On Monday, June 15, I started a fast from all foods and most beverages. Fasting is a part of every major spiritual tradition and is seen as a way to get closer to Source, God, Creator, I AM. It is also a way to purify and detoxify the physical body. The only things that I will consume for ten days are plain water or a yummy concoction of lemon juice, water, agave syrup, and cayenne pepper. This beverage is a variation of that recommended in a booklet called "The Master Cleanser," which some refer to as "the lemonade diet." Last week I spoke with my friend, Joe P. who was doing the Cleanser at the time. That got me thinking that this is actually a pretty good time for me as well. Thanks for the inspiration, Joe!
I purchased a citrus fruit juicer a couple years ago, along with the agave syrup recommended by Jack G. At the time he also recommended non-irradiated cayenne. I bought plain old Wal-Mart cayenne that has likely been irradiated, and Jack said not to use it! So I went to Whole Foods in Tulsa the other day and bought the organic lemons and the NON-IRRADIATED cayenne. In the past couple years, I've planned to carry out this fast on at least two different occasions. I even purchased the lemons. Then I didn't start, and the lemons all spoiled. But this time is different. I've been doing quite a lot of work lately on building good habits and self discipline, and now I'm actually ready : )
Day 1 was the 15th of June. I got up, started my daily meditation exercises, and proceeded with the first step of the "Master Cleanser" process. This involves drinking one quart of room temp water (purified, spring, or such) with two TSP of non-iodized sea salt. Also on the recommendation of Jack, I used the Himalayan Sea Salt, which tastes quite nice and has a bit of a pink hue to it, due to the mineral content. I drank it all down without a problem, although I was quite glad to be finished after that last gulp! The purpose of the salt water step is to cleanse the colon, and all I have to say about that is, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Next, I set to work preparing the lemon juice drink, which will be hereafter referred to as "the stuff." I got all of my supplies out and organized them across my kitchen cabinets in my usual anal retentive fashion. Then I rearranged them to improve efficiency. Then I arranged them all again, just for good measure! Once I had all of the supplies and tools ready, I started making the stuff. First I cut two lemons in half and juiced them. The recipe calls for two TBSP per 10 oz glass of stuff, so I decided to start with two lemons. I juiced them and measured out 10 TBSP of the lemon juice into my measuring cup along with 10 TBSP of the agave, which stirred together quite nicely into an amber colored liquid. I poured this from the measuring cup into an empty one-gallon spring water jug, which I figured would work well for shaking and storing the stuff. Next, I poured in the proper amount of water, 50 ounces, and added 1/2 TSP of cayenne. As the recipe calls for 1/10 TSP of cayenne per 10 oz glass of stuff, I decided to multiply the whole thing by 5 to make a larger batch, because who the fuck has a 1/10th TSP measuring device?!?!?!?!? Finally I shook it all up in the jug, poured my first 10 oz into the measuring cup, and poured it from there into my favorite crystal wine glass that I got from Hun (my grandmother, Lois) years ago. Voila! Tasty stuff!!! Jack was afraid that I would hate it, since he knows that I really don't care too much for sour things. But the stuff doesn't really taste sour to me at all! The agave sweetens it nicely and the cayenne gives it a nice, spicy kick! Even when I'm not fasting, I'll probably make this sometimes for beverage variety and to serve to guests.
Here's the recipe I used:
10 oz purified or spring water
2 TBSP agave syrup
2 TBSP lemon juice (FRESH SQUEEZED, ORGANIC lemons)
1/10 TSP cayenne pepper (NON-IRRADIATED)
Once again, I multiplied the whole thing by 5 for ease of preparation and storage. Had I multiplied it by 10, it would have not all fit into a one gallon jug easily. After making the first batch and measuring out all of the TBSPs of lemon juice and agave, I realized that two whole lemons juiced was basically the perfect amount for a batch, and that when I added the requisite agave syrup, it totaled a PERFECT 10 oz in the measuring cup! This will save a bunch of tedious measuring with the measuring spoon in the future. I also marked the outside of the jug with a black sharpie once I had all of the ingredients in so that next time, all I'll have to do is pour in the lemon/agave juice and then fill the rest of the way up to the line with water. This will save measuring out five cups of 10 oz each and pouring them individually into the jug.
The benefits that I expect to receive as a result of fasting are the following: First - it will purify my mind. Both the Buddha and Christ went out alone and fasted for some time and look how good they turned out!!! ; ) Second - it will purify my body, as the lemon juice and the salt water flush are purported to remove toxins from the system. Third - as my mind clears, my spirit will be more open to receive wisdom in meditation which I now practice daily. Fourth - I will more than likely lose some weight. Fifth - my stomach will shrink significantly, and when I do start eating again, smaller portions will suffice. Sixth - having purified my mind, body, and spirit, I will be ready to receive the teachings of the writing workshop that I'm attending in July.
So far so good! I'm on day 2 as I write this (Tuesday the 16th). I woke up with a slight headache, which might be a result of caffeine withdrawal or low blood sugar. Not sure which. Either way, it's not too bad. Yesterday I was somewhat hungry most of the day, but it wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. Today, I really don't feel hungry much at all... just a little bit tired and headachy. Everyone that I've talked to has said that after the third day, you really start to feel great, and that if you can just make it past that crappy first three days, you'll be fine. We shall see! Stay tuned for the next thrilling installment of "The Lemonade Fasting Chronicles!" ; )
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Out of the Metaphysical, Psychic, Spiritual Closet
OK, it's time to just come right out and write about all of the experiences that I've had over the past year that have convinced me of my own divinity, as well of the divinity of every other human. When I say "divinity," what I mean is that we are all part of something so large that I can't really find adequate words to describe it, but I'll attempt to capture it with something like "Universal Consciousness." I've alluded to this newfound knowledge, or recollection rather, in previous posts, and I've told a few of my closest friends about these happenings, but the time has come to write it all down. These experiences were generally surprising at the time that they occurred, and I didn't know how to process them when they happened. Gradually I've realized that * I AM * much more than just this gorgeous hunk of man flesh, or bag of cells and chemicals, or cognizant animal that you know as Eric Wayne Mix, D.O. I am consciousness that is incarnated or downloaded, if you will, into this body. Many things that I've read in the past year have helped to explain the occurrences which I am about to relate below. I've read quite a few books recently that have given me at least a partial explanation and understanding. If any of my behaviors have seemed strange lately, this will provide some background as to why I've been acting this way. Hopefully this post will make things clearer for everyone, including myself!
