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OPTIMUM SELF NEWSLETTER

November 23/2002
Issue # 55

http://www.optimumself.com
mailto:webmaster@optimumself.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

(1) Who are you?

(2) Meaningful words

(3) At the site

(4) Questions, comments or suggestions

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(1) Who are you?

Just exactly who are you? You may say "Well...I'm Ted
Somebody, originally from Pittsburgh and the son of a
steelworker and hair stylist.

I'm a Regional Sales Manager for Something Industries
and have been for the last 11 years. I'm 35 years old, a
father of three and recently divorced. I wish I could see
my kids more. I was raised Catholic but no longer practice.

I am an avid skier and outdoors man. I'm 6 feet tall, with a
dark complexion and brown eyes and probably carry an
extra 15 pounds and it sure seems tougher to lose then
ever before. My sign is Taurus if you care.

I enjoy discussing politics but tend to become a little
argumentative. I guess I do enjoy a good argument. I love
to travel and especially like getting away on my motorcycle
on weekends. I also own a sailboat but just don't seem to
have the time to enjoy it much anymore.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.."

Understand right now, that the essence of who you are is
not your name, your birthplace, your parents, your job, your
career, your title, your age, your marital status, your weight,
your possessions, your religious affiliation, your habits, your
body, your mind, your fears, your thoughts or your feelings.

Who are you then?

When your body is tired, who/what is it that says "my body
is tired"?

When you are troubled, who/what is it that says "my mind
is troubled'?

When you say "I feel angry!", who/what is it that is
angry?

Who/what is it that thinks the thought or senses the body
or feels the anger? Who/what is it that speaks of the mind
and the body and the feelings?

Who are you?

You are that by which you know that you are. That is who
you actually are. Your essence is spirit. Meditate on this
sentence. Be that. There is no need to try to be that because
you already are that. What effort is needed to be who you are
already? Realize that. Undoubtedly you are here. You can
control your thoughts but you are NOT your thoughts.

What is meant by the psalm ""Be still and know that I Am God..."?
Rote knowledge of scripture remains mechanical and mere
words unless one allows the heart and soul to be touched.
Words stir the mind and inspire but knowledge of God is
complete, wordless, direct and impossible to mistake.
Prayer and meditation is the direct path. If the mind is not
clear, it is not ready to receive all that waits to enter.

Know thyself. Look at the word confidence and it's root;
con-fîdo, fisus sum, 3, v. n., to trust confidently in something,
confide in, rely firmly upon, to believe, be assured of.

Take all the time in the world to ponder the question "who
am I?". Eliminating all that you are not and discover what
is left! There you are! Exercise the full control that you possess
as a birthright. The choice is yours.

Realize that all the problems you struggle with relate directly
or indirectly to your body's existence, whether it be security,
other people, food, shelter, clothing or health issues.

These problems melt away when you realize that you truly
are something other than your body and mind. What problems
does the owner of the body have?

When you stay aware and in the now (after all the now is
always with you), and you develop the ability to observe with
stillness, you may choose to refuse to allow your true self to
become attached to destructive thoughts, worries and fears.
Actually, by using the process of elimination you will find
through meditation all that you are not! Then what remains;
the witness is boundless unlimited spirit.

The now is of vital importance in this premise. When you find
yourself thinking of something in the past or worrying about
the future, you must immediately realize that you are still
doing this thinking in the now.

The material world will come and go, but the now and the
spiritual realm will remain absolutely and infinitely real. Keep
returning to this sense of "I am here and now".

It can take but a moment or an entire lifetime to get this.
Your sincerity is the key. Use your new found awareness
to destroy (destroy meaning de-structure) any tired, patterned
responses you may covet in which you think you have to be
somebody or live up to somebody's expectations. You already
have "some body".

When you bring your inner self into focus, spontaneously and
without effort, who you actually are will then begin to emerge.
When you begin to observe all the madness that happens
around you, all the while realizing that it is happening to you
but is not you, then the inner self emerges. Try to stay there
calmly but remember to do this without effort or strain.

Continued patience and a sincere heart are all you truly need.
Your unbending intent is incredibly powerful. It will take some
discipline to stay in the now in the early stages as you will be
bombarded with images, resentments, irritations and trivialities.
Just allow these thoughts to pass you by as if you are sitting
by the river's edge watching a leaf being ever gently carried
downstream.

These thoughts have never actually been you but now that
you are realizing this, you will clearly view how these thoughts
and the confusion that they create operate to determine your
daily reality.

To be yourself requires no special knowledge. Remember
always both simplicity and sincerity. You will begin with tiny
steps, gradually isolating negative reactions and resentments
and dispassionately observing them.

Resist not. Resent not. Remain as the observer, the witness
and separate from your thoughts. See clearly that there is the
thought and there is the witness of the thought. You are the
witness only. Stay in this witnessing state.

Pure awareness, silence and stillness is the essence of who
you are. Clear your mind first of trivialities and thoughts, be
very quiet, and then within the stillness and silence you will
find peace.

The obvious fact that you are absolutely able to observe
something (whether it be a thought or feeling) is proof that
you are not it. You can't be both the observer and that which
is observed.

This meditative state is nothing more than affording yourself
the opportunity to discover what is illusionary, so that when
truth is presented it will be heard. It will be known. Doubt not.

If you seek the advanced disciplines of postures, poses and
breathing techniques you will find many books/teachers which/
who will describe these thoroughly. Be aware lest you become
addicted to the method and miss the message. Simplicity works.

My intent here and now, is that you simply are able to realize
there is a way to still the mind so that you may know who you
truly are and know God, not simply know about God.

It is a mystery as to why you and I have appeared here at all.
Rather then continuing to submit yourself to endless questioning,
intellectualizing and speculation, why not consider just being?
If this mystery is meant to be revealed, it will be... in due time.

Begin here http://www.optimumself.com/techniquenow.html

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(2) Meaningful words

Facing it, always facing it, that the way to get through. Face it.
Joseph Conrad

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Since you are like no other being ever created since the beginning
of time, you are incomparable.
Brenda Ueland

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Go to your bosom; Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know.
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), 'Measure for Measure'

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All the arts we practice are apprenticeship. The big art is our life.
M. C. Richards

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That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've
understood all your life, but in a new way.
Doris Lessing

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(3) At the site

Suggest a newsletter topic.
http://www.optimumself.com/suggest.html

Articles from previous newsletters.
http://www.optimumself.com/articles.html

Try a simple technique.
http://www.optimumself.com/techniquenow.html

Visit our redesigned home page.
http://www.optimumself.com

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(4) Questions, comments or suggestions?

mailto:feedback@optimumself.com

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