spiritual warfare

1. Death awareness is the key to living fully

"Death is our eternal companion. It is always to our left, an arm's length behind us. Death is the only wise adviser that a warrior has."

Embracing mortality. Death awareness is not about morbidity, but about fully appreciating and engaging with life. By acknowledging our finite existence, we can prioritize what truly matters and live with greater intensity and purpose. This practice strips away trivial concerns and focuses our attention on the present moment.

Practical application. Incorporate death awareness into daily life through:

• Regular contemplation of your mortality
• Visiting cemeteries or attending funerals
• Writing your own obituary
• Meditating on the transient nature of life

By facing death, we paradoxically become more alive, more present, and more conscious of the preciousness of each moment.

2. Awakening requires confronting uncomfortable truths

"If you want to know something, ask him. Death doesn't lie."

Challenging beliefs. Awakening demands a willingness to question everything, especially our most cherished beliefs and assumptions. This process is often uncomfortable and can feel threatening to our sense of self and worldview.

Embracing discomfort. To awaken, we must:

• Confront our fears and insecurities
• Question societal norms and expectations
• Examine our motivations and desires
• Be willing to let go of comforting illusions

This journey requires courage and persistence, as we strip away layers of conditioning and false beliefs to uncover the truth of our existence.

3. Ego is the barrier to true consciousness

"Ego is obstruction, surrender is flow."

Understanding ego. The ego is our sense of separate self, constructed from beliefs, memories, and identifications. It creates a false sense of division between self and other, subject and object, which limits our perception of reality.

Transcending ego. To move beyond ego:

• Practice self-observation without judgment
• Recognize thoughts and emotions as transient phenomena
• Cultivate a sense of spaciousness and presence
• Let go of the need to control or define experience

As we loosen the grip of ego, we open to a more expansive and interconnected experience of reality.

4. Spiritual practices often reinforce delusion

"Religion and spirituality exist to serve our need for death denial. They serve as lullabies and drown out the ticking of the clock."

Recognizing spiritual materialism. Many spiritual practices and beliefs actually reinforce ego and delusion, offering comfort and escape rather than genuine transformation. These practices can become another form of addiction or avoidance.

Authentic spirituality. True spiritual growth involves:

• Questioning all beliefs and assumptions
• Facing existential fears and anxieties
• Embracing uncertainty and not-knowing
• Cultivating direct experience rather than accumulating concepts

Authentic spirituality strips away illusions rather than adding new layers of belief or identity.

5. Surrender is essential for growth and transformation

"Surrender is the basis and precursor of growth. It is of the essence. There is no shortcut or workaround, no substitute or alternate route."

The power of letting go. Surrender involves relinquishing control and allowing life to unfold without resistance. This is not passive resignation, but an active alignment with the flow of existence.

Practicing surrender. Ways to cultivate surrender include:

• Acceptance of what is, without judgment
• Releasing attachment to outcomes
• Trusting in the unfolding of life
• Embracing uncertainty and change

As we surrender, we open ourselves to new possibilities and perspectives beyond the limitations of our conditioned minds.

6. The integrated state offers a new perspective on reality

"From this integrated perspective, everything we once called dark, or false or evil is unmistakably known to be of equal worth and importance as the things we once called light or true or good."

Beyond duality. The integrated state transcends the usual divisions of good and bad, right and wrong, self and other. It is a state of direct perception, unfiltered by conceptual overlays.

Characteristics of integration:

• Non-judgmental awareness
• Spontaneous, appropriate action
• Effortless flow and harmony with life
• Recognition of the interconnectedness of all things

This state offers a radical shift in perception, revealing the underlying unity and perfection of existence.

7. True growth demands radical honesty and self-examination

"Learn to practice death-denial awareness. Anytime you find yourself sitting on the couch watching TV, shopping in a mall, or trying to find amusement in some pointless book or idle pastime, remind yourself that this is exactly the habit you want to break."

Confronting self-deception. Genuine growth requires a willingness to face our own lies, evasions, and defense mechanisms. This process can be painful and disorienting, but it is essential for authentic transformation.

Tools for self-examination:

• Journaling and self-reflection
• Meditation and mindfulness practices
• Seeking honest feedback from others
• Regularly questioning motives and assumptions

By cultivating radical honesty, we can break free from habitual patterns and open to new possibilities.

8. Human Adulthood is the goal, not enlightenment

"Human Adulthood is what everyone really wants, not truth or enlightenment."

Redefining the goal. Rather than seeking some transcendent state of enlightenment, the author suggests that our true aim should be to become fully functioning, mature human beings. This state of Human Adulthood involves taking responsibility for our lives and engaging fully with reality.

Characteristics of Human Adulthood:

• Emotional maturity and self-regulation
• Clear perception of reality without delusion
• Ability to navigate life's challenges with wisdom
• Integration of all aspects of self

Human Adulthood is not a fixed state, but an ongoing process of growth and development.

9. Maya (illusion) keeps us trapped in unconsciousness

"Maya is inside you, animating you right now. If I seem impatient with you at times, it's because you think I'm talking to you and I know I'm talking to her."

Understanding Maya. Maya is the power of illusion that creates the appearance of separation and multiplicity. It is not an external force, but an inherent aspect of our own consciousness that veils the true nature of reality.

Recognizing Maya's influence:

• Identification with thoughts and emotions
• Belief in a separate, permanent self
• Attachment to transient phenomena
• Fear-based reactions and behaviors

By becoming aware of Maya's workings, we can begin to see through the illusion and awaken to our true nature.

10. Memento Mori: Remember you must die

"Memento Mori means remember your death, remember you must die. That's what Lisa was doing. Her practice of communing with that picture for an hour or more every day is a perfect example of Memento Mori as a spiritual practice, death-awareness as a vehicle out of the state of death-denial in which we reside."

Embracing impermanence. Memento Mori is a practice of actively remembering and contemplating our mortality. Far from being morbid, this practice can infuse life with greater meaning and urgency.

Benefits of Memento Mori:

• Clarifies priorities and values
• Increases appreciation for life
• Reduces attachment to trivial concerns
• Motivates authentic living and growth

By regularly confronting the reality of death, we can live more fully and consciously in the present moment.

Last updated: November 7, 2024