Beyond Obstacles

2026, April, Issue 196

Constrained in this

Dense Realm,

With dark clouds looming,

Sensing this

Energetic Dimension,

When rainbows appear,

auras in your mind,

Not knowing this

Timeless Luminosity,

as intense brightness manifests,

Naturally just there, remaining aware,

We exist as appearances,

Beyond Obstacles,

Without knowing, without knowing,

Without knowing that

these very same obstacles

are beyond, are within;

That bright light is you,

is us, is our

Natural Condition that

we have forgotten,

due to this and that

fixation, fabrications,

incredible misunderstandings that

bind us to that, that, that

binds us to this eternal terror, this

nightmare from which we cannot awaken,

cannot fathom, cannot fathom

cannot remove, cannot remove

cannot extricate ourselves,

not through effort, not

with belief or ideas,

not through conventional means,

nor this habit of grasping;

Because we think it is real,

That is our mistake, our demise!

This Dense Realm

has convinced us arbitrarily,

utilizing belief, we think

illusion is real,

even though it is not, it is not

even though,

even though we have

never encountered

not even a single iota of evidence,

not a hint, no clue that it is real;

Our assumption is flawed!

Go back to where you were!

Beyond all Obstacles, go home,

Discover a different way

Of viewing, awakening,

Seeing that this fiction

is not real;

Even knowing is illusion!

Assuming the dream is real,

Without truly knowing,

Instantly knowing beyond constraints,

Including this illusion in your

discovery,

that seems so real,

in this magical display,

simply opening to what we must know

in order to Awaken,

simply, elegantly, naturally,

we find a better way;

Awaken to what is,

Beyond all Obstacles,

Discovering what is,

As It Is.

A poem by Robert Aho © 2026

Some teachings explain through an analogy that awakening is about going beyond the clouds into the clear sky, so that you can discover a place where the sun is always shining. This is a very helpful teaching, when we are firmly attached to concepts or belief. It helps to loosen us up a little bit; however, it is not correct to see it that way. Awakening requires us to illuminate all that appears, including these dark clouds and rainbows that have been distracting us, keeping us from truly awakening. When we genuinely develop some understanding of enlightenment, we start to see the All Good, this inclusive way of realizing what is Ultimately Real. We see the illusion.

When I died, I did not slowly rise above the clouds then go down a dark tunnel into the light. It wasn’t that way at all for me. This is simply because I had already realized the Nature of Mind. I was living with a Spiritual Practice 24/7 that remained in constant awareness. Since I had genuinely applied Spiritual Practice for many lifetimes, including a great many lifetimes where I was consumed by distraction, I was able to instantly become the Light of Dharmakaya in this lifetime when I died. This Dharmakaya is what I have termed Timeless Luminosity. I was that amazingly bright condition for an eternity, all within the five minutes where I flatlined. The illusion of existence had become apparent; and, so, such illumination was instantaneous, as well as effortless. All became brightly illuminated for an eternity, not through effort, but because it has always been that way, and time is an illusion.

Since that death experience, I have a much greater level of respect, admiration and appreciation for those who are dedicated to teaching about awakening, which is this process of removing obstacles, which is helping people to learn in a much deeper way about going beyond. Even though not all of the people who teach the Dharma are genuine, especially in these degenerate times, the benefit cannot be denied, if you have a genuine Aspiration to Awaken. This is why I keep preaching this one point, even though many people reject that as being too simplistic or even something beneath them. If you Aspire to Awaken, you are embracing enlightenment itself. If you do this in a genuine way, you will never give up; and, you could potentially help others to awaken as well. Without the Aspiration to Awaken, you’ll never be able to actually help anyone, including yourself.

Meditation has literally saved my life. Being genuine about my own Spiritual Practice at least helped me to live beyond the age of fifty; and, not surprisingly, teaching about the Spiritual Path, helping others in that way has brought me back from death. Teaching is not something I’ve wanted to do; yet, here I am. Even though I’ve had the most incredible experiences imaginable, I still maintain an awareness of that original spark, and I’ve carried that through many lifetimes. Because I understand this spark, I know with great confidence that this Aspiration to Awaken, though simple and easy to attain, is the key to enlightenment, it is the fulfillment of the complete Spiritual Path within this illusory stream of infinite lifetimes, beyond subject and object, beyond all that constrains us.

When you think of this Aspiration to Awaken, which is called Bodhicitta, it immediately sends you beyond all obstacles. If you wish to remain in that realization, then you need to apply the teachings that are necessary. Then you will Awaken.

Blessings of Source,

Rigdzin Robert Aho

Robert Aho is the author of Timeless Luminosity and The Frog: A Spiritual Autobiography, Spanning Many Lifetimes. Both books, written after his death experience, give advanced spiritual advice regarding the complete Spiritual Path, inspiration for living each day and words of encouragement, with the intention of helping people to stay committed to their Spiritual Path, as well as preparing for death. This ultimately leads to discovering your own power within, which lead to Awakening. Both books are available on Amazon, Zenith Bookstore, as well as various other sources.