Your True Refuge
The impulse to escape is in most of us, the need to escape from our lives. We all have various ways we THINK we are doing it. Some people use alcohol or drugs, some people use exercise, some people actually misuse meditation practice or prayer as a means of escape from the truth of reality NOW. Some people are incessantly planning, always in the future, “things will better when this and that happens”. Energetically these people are leaning forward, you may even notice signs of this in their body language and posture. These types are likely often anxious, worrying, experiencing fear of some kind. Other people escape to the past, “things were so great when blah blah blah, those were the days”. These people are leaning back energetically, probably have common bouts of depression, sadness, melancholy, etc..
The funny thing is that the true refuge is one we all have access to in any given moment and we don’t need any kind of substance or circumstances to be any different than they actually are RIGHT NOW, because that refuge IS RIGHT NOW. You see, the impulse in us of escaping has some intelligence to it, don’t judge it so fast. What most of us are wanting to escape from is OUR MINDS. The incessant inner chatter, the something is always not rightness of the everyday, unenlightened mind. Some peoples minds are downright vicious, they probably need something strong to escape with. Further down that road is the impulse of suicide, I think there is a grain of intelligence in it, people want to murder their minds, not themselves. No one would want to kill themselves if their minds were at peace.
Let’s do an experiment, the inspiration from this came to me from watching one of Adyashanti’s videos on his website. For the next 30 seconds I want you to be COMPLETELY PRESENT to the now. That means, do not give your attention to the thinking process, it can be there, rather it will be there, count on it. Nonetheless, you do not give it your attention. Rather, focus on what is actually happening now. That consists of sounds, smells, body sensations, feelings (without the accompanying story), etc… Do this with as much focus and intensity as you can muster.
When you’re finished, make a note of what disappeared during those 30 seconds, what did you have to let go of to do this? I have good news for you - whatever disappeared during this exercise was NOT REAL and therefore not worthy of your attention. Your TRUE POWER is in where you place your attention, your TRUE FREEDOM is the fact that you always are in control of where you place your attention, no one can take this away from you, except your own mind.
May we all take refuge in our true home, the greatest escape of all, the escape from illusion, that destination that requires no journey - the everpresent mystical NOW. I’ll meet you there…
Peace
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