The Truth of Reactions

In my life, I have tried to be Good and Pure and True. In these qualities, I have failed miserably. Why is it so hard to be good? Why is it so difficult to act in harmony with our mental ideals?

From the sea of Emptiness, everything arises.

Many people on the spiritual path eventually come face to face with their "Dark Side" - that part of themselves that is very, un-enlightened, selfish and spoiled. Reactions are a great mirror. We shout at the driver who cut us off. We take advantage of our employees because they really need the job. We cheat on our diets, our spouses, and our promises. We want to be good. We want to live in harmony with our spiritual nature, but sometimes, sometimes when lust, fear, or power overwhelm us - a demon seems to take charge of our actions. He makes us do things we regret if others see, and "forget" if others don't.

The lion kills the gazelle. The ice kills the last dinosaur. Man loves Woman. Man kills Man. Man creates monuments to the Gods.

Reactions. Words are easy. It is easy to say you are good, to say you love everyone and everything, to think to yourself that you are enlightened, to imagine that you give selflessly to the unfortunate. But actions, particularly re-actions are the great indicators of our deeper nature. Your "dark" reactions - both physical and emotional - are what the spiritual seeker must boldly face if they are ever to progress past a rudimentary taste of Inner Peace.

To survive, He kills. To spread his seed, He goes to war. To teach his children, he works his life away.

There are a million self-help books out there. Countless psychologists and billions of people who will all tell you exactly what you need to do to make yourself "better." Let me posit that you don't need to be fixed. Let me further posit that the only thing any of us are guilty of is a little fantasizing.

At his base, He is an animal. At his apex, He is a god.

One of the gifts of humanity is the gift of imagination. The problem is, sometimes we don't realize that we are imagining. We believe some fantasy about who we are and all our "problems" rear up and slap us in the face when we don't live up to that fantasy. Let me say that again. Our problems arise when who we really are conflicts with who we think we are.

Self preservation. Procreation. Possession. Defending the Tribe. Attacking to Survive.

You are selfish. You do lust after your neighbor's wife. You really do want to be famous and rich and powerful. Your fantasy says these are all off limits to the spiritual seeker. That if you were a good man/woman/god you wouldn't have those feelings.

War and Peace. Good and Evil. Love and Hate. Me and Them. One cannot exist without the Other. One cannot exist without Two.

So which is more real, your fantasy persona or your true, if somewhat repressed emotions? All this might sound a little funny coming from a man who claims to see God (a female god nonetheless) in a discarded banana peel, but damn it, I know my viewpoint is an illusion. Most seekers don't realize their fantasies are really only mental images - ideals that exist only in their minds.

Below it all, the Source. Below it all, Emptiness. From the sea of Emptiness. All life arises.

Your "dark" reactions are simply little indicators of where your true self deviates from your imagined self. Deny your nature and live your fantasy. Embrace the Darkness, feel the burn - and you will quickly find the Light.

Wayne Wirs is the photographer and author of Fading Toward Enlightenment - Life between the Ego and the Ethereal. For more information about Wayne, his writings or his photography, please visit http://fadingtowardenlightenment.com

affordable house cleaning Park Ridge ..
In The News:

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.
Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.
Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.
The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.
OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.
Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.
LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.
Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.
Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.
Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.
MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.
The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.
Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.
Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.
Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.
Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.
Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.
Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.
Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.
Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.
New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.
A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

Karma: Is It Good or is It Bad? You Decide!

We hear this word so often and have one thing... Read More

The Easiest Way to Overcome Vanity

Vanity - it's easy to mask, easy to forget, and... Read More

Is There More To This Life?

I often ask myself this question. Not in the times... Read More

Lance Armstrong had it Right-- Every Second Does Counts!

I have been counseling people on weight loss, exercise efficiency... Read More

The Emptiness That Binds The Universe

What is the opportunity here? What is the benefit of... Read More

Actualizing Personal Truth

Self-actualization comes down to three basic premises: this is who... Read More

Creating A Tithe Account

Almost every spiritual and religious teaching exhorts its followers to... Read More

Belief, Designed For Life!

Liam says to Joe; "where is your God now, when... Read More

Jesus Christ: One Can Reach God Only Through Him - Is this Statement Correct?

Catch the express or the super fast bullet train. If... Read More

Forgiveness

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,... Read More

Will the Angels Abandon Us?

If we don't behave according to a specific church's doctrine,... Read More

Anam Cara - Life as a Box of Paints

Lonely Song"a box of paints - lament for my da"It... Read More

Am I W.Y.S.I.W.Y.G.? Are you?

If you spend a hundred bucks and buy the right... Read More

The Mystery of Purpose

Some men see things as they are and say, "Why?"... Read More

How I Met My Angel

Today I was in rather a whimsical mood, and so... Read More

Life as a Human/Medium/Psychic Being

We often forget that we are human beings first, and... Read More

Word Sculptures of a Mystical Experience

The Mystical Experience"The mysteries of life become lucid ? and... Read More

E.V.P. (A Beginners Guide to Electronic Voice Phenomena)

WHAT IS E.V.P.?EVP stands for electronic voice phenomena, some believe... Read More

Truly Save

I can truly say to this day of August, 2005,... Read More

Loving People In Spite Of Them, Not Because Of Them!

Before the movie "Finding Nemo", came out Steve Jobs the... Read More

Enlightenment Takes You to Selfishness

An act of selflessness is the highest expression of selfishness... Read More

It Took a Banker to Show Me What Jesus Was Talking About

On January 13th 1982 an Air Florida flight crashed off... Read More

Getting Beyond Imperfect Examples & Resistance, to Receiving Loving Guidance & Help from the Father

As soon as he saw me I saw him. It... Read More

Spirit to Spirit: A Letter to My Friend

Good morning beloved,I always feel a need to let people... Read More

Spiritual Growth: Measures for How Youre Doing

In my yard are quarter-circles of grass growing taller than... Read More

affordable house cleaning Mundelein ..