Around this time every year the global community gives a nod to the Easter Rabbit and the Living Christ among us. It’s a cosmic rite of new arisings and transformation that celebrates the innate possibilities and potentialities within all humanity. It’s ultimately about experiencing the Presence of Spirit; awakening to a life of loving in ways that are unconditional. This includes intention, forgiveness, wisdom, joy, peace and surrendering to the One Self that’s Pure Consciousness. It’s an awakening and illumination within.

When one truly dives into the depths of facing, accepting, and embracing the inner darkness we all share, transformation occurs. It’s not an easy entry because it requires self reflection, openness and honesty in facing our own divided selves. It requires trusting the ultimate Self we all share. Here we have to give up the illusion of our separate finite selves while opening to the One Ever-present Consciousness of the Cosmos called Christ. This is ultimately surrendering to Love, to the One True Self.

Ponder for a moment planet Earth as a human body. Imagine all the trillions of people thinking they are the only cell that’s important. Picture the right hand grasping an object the left hand wants and the left hand aggressively attacking it. What would happen if the stomach told the intestines it would no longer process food and the nose decided it wouldn’t work with the ears and throat?  Do you see where I’m going here? Isn’t this what’s happening globally with tyrants, racists, sectarians, exploiters et all?

Every one of us is a cell within the body of Christ, the conscious energy of the Earth and Cosmos. Each of us comes from spirit, is spirit and returns to spirit. Love says there’s nothing that’s not you and the wall of ‘I know’ has a beyond that’s present to ‘not knowing.’ Imagine becoming stronger and wiser while also becoming gentler and more humble. This is the archetypal story of the Christos incarnate in Jesus, Yeshua, and it’s also our story as we awaken to it’s presence.

To know who we truly are we have to empty ourselves of ourselves. We have to ‘wake up’ to the Self beyond the self, the I beyond personality, the unity beyond our dreamed up separation. The original blessing is beyond the wall of our programming, beyond the dualistic teachings we’ve received and continue to be enslaved by. The new science tells us that everything in the universe is made of atoms, that atoms are made of energy and energy is made of consciousness. Awakening to this changes everything.

As we face the trials of life we are called to sacrifice the ego self for the Divine Self. This requires an entombment, a dying to the ‘me’ philosophy of duality. We can then enter the new arising or resurrection, a metamorphosis and an ascension into non-dual, expansive consciousness; an awareness of the Presence of unconditional love that permeates and creates everything. Within this Presence; will, compassion and wisdom unite to create the divine human that is our essential Self. Yeshua, Jesus is the master teacher, model and archetype of this transformation that calls us all into new Being.

Awakening Presence then is all about waking up to our True Nature. It’s what the Buddhist tradition calls Mindfulness and the Christian tradition calls Christ Mind. It’s cultivating an inner knowing in heart, mind and spirit to experience everyone and everything as belonging to the One Stream of Life. It’s living within the insight of non-self to discover the One True Self. It’s being Self-conscious without guile and resistance, without hubris and conditions. It’s a journey of ongoing Loving Companion Presence within the whole of creation. It’s recognizing the Thee in We and living in the joyful abundance of present moment reality. Welcome to the New Arising . . .

• During the next six weeks spent some time and energy contemplating your Original Nature beyond personality. Work and play at letting go of your opinions, judgements, criticisms and having to have your own way. Notice your resistance to this exercise.
• Practice accepting the unacceptable and give attention to the grace that follows. Observe yourself and others without evaluating. Substitute compassion for judgement.
• Breathe deeply into this self reflective practice and slow way down.
• Carve out twenty to thirty minutes each day to empty your mind and let Love expand your awareness. If need be take three ten minute or six five minute breaks. It’s about developing a practice of sitting in the ever present christening energy of the Cosmos.
• Journal your way through the next six weeks and hold yourself accountable to Mindfully Marinate in the Cosmic Christ Consciousness. Note the awakenings, the expanding compassion, growing tenderness and peaceful presence within as you sit receptively enjoying the flowing river and rooting trees . . .