve.
Fwd: Dwell Not in Outer Purity
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Colin Drake <colinj108@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Sep 26, 2014 at 7:03 PM
Subject: Dwell Not in Outer Purity
To: Dear Explorer <colin108@dodo.com.au>
From: Colin Drake <colinj108@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Sep 26, 2014 at 7:03 PM
Subject: Dwell Not in Outer Purity
To: Dear Explorer <colin108@dodo.com.au>
Dear Fellow Explorers, Here is a 'companion piece' to the earlier posting 'Dwell Not in The Inner Void', Love, Colin
Dwell Not in Outer Purity
Pursue not renunciation,
Dwell not in outer purity;
Be serene in the oneness of things,
And dualism vanishes by itself.
When you strive to gain purity,
The purity thus gained is ever illusory;
As long as you tarry in the dualism,
How can you realise oneness?
Adapted from, and acknowledgements to, Seng-Ts'ans 'On Believing in Mind'
Many people think that by 'purifying the body' (whatever that may mean …) and avoiding desires, by renunciation of the world, they will achieve peace and freedom. In fact many spiritual paths have this aim and whilst they can evoke a certain amount of peace, when the desires have been submerged, this soon evaporates as they resurface, disturbing the temporary peace than has been gained. Moreover, unless the practice reveals the 'oneness of things' and one sees that the 'separate self' is an illusion then one tends to 'tarry in the dualism'.
Also, whilst they may think that, by adopting a certain diet, the body is being purified, unless the process promotes bodily health and harmony it will be counterproductive. The clinging to specific 'purifying' dietary practices also tends to promote arrogance as there is a tendency to judge others as being 'impure'. This is also the case with being a follower of any fixed ideology which regard their adherents as being a 'special group' who have sole access to 'the Truth' and also with any caste (or class) structure where members of the 'higher' castes/classes look down on the lower castes/classes. This whole approach to life will obviously lead to 'tarrying in dualism'.
This attachment to outer purity, or a fixed set of precepts, can also lead to overlooking (and denigrating) pointers provided by awakened beings from other paths. For each has its own list of 'precepts' including those who have none at all! As no group, or ideology, has a monopoly on The Truth this overlooking can be counterproductive in the quest for freedom and the 'realisation of oneness'.
If one attempts to overcome 'tarrying in the dualism', by renunciation - disengaging from the world, then this may lead to some relief from desires as one is not exposed to the objects of desires, which may lead one to believe that a certain amount of 'mental purity' has been achieved. However, this is inherently unstable as exposure to any of the objects will soon reignite desire, even mental exposure (thinking of the desired) will have the same effect. In fact if desire is 'squashed' in this way it often resurfaces with greater intensity.
Actually, of course, the whole notion of purity and impurity stems from a dualistic outlook. For if 'all is one' and everything has the same source, ground of being and final dissolution (The Absolute) then nothing can be impure, for nothing can taint this Absolute as all things just come and go in This leaving It unaffected by their passage. Relating to this there is a famous story about Sankara, the famous Advaita guru of the 8th century, who was returning from his ritual early morning bath when he was touched by an untouchable. He was very angry about this saying that he would be forced to retake his bath as his ritual purity had been violated. The untouchable pointed out that the Atman (Brahman, The Absolute, the essence of each being) is the same in all, so how could he have made Sankara impure by his touch for there was no essential difference between them! At this Sankara came to his senses, realizing the truth of what was said - for this is what he himself had been teaching all along!
This Absolute is Consciousness at rest in which all manifestation (cosmic energy – Consciousness in motion, or motion in Consciousness) arises, abides, and subsides. For all motion arises in (and from) stillness, exists in a substratum of stillness and finally returns to stillness. Thus there is only oneness, Consciousness, existing in two modes – at rest as Pure Awareness and in motion as Cosmic Energy. Within this our body/minds (thoughts and sensations) are just ephemeral movements (fleeting objects) whilst our essence, the unchanging presence that has witnessed our entire lives, is Pure Awareness. This is easily realized, see the appendix, but the momentum of our minds and previous misidentification tends to swamp this realization. So what is required is to reawaken every time this 'swamping' occurs by repeated investigation. The main symptom of misidentification is unnecessary mental suffering caused by viewing ourselves and the outside world through the murky filter of (small) self-concern, -interest, -aggrandizement, -loathing, -promotion, etc… the list is almost endless.
When this occurs it should act as a wake up call to the fact that misidentification has occurred and the investigation, that reveals that we are Pure Awareness, needs to recommence. Eventually this becomes almost instantaneous just by seeing that we are aware of this suffering and we are this Awareness, which never suffers being totally unaffected by what comes and goes within it. When this occurs all notions of purity/impurity and renunciation become irrelevant, for we become 'serene in the oneness of things' and 'dualism vanishes by itself'.
In this there is no standard 'model of behaviour' for this will vary greatly from personality to personality type, and the behaviour of some awakened beings may seem to go against all recognized standards of living a 'spiritual life'. Take, for example, Chogyam Trungpa who died at 48 from liver failure due to excessive alcohol consumption and 'slept' with many of his female followers. Yet he was greatly loved and admired, with over 3,000 at his funeral including lamas that had flown in from all over the globe. There is a case where the husband of one of his 'mistresses' who was asked whether he was jealous, to which he replied "Yes, jealous of my wife for being able to get so close to him!". Another example is Alan Watts who also drank heavily, which contributed to his early death in his late fifties. However, he is, and was, greatly revered for his wisdom and I am an avid reader of his books. For all their foibles they were both charismatic, centred, inspiring and happy individuals. This is the key, that they will be 'serene in the oneness of things' no matter how strange their actions may seem at the external level of body/mind.
For information on my books, including the new one "the Happiness That Needs Ntohing', and more articles and poems see the attached.
Lulu are offering 15% off all print books (that's $2.10 off mine) until midnight on the 29th, enter VEGGIE15 at the coupon code.
Lesson 39. Guilt is Hell, Holiness is Heaven
If guilt is hell, what is its opposite?
Like the text for which this workbook was written, the ideas used for the exercises are very simple, very clear and totally unambiguous. We are not concerned with intellectual feats nor logical toys. We are dealing only in the very obvious, which has been overlooked in the clouds of complexity in which you think you think.
If guilt is hell, what is its opposite? This is not difficult, surely. The hesitation you may feel in answering is not due to the ambiguity of the question. But do you believe that guilt is hell? If you did, you would see at once how direct and simple the text is, and you would not need a workbook at all. No one needs practice to gain what is already his.
