Inner peace is commonly defined as "a mental condition marked by a freedom from disquieting thoughts*" ... Some equate it to living in harmony with our surroundings, while others feel that it reflects the times when we have little or no negative stress (a.k.a. fear) in our lives. Regardless of your personal definition thereof, inner peace is hardly a "norm" in these turbulent times. Nations are at war, members of different religions are condemning each other, companies are competing viciously for profits, we are seemingly surrounded by people who annoy or criticize us, and even our own minds are constantly temtping us to fulfill selfish desires and/or avoid self-centered worries ...

And yet, it has been my personal experience over the last five+ years that there is another way to Be; that even though this discordance is "normal" in our everyday lives, it is anything but natural. And this is the ultimate purpose of this website: to provide you with tools you can use to realign your life with a more peace-full, natural state of Being. Indeed, there seem to be no other words that so perfectly identify the ultimate intention of this website: to bring you "Inner Peace" - to bring you back into a state of internal calm; a harmonious state of awareness that will allow you to re-member your true nature as a selflessly compassionate being.

And the term "re-member" is truly key to comprehending what is meant here, as it is not enough to simply intellectually "understand" the (i)am material. The "Inner Peace" to which I refer does not come from logical thought or emotional prayer or intense visualization (though these are beneficial practices on the path towards Inner Peace). Rather, in my personal experience, true Inner Peace comes only when one has the courage to actually apply these principles to everyday life with acts of selfless service and/or radical kindness ... In each moment of life that we choose to practice selfless kindness, we create a powerful force for Peace in the world, and thereby experience a deep-seated Inner Peace ourselves.

"There is no way to Peace... Peace is the Way." ~ M. Gandhi

*Webster's 3rd New International Unabridged Dictionary (1986)

It is important to remember that this Virtue is not a "goal" for your attainment, but rather a guideline for your use ... You are not required to "be perfectly accepting" to attain Peace. And yet, the more perfectly you can effectuate Acceptance in your everyday life, the more powerfully you will bring Peace to others - and the more purely you will then experience deep-seated Peace yourself ...

Some practical How-To's for enhanced Acceptance:

1. "Radical Forgiveness" ... One of the most powerful ways to attain a state of perfect Acceptance is to forgive thse who have harmed (or are still harming) us. Focusing on another's "wrongs" prevents us from investing our own energies in the present moment. Indeed, Acceptance cannot be experienced until you detach from past wounds and actualizes forgiveness for your "perpetrators" by being kind to them. This active caring for our "enemies" is the only way to completely forgive them (and thereby become free of the pain that they have caused us). There is thereafter no more energy wasted on resentment, revenge or any other form of "fighting for justice." One's focus shifts completely from a self-centered worrying over what is "fair", to a selfless desire to relieve others' burdens. Outrage disappears and is replaced by calm. Blame disappears and is replaced by compassion. Envy disappears and is replaced by gratitude. Frustration disappears and is replaced by appreciation. Fear disappears and is replaced by courageous acts of caring. And these harmonious states of being are all brought about simply by choosing to believe in them while acting accordingly ...

Choose to remember that the arrogant people in your life were taught powerlessness in their youth, and are now ready to receive your respect. Remember that the overly aggressive people in your life were taught helplessness in their youth, and are now ready to receive your allegiance. Remember that the malicious people in your life were taught cowardice, and are now ready to receive your courageous compassion. Remember that the judgmental people in your life were taught uncertainty, and are now ready to receive your Acceptance. Remember that the superficial people in your life were taught avoidance, and are now ready to receive your Intimacy. Remember that the evil people in your life were taught fear, and are now ready to receive your Love ...

All beings that evoke judgment or condemnation or criticism or even analysis from you are the very ones in your life most in need of your perfect Acceptance, and they are also the ones from whom that caring will be received most power-fully. It is impossible to experience deep-seated Peace until we choose to actively care for those we fear (noting that annoyance is a mild manifestation of fear, while hatred is an extreme manifestation thereof). And we cannot care for these people until we have chosen to exhibit the courage to come closer to them - to know them as people, and not "villains" ...

With this in mind, choose to forgive the "enemies" in your life, and choose to do so personally. Eye-contact, coupled with a sincere and compassion-laden expression of forgiveness, is a potent way to communicate your perfect Acceptance of another. An anonymous "good deed" on their behalf is another. Phone-calls, letters &/or visualizations that relay forgiveness can also prove effective, though they are much less potent. In general, the more difficult (a.k.a. "uncomfortable") the method used, the more powerful it will be -- and the more Peace it will engender, both for those forgiven as well as for yourself ...

2. "Radical Appreciation" ... To help re-awaken your Soul's innate all-Accepting nature, it is helpful to choose to deeply Appreciate your life's non-threatening objects. To do so, simply sit and witness whatever you happen to notice in a particular moment -- a fly on your window, a flower, the flame of a candle, a tree, etc. Your ego will attempt to see that object as "familiar", "boring" or "normal," and yet choose to gently set these thoughts aside and Realize that the object you are observing is ever-changing, and essentially a completely different object from when you might have last seen it (or anything similar to it). Appreciate it for what it is only as it is in this new moment; not as it was in the past or could be in the future. Once these ego-based thoughts are released, you can be truly Aware of the object in that instant, and can then truly Accept it as it IS. Indeed, to choose to be deeply Aware of anything is to unconditionally Accept (and therefore truly Appreciate) the same ...

Note that your ego will attempt to judge the object, and by judgment I refer not only those thoughts that are negative or critical. A flower is a flower. It is not "beautiful" -- which is an opinion of the ego that is based upon comparing the flower to other "less beautiful" things the ego has witnessed in the past ... All judgments, positive or negative, are merely the ego breathing its arrogant (and essentially fearful) fog onto your Soul's perfect window to Reality. All such labels serve to obscure the accuracy of your perceptions and make it impossible to truly Accept anything you happen to experience. After all, how can you hope to Accept what you perceive if you do not first choose to truly Perceive it as it is! ...

Once this relatively easy practice has been experienced, we can apply it in situations that are more challenging. Interacting with other entities (e.g. working with an object as opposed to looking at it, communicating with another person instead of listening to them, etc.) is a much more difficult arena in which to effectuate perfect Acceptance. And yet, it is equally plausible and equally powerful to do so. The brain is a computer -- a computer currently being continually programmed and re-programmed by your primitive, instinct-based, self-centered ego-mind. And yet, as a computer, your brain can also be re-programmed by your "higher", conscience-based, selfless conscience as well ...