Not too long after I got sober in December of 2000, I began to feel like I was waking up from a long, but restless slumber. I even said to some folks, "I feel like I'm just starting to be awake for the first time!" A few months or years into my sobriety (freedom from alcoholic stupor) I started to notice synchronicities very frequently, particularly around the use of my phone. Whenever someone would call me on my cell, more and more often, I had JUST been thinking about them prior to the call. It was like I got a psychic call before I got an electronic call. It also happened the other way around, as I'd call someone who would say to me, "Oh, I was just thinking about you!" These little phone coincidences were simply a source of amusement back then. My explanation to myself at the time was that my mind was simply becoming clearer, so I NOTICED these things more often, as opposed to thinking that maybe they were OCCURRING more often.
Once I had taken my friend Gary to the airport in Corpus Christi, so he could go back to New York. I wrote my cell number on a slip of paper and gave it to him as I dropped him off. About a week later I thought, "I should call Gary and find out when he's flying back so I can pick him up." I called him right then, and when he answered he said, "Oh my GOD, you're never going to believe what just happened! I just finished putting your number into my phone, and just as I hit enter, the phone rang, and it was you!" By the time this one happened, I was starting to get used to it, and it wasn't such a surprise after all. We had quite a good laugh over it. Not only have these little "phone hits" continued, but they have gradually increased in frequency.
Another phone hit that REALLY freaked me out was not just a synchronicity, but rather an outright psychokinesis of sorts. That's about the best word I can come up with to describe what happened on a lazy day last summer. I had been playing phone tag with my friend Allycia all day long while I was flitting around Tulsa being the social butterfly that I am. I had made several other calls and had finished talking with my cousin, Machelle, after which I placed the phone into the cup holder in the console of my car and turned the screen off by pushing the top button. I left the ear phones (buds) in my ears and continued driving. After a few seconds, I heard the soft electronic buzz go silent, as it does shortly after hanging up the phone. Next the thought crossed my mind that I should try calling Allycia again. It was getting kind of late though, and I looked at the clock on the dash of the car which read 9:37. I thought, "Maybe I shouldn't call her now... It is kinda late... she's got a husband and little girl and all...." Then I heard that soft electronic hiss start up in the ear phones. This always happens right before a call comes IN, so I looked at the phone sitting in the cup holder to see who's name and/or picture would show up on the screen. Nothing on the screen, but the soft electronic hiss was still going off and on.... Tsssssst..... Tsssssssssssssst........... Tssst................... Tsssssssss..............Tsssssssssssssst...... Then came the sound of a phone ringing on the other end of the line, as if I had called OUT to someone else. I stared at the phone thinking, "Why isn't the screen on? And why does it sound like the I'm calling someone else?" I picked up the phone and continued staring at it, still hearing the outgoing ringing sound, and I thought, "What the hell?" I pushed the button on the top of the phone which activates the screen, and what I saw on the screen almost made me scream and drop the phone!!! On the screen it said, "Calling Allycia Jones." She didn't answer, but a second or two later her phone went to voicemail. I struggled to get out a few words.... something casual like, "Hey Allycia... phone tag, you're it! Talk to you later." It was all I could do not to scream, "OH MY GOD!!!! My friggin phone just called you by itself when I wasn't even touching it, but I was thinking about calling you!!!!!!!" This particular type of phone psychokinesis hasn't happened since. I don't know how it happened, but I'm absolutely certain of the fact that I wasn't touching the phone at all, other than the contact of the ear buds which were still in my ears. Nor is there any chance that I somehow hit a "redial," as I had been talking to someone else altogether before the phone called Allycia...either by itself, or with a little psychic nudge from my mind.
Not long after the psychic phone call to Allycia, I had another weird iPhone moment. This one took about 24 hours to play out though, and it involved the iPod function of the same phone and my dear friend, Jack. He and I had plans to meet one evening to have dinner with my friend Martha and then see a play afterwards. I was driving toward tulsa earlier in the day, listening to my playlist titled "Women" that has about 20 different female singers featured. As I got closer to Tulsa, I thought, "I wonder if Jack's done with his massage client? Maybe he'd wanna go to Lunch? Should I call him now? No... I'm too close to those cell towers, and the call will drop. I'll call him when I get closer to town." This was at about 11:15 am. Ten minutes later I called him, but got his voicemail and left a message. We didn't have lunch, but met later as planned and had a nice evening, after which I slept over on his couch. The next day we were running around town in my car, driving down the Broken Arrow Expressway when I asked Jack, "Do you ever get a song stuck in your head and wonder where that music is?" to which his head snapped around and he shot back, "You were listening to that Edith Piaf song yesterday morning, weren't you!?!?!?" Stunned, I replied that indeed I had been listening to it on the way to town. Jack said, "You sent that song to me!" As he was finishing up the linen changing process after his massage session the day before, carrying the towels through the kitchen to the washer, he said it was like BAM!! Suddenly someone had turned a stereo on full blast in his head with Edith Piaf wailing away in French, "Allez, venez, Milord! Vous asseoir à ma table...." Months before, I had burned Jack a copy of Edith's songs, "Milord" being at the top of the playlist. He'd listened to it a few times and then put it down and hadn't heard it for several months. On that day, as I was driving to tulsa, thinking about calling Jack, and listening to the song, "Milord," Jack suddenly heard it loud and clear in his head, but from about 15 miles away, apparently. Jack tells me this is an example of my clairaudience. Whatever it is, it feels to me like more than mere coincidence.
