“What you seek is seeking you.”
― Rumi

Known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmi… One would think the wisdom and poetry of Rumi was more contemporary, yet he walked this earth over 800 years ago. He is known as an evolutionary thinker in a time and place when dogmatic and close minded despotic thinking was main-stream. Yeah, not much as changed in 800 years…. Why was Rumi special? Rumi was awakened… Rumi spoke of the divine ego and that all matter in the universe obeys the law(s) of love. His energy and wisdom seems more relevant as history continues to age; yet his teachings seem to grow with history; never to age.

“Embrace the light and let it guide you beyond the winds of desire”…

 - Rumi

Rumi was a famous 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, theologian, and mystic. Born September 30^th, 1207 he lived a full life, dying on December 17^th, 1273. According to Cambridge Professor and expert Edward Granville Browne, Rumi was a Sunni Muslim. However, despite the religious affiliation his wisdom and works of literature seem to take on a non-denominational spirituality. You have to dig deep to find the direct influences of the Qur’an. Still with every great faith there is wisdom and knowledge that transcends culture and is valuable to all that have an open mind. It seems the true art as a teacher and sage is knowing to share wisdom that does not hold us prisoner to our fear and ego but instead sets our spirit free.

“And still, after all this time, the Sun has never said to the Earth, “You owe me.”

Look what happens with love like that; it lights up the sky…”
― Rumi

Rumi believed passionately in the use of music, poetry and dance as a path for reaching God.  Within his writings, he talks of a mystical journey of spiritual ascent through mind and love to the “Perfect One”. In this journey, the seeker symbolically turns towards the truth, grows through love, abandons the ego, finds the truth and arrives at the “Perfect”. The seeker then returns from this spiritual journey, with greater maturity, to love and to be of service to the whole of creation without discrimination with regard to beliefs, races, classes and nations. How refreshing! How ageless!!!

“There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don’t you?”
― Rumi

Ironically here in the west there are widespread pockets of this naïve notion that Islam breeds violence and that ignorance and tyranny runs rampant in the Middle East. You do not have to look far into western religion to see the same thread and yet from all faiths there is the positive and the negative; there are stories of miracles and salvation; stories of damnation and war. Still, self-discovery arises from within. Great minds like Aristotle, Plato, Rumi and even Galileo were sometimes persecuted for their independent thinking. Yet, it is independent thinking that revolutionizes philosophy.

“Everything in the universe is within you. Ask all from yourself.”
― Rumi

Wisdom that stands the test of time and transcends cultures and religions is truly special – that in itself might be the true definition of wisdom – ageless and empowering… The wisdom of Rumi is truly a gift for humanity and will continue to give to those that have open arms and mindfulness to accept such gifts.

John C. Bader

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Meditation Session from the Responsive Universe

Awareness of Space within the Mind and our Surroundings….

In this meditative session, we will begin as usual with rhythmic breathing. Breathing will continue to be the mainstay of all your sessions. Breathing in and out and connecting to this pattern of mindfulness centers your energy and concentration to an apex of clarity and awareness. Once you feel your breathing is free of effort, focus on your internal body. Mentally travel from your toes all the way to your head, internally checking in on your limbs, your heart, and your mind. Do you feel pain? Are your muscles tense or relaxed? Being mindful of your body allows you to connect to something more personal and intimate. It also keeps your mind in the present. As thoughts race in and out of your mind, greet them, label them, and move on. This time, try a new mantra which will help refocus your attention on your breathing: “Breathe in positive energy, breathe out space.” The quality of boundless space is the focus of this exercise. At some point during your meditation, visualize the heavens above at night. Call on that information you learned in high school science, and visualize the planets in the solar system. First visualize our Sun, blazing hot and the center of our planetary family. The Sun is so huge you can fit 109 Earths across its fiery diameter. As we travel away from our host star, we see Mercury. Dwarfed by the Sun, its environment is airless and strewn with craters. Minutes later, we pass Venus on our visual journey. Venus is about the same size as Earth and light beige clouds obscure its surface. Quickly, we pass our own planet, blue and teeming with life. We have already traveled 93,000,000 miles. We next pass the red planet of Mars and then Jupiter. The largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter is eleven-times the size of Earth. Our journey then takes us to the ringed planet of Saturn and the greenish-blue world of Uranus. Looking back to the Sun is surreal now. We have traveled so deep into the solar system that the Sun is merely a bright dot, almost impossible to distinguish from the myriad of other stars that dot the background. Soon we pass the icy reaches of Neptune and the proto planet affectionately called Pluto. The stars we see at night are merely neighborhood stars within our own host galaxy. Further, scattered across the vast Cosmos are billions of other galaxies home to billions more stars – spaced millions upon millions of miles apart – so vast we have yet to fully see the past.

