The Key of Light

2022, July, Issue 2

Many of the people who have come to this newsletter have heard me speak about something very nice, which is this Real Condition of our lives, that love and light that we often forget about.  We must experience that directly.  Reading books, listening to spiritual teachers, finding friends who share our search for the truth are all very nice, some would say that is essential; however, we will never be able to remain in the light unless we awaken.  This can only happen by looking within, and it can only be done by you.  No one else can do it for you.  It is your responsibility to awaken.  To be on this journey is to show great respect to this amazing person you really are.

So, what does this mean?  It means realizing that we have never been apart from the light.  If we look elsewhere, we will never discover our Real Nature.  We must look within, as if we see a mirror reflecting something very bright.

Think of our lives as a lucid dream.  We can make things happen here or we can be swept away.  We can create very happy positive experiences or very dark painful experiences.  If we show compassion for ourselves, this light becomes more apparent.  If we remain out of control, difficult circumstances will increase.  Sometimes we may feel that we are completely at the mercy of negative emotions, and we just want to end it all.  This is very heavy; because, in reality, such thoughts and carelessness leads to a very violent disrespectful way of being, creating darkness.  Ending it all will only make things worse.  This moves us into shadow, creating terrible obstructions.  To remain in light, we must awaken, which means dealing with circumstances, no matter how difficult they may be.  We can awaken in our lives, by simply developing this intention, then establishing a very bright necessary key.  It is a key like no other.

I understand this yearning for clarity.  This is something that all Seekers possess.  We’ve all been aware of the light, knowing intuitively that it is the only truth that can remain.  We catch glimpses of that from time to time.  Then we quickly forget, simply because we apply effort and concept to what we discover.  If we simply remain in light, without doing anything, then we can awaken.  We can do this in the death bardo, in dreams, or in daily life.  It does not matter where this occurs.  What is most important is that we do not increase problems in our apparent existence.  If we do that, it will become much more difficult to awaken.

What is most important is to start where you are.  No matter what your circumstances may be, simply resolve to awaken.  You will need the key of Bodhicitta, which is the compassionate overwhelming commitment to awakening.  We must learn to love ourselves, giving our own life a break from all the problems we’ve been creating for ourselves since beginningless beginnings.  Remain in this thought that you will awaken, creating a strong intention.  This will be your base that unlocks the door to inexplicable light.  This door opens your home, which is inside you.

All you need do at first is to simply sit comfortably in a quiet place, where you will not need to worry about distractions, then look inwardly, generating this intention to awaken.  Later, you can learn to develop this intention in places with lots of distractions.  This intention begins to form a strong foundation that cannot be destroyed.  Listen to breath at first while you create a subtle wish to awaken, constantly developing even more powerful intentions to awaken.  Know that this is one thing that you will never give up, even if everything else is lost.  When you have this key properly established, it will carry on from lifetime to lifetime, until you really do awaken.

We all have this potentiality for awakening, even if we think we don’t.  Little by little, our heart and mind open up, which means we are increasing our capacity to awaken.  It’s not about learning more or encountering the best teachers.  It’s about simply remaining completely open to all and beyond.  This takes practice, until it becomes effortless.

Since we have begun in the light, we will awaken in the light together.  The seed has been planted for all the Seekers who are reading these words, who discover the key, who persevere through all and make an indestructible commitment.  Enlightenment will come to fruition within us all in this way.

That is my message, being in light on this day, which is much like a dream.

Blessings,

Bob