Becoming the Observer | How Mindful Attention Leads to Freedom and Joy
What followed, based on this observation, felt like a miracle, for which I gave thanks; that these thoughts lost power, intensity. They lost their ability to control me. Someone took the needle off the record. It was subtle and in the deeper recesses of awareness not at first, recognized. There was just this awareness of freedom and subsequent joy.
“The mind is not what I learned, it is what I develop. What you learn can be lost, it can be forgotten. But development is a certain kind of encoding of elevating the soul into the world. And you’re seen more clearly by others by living into that.”
~Orland Bishop, mystic and peacekeeper (Shade Tree Multicultural Foundation, L.A.) Daily Good 4.30.24
If we have a desire to unravel our selves from the intricate maze of daily life and to propel our selves into a self-created world of simplicity and ease then paying attention to our thoughts is a prerequisite. This we have been informed of by enlightened masters for centuries. Hence meditation practice for some adherents to ‘the path’. Meditation is one way of noticing how profoundly we are influenced by thoughts.
In my first 3 day silent meditation retreat some years ago, there I was, just ‘me’ and the thoughts—non stop. With nothing else to focus on they loom large and loud. Every critical voice, self and other, surfaced. By the second day I wanted any way out. Though no one was doing anything to me, I felt tortured. By the third day I couldn’t help but notice the repetitive nature of these thoughts. Their appearance, I could almost expect.
What followed, based on this observation, felt like a miracle, for which I gave thanks; that these thoughts lost power, intensity. They lost their ability to control me. Someone took the needle off the record. It was subtle and in the deeper recesses of awareness not at first, recognized. There was just this awareness of freedom and subsequent joy.
When we cease to be subject to the voice of judgment we blossom, unfolding into vacuous stillness. Without a barrage of thoughts nibbling away at our existence and ability to embrace life in an intimate manner, we enter into the possibility of using our senses in a primordial way—before the conditioning. We become the observer. And deliriously happy and grateful! The world comes alive! ‘I’ is living in the moment. As the observer, without judgment, we are in the world receiving what is, not what we perceive things to be based on our conditioned viewpoint.
“Fundamentally, mindfulness is a simple concept [...] Mindfulness means paying attention in a certain way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”
~Jon-Kabat Zin from Wherever You Go There You Are
The moment is an infinite, eternal expression of what we experience here. The moment is lost when we are so engaged with our thoughts that are all essentially based on the past. We often are ‘reliving’ through these thoughts and seldom attuned to the present. In computer language we are operating through our default programming. We are not ‘living’.
The discussion and importance of mindfulness is brought to our attention by this New Moon in Gemini 16 degrees on June 6. The New Moon: “is not a time for action but a time for reflection, a time for feeling into our self as a living being with unlimited potential.” ~Ganeshaspeaks.com
There are five planets in Gemini during this New Moon: Venus, Sun, Moon are at 16 degrees. Jupiter and Mercury are 2 and 8 degrees respectively. Gemini is the ever curious sign that wants to discover what is new around every corner. It is ruled by the planet Mercury, the messenger of the Gods and in Vedic astrology is referred to as Budh, wisdom.*
As we learn and expand our awareness of our environment, people and existence, we see more clearly how much we do not know; how, in fact, not knowing is a blessing.
Always we learn from wherever we are. For everyone this gives us the incentive to explore based on a current understanding. In general during this New Moon Gemini, we can apply our explorative natures to those aspects that Gemini is concerned with. The messenger, when in it’s own sign, delivers their gift using words. Gemini is adept at utilizing words. At times may speak without thinking as they are a spontaneous, mutable, air sign.
We have an opportunity to reflect upon how we use our words. You may, most probably, have memories years old of words that were spoken to you that left an indelible mark. Often these are unkind, harsh words. We have a tendency to retain negative remarks. It is the wisdom aspect of Gemini based on rulership by Mercury (Budh) that allows us to speak knowing that we have a deeper, positive effect when we frame our words using compassion.
Gemini gathers information and disseminates information. They are teachers, guides and communicators using whatever means available. So, what is it that we gather during this New Moon? Look to the prominent aspects affecting the Sun/Moon for the answer. The strongest connection is with Saturn at 18 degrees Pisces. The square aspect is a challenge. In this case to focus energy (rather than spread it as per Gemini tendency) and to learn our lessons on a deeper level that has consequences to our level of awareness.
At this time we can experience a certain heaviness about life as we submit to examining crucial areas of shadow that define a limited existence. In fact, for some, it may feel very much like the dark night of the soul. When we feel that we can no longer bear it, the suffering, is when miracles happen. We have subtle realizations that move us beyond or out of these moments of desperation.
Saturn is a hard task master and a great teacher. When we let go of our self-judgment Saturn turns from harsh to instructive. We accept the moment. We are free to continue with greater lightness.
As the beneficent planet Jupiter conjuncts Mercury in this chart, there is an open, expansive quality to Mercury that highlights movement toward clarity and accessing the wisdom to be found in Gemini. Not just the superficial gatherer that Gemini is often seen as. Mercury was the only God that had the ability to visit the physical realm and return to the realm of the Gods.
Contributing our quest for higher knowing is the influence of Neptune in the last degree of Pisces sextile (60 deg.) the Jupiter/Mercury conjunction. Sextiles are gently challenging, not as overt as the square at 90 degrees. There is a gentle nudge toward elevating communication; bringing it to a place of greater understanding and compassion. That is the nature of Neptune and in its own sign, Pisces, that is where we are free of conditioning, have no limiting boundaries. We express from the heart rather than the mind.
During this New Moon we are being encouraged to open up, to expand and deepen and to reach for that Truth that lies within. And to communicate from that place of authenticity that we often keep under lock and key for fear of—rejection, abuse, judgment.
Pluto in the first degree of Aquarius is square to Mars in the late degrees of Aries. The hero is being guided toward acting in ways that eliminate what does not work to facilitate transformation. We all, as spiritual warriors, succeed in advancing beyond our current knowing to a place of greater clarity.
There is an intensity during these few days surrounding this New Moon that for some will require courage and boldness to meet. There is a challenge to step up and stand firm that many souls who have been here many times will greet with excitement knowing that our destiny is freedom. Initially we liberate the self. As we are truly inseparable from Truth we all benefit.
Notes
“Mind-nature is primordially Buddha but not knowing this one wanders in samsara.”**
*Ganeshaspeaks.com
**Samsara: in Hinduism, Buddhism and some eastern religions, the ongoing cycle of birth, death, and rebirth endured by human beings and all other mortal beings and from which release is obtained through enlightenment.
“I remain cautiously optimistic. I think if we can move beyond the anxiety and dread and despair, there is a promise of something shifting not just culturally, but spiritually, too.
I feel that potential in the air, or maybe a sort of subterranean undertow of concern and connectivity, a radical and collective move towards a more empathetic and enhanced existence… It does seem possible”
~Nick Cave, from his book, Faith, Hope and Carnage
