Meditation, Recovery, Influences

Hi,
I wanted to thank everyone for the support on this page.

I have added some links and some books that I found influential concerning my spirituality and my remission status.

Cheri Huber is an American Zen teacher although I am not sure she would call herself that exactly. Her work "There is Nothing Wrong With You" was of monumental influence on me and how I related to myself, my family, and emotional content. I did a retreat at the Monastery and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is seeking to establish a relationship with themselves.

Anthony DeMello struck a serious chord in my heart. This man was able to simplify concepts so they became extremely assessable and easy to use in everyday life. He was the first one to give me hope that my position in life wasn't due to my drug history or family insanity. "The Way to Love" is a book I still read on a weekly basis.

Byron Katie, all I can say is that if you check out "The Work" and apply yourself life will make more sense and, I think, will explain a lot about how you see the world and what is actually happening. "A Thousand Names for Joy" is one I go back to over and over.

J. Krishnamurti is a most fascinating person. If you have a universal sense of things I highly recommend his writings. I really needed to slow down and pay close attention to his concepts. He does not hold back and states his position with passion and a directness that I admire. I have become more aware of the dynamics of my life since reading him. "Think on These Things" is well worth reading.

I owe a lot to these four individuals. My journey in remission and remaining drug free would not have been if it wasn't for these people putting it out there. My heart and spirit were given validation by the writings, concepts, thoughts, and caring of these individuals.

As always I encourage everyone to contemplate and examine everything they read, watch, or listen too.
There are things that work and things that don't. Remission is about gathering tools and listening to others who have been on the same pathway.

Let's continue to explore together.

In Loving Kindness
Bryan

Spirituality, Fun, and it all Matters.

Hey you!!
I went to a sitting group Sunday in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
I was reminded of a few things while I was there that has been a real motivator on my spiritual journey.
Humor.
We laugh and sometimes cry on this journey.
And I have noticed that when we are laughing it is usually is at ourselves.
And we laugh a lot.
I have noticed that when I am laughing it automatically brings me into the present.
And.
It's hard to think and laugh at the same instant.
Awareness, the spiritual journey, seeking anything should be fun and have some laughs.
If not what's it really worth?
All of my "teachers" have had a really great awareness of humor.
When I sat at Stillpoint in Detroit Jerri Larkin was the guiding teacher.
She was awesome in the humor department and a very wise woman. She has an innate sense of when humor needs to be applied.
I learned a lot from her.

Susan reminded me Sunday that it's all valuable.
We cannot discover something unless we are working against the "contrast."
When we start to label it leads nowhere, but when we just become interested in the process it leads everywhere.

Finally on the way home it really hit me that you can't let go of something unless you know what it is.
You can't attain anything unless you know what it is.
So we need to experience all the so called lows and highs.
The universe lends us everything we need to know what to let go of and what we really want.

I was in a Monastery in California one summer and the group was having a discussion under the stars one night.
It was one of those topics like what happens after you die?
I was listening because I don't see much value in pure opinion type discussions.
I noticed our teacher sitting across from me gazing at the fire.
After 15 or twenty minutes of discussion someone asked her what she thought.
She stood up, brushed herself off, and said:
" I guess this proves that intelligence is highly over rated as a coping mechanism." and walked off.
I am still laughing about that.

In Loving

Kindness
Bryan