PW 214: What opportunities arise for me when I focus on cultivating pure consciousness more frequently in my daily life?

1. Imagine you’re playing a game of pretend, and you decide to become a superhero. You can become whoever you want to be just by imagining it. Well, the same is true in real life. The thoughts you believe about yourself can be very powerful. If you believe you’re strong and capable, you’re more likely to take risks and succeed. But if you believe you’re weak and helpless, you might not even try. So it’s important to choose your belief wisely. One belief that can be very powerful is the idea that we are pure consciousness. This means we are not just our bodies or our thoughts but something deeper and more fundamental. If you believe you are pure consciousness, you can tap into a deeper sense of peace and understanding. You can let go of your attachment to earthly things like money, possessions, or even your body. And you can find a greater sense of purpose and meaning in your life. But this belief isn’t something you can just learn from a book or a teacher. You have to feel it in your heart and mind and know it to be true. When you have a firm conviction in this idea, it becomes a part of who you are. So just like you can become a superhero by pretending, you can become something greater by believing in yourself as pure consciousness. And when you do this, you can go beyond the limits of your body and even death itself. Christian D. Larson said, “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” What action can you take to strengthen your conviction in the idea of pure consciousness and its potential impact in your life? What’s your first thought? First thought, best thought.

2. Thich Nhat Hanh said, “The most important thing is to be able to question your own thoughts.” Think of your mind as a big book. Every time you have an experience, it’s like a new page in the book. All your memories, feelings, and thoughts get recorded on these pages. Sometimes, the things you experience can make you feel happy or sad, excited or scared. And these feelings can stick with you for a long time. They become part of your collection of impressions in your book. Now, your thoughts are like stories you tell yourself based on what’s in the book. Sometimes, these stories can be helpful and make you feel good. Other times, they can be negative and make you feel bad. But just because you have a thought doesn’t mean it’s true. It’s like reading a story in a book. You know it’s not real, but it can still make you feel something. If you believe every thought you have, you might feel disappointed or unhappy. But if you can be like the witness of your thoughts, like someone reading a book, you can stay calm and not get too caught up in the stories. So, what thoughts or stories do you tell yourself on a regular basis, and how do these impact your mood and behavior?  What’s occurring now?

3. Think of your mind as a big movie theater. The screen is like your mind, and the movie is like everything you experience in the world around you. Now, imagine that you’re the director of the movie. You get to choose what happens in the story and how it ends. The people watching the movie get to see whatever you create. In the same way, your mind is like the director of your life, it creates the stories and ideas that shape your experiences of the world. Like the people watching the movie, you see whatever your mind creates. But sometimes, your mind can create untrue or unhelpful things. It can make you believe things that aren’t real or make you feel scared or sad for no reason. So when you realize the true nature of concepts, concepts like you’re the person who can see behind the movie screen, you know that the things your mind creates aren’t really a part of you. They’re just like characters in a movie created by your mind. And when you can see this, you’re no longer just a character in the movie. You’re the person watching it, with the power to change the story. You’re not just your mind and its concepts but something deeper and more fundamental. What negative or unhelpful thoughts have been dominating your mind lately? Notice what just happened?

4. Imagine you’re wearing a necklace. This necklace is made up of all the thoughts and ideas that come into your mind every day. Sometimes these thoughts are good, like happy memories or exciting ideas. But other times, they can make you feel upset or confused. Now, imagine you’re trying to do something, like play a game or do your work. But the necklace keeps getting in the way. Every time you move, the necklace bounces around and distracts you. But if you can take off the necklace and put it aside, you’ll be free to do whatever you want without getting tangled up in your thoughts. The same thing is true in your mind. When you get caught up in your thoughts and ideas, it can be hard to focus on what you’re doing or feeling. But if you can learn to put those thoughts aside, you can become more stable and centered. When you’re centered, you’ll find that the constant chatter in your mind starts to slow down. When this happens, you can experience your true state, which is always there, even when your mind is busy. It’s a state of peace and stillness that’s always available to you if you can learn to quiet your mind and put the necklace of thoughts aside. What would it feel like to put the necklace of thoughts aside and experience a greater sense of stillness and peace? What are you feeling now?