We have already said that your holiness is the salvation of the world. What about your own salvation? You cannot give what you do not have. A savior must be saved. How else can he teach salvation? Today’s exercises will apply to you, recognizing that your salvation is crucial to the salvation of the world. As you apply the exercises to your world, the whole world stands to benefit.
Your holiness is the answer to every question that was ever asked, is being asked now, or will be asked in the future. Your holiness means the end of guilt, and therefore the end of hell. Your holiness is the salvation of the world, and your own. How could you to whom your holiness belongs be excluded from it? God does not know unholiness. Can it be He does not know His Son?
A full five minutes are urged for the four longer practice periods for today, and longer and more frequent practice sessions are encouraged. If you want to exceed the minimum requirements, more rather than longer sessions are recommended, although both are suggested.
Begin the practice periods as usual, by repeating today’s idea to yourself. Then, with closed eyes, search out your unloving thoughts in whatever form they appear;
Specific situations, events or personalities you associate with unloving thoughts of any kind are suitable subjects for today’s exercises. It is imperative for your salvation that you see them differently. And it is your blessing on them that will save you and give you vision.
Slowly, without conscious selection and without undue emphasis on any one in particular, search your mind for every thought that stands between you and your salvation. Apply the idea for today to each of them in this way:
My unloving thoughts about ___ are keeping me in hell My holiness is my salvation.
You may find these practice periods easier if you intersperse them with several short periods during which you merely repeat today’s idea to yourself slowly a few times. You may also find it helpful to include a few short intervals in which you just relax and do not seem to be thinking of anything. Sustained concentration is very difficult at first. It will become much easier as your mind becomes more disciplined and less distractible.
Meanwhile, you should feel free to introduce variety into the exercise periods in whatever form appeals to you. Do not, however, change the idea itself as you vary the method of applying it. However you elect to use it, the idea should be stated so that its meaning is the fact that your holiness is your salvation. End each practice period by repeating the idea in its original form once more, and adding:
If guilt is hell, what is its opposite?
In the shorter applications, which should be made some three or four times an hour and more if possible, you may ask yourself this question, repeat today’s idea, and preferably both. If temptations arise, a particularly helpful form of the idea is:
My holiness is my salvation from this.
Like the text for which this workbook was written, the ideas used for the exercises are very simple, very clear and totally unambiguous. We are not concerned with intellectual feats nor logical toys. We are dealing only in the very obvious, which has been overlooked in the clouds of complexity in which you think you think.
If guilt is hell, what is its opposite? This is not difficult, surely. The hesitation you may feel in answering is not due to the ambiguity of the question. But do you believe that guilt is hell? If you did, you would see at once how direct and simple the text is, and you would not need a workbook at all. No one needs practice to gain what is already his.
We have already said that your holiness is the salvation of the world. What about your own salvation? You cannot give what you do not have. A savior must be saved. How else can he teach salvation? Today’s exercises will apply to you, recognizing that your salvation is crucial to the salvation of the world. As you apply the exercises to your world, the whole world stands to benefit.
Your holiness is the answer to every question that was ever asked, is being asked now, or will be asked in the future. Your holiness means the end of guilt, and therefore the end of hell. Your holiness is the salvation of the world, and your own. How could you to whom your holiness belongs be excluded from it? God does not know unholiness. Can it be He does not know His Son?
A full five minutes are urged for the four longer practice periods for today, and longer and more frequent practice sessions are encouraged. If you want to exceed the minimum requirements, more rather than longer sessions are recommended, although both are suggested.
Begin the practice periods as usual, by repeating today’s idea to yourself. Then, with closed eyes, search out your unloving thoughts in whatever form they appear;
- uneasiness,
- depression,
- anger,
- fear,
- worry,
- attack,
- insecurity and so on.
Specific situations, events or personalities you associate with unloving thoughts of any kind are suitable subjects for today’s exercises. It is imperative for your salvation that you see them differently. And it is your blessing on them that will save you and give you vision.
Slowly, without conscious selection and without undue emphasis on any one in particular, search your mind for every thought that stands between you and your salvation. Apply the idea for today to each of them in this way:
My unloving thoughts about ___ are keeping me in hell My holiness is my salvation.
You may find these practice periods easier if you intersperse them with several short periods during which you merely repeat today’s idea to yourself slowly a few times. You may also find it helpful to include a few short intervals in which you just relax and do not seem to be thinking of anything. Sustained concentration is very difficult at first. It will become much easier as your mind becomes more disciplined and less distractible.
Meanwhile, you should feel free to introduce variety into the exercise periods in whatever form appeals to you. Do not, however, change the idea itself as you vary the method of applying it. However you elect to use it, the idea should be stated so that its meaning is the fact that your holiness is your salvation. End each practice period by repeating the idea in its original form once more, and adding:
If guilt is hell, what is its opposite?
In the shorter applications, which should be made some three or four times an hour and more if possible, you may ask yourself this question, repeat today’s idea, and preferably both. If temptations arise, a particularly helpful form of the idea is:
My holiness is my salvation from this.
Knowledge, Thinking, and No Thought.
Knowledge, there is no end. We think it will get us somewhere, but rather than use it to think something new, it is often used to reinvent the past.
The mind also uses it to hide from the present. Why not look at the present silence to investigate it. Why not investigate what is before phenomenon, before material, before the sensual?
That is a challenge indeed.
Being natural
Feel the "i am" feeling. Stay with it. It is already there. You already can feel it. It is already you.
Don't add to it. Don't make a story about it. Don't embelish it with any idea, any religion. Just stay with it. When thoughts come watch them from this feeling place. The more you remain in it, the more it will become your natural state.
But there is an even easier way...
Go to the place that requires no effort. It's a place of isness-- a place of beingness.
Mooji
The idea of a perfect marriage
It seems to me that if you keep trying to change your partner, and that you never give up, you will never melt into one being.
If you can give up wanting to be right, then a perfect match can indeed be had. When your partner speaks from their world, in their terms, with their baggage you allow it fully, not resisting, not hoping to change their view, not arguing in your mind why your view is more correct.
Instead you recognize their baggage, as you recognize your own. When the mind wants you to compare the two, you recognize it and simply drop the impulse to compare, as you know it is a separation device. Choose instead to see life as it is.
The ego wants to see the world in terms of "me" vs "you". All mental positions and arguments are simply to create a more improved self image.