Backing up a bit to Spring of 2008, I had an experience which really jump started my interest in paranormal events. It was a dream (during sleep) the likes of which I have never had before or since, and It made a very strong impression on me, since it was so unusual. Throughout my entire life, in my dreams I have always been myself -- Eric Wayne Mix. Never in my dreams have I ever been any other person or creature, or in any different time frame from that in which I was living, in waking life, when the dream occurred. That's why this particular dream was so startling and unusual to me. Part of the reason it was shocking was the absolutely realistic quality. It did NOT have any of the surreality of my usual dreams, but rather was like a vivid scene in a movie in which I was starring. The whole thing lasted about 5 to 10 seconds worth of real time. In the dream, I was suddenly standing and looking down at myself thinking, "What the hell am I doing wearing this women's robe?" I had ahold of the left front edge of it and looked down the front and outside, noticing the gorgeous burgundy color and intricate pattern woven into the silk fabric. The edge that I was holding was a cream colored, quilted, tubular border. As I pulled the left side of it open, I noticed that the inside was equally beautiful gold silk, also with a beautifully woven pattern. There were small loops of cord about two inches each in the inside of the left side of the robe. Upon seeing them I thought, "That must be how to fasten it...I think it's called hook and eye, or something like that... but I don't know how to do that." At this point I looked up and saw a window directly in front of me about eight to ten feet away with bright mid-day sun shining through it. The bottom of the window sill was about three feet above the ground, and the overall height of the window was about three to four feet with the top of the window shaped into an arch. There was no glass in the window. It was just open to the air. I realized looking at the window that the wall into which the window was built was 1.5 to 2 feet thick and made of stone. Then I realized there were several people standing all around me. I didn't look at any of them directly, but I could tell that they were there in the periphery surrounding me. I felt very disoriented and nervous, knowing that they were waiting on me to do something. I thought, "They're waiting on me to fasten this, but I don't know how....OH YEAH....They're supposed to do this for me!" It was like I'd suddenly remembered the key variable in a complicated algebra equation in a moment of EUREKA! So, I held out my arms and waited for them to come to me and finish fastening my robe for me, as this was how things were supposed to be done. Then I woke up.
The experience of this dream really threw me for a loop, but I did have a slight inkling of what had happened. I had heard two of my close friends speak of remembering their past lives. I thought, "Could this be a past life experience?" Rather than a remembered experience, it felt more like * I * (my consciousness) had suddenly ended up in the body of a woman in the midst of an ordinary daily event in medieval life. I spent about 5 to 10 seconds there, then fell back into my body in the current time frame right as I woke up mid morning on a sunny late spring day, 2008, in my country home outside of Hulbert, Oklahoma. Whether it was a past life remembrance or a projection of my consciousness into another space/time/physical reality, it was most assuredly not an ordinary dream at all.
These experiences along with many others have convinced me of one thing -- I AM more than a physical body. The day to day physical reality that I experience with the five senses via this body is but a part of the dynamic, flowing, interconnected wonder of the universe. I KNOW that there is so much more just under the surface, waiting to be discovered. Rather than constructing a several-hundred-billion Euro particle accelerator to unlock the mysteries of the universe, I think I'll continue to hone my skills of concentration, attention, and meditation, thereby discovering who and what I AM. Having caught only the slightest of fleeting glimpses of that beneath the surface of reality with the experiences related above, I no longer have fear of anything on this physical planet. This body will decay but the I AM inside of it will not. I know not what lies in store for me after my journey in a human body on this planet, but I know that something else will continue on, even if it is just some of my heat and electromagnetic energy here on earth. At worst, death of this body will be the great, deep sleep from which I don't awaken. At best, my consciousness will continue into another incarnation of physical reality somewhere else in the universe, or it will join into the universal superconsciousness. Now I'm at peace with whatever may happen.
Namaste,
Eric : )
Not too long after I got sober in December of 2000, I began to feel like I was waking up from a long, but restless slumber. I even said to some folks, "I feel like I'm just starting to be awake for the first time!" A few months or years into my sobriety (freedom from alcoholic stupor) I started to notice synchronicities very frequently, particularly around the use of my phone. Whenever someone would call me on my cell, more and more often, I had JUST been thinking about them prior to the call. It was like I got a psychic call before I got an electronic call. It also happened the other way around, as I'd call someone who would say to me, "Oh, I was just thinking about you!" These little phone coincidences were simply a source of amusement back then. My explanation to myself at the time was that my mind was simply becoming clearer, so I NOTICED these things more often, as opposed to thinking that maybe they were OCCURRING more often.
Once I had taken my friend Gary to the airport in Corpus Christi, so he could go back to New York. I wrote my cell number on a slip of paper and gave it to him as I dropped him off. About a week later I thought, "I should call Gary and find out when he's flying back so I can pick him up." I called him right then, and when he answered he said, "Oh my GOD, you're never going to believe what just happened! I just finished putting your number into my phone, and just as I hit enter, the phone rang, and it was you!" By the time this one happened, I was starting to get used to it, and it wasn't such a surprise after all. We had quite a good laugh over it. Not only have these little "phone hits" continued, but they have gradually increased in frequency.
