Atreya Thomas's Blog, page 2

The Apex of Awakening

The apex of enlightenment is not an awakening “up and out” but an integration that brings our transcendental non-dual nature into a seamless relationship with our humanity. Many are finding out that no matter how profound an awakening we may have, our ordinary life is there waiting to be integrated and energized with our new found discovery. Take the challenge friends to find peace right here and now in the midst of the ordinary.-Atreya Thomas

"How do I manifest whatever I want?"

"How do I manifest whatever I want? I have a lot of ideas and nothing ever seems to happen no matter how hard I try!"The Final Cause for all things is Abstract Intelligence. In its unconditioned state it remains still and undisturbed. In this state, the smallest intention has an effect like a tiny pebble being thrown in still water, the ripple spreads out evenly over its surface; easily manifesting a wide reaching effect.Your intention is not making a splash because the surface of your mind is not still, therefore lost. Imagine throwing your little pebble into the roaring ocean.First, calm the sea of your mind by turning away from desire to seek experiences in the senses and the fulfillment of thought; drawing all energy to the center. It is the constant grasping into the waters of human consciousness that causes waves and disturbances.See the irony. One must seek the end of desire first and have an earnest dispassion for all outward things. Only then is one fit to command and manifest outward things with ease.-Atreya Thomas

Grieve Your Own Death if you Wish to be Free

Your life is the sacred offering and the only thing substantial enough to trade for Grace. Therefore, live in a constant state of sacrifice and accept your inevitable defeat while embodied. Lay down every thought, every feeling, emotion, and ambition. Whether good or bad, sad, horrible, your greatest shame and secret spiritual desire. This is a lifestyle where all is offered to death, which reveals itself to the devotee as the Transformative Principal of Love whose sole purpose is to consume you, and then rebirth you from the fires of Grace.-Atreya Thomas

SELF-CONTROL

A corner stone of the spiritual life is self-control. Self-control does not mean the mastery or control over one’s thoughts and the various forms of life. Rather, it is the ability to control one’s intent from following the impulse to coerce, manipulate, and change the various thoughts and sensations that enter our consciousness. To allow for the ebb and flow of form and allowing mind business to be mind business and not our business.-Atreya Thomas

Real Power

A single open heart can speak for the entire Universe.-Atreya Thomas

Awakening

Awakening can be defined as a fundamental transformation or dissolution of the exclusive “me” that has its identity in “I am the body and mind,” to a non-exclusive awareness that simultaneously sees itself in all things, times and places without a second of differentiation. This includes and incorporates your particular body and personality, which becomes energized and made bright by the force of unimpeded grace that now flows freely in every aspect of your life.-Atreya Thomas

Understanding Ego in Today's Spiritual Times

Bodies and minds will always be subject to the sway of nature, which makes possible the diversities of life and was never meant to be destroyed or got rid of. The word “ego” traditionally represents awareness completely identified with mind and body, therefore the emphasis is placed on the preservation of complex ideologies and the perpetuation of pleasurable sensations. It can go to great lengths to carry out this mission, while justifying subtle or gross acts of violence; either internally against oneself or externally against the “other.” We are all familiar with this definition of ego; and this particular entity does need to go and the idea of destroying it is correct.What happens after this destruction? I can tell you from experience that there is a personality that remains with seemingly similar attributes of the former ego. Many in the spiritual community still call this ego and therefore say “do not destroy the ego” etc. Right. We do not want to destroy this particular ego that is healthy and functional, as it must be present for practical affairs; but it is important to make a distinction if we are going to use the same word for two very different entities.The truth is the latter is an evolved version of the former, so are they both “ego?" Is the butterfly still a caterpillar? Yes and no. If you look closely, the body of the butterfly still retains its caterpillar form. In the case of ego, the evolved version is not compelled by self–preservation alone but is under the sovereignty of a balancing principle, a Supreme Intelligence which can’t but act in the direction of bringing homeostasis to all minds and bodies under all situations without acceptation.This balancing principle is sought by the dysfunctional ego which acts as a catalyst for its own evolution after it catches small glimpses coupled with the realization that it is “me” who stands in the way of experiential grace flowing through my life. After such a realization, ego offers itself to the living fire of evolution which turns out to be Love itself and evolves this ego into a servant; where it forever stays prostrated at the foot of its maker. Here ego or self, becomes an authentic expression of Self.-Atreya Thomas

Atreya Thomas *Video* Mastering the Heart

Faith

Faith is not something blind or having the quality of ignorance. Faith is scientific, experiential trust. We have faith that the chair will hold us and sit with ease because we have witnessed its integrity. Likewise, the whole point of transcending the mind and body is so that we can validate our eternal nature apart from all known phenomena and now trust the integrity of that within the entire spectrum of human experience.-Atreya Thomas

That Which Liberates Eventually Enslaves

That which we use to free our self will come to enslave us if we do not let it go when the time comes.-Atreya Thomas