We have just visually traveled millions of miles in our minds. We visualized our solar system which is vast in size, but is a like a microscopic atom compared to the larger Milky Way Galaxy we call home. Here is a new paradox: We just visualized a space inside our minds so vast with past and present horizons that go beyond the realms of observation. Still, within our own minds, we can picture its structure. We can visualize the Universe and its immense vastness. Much like the Universe, our mind is unlimited in space and capacity. In the theory of everything, God is the Universe. Western religion proclaims that humankind was made in God’s image. Yet, our minds are like images of the Universe; with their own past and future horizons spreading outward intrinsically into space and time beyond the realms of our perception. To have the ability to conjure up the vast reaches of a solar system during meditation begs the question: Which is more spacious – the Universe or the mind? Continue to visualize this amazing journey during your next meditative session. Marvel at the space in our solar system and Universe and within your own mind. This is the essence of openness and space. Your mind, like the Cosmos, is vast and infinite, capable of collecting millions of thoughts, actions, and memories. Stop and appreciate the boundless and shapeless characteristics the mind exhibits. Feel the relationship and how we might be all connected to this theory of everything – the essence of God and Universe…..

As a new Daily Life Practice spend a little time outside on a clear night. Look up at the stars and settle into the vastness of the Universe and consider how it relates to your mind. We are products of the Universe. We can feel True Nature and how we are connected to this vast realm. Can you feel the spaciousness in that connection? Maybe you feel lighter and a little more liberated. Breathe in the night air deeply and exhale any fear of unknowing. Be aware of your thoughts right now. As you ponder this spaciousness, are your thoughts positive, negative, or neutral. Settle into the immensity of everything. If you begin to feel overwhelmed by the vastness of it all, turn toward the space within your mind. Feel the connection between that space and the space within the Universe. That connection is True Nature. Look up into the night sky again. Do you need proof that God exists? Well, there is your proof right before your eyes! The Universe is God. We don’t need to fully understand the past and future horizons of the Universe or dark energy or dark matter to know they exist. Conversely, we do not need to fully understand who or what God is to know God exists. So much of the Universe and God go beyond the limits of our observation and even our understanding. Where facts end in the narrative of our Universe, reason and faith begin. Gazing on the night stars is proof that something exists that is amazing and grand. God and the Universe are immense, intricate, and beautiful, and here is a new paradox: God and the Universe are indefinable but dependable. We know the sun will rise tomorrow. We know the stars will shine at night. We know we are born from the Universe (where matter won over antimatter) and, because matter cannot be created or destroyed, we will return to the Universe. Life is not linear with a beginning, middle, and an end. It is a Mandala, a revolving circle, whose meaning is not the balance between its opposites, but rather, the unity of them. If this is not God, I don’t know what is…

Take these thoughts and this energy with you into next week. Sense it… Live it… Be it… and your mind and awareness will expand to meet the shapeless realm that is your mind and Universe…

Please feel free to forward any questions and or comments. I am here for you!

John C. Bader

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Thousands of years ago it was the Egyptians who worshipped Ra the Sun God – still considered the longest standing religion in the history of mankind. The Greeks honored Helios, who was similar to Ra in his many aspects. Homer describes Helios as “giving light both to gods and men.”  In Native American cultures, such as the Iroquois and Plains peoples, the sun was recognized as a life-giving force. As part of the cult of Mithra, early Persian societies celebrated the rising of the sun each day. Sun worship has also been found in Babylonian texts and in a number of Asian religions like Buddhism. Even Pagans worshiped the sun up until the time the Christians inherited Europe – catapulting civilization into what many historians call the dark ages.