We all have a set of negative prejudices and ignorant convictions related to our views of reality ... When honest with our selves, we can identify at least a few of them immediately. And with these you can commence with your own "re-programming." Have the courage to visualize one of the situations when one or more of your prejudices typically arise. Feel yourself pause long enough to remember that you have a choice as to how you will behave in such moments. You may continue to emotionally react in a judgmental, pain-inducing fashion -- or you may pause and choose a new, more harmonious response. You may release your self-centered hopes that things were somehow other than they are. You might even decide to perfectly Accept the person or the situation or the object only for what it is in that moment. You may even Accept not only that life is as it is in that moment, but also that there is something harmonious that you can do in that situation. Persistently choosing this mental outlook makes each subsequent challenge of Acceptance that much easier to engage, and your Soul's mirror of true Perception that much clearer thereafter ...

3. "Radical Gratitude" ... Thankfulness is one of the most-powerful forms of perfect Acceptance. And this Gratitude can also be extended to include your life's more painful moments. Indeed, every one of your "tragedies" or "crises" is actually a clear mirror into which you may gaze -- to see who you yourself are choosing to become, to realize similar personal transgressions that are calling for your repentance, to recognize the opportunity to selflessly serve that which has been placed directly before you in that very moment. As such, choose to be thank-full for the difficulties that enable you to re-Awaken to your True Self, as well as for the challenges that give you the opportunity to choose compassion for your "enemies." Indeed, there is always the opportunity to focus on the life and the livelihood you already have, and to consciously live it fully -- without struggling to "improve" it, attain goals, fulfill plans or "enforce justice" ...

With this in mind, it might be helpful to take a few moments and write a few short lists. Initially, list all your personal wounds (emotional as well as physical) and the people who have "perpetrated" them upon you. Choose to See each of those "lessons" as an integral step along the path that has brought you to this very moment; to the state of Being that has enabled you to finally choose to now live in Joy anyway ... Next, list all the wounds (emotional as well as physical) that you have "perpetrated" upon others. Choose to forgive yourself for their commission. Be thank-full that you have learned from these mistakes and need never repeat them again ... Finally, make a list of all the blessings that Life has bestowed upon you. Express your gratitude for these gifts, and choose to dedicate your life to extending the same compassion onto others that the Universe continues to shower upon you ...

Remember that there is no joy without sadness, no bliss without pain, no abundance without lack; no harmony without discord; no flowing ease without struggle; no selfless virtue without selfish "sin"; no beauty without the displeasing; and no life without death. This is not a call for you to affirm or manifest more painful encounters in your life, but rather a mandate to perfectly Accept them when they do arise, and thereby use them to emPower the re-emergence of your True Self with your subsequent acts of grateful kindness ...

It is important to remember that this Virtue is not a "goal" for your attainment, but rather a guideline for your use. You are not required to "be perfectly patient" to attain Peace. And yet, the more perfectly you can effectuate this Patience in your everyday life, the more powerfully you will bring Peace to others - and the more purely you will then experience deep-seated Peace for yourself ...

Some practical How-To's for enhanced Patience:

1. Just DO! ... There are no "small acts of kindness." Every selfless good deed is a powerful force for Universal Harmony. And yet these actions must be engaged to actualize that power ... Thus, choose to begin each day thinking of ways to be of Service* in your community. Pause during the day to search for ways to bring others Joy and/or relieve their burdens. Then, every evening, choose to review your day positively and ask humbly to be of more powerful Service tomorrow. Remember that there is no need for you to search for specific forms of service "best suited" to your particular life or your particular talents. Simply go forth and choose to repeatedly Do whatever Good there is to Do abd let your vocation gently unfold ...

One power-full way to effectuate Service is thinking positively about others when most tempted to analyze or criticize them. Another is to defend others whenever they are being "gossiped." Be help-full when others seem to struggle. Be Kind when others seem saddened. Be Joy-fully unconventional and/or eccentric. Be Happy and spread "good cheer." Clean up garbage and litter in your neighborhood. Leave poems or inspirational quotes in coffee houses or on subways. The list of small, yet significant acts of Compassion are endless. They become a transcendent transformer of the world around you.

Choose to dwell on Wonder and Goodness, and your actions will begin both to effectuate and to attract opportunities to effectuate the same. As long as you consistently Do with Love, it really doesn't matter what is Done. Each of us is assigned the corner of the Universal Garden in which we reside. To effectuate the Virtue of perfect Patience, simply choose to witness the areas of your immediate environment that are in discord, and then seek humbly and gently to bring Harmony thereto ...

*Note that "charity work" is only true service when it enhances the innate Dignity of those served. Monetary donations by definition do not qualify as charity. Pity and sympathy and "saving" others with your own "better ways" are also counterproductive to others. And yet, the question is often posed, "How can I powerfully serve?" The answer is a simple one: Go amongst the downtrodden in your community and give all that you have to give -- even if that "all" is nothing more than a hug and a smile. Go to your enemies and forgive them their trespasses, regardless of whether or not they accept that absolution ...

In addition, there are a few "express lanes" to serving potently -- acts of selfless service that are exceptionally powerful. Some of these are -- being kind to strangers (e.g. making eye-contact, smiling and greeting everyone encountered every day), being kind to the elderly (e.g. visiting retirement homes and listening to your elders), being kind to the ill (e.g. visiting hospitals and sharing space gently with those not often visited by others), being kind to children (e.g. getting involved in a Big-Brother/Big-Sister program).

2. Be positively conscious! ... Patience means making your actions pro-active as opposed to reactionary - positively loving as oposed to negatively fearful. Every conscious being is empowered to lessen the suffering of the world by choosing to add to its Joy; to decrease the darkness of the Cosmos by adding to Its Light. The negative mind may be well intended, and yet it enables sadness. The cautious ego may be well-intended, and yet it entrenches fear. The fighter of evil may also mean well, and yet he/she entrenches that evil and enhances its potency. Those focusing on "eradicating the darkness" do so righteously, and yet make the world a darker place. Remember that it is the positive that transforms the negative. It is light that casts out the darkness. It is goodness that re-minds "evil" of its true, divine nature. So set out each day with the simple desire to spread Joy and positivity. That desire will bear the fruit of Peace wherever you then happen to go ...

