How to Walk Lightly:

We are living from the perspective that human consciousness is the leading edge of the evolution of everything and that given enough time, every being in existence can come to full self realization or enlightenment. It seems apparent that if all people could give up fear and the other negative emotions, we could live cooperatively and there would be only peace, love and light among us. However, the growth of afflictive or negative emotions can overwhelm everything and end the grand experiment that humans are. Every human problem- hunger, poverty, global warming, disease, could be quickly resolved by human intelligence if we weren't strangled and held back by fear, jealousy, competition, greed, anger and the lot. It's generally taken for granted that these are a part of human nature and we must solve problems around them; we don't think that's possible. Instead we must transcend them if we are to have any chance of realization (survival?) either individually or collectively.

That's why the yogic perspective is so important. It teaches that we are not what we feel, not even what we think, even though we usually behave as though we are. Our true Self is aware of but not identified with these and that unattached awareness or consciousness is only peace, light and love, i.e. is what is commonly thought of as God. Therefore, there is no God outside or separate from us; our small separate self or ego self truly doesn't exist in Reality.

So, from this perspective, there are no "others". All separate points of view are unreal. Human separateness is an illusion to be transcended (there is no garbage in the universe) and if that is done we can evolve into truth, light and love which we always already are.

Even though yoga is not a religion and does not have a god, it has the perspective that some human aspect, consciousness, has eternal existence and that is similar to religion. However, religion goes on to describe in infinite detail it's imaginings about what eternity is like. It places a god there and gives that god a human relationship with our imagination. This would be benign and even humorous if it weren't for the horror it has created for humanity. History shows the futility and consequences of trying to oppose a religion or superstitious thought so to release humanity from its grip requires something different. Of course, we don't have the answer but in the mean time our best effort is living our lives devoted to self realization and practices associated with that effort. Hence the Walking Lightly Ranch project and the invitation to other like minded people to join with us to create a community of peace, light and love.

Namaste.

August 2008

Rain on the garden       3:20pm                                           After the rain        3:30pm