The sun is an integral element of our being. It gives us life and is the biggest source of energy within our short impressionable lives. Our bodies naturally create Vitamin D through daily sunlight – a necessary supplement for overall wellness – there is not a more pure source. The sun warms our planet, our moods and creates and sustains life – there is nothing more powerful or important in human life – the energy of the sun even transcends religion and can fuel spirituality. So powerful, you can’t look the sun in the eye – so symbolic, it creates shadows that follow us throughout the day…

MEDITATION:

In our busy lives, amidst the controlled chaos of life; it is easy to take sun for granted. For a simple meditation this week, take some time out of your busy schedule and find time for the sun. Spring is upon us in North America and there is no better time to give thanks for the sun and its unending and sustaining power. What a simple thing…. And yet how powerful… Make time for 5-10 minutes this week and sit in the sun. Close your eyes and feel its warmth on your face and body. Mentally visualize the healing sun rays penetrating your aura – cleansing your body of ego and false-self. Breathe deeply and exhale any stress. Center yourself in the moment. Feel the energy and feel the warmth. As a daily life practice, notice the sun more at sunrise and sunset. If only for a moment, be reverent and give thanks for something so simple yet so special. Simple mindfulness of our natural surroundings brings forth space and clarity. Find a connection to the Sun and your place under the stars at night.

John C. Bader

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Whispers from inside…  What do they mean?

The significance locked in the attic of the heart

An intimate spirit sealed away under life’s inhibitions

Torn pages of an unfinished story

Temporarily lost in a web of controlled chaos

Chasing a sunrise….

Knowing is believing…

Believing with your own eyes is faith

Pure unadulterated energy; flowing freely…

Based on truth and personal experience

Hard work and perseverance…

The key of enlightenment sits in your hands

Turn the handle to unlock the door: The door of understanding

…the door of mindfulness

An entry that opens to more:

More happiness…

….More wisdom

Less suffering….

More whispers that translate the truth

-Chasing the rising sun-

A truth that dictates you; your deepest desires…

A means to happiness

On the edge of a windy road of existence

Its path leads us past childhood

Adolescent and adulthood

Our shadow of abnegation follows close behind

Perseverance and determination

Energy and non-duality…

….Finally catching the rising sun

John C. Bader

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Now, with the internet, social media unites this new renaissance in thinking and expression. This dissemination of energy and wisdom is catching on like wildfire to a dry field of wheat; our once stale, dogmatic world is ablaze as the flames of enlightenment ignite the embers of our being. We are all now connected to the great teachers, poets and champions of enlightenment. Information is now available so that the collective world can weed out the truths and fallacies that surround us.  There is this new pulse reverberating outward. As we breathe in and become mindful of our inner and outer surroundings we inhale this energy and wisdom; thus creating our own ideas of the why and how. The more awake you become the larger your energy footprint becomes… To be awake is to understand universal love and wisdom. Fear dissolves and empowerment sits at your finger tips. You might not be able to explain it eloquently but deep down you know the truths of our connection to energy and Universe. You can feel this connection. You understand that everything is going to be okay. For those that have awakened, each will have their story to tell; their own path and interpretations and yet the common denominator will be the same. Our paths come from different places but the journey always leads to the same destination: self-actualization…

Why are so many missing the bigger picture? Why aren’t more people awakening? That question might be more complex than the social conditioning that shapes each of us. Ego would be the biggest barrier which creates so many control dramas in our short impressionable lives that it is too easy to grow old unknowingly missing the gifts that have been there all along. Evolution is slow and tedious; as reflected by our own world. Humans are championed by our greatest discoveries and achievements and we are at the same time horrified by the war, famine and persecution that still plagues earth today. How do we make any sense of it? All you can do is follow your inner wisdom for it is that arrow that shoots straight from the heart.