Who are you without a self image? --ah, one with your partner, and one with everyone.
Comparison supports specialness
I am blessed.
... Implies they are not
If i am blessed i must be very special then...
We must step back from this to the seer
Who sees those who need comparison to feel special.
We need to identify with something beyond the special one.
"I am as god created me, my sinlessness has set me free"
Sent from my iPad
... Implies they are not
If i am blessed i must be very special then...
We must step back from this to the seer
Who sees those who need comparison to feel special.
We need to identify with something beyond the special one.
"I am as god created me, my sinlessness has set me free"
Sent from my iPad
Fwd: Going through an eye of a needle...
Focus on the inner eye... are we more interested in phenomenon or the seer of it?
...
It's a wonderful time to watch the small self from your quiet centre, which is not identified with the persona. This is the awakened you. the watcher of the game of life as Guruji said. When one is not so identified with the story, life can be much more fun. Step back every chance you can. We'll go through the eye of the needle --we'll simply find ourself on the other side completely unified with the Infinite.
...
It's a wonderful time to watch the small self from your quiet centre, which is not identified with the persona. This is the awakened you. the watcher of the game of life as Guruji said. When one is not so identified with the story, life can be much more fun. Step back every chance you can. We'll go through the eye of the needle --we'll simply find ourself on the other side completely unified with the Infinite.
Subject: Going through an eye of a needle...It is just another poetic way of saying that we need to die to ourself -- our self image which is made up of the physical. If we simply create a poorer version of our self image, we miss the boat, and can help less people... If that is our aim. ACIM says that in truth we are Spirit already, but we don't want to live it due to our deep subconscious fear.We can live in the spirit when we can forget our thoughts, our wants, our fears, our cars, our houses, our friends... Everything that creates the self image.Hugs
What do you want?
 | ||
 "O man! What do you really want? To be a small egocentric entity full of miseries and sufferings, a slave of illusory sense pleasures or to realize that you are the formless, timeless and ever free consciousness, always content, happy and peaceful?" ~ Swami Nityamuktananda | ||
Sent from my iPad
I Am Presence
Mooji Feb 19, 2012 India
One of the easiest practices is to stay in the feeling of "I am"
This does not take time, for it is here already.
For as soon as we awake and are aware of the phenomenal world the Presence is there. It is the "I" that is indeed aware. Stay in that feeling. It will have a wonderful vibration. The more you stay in it, giving it your awareness, the more you will sense it, and the phenomenal world will begin to be less interesting.
This I feeling announces Existence itself. It is our true nature. Our true Self. We don't need to go looking for it. If you do, it will be the mind that you are following.
You will see that all movement, all activity is within the I feeling.
This is how to discern Reality from Illusion (ACIM). We are not separate from God except when we follow mind and identify with an image it makes up.
One of the easiest practices is to stay in the feeling of "I am"
This does not take time, for it is here already.
For as soon as we awake and are aware of the phenomenal world the Presence is there. It is the "I" that is indeed aware. Stay in that feeling. It will have a wonderful vibration. The more you stay in it, giving it your awareness, the more you will sense it, and the phenomenal world will begin to be less interesting.
This I feeling announces Existence itself. It is our true nature. Our true Self. We don't need to go looking for it. If you do, it will be the mind that you are following.
You will see that all movement, all activity is within the I feeling.
This is how to discern Reality from Illusion (ACIM). We are not separate from God except when we follow mind and identify with an image it makes up.
Recognize that from the I feeling, attention arises. Where I place attention is key. Keep it going back to the I Am feeling rather than a changing story about a make believe person.
No activity can impede the Truth. The Self does not mind any activity. The false identity causes problems....
I can easily be without the mind, but the mind can not be without me.
The I Am presence is already stable, already perfect, already enlightened, but if we're identified in the mind we think there is something wrong with us. We need to fix it etc. It becomes an unending game, a delay tactic, rather than seeing that there is nothing needed or to add.
The Heart for me is the core of your being, a sense of our center. It is not a construct of the mind.
No activity can impede the Truth. The Self does not mind any activity. The false identity causes problems....
I can easily be without the mind, but the mind can not be without me.
The I Am presence is already stable, already perfect, already enlightened, but if we're identified in the mind we think there is something wrong with us. We need to fix it etc. It becomes an unending game, a delay tactic, rather than seeing that there is nothing needed or to add.
The Heart for me is the core of your being, a sense of our center. It is not a construct of the mind.
Memories
Memories
are thoughts that arise. They're not realities. Only when you believe
that they are real, then they have the power over you. But when you
realize it's just another thought arising about the past, then you can
have a spacious relationship with that thought. The thought no longer
has you in its grip.
-Eckart Tolle
-Eckart Tolle
Live without myth...
“For man seems to be unable to live without myth, without the belief that the routine and drudgery, the pain and fear of this life have some meaning and goal in the future. At once new myths come into being – political and economic myths with extravagant promises of the best of futures in the present world. These myths give the individual a certain sense of meaning by making him part of a vast social effort, in which he loses something of his own emptiness and loneliness. Yet the very violence of these political religions betrays the anxiety beneath them – for they are but men huddling together and shouting to give themselves courage in the dark.”
― Alan Wilson Watts, The Wisdom of Insecurity
― Alan Wilson Watts, The Wisdom of Insecurity
Create Yourself a Beautiful Image
Since we must create our own self image, why not create a beautiful one.
Remember though, we must learn to let this go... The last resistance.
Comparison
Beloveds, please listen:
It is not wise to compare your life to that of others, for each life stream is unique and is the expression of pure spirit and being. Know within your heart that your life is tailor-made for awakening in response to the will of the Supreme Being. Even if great hardship comes your way, don't complain, judge or fall into self-pity. Don't waste energy like this. Rather, use these same difficulties and circumstances to sharpen your powers of discernment and to intensify your drive for Liberation and freedom from all psychological conditioning and evil forces.
You are here as life itself flowing towards its own divine source.
Regard your life as auspicious.
~ Mooji
January 2014
www.mooji.org
It is not wise to compare your life to that of others, for each life stream is unique and is the expression of pure spirit and being. Know within your heart that your life is tailor-made for awakening in response to the will of the Supreme Being. Even if great hardship comes your way, don't complain, judge or fall into self-pity. Don't waste energy like this. Rather, use these same difficulties and circumstances to sharpen your powers of discernment and to intensify your drive for Liberation and freedom from all psychological conditioning and evil forces.
