Psychotherapy, Meditation, Mindfulness, Fulfillment, Thriving Through Change – Jon Shore

Change, Punctuated Equilibrium and The New Normal

Posted by in Dealing with emotions, Dealing with human attributes, Dealing with life issues, Depression, Meditation, Mindfulness, Stress Reduction

When do you think the US will get back to normal after the Coronavirus pandemic? What’s your reasoning?

I certainly understand and empathize with your concerns and desire for some stability. I have had this conversation with a number of my psychotherapy clients in the US in the past week. My answer is the same to everyone.

There is no longer a ‘back to normal’. This pandemic is one of those events that causes a shift in mindset and in the lives of the general population in the US and around the world. We are just witnessing the very beginning of this change. Within a few months there will be a new normal and a year from now another new normal. We are in a period of rapid change. In evolutionary biology this has been dubbed, by Professor Stephen Jay GouldPunctuated equilibriumHumanity is being forced to evolve extremely quickly by this pandemic. It is a situation outside of our control.

The attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11 was also one of those events, especially for the US. Now people just accept, as normal, that they must go through long security lines at airports and that they cannot bring knives on airplanes any longer. This is the new normal.

The coping mechanisms that humanity adopts to deal with this pandemic will have long lasting effects. Both the positive and negative mechanisms will be with us for a very long time. They will become the new normal.

Right now most people do not want things to change. They are used to the status quo and are afraid of a new normal that they do not know or understand. But in this situation we do not have the control we want to have. Those who are able to adapt and flow with change will be those who thrive in this new reality. Those who are not able to change will struggle and suffer. I know that you understand this. I just wrote and posted an article about how to cope and thrive with the changes that this pandemic forces upon us. You are most welcome to read it. Maybe there will be some helpful insights for you.

My suggestion is to learn how to rise above the miasma of fear, panic, anger and the other emotions that can distract us. Self-awareness is the most powerful tool you have at your disposal. Practice being mindful at all times and learn to relax even in the most stressful situations. Change and evolution are unavoidable and inevitable but there is an essence of you that never changes and is always unaffected by anything that occurs in life. Find that essence and access it as often as possible. That will get you through this evolutionary shift and help you thrive for your own benefit and for the benefit of your family and your community. I have posted many articles about this and practices for accomplishing this self-awareness at my blog. You are most welcome to read more there.

Our political and social realities in the US have changed tremendously in the past 20 years and especially in the past 3 years. We have accepted as ‘normal’ a president who is a pathological, sociopathic, narcissistic liar who is completely incompetent at the job and a criminal. We have accepted as the new normal a large minority of Americans who enjoy this behavior and even support it and want more of it. Will we ever return to what we used to consider normal? Probably not.

Normal changes for all of us. I used to live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Denver. Normal was getting up each morning and seeing the mountains, the deer and elk, hiking, skiing and going to Costco once a week. Then I moved to Europe full time and now I live in Riga, Latvia and in a small village in Italy. My life in these places is now my normal. It is the same for you and for everyone else that experiences change. But now a major shift is occurring worldwide and it is not due to some choice that you or I make. It is beyond our control But we do have choices about how we react to these events now and in the future.

Every day is new. That new day is now the new normal. There is no going back.

I hope this answer is helpful.

Take good care.

Jon

Depression

Posted by in Dealing with life issues, Depression, Psychotherapy

Depression is extremely prevalent in our society and often under diagnosed. It is fortunate that the stigma attached to it has lessened so that those who are dealing with depression are more likely to seek out and receive the help and support they need and deserve

To read more about depression you can start with this article

To post a question just click on the Comment button below. I will be informed that you have posted a question. I will always do my best to come back to you within 48 hours.

If your question is too personal in nature or you would just rather not ask it in public you can contact me directly at reachout@lifesanswers.org.

If you wish to work with me directly to help you overcome depression you can read more about setting up private sessions here.

Depression Tells You

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In Response To Your Questions

Posted by in Dealing with emotions, Dealing with human attributes, Dealing with life issues, Depression, Enlightenment, Good and Evil, Meditation, Mindfulness, Religion, Spirit Release Therapy

Often people write to me and send some wonderful questions. I have collected the answers that I have written to one individual and thought they might be helpful to others.

