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The true happiness, and I found this in myself, the true happiness
is allowing myself to be as I am.
No longer trying to change myself in any way,
no longer to try and fix myself, no longer to try to desperately avoid all the negative data,
like fear and anxiety and nervousness,
or either indulging or replacing, which I was very good at,
replacing all my negative data, thoughts, emotions, sensations and experiences
to positive experiences, trying to just replace,
“Oh, I didn’t think that negative thought, I have to think something more positive quickly,
make up for it, so that I can feel that I’m still a good person.”
You know, really a lot of hard work, a lot of energy
going into all of that replacement,
I didn’t even realize that I was doing it to such an extent
until I came to this Training and I was really introduced to relaxing
moment by moment, and allowing everything to be as it is.
And there was this complete openness at how I had been treating myself
and how I’d been dealing with life by indulging, replacing or avoiding,
really avoiding relationships in so many areas of my life,
probably in all areas of my life, without realizing it.
And coming here and seeing that so clearly with the support of the Four Mainstays
and seeing that I can completely empower myself, through the support,
to open up to all relationships, to open up to all experiences,
all data, everything: all my thoughts, emotions, sensations and experiences,
really see that it is this opening intelligence,
I can allow them to be as they are and see that they naturally dissolve;
they naturally undo themselves like a knot in a snake.
So there is nothing for us to do; it happens all on its own,
and so we can stop the struggle; we don’t need to struggle any more.
And we just recognize that complete ease that is always present,
that complete happiness that is always present.
Isn’t it a relief just to allow ourselves to be as we are?
I mean, we’re recognizing that more and more here,
through this Training and through coming to the Center
and really engaging ourselves, immersing in the Four Mainstays,
and really, the Four Mainstays lifestyle.
And this ease just pervades, this happiness pervades,
not looking a certain way, not feeling a certain way.
We could be really feeling all kinds of fear and anxiety and nervousness
and depression, sadness, whatever it may be,
but when we just relax with that short moment we see that nothing needs to change.
We just are as we are in that very moment, completely aligned with reality,
nothing to avoid, because whatever comes up doesn’t affect open intelligence at all.
The data, this dynamic energy, this beneficial potency
is completely inseparable from open intelligence.
The only way that we know that we're experiencing all of that is through this power to know,
through opening intelligence. So, in every moment we just expand completely
into our limitless capacity, this incredible opening intelligence that’s just inexhaustible;
it’s boundless, and it really does fuel our power, you know,
seeing that we are naturally so powerful and so graced. Isn’t that beautiful?
That really touched me deeply.
The more we just relax we see that our natural way of being is so graceful,
this total grace and eloquence and gentleness and care in everything that we do.
It just becomes more and more obvious, because we're no longer trying
to hold onto a certain identity or acting from the data.
That’s all just relaxing, and we see that our natural movement is just so elegant and graceful
and at the same time really so potent.
You know, it demonstrates complete stability.
I mean, it’s so incredible, this complete mental and emotional stability
that is already present, that is our birthright
that we’re becoming more and more familiar with.
So, even when fear comes up, just relax right there, and just see: where does that fear really go?
It spontaneously arises, it flowers, and it naturally dissolves.
Even thinking of the future, that’s happening right now.
So, even thinking of the past, that too is happening right now!
It’s all happening right now in this very moment.
Then we just relax and allow that to be as it is.
Allow that fear to be as it is, because in that you just see what is of most benefit.
You know, not focused on the fear and on the descriptions,
but really feeling this fear for yourself and for everyone that’s feeling fear.
Can you imagine? Wow! How many beings feel fear?
Goodness me, all of us, I’m sure, at one point or another.
And so, just feel that power, feel that energy, feel that incredible connection with all beings!
So, when you relax you really are taking on that full responsibility,
and you're demonstrating that we can all relax in our power of great benefit.
You know, you can allow fear to be as it is; there’s complete fearlessness in fear.
Fear is just another datum, just as everything else it self-releases.
And it was such a beautiful question about your strengths, gifts and talents.
Now, what do you enjoy doing? Just see what you really enjoy doing;
there’s just this natural passion that you enjoy doing, right?
Now, that’s definitely one of your strengths, gifts and talents,
because it’s just something you really heartfeltly want to contribute
to yourself and everybody; it’s just this complete movement.
And our strengths, gifts and talents: it’s innate.
We start to become familiar with what we enjoy doing, what we’re really good at,
and how we can contribute and how we just start to innovate and create and,
it's just unbelievable, that is so expansive,
and we see that here in the community, worldwide,
in all the different communities, things are just beautifully created and put together
and everyone collaborating with these exquisite ideas.
And of course there’s data that comes up
about all kinds of things, and that’s completely fine.
You know, we don’t have to... the data is really information as well,
it’s not because, you know, we should not do things
because it makes us happy, and that’s a datum, just allow it to be as it is, you know.
Of course, if you really enjoy doing something: fantastic!
It’s just that passion! I mean, it’s beautiful, but you’re not limited either.
So, if there’s tasks that need to be done that you’ve been asked to do,
like for myself, I didn’t think I had a talent in proofreading or, you know, reading,
and I was asked to do that, and that was a complete nightmare.
I was like, “Oh no, you’ve asked the wrong person! I’m terrible at that.”
But through the support of the Four Mainstays and really relaxing with that fear
and that “Not being good enough, I can’t do this,”
really relaxing and taking that on, I was amazed!
You know, I discovered something about myself that I had no idea I could do
and serve in that way! So one never knows.
You’ve got this complete ability to be so open
to all kinds of things and just see from there what your strengths, gifts and talents are,
because we’re discovering more and more and more
in every moment, every day, you know.
So, that’s where we see we are just completely limitless.
So, you’ll know. You’ll know what you want to do
and how you want to contribute and share, and where you just wanna expand,
and it unfolds naturally, you know;
it doesn’t have to be a decision made right now, it unfolds naturally,
it will become very clear, it will become clear.
And I just wanted to say about intimate relationships, just from my own experience,
you know, I too had that idea that I’ve really got to find someone in order to be happy and
fulfill my life and, you know, whatever it may be.
And I also saw the total gift of giving myself that time, and so first it was a year,
you know, especially after the Empowerments, “Yeah, I can commit to a year, okay.”
And then it just naturally became more and more time that I wanted to give myself
to really get to know myself, really, everything about myself
every datum that can come up, get to know it, become familiar with it.
And see that no person, place or thing will bring me happiness,
or well-being, or stability or fulfill me in any way.
So, I’m just getting to know that everything that I want is already here.
You know, I’m already naturally perfect and completely complete,
and I can be of total benefit, and I’m so open to life as it is.
But I’m giving myself that time to really get to know myself.
And of course we all have these ideas and data that still come up
about, “Mm, isn’t he lovely?” Or, you know, “What about...?”
You know, all kinds of things! That’s so fine, that’s so natural.
And there we just allow that to be too,
it doesn’t mean, because we have an idea or a datum that pops in our head
that we have to follow it! We just enjoy the display.
And as you shared so light-heartedly, it is humorous,
because fundamentally we know what we want.
We know that we want to gain confidence in open intelligence,
in our power and potency, first and foremost.
You know, there’s that total commitment and devotion,
and then from there it’s completely open.
We see in every moment what is of most benefit.