3. Just say "Yes!" ... Choose to say "Yes" to every request and every opportunity that has the probability of aiding another.* Do so especially if that request is not in your own "best interest." Do so especially if you are still hurting from something the requester has done to you in the past. Do so especially if you think the motives behind another's request are less than pure. These are your chances to give powerfully by giving anyway!

*When doing so, proof only whether, by performing the requested act, you will potentially harm another being. If it seems not, then simply Do it. Realize as well that many people are asking for assistance with their actions more than their word. Indeed, there is always something to Do and someone to Love in every moment of our lives ...

It is important to remember that this Virtue is not a "goal" for your attainment, but rather a guideline for your use. You are not required to "be perfectly giving" to attain Peace. And yet, the more perfectly you can effectuate this Generosity in your everyday life, the more powerfully you will bring Peace to others - and the more purely you will then experience deep-seated Peace for yourself ...

Some practical How-To's for enhanced Generosity:

1. Giving anonymously ... We are rarely taught (and even more rarely shown) the joys of giving to others without expectation. As a consequence, we rarely learn that such pure gifts bring us more happiness than any potential reciprocity ever could. The most effective way to re-member this Truth is to simply go out each day and give to others anonymously. How you do so is essentially irrelevant -- as long as the giving is performed completely anonymously (don't even tell your friends what you're doing!). The most power-full way to do anything meaning-fully is to do it anonymously, do it self-sacrificially (e.g. when "too tired", "too poor" &/or have "more important things to do"), and do it "for free."...

2. Giving "radically" (i.e. randomly) ... Give to others even when no obvious "need" for a gift is evident. Remember that the "magnitude" of a gift and/or the amount of time invested in the giving thereof is essentially irrelevant. Indeed, the power of a particular gift is impossible to materially quantify. $2.00 from a "poor" man is so much more power-full than $20,000.00 from a "wealthy" one. Time spent with a child instead of at an "important" meeting is much more power-full than playing catch with him during half-time of a football game you are watching. It is both the personal worth you imbue in a gift as well as the selfless intention you meld with its giving that are determinant of its potential life-altering effects upon the receiver ...

3. Giving actively ... "Generosity" is not to be confused with "philanthropy." Perfect Generosity is intimate*; something that the mere donation of money cannot engender. Refrain from merely "giving" of things and instead give of your time (e.g. attending appreciatively to the wonders of the moment), your service (e.g. performing physical labors intended to relieve others' burdens), and/or your Self (e.g. listening to others with compassion) ...

*Remember as well that a big part of giving is allowing others to give to you. This includes being receptive to others' cordialities. This includes greeting "strangers" like brothers. This includes speaking with all elderlies and infants as though they are your teachers (After all, they are our true teachers!). This includes conversing with every person you meet as though they are the only person in existence in that moment ...

It is important to remember that this Virtue is not a "goal" for your attainment, but rather a guideline for your use. You are not required to "be perfectly thankful" to attain Peace. And yet, the more perfectly you can effectuate this Gratitude in your everyday life, the more powerfully you will bring Peace to others - and the more purely you will then experience deep-seated Peace for yourself ...

Some practical How-To's for enhanced Gratitude:

1. Pausing Peace-fully ... To get beyond self-centered emotions and our normal, negative reactions to them, it is necessary to choose to briefly pause whenever these anxieties surface in our lives. With every stimulus encountered, our neo-cortex (the brain center responsible for choosing our responses to events) always "switches on" a quarter of a second after our amygdala (the brain center generally responsible for self-preservative reactions to the same). The former allows us be truly content regardless of our lives' external circumstances, while the latter encourages us to react to those challenges with either hollow desire or paralyzing fear. And yet, as conscious beings, we are each given the opportunity to pause whenever tempted with fear or anger or frustration; to pause and choose a different kind of response. This activity may be difficult, and yet the more we practice it, the easier it becomes. It helps to understand (and regular ly re-member) that all of our suffering comes from our own faulty interpretations of the difficulties we encounter. We always choose our reactions to those "crises", and we can just as readily replace them by choosing to see those situations as opportunities instead of "problems" ...

The easiest way to start this re-programming process is to pause whenever you catch yourself either complaining about or criticizing anyone or anything. Contrary to popular opinion, a negative voicing of your disappointment is not "healthy." There is also no such thing as "sweet sorrow", "constructive fear" or "corrective guilt." Instead of engaging these dysfunctional responses, pause and think of some way -- any way at all -- to be thankful for that person or thing or event instead. If you persist in this practice, perfect Gratitude will become the norm in your life, and you will be regularly and powerfully at Peace ...

2. Actively Appreciating ... Each day, remember to actively espouse your thankfulness for your life. Practice silent expressions of Gratitude on a daily basis. Be grateful that your basic survival needs are being met. Remember that your entire life has actively led you to your present moment and its innate wonders. If your life is in a difficult phase, take a mental step back and remember the "bigger picture" by being consciously thank-full for your free will -- the conscious awareness that allows you to cease being sad or angry or afraid whenever you so choose ...

The easiest way to commence with this re-programming is to begin each day with an emanation of thankfulness. Every new day is a gift of life. Awaken every morning and give thanks for the new day - a chance to start fresh and build not only a life you want to live, but - more importantly - to reconstruct the person you wish to be. Be thanks-filled for each morning's first breath ... Similarly, go to bed each night grateful for the life you were blessed to live that day. If wonder-full things happened, express gratitude for those events. If "terrible" things happened, express even more gratitude for those opportunities -- not to encourage more of them to show up in the future, but rather to take back their power over you and your state of mind. Indeed, without these challenges, your life would be essentially meaningless, and human beings nothing more than the next in a long line of doddering, instinct-ruled beasts.

3. Accepting the IS ... Eliminate worry from your life, and note that by "worry" I do not mean "concern" Concern always encourages you to actively and compassionately do something for another. Worry is a useless mulling over of painful things you cannot change. Concern encourages immediate action while worry is per se future-focused. You have complete control over whether or not you will be psychologically harmed by any event. And anytime you want to, you can stop injuring yourself with your worry by choosing to be grateful instead. Detaching from emotional temptations allows us to experience true Peace -- Honoring the past need not be melancholy, parting from a loved one can be a joyous transition, and indignation over an injustice can be a call to love your enemies. Essentially, negative emotions are only constructive when released and replaced. Choosing radical Gratitude allows us to do just that ...