Another phone hit that REALLY freaked me out was not just a synchronicity, but rather an outright psychokinesis of sorts. That's about the best word I can come up with to describe what happened on a lazy day last summer. I had been playing phone tag with my friend Allycia all day long while I was flitting around Tulsa being the social butterfly that I am. I had made several other calls and had finished talking with my cousin, Machelle, after which I placed the phone into the cup holder in the console of my car and turned the screen off by pushing the top button. I left the ear phones (buds) in my ears and continued driving. After a few seconds, I heard the soft electronic buzz go silent, as it does shortly after hanging up the phone. Next the thought crossed my mind that I should try calling Allycia again. It was getting kind of late though, and I looked at the clock on the dash of the car which read 9:37. I thought, "Maybe I shouldn't call her now... It is kinda late... she's got a husband and little girl and all...." Then I heard that soft electronic hiss start up in the ear phones. This always happens right before a call comes IN, so I looked at the phone sitting in the cup holder to see who's name and/or picture would show up on the screen. Nothing on the screen, but the soft electronic hiss was still going off and on.... Tsssssst..... Tsssssssssssssst........... Tssst................... Tsssssssss..............Tsssssssssssssst...... Then came the sound of a phone ringing on the other end of the line, as if I had called OUT to someone else. I stared at the phone thinking, "Why isn't the screen on? And why does it sound like the I'm calling someone else?" I picked up the phone and continued staring at it, still hearing the outgoing ringing sound, and I thought, "What the hell?" I pushed the button on the top of the phone which activates the screen, and what I saw on the screen almost made me scream and drop the phone!!! On the screen it said, "Calling Allycia Jones." She didn't answer, but a second or two later her phone went to voicemail. I struggled to get out a few words.... something casual like, "Hey Allycia... phone tag, you're it! Talk to you later." It was all I could do not to scream, "OH MY GOD!!!! My friggin phone just called you by itself when I wasn't even touching it, but I was thinking about calling you!!!!!!!" This particular type of phone psychokinesis hasn't happened since. I don't know how it happened, but I'm absolutely certain of the fact that I wasn't touching the phone at all, other than the contact of the ear buds which were still in my ears. Nor is there any chance that I somehow hit a "redial," as I had been talking to someone else altogether before the phone called Allycia...either by itself, or with a little psychic nudge from my mind.
Not long after the psychic phone call to Allycia, I had another weird iPhone moment. This one took about 24 hours to play out though, and it involved the iPod function of the same phone and my dear friend, Jack. He and I had plans to meet one evening to have dinner with my friend Martha and then see a play afterwards. I was driving toward tulsa earlier in the day, listening to my playlist titled "Women" that has about 20 different female singers featured. As I got closer to Tulsa, I thought, "I wonder if Jack's done with his massage client? Maybe he'd wanna go to Lunch? Should I call him now? No... I'm too close to those cell towers, and the call will drop. I'll call him when I get closer to town." This was at about 11:15 am. Ten minutes later I called him, but got his voicemail and left a message. We didn't have lunch, but met later as planned and had a nice evening, after which I slept over on his couch. The next day we were running around town in my car, driving down the Broken Arrow Expressway when I asked Jack, "Do you ever get a song stuck in your head and wonder where that music is?" to which his head snapped around and he shot back, "You were listening to that Edith Piaf song yesterday morning, weren't you!?!?!?" Stunned, I replied that indeed I had been listening to it on the way to town. Jack said, "You sent that song to me!" As he was finishing up the linen changing process after his massage session the day before, carrying the towels through the kitchen to the washer, he said it was like BAM!! Suddenly someone had turned a stereo on full blast in his head with Edith Piaf wailing away in French, "Allez, venez, Milord! Vous asseoir à ma table...." Months before, I had burned Jack a copy of Edith's songs, "Milord" being at the top of the playlist. He'd listened to it a few times and then put it down and hadn't heard it for several months. On that day, as I was driving to tulsa, thinking about calling Jack, and listening to the song, "Milord," Jack suddenly heard it loud and clear in his head, but from about 15 miles away, apparently. Jack tells me this is an example of my clairaudience. Whatever it is, it feels to me like more than mere coincidence.
Backing up a bit to Spring of 2008, I had an experience which really jump started my interest in paranormal events. It was a dream (during sleep) the likes of which I have never had before or since, and It made a very strong impression on me, since it was so unusual. Throughout my entire life, in my dreams I have always been myself -- Eric Wayne Mix. Never in my dreams have I ever been any other person or creature, or in any different time frame from that in which I was living, in waking life, when the dream occurred. That's why this particular dream was so startling and unusual to me. Part of the reason it was shocking was the absolutely realistic quality. It did NOT have any of the surreality of my usual dreams, but rather was like a vivid scene in a movie in which I was starring. The whole thing lasted about 5 to 10 seconds worth of real time. In the dream, I was suddenly standing and looking down at myself thinking, "What the hell am I doing wearing this women's robe?" I had ahold of the left front edge of it and looked down the front and outside, noticing the gorgeous burgundy color and intricate pattern woven into the silk fabric. The edge that I was holding was a cream colored, quilted, tubular border. As I pulled the left side of it open, I noticed that the inside was equally beautiful gold silk, also with a beautifully woven pattern. There were small loops of cord about two inches each in the inside of the left side of the robe. Upon seeing them I thought, "That must be how to fasten it...I think it's called hook and eye, or something like that... but I don't know how to do that." At this point I looked up and saw a window directly in front of me about eight to ten feet away with bright mid-day sun shining through it. The bottom of the window sill was about three feet above the ground, and the overall height of the window was about three to four feet with the top of the window shaped into an arch. There was no glass in the window. It was just open to the air. I realized looking at the window that the wall into which the window was built was 1.5 to 2 feet thick and made of stone. Then I realized there were several people standing all around me. I didn't look at any of them directly, but I could tell that they were there in the periphery surrounding me. I felt very disoriented and nervous, knowing that they were waiting on me to do something. I thought, "They're waiting on me to fasten this, but I don't know how....OH YEAH....They're supposed to do this for me!" It was like I'd suddenly remembered the key variable in a complicated algebra equation in a moment of EUREKA! So, I held out my arms and waited for them to come to me and finish fastening my robe for me, as this was how things were supposed to be done. Then I woke up.
