Where is my centre?

We think of centering as a continual narrowing of focus until we touch the pearl… but in practice centering is a continual expansion of focus until we become the ocean - Stephen Levine

I thought to take this quote as a starting point for my meanderings this morning. Everyone from new-agers to healers to life coaches talk about centering. What does it mean to be centered? With all the chaotic whirlwinds of a modern life, it is an important aspect to being alive in the world. Holding your centre in the storm of it all.

With the illusion of the ego as a solid state we might fall into a trap of holding that coalescence of consciousness there. Perhaps there is another way as the above quote initimates. We merge with everything. We centre ourselves in the reality that all is One. All is an expression of Spirit in its many myriad of forms. What is it that seperates us? So, centering becomes a practice of centering yourself in that truth. There is no solidity to hold on to. There is only expansive awareness arising out of the body and shining forth in limitless directions.

Your whole being centres itself in the holarchy of all phenomena. Nested within an infinite expression of forms and interplays of consciousness. We rest in the truth that truly nothing is seperate from us. Centering then becomes an expression of Spirit shining forth in this very moment. Centering doesn't become another dead practice for upholding the small ego on its throne. Centering allows us then to de-centre from ego and flip it on its head.

We centre in Truth. We de-centre illusion. This is Spirit actively living out its truth.

Stories...oh those old refrains

Today, or to be honest for the past few months I have been talking to alot of friends (and other poor bystanders who get caught in the maelstrom of my conversational gravitas) about the stories that our egos like to spin. These long-winded currents that we get swept up into and float along the river of old refrains. Not the truth. Certainly not very useful. Unless you happen to like the story but that is another story altogether. How fickle this judging mind.

Meditative practice is all about sitting in non-judging awareness. The preliminary ground of all phenomena that arise out of just this very witnessing awareness. We make friends with this ground that all states arise out of. We become familiar with our own basic nature that can hold all things, good and bad.

Where do stories fit in with all this malarky you may ask?

What would it be like to be able to watch your story but not buy into it? Meditation allows us the resting capacity of this. Many times I have seen the act of my mind latching onto a simple phrase, and like a spider spin it into crystal lined webs for me to ravel myself up into. If you sit in that space that allows even the story and your part in it suddenly you see that it is all made up. It is all illusion. Illusion in its truest sense - not this reality. Another alternate universe where you are wronged or you are a saviour or a glorious ego-king almighty and powerful.

Each moment is its own truth. When you can detach from the story and witness it you begin to see the truth of it. It has no independant existence. It is like an ethereal mist. You can get lost in it or you can sit and watch it til it passes and make your journey through the wood of life free from blindness. It is all in how you hold it. All in how you practice coming back to this very moment and seeing the truth of it. This is all you have.

And if any of you get it right for more than 5 % of the time...please give me a call and tell me your secret. Practice makes, not perfect, but just right, as it is.

Just a single step

To begin something, for me at least, has always been a difficult thing. In my supplement pack today I got the quote, "Energy creates energy". The momentum of starting something up keeps that very thing going once you have pushed some energy into it.

So why this blog? Just my fingers crossing the atlas of a keyboard and seeing what comes to the fore. I hope to explore issues ranging from bodywork, consciousness, meditation, integral living and many such topics. I want to allow it to be an organic process of sharing and developing these ideas with others.

My fundamental question: what is it for little-I to live a conscious life in this world of complex systems and the immense cosmos? I have always looked up into an inky night and felt a deep connection to this little speck floating amongst the stars and all of us who live on it. The heart longs to connect and know the other...yet we are uniquely us and alone. The divine paradox of aloneness and connection. Compassion our only cord to resonate with others and let that aloneness be something of value. Something to cherish.

A truth: we all suffer. Through that we can connect to the entire cosmos and as Chogyam Trungpa said "our genuine heart of sadness"...stars end their lives in fantastic explosions, we end our lives exploding our life-force out of a mortal coil. This blog an explosion happening in a blogosphere and seeing if a few telescopes are honed in on it.

Little-I. Sitting here. Typing. Allowing my core to integrate with the cosmos and connect to little-you. Take a moment. Breath in this very singular moment. We are.