Beloved Students:

How amazingly interesting and (of course) divinely challenging for all of you physically incarnated at this time on Earth! What a time of profound learning for all beings - a time that has great and powerful ramifications to the evolution of your beloved Earth, which is now unfolding. Never forget to give thanks for the opportunity to be among the problem solvers of the world. And, of course, never forget that you are one of the problem solvers - not one of the unconscious, overwhelmed, overwrought, and burdened strugglers. As you know, so much of the "reality" you experience is predicated upon and creatively projected into, what you believe to be true for yourself, and how you chose to act upon those beliefs.

I have been paying attention to the ways in which each of you applies the teachings I have given you regarding the strength of the egoic strategies. As you begin to investigate the controlling behaviors that come forth among humanity as a result of those egos trying to strengthen their individual holds on the psyches they influence, you begin to move toward wisdom. However, as you may be noticing, this is not merely some one-step reality adjustment. It, like every other level of spiritual engagement. becomes yet another journey. While the journey is indeed provocative, each must be careful in his/her own movement to keep the focus where it will do the most good - that is, on ones own ego.

Have you noticed how easy it is to let your own focus slip from the intentional placement on yourself to placement on others? Have you perhaps discovered the tendency of your own mind to become focused (i.e., fascinated angered, impatient, obsessed with, or in some manner dramatically drawn toward) the manifestations of the egos of others? If so, it is time to reclaim all the energy you have put into the diversions by which your mind has deceived you and again bring the focus home to yourself.

The more sophisticated your understanding of the ego's role becomes, the easier it is to see where everyone else is missing the boat. The upside is that you can (perhaps for the first time) begin to take your experiences with others less personally, since your understanding is leading you to recognize when another's ego is running his/her "show." But there is a downside as weIl: your own ego convinces you that you are suddenly an expert on the egoic projections of others. You perhaps even feel an energetic rush each time you peg or nail the egoic demonstration you perceive in another. Now if this "other" just happens to be someone from whom you feel alienated, whether marginally or signficantly, you may even discover some self-righteousness arising by which your ego actually justifies the alienation you feel. Often, perhaps without even recognizing it, you slip into judgments about him/her that are dangerous not only to your relationship with that other, but are injurious both to your spiritual progress and your connection to the Allness. Thus, you end up deceiving yourself as to your own complicity in promulgating non-clarity, negativity and egoic projections. Anyone caught in this mindset loses access to whatever "door to enlightenment" presents itself in the moment. Remember, the goal is to cut through the machinations of one's own egoic projections, not rebuke everyone else for whatever you perceive their projections to be. While there may be situations where such can be appropriate, one must be careful not to get caught up in fixating on the egos of everyone else. Remembering Jesus' teaching about self- righteously observing the speck of dust that blacks the clear vision of another while missing the log that blocks clear vision in oneself. This teaching is just as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. The mind's ability to see the foibles of others while missing its own has always provided distractions from needed personal growth.

If you get caught up in this kind of thinking, you have no choice but to see all your problems as coming to you from others, or from circumstances you did not set in motion, or forces beyond your control. Can you see that this only prolongs the reign of delusion in your own mind? It is always easier to see what is wrong with that other person than to call yourself to task for losing your mindfulness and concentration upon your own issues of blame, confusion, misconception and/or mental diversion. Simply stated, you can't experience transcendence in your own life when your thoughts and fixations are continually focused on others.

The next step is to discover the difference between selfishly fixating your thoughts upon yourself, and appropriately dismissing the thoughts that inappropriately go to others. Such may only be a means of letting yourself off the hook. As you begin to cut through the manipulations your ego works on you through the thinking and feeling activities of the mind, you begin to understand more fully your relationship in Consciousness to all that is. You learn appropriate ways to embrace your mistakes without indulging, defending or rationalizing them. You experience the difference between self-love and self-indulgence. You find that all the experiences which tweak your ego, or push your buttons only exist to aid you in cutting through the ego's control of the mind. More importantly, you discover what freedom and liberation really are. Thus, you become wise compassionate, generous, kind and a little more enlightened.

Please join me in listening this month to A Calming Embrace, a talk I gave in Denver a few weeks ago. As you will note from this lecture, the assignment is to learn how to be (in an appropriate and growthful way) with yourself. When you discover how important it is to reclaim all the energy you put into your thoughts and fixations on others, you will also discover that your focus strengthens, your energy level is higher and lighter, you are more curious and open to others, and that you are able to navigate the ocean of life with more joy, more confidence, more resilience, more trust, and more freedom.

Because our focus this month is on reclaiming all the energetic overflow that pours into your fixations on others, I would like you to continue watching your mind, as you have for the past month. While this practice is not new to many of you, it is a very powerful one. In fact, there is no real meditation practice if you have not mastered the ability to watch your mind, catch and drop your thoughts, feelings and sense perceptions.

If you use this practice, you will notice this type of meditation requires some work. But if you truly want to experience transformation you must learn to discipline the mind. Left to its own devices, the mind will always return to habituated patterns of thought/focus. While these habits of mind may be familiar (perhaps even comfortable) they simply cannot generate transformation. It is hard to be a winner when you consider yourself a loser. It is also hard to be a winner when you're struggling or fighting against losing. Similarly, it is hard to experience rejection from others if you truly accept yourself. These are all examples of habits of mind.

When your goal to cut through illusion becomes as strong as your desire for breath there is always enough time, always enough energy to accomplish the profound work meditation requires. Thus, I encourage you to continue sitting for 30 minutes daily. Relax into your breath, giving your attention to the expiration.

As you sit, just watch what occurs in your mind. As thoughts, judgments, longings comparisons, memories, physical sensations, etc. arise, simply label these internal activities as "thinking." Do not judge the content, nor the fact that there is content arising. Do not compare the meditational experience of one day to the previous day. When content arises, do not follow it either as a thought stream or a fantasy. Simply label it as "thinking." As soon as you recognize that your mind is thinking, simply drop the thoughts and return your attention to your out breath. If your body feels nervous and wants to squirm or fidget, simply label that awareness as "thinking." Focusing your attention thus, you come to discover, in a direct way, the absolute tyranny of the undisciplined mind.

If you discover that watching the mind brings up some self-judgment for you, simply notice the judgment and label it "thinking." Little by little, you find that learning to discipline the mind can save you a lot of suffering. Do not let it run about frenetic and unchecked as an unruly perhaps destructive child. Rather, become intimate with your own breath. Choose the thoughts you want your mind to hold, and celebrate the divine Essence seeking to awaken fully in all sentient beings.

Your beloved guide and mentor,
Djwhal Khul