5. Imagine that you are a fish swimming in a big ocean. The ocean is like awareness; the big, infinite, unchanging thing that surrounds you. You might not always notice the ocean, but it’s always there. On the other hand, consciousness is like what you see and experience as a fish. Maybe you see a beautiful coral reef or a school of fish swimming by. Those are the things that you’re conscious of. Consciousness is always about something, just like how you’re always looking at something when you’re swimming in the ocean. But sometimes, you might close your eyes and rest in the peaceful, calm waters of the ocean. This is like being in a state of deep sleep, where you’re not conscious of anything in particular, but you’re still aware of the ocean around you. So, awareness is like the big, unchanging ocean surrounding you, and consciousness is like what you see and experience as a fish swimming in the ocean. You can’t have consciousness without awareness, but you can have awareness without consciousness, just like how you can be aware of the ocean even if you’re not conscious of any particular thing. What opportunities might arise if you could cultivate a greater sense of awareness in your life?

6. Another way to think about it is like a puzzle. Your consciousness is like a puzzle piece that is meant to fit perfectly into the larger puzzle of the universe. When you surrender to this greater consciousness, you become the missing puzzle piece that completes the picture. Take a moment to reflect on what may be missing in your current approach to creating a state of pure consciousness. Do you need to address any gaps in your knowledge or skills? Do you need to develop a more consistent practice or find a new method that works better for you? What’s missing?

7. Imagine your consciousness is like a deep, still lake. When you are alone with yourself, it’s like looking down into that lake and seeing everything that lies beneath the surface, the good and the bad, the beauty and the flaws. It can be scary and overwhelming to confront all of that at once. So, people look for distractions to keep them from looking into the lake. They might throw rocks or create ripples on the surface of the water, but that only serves to disturb the stillness and obscure the truth that lies beneath. Similarly, when you distract yourself from your own consciousness, you miss out on the opportunity to truly know yourself and experience inner peace. Think about any habits or behaviors that may be preventing you from creating a pure consciousness. Are you avoiding certain practices because they are uncomfortable or challenging? Are you distracted by external factors like social media or work demands? Identify what you may be avoiding and see if you can take steps to overcome those obstacles. What are you avoiding?

8.  Have you ever played a game of dress-up, where you put on different costumes and pretend to be different characters?  Imagine that the feeling of “I am” is like playing dress-up, a game you play in your mind where you pretend to be a certain person. Sometimes, you get so caught up in this game that you forget you’re just pretending. You start to believe that the character you’re playing is really who you are, and you get upset when things don’t go the way you want them to. But when you start to explore spirituality, you can remember that you’re just playing a game of dress-up. You can take off the costume and see that who you really are is much bigger and more beautiful than any character you could ever play. So even though the feeling of “I am” is important, it’s also just part of the game you’re playing. When you can remember this, you can find more happiness and freedom in your life. What character do you play in your mind’s game of dress-up, and how do these characters impact how you see yourself and the world around you? Reflect on what is true for you when it comes to creating a state of pure consciousness. What are your core values and beliefs that guide your practice? What do you know to be true from your own experiences? Use this knowledge to inform your approach and stay true to your intentions. What would it feel like to fully let go of the characters you play and embrace your true self? What’s true for you?

9. Imagine that you’re playing with some toy building blocks. You’ve built a tower with the blocks, but it’s not very stable – it wobbles and shakes, and it’s not very strong. Now, imagine that you remove all the blocks that aren’t absolutely  necessary for the tower to stand. You take away all the blocks that are just there for decoration, and you only leave the blocks needed for the tower to be stable. This is like understanding who you really are. You need to take away all the ideas you have about yourself that aren’t absolutely necessary for you to be who you truly are. For example, maybe you thought you were a good artist, a fast runner, or a popular kid at school. But those things are just like the extra blocks in the tower – they might be nice, but they’re not essential. To truly understand yourself, you need to focus on the blocks that are essential, the things that make you who you really are. You are the person who is playing with the blocks, and that’s all that really matters. All the other ideas about yourself are just extra blocks that you don’t really need. It can be hard to let go of those extra blocks because you’re used to thinking of yourself in a certain way. But when you can let go of those ideas and just be yourself, you can be strong and stable like a tower made with only the essential blocks. When you understand that who you are is not defined by external things like your job, your family, or your hobbies, you can truly realize your limitless potential and be at peace. What would your life look like if you let go of those unnecessary blocks and focused on what’s essential? What is your ideal scenario?