It is important to remember that this Virtue is not a "goal" for your attainment, but rather a guideline for your use. You are not required to "be perfectly loving" to attain Peace. And yet, the more perfectly you can effectuate this Compassion in your everyday life, the more powerfully you will bring Peace to others - and the more purely you will then experience deep-seated Peace for yourself ...

Some practical How-To's for enhanced Compassion:

1. Pure empathy ... We cannot know inner Peace without literally re-membering how to be Compassionate to others. And we cannot be Compassionate towards others until we choose to sincerely feel their pain, and this requires the setting aside of your ego's analyses and judgments of others' discomforts. No one's pain can ever be accurately characterized as less intense than your own. Neither can you ever hope to truly comprehend their pain. Rather, choose instead to accept with humility that another�s pain is potentially more intense than any you have personally experienced. Indeed, we cannot love what we analyze or categorize or belittle. We can only have perfect Compassion for that with which we choose to have empathy. And it is this perfect Compassion that makes both others' suffering as well as our own immediately dissipate into the Peace of selflessness ...

2. Being Joy-full ... Compassion is not only the relieving of others' burdens or the mitigation of their suffering. It is also the enhancement of Joy in any given space at any given time. Indeed, it is often more effective to add to the light than to strive against the darkness; to be Joy-full yourself as opposed to merely encouraging others to do the same; to add to another's Happiness as opposed to merely attempting to relieve their pain ...

3. Random Acts of Kindness ... Make your acts of Compassion random and anonymous to enhance their potency. Fill your days with "small", spontaneous acts intended to bring others Joy and/or ease their burdens. Make a list of all the ways your particular culture defines kindness as "normal" or "typical" and then set out each day and radiate your love in other, more radically unconventional ways (this one is actually quite fun!) ...

4. Loving your "enemies" ... Think on those in your life who you find the most "annoying", "mean" or "immoral." Then, choose to show them all perfect Compassion with your considerate actions, caring words &/or positive thoughts. Peace does not require surrounding yourself with "your people." Indeed, your "enlightenment" can only come when you are true to the inclinations of your True Self in those moments when you are most tempted not to. This is why we must choose to care for our "enemies." Without them, our transcendence would be uncomplicated, and therefore weak. Remember that the only way to be care-full of the company you keep is to actively care for the company you don't want!

5. Selfless Service ... Love does not require finding a caretaker. Rather, perfect Compassion encourages you to Become a Caretaker. The following are some "Express Lanes" to empowering this perfect Compassion in your everyday living:

Be Kind to "strangers" you encounter (make eye contact, smile and offer them assistance -- even if they don't ask for it) ... Be Kind to the elderly in your neighborhood (e.g. visit retirement homes and listen attentively to those who reside there) ... Be Kind to the downtrodden (visit and listen to the poor, the homeless, the ill and the imprisoned) in your community ... Be Kind to all children in your life (e.g. volunteer for a Big Brother/Big Sister program, spend Quality-Time with your kids, etc.) ... Be Kind to the animals (e.g. go to your local animal shelter and be Kind to those animals next in line for euthanasia) ...

It is important to remember that this Virtue is not a "goal" for your attainment, but rather a guideline for your use. You are not required to "be perfectly truthful" to attain Peace. And yet, the more perfectly you can effectuate this Honesty in your everyday life, the more powerfully you will bring Peace to others - and the more purely you will then experience deep-seated Peace for yourself ...

Some practical How-To's for enhanced Honesty:

1. Silence & a smile ... "Enlightened" people harbor no secrets. At the same time, they are not mandated to fully disclose their opinions. Indeed, it is often more loving to respond to an inquiry with silence than to utter Honest words that have the "probability" of harming or painfully disconcerting another. Perfect Honesty does not require complete disclosure; merely the complete disclosure of all that one chooses to relay ...

2. Defending the absent (a.k.a. "anti-gossip") ... Be a forthright champion of every human being not present in your life. Do so gently, and do so directly. Refuse to get caught up in criticism, analysis or complaint (especially "gossip", including "gossip" related to politics or the news). Witness and affirm the Truth within others instead. Illuminate the positive in others to allow it to blossom forth. Condemning it "behind its back" will only encourage it to entrench itself and become even more pronounced in the future. In short, participate in supportive, constructive conversations or don't participate in them at all ...

3. Flagrant Honesty ... Sarcasm covers dishonesty with humor even though "more truth be spoken in jest" (Shakespeare). Tact is actually direct vagueness -- a purposeful deception, where the words on the speaker's face are honest while their underlying intentions are not. Avoid speaking in ways intending to manipulate or misconstrue. Dedicate the day to being either completely honest or completely silent ...

4. Walking the Talk ... Most importantly, pause regularly to proof whether or not your current actions are in harmony with your words and your beliefs. Languages can relay information from a particular perspective, and yet they can never hope to convey even a small fraction of the complete reality of our unique experiences of life. It is only our actions that speak accurately to our lives and our beliefs about the same. Indeed, there is never a need to verbally communicate "who you are." Your actions are doing so perfectly in every moment -- so act accordingly!

It is important to remember that this Virtue is not a "goal" for your attainment, but rather a guideline for your use. You are not required to "be perfectly humble" to attain Peace. And yet, the more perfectly you can effectuate this Humility in your everyday life, the more powerfully you will bring Peace to others - and the more purely you will then experience deep-seated Peace for yourself ...

Some practical How-To's for enhanced Humility:

1. "Humilification" Initially, humility is not to be confused with humiliation. It is the ego that identifies the True Self as something infinitesimally small -- an insignificant whispering in one's ear. Of course, this is coming from the ego, whose massive girth (a.k.a. its pride) is your fundamental hindrance to experiencing lasting Happiness. Indeed, there is nothing humiliating at all about perfect Humility. Because Right Actions humbly attempt to relieve others' burdens, they cannot ever lead to embarrassment or shame, regardless of their outcomes. Likewise, perfect Humility is not self-degradation, but rather a realization of how truly power-full we are as small, yet significant facets of the Universe. In addition, perfect Humility has nothing to do with "obedience" or subservience to another. Indeed, perfect Humility replaces subservience to another with a deeper comprehension of the absolute strength of True Self ...