Still, the bright light of energy, wisdom and love cannot be extinguished.  The essence of our True Nature is indestructible and always present.  Everything you need to unlock life’s most intriguing questions resides in your heart. Yearn to awaken to this wisdom; be mindful of the gifts awaiting you and this increasingly expansive Responsive Universe we all live in.

John C. Bader

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The cluttered irony and welcomed solace of Meditation…

“Okay…. Time to meditate”….

“here we go”…

“Breathe in positive energy   ….breathe out ego, stress, fear and anxiety”….. Stillness… “I can hear my heartbeat”… hmmm, I notice a slight pain in my ankle… a bird singing outside… “Breathe in and out…. Heightened awareness…. Yes!”

Breathe in and out….

“Don’t you hate it when you put money in a vending machine and the money just falls through the mechanism getting spit out on the other side? It is like it does not want your money… and yet here you are breaking your healthy snack rule and going for the Twix – after all it is the candy with the cookie crunch… oh wait, or is that Kit Kat…? This machine won’t take my money…! Could it be karma? Maybe the Universe is stepping in; telling me that I do not need this high fructose corn sugar slut-fest snack… Should have gone for the Teddy Graham’s – man, they need better snacks here at work…             …ah shit, my mind is wandering; back to the meditation”…

“Okay here we go… deep breathe…. In… and out…. Ahhhh, yep that feels right… In with positive energy out with unhealthy snacks… breathe”……..Breathe….

Breathe in and out….

“God I love the show Seinfeld…. Remember the “Summer of George” episode? LOL, they were all funny… kind of dated, but still hilarious today… chuckle…Kramerica… chuckle..    …ooops… back to the meditation”….

“Breathe in…. Breathe out…. My toe itches… should I itch it and break my position? Breathe in… Breathe out…. Did I turn off the oven after making dinner? When is trash day? Ah man, its tomorrow, I need to drag those cans out tonight – but here it is snowing and windy outside in late April…Brrrr… Why do I live in Chicagoland?”

“Back to my mantra… Breathe in positive energy… breathe out negative energy… stillness, energy and wellness bubbling from within… A smile for no reason… bliss…    …my inner voice speaks… “Don’t sweat the small stuff”…. Centered… Self-actualized… “Write a blog about the funny thoughts that arise during meditation”…. Breathe in… Breathe out….

Breathe in and out….

Yep, another successful meditation…meditation is any experience within the moment – no matter how cluttered and disheveled…Some are better than others… Each session different from the next… You are… and meditation is…  Can’t wait to do it again tomorrow….

John C. Bader

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Every person is a collective piece to the puzzle that is humanity. Each of us were put on this planet to serve a purpose. A purpose beyond the instinct to procreate and survive. There is sublime meaning to our conscious energy that transcends our breathing and heart rate. There is purpose to our being. We may not know what it is exactly, but deep down we know there is something special that connects us through, love, wisdom and energy.  Let’s face it, we live on a small planet and our existence is interconnected: Bound by quantum physics and also energy from a spiritual sense, are we so different that our petty views divide us? Are we so different that there is a need or desire to hurt others? There is a common bond to be realized in regard to humanity. Once people get that concept on a global level, gone will be the threats of terrorism, war and even poverty could be admonished. It is up to everyone to contribute to this collective puzzle for the greater good of mankind.

So why is there evil?

You could blame it on social variability… Each person is unique with their own personality, disposition, fears, wants and desires. Some of it is nature and some of it is nurture… Social elements interweave positive and negative actions and reactions and everyone processes this information differently. Sprinkle in mental illness, chemical imbalances, drugs and every positive and negative variable is introduced across populations of millions of people Every city has its champion for humanity. Every city has its ego maniac. Every city has its depressed and deprived; rich and poor; assholes and academics.. And every city has that poor forgotten soul that is almost ready to snap: The unending static of society; its pressures and defeats will take the downtrodden to places of evil recourse that seem unfathomable to the ordinary person. And then there is religious zealousness – one of the most dangerous of the social evils - all built on blind faith! I have the hardest time understanding that element… my definition of God is soooo different…

How do we defeat evil?

