"Love, in this sense, is not an emotion or a state that comes and goes. It is the simple allowing of what is. It is the intimacy of being with experience without turning it into an identity or a problem to be solved. When nothing is resisted, care happens naturally, experience is held more lightly, and life is lived from what does not come and go."
Allowing is the intentional character of reality. The intention is to allow everything. To love everything equally.
From that, we know that we always do the best we can. There are no exceptions, except for habits born from childhood repetitions, claiming in so many careless words to deny reality itself. This, too, is allowed and loved.
Amoda Ma, thank you for the incredible clarity, wisdom and love you share in this essay. So very helpful. I have a few questions. (1) You say that embodiment is the natural consequence of awareness living itself from the inside out. I would deeply appreciate more explanation of this point. Why does awareness choose to live itself from the inside out? This seems to point to manifestation, to consciousness assuming a form and function as a living body. Why does consciousness do this? (2) You say that life takes care of life through the absence of inner argument. At first blush, this sounds beautiful. But how does one NOT turn the anguish of the loss of a murdered loved one into an identity or problem to be solved? What care happens naturally in this case? The care offered to the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti arose BECAUSE of the public outcry turning their murders into an identity and problems to be solved. I would deeply appreciate your take in this. 🙏
I really appreciated this statement, “Rather, embodiment is the natural consequence of awareness living itself from the inside out. When experience is no longer resisted or used to define who we are, the body, mind, and emotions are met more directly, more gently, and with less contraction.”
Ah! “awareness living itself from the inside out . . . “ Awareness turned outward IS the beginning of mind and ego. Awareness turned inwards is freedom!
That is beautiful—thank you. I bear witness to it. As a progressive Christian, it feels deeply consistent with the embodiment of the Cosmic Christ that we see revealed in Jesus on the cross.
Thanks, Amoda, very helpful. Indeed, awareness is key and it is subtle, one's awareness with experience can reify this sense of self - oneself. You skillfully opened this up more.
For me, being aware or awake to all of it, is a stream and maturity is letting it all flow without giving too much importance to any of it. Any real importance gives credence to experience being real, more real than it is.
We do live in the physical plane, though and stepping in front of a speeding car has real consequences. Yikes!
My question: In the maturity of living more and more in direct experience (not much resistance), and in this a deep knowing that everything is "placards in /of the mind"; all of it (sensations, momentary experience) just kind of dissolves or at least takes a back seat, right? It is in the deep knowing / understanding of this where one is at the gateless gate and enters. Wel, entering implies another spin, so let's not go there. So, in this sense, giving allegiance to anything is leaving peace or love and once again getting on board as the "experiencer" adding to the fabricated self. Hmm...Being as clear as I'm able here....
"Love, in this sense, is not an emotion or a state that comes and goes. It is the simple allowing of what is. It is the intimacy of being with experience without turning it into an identity or a problem to be solved. When nothing is resisted, care happens naturally, experience is held more lightly, and life is lived from what does not come and go."
Allowing is the intentional character of reality. The intention is to allow everything. To love everything equally.
From that, we know that we always do the best we can. There are no exceptions, except for habits born from childhood repetitions, claiming in so many careless words to deny reality itself. This, too, is allowed and loved.
Amoda Ma, thank you for the incredible clarity, wisdom and love you share in this essay. So very helpful. I have a few questions. (1) You say that embodiment is the natural consequence of awareness living itself from the inside out. I would deeply appreciate more explanation of this point. Why does awareness choose to live itself from the inside out? This seems to point to manifestation, to consciousness assuming a form and function as a living body. Why does consciousness do this? (2) You say that life takes care of life through the absence of inner argument. At first blush, this sounds beautiful. But how does one NOT turn the anguish of the loss of a murdered loved one into an identity or problem to be solved? What care happens naturally in this case? The care offered to the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti arose BECAUSE of the public outcry turning their murders into an identity and problems to be solved. I would deeply appreciate your take in this. 🙏
Seems like BOTH the easiest thing in life and the most difficult.
Precisely.
I really appreciated this statement, “Rather, embodiment is the natural consequence of awareness living itself from the inside out. When experience is no longer resisted or used to define who we are, the body, mind, and emotions are met more directly, more gently, and with less contraction.”
Ah! “awareness living itself from the inside out . . . “ Awareness turned outward IS the beginning of mind and ego. Awareness turned inwards is freedom!
That is beautiful—thank you. I bear witness to it. As a progressive Christian, it feels deeply consistent with the embodiment of the Cosmic Christ that we see revealed in Jesus on the cross.
Thanks, Amoda, very helpful. Indeed, awareness is key and it is subtle, one's awareness with experience can reify this sense of self - oneself. You skillfully opened this up more.
For me, being aware or awake to all of it, is a stream and maturity is letting it all flow without giving too much importance to any of it. Any real importance gives credence to experience being real, more real than it is.
We do live in the physical plane, though and stepping in front of a speeding car has real consequences. Yikes!
My question: In the maturity of living more and more in direct experience (not much resistance), and in this a deep knowing that everything is "placards in /of the mind"; all of it (sensations, momentary experience) just kind of dissolves or at least takes a back seat, right? It is in the deep knowing / understanding of this where one is at the gateless gate and enters. Wel, entering implies another spin, so let's not go there. So, in this sense, giving allegiance to anything is leaving peace or love and once again getting on board as the "experiencer" adding to the fabricated self. Hmm...Being as clear as I'm able here....
Thank you for sharing your beautiful writing - so clear. 🙏🏻