To properly "humilify" your awareness, then, any of the following activities can be engaged: a) engaging any activity in which you aren't particularly graceful or "talented," b) choosing conscious "Humility-Breathing" (taking slow, deep breaths with your chin on your chest and your body in a "state of supplication" - i.e. bowing &/or kneeling), c) regularly and sincerely thanking both the "anonymous" (a.k.a. God) and the "unknown" (a.k.a. inspiration, consciousness, etc.) for everything pleasant that happens to you or is witnessed around you, d) applying new lessons in courageously creative ways (via unconventional, "strange" acts &/or applying intuitive, "irrational" inner guidance) is also a powerful "humilifier," &/or e) employing a "collaborative mentality" -- where you purpose-fully give credit to others or the group for any successes you personally attain ...

2. "Radical Acceptance" (Just say YES!) -- Though they are innately flexible, humble choices are not at all "wishy-washy" or "inconsequent." When another asks you for help, your ego may tempt you to believe that you have "more important things to do", or that the other's request for your assistance is "unworthy" or "counterproductive." And yet, perfect Humility encourages us to choose to assist others anyway. As long as you can honestly have faith that your assistance will neither cause future pain nor entrench current discomfort, perfect Humility encourages us to engage all opportunities to serve others. In addition, perfect Humility prompts you to release all concerns related to an option's probability of "success", its "practicality" of implementation or its "rationality." It chooses instead to simply say "YES!" to every request that has even the remotest possibility of aiding another -- especially if that request is not "rational" &/or not in your own "best interest" ...

3. "Open-Mindedness" -- True learning does not involve mere listening and remembering, but rather Hearing (i.e. appreciating) and re-membering. It has nothing at all to do with following, copying or mimicking others. Instead, true learning is Self-rediscovery. Hearing chooses to acknowledge the information that comes to us as it IS in that moment, as opposed to how it "fits in" to previously learned theories or previously defined categories. As such, to be perfectly Humble, we must choose to continually suspend all convictions and beliefs relative to our current world-view. Note that this does not require us to completely discard those personal beliefs. It merely means that we must re-mind ourselves that we do not "know" anything for certain. Simply said, we must choose to be ready and willing to experience a new way of looking at the situations and events that comprise our lives. We must be willing to adopt another's point of view as easily as our own ...

With this newly opened mind, choose to regularly listen attentively to (i.e. Hear) new information in your surroundings -- seeing the things you have previously overlooked. Remember that true listening is based not on what you "think" or what you "believe" or even what you "hear", but completely upon how you Feel -- how a particular piece of information or a particular perception harmonizes with the sense of Truth residing permanently within you (a.k.a. your conscience) ...

Remember as well that, with regards to perceiving our objective reality, our five "primary senses" are quite weak indeed. Even in our most lucid moments, we can accurately perceive only the minutest fraction of all the evidence making up the objective reality of our mmediate environment. Therefore, perfect Humility encourages us to keep an open mind with regards to new &/or different opinions -- including others' advice and/or criticism. This doesn't mean that the humble believer allWays accepts, agrees with or adheres to those adverse opinions. Rather, perfect Humility simply reminds us to respect those advice-givers and critics by intently listening to them. Instead of "knowing" that you are correct, simply choose to re-mind yourself that, "though I cannot be certain my choice is the best decision, I intend to harmonize with the highest good possible, and yet I am ready and willing to alter my course of action if it becomes clear that this choice is not the most peace-full one." In this way, humble actions become flexible "ahead of time."

4. "Positive Perspective" -- This activity chooses to See all occurrences as fundamentally amusing -- enabling you to persevere through "hardships" with gratitude; knowing that persistence is an end in itself. This mind-set assumes complete responsibility for all your personal "difficulties." The intentional delaying of self-centered gratifications aids this particular awakening as well (e.g. purposefully waiting five minutes to eat when hungry -- better yet, feeding another when you yourself wish to eat). In essence, perfect Humility reminds us that service isn't a burden. Rather, serving others selflessly is a privilege.

It is important to remember that this Virtue is not a "goal" for your attainment, but rather a guideline for your use. You are not required to "be perfectly amazed" to attain Peace. And yet, the more perfectly you can effectuate this Wonder in your everyday life, the more powerfully you will bring Peace to others - and the more purely you will then experience deep-seated Peace for yourself ...

Some practical How-To's for enhanced Wonderment: Arriving fully in your present moment is simply a matter of first becoming aware of your ego's tendency to focus in the past or the future, then cleansing your sensations of all preconceptions and hopes, and finally opening up your perceptions to truly appreciating (i.e. reveling in) your Here&Now. While challenging, it only requires willingness and willpower to do so. This ability to sense perfect Wonderment is a free gift that is given to us all in every moment of our lives until we take our dying breath, and it is immensely more pleasurable to experience life where and when and how we actually Are than it is to cover that moment over with hollow "fun", fleeting "entertainment" and/or mythical "facts" ...

Thus, the following activities are provided to enable you to more readily re-experience true Wonderment in your everyday ...

1. Diminishing the comfortable ... Comfort in the familiar blinds our senses. And yet, it is not necessary to live ascetically or in complete denial of life's comforts and pleasures to experience perfect Wonderment. On the other hand, it is necessary to purpose-fully and continually minimize these comforts and categorizations to do so. The more of them you release, the clearer will be your ability to sense your present moment's Wonders. Note that this release is not limited to material possessions or emotional pleasures. We often gain comfort from knowledge, information and beliefs; tools we use to fabricate a sense of predictability and control in our lives. In order to return to a state of amazement, these mental comforts must be consciously released and replaced as well ...

2. The Beginner's Mind - Choosing to be Amazed ... It is important to reallize that our five primary senses are per se fallible. They are indeed amazing gifts, to be sure, and yet they are quite weak -- perceiving only a minute fraction of the stimuli with which the Universe constantly bombards us. Indeed, most of the "facts" we use to formulate our opinions about the happenings in our lives come from past experiences that our brain deems "similar" to our current ones. Thus, the "familiarity" of a particular situation, thing or person reduces our perceptive faculties' abilities to truly Perceive the same!

Clear thought requires first being able to sense an moment's true essence, regardless of how many times we have experienced similar situations or encountered similar beings before. This "beginner's mind" provides us with an intense re-connection between the intuitive "knowing" of our "hearts" and the intellectual analysis of our "heads." How often we all experience life without really being aware of its amazingness! We have experienced our "everyday occurrences" so often that they have been labeled as "normal" or -- even worse -- "safe." We have lost the tendency to appreciate these happenings for the wonderful experiences they truly are. It is the purposeful choice to retrieve and refresh this awareness that we name "beginner's mind" -- It is the choice to see everything encountered anew, as if for the first time ...

