You’ve heard it before.

When you look into the mirror of your soul, who do you see?

This is an opportunity to view things as they are, not as you would like them to be. This is also called awareness, as the Buddha had taught.

Have you ever challenged your own standard? This is the doorway to art, one way or another.

Happy New Year!

Today, on the radio, I heard two famous scientists discussing consciousness in clinical terms, and brain research, which was in many ways fascinating.

One, a nobel laureate, said: “Awareness is a form of consciousness.”

While this assessment might sound correct, I would disagree. Awareness is a form of art. You can raise your awareness, but not consciousness. You can’t have a form of consciousness; it is already whole and not open to divisions or categories.

What did you learn today?

Last night I listened to an art critic. He was passionate and well-spoken. He also missed the point about art.

He spoke of many things. When he told us that art’s purpose is to raise our consciousness, I had another thought.

First, it’s no one’s business what art does for the individual. The aesthetic experience is personal. Then, even if we were to accept the critic’s idea about art’s purpose, it would be that art has the power to raise awareness. Consciousness is already perfect, and requires no help from us.

Take this at face value. Test it out yourself and report back. 

I hear now and then that: “Hey, man, that’s some heavy stuff on your site.”

Yes, I would have to respond. Although it’s not heavy; in fact, it’s light because it is the light.

The more you are willing to confront your own self, the lighter you become. Now is the time to face the questions that needle about in your noodle in your most lucid of moments.

And the universe is not without a sense of humor. True faith after all demands as much.

Read the Man with the Dog—see Inside Preview link in the sidebar. 

Last night another dream sequence of the rare kind appeared.

I was with another student in a college classroom when we realized that we hadn’t done our assignment—a major essay on the book used for that course. which was due the next day. How could we have forgotten? There was angst and confusion.

Then, at this point, a dynamic shift in perception occurred. I turned to my schoolmate, and told him that none of this matters. This is a dream, and I had graduated from college many years ago. All was now well.

This type of experience is known as lucid dreaming—not only knowing that you are dreaming but making a conscious action to alter its outcome. This dynamic in the waking world is also the firsthand source of great art—seeing things for what they are in the present moment.