Spirituality is the senses...

Since my excursion to the spice shop last week I seem to be more aware of my senses, of what I’m sensing, both internally and externally. They are like little whispers of the Heart – these senses. They come and go and leave their scent. They can come in many different ways and from many different sources – like the smell of spices, or ground coffee, or the sight of colors, or shadows on a wall; the sound of a bird, or the felt sense of an emotion like sadness, grief and anger – which I have been experiencing a lot of this week; or the subtle movement of Awareness within, bringing a sense of felt Presence. If I stay open to experiencing these senses, they open me and bring a sense of life. Sometimes these whispers can come through hearing other people.

Last night was just such a “hearing.” I was in my usual position, poised at the computer, headsets on, pen in hand, waiting, listening as Adya began his radio program, Café Dharma, in the usual way. I wasn’t expecting anything in particular, as sometimes it speaks to me and sometimes not - like anything else… However, as I listened, there seemed to be a whisper that wanted to be heard, so I thought I’d share it, in case you want to hear it too… These are excerpts from my notes. I have pieced them together to create a little flow and consistency…

“Spirituality is a *welcoming* into the deepest experience of life – into the deeper Reality. It’s not meant to be a struggle, or a lot of ideas… Come deeply into yourself, into *this* moment… We live lives of abstraction – thinking *about* life, living in the commentary of our lives and minds, or living in someone else’s commentary. (Oo – recognized that one.) Spirituality is a *welcoming* into existence, into life, into the Essence of what it means to be alive.”

“When we come into direct experience of our deepest nature, we experience that we are *all* made of Existence. This is our true body, not just the particular physical body. We are Existence Itself. We can actually know this for ourselves, in the depth of our being – that we ARE existence.”

"Open to your senses: hearing, feeling, sensing, smelling. Meditate with your senses wide open, feel what it *feels* like in your body to be sitting still – to *feeling* your body – to feeling you heart – to open your heart to what you’re *feeling.* This is what it means to be still. It means to really *be* all senses – wide open. When you’re in touch with all of your senses, that’s what leads you into the sense of Existence. It’s an aliveness. It opens you. To get out of your mind get into your senses. Relax into them, into the fullness of Existence. Just open yourself. Let Existence meditate you, breathe you and feel Itself *through* your senses. Existence longs for its own recognition of Itself – to remember Itself – to be fully conscious of Itself. It’s seeking to become fully conscious of Itself, to really *know* Itself. That is ‘spirituality.’”

“Open yourself, your senses, and be willing to be surprised.”

“To really open, pick something that has life, something you feel drawn to. Look at it the way you normally do – superficially – then look at it and feel into it. What does it *feel* like to look at it? What is it like to *feel* the *sight* of it, to touch it with your senses. It’s a depth of feeling and getting into your senses and out of your head. Pay attention to your senses. How does the object register when you see it from your Heart? (from feeling it). Consciously include your Heart in your perception. *Feel* it from the Heart. Just *feel* things. Open and feel and sense. Get into your senses. What does it feel like from the Heart level? This reconnects you with your senses. When we feel from the Heart it starts to open the Heart. *Experience* life from your Heart. The Heart is a sensory organ. Sensing from the Heart brings a felt sense of intuitive closeness – of intimacy. Just let that in...” Adyashanti

There it was again – the whisper that said - open, open, open – through the senses, through your life experience, through the visceral, felt sense of living - from the innate, felt sense of aliveness – Existence Itself.

Fun-Qi Art - :) Christine