Cathy Rosewell Jonas
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          Recognizing the Self. Questioner: What am I looking for? 07/04/2010
          4 Comments
           

          In seeking, we find our true selves.

          Picture
          “All self-liberates and returns to the Source. It is the bottomless ground, the conscious awareness of all existence, the simplicity of the present moment. It is the no-thing of absolute potentiality. This explains why Emptiness creates the space for all to manifest. An open void, a receptive vessel without boundaries, this is what we are." ~Bringing Home the Mountain-Finding the Teacher Within.

          Questioner: While I intellectually know this to be true, I have not experienced emptiness. What am I supposed to be looking for? Where is the Source, the Self? How can I experience emptiness?

          "No matter where we are or what may be happening, connecting with the Self, our True Nature, is readily available as the in-breath." ~Bringing Home the Mountain: Finding the Teacher Within.

          In my book, “Bringing Home the Mountain-Finding the Teacher Within,” I write about the specific practices and experiences that led me to these realizations. My journey to the Heart was devotional, and closely followed a path of self-inquiry as Ramana Maharshi taught. Know this emptiness, our true nature, isn’t complicated to find. The greatest challenge is to not miss it because of its obviousness. The paradox to the spiritual path is that our search for something greater than ourselves—for God, or an attribute we pray for Grace to bestow upon us—eventually brings us back to our true self, the Self, the Heart, the one that created the search to begin with.

          What we seek is our own awareness. This sense of awareness, of who we are, we already know. All we need to do is trust our own experience, drop below thought, and feel the expanse of our own hearts. By following our breath with single-pointed attention, slowly relaxing into the sense of our own being we can taste this emptiness. Seekers will often pop out of this space, thinking there is nothing there. This is when faith in the spiritual journey, the Mystery, is called for. This nothingness is emptiness and contains everything. It is the Self. The more we are able to find then simply relax into this space, we discover the Truth, which is our true nature just waiting to be recognized.

          http://www.cathyrosewelljonas.com/book-reviews-bringing-home-the-mountain.html

          http://www.freeheartpress.com

           


          Comments

          dloperclair
          07/04/2010 5:21pm

          hey.......thank you for your wonderful words..........about a month ago i received a blessing called the oneness blessing...do you know anything about this blessing.......i ask because i understand what you are talking about the void.......now i find myself emptying and i am a little unsure where this is going...you speak of the Mystery.......and i have waited my whole life to reach this point...and now...i am finding myself afraid.......your heart seems so sweet...........can you lend a friend a hand...thank you

          Reply
          Cathy Rosewell Jonas link
          07/05/2010 9:53am

          Greetings,

          No, I haven't heard of the Oneness Blessing. Sounds nice. The direct response to your question is when you dip into emptiness, let the fear be there. Go through or penetrate this space with your own awareness. This will lead you ever deeper to freedom. Know- you are going in the right direction! Even if it doesn't feel good, stick with it. This is part of the burning away of egoic protection, or as I like to say, the fire of Shiva working. The mind, our thoughts, will do almost anything to distract us from this space. It may send off distress signals that you are either going in the wrong direction, or give a warning ache in the heart that you are about to penetrate an aspect of yourself that has remained hidden. Fear is a normal response. It also manifests itself differently for each of us. Sometimes, it may be a fear of an actual death or of going crazy, or possibly it will be a diffuse and global sensation of fear. This is the beacon of truth to follow. Go into it with your attention. The sensations of fear, or other emotions, are actually helping you find your way home to your heart, the Heart (the Source), and calling you to dive in fully, not run away or avoid what is happening. In my book, Bringing Home the Mountain-Finding the Teacher Within, I describe my path to awakening, as well as specific teachings that I pursued. For me, I worked extensively with emotions. You may find my techniques helpful. Basically, I used the breath and allowed whatever sensations (fear, anger, hurt, anxiety, humiliation, confusion, and even bliss) to be there. I then dove into myself, into the deep recesses of my own heart.

          Good luck with it. This is a wondrous time indeed. You've tasted it, now just keep going. You are well on your way! :--)

          If you are interested in my book, which is especially helpful to the advanced seeker, the least expensive option is to get a download through Lulu.com for $9.99.

          http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/bringing-home-the-mountain-finding-the-teacher-within/11036083?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

          It is also on Amazon. There are a few reviews from readers there as well:

          http://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Home-Mountain-Finding-Teacher/product-reviews/0982636202/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

          Blessings on your journey,

          Have fun with it!

          Cathy :--)

          Reply
          dloperclair
          07/05/2010 12:04pm

          thank you....that was great.......and you responding was very comforting.......smile......i will be buying your book...and i think i will be talking with you again.........much love and respect.....dawn.......ps..the oneness blessing...i received the blessing from diadra price...she has a site called..... wings of spirit...and has written a book called awakening grace essence...seems like you two angels should meet......smile....again..i will get your book..and thank you so much for what you do......love

          Reply
          santosh
          07/05/2010 9:46pm

          Thanks Cathy for the accurate guidance,as currently,im facing the same problem of ''fear of emptiness''.Thanks for the guidance.

          Reply



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