It is the narrative thread we have running through our minds about what we've done and experienced and anticipate -- the past and the future -- that constitutes suffering and bondage. It perpetuates itself by having us run on a kind of hamster wheel, a slave to our desires and fears. To break the cycle, we have to move our attention away from the narrative thoughts. This can cause great fear, which must be eventually confronted and challenged.
Don't get too comfortable: the problem with abiding in or resting as awareness, the I, or the Self
It's a common instruction to nondual spiritual seekers to abide in or rest as awareness, or the "I am," or the Self. It has some benefits, but one serious flaw: it locks you into a false, cozy concept.
Surrender Misunderstood: The problems with 'do nothing' meditation
'Do nothing meditation' is popular among seekers, but it misunderstands spiritual surrender. One variant suggests simply letting go of all effort. No. Surrender requires effort. Nor is surrender simply the 'doing nothing' of locking out all thought. Both are serious errors.
The fear of enlightenment as an obstacle on the spiritual path
Seekers unconsciously sabotage their own efforts at self-inquiry and surrender because they are afraid of what they think enlightenment is: a loss of control and enjoyment.
The mind is a thing of beauty and wonder if you don't look at it
Various myths point to a single truth: that the mind is a cavern of wonders if one does not attempt to enjoy or possess it.
The mysterious nature of identification with the ego
What does it mean to identify with the ego and thus with the body and mind? It's a very elusive thing.
What do you really want? Two ways of thinking about desire
There are two ways of thinking about desire -- both valuable in different ways. There is the way in which you try to get in touch with your emotions, which is the psychological way. The spiritual way involves recognizing that you what you really want is to be free of the burden of decision -- to just be.
A seeker's most important attribute: an all-consuming desire for Truth
What really propels a spiritual seeker forward towards the truth is overwhelming desire.
We are the sacred temple
The sense of the sacred quiet in holy places is merely a reflection of the sacredness that we are.
The ego is just inner conflict that rises to awareness
Ego is inner conflict -- we know it as it rises to our attention in the form of questions like "what should I do?" The spiritual approach to this conflict is simple: don't touch.