A moment of Enlightenment

Thank you for your guidance. I tried to do the meditation that you mentioned, but I haven’t been having much success. I think I only once got the feeling of “being the watcher”, in the beginning of a meditation, but it only lasted for a couple of seconds. It was a strange feeling tho, like I tried to step back and just be the watcher, and then like… I completely disappeared. I was just not there, I couldn’t find myself anywhere, but something was left there, that wasn’t me. It’s like they say – awareness was there, and I was not. Everything was gone, but there was something left, and that was awareness. Of course, I am not sure about this experience, may be I was just hallucinating it, but it felt like something real, at least the only thing that “happened” during meditation. I tried to meditate some more, but it feels like nothing happens and I’m just struggling through it.

 

That sounds like a wonderful experience. You began to experience your Self.

It is normal to try to hold on to your identity or personality even when you begin to feel the Self. But feeling as if you are nothing is part of the process. The next step in this is to completely surrender to the experience of nothingness as if you were melting or dissolving into it. It may feel as if you will die if you go too far with this but you will not. No matter what that voice in your head tells you. Just keep going until there is nothing left of ‘you’.

Everything changes once you do this.

Do not struggle with it. Struggling is like shadow boxing or playing air drums and expecting to get a sound from the snare.

The emptiness, nothingness is what is Real. The personality you call your name is just a hologram.

Just relax and watch and then surrender.

Take care

Jon

In response to a question about non-dualism

While it is true that meditation can perpetuate the illusion that there are two of you, I have found it to be very helpful in relaxing and dissolving all those things that are not who I am and just Being.

I am quite resistant to fundamentalism in any form, including non-dualism. I consider myself a believer in non-dualism but not from an intellectual standpoint. For truly there is only One writing this and it is the same One reading it. But the human intellect can get itself woven into any belief system including non-dualism. When that happens one can become pedantic. I am open to many different things and love exploring, so following one narrow path has no appeal to me. Maybe that causes my words or deeds to be perceived as dualistic or non-spiritual. It does not concern me. Self-Awareness never changes nor is it ever affected by any of that.

More about shadows and dissolving them and a sales tip.

Let’s begin with the meditation process.

Just asking these emotions/shadows/thoughts to leave will not help very much. They will come right back. The process I have described must be done exactly as written. You must learn to USE the shadows to define who you are. They are not who and what you are. So if they are not who you are then who are you? Once you have a clear sense of your real identity then you must surrender into that identity. That is when the shadows dissolve. When you really live that identity only then will the shadows will not come back.

If you are living as the Light that you are then shadows cannot exist in you. It is very simple. Not easy but very simple.

I will recommend 2 of my guided meditations. They will help you get started…. Leaving Behind the Darkness, and Walking Into the Light. These two mp3 files should be worked with every day two times a day. Then you will really understand the process.

So to your insights….

The physical world can be a very difficult place to exist. There is a great deal of pain and suffering here. I live in a 3rd world country and see it so much every day. I too am extremely sensitive. I am an empath and feel everyone’s feelings all day every day. I have had to learn to help when I can and let it go when I cannot. And to know the difference. It has taken me a long time and a great deal of suffering to accomplish this. You will need to learn this also. That sensitivity that helps you sell also opens you to feel suffering. You must always be compassionate but learn to step back a bit as well.

Depression will take a lot of work on your part to get rid of. You must follow all the practices in the book I put up at the website. All of them. If you really want to get rid of the depression then you must be absolutely committed to doing so. It is not easy but it will be well worth the effort.

This feeling of peace that came over you is a gift. A wonderful gift. Every time you feel it you must surrender to it. Just imagine that you are melting into it until there is nothing left of you. Ignore all other thoughts and feelings. Nothing…..nothing is more important than surrendering into that peace or into that love. Nothing. Not even your life. If you do this you will see the shadows dissolve very quickly.

Sales tip #1…. Be yourSelf. Be genuine. Care about the other person and their company more than you care about selling to them. 

About having a busy mind and fear.

Oh my, your mind is so busy.

Take a few deep breaths right this moment and relax before reading further.

Now contemplate this…..

There is nothing to figure out right this moment. There are no answers necessary.

The Real You is not trying to cope. The Real You has no fear. The Real You is not searching. The Real You laughs at the human nature of you quite often.

Are you drinking any alcohol or smoking any weed? If so, stop for a while.

Now take a few deep breaths and relax before reading any further.

Look at the fear.

Look at all the things that fear is telling you.

Look at your reactions to the fear.

Is that who and what you really are?

The fear is lying to you. Everything is says is exactly opposite of the truth. So if you hear fear say something then you can figure out what the truth is by listening to the lies. Do you understand this?

If I say that black is white then you can know that black is black.