10. Right now, you have a movie playing inside your head. It’s an amazing multi-track movie. It has 3D vision and surround sound. Your movie has smell, taste, and touch. It has a sense of your body; pain, hunger, emotions, anger, and happiness. It has memories, like scenes from your childhood playing before you. And it has this constant voiceover narrative in your stream of conscious thinking. At the heart of this movie is you experiencing this all directly. This movie is your stream of consciousness, the subject of experience of the mind and the world. What thoughts, emotions, and sensations are currently playing in your mind’s movie? What’s happening when you’re imagining your ideal scenario?

11. Have you ever been on a sports team or part of a club? You might have worn a uniform or had a special handshake that showed you were part of that group. But just wearing the uniform or doing the handshake doesn’t really mean anything if you’re not committed to the team or club’s ideas and beliefs. Renunciation, which means giving up things that aren’t important, is like being on a sports team or club. You might give up other activities or things you enjoy to show that you’re committed to the team or club. But the true meaning of renunciation is to connect with the consciousness in your body. This is like being connected to the feeling of being part of a team or club. It’s a feeling of being unbroken and fearless, connected to something deep inside you. And the ultimate religion is not really a set of rules or traditions but a way of understanding yourself as pure consciousness. It’s like understanding that you’re not just a player on a team or a club member but part of something bigger and more powerful. When you live with this conviction and understanding, you can experience a sense of peace and fulfillment that goes beyond just wearing a uniform or making a special gesture. It’s like being part of a team that’s so amazing, that it fills you with happiness and pride. So, consider any barriers or challenges that may be standing between you and your ideal scenario for creating pure consciousness. Is it a lack of time or resources? Is it a fear of failure or discomfort? What’s between you and your ideal scenario?

12. Have you ever had a favorite toy or stuffed animal you loved playing with? Some people believe we all have an inner toy, a special friend who can help us connect with our true selves and find happiness in life. And even though you might get older and feel like you know a lot about the world, it’s important to remember that you’re always learning and growing. We’re always like children, trying to figure out who we are and our life’s purpose. So, when you hold onto your inner toy, listen to that special friend, and pay attention to your true nature, it can help you find your way in the world. It’s like having a compass that always points you in the right direction. The amazing thing is that your inner toy is actually your own self. So, when you connect with your inner friend, you can tap into a deep well of wisdom and the love that’s always with you. Even though it might sound a little strange to talk about an inner toy or friend, it’s actually a really powerful way to find happiness and peace in life. It’s like having a really wise friend who always has your best interest at heart. If you’re feeling afraid or unsure about connecting with your true nature, it’s like feeling nervous about playing with a new toy or meeting a new friend. But just like how you might work through those fears and doubts to make new friends and play with new toys, you can work through those fears and doubts to develop a more open and curious mindset about connecting with your true nature. It’s like opening yourself up to a whole new world of possibilities and adventures. Consider what really matters to you when it comes to creating pure consciousness. Is it a sense of inner peace and connection? Is it a desire to live a more mindful and intentional life? What really matters?

