Awakening to Bliss – Workshop Outline

I.	Introduction
A.	Importance of conscious mind
B.  Tendency of the mind and awareness of it
II.	Meditation for presence and calming mind
III.	Choosing Bliss – the nature of the mind
A.	Every moment we have a choice – how to experience life
1.	Tendency to choose discomfort and create drama Why?  Ie. Need extremes? 
	a.	Our need for security – of familiar
	b.	How ego defines itself – creates stories
		1.  What happens, happens
		2.  Worst that can happen is a story
2.	If unhappy, ultimately we choose it.  “Unhappiness arises not from the circumstances of life, but the conditioning of the mind.”
	a.	The shape of your experiences is determined by the choices you make.  
	b.	It is you that chooses to linger in resentment, be consumed by anger, or enveloped 	by grief
	c.	 You can choose to release these lower-frequency currents of energy
B.	Mind is a tool -  receiver and processor of all external stimulation, filtering system
C.	Tendency of mind
1.	To define and categorize in order to understand - Ego self is interpreter/translator of processed information constantly making judgments about expiences
a.	Only isness exists, beyond which are (mis)interpretations
	1.  See yourself as a projector onto the outside world
	2.  Beauty = Clarity
b.	Problem is tools are limited to previous experience - Library
c.	Can be misinterpretations, can reproduce, stuck in cycles
d.	Stress and fear
1.	Need for comfort and security by that which is familiar or definable 
2.	The irony is that we choose discomfort by tricking ourselves into making excuses that it is comfortable because it is familiar
3.	Choosing not to face something out of fear IS the problem – the excuse
4.	Defining/judging instead of “seeing” requires more effort, seeing is non action
5.	Beyond the ego, no suffering exists, all interpretations or misinterpretations  ie. Fear/Clarity of a martial artist
2.	To make excuses – the ultimate human “bad habit”
a.	Any moment not present we make excuses for it ie. Stressed about this, anxious about that, problems to solve, later will be better.  Peace comes not by rearranging circumstances of life, but by accepting that which is.
b.	What must be dealt with will be when the time comes, choosing discomfort in this moment is useless.
c.   Letting go of challenges and also victories.  Get stuck looping experiences.
D.	Suffering (sources of )
1.	External influences vs. internal
2.	Patterns of reaction
a.	Engrained by ego
b.	Necessary to be aware, to eliminate chatter – moving from one thought form to the next - “dream of thought”
c.	Past and future – ego seeks identity from the past experiences and future for fulfillment, now is seen as means to an end
E.  Techniques for being present
	1.  First notice discomfort – Stress is our friend – an alarm clock
	       a.  Realize it doesn’t help	
b.	Break mental habits by allowing, discomfort is denial
	       c.  Develop attitude of “how nice” – accepting what is without attachment
	       d.  Emotional vs. intellectual approach
	2.  Notice patterns (social)
	       a.  Winning formulas
		1) Most of us are in a hypnotic state most of the day – due to conditioning
			a) Focus is on old patterns of behavior
			b) Standard topics of conversation
			c) Standard methods for interacting
			d) Playing out old scenarios, old patterns of response that worked in past
		2) Not experiencing, we are reacting
			a) Need to experience life as it is happening
			b) Not allow preconceived notions or old patterns of response
			c) Conscious interactions “hello” and “thank you”
	       b.  Chatter
	3.  Become aware of your method – mode of operation
	       a.  How you continually condition yourself to perceive the world
		1)  Religion
		2)  Drugs
		3)  Atheist or Agnostic
		4)  License to judge
	       b.  How does this shape your experience?
	       c.  Why have you faith in this particular method?
	       d.  Allow truths beyond your method
	             e.  What you seek keeps you from your awareness of what you already have
	4.  Choose now and not “later”
	       a.	Your power exists in the present moment only
		1)  Do what is needed in the present moment
			a)  Never too much to do, only one thing at a time ie. stack of mail
	       		b)  Choose presence in any action
		2)  Don't worry about future
			a)  Doesn't mean...DO consider the consequences of your choices - 			     responsible choice
			b)  Create strongly in the present 
		3).  Don’t lose power over the what-ifs of life - they are unlimited and endless
			a)  What will be will be, worst that can happen is a story
			b)  Allow yourself the freedom that comes from being unattached to the 			     outcome, and operating from an empowered heart
	       b.  Each time you feel negative, stop, acknowledge it and release it consciously.  	Look at the situation and remind yourself that there are always opportunities to be 	found
	5.  Keep commitments, big or small
	        a.  Builds confidence
	        b.  If fail, don’t get upset or regret, only hinders growth
	6.  Application to our daily life, The 3 P’s
	        a.  Posture of Mind (Thought) & Body (Action)
	        b.  Peacefulness (patience)
	        c.  Presence
	7.  Trust
		a.  All of what you are doing each day is creating what is appropriate and perfect.  	     Apply consciousness to this process to see the truth of it.
		b.  Remember that all roads lead home – back to source.  If you choose suffering, 		     don't see it as wrong, it is just what you need to experience right now to aid in 	     	     your evolution.  You can learn what you need to through bliss or suffering.
IV.	Guided Meditation
V.	Conclusion
	A.	Always remember to choose, see what life can be when you start choosing it
	B.	Choose When it is Easy and Carry Practice to Daily Life
	C.  Start with yourself, then change the outside world – develop a clarity, calm, and a strong 	foundation
	C.	Use the 3 P’s or other reminder
	D.	“Unhappiness arises not from the circumstances of life, but the conditioning of the mind.”