Both your feelings of indifference and your sense of boredom are not "sins" as much as they are warnings -- reminding you to awaken to the amazingness of your precious life "before it's too late." To remember how to do so, find something in your life that is beyond your control and choose to cherish it as it happens (e.g. a sunrise, a green traffic light -- anything, really). Or choose to search out and immerse your concentration in something "new." Or review something "old" as though it were new (this is easily attained by finding something "obvious" and slowly explaining it to yourself with ever-deepening detail; continually "breaking down" that object until you are literally forced to stop in utter amazement). Or, alter your routines to more readily See what you have been previously failing to see during the "daily drone" ... In essence, release the life you've been planning to have in order to receive the life that is waiting for you right here, right now. Choose to be surprised at everything that happens to you. Assume that the wondrous always exists and that your mission in living is to re-discover it. Indeed, to become truly aware, you must be able to make the most ordinary act the most reverent; the most mundane of events the most holy; the most humble of locales the most sacred; and the lowliest of men into an embodiment of The Source (a.k.a. God) Itself. Remember that miracles are not co-generated by a wondrous frame of mind, but rather your choice of a wondrous state of mind allows you to finally See what has been in and around you all along. In essence, miracles aren't miracles, but tests of perception and awareness ... Seek and find the sacred in the ordinary. If you merely "pay attention" without living in the object of that attention, drowsiness ensues and your pure awareness is obscured. Instead, choose to truly attend to your current space. Do so long enough to See the Wonders therein ...

3. Doing with Purpose ... Be amazed by Seeing the potential power in every act and routine. This is accomplished by first consciously performing those acts, and then by making them sacred -- by choosing to view them as the most important acts in your existence. Make every eaten morsel a sacrament. Turn every sip of water into a draught from an desert oasis. With this mentality, every shower or bath becomes a baptism and every act of service is performed as if for God Itself. Walk stairs slowly. Taste your food completely. Clean your home smoothly and polish it to "newness." Let all your actions sink gently into the level of "moving while watching." Be truly aware of What you are Doing (and what you are choosing not to do as well). As often as possible, perform every activity's initial movements as smoothly, as slowly, as accurately and thereby as consciously as possible. In essence, either pay complete attention to an action or don't engage it at all ...

In this way, every movement becomes the active worship of your life and every choice becomes Life itself. There is nowhere to go, no method to employ, no master from which to learn. Life IS -- and you are simply acting accordingly ... Be Care-full in every thing - with the smallest and least significant of acts receiving the most intense and complete attention. This ability - the ability to make the mundane into the Divine - is the true magnificence of the gift of consciousness with which you have been blessed. All that remains is to truly appreciate this gift by setting it in motion ... In this way, your obligations become your desires. What "should be" is discarded in favor of what already IS. What you choose to do may remain the same, and yet the all-important intentions behind those choices shift completely. You act because you want to serve others. And when you do act, you attend to what you are Doing. Thus, it is possible to live more completely in harmony with the greater flow of Life -- and you will be immediately immersed in the perfect Wonderment of that priceless gift ...

4. Simple pleasures - Living Joy-fully ... Joy is a useful tool for remembering Wonderment. Indeed, there are no age limitations to reveling in life by "having fun." Jump in leaf-piles and splash in puddles. Play on playgrounds. Laugh whole-heartedly (for "no reason", if need be). Climb trees and build "forts" with pillows. Ask silly questions and make up spontaneous songs. Blow bubbles and swing on swing sets. Cuddle -- with anything! Speak kindly to animals and trees. Fly kites and watch clouds and stare at starry skies. Catch a sunrise and a sunset on the same day. Walk in the woods and sit calmly in sunbeams ...

In essence, be "in the zone", "in love" and "in the moment" -- where "in" refers to your complete immersion into your environment, and do so as though it were both the first and last moment of your life.

5. Attending to the Here&Now ... The Here&Now life has by definition no plans or goals; It simply IS and appreciates whatever IS. Future-vision leads to the development of expectations, which inevitably dampen our experience of the present moment and all that it contains. If something "good" is felt to be approaching, the expectation of that arrival eliminates the extra bliss we experience when surprised by that "good fortune." On the other hand, if something unpleasant or pain-full is "on the horizon", our expectation thereof in the form of worry or anxiety only brings that "evil's" potential harm to a more powerful fruition. Our pain is doubled as we needlessly suffer an "evil's" arrival before it actually arrives! To rectify this flawed approach to living, choose instead to regularly pause and feel your current moment. Let it sink into your Awareness. Release focusing on nostalgia and/or regret. Release expectations and/or worries as well. Release all daydreaming, fantasizing and reminiscing to maintain a more sound focus on your Here&Now.*

In short, choose to be deeply aware of Where --- You --- Are!

*You can help yourself re-focus in the Now by "minding the gaps": those "in-between", liminal moments that fill our lives -- the moment between breathing in and breathing out (and breathing in again); that fuzzy "hole" in your vision between focusing on two different objects or points in space; the transition from one sense to another (from sight to smell to touch, etc.); the silence between every note of music. Focus there and you will automatically Be here. Ask "Where Am I?" regularly at random moments throughout each day ... Think deeply about your answer each time ...

It is important to remember that this Virtue is not a "goal" for your attainment, but rather a guideline for your use. You are not required to "be perfectly faithful" to attain Peace. And yet, the more perfectly you can effectuate this Faith in your everyday life, the more powerfully you will bring Peace to others - and the more purely you will then experience deep-seated Peace for yourself ...

Some practical How-To's for enhanced Faith: As perfect Faith is primarily based in a mental choice of courage over fear, there aren't any activities that per se generate It for everyone. Nevertheless, the following passages will help each of you to rediscover which choices in your lives will help your own perfect Faith to re-awaken ...

1. Radical Selflessness ... Initially, perfect Faith is experienced only when your actions are Faith-full. Faith, like all the Noble Virtues, is literally non-existent without its actualization. Faith is not something you have -- Faith is something you Do. It is not enough to engage actions that seem to require Faith, but in reality are selfishly motivated and merely "risky" or "brave." Faith in action must manifest itself in Harmony with the Universal base-frequency of Love. And Love manifested must take the form of selfless service for others. And it is this selfless service that always co-generates sensations of Oneness and inner Peace. Faith is not only the selfless intention to serve the Universe's "Highest Good", but is also embodied in every good deed that manifests that intention ...