13. Imagine you’re playing with a big tub of Play-Doh. The Play-Doh represents the vast consciousness that exists before you have a sense of yourself and the world around us. Just like the Play-Doh can be shaped into anything, this consciousness is limitless and without any boundaries. Imagine you take a little piece of the Play-Doh and shape it into a unique object, like a butterfly or a car. That little piece of Play-Doh represents you as a unique individual, but at the same time, it’s still a part of the big tub of Play-Doh. Similarly, we are each unique individuals, but at the same time, we are a part of this vast consciousness. Just like the little piece of Play-Doh can never be separated from the big tub, we can never be separated from this consciousness. To understand this, you must look within yourself and discover your true nature. It’s like digging deep into the Play-Doh and discovering the source from where everything comes. You must let go of your attachment to the shapes (the experiences of the world) and focus on the vast and limitless Play-Doh (the consciousness). Only then can you truly understand the source from where everything comes, including your own existence. Think about the potential impact of creating pure consciousness more frequently in your life. How will it affect your relationships, career, health, and overall well-being? What difference will it make?

14. Imagine that you have a treasure box within you. This box contains everything that you need for a happy and fulfilling life. However, most people spend their entire lives searching for happiness outside of themselves. They look for it in money, possessions, relationships, and fame. But the truth is, true happiness can only be found by opening that treasure box within and discovering what’s inside. The key to unlocking that treasure box is self-devotion. When you are devoted to yourself, you become aware of the infinite wisdom and love that resides within you. You also begin to see that you are not separate from others but rather part of a larger whole. However, it’s easy to get distracted by the things outside of yourself that seem important, like wealth and fame. It’s important to remember that these things are not the keys to happiness. The only way to truly unlock the treasure within is to hold onto your own self and devote yourself to discovering what lies within. So, just like a treasure hunter must focus on finding the treasure within a cave rather than getting distracted by the rocks and debris outside, you must focus on discovering the treasure within yourself. Reflect on the potential risks and benefits of creating the state of pure consciousness more frequently. What are the risks if you try something new or push yourself outside your comfort zone? What are the risks if you continue with your current approach, and what are the risks if you don’t make any changes?

15. Imagine you are given a blank notebook when you were born. As you go through life, you start filling up the pages with things you learn and experience. Sometimes you write things that makes you happy, and other times you write things that make you sad. But as you keep filling up the pages, you start to realize that some of the things you wrote may not be true or helpful anymore. Like that notebook, the things you know and have learned can bring you happiness or sorrow. But you have the power to decide what to keep and what to throw away. You don’t have to be stuck with what you learned in the past if they no longer serve you. It’s important always to question and reevaluate what you know so that you can continue to grow and be happy. Consider the adjustments you need to make in order to create a state of pure consciousness more frequently. Do you need to set aside more time for your practice? Do you need to find a new environment that is more conducive to concentration? What adjustments will you make?

16. Have you ever played with a Yo-Yo? When you throw the Yo-Yo down, it goes down and comes back into your hand. The Yo-Yo is like you. You have ups and downs in life, just like the Yo-Yo goes up and down. But imagine if you could connect your Yo-Yo to something bigger than yourself – like a really strong, sturdy tree. When you throw the Yo-Yo down, it still goes up and down, but it’s always connected to the tree. Even when the Yo-Yo is all the way down, it’s still connected to the tree, and you can feel that connection. This is like feeling a connection to something bigger than yourself. It’s like having a strong tree that’s always with you, even when you can’t see it. When you feel this connection, you feel like you’re a part of something bigger and more powerful than yourself. But sometimes, you get so caught up in trying to be great or important that you forget about this connection. It’s like you’re so focused on being the best Yo-Yo player that you forget about the tree that’s holding you up. When you explore non-dual devotion, you can start to let go of your need to be great and important. You can become really small, just like the Yo-Yo, and connect to something bigger than yourself. It’s like you’re connecting your Yo-Yo to the tree and feeling that connection. And one way to cultivate this feeling is to try to be present in the moment and focus on what’s happening right now. Just like how you need to focus on the Yo-Yo and the string to make it go up and down, you can focus on the present moment to feel that connection to something bigger than yourself. It might seem strange to let go of being great and important and just focus on the present moment, but it’s actually a really powerful way to cultivate a deep connection to something bigger than yourself and feel more at peace in your life. Think about the next steps you need to take in order to create pure consciousness more frequently. Do you need to do more research or seek guidance from a teacher or mentor? Do you need to develop a plan or set some specific goals? What needs to happen next?