It starts with you and I …It starts by surrendering our ego and false-self to a more spacious vision of life and Universe. What does that exactly mean?? Well,we need to make open-minded decisions that create positive karmic results. We need to “pay it forward”…. Imagine if every person in the world spent one solitary minute of their lives to find a little compassion and do good for the common world, free of money, selfishness and ego. Just one minute could create this contagious wave of positive energy that could ripple across the globe. Is this even possible? In Buddhist philosophy, one is not fully enlightened and free from suffering until the world as a whole is at peace. That is alot of pressure as we try to find our own place in this sometimes chaotic existence. Are we so different? Will things ever change?  Maybe there is something the majority of the Earth is missing. Something that is not tangible to touch or sight but reachable if we garner the right perspective and mindset from within. Less suffering and more happiness begins with you and only you. Each of us has a responsibility to uphold that shifts this world we live in to a more palatable utopia.

Don’t ask what the world needs.  Ask what makes you come alive and go do it.  Because what the world needs is people to come alive

– Howard Thurman

More compassion, energy and wisdom and less violence, hate and persecution? If we can think it then it must be possible….

John C. Bader

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That is actually a difficult question to answer isn’t it? On the surface the answer seems simple but when we reflect on our own life and the struggles we call our own, the answer might not be so simple. Oh sure, it is easy to stand up on a pedestal and say money DOES NOT bring happiness, but what happens when you are short on rent or can’t pay the mortgage?  So many of us are living month to month, grinding out our lives; trying to make enough money to make ends meet. Can I ever get ahead?  Does it ever end? A lack of money seems to create stress and anxiety – suffering its common denominator…

Money is an odd animal. When we have enough of it, we can go to Whole Foods and buy the healthy foods that cost more but are better for us. When we have extra cash we can save some of it for a much-needed vacation. Maybe start an emergency fund.  For a lucky few we can pay cash for our children’s education instead of taking out loans. And yet, this same currency can turn its ugly head as credit card debt soars and medical bills pile up.

And then there are those that surround themselves with materialistic virtues – building this hollow wall of self-esteem and social acceptance on the backbone of money. Of course many of us struggling would love to wear those shoes… We could say stuff like, if I won the lottery, I would not change… Is that true? Do you believe that?

Money, Money, Money… it makes the world turn…. Now I have that Pink Floyd song in my head… LOL

“These days, in our materialistic culture, many people are led to believe that money is the ultimate source of happiness. Consequently, when they don’t have enough of it they feel let down. Therefore, it is important to let people know that they have the source of contentment and happiness within themselves, and that it is related to nurturing our natural inner values.”

-          Dalai Lama

I have lived on both sides of the pendulum… In 2006 after an amazing run in the real estate market I had more cash than I could have ever imagined earning. I had the money for lavish vacations, toys and luxury cars. Ironically, it was the same housing market that made me fat with cash that later in 2009 took it all away. Looking back on the past brings me awareness for the future. Having money created suffering by building an ego… The lack of money was also perpetuated by ego – my attachment to cash was a little like a drug… When I had it I was warm and satiated and when it was gone, I was cold and naked. Still, the realization was that money did not make me whole. If anything it made me weak and dependent.

It took mindfulness to find a compromise for money… a middle area that appreciated money as a tool to pay bills, and as a means to enjoy life in moderation; being fully aware that it is also an opiate for the ego. The root meaning for the word “currency” means current or movement. Money moves like a swirling wind which means it is undependable and unpredictable. Just like the rollercoaster ride of the stock market, when you base your happiness on something that is not stable there is no guarantee for happiness. As the Dalai Lama states so eloquently, we need to connect to something real and authentic – something from the inside… That indestructible essence… That authentic and unlimited power within is our True Nature : An endless source of energy and contentment – our connection to everything…

Money is not evil… True it does not buy happiness but it can buy liberty especially when we see currency as a tool and not a toy. When we can manage money for good and betterment; not becoming a slave to it; there is a balance to be enjoyed. There is nothing wrong with making money; the art in life is not becoming attached to it…

John C. Bader

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When toying with this quandary, God and fate always seems to be averaged into the discussion. First, it is my opinion God DOES exist as the creator of the Universe – our source of instinctual energy – our connection to everything. The problem that arises with organized religion is that the concept of God is not personal. God is not a he or a she – GOD just is…  and humans just are…. It is the ego and our social conditioning that facilitates this false-self perpetuated by fear, guilt and reliance of blind faith that does not take us smoothly through situations of conflict and loss.