The experience of this dream really threw me for a loop, but I did have a slight inkling of what had happened. I had heard two of my close friends speak of remembering their past lives. I thought, "Could this be a past life experience?" Rather than a remembered experience, it felt more like * I * (my consciousness) had suddenly ended up in the body of a woman in the midst of an ordinary daily event in medieval life. I spent about 5 to 10 seconds there, then fell back into my body in the current time frame right as I woke up mid morning on a sunny late spring day, 2008, in my country home outside of Hulbert, Oklahoma. Whether it was a past life remembrance or a projection of my consciousness into another space/time/physical reality, it was most assuredly not an ordinary dream at all.
These experiences along with many others have convinced me of one thing -- I AM more than a physical body. The day to day physical reality that I experience with the five senses via this body is but a part of the dynamic, flowing, interconnected wonder of the universe. I KNOW that there is so much more just under the surface, waiting to be discovered. Rather than constructing a several-hundred-billion Euro particle accelerator to unlock the mysteries of the universe, I think I'll continue to hone my skills of concentration, attention, and meditation, thereby discovering who and what I AM. Having caught only the slightest of fleeting glimpses of that beneath the surface of reality with the experiences related above, I no longer have fear of anything on this physical planet. This body will decay but the I AM inside of it will not. I know not what lies in store for me after my journey in a human body on this planet, but I know that something else will continue on, even if it is just some of my heat and electromagnetic energy here on earth. At worst, death of this body will be the great, deep sleep from which I don't awaken. At best, my consciousness will continue into another incarnation of physical reality somewhere else in the universe, or it will join into the universal superconsciousness. Now I'm at peace with whatever may happen.
Namaste,
Eric : )
Friday, June 5, 2009
Rimpoche
Last night I was fortunate enough to be able to hear Khen Rinpoche Lobzang Tsetan speak in Tulsa at Congregation Fellowship Church. Rinpoche is an honorific title in the Tibetan language which means, "precious one." This particular Rinpoche is the Abbot of the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in India which is the main monastery of the Dali Lama. As far as Tibetan Buddhism goes, this lovely fellow is one of the most exhalted of spiritual leaders living today. The teachings that he transmits have been handed down over hundreds of years from Lama to Lama in an unbroken lineage and are as close as one can get to the original pure form of Tibetan Buddhism. What a privilege it was to hear him speak!
Rinpoche is an elderly gentleman who bears a STRIKING resemblance to my own late grandfather, Wayne Mix. He speaks English with heavy Tibetan accent, which I was able to understand by sitting on the front row and listening very intently. Dressed in red and golden robes, he walked up to the stage, beaming like Miss America the entire time! He removed his shoes before going up on stage, but kept his fluffy red socks on, walked to the lounge chair in the middle of the stage, and curled up in it cross-legged. Next, he opened up his brown, cloth bag and took out a shiny, gold lamay, spiral-bound notebook, and a bright, golden, cloth-wrapped something-or-other. After arranging everything on the table before him, he put on the microphone and proceded to greet us with a bow and an invocation prayer in Tibetan. Finally, he unwrapped the mysterious gold cloth covered package. Inside was a book, bound in what appeared to me to be green leather. From the front row (yes, I'm a TOTALLY nerdy, front row student) I could see the writing on the pages and recognized it to be Tibetan. The book was longer and narrower than a typical western book, and when he opened it up to read from it, I noted that the spine was lying horiontally, rather than virtically. He flipped the pages up and down instead of side to side.
Rimpoche began by reviewing what he had already covered in two previous lessons, which I was could not attend. Then he began the body of his discussion for the evening. His taught his lesson with eloquence, humility, joy, humor, and an absolute sense of conviction born of decades of personal experience of walking the path of Tibetan Buddhism. Although he taught much more than I can write in this blog, I would like to relate two of his key concepts. First, there are no things outside of us that cause suffering. There is only the EGO within us which causes the suffering in reaction to events. Second, EVERY time that we experience a negative emotion, we should say a quick prayer of thanks, because it is through experiencing these little burrs under our saddles that we are reminded to get back on the spiritual path, the point of which is to end suffering! Some consider the end of suffering to be enlightenment... in case you were wondering ; )
For Rimpoche and every PRACTICING Buddhist with whom I've ever been acquainted, these teachings are not simply something to be heard and believed with blind, unquestioning faith. Rather, everything taught in Buddhism is meant to be practiced, lived, experienced and KNOWN! Rimpoche's talk for me was a beautiful reminder of teachings which I had once studied and, for a time, practiced quite regularly. Somehow, over the course of the past few years, I've gotten sidetracked from the study and practice of Buddhist teachings and meditations; however, much of these principles have stayed with me and have become a part of my character, makeup, and way of relating to the world. I've been fortunate to be able to pursue many avenues of spiritual growth and development. The conclusion I've reached is that if I'm not moving forward, I'm sliding backward. The more effort I put in, the more peace and serenity I receive. The more I give, the more I get in return. I guess in conclusion, what I really mean to say is, "IT WORKS IF YOU WORK IT, ERIC!"