You are here as life itself flowing towards its own divine source.
Regard your life as auspicious.
~ Mooji
January 2014
www.mooji.org
A Hero's Journey --a Practical Guide
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/07/11/heros-journey/
This book has influenced thousands of writers and filmmakers in their work — but it isn’t about films or writing. This particular book has also influenced countless individuals in their own lives, helping shape them into better people, but it isn’t a self-help book. It is a book about stories, and storytelling — the stories that drive our societies, and the way we tell them. And because of the commonalities of those stories, it is very much a book about us, and the way we view the world.
More importantly, it’s about how we can become better men. The book is about self-actualization at its core and has a replicable approach that applies to every man.
The Hero with A Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell, is ostensibly about myths and mythology. But the lessons in this book can help us identify and navigate the paths we take to better ourselves and the changes in our lives, in order to become better at change, and better people in general.
Campbell, a professor at Sara Lawrence College, studied lore from every conceivable culture; he looked at everything from the ancient religions of antiquity to the mythology of more modern religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
Campbell’s research led him to focus on comparative mythology; specifically, he looked at what myths from different cultures had in common, rather than what they didn’t. Everywhere Campbell searched, he found it: a single story-telling arc, the ubiquitous story that every culture from Mesopotamia to our modern Western Society uses to pass along information, tradition, and worldly perception. Collectively, Campbell put this information into his seminal and most influential work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
Borrowing a term of James Joyce, Campbell called this universal pattern the monomyth. You might know it as the Hero’s Journey.
It is a single myth, told in a thousand different ways; a single hero, with a thousand different faces. The monomyth is in every story you’ve ever heard, most of the movies you’ve ever seen — and it’s present in your own life, every day. And understanding it can make you a better man.
Within each journey, the Hero will encounter other characters that play an essential role in growth. Campbell labeled these archetypes (the Herald, the Mentor, the Goddess, the Trickster, etc.), and they appear in the vast majority of stories. It’s easy to spot an archetype once you know what you’re looking for. So whether the hero is Harry Potter or King Arthur or Frodo, his path is always very similar. Whether the mentor is Dumbledore or Merlin or Gandalf, his role is always to guide the hero.
This structure appears everywhere, but is most easily recognized in movies and books. Luke Skywalker starts his journey by leaving his home on Tatooine, having grand adventures, and fulfilling his potential as a Jedi. The events might be different, but the journey is the same one King Arthur takes. And this is the same exact course that prominent figures in religious stories all follow. Campbell shows us just how accurate this concept is, and how it replays over and over again. And it’s happening right now in your life, too.
Not yet convinced? Okay, let’s break it down with some examples and let’s take a look at the steps of the Hero’s Journey. While Campbell’s model is 17 stages, for the sake of brevity, I prefer the more abbreviated version used by Christopher Vogler in his book The Writer’s Journey.
But Campbell’s thesis is not simply that nearly every culture in history has found an identical and effective way to tell stories; it’s that the commonalities in storytelling exist because they are a fundamental part of the human experience. The monomyth isn’t only the structure of how we tell the undertakings of heroes and characters in stories, it’s also how we relate those stories to ourselves, and, in a very real way, how we understand the things that are happening to us.
I would take it a step further.
I believe that while the monomyth is exceptional for storytelling, and therefore exceptional for exploring cultural ideas, it can have just as great an impact when applied to an individual — when applied to you. Put somewhat more directly, the Hero’s Journey is the perfect lens through which to view any change in your life — whatever new journey you’re taking, you will go through all of the phases of the monomyth as you grow, adapt, and ultimately fulfill your goal.
Of course, I’m not the only one who suggests this. For years, the Campbellian model has been used by people in various fields to help people advance; for example, some therapists use it with their patients to help structure psychoanalysis. Similarly, it’s used to help people deal with the grieving process — after all, the 5 stages are grief each have their mirror in the monomyth. Still others use it for mindset or success coaching — helping people understand where they are in the journey not only provides a sense of comfort and control, but also a clear path, making it easier, conceptually, to get to the next phase.
Because all changes in your life can fit into this structure, whether you realize it or not, at any given time you’re going through at least one such journey — and mastering the ideology of the monomyth will make you more successful. Because not only is the Hero’s Journey a lens for viewing change, but it’s also an excellent operating thesis for propelling change forward.
At that point, I certainly didn’t think I’d found a problem-solving methodology, but being a guy who was heavily into medieval fantasy and mythology, Campbell spoke to me as a storyteller. Reading Hero was immediately beneficial: it made all the books I was already reading even more accessible, and enjoyable. (And believe me, at 19, it was hard to imagine anything that could make re-reading The Lord of the Rings for the eighth time even more enjoyable — Hero did.)
Around this same time, I entered a gym, underwent a massive physical transformation, and changed my life in a number of ways. Not only did I build an impressive physique that opened a number of professional doors from fitness modeling and personal training to writing, but I also learned a variety of lessons that have carried over to every aspect of my life, and became successful in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
It might seem a little silly to think that getting fit helped me do better in school and have better relationships, and sillier still that it eventually allowed me to start my own business, live life on my terms, and even write a book. But it’s all true.
Perhaps more importantly, my transformation, and the lead up to it, was a step-by-step retracing of the Hero’s Journey. As I said, all changes can fit into this model. Let’s take a look at mine.
The Ordinary World – I was fat and depressed, but didn’t know much else. Like Harry Potter under the stairs or Frodo in the Shire, my Ordinary World was my everyday life.
The Call to Adventure – In my case, it was an actual phone call. At this point in my life, I was working in a retail store (Gap, of all places), and a woman called asking me to have 30 white polo shirts ready for her when she walked in. Long story short, it turned out her husband was opening a gym about 5 minutes from my house. At the moment, I wanted to make a change. Now, “I need 30 white polo shirts,” isn’t quite as dramatic as “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi; you’re my only hope,” but it got the job done.
Refusal of the Call – Change is hard. Sometimes the Hero is more afraid of change than they are of continuing to be unhappy in their situation, or body. The majority of the people who want to embark on a fitness journey (or any journey, for that matter) never get past this point; they think it will be too hard, or that they can’t change. Or, they start and simply give up. In my case, although I was interested in changing, I was nervous, and it took a few days before I mustered up the resolve to go check out the gym.
