AWakening

This morning, I came across the beautiful calligraphy you see here. This is a depiction of the Japanese word kaku-sei, which means "awakening." Drawn several years ago by my dear friend, Rev. Henry Ajiki (who recently lost his remarkable wife and spiritual partner, Michi; like everyone else who knew her, I share in that loss), it depicts one of the central themes in my life's work, which is the experience of spiritual awakening. But what exactly does that mean? 

If you follow this blog, you know that I am a proponent of the dream argument, which is the position that that life is a dream. That being the case, we can learn a great deal about spiritual awakening by considering what happens when we awaken from the dream state that occurs during a normal night's sleep.

In our dreams, you and I are the protagonist. Essentially, we are the lead actor playing the part of ourselves in a drama that unfolds in our mind's eye. While immersed in this drama, we may be unaware that the experiences and adventures we are undergoing are all a fabrication of our own imagination. For instance, I recently dreamed that I was the lead guitarist for a blues band--a wonderful fantasy that appeals to my innate passion for music.

Because this was not a lucid dream, I was totally caught up in the role I was playing. In other words, I didn't know it was a dream until I awakened from it. Then I realized that it was all something I created. Not only was I the lead actor and protagonist in this imaginary play, I was also the producer, director, and playwright.

This brings us to the heart of spiritual awakening. When you awaken from the dream of "objective reality," you transcend the role you have been playing in that dream and align your awareness with the "dreamweaver," to borrow a term from John Lennon (3:46 mark of the video for the song "God"). This is the important shift from creature to creator. Rather than just acting as a character in a play, being moved by forces beyond your control, you begin to recognize that the one who envisioned that play in the first place lives and breathes inside of you. When that happens, you come fully into your power as a human being. That is the true nature of inspiration, which is why I write and speak about this topic like none other. It is the reason I devoted 30 years of my life to writing Deep Creativity.

My intention for you, dear friend, is the same one I set for myself on a daily basis: May you awaken fully from the dream of objective reality in this lifetime, discovering your fullest connection to the dreamweaver that abides in you. Here and Now, Baby!