Rinpoche is an elderly gentleman who bears a STRIKING resemblance to my own late grandfather, Wayne Mix. He speaks English with heavy Tibetan accent, which I was able to understand by sitting on the front row and listening very intently. Dressed in red and golden robes, he walked up to the stage, beaming like Miss America the entire time! He removed his shoes before going up on stage, but kept his fluffy red socks on, walked to the lounge chair in the middle of the stage, and curled up in it cross-legged. Next, he opened up his brown, cloth bag and took out a shiny, gold lamay, spiral-bound notebook, and a bright, golden, cloth-wrapped something-or-other. After arranging everything on the table before him, he put on the microphone and proceded to greet us with a bow and an invocation prayer in Tibetan. Finally, he unwrapped the mysterious gold cloth covered package. Inside was a book, bound in what appeared to me to be green leather. From the front row (yes, I'm a TOTALLY nerdy, front row student) I could see the writing on the pages and recognized it to be Tibetan. The book was longer and narrower than a typical western book, and when he opened it up to read from it, I noted that the spine was lying horiontally, rather than virtically. He flipped the pages up and down instead of side to side.
Rimpoche began by reviewing what he had already covered in two previous lessons, which I was could not attend. Then he began the body of his discussion for the evening. His taught his lesson with eloquence, humility, joy, humor, and an absolute sense of conviction born of decades of personal experience of walking the path of Tibetan Buddhism. Although he taught much more than I can write in this blog, I would like to relate two of his key concepts. First, there are no things outside of us that cause suffering. There is only the EGO within us which causes the suffering in reaction to events. Second, EVERY time that we experience a negative emotion, we should say a quick prayer of thanks, because it is through experiencing these little burrs under our saddles that we are reminded to get back on the spiritual path, the point of which is to end suffering! Some consider the end of suffering to be enlightenment... in case you were wondering ; )
For Rimpoche and every PRACTICING Buddhist with whom I've ever been acquainted, these teachings are not simply something to be heard and believed with blind, unquestioning faith. Rather, everything taught in Buddhism is meant to be practiced, lived, experienced and KNOWN! Rimpoche's talk for me was a beautiful reminder of teachings which I had once studied and, for a time, practiced quite regularly. Somehow, over the course of the past few years, I've gotten sidetracked from the study and practice of Buddhist teachings and meditations; however, much of these principles have stayed with me and have become a part of my character, makeup, and way of relating to the world. I've been fortunate to be able to pursue many avenues of spiritual growth and development. The conclusion I've reached is that if I'm not moving forward, I'm sliding backward. The more effort I put in, the more peace and serenity I receive. The more I give, the more I get in return. I guess in conclusion, what I really mean to say is, "IT WORKS IF YOU WORK IT, ERIC!"
Monday, May 18, 2009
Closer to Fine
The title of this post comes to me this morning as I evaluate my mental and emotional states. Some may recognize it as a song title from the Indigo Girls, although the lyrics don't particularly match what I'm going through now, as much as the song title does. Lately, I've been experiencing much more serenity, calm, equanimity, peace, and joy throughout my days. This may sound ludicrous or far-fetched, but the absolute God's honest truth of the matter is that I can not remember the last time that I had what one would consider "a bad day." I do not ever experience them any more. From time to time I do have moments that annoy me, piss me off, enrage me, sadden me, or in some way make me feel bad; however, I'm getting better at catching my mind reacting with these negative emotions... quickly! Then I, the presence behind the mind, can laugh at the folly of my mind (ego) going through those detrimental mental gymnastics. More and more I'm able to act rather than react to any situation which may arise. As I experience more serenity, I am willing to tolerate much less drama. Sure, things continue to happen, but increasingly I'm able to handle them with calm, logic, and positive rather than negative emotions. My mind is a tool that I choose to use for my own enjoyment of this life and to help others to do the same IF THEY WANT MY HELP! Moving toward joy and away from suffering is what I'm doing. The end of suffering and the beginning of eternal bliss is known by some as enlightenment, heaven, or nirvana. Whatever it's called, I know that I want it for myself and for all sentient beings. So, as mentioned above, I'm getting "Closer to Fine" : )
Monday, May 11, 2009
New Directions
I just got back from a conference entitled "I Can Do It," which was put on by Hay House Publishing in San Diego, California last week. Many thanks to my dear friend, Wendy who told me about the conference in time for me to arrange a road trip through the beautiful desert southwest of the United States! The conference featured several authors of Hay House who gave talks on subjects relating to their respective writings. As it turns out, EVERY talk that I heard was individually worth the price of admission for the whole conference! I came back from this trip with a new vision and a new purpose for my life : ) More to come on that subject....
Monday, February 16, 2009
Ebb and Flow
Just as the sun, the moon, the seasons, and the tides rise and fall, so do my levels of energy, serenity, motivation, and health. Recently I've been on the upswing on all levels. I think this is due to the realization that it is time to transition to another phase in my life which does not include Oklahoma or Emergency Medicine. The Louise Hay video "You Can Heal Your Life" has really jump started everything!
A few weeks ago I came down with the latest GI bug that was going around. That afternoon I noticed that my stomach was aching a bit, so I went to bed. At 4:00pm I had to run to the toilet, beginning the 48 hour stretch of the trots. Fortunately there was no vomiting. I was able to make it into town to get the same supplies that I prescribe to my patients (or to my patients' parents to get for them). The B.R.A.T. diet -- Bananas, Rice, Apple sauce, Toast. I got four liters of pedialyte, not knowing how long I would be ill. Just as I was checking out with my supplies, I noticed there was a pharmacy in Reasors... WOO HOO! That meant I was able to prescribe myself a great anti-nausea medicine which must have worked, as I didn't puke a single time...DOUBLE WOO HOO!! Got home and began the process of healing. Very little food, two liters of pedialyte, and lots of rest did the trick. It's interesting to observe the processes of my body, mind, and spirit during an illness. With a few years of spiritual training under my belt, the self pity was at a bare minimum. Also distinctly absent was any blame of anyone who might have "given me the bug." I was oddly happy and peaceful in spite of the frequent trips to the toilet, the stomach cramps, the weakness, and the all over body aches. By Wednesday, I could feel my guts slowing their churning and my strength gradually returning. Fortunately, my hunger did not return to it's previous levels, nor did the size of my stomach, so I've been able to cut WAY back on the amount of food I need to stave off hunger pains. TRIPLE WOO HOO!!! It seems that the probiotic kefir really helped a great deal.
