Enhance your Human Experience
We all do the best we can with the level of consciousness we have at any given moment in time and this level of consciousness is always in flux. In some moments, we’re more in tune with the vibrations of states of higher consciousness such as when we feel compassion, acceptance and love. Other times we fall in behaviours that resonate with lower consciousness and that’s when we fall in self-judgement, hate, intolerance and general negativity. With compassion, love arises; through love, awareness and grace arise…giving way to awakenings, or “Ah Ha!” moments, and other higher levels of consciousness that allow us to transcend our limitations. In this higher state, our behaviours get in sync with such things as selflessness, unconditional love, service to others and forgiveness; all of which dramatically enhance our human experience.
Photo by Mel Elías
Our True Nature
Your true nature lies not in discord or disregard for others but rather in being connected to everything and everyone through compassion. When your understanding of this becomes a personal truth, you can move into a state where you’ll see life through a different lens, one that does not distort reality but rather shows you that we are all interconnected, linked by compassion for one another, linked by our common human experiences that involves suffering but also includes all the joyous experiences to be had. This compassion however gets distorted with the layers of programing that have accumulated in our consciousness, giving rise to conditions and limitations we set when interacting with our environment and the people around us. To return and shift back to your true nature, which is seated in true compassion, we must all work on ourselves. We must refocus and see beyond the programs and conditionings we’ve accumulated and the starting point for this shift to happen starts with the acknowledgement that our limiting behaviours and actions that we experience comes from lower levels of consciousness, a predicament that we find ourselves in as it’s happening in the moment. Once this is acknowledged, it’s possible to take a step back and observe the program, observe the limiting behaviour that you find yourself engaged in and with that observation and realization, your level of consciousness will automatically shift into higher gear where you’ll be able to use your volition and shift away from the negative and limiting behaviour; replacing it with self-compassion as you realize that it’s not the behaviour or the program that defines you but rather the ability to see it and walk away from it.
Photo by Madi Robson
Acknowledge Your Limitations
We may not like to acknowledge our limitations because we associate that with weakness and character flaws but it’s only in the acknowledgement that we can begin the inner-work needed to change the way in which we see ourselves and those around us and the predicaments we find ourselves in.
Photo by Ivan Obolensky
The Acknowledgement of Limitations Sadhana
Prep work: on a piece of paper, write the following phrase which will become the mantra you’ll be repeating for this sadhana exercise.
“Even though I have limitations, I accept myself and acknowledge that I will rise above those limitations.”
Step-by-Step
1- Take out the piece of paper that you’ve written your intention on for this 21 day blog series (as explained in my introductory blog post) and as you read it, let the intention fill your mind and your spirit.
2- Sit in a comfortable and relaxed position, or lay down on a mat.
3- Light a candle and incense if you like, to help create a meditative mood.
4- Set your timer for 21 minutes.
5- Have the paper with the mantra noted above by your side, or better yet, learn the phrase by heart.
6- For the next 21 minutes, recite the mantra over and over again focusing only on the words you’re speaking. “Even though I have limitations, I accept myself and acknowledge that I will rise above those limitations.” If your mind wanders, bring your active focus back on the words you’re speaking.
7- When the 21 minutes are over, with eyes closed, sit in silent observation for a few minutes and take note of any thoughts, emotions and inner-sensations and do so without judging them.
8- Now, express gratitude for having taken this time for yourself and for having completed this sadhana and journal your experience.
The Next Blog – Blog 5 of 21
In my next blog post “Enhanced Living – Forgiveness, Blog 5 of 21” we’ll explore forgiveness which can remove the attachments we place to the drama and suffering that we so easily identify with that comes from our past.
Visit WWW.LMBLANCHARD.COM for more information about the author’s work, books, CD and various meditation techniques.