God is the energy that drives our being; our True Nature. Humans are the shepherds of this energy and we have the omnipresent power to make life on Earth a sanctuary of heaven built on love, compassion and forgiveness or we can take this same energy and create a living hell here on earth (which many people unfortunately do). I do believe in karma and power of prayer – quantum physics is now shedding scientific light on these manifestations including an afterlife. Still the law of karma does not govern all actions in life. If someone wants to pick up a gun and shoot children at a school then sadly this is still going to happen. Karma, good deeds and God will not save people from such tragedies. God does not operate at the human level. God allows humans to cognitively and instinctually operate and do as they wish with the energy and autonomy bestowed by cosmic creation. Unfortunately human action is warped and twisted by the complex variables of ego and society that shadows most of us.

It was over 13 years ago that my wife and I lost our first baby… a full term stillborn son who was my namesake. We had to bury our first child; left with no answers…. I asked that same question (why do Bad things happen to Good people?) to the heavens above – I got on my knees, tears welling from my swollen eyes demanding answers to why something horrific like this would happen to good people. My anguish and sorrow soon evolved into anger and then depression. It was not a good time in our lives. I begged for answers….

Then one memorable day in autumn, something happened that changed my life. The sun came out and showered me with warmth. The sky looked bluer, the clouds seemed whiter. The trees and plants all seemed brighter and more colorful. It was if I had poor vision all my life and suddenly began to see clearly for the first time. I experienced an awakening – I stumbled upon the concept of awareness and space and how it related to me. I no longer blamed myself for the loss of my son. I no longer blamed God or the Universe. I no longer blindly demanded answers for this tragedy. My son’s death was an unfortunate circumstance of life. I stopped trying to find God outside me. The essence of God was not looking down upon me; it was inside me all along. God had nothing to do with my son’s death – my son’s death was an inexplicable process of energy passing through the Universe, a bright light that burned out too quickly; a shooting star. I realized I had never been close to God, but once I felt this loss, I came to know how precious life is. This realization brought a new sense of spirituality. God was the love I felt for my son. God was the pain I felt from his loss. And God was the renewed and fiercer appreciation I felt for my loved ones still with me. When I felt God as the love that burned with both hurt and joy in my heart, I knew I had tapped into my True Nature. Connecting to my True Nature gave me the space to experience my grief – I felt love lost and love regained and renewed. God is my True Nature.

Love pulled me from the perils of my depression and anger. After feeling such pain and sorrow, you wonder if you will ever love the same way again. You don’t – you love more deeply….  I visualize my son as an angel looking down on my family and reminding me to see the world with the same level of clarity I felt that day of my awakening. My son’s death showed me how precious life is and taught me that love is the bridge between life and death, between sorrow and joy. He showed me a world of faith, beauty, and happiness. The sun will always shine brightly for me in his memory.

Unfortunately life is unpredictable and unfortunately bad things happen to good people. The sad irony is that when bad things happen to good people we notice it more. The art in life is seeing that we are connected to something magnificent and even in the darkest shadows, there is still light. We are all connected and life and death is merely a Mandala – Birth, Life and Rebirth…  A revolving sphere of energy. The key is how we react to life’s most challenging and enduring situations. Do we create negative energy in light of conflict? Or do we stop, breathe and make positive energy and blanket the negativity with positive ripples of ascendancy – reverberating to infinity – creating your omnipresent footprint; your signature of love and life – indestructible and sublime…

Again, the decision is yours… It is not easy, but love will carve a path to illumination…

John C. Bader

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