Category Archives: Consciousness

A Little Joke

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Bob OHearn

We are usually much too busy to recognize it, but prior to our engaging adventures in consciousness – that ever-changing theater of desire, knowledge, and experience — there is only awareness, the same state in which we now exist. Somehow, … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Nonduality | Tagged , | 15 Comments

Experiment

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Bob OHearn

First of all, relax. Now, turn your attention to the thoughts that are appearing. Notice how they are, more often than not, based on the past or the future. In this experiment, simply continue relaxing, but refrain from entertaining any … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Enlightenment, Nonduality, Spiritual Practice | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

The Fundamental Space

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Bob OHearn

“You can’t get stuck in space.” ~ Chögyam Trungpa Whatever appears does so within the space of fundamental reality – “what is”. In our natural state of knowing awareness, “what is” and “what we are”, are not two. Likewise, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Enlightenment, Meditation, Nonduality, Spiritual Practice, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments

Meditating on Death

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Bob OHearn

As noted in the authoritative Buddhist online archive “Access To Insight“, the standard Buddhist Meditation on Death is given by Buddhaghosa in Chapter VIII of the Visuddhimagga (“Path of Purification”), summarized in the quote: “Now when a man is truly … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Enlightenment, Meditation, Nonduality, Spiritual Practice | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

Religion, Part 2

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Bob OHearn

“What is religion? A cloud in the sky. I live in the sky, not in the clouds, which are so many words held together. Remove the verbiage and what remains? Recorded religions are mere heaps of verbiage. Religions show their … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Enlightenment, Nonduality, Spiritual Practice | Tagged , , , , | 20 Comments

World of Warcraft

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Bob OHearn

“You fight others all the time for your survival as a separate body-mind, a particular name and form. To live you must destroy. From the moment you were conceived you started a war with your environment – a merciless war … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Nonduality, Spiritual Practice | Tagged , , , , , | 49 Comments

The Mystique of Freedom

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Bob OHearn

“In fact if everything arises from pure and total consciousness, then pure and total consciousness has no need of a path to tread to reach itself”  ~Chogyal Namkhai Norbu In the vast library cataloguing exceptional human experiences, daunting adventures, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Enlightenment, Nonduality, Spiritual Practice | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

True Meditation: Recognizing Basic Sanity

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Bob OHearn

“There is no need of training. Awareness is always with you. The same attention that you give to the outer, you turn to the inner. No new, or special kind of awareness is needed. What you need is to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Enlightenment, Meditation, Nonduality, Spiritual Practice | Tagged , , , , , | 57 Comments

Pain and Spiritual Practice

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Bob OHearn

“Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.” ~Natalie Sudman A common inquiry of spiritual aspirants revolves around the challenging matter of dealing with pain. Frequent comments on the issue include complaints that physical pain somehow interferes with the ability to meditate, … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Enlightenment, Meditation, Nonduality, Spiritual Practice | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

Consciousness and Awareness

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Bob OHearn

“Consciousness does not shine by itself. It shines by a light beyond it. The mind must learn that beyond the moving mind there is a background of awareness which does not change. The mind must come to know the true … Continue reading →

Posted in Consciousness, Nonduality, Spiritual Practice | Tagged , , | 37 Comments