Interdependent Blessings

2025, January, Issue 130

When we live in love, finding

that our heart center has no bounds, discovering

that we are really surrounded by light,

as light,

walking towards light, becoming

what we have naturally been for all eternity,

we see that we are surrounded,

surrounded by blessings,

blessings eternal, blessings coaxing us

towards the light,

blessings so profound that we can

become the light once again,

though we have never really been away;

Our frightened confused self

finds what it needs within;

Let us hope that we find the Path,

that we see our own infinite potentiality;

With this wisdom, let us notice

all these amazing blessings

in the love that we feel,

in the open-hearted pursuit

of becoming aware of our own

unlimited potentiality,

surrounded by wisdom beings, surrounded by light,

light that is just right there,

just right here;

Let go, let go!

Our love must be open-hearted,

with no attachment, or we will suffer miserably!

Let go and we find that amazing light,

Our light is just there in front of us,

surrounding us, through us, as us;

Awaken and realize for certain

that we are never really separate

from all those we have loved,

for all eternity!

A poem by Robert Aho © 2025

My return from the death bardo has always been about helping people to awaken. If it were not for this aspiration, I would have no reason to be here. My old decrepit body is virtually useless. My interest in worldly pursuits is laughable. This life is nothing other than a joke, and a really bad one at that. The only purpose that I have is to help people awaken, and this means awakening to reality, not just some other belief or speculation about what awaits us when we die.

Every single belief we could ever have is just like any other belief—a fantasy that we tell ourselves. If you wish to awaken, then you will first need to establish a strong foundation, by learning to remain at ease as you generate great compassion for self and other. You will also need to cultivate this idea of awakening, which we call Bodhicitta. That is the key, but it is also part of this foundation that we need to firmly establish.

If we live our lives without any way to control our emotions, or not being able to let go of things, then we will discover tremendous suffering in our own karma. We will discover that our actions are only causing trouble for us. Even if we become rich and famous, we will quickly discover how truly pathetic we have been when we pass through the death bardo. All of it will be lost; and, if we are unable to let it go, we will suffer for innumerable lifetimes to come.

This is simply the way that it is. Karma is not a punishment, it is an unfortunate series of actions that we generate ourselves, giving us much to overcome in future lifetimes. If we awaken, then karma will have no sway over us.

If we truly investigate the myriads of lifetimes we have lived, all the actions we have made, the web of karma becomes indecipherable. We discover that in lifetime after lifetime we make things unnecessarily complicated and unfortunate for self and other. This is why we must begin at once to start bringing benefit to all by awakening.

We’ve walked this Path for all eternity, and it may be only now that we notice that we are surrounded by blessings, that we’ve had countless opportunities to awaken, that we’ve had countless wisdom beings prompting us to awaken. We can choose darkness and misery, or we can choose to leave cyclic existence by awakening to what is, as it is.

Now, let us be clear, I didn’t come back from the death bardo in order to talk about religion, some philosophy or tell you to join a church. I came back with a direct understanding about what awaits us all. I came back to encourage people to discover for yourselves just what that is that seems so elusive to the human mind. While still in the death bardo, I could see how important it is for people to discover for themselves just what is going on here. You don’t need to take my word for anything, you only need to look within in order to discover something truly amazing.

You need to awaken.

Our real condition as light is not actually elsewhere, it is right here, now, as it is. You can discover this knowledge directly through meditative practice, which means actively facing every aspect of your own mind, learning to transform all your demons, all your obscurations, into this great light we feel surrounding us all. This can only be attempted if we first have a strong foundation, an indestructible foundation. And, we are all capable of establishing such a thing, if we meditate, observe all appearances closely, remain present and at ease in all circumstances.

I will tell you that, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that if you look within you will discover something well beyond your expectations. You will discover who we all really are. These are the blessings that I mention. In this, you will awaken.

Blessings in Light,

Robert Aho