Since recovering from "the bug," I've been eating a much healthier diet which includes several servings of fresh, raw fruits and veggies and virtually no sugar or refined flour. In keeping with the new good habit of using positive affirmations to make positive changes in my life, I frequently repeat the following to myself, "I only eat and drink healthy things, because I feel SO MUCH better when I do!" That one simple little phrase makes all the difference in the world in my emotions and my behaviors regarding what I consume! The temptation to eat junk food is simply gone--like a piece of trash blowing past my consciousness carried away by a stiff wind. Nowadays crappy, processed, unhealthy food tastes revolting. I can't even force myself to consume it, nor do I want to, providing I continue my positive new mantra, "I only eat and drink healthy things...."
I've also been using this mental, emotional, verbal, psychic, magic trick on myself since around December 20, 2008 to stay smoke free. If I find myself wanting a cigarette, I say to myself, "I only breathe clean air because I feel SO MUCH better when I do!" This little ditty is the absolute God's honest truth. When I say it, I am in no way blowing the proverbial smoke up my own ass ; ) It also contains zero negativity, and the words "smoke" or "cigarette" are nowhere in the statement. For the past two and a half years, since relapsing on cigarettes, I'd been trying to quit smoking, but had been using the wrong language for success on myself...saying things like, "I want to quit smoking," or "I need to quit smoking," or "Smoking's bad for me," or worst of all, "I LOVE to smoke, but should quit." With such words going through my mind and coming out of my mouth, it was no wonder that I kept smoking since all I was saying was, "SMOKE, SMOKE, SMOKE" in combination with some negative phrases. Now, using the positive language and eliminating the offending word, the obsession has been lifted. Thanks Atman! (see the Bhagavad-Gita or wikipedia for explanation of "Atman").
Of course just like everything, the motivation to continue this ebbs and flows. It takes continuous effort and renewed commitment just to be able to speak to myself positively in this way on a daily basis. Something that helps me with this is daily meditation and reconnecting to Source frequently via AA meetings.
I've no idea if any of this makes any sense to anyone else, but it does to me. Seems like it's helping me to write about things from time to time as well : )
A few weeks ago I came down with the latest GI bug that was going around. That afternoon I noticed that my stomach was aching a bit, so I went to bed. At 4:00pm I had to run to the toilet, beginning the 48 hour stretch of the trots. Fortunately there was no vomiting. I was able to make it into town to get the same supplies that I prescribe to my patients (or to my patients' parents to get for them). The B.R.A.T. diet -- Bananas, Rice, Apple sauce, Toast. I got four liters of pedialyte, not knowing how long I would be ill. Just as I was checking out with my supplies, I noticed there was a pharmacy in Reasors... WOO HOO! That meant I was able to prescribe myself a great anti-nausea medicine which must have worked, as I didn't puke a single time...DOUBLE WOO HOO!! Got home and began the process of healing. Very little food, two liters of pedialyte, and lots of rest did the trick. It's interesting to observe the processes of my body, mind, and spirit during an illness. With a few years of spiritual training under my belt, the self pity was at a bare minimum. Also distinctly absent was any blame of anyone who might have "given me the bug." I was oddly happy and peaceful in spite of the frequent trips to the toilet, the stomach cramps, the weakness, and the all over body aches. By Wednesday, I could feel my guts slowing their churning and my strength gradually returning. Fortunately, my hunger did not return to it's previous levels, nor did the size of my stomach, so I've been able to cut WAY back on the amount of food I need to stave off hunger pains. TRIPLE WOO HOO!!! It seems that the probiotic kefir really helped a great deal.
Since recovering from "the bug," I've been eating a much healthier diet which includes several servings of fresh, raw fruits and veggies and virtually no sugar or refined flour. In keeping with the new good habit of using positive affirmations to make positive changes in my life, I frequently repeat the following to myself, "I only eat and drink healthy things, because I feel SO MUCH better when I do!" That one simple little phrase makes all the difference in the world in my emotions and my behaviors regarding what I consume! The temptation to eat junk food is simply gone--like a piece of trash blowing past my consciousness carried away by a stiff wind. Nowadays crappy, processed, unhealthy food tastes revolting. I can't even force myself to consume it, nor do I want to, providing I continue my positive new mantra, "I only eat and drink healthy things...."
I've also been using this mental, emotional, verbal, psychic, magic trick on myself since around December 20, 2008 to stay smoke free. If I find myself wanting a cigarette, I say to myself, "I only breathe clean air because I feel SO MUCH better when I do!" This little ditty is the absolute God's honest truth. When I say it, I am in no way blowing the proverbial smoke up my own ass ; ) It also contains zero negativity, and the words "smoke" or "cigarette" are nowhere in the statement. For the past two and a half years, since relapsing on cigarettes, I'd been trying to quit smoking, but had been using the wrong language for success on myself...saying things like, "I want to quit smoking," or "I need to quit smoking," or "Smoking's bad for me," or worst of all, "I LOVE to smoke, but should quit." With such words going through my mind and coming out of my mouth, it was no wonder that I kept smoking since all I was saying was, "SMOKE, SMOKE, SMOKE" in combination with some negative phrases. Now, using the positive language and eliminating the offending word, the obsession has been lifted. Thanks Atman! (see the Bhagavad-Gita or wikipedia for explanation of "Atman").