Meeting with the Mentor - Heroes can’t do everything on their own; we all need mentors. When I finally walked into the gym, I met the owner, Alvin. He had an encouraging manner and an inspiring physique. I took to him immediately, and let him guide me. When it comes to changing your body, that mentor doesn’t necessarily need to be a person with whom you have direct contact; the role of the mentor can also be filled by a book or even website. The author will help you without ever meeting you.
Cross the First Threshold – Threshold crossings happen throughout journeys, and the first is always the most impactful. It’s what separates the Ordinary World from the Special World. When I first joined the gym and started reading about fitness, it was like Dorothy stepping into Oz; there was so much to take in it was intimidating.
Tests, Allies, Enemies – As I began on my transformative journey, I quickly realized that there were people who wanted to help, and people who didn’t. Some people will support your fitness goals and avoid tempting you; others will call your goals silly and vain. Every time I went to a party or dinner, I had to deal with the invariable, “Just have a bite,” or, “Just one drink.” These things are tempting, but to make my transformation a reality, I had to pass these tests.
Approach – As I prepared for the final showdown — the real meat of the transformation — I had to arm myself to go through it. There were a lot of small events during this time — cleaning out your fridge and throwing all the junk away, restocking with healthy food, mastering proper exercise form, and learning about nutrition.
Central Ordeal – The Ordeal is about the act of change, and the necessity for it. As it applied to changing my body, this was the actual transformation program — that 16-week period where I focused ardently and made it my goal to bend my body to my will. Metaphorically, the Ordeal is about the war between the light and dark halves of your psyche, and your attempt to balance them.
Apotheosis/Resurrection – Anyone who has gone through a major transformation understands that the results of the Ordeal are pretty intense. In almost all cases, you achieve a sense of heightened awareness — not necessarily supreme enlightenment, but, at the very least, an unveiling of a world or experience previously hidden from your eyes. In my case, this was the realization that being fit was possible for me, and that all of the benefits of being in this “club” were mine. As a storytelling device, apotheosis is about becoming godlike, at least for a moment; in most cases, this only occurs when the character sets aside all resistance and fully gives in to the experience. In that moment, you will not be a god, but you will be like a phoenix — your new, better self rising from the ashes of the old one you’ve left behind.
Seizing the Sword/Reward – This is what you get after the battle — something for you. It’s when the heroes gather together and say, “Wow, look what we’ve done.” It may be a celebration, or a love scene. For me, it was an increase in self-esteem and health that accompanied my new body. Much more than that was the belief in myself that I could manifest change; I’d done this thing which I previously thought impossible, which instilled in me an unshakeable belief that I could do just about anything.
The Road Back – After the battle itself is over, the Hero must return home. This is sometimes more difficult than leaving in the first place. The Road Back is emotionally trying, because you fear that you’ll lose what you gained on the quest. In my case, I had some trepidation that once I was no longer in the throes of focusing on a transformation, I’d revert back to my former self.
Return with the Elixir – In the best of cases, Rewards are not just for the Hero, but also for everyone around him. Frodo destroying the One Ring brought peace to Middle-Earth; Harry Potter destroying Voldemort did the same for the wizarding world. Well, my transformation sadly didn’t end any wars or save the world, but it did help a lot of people. The act of changing helped me become a better version of myself; many of my better qualities were amplified. I was happier, and made other people happier; I was also more helpful, more dedicated, and (strangely) more punctual. My transformation also inspired others to take journeys of their own. More than anything, the knowledge that I’d gained over the years — starting with when I made my own transformation — allowed me to become a coach and author, helping first hundreds, and eventually thousands of people change their lives.
Master of Two Worlds – The last stage of the journey is when the Hero becomes the Master of Two Worlds — he is able to unite the light and dark within him. Metaphorically, this stage is about balance — about reconciling who you were with who you have become, and allowing yourself to accept both. For me, it was about mastering life in my new body — understanding all of the benefits it provided without going overboard in any direction. This was a continuation of the Road Back, and was about slowly moving away from the more extreme stuff and finding a way to live life and do things that normal people do, like go to dinners and have the occasional beer.
I should mention that at the time I made my fitness transformation, I didn’t realize that I had been on what could be called a Hero’s Journey — my familiarity with Campbell was fresh, and I wasn’t able to see the parallels quite as clearly. It wasn’t until I began my business (Hero’s) Journey that I understood that Campbell could be applied to anything. From that point on, I began to incorporate some aspects of the monomythic structure into my client’s programs and my lessons with them; I found that teaching Campbell helps teach fitness information, or at least drive the point home. And it was from this general understanding that I wrote my book, Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha. And I used that platform — a book that become a New York Times bestseller — to show how to use the Hero’s Journey to get in the best shape of your life.
It has exceptional validity with regard to love, actually — just look at the standard plot outline of a romantic comedy: boy meets girls, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back, could just as easily be boy hears the call to adventure, boy refuses call to adventure, boy goes on adventure anyway. In either case, through the assistance of a mentor (could be a wise-cracking friend or parent figure), the Hero will go on a journey of introspection and come out on the other side worthy of the girl.
A more detailed example might be that you get married, and settle into married life (Ordinary World). Your wife gets pregnant (Call to Adventure). You freak out at first (Refusal), but are obviously thrilled. Over the course of the pregnancy, appointments with your doctors (Meeting with the Mentor) help you and your wife (Allies) prepare (Approach) for the birth of the child (Threshold Crossing). Being a parent is now your main responsibility (Ordeal) and at the end of the quest there is your child — your legacy — who will carry on in the world after you’re gone (Return with Elixir).
Want a professional example? How’s this: you lose your job (Call to Adventure), and although you feel its loss and want it back (Refusal of the Call), you eventually decide that you want to move on to a new career. This can go in any number of ways, let’s assume you seek the help of a business coach (Meeting with the Mentor). Eventually, you decide to start your own business, or start a blog — something you’ve never done before (Crossing the First Threshold). There are a lot of challenges along the way, as well as successes and failures (Tests, Allies, Enemies). Follow this path to its ultimate conclusion and you wind up creating something — income, a book, a product — (Reward) that betters you (Apotheosis) and allows you to better the world (Return with the Elixir).
This principle is what allowed me to take the next step in my own journey and write Engineering the Alpha as a way to make the journey relevant to all men and help them see the path that could guide them to their biggest goals — whether physical, emotional, or social. The result has been a testing ground where thousands of men have been able to transform their lives in ways they never thought possible.
