Awakening sense

from head to heart

How to remember Self when busy mind crowds heart's gates?  Heart's wholeness eventually prevails breaking the gridlock. This spans the distance between head and heart, bridges over imagination's valleys.

The attraction of self to Self awakens of itself, revealing its inner designs. How to evoke its presence? Availing ourselves of that bridge to our inner garden.

Ego-mind never grasps the essence of this attraction yet still we're drawn by its radiance. What it exposes brings about the shedding of ourselves.

Its essence is revealed as we unravel, as busy mind disentangles.

a shade away

It's closer than we imagine:

from feeling empty inside
to what's a shade away: inner spaciousness.

from weakness hiding behind a show of strength
to connecting with spirit that needs not bother with strength or weakness.

from rejecting or avoiding the world's chaos, fearful of being engulfed
to embracing That Place the cosmos keeps recycling through.

from riding herd on mind's wild horses
to riding the tiger of awakening self.

from striving to outdo and outwit others
to sensing that underlying every action all seek the same one goal, appearances to the contrary.

from unknowingly playing a dream role
to waking to awakening's glimmers.

out of sight

The flow of awakening's current may be hidden from view. Even so its magnetic pull draws us as it courses through our veins. Its movement inspires as it circulates within inner chambers of a grateful heart.

It flows below ego-mind's barren fields. Tilling these grounds we prepare them for awakening's garden.

Meanwhile its ever-present treasure lies concealed within each stone. Its living water's sealed within each grain of dust. Still well-digging and gold mining for inner treasure goes on in these grounds.

Yet these efforts are overshadowed by the slightest drop of the Beloved One's elixir. They're overpowered by the smallest flake of Truth's touchstone.

Even as we approach it we're overtaken by awakening's gift.

effort in question

Why is effort needed in any spiritual path?

Without it there's no change, no waking.

What about grace?

Without it no change, no waking.

How can both be needed? Isn't this a contradiction?

Both are essential, like a door and doorway. It's a contradiction to ego-mind but accepted norm to awakening self.

What if one focuses on just one at a time?

Not a problem. Preparation invites grace which inspires effort.  Real focus on one leads to the other.   

(see a spiritual classic)