Of course just like everything, the motivation to continue this ebbs and flows. It takes continuous effort and renewed commitment just to be able to speak to myself positively in this way on a daily basis. Something that helps me with this is daily meditation and reconnecting to Source frequently via AA meetings.
I've no idea if any of this makes any sense to anyone else, but it does to me. Seems like it's helping me to write about things from time to time as well : )
Friday, January 30, 2009
Fear is fading fast!
Recently I came to the realization that the majority of my actions over the past three years have been taken due to feelings of fear. I read a book in February '06 that sent me into a downward spiral which was enhanced by finding out other disturbing facts surrounding world events and history. My mindset since then has been one of urgent preparation, care of loved ones, and defense against "enemies." I purchased a house and some land at what I considered "a safe distance" from a major population center with the aim of preparing to grow enough food to feed myself and all of my friends and family who might need to be saved from the coming disasters. It has taken me several months of solitude, contemplation, and relaxation to realized that this state of underlying fear in my mind simply is not beneficial and is a waste of my precious time in this plane of existence on earth!
Many of my closest friends, family, and acquaintances have patiently heard me out as I foretold of the dire straights that I foresaw in the future of the United States and the rest of the world. If any of you have suffered unduly from these prognostications, please accept this as my sincerest apology! Please know that I shared the information out of a sense of love and caring so that all of you might be prepared for the difficulties, real or imagined, that I saw in the future. Also, know that I still believe that our nation and our world are in for some major changes, and that I don't recant ANY of the beliefs that I have previously held regarding the energy situation, the financial situation, or the evil, murderous nature of the United States government. It's just that I no longer feel any sense of fear around this knowledge. I just got tired of being afraid, and I made a decision to take action to get out of a constant state of fear and into a state of joy, love, and compassion for all sentient beings!
Lately I have been working diligently to come back into the present moment and to stop living in the future, which exists only in my mind. I've done this by tapping into the infinite Source of love, power, connectedness to everything that I will henceforth refer to as Source. Funny... it rhymes with The Force! This seems to be what I hear other folks refer to as God. I frequently go to meetings where lots of people for many years have referred to Source as God, and sometimes I do too. The meetings always help me to tap into Source. Meditation has become an essential tool for making contact with Source. Books (a great pleasure to me) have also been indispensable in my quest to get back to a place of joy, peace, and freedom which flows freely to me when I am in close contact with Source. This place is the present moment. The more time I'm able to spend in the present moment, the less time I live in fear! This has not happened for me over night, but rather has been a result of quite a bit of effort and work; however, the work that I've done seems miniscule relative to the serenity, peace, and freedom that I receive from Source when I do make the effort!
I now know that I am not simply a human being that people refer to as Eric Mix. I feel, know, perceive that I am pure consciousness--a part of the universal consciousness--that just happens to be interacting with the physical world in this part of the space time continuum via my physical body. This body, like every other human body before or after my time here, will decay and eventually cease to function. Nobody really knows what will happen after consciousness and the force of life that comes from Source leaves my body. Logically speaking, the worst thing that I can foresee happening is that the body's dying might be like an eternal sleep. The best that I can imagine is that I will return to Source and join with the eternal consciousness of the universe--a state that could be bliss beyond the capacity of my mind to comprehend! Knowing that I am not simply a set of mental, emotional, and physical characteristics brings me a great sense of peace and love, which is, in essence, the end of fear : )
Many of my closest friends, family, and acquaintances have patiently heard me out as I foretold of the dire straights that I foresaw in the future of the United States and the rest of the world. If any of you have suffered unduly from these prognostications, please accept this as my sincerest apology! Please know that I shared the information out of a sense of love and caring so that all of you might be prepared for the difficulties, real or imagined, that I saw in the future. Also, know that I still believe that our nation and our world are in for some major changes, and that I don't recant ANY of the beliefs that I have previously held regarding the energy situation, the financial situation, or the evil, murderous nature of the United States government. It's just that I no longer feel any sense of fear around this knowledge. I just got tired of being afraid, and I made a decision to take action to get out of a constant state of fear and into a state of joy, love, and compassion for all sentient beings!
Lately I have been working diligently to come back into the present moment and to stop living in the future, which exists only in my mind. I've done this by tapping into the infinite Source of love, power, connectedness to everything that I will henceforth refer to as Source. Funny... it rhymes with The Force! This seems to be what I hear other folks refer to as God. I frequently go to meetings where lots of people for many years have referred to Source as God, and sometimes I do too. The meetings always help me to tap into Source. Meditation has become an essential tool for making contact with Source. Books (a great pleasure to me) have also been indispensable in my quest to get back to a place of joy, peace, and freedom which flows freely to me when I am in close contact with Source. This place is the present moment. The more time I'm able to spend in the present moment, the less time I live in fear! This has not happened for me over night, but rather has been a result of quite a bit of effort and work; however, the work that I've done seems miniscule relative to the serenity, peace, and freedom that I receive from Source when I do make the effort!
I now know that I am not simply a human being that people refer to as Eric Mix. I feel, know, perceive that I am pure consciousness--a part of the universal consciousness--that just happens to be interacting with the physical world in this part of the space time continuum via my physical body. This body, like every other human body before or after my time here, will decay and eventually cease to function. Nobody really knows what will happen after consciousness and the force of life that comes from Source leaves my body. Logically speaking, the worst thing that I can foresee happening is that the body's dying might be like an eternal sleep. The best that I can imagine is that I will return to Source and join with the eternal consciousness of the universe--a state that could be bliss beyond the capacity of my mind to comprehend! Knowing that I am not simply a set of mental, emotional, and physical characteristics brings me a great sense of peace and love, which is, in essence, the end of fear : )
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