And it’s all because of Campbell. Understanding the Hero’s Journey is comparable to the moment when Neo understands the Matrix. It allows you to comprehend what is happening and why, and exactly how you should respond and react to make the best decisions possible. Life slows down, and when that happens you can speed up and make better choices that ultimately lead to change.
By going through a massive change, you will come to a greater understanding of yourself, and what you’re capable of. Success is a learned habit, and success begets success — the more positive changes you go through, the less resistant to change and growth you will be.
All that’s left is one simple question: Are you ready to become the hero? If so, it’s time to recognize your ordinary world, begin the journey, and ultimately become a better man and the best version of you.
Where are you in the Hero’s Journey? Let us know in the comments!
__________
John Romaniello is an angel investor, coach and nerd living in NYC. When he’s not rambling about the influence of the monomyth on comic books or the cultural importance of Star Wars, he spends time helping people change their lives and bodies. His new book, Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha: A Real World Guide to an Unreal Life (HarperCollins), debuted on the New York Times bestseller list, with a follow-up in the works.
From Mythology to Masculinity: How the Hero’s Journey Can Help You Become a Better Man
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from John Romaniello.
I want to tell you about a book that will change your life. The book
isn’t new. In fact, it was published back in 1949 without much fanfare.
And yet, since the time of its publication, it has made an impact that
can be seen in the movies we watch, the books we read, and even the life
we live.This book has influenced thousands of writers and filmmakers in their work — but it isn’t about films or writing. This particular book has also influenced countless individuals in their own lives, helping shape them into better people, but it isn’t a self-help book. It is a book about stories, and storytelling — the stories that drive our societies, and the way we tell them. And because of the commonalities of those stories, it is very much a book about us, and the way we view the world.
More importantly, it’s about how we can become better men. The book is about self-actualization at its core and has a replicable approach that applies to every man.
The Hero with A Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell, is ostensibly about myths and mythology. But the lessons in this book can help us identify and navigate the paths we take to better ourselves and the changes in our lives, in order to become better at change, and better people in general.
Campbell, a professor at Sara Lawrence College, studied lore from every conceivable culture; he looked at everything from the ancient religions of antiquity to the mythology of more modern religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
Campbell’s research led him to focus on comparative mythology; specifically, he looked at what myths from different cultures had in common, rather than what they didn’t. Everywhere Campbell searched, he found it: a single story-telling arc, the ubiquitous story that every culture from Mesopotamia to our modern Western Society uses to pass along information, tradition, and worldly perception. Collectively, Campbell put this information into his seminal and most influential work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
Borrowing a term of James Joyce, Campbell called this universal pattern the monomyth. You might know it as the Hero’s Journey.
It is a single myth, told in a thousand different ways; a single hero, with a thousand different faces. The monomyth is in every story you’ve ever heard, most of the movies you’ve ever seen — and it’s present in your own life, every day. And understanding it can make you a better man.
The Hero’s Journey and Why It’s Important
The monomyth begins with the main character, or Hero, in one place, and ends with him in another — both physically and emotionally. Campbell asserts that this Hero is the same regardless of the story, and that he appears in different forms. This is important because the hero can be the star quarterback or he can be the accountant in cubicle nine. The paths are different but the journey is the same.Within each journey, the Hero will encounter other characters that play an essential role in growth. Campbell labeled these archetypes (the Herald, the Mentor, the Goddess, the Trickster, etc.), and they appear in the vast majority of stories. It’s easy to spot an archetype once you know what you’re looking for. So whether the hero is Harry Potter or King Arthur or Frodo, his path is always very similar. Whether the mentor is Dumbledore or Merlin or Gandalf, his role is always to guide the hero.
This structure appears everywhere, but is most easily recognized in movies and books. Luke Skywalker starts his journey by leaving his home on Tatooine, having grand adventures, and fulfilling his potential as a Jedi. The events might be different, but the journey is the same one King Arthur takes. And this is the same exact course that prominent figures in religious stories all follow. Campbell shows us just how accurate this concept is, and how it replays over and over again. And it’s happening right now in your life, too.
Not yet convinced? Okay, let’s break it down with some examples and let’s take a look at the steps of the Hero’s Journey. While Campbell’s model is 17 stages, for the sake of brevity, I prefer the more abbreviated version used by Christopher Vogler in his book The Writer’s Journey.
Vogler’s model of the Hero’s Journey.
Now, looking at that picture, as well as
chart below, you’ll probably get a good idea of what each stage
signifies based on the name; the examples will drive home that all of
this is applicable to every story you have ever heard.
Stage of the Journey
|
Description
|
Example
|
| The Ordinary World | The Hero’s starting point | Dorothy Gale living on her farm (The Wizard of Oz) |
| The Call to Adventure | The Hero realizes that there is a larger world that he can be a part of | Harry Potter gets a letter from Hogwarts (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) |
| Refusal of the Call | In a moment of doubt, the Hero decides not to undertake the quest | Luke Skywalker tells Obi-Wan Kenobi that he can’t go to Alderaan (Star Wars) |
| Meeting with the Mentor | Either the first encounter with the Mentor figure, or the moment when the Mentor encourages the Hero to take on the Quest | Daniel LaRusso meets Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid) |
| Crossing the First Threshold | The Hero moves from the Ordinary World to the Special World, and sees the difference between the two | The Narrator walks into Tyler Durden’s house for the first time (Fight Club) |
| Tests, Allies, and Enemies | The Hero begins to undertake tasks that will help him prepare for the road ahead; he also meets friends who will aid him, and foes who will try to stop him | Frodo leaves Rivendell with the Fellowship of the Ring, and has to learn how to be on the road as he goes (The Lord of the Rings) |
| Approach | Internal and external preparation; usually includes an imposing destination | Neo and Trinity gather an arsenal before heading off to rescue Morpheus (The Matrix) |
| The Ordeal | The central conflict in the story, the big boss fight, where the possibility of death is imminent | Dorothy and her friends battle the Wicked Witch in her castle (The Wizard of Oz) |
| Seizing the Sword/Reward | Having slain the enemy, the Hero is free to take the treasure; sometimes this is an item of great value, like the Holy Grail, or a person, but very often it’s something more abstract, like the end to a war | After the death of the dragon Smaug, Bilbo and the dwarves are free to help themselves to his treasure (The Hobbit) |
| Apotheosis and Resurrection | Often, the Hero needs for all of his growth to come to a head and manifest itself all at once in a moment of enlightenment called apotheosis; this realization is the death blow to the old self and beliefs, and the embracing of the new; this is punctuated by a symbolic (sometimes literal) death and resurrection | The Narrator realizes that in order for him to stop Tyler Durden, he must kill himself — by making peace with his own death he accepts mortality, and is, for a moment, truly at peace; he shoots himself and lives, though Tyler is dead (Fight Club) |
| The Road Back | The Special World, with all of its lessons and adventures, may have become more comfortable than the Ordinary World, and for some Heroes, returning can be harder than the initial departure. | After the One Ring is destroyed, Frodo has a hard time adapting to life as a normal Hobbit in the Shire (Return of the King) |
| Return with the Elixir and the Master of Two Worlds | The Hero returns home changed, and uses the gifts he received and lessons he learned on the journey to better others; at the same time, the Hero must come to terms with all of the personal changes he’s undergone; he must reconcile who he was with who he has become | Luke, now a Jedi, restores balance to the Force, helping bring peace to the galaxy; concurrently, he is able to resolve his relationship with his father and move on (Return of the Jedi) |
But Campbell’s thesis is not simply that nearly every culture in history has found an identical and effective way to tell stories; it’s that the commonalities in storytelling exist because they are a fundamental part of the human experience. The monomyth isn’t only the structure of how we tell the undertakings of heroes and characters in stories, it’s also how we relate those stories to ourselves, and, in a very real way, how we understand the things that are happening to us.