17. Imagine that consciousness is like a movie that you’re watching. In this movie, there are two main parts. The first part is everything you see, hear, and feel in the world around you. It’s like a big, metaverse that’s happening all around you. The second part is the experience of being you, like the lead character in your own personal movie. Now, let’s think about how your brain works. Your brain is like a prediction machine that tries to guess what will happen next based on what it has experienced before. So, when you perceive the world around you, your brain constantly makes predictions about what you should be seeing, hearing, and feeling. Sometimes, these predictions can be a little off, which is why you might experience things like optical illusions or mishearing something someone said. But even when your brain’s predictions are correct, what you’re experiencing still is kind of a hallucination. It’s a controlled hallucination where your brain’s predictions are being reined in by sensory information from the world. And when we all agree on what we’re perceiving, we call it reality. The experience of being you is different. It’s more about control and regulation than figuring out what there is in the world. It’s like you’re predicting yourself into existence. So, what does all this mean? Well, first, it means that sometimes your brain’s predictions can go wrong, which can cause problems like depression. Understanding this can help you find new ways to treat these conditions. Second, being conscious is not just about having a smart computer program. We’re biological creatures, and our consciousness is shaped by our biology. Finally, it means that your personal experiences of consciousness are just one way of being conscious. There are many other possible ways of experiencing the world and ourselves, and they’re all based on the same biological mechanisms that we share with other living creatures. Take another moment to observe what is happening in the present moment. Are there any changes in your thoughts or emotions? Are you feeling more focused and centered? Use this moment to anchor yourself in the present. What’s occurring now?

18. Think of yourself as a seed that wants to grow into a beautiful flower. But sometimes, you need help from someone who knows how to help you grow, like how a gardener can help a seed grow into a beautiful flower. In this case, the wise teacher or mentor is like the gardener who can help us grow and learn more about ourselves. But the amazing thing is, we all have a special kind of gardener inside of us – our inner teacher or guru. This guru can help us connect with our true selves and find happiness in life, just like how the gardener helps the seed grow into a flower. By listening to our inner teacher and paying attention to our true nature, we can find our way in the world, just like how a compass points us in the right direction. And the best part is our inner teacher is actually ourselves. When we connect with our inner teacher, we can tap into a deep well of wisdom and love that’s always with us. Sometimes it might seem scary or difficult to connect with our inner teacher, but we can work through these fears and doubts by being open and curious. Like how a seed needs water and sunlight to grow, we need to give ourselves space to grow and learn more about ourselves. By doing so, we can find happiness and peace in life, just like having a wise friend who always has our best interest at heart. Check in with your emotions and see if there are any shifts or changes that have occurred. Are you feeling more positive or motivated? Are you experiencing any resistance or doubt? Acknowledge these feelings and use them as information to guide your practice. What are you feeling now?

19. Imagine you’re watching a really long movie. It has a beginning, end, and everything that happens in between is like the story of your life. You have a name, a family, and a lot of things to do in the movie. But the director of the movie is actually “time.” Time is like the boss that makes sure everything happens in the right order, just like a teacher who makes sure everyone takes turns. Your birth is just one part of the story that time is telling, and one day the story will come to an end, just like the movie. But even though the movie will end, time keeps going, just like a clock keeps ticking. When you realize that you are a part of time’s story, it can help you appreciate every moment of your life and make the most of the time you have, just like you might enjoy watching a movie more when you realize how special it is. Reflect on any thoughts or feelings that may be lurking beneath the surface but that you have not yet expressed. Is there something you need to say to yourself? Is there a fear or concern that you need to address? Use this as an opportunity to bring any hidden thoughts or emotions to the surface. What are you not saying?

20. Take a moment to reflect on what you have learned from this process of introspection and self-coaching. What new insights or revelations have you gained about yourself from this practice? Use this wisdom to continue to grow and evolve in your journey toward pure consciousness. What opportunities arise when you focus on cultivating a state of pure consciousness more frequently in your daily life? What’s your insight?