The fear is not your friend. The fear does not protect you. The fear is not any part of who and what you are. The fear is exactly the opposite of who and what you are.

Contemplate all of that this evening. Feel these things as you go to sleep tonight.

Surrender to the Real You, the Truth as you fall asleep.

When you finally live as the Self, the Being that you Really are, the fear will dissolve and will have no place in your experience any longer.

Forget all the concepts for a while. Just focus on experience.

Won’t just Being the Self be boring?

Believe me, if you just Be the Self in life it will be anything but boring. Life will flow and be magical. Things will work out for you as if all the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place each time you take a step forward. It will be amazing.

I tell you this from experience.

Watch the human you.

There will be more upcoming but watch the human self for now for a month or so. When you are ready we will move forward with this.

Remember, the closer you come to dissolving the shadows the more they will attempt to distract you and to fill you with fear and depression.

Don’t let them distract you. Everything depends on it.

About feeding the shadows.

This is what the shadows do. Just imagine all of these shadowy characters floating around you trying to distract you. And every time you react to them they get some energy. They love your fear and depression. It is like ice cream or chocolate to them. But when you recognize what they are saying and that they are not you they begin to lose their power. Then you can use them. “If they are not me then who am I?”

When you recognize your real Self and relax into It then the shadows dissolve.

Pretty simple. Not easy, but it is quite a simple truth.

You are doing fine.

Do not let these shadows have any more chocolate.

About the fear of surrendering.

Surrender is frightening to everyone. Dissolving into Nothing is scary to the one who says “this is my life”. The fear of losing control, losing everything or dying is a strong shadow. It takes a great deal of courage for the first year of doing this. It takes extraordinary courage to surrender, to let go the first few times. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.

You do not need to feel bad about being afraid. But you do need to ignore the fear and press on. To go ahead and dissolve into the Infinite no matter what the shadows scream. You must be willing to die to experience your Infinite Self. It is the same for everyone. Nothing can be more important.

Most people do it only when they have nothing left to lose.

It is certainly something yourSelf wants to experience, otherwise you would not have connected with me.

I can tell you a thousand times that you will be fine when you surrender, when you dissolve. But that will only get you to the edge of the cliff. Only you can take that step into the Infinite Self. Only you can dissolve all that you are not to finally Be what you Are.

But consciousness loves all, even the negative sides. So who is the one wanting to feel better. Isn’t it just mind fighting mind?

Just to be clear….

Gently contemplate this:

Conscious does not love all. Consciousness does not love at all.  Consciousness Is Love.

There is a universe of difference.

Consciousness is beyond positive and negative. Both are illusions.

The one wanting to feel better is not who you are. If that is not who you are then who are you?

Surrender to that One.

In response to a question about an awakening movement in humanity at this time and about being Born Again.

The fundamentalist Christians in America always talk about being Born Again. But they miss the point entirely. They do not realize that you have to die first before you can be born again. They are too afraid to try that because they do not understand the true nature of Infinite Love – God.

So your statement is correct.

As you dissolve into the Infinite Self you will understand more and more.

But remember this important point:

Understanding follows surrender.

You cannot understand first.

You must surrender and die into the Infinite Self – God, without understanding the nature of the Universe or knowing what will happen.

Age of Awakening?

I see humanity evolving very slowly. I do not see humanity awakening for centuries. We would all like to think that our time frame is the age of awakening, the age of enlightenment. I do not see it but maybe I am missing something.

I see you awakening and that is all that is important right now.

Take care,
Jon

To post a question just click on the Comment button below. I will be informed that you have posted a question. I will always do my best to come back to you within 48 hours.

If your question is too personal in nature or you would just rather not ask it in public you can contact me directly at reachout@lifesanswers.org.

If you wish to work with me directly to help and support you, you can read more about setting up private sessions here.

 

 

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Random Thoughts on Experiencing Enlightenment

Posted by in Enlightenment, Meditation, Mindfulness

Random thoughts on experiencing Enlightenment

Awareness

Awareness of who and what you are. Awareness that you are one with all.
Awareness that you are not a human having a spiritual experience but a spirit
having a human experience. Awareness that you are Awareness.

Awareness of the Self is a wonderful gift. It is oft times confused
with Enlightenment because it is such an uplifting and freeing experience. But
Awareness of your true identity is only a step. Many people choose to stay on
that step. It can be very comfortable even though it ebbs and flows. The ego
also feels fairly safe here because it can still be a ‘me’ co-existing with Awareness.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with staying here. It is just wonderful and
perfect for many.