2. Facing your Fears ... Faith exists especially in those moments when we engage a difficult or "scary" choice (as long as that choice is a selfless one), despite not being "ready" to Do so. Indeed, it is impossible to ever be "ready" to walk your Path while inhabiting a human body that is constantly worrying about its own survival. Your mind's "machine" will never venture forth towards its Soul's true calling unless assured of a "safe arrival" - a safe arrival that cannot ever be assured. Thus, if solely left up to your rational and self-serving mind-body, you would never use that "machine" to make any leap that would be meaning-full. Thus, for such courageous actions to be taken, perfect Faith is required -- a perfect Faith that is not given to you at birth, but is rather chosen by you from moment-to-moment ...

3. Engaging the "small steps" ... It is also important to note that perfect Faith does not require you to actualize a traditionally "magnanimous" path or engage a particularly "amazing" deed. For perfect Faith to be actualized, it is enough to take one small yet completely Faith-full step. Of course, the more difficult your step, the more clearly your Faith will be Felt, and the powerful that act/step will become. And yet, any step will do -- as long as it is actively performed (and not merely contemplated or professed) despite your prevalent doubts as to its effectiveness, its appropriateness or its feasability ...

4. "Conscious spontaneity" ... Perfect Faith is also known during the times whe we choose to embrace life at "random" moments, in unusual and/or unfamiliar ways. Any purposeful act of spontaneity and/or unconventionality requires some degree of courage, and it is that courage that allows your perfect Faith to be re-born as well ...

5. Being "Pre-Grateful" ... Finally, perfect Faith is generated any time you chose to exhibit an unconditional Gratitude before the reception of one of life's many gifts. This "pre-thank-fullness" is especially effective in those moments when you are in pain, confused and/or afraid. Faith is most powerful in acts of selfless, self-sacrificial service (e.g. being kind to an "enemy", giving your meal to another when hungry, etc.). In short, choose to engage your life's "dark times" with radical, selfless kindness and perfect Faith is certain to re-awaken within you. In these moments, even the faintest glimmer of actualized belief in the Universal Order (i.e. the "Flow towards Highest Good") is enough to transform any tragedy into an Self-Awakening.

This empty space at the very center of the diagram represents the singularity some call the Soul. It is the source of both your ability to experience your interconnected Oneness with God-Source (i.e. the entire Universe), as well as your persistent yearning to actualize the same. It is "chi"; the energies that feed and embody the rhythmic ebb and flow of our constantly dynamic Cosmos. And it is "God within"; the source of all co-creative power that encourages a re-membering that you are an agent of the Whole. For Buddhists, it is the essence behind "Right Mindfulness." For Christians, it is "the Holy Spirit." And for all of us, it is the perfect harmony found in the frequency we call "Love."

This area represent the home of your deeper Awareness -- the foundation of your True Self. It is the inspirational force present within every conscious being that drives us all to harmonize with what already is. It constantly enCourages us to live meaning-fully, and is the birthplace of all our feelings of amazement, peace, compassion and joy (manifested as the 9 Noble Virtues of Level 3). For Buddhists, it is the motivation underlying "Right Diligence." For Christians, it is the essence of every "Child of God"; the very embodiment of the "I Am Presence" (see Exodus 3:14). And for us all, it is the "Observer Within," the birthplace of our true personality, and the calling behind every act of selfless kindness.

This is the hub wherein resides unconditional Love; the frequency of perfect selflessness which is composed of the 9 Noble Virtues (represented by the 9 colored balls around this region's perimeter). The interrelatedness of these values is reflected in the lines of force that interconnect them all; lines that seemingly generate a 3D image on the 2D page - an image that is based on the tetra-decahedron; a geometry essential to the construction of the Universe. The conscience is solely concerned with our role in spreading Peace and Joy into all our environment; thereby bringing us into Harmony therewith. For Buddhists, it grounds us in "Right Perspective." For Christians, it is Jesus' "Advocate within." And for us all, it the constant moral guidance (the conscience) that allows us to comprehend the difference between choices that are Right (i.e. selfless) and those that are Wrong (i.e. self-centered).

*Note: The 9-pointed star seen between levels 3 and 4 represents the choice available to us in every moment to either act selflessly or react self-centeredly. When we choose caringly, we beacon a harmonious frequency through our surroundings into the Cosmos. Conversely, when we choose selfishly, we send a discordant frequency thereto. Both of these types of choices attract similarly focused entities and situations back into our lives. In those instants when we choose to harmonize our actions with the selfless inclinations of the Universe, this dynamic becomes the source of our ability to co-create a more Peace-full life.

This is the home of your convictions, prejudices, fears and desires. In essence, every past pain from which you have suffered leaves behind a residual memory encouraging you to run from anything similar. Likewise, every selfish pleasure experienced leaves behind a similar residue which encourages you to seek more of the same (often at others' expense). This "fog of self-centeredness" keeps you from re-actualizing the inner peace that comes from actualizing the caring alternatives sought by your conscience. The more self-centeredly you behave, the thicker this "fog" becomes, and the more you suffer when confronted by life's painful challenges. For Buddhists, this level, when harmonized with the selfless inclinations of level 3, manifests itself in "Right Thought." For Christians, it is both the source of doubt and the emPowerer of all acts of faith. And for us all, it contains the behavior patterns and impulses (our "identity") that tempt us to stray onto the paths of selfishness and codependence.

*Note: The 9-pointed star seen between levels 3 and 4 represents the choice available to us in every moment to either act selflessly or react self-centeredly. When we choose caringly, we beacon a harmonious frequency through our surroundings into the Cosmos. Conversely, when we choose selfishly, we send a discordant frequency thereto. Both of these types of choices attract similarly focused entities and situations back into our lives. In those instants when we choose to harmonize our actions with the selfless inclinations of the Universe, this dynamic becomes the source of our ability to co-create a more Peace-full life.