I would take it a step further.
I believe that while the monomyth is exceptional for storytelling, and therefore exceptional for exploring cultural ideas, it can have just as great an impact when applied to an individual — when applied to you. Put somewhat more directly, the Hero’s Journey is the perfect lens through which to view any change in your life — whatever new journey you’re taking, you will go through all of the phases of the monomyth as you grow, adapt, and ultimately fulfill your goal.
Of course, I’m not the only one who suggests this. For years, the Campbellian model has been used by people in various fields to help people advance; for example, some therapists use it with their patients to help structure psychoanalysis. Similarly, it’s used to help people deal with the grieving process — after all, the 5 stages are grief each have their mirror in the monomyth. Still others use it for mindset or success coaching — helping people understand where they are in the journey not only provides a sense of comfort and control, but also a clear path, making it easier, conceptually, to get to the next phase.
Because all changes in your life can fit into this structure, whether you realize it or not, at any given time you’re going through at least one such journey — and mastering the ideology of the monomyth will make you more successful. Because not only is the Hero’s Journey a lens for viewing change, but it’s also an excellent operating thesis for propelling change forward.
Practical Application – the Journey of a Gym Rat
My exposure to Joseph Campbell and to the gym came at roughly the same period of time in my life. I was a sophomore in college and in need of massive changes to my mind and body. I was 25 pounds overweight, clinically depressed, and generally just unhappy. An inauspicious beginning to my tale, but true nonetheless. That year, I was assigned to read The Hero with a Thousand Faces in a class on Utopian/Dystopian literature. Within the first 30 pages, I was hooked.At that point, I certainly didn’t think I’d found a problem-solving methodology, but being a guy who was heavily into medieval fantasy and mythology, Campbell spoke to me as a storyteller. Reading Hero was immediately beneficial: it made all the books I was already reading even more accessible, and enjoyable. (And believe me, at 19, it was hard to imagine anything that could make re-reading The Lord of the Rings for the eighth time even more enjoyable — Hero did.)
Around this same time, I entered a gym, underwent a massive physical transformation, and changed my life in a number of ways. Not only did I build an impressive physique that opened a number of professional doors from fitness modeling and personal training to writing, but I also learned a variety of lessons that have carried over to every aspect of my life, and became successful in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
It might seem a little silly to think that getting fit helped me do better in school and have better relationships, and sillier still that it eventually allowed me to start my own business, live life on my terms, and even write a book. But it’s all true.
Perhaps more importantly, my transformation, and the lead up to it, was a step-by-step retracing of the Hero’s Journey. As I said, all changes can fit into this model. Let’s take a look at mine.
The Ordinary World – I was fat and depressed, but didn’t know much else. Like Harry Potter under the stairs or Frodo in the Shire, my Ordinary World was my everyday life.
The Call to Adventure – In my case, it was an actual phone call. At this point in my life, I was working in a retail store (Gap, of all places), and a woman called asking me to have 30 white polo shirts ready for her when she walked in. Long story short, it turned out her husband was opening a gym about 5 minutes from my house. At the moment, I wanted to make a change. Now, “I need 30 white polo shirts,” isn’t quite as dramatic as “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi; you’re my only hope,” but it got the job done.
Refusal of the Call – Change is hard. Sometimes the Hero is more afraid of change than they are of continuing to be unhappy in their situation, or body. The majority of the people who want to embark on a fitness journey (or any journey, for that matter) never get past this point; they think it will be too hard, or that they can’t change. Or, they start and simply give up. In my case, although I was interested in changing, I was nervous, and it took a few days before I mustered up the resolve to go check out the gym.
Meeting with the Mentor - Heroes can’t do everything on their own; we all need mentors. When I finally walked into the gym, I met the owner, Alvin. He had an encouraging manner and an inspiring physique. I took to him immediately, and let him guide me. When it comes to changing your body, that mentor doesn’t necessarily need to be a person with whom you have direct contact; the role of the mentor can also be filled by a book or even website. The author will help you without ever meeting you.
Cross the First Threshold – Threshold crossings happen throughout journeys, and the first is always the most impactful. It’s what separates the Ordinary World from the Special World. When I first joined the gym and started reading about fitness, it was like Dorothy stepping into Oz; there was so much to take in it was intimidating.
Tests, Allies, Enemies – As I began on my transformative journey, I quickly realized that there were people who wanted to help, and people who didn’t. Some people will support your fitness goals and avoid tempting you; others will call your goals silly and vain. Every time I went to a party or dinner, I had to deal with the invariable, “Just have a bite,” or, “Just one drink.” These things are tempting, but to make my transformation a reality, I had to pass these tests.
Approach – As I prepared for the final showdown — the real meat of the transformation — I had to arm myself to go through it. There were a lot of small events during this time — cleaning out your fridge and throwing all the junk away, restocking with healthy food, mastering proper exercise form, and learning about nutrition.
Central Ordeal – The Ordeal is about the act of change, and the necessity for it. As it applied to changing my body, this was the actual transformation program — that 16-week period where I focused ardently and made it my goal to bend my body to my will. Metaphorically, the Ordeal is about the war between the light and dark halves of your psyche, and your attempt to balance them.