But if your heart leads you to experience Enlightenment then you will
certainly need to take the next step.

http://www.jonshore.net/inspirationaltapes.html
Meditation 2 and Letting Go 

Surrender

Surrender into what you are. Surrender into Awareness. Dissolve into
Awareness until you feel one with Awareness.

Imagine that you are a drop of water. You have thought of yourself as a
drop all your existence. You were born a drop and you grew up a drop. You went
to Drop University, you worked at Drop Corporation, you married a fabulous
drop and had 3 great drop children. You went on holidays to Drop World every
year and lived a good life as a drop. Then one day you went to a workshop and
learned that you were not just a drop. You learned that you were actually part
of something greater, something wonderful. You read drop spiritual books about
this and studied with many great drop spiritual masters. You became aware that
you were Ocean and not just a drop. Wow! Your life changed.

“I am one with the Ocean! I am not just a drop!”

Then one day your drop master took you to a beach. You both slid up to
the edge of the sea.

“Look at the sea now, “  he said,
“You are actually one with that sea. The sea is actually a vast Ocean of drops.
Would you like to feel one with that?”

You expressed your desire to do so. So he told you to slide into the
sea so that you can feel your oneness with the Ocean. You do so very slowly, a
little at a time. Finally you are completely immersed in the sea and you now
feel one with the Ocean. It is fantastic, it is blissful, it is peaceful. Then
you slide back out and stand with your drop master.

Day after day you go to the sea and you feel your oneness with the
Ocean of drops. You gain more and more insights, a greater sense of Self and
deeper feeling of peace. You are now able to share this with other drops that
you meet.

Surrender into the Ocean of Awareness is all these things and much
more. It is a wonderful place from which to experience life. But it is still
not Enlightenment. It may be though that you wish to stay at this place and
that is just fine. Surrender into Awareness and feeling oneness with Awareness
will change your human life experience and the experiences of those around you.

http://www.jonshore.net/inspirationaltapes.html
Surrender

 

Death

Death of the ego, the ‘me’.

We must be willing to die to experience the Truth. Not understand about
Truth or intellectually study about the Truth, but die. Give up control
absolutely and completely knowing that you could die in the process. But you do
it because nothing is more important than Being, not even life itself. So
without purpose, without desire, without understanding, without knowing what
will happen when we give up all control, we die.

Maybe you will stop breathing; maybe you will no longer be aware. Anything
is possible. You will not know until you die. You cannot know until you do it
yourself. No amount of study or reading will help you when you reach this
point. There will be a million distractions attempting to stop you from doing
this. There will be very convincing internal dialogs that tell you that you
will really die, that you will be nothing, that you will lose everyone and
everything you love. No matter how much you feel you have prepared for this you can still experience fear, sadness and other emotions associated with death
that will attempt to stop you or to distract you.

When and if you truly wish to experience Enlightenment then you will
need to die. In Enlightenment there is no ‘me’ feeling one with Awareness.
There is only Awareness experiencing ItSelf. In Enlightenment there is no ‘me’
understanding Oneness, Peace, Bliss, Awareness and Enlightenment; there is only Oneness, Peace, Bliss, Awareness and Enlightenment experiencing ItSelf.

What happens after you do this? If I told you then it would put the
experience into the realm of your intellect. It would just make it more
difficult to experience it for yourself.

If you wish to experience the Truth, your Self, then just do it.

To post a question just click on the Comment button below. I will be informed that you have posted a question. I will always do my best to come back to you within 48 hours.

If your question is too personal in nature or you would just rather not ask it in public you can contact me directly at reachout@lifesanswers.org.

If you wish to work with me directly to help and support you, you can read more about setting up private sessions here.

Experiencing God

How to Meditate

Posted by in Dealing with emotions, Enlightenment

Ever since human beings have been attempting to understand their universe and their true nature they have been meditating. There are hundreds if not thousands of meditation methods. Some are specific to certain religions. Some are designed with a particular goal or purpose.

I am going to share with you some simple and effective mindfulness meditation practices that will be easy to do and easy to implement in your daily life. In other articles I will share with you some other meditation practices that are more specific in purpose or for experiencing profound states of awareness.

Click here to begin.

plug in and meditate by Jon Shore2

To post a question just click on the Comment button below. I will be informed that you have posted a question. I will always do my best to come back to you within 48 hours.

If your question is too personal in nature or you would just rather not ask it in public you can contact me directly at reachout@lifesanswers.org.

If you wish to work with me directly you can read more about setting up private sessions here.

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