This area reflects your sense of individual identity. It is the "Fulcrum of Choice" where the five primary senses process information and present the options available to us. Here is where all your decisions are born. Whether you choose caringly or selfishly, your individual character shifts according to those choices. Every self-centered choice adds more obscuring "tarnish" to your ego-mind, making your fears and sadness more intense, and thereby keeping you from experiencing deep-seated contentment. On the other hand, every selflessly caring act removes a similar portion of that "sludge", allowing you to re-member your intimate Oneness with both your surroundings and your Soul. This experience of Interconnection is the source of all feelings of joy and Inner Peace. For Buddhists, this dynamic embodies what is known as "Right Manifestation." For Christians, it is the home of "the Son of Man" -- who must choose to either "fall" into the "sin" of self-centeredness or "arise" and go forth as an agent of loving kindness. And for us all, it is the birthplace of our beliefs and convictions; representing the constant choice we have to either cling to selfish hopes or let go of the same and simply do the good there is to be done.

This layer of the logo represents the physical body, the fleshly "machine" that enables you to actualize either the self-centered desires of your ego-mind or the selfless inclinations of your conscience. For Buddhists, it is the enabler of all "Right Action." For Christians, it is "the Temple" -- the agent through which our "works" enliven our faith in all that is Right. And for us all, it is the fleshly container that carries our Soul through this lifetime, and that enables its selfless inclinations to be fulfilled.

This region illustrates both how we constantly communicate with our surroundings (represented by the inner, smooth line of force containing the darkened dots) as well as how our surroundings constantly interact with us (represented by the outer, smooth line of force containing the open dots). Everything in the material realm is essentially composed of the same essence - that is, differing frequencies of condensed light. As such, every material person or thing interacts with every other person or thing on an integral, energetic level -- a "dance" that can be more readily witnessed during your moments of "coincidence" or "synchronicity." For Buddhists, this communique is perceived clearly in all moments of "Right Livelihood." For Christians, it is referred to as "Grace" or "Divine Guidance." And for us all, it is the "karmic" interplay of action-and-consequence that continually encourages us to make choices that are harmonious for the entire Cosmos, as opposed to merely those which further our own sense of well-being.

This circuit represents everything in our immediate surroundings; everything we perceive to be "separate" from ourselves. It is represented by a light "mist" in the diagram; the "fog of familiarity" that keeps our awareness focused on our immediate environment instead of perceiving life from a grander, more Universal perspective. For Buddhists, it is the enabler of "Right Concentration." For Christians, it is referenced in all Biblical verses that speak to the "earth" or things "earthly." And for us all, it is the call to experience the interconnected Oneness that entwines our every moment; a Oneness whose various parts are always evolving. It is the summons to see the wondrous in the "normal" and the amazing in the "familiar" -- and then act accordingly.

Represented as the empty area around the logo itself, this layer reflects all portions of our objective reality "beyond" the immediate perceptions of our primary senses. It includes the boundlessness of space itself, and encompasses the Oneness of the entire Universe (including levels 1-8). For Buddhists, it represents "Nirvana." For Christians, it is mentioned in every Biblical verse related to "the Father." And for us all, it is comprised of the forces of Light and Consciousness that make reality the perfect playground for the potential re-awakening of Humankind.

Condemnation exists in those moments when the Noble Virtue of Acceptance is not chosen. And the dis-ease that we experience then is in direct proportion to how judgmental we choose to be in any particular moment. Mild discomfort comes to all who analyze their lives, while greater degrees of pain come to those of us who choose to criticize or even condemn another, instead of Accepting them as they are.

Attachment exists in those moments when the Noble Virtue of Patience is not chosen. And the dis-ease that we experience then is in direct proportion to how demanding we choose to be in any particular moment. Mild discomfort comes to all who allow themselves to become frustrated by what occurs, while greater degrees of pain come to those of us who choose to attempt to "push the river" and "make life better", instead of Patiently engaging Life as it already is.

Greed exists in those moments when the Noble Virtue of Generosity is not chosen. And the dis-ease that we experience then is in direct proportion to how self-centered we choose to be in any particular moment. Mild discomfort comes to all live cautiously (out of concern for personal well-being), while greater degrees of pain come to those of us who choose to manipulate or "manifest" wealth for our own benefit, instead of Generously giving back to the Universe that has already so abundantly given to us.

Envy exists in those moments when the Noble Virtue of Gratitude is not chosen. And the dis-ease that we experience then is direct proportion to how desirous we choose to be in any particular moment. Mild discomfort comes to all who wish for what we do not already possess, while greater degrees of pain come to those of us who choose to actively seek to acquire the same, instead of Gratefully appreciating what we already have.

Apathy exists in those moments when the Noble Virtue of Compassion is not chosen. And the dis-ease that we experience then is in direct proportion to how indifferent we choose to be in any particular moment. Mild discomfort comes to all who simply turn away from opportunities to be caring, while greater degrees of pain come to those of us who choose to actually hate or despise another, instead of Compassionately showering them with the Kindness they so richly deserve.

Deception exists in those moments when the Noble Virtue of Honesty is not chosen. And the dis-ease that we experience then is in direct proportion to how manipulative we choose to be in any particular moment. Mild discomfort comes to all who attempt to persuade others of their "correctness", while greater degrees of pain come to those of us who choose to actually lie and deceive them, instead of Honestly exhibiting our True Selves (or remaining silent if the same would cause undue pain).

Pride exists in those moments when the Noble Virtue of Humility is not chosen. And the dis-ease that we experience then is in direct proportion to how arrogant we choose to be in any particular moment. Mild discomfort comes to all who judge any situation or person as "normal", while greater degrees of pain come to those of us who attempt to "convert" others to our own point of view, instead of Humbly relaying our Truths (with our deeds more than our words) without any care as to whether our own Truths are heard accurately by others or not.

Familiarity exists in those moments when the Noble Virtue of Wonderment is not chosen. And the dis-ease that we experience then is in direct proportion to how categorical we choose to be in any particular moment. Mild discomfort comes to all who turn away from the constant miracle that is Life in "boredom", while greater degrees of pain come to those of us who choose to actually refuse to see the magnanimous Beauty that regularly presents itself to us, instead of standing in Wonderment and awe over the same.

Doubt exists in those moments when the Noble Virtue of Faith is not chosen. And the dis-ease that we experience then is in direct proportion to how certain we choose to be in any particular moment. Mild discomfort comes to all who believe that they are "absolutely right", while greater degrees of pain come to those of us who choose to wait for "more evidence" or "a better time" to act courageously, instead of Faithfully doing what good there is to be done, and having Faith that the overarching flow of the Universe will complement those choices.