Journey To The Self – Viaje Hacia El Ser

Blog

  • Mindfulness and Meditation 

    Photo of me by Hinton Faram in Tenerife

    Awareness of Awareness is one of the meditation practices I come back to again and again.

    I have been doing some kind of mindfulness practice since 2006, and although I know all the theory there is to know about how sticking to one only practice normally brings more ‘results’, my ever questioning and curious nature couldn’t do it, especially if I am in it not for any kind or ‘result’ but to just be (ok, truth is, also to understand the nature of reality and our minds).

    So I have been trying many methods over the years, and every few months or so, I change it over again or mix and match.
    I love Japa Mantra (the repetition of a mantra or sacred vibration for normally 108 times) as it focuses the mind on something specific, easier to maintain concentration, and I use this practice specifically to create some kind of connection to the ‘divine’ (within and without). I also feel attraction for Buddhist meditation techniques especially Zazen, Tonglen, Metta (loving-kindness) and the techniques of Dream Yoga and yoga to prepare for the Bardo (after death).

    My favourite one is drifting away to Awareness of Awareness at the end of anything I practice. I start by observing my breath, sensations in the body, and once mind and body have settled in their ‘natural state’ I just stay there, observing ‘who’ or ‘what’ is making the observing. In the beginning of times so many years ago, I remember clearly thinking I was crazy, feeling there were more than one of me making the observing. I can’t stress enough how interesting this process is.

    It is a very subtle practice and to be honest, I think it isn’t easy for those just starting on the path of self-knowledge, but you never know. Some people find it easy to concentrate with an actual object such as a symbol, image, sound, etc. and others, like me, find it easier or more fulfilling to observe the subtle mind.

    Anything you choose is ok. There is nothing written anywhere that must change how you are. My recommendation is that no matter what, just sit or lie down to observe something at least 5 minutes a day, it will slowly start changing the way you perceive ‘reality’.

  • Quién eres? 

    Si limito lo que soy a las etiquetas que el mundo me pone, o si limito lo que soy a las barreras que yo misma me impongo, nunca podré simplemente Ser.

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    En realidad, el secreto está en la identificación.

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    Nos identificamos con nuestros nombres, lugares de origen, carreras, trabajos, anhelos, recuerdos, deseos, nuestras historias, las historias que nos contamos, sentimientos, emociones, patrones, y un largo etcétera.

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    El ego es necesario para vivir en interrelación en el mundo, pero lo que es verdaderamente necesario para encontrar la paz y tranquilidad mentales es saber quiénes somos en realidad.

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    Comprender que todo eso a lo que nos agarramos por miedo a no ser “nada/nadie”, no somos nosotros. El dejarse caer en el infinito silencio es en realidad la llave a la libertad.

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    Nosotros somos la atención en sí. La consciencia observándose a sí misma. La vida viviendose a sí misma, rozando la eternidad en su respiración.

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    No somos aquello con lo que nos identificamos. Somos la consciencia en sí antes de la identificación.

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    Quién eres tú entonces?

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    Sólo por hoy observa… Quién eres? Quién está respirando?

  • Life lessons

    Duality – by me

    There is this lesson everyone mentions at least once in their life where they start paying more attention to the people who actually love and support them, and leave or let go of those who don’t. Toxic people, relationships, environments, jobs, etc.

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    This is a great way to keep safe, to keep protected, to live with motivation, to feel some kind of belonging. It is great to keep someone or something that makes us suffer away from us. It also makes me think a lot about how this is also separation, another type of illusion, of false safety.

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    If we only surround ourselves with those who think like us, or with comfortable situations, aren’t we closing the door to learning new things? To experiencing other aspects of life? Like learning how to disagree in an argument without losing respect; like learning to love and appreciate someone whose life choices you don’t necessarily agree with; or simply learning things outside of your comfort zone?

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    I feel I have learnt the most when I look back and I appreciate the ‘difficult’ moments and relationships of my life. When things are flowing, and all is good, I am thankful, I enjoy the peace, but I also continue learning from those past experiences and analysing them, and seeing how they feel after a while. The same thing I do with my beliefs, opinions, values, thoughts. I revisit them again and again, because they change as much as life, reality, existence, does.

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    From the actual absorption of those lessons, after a bit of time, I feel confident enough that the next time I am faced with a similar situation, I will first stop, breathe, and then act. If I don’t, because I am not capable of catching myself in time before reacting to a trigger, I try to treat myself with love and compassion. Try again and again. Creating a habit.

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    What is clear to me is that life itself is a constant practice, and for that, I am thankful. I truly feel that being an eternal student of life and of myself is all I ever need. Forever practicing in this journey.

  • El camino es el camino

    El tiempo no pasa, somos nosotros los que caminamos por el sendero del presente eterno.

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    Siempre pienso que el Yoga es para todos, pero en realidad, es para aquellos que de verdad quieran descubrirse a sí mismos completamente. Sin esconder nada. Sin huir de nada. Abrazando cada rincón más aislado de nuestro ser. Aunándolo todo bajo un velo de claridad.

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    Cuando practicamos Yoga, no sólo lo hacemos en esa hora semanal que vamos a clase, o lo que hacemos en nuestra práctica diaria de mover el cuerpo, respirar, rezar o contemplar y meditar. Practicamos Yoga en cada instante de nuestra existencia. Cada respiración. Observamos nuestra postura, nuestros sentimientos, nuestros condicionamientos, patrones. Y observamos aún con más ahínco nuestra mente, nuestros pensamientos. Por qué pienso esto? Por qué creo esto? De dónde viene esta reacción? Puedo quedarme aquí abierta a la posibilidad? Puedo simplemente ser? Estar aquí presente? Aceptar?

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    No es un camino fácil. Pero no puedo pensar en ninguna otra opción que ser yo misma, y para ello, conocer plenamente quién soy. El camino del auto-descubrimiento es eterno. Si te quieres embarcar en él, es para ti. El sentir esa necesidad de búsqueda, ese anhelo de verdadero saber universal del Ser.

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    La búsqueda es sólo el comienzo. El entender, comprehender con cada célula de nuestro ser que no hay nada que buscar, es el verdadero descubrimiento.

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    El camino, es el camino.

  • As It Is

    Photo by me in Tenerife

    When we live from within the world changes. Not because it stops being what is has always been, but because the way we see and relate to it is different.

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    There are as many ways to view life and the world as there are people and perspectives. Each of us walks through life on a different path. Every one of us experiences reality in a personal manner, from a personal view point.

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    Why this need to be tagged, compared, judged? Why this need to be something we are not?

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    The more time I breathe in this body, living this life, the less I know why and how we got everything so mixed up. The more time I live my life from within, the less I care how it looks from without.

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    Because I know. I truly know that nothing is absolute, there is no absolute reality, no absolute beauty, or truth. Everything is always changing. So am I. So are you. And I think that is a miracle. To be able to always flow and never stagnate.

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    When doubt and fear creep in and I start seeing the world with dark glasses, I surrender the thoughts and emotions to the ocean, or to the greater Knowledge of what is. I know in a while, I can see things as they are, not as I want them to be.