Apotheosis/Resurrection – Anyone who has gone through a major transformation understands that the results of the Ordeal are pretty intense. In almost all cases, you achieve a sense of heightened awareness — not necessarily supreme enlightenment, but, at the very least, an unveiling of a world or experience previously hidden from your eyes. In my case, this was the realization that being fit was possible for me, and that all of the benefits of being in this “club” were mine. As a storytelling device, apotheosis is about becoming godlike, at least for a moment; in most cases, this only occurs when the character sets aside all resistance and fully gives in to the experience. In that moment, you will not be a god, but you will be like a phoenix — your new, better self rising from the ashes of the old one you’ve left behind.
Seizing the Sword/Reward – This is what you get after the battle — something for you. It’s when the heroes gather together and say, “Wow, look what we’ve done.” It may be a celebration, or a love scene. For me, it was an increase in self-esteem and health that accompanied my new body. Much more than that was the belief in myself that I could manifest change; I’d done this thing which I previously thought impossible, which instilled in me an unshakeable belief that I could do just about anything.
The Road Back – After the battle itself is over, the Hero must return home. This is sometimes more difficult than leaving in the first place. The Road Back is emotionally trying, because you fear that you’ll lose what you gained on the quest. In my case, I had some trepidation that once I was no longer in the throes of focusing on a transformation, I’d revert back to my former self.
Return with the Elixir – In the best of cases, Rewards are not just for the Hero, but also for everyone around him. Frodo destroying the One Ring brought peace to Middle-Earth; Harry Potter destroying Voldemort did the same for the wizarding world. Well, my transformation sadly didn’t end any wars or save the world, but it did help a lot of people. The act of changing helped me become a better version of myself; many of my better qualities were amplified. I was happier, and made other people happier; I was also more helpful, more dedicated, and (strangely) more punctual. My transformation also inspired others to take journeys of their own. More than anything, the knowledge that I’d gained over the years — starting with when I made my own transformation — allowed me to become a coach and author, helping first hundreds, and eventually thousands of people change their lives.
Master of Two Worlds – The last stage of the journey is when the Hero becomes the Master of Two Worlds — he is able to unite the light and dark within him. Metaphorically, this stage is about balance — about reconciling who you were with who you have become, and allowing yourself to accept both. For me, it was about mastering life in my new body — understanding all of the benefits it provided without going overboard in any direction. This was a continuation of the Road Back, and was about slowly moving away from the more extreme stuff and finding a way to live life and do things that normal people do, like go to dinners and have the occasional beer.
I should mention that at the time I made my fitness transformation, I didn’t realize that I had been on what could be called a Hero’s Journey — my familiarity with Campbell was fresh, and I wasn’t able to see the parallels quite as clearly. It wasn’t until I began my business (Hero’s) Journey that I understood that Campbell could be applied to anything. From that point on, I began to incorporate some aspects of the monomythic structure into my client’s programs and my lessons with them; I found that teaching Campbell helps teach fitness information, or at least drive the point home. And it was from this general understanding that I wrote my book, Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha. And I used that platform — a book that become a New York Times bestseller — to show how to use the Hero’s Journey to get in the best shape of your life.
Outside the Gym: Other Examples, and How Campbell Affects You
Of course, a fitness journey is just a single example of how the monomyth can be applied to your life. Once you know the general structure, it’s not difficult to plot journeys in all aspects of life — everything from your decision to enroll in college to your romantic relationships.It has exceptional validity with regard to love, actually — just look at the standard plot outline of a romantic comedy: boy meets girls, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back, could just as easily be boy hears the call to adventure, boy refuses call to adventure, boy goes on adventure anyway. In either case, through the assistance of a mentor (could be a wise-cracking friend or parent figure), the Hero will go on a journey of introspection and come out on the other side worthy of the girl.
A more detailed example might be that you get married, and settle into married life (Ordinary World). Your wife gets pregnant (Call to Adventure). You freak out at first (Refusal), but are obviously thrilled. Over the course of the pregnancy, appointments with your doctors (Meeting with the Mentor) help you and your wife (Allies) prepare (Approach) for the birth of the child (Threshold Crossing). Being a parent is now your main responsibility (Ordeal) and at the end of the quest there is your child — your legacy — who will carry on in the world after you’re gone (Return with Elixir).
Want a professional example? How’s this: you lose your job (Call to Adventure), and although you feel its loss and want it back (Refusal of the Call), you eventually decide that you want to move on to a new career. This can go in any number of ways, let’s assume you seek the help of a business coach (Meeting with the Mentor). Eventually, you decide to start your own business, or start a blog — something you’ve never done before (Crossing the First Threshold). There are a lot of challenges along the way, as well as successes and failures (Tests, Allies, Enemies). Follow this path to its ultimate conclusion and you wind up creating something — income, a book, a product — (Reward) that betters you (Apotheosis) and allows you to better the world (Return with the Elixir).
Closing the Circle
While the strength of the monomyth is certainly due to its universal applicability, perhaps the greatest benefit comes after it’s been applied. As I alluded to above, the act of change itself changes you.This principle is what allowed me to take the next step in my own journey and write Engineering the Alpha as a way to make the journey relevant to all men and help them see the path that could guide them to their biggest goals — whether physical, emotional, or social. The result has been a testing ground where thousands of men have been able to transform their lives in ways they never thought possible.
And it’s all because of Campbell. Understanding the Hero’s Journey is comparable to the moment when Neo understands the Matrix. It allows you to comprehend what is happening and why, and exactly how you should respond and react to make the best decisions possible. Life slows down, and when that happens you can speed up and make better choices that ultimately lead to change.
By going through a massive change, you will come to a greater understanding of yourself, and what you’re capable of. Success is a learned habit, and success begets success — the more positive changes you go through, the less resistant to change and growth you will be.
All that’s left is one simple question: Are you ready to become the hero? If so, it’s time to recognize your ordinary world, begin the journey, and ultimately become a better man and the best version of you.
Where are you in the Hero’s Journey? Let us know in the comments!
__________
John Romaniello is an angel investor, coach and nerd living in NYC. When he’s not rambling about the influence of the monomyth on comic books or the cultural importance of Star Wars, he spends time helping people change their lives and bodies. His new book, Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha: A Real World Guide to an Unreal Life (HarperCollins), debuted on the New York Times bestseller list, with a follow-up in the works.
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