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Session'5:'The'Wise'Person'!

If'you'correct'your'mind,'the'rest'of'your'life'will'fall'into'place'

#! Lao'Tzu'

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Life'is'a'RIDE:'Summary'of'Intelligent'Living'

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Reduce'harmful'actions:'o! Follow!the!golden!rule:!Treat!others!as!you!would!like!to!be!treated!yourself!

Increase'actions'that'contribute'to'your'environment''o! Focus!on!contributing!what!you!can!give!to!life!

Dedicate'my'actions'to'the'universal'order'o! You!offer!your!actions!to!the!Universe!or!the!field!of!experience,!because!you!actually!have!no!other!choice.!!

Experience'the'results'as'a'gift''o! “Accept!what!comes,!release!what!goes;!Claim!the!moment.”!o! Every!experience!is!seen!as!an!opportunity!to!learn,!to!grow!and!play!in!the!roles!that!have!been!assigned!to!you!in!this!grand!theatre!of!existence.!With!this!attitude,!the!sense!of!experiences!posing!a!threat!will!diminish,!as!will!a!bloated!ego.!

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The'Benefits'of'Intelligent'Living'

1.'Neutralising'Binding'Desires''Intelligent!Living!works!on!the!Ego,!the!doer,!that!part!of!us!that!works!to!enjoy!results.!The!ego!is!also!that!part!of!us!that!owns!action!and!its!results,!the!one!that!claims!ownership.!There!is!nothing!wrong!with!the!ego!per!se.!However,!when!our!fears!and!desires!overwhelm!us,!we!tend!to!act!from!the!perspective!of!“I!want,!I!don’t!want”!only,!and!this!orientation!builds!unhelpful!negative!patterns!of!thinking!and!conditioned!reactions.!A!strong!desire!produces!a!great!pressure!to!act,!which!in!turns!reinforces!the!desire.!These!types!of!desires!are!called!binding!desires.!A!binding!desire!comes!with!the!sense!of!“my!contentment!and!happiness!is!dependent!my!contact!with!this!person,!substance!or!experience”.!This!is!the!psychology!behind!any!addiction.!Whereas,!when!we!act!with!the!attitude!of!gratitude,!it!is!quite!possible!to!de#condition!the!mind!of!binding!desires.!This!attitude!reduces!the!pressure!of!desires!and!allows!us!to!enjoy!objects!without!being!overly!attached!to!them.!The!end!result!is!that!Intelligent!Living!burns!up!binding!desires.!When!binding!desires!are!rendered!non#binding,!one!does!not!become!a!desire#less!zombie.!Instead,!what!remain!are!preferences!rather!than!strong!desires.!Preferences!comprise!a!person’s!individuality!and!personality.!

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2.'The'Four'Ss'

!!Self#esteem!

Intelligent!Living!involves!me!learning!to!become!more!of!a!contributor!and!less!of!a!consumer.!The!more!I!contribute,!the!greater!the!sense!of!meaning!I!will!discover!and!this!will!remove!my!low!self#image!or!inferiority!complexes.!I!will!naturally!develop!self#esteem!or!self#respect.!Self#esteem!is!entirely!distinct!from!arrogance!or!a!superiority!complex.!What!is!meant!is!freedom!from!inferiority!complex.!A!person!gathers!more!respect!or!honour!by!giving!out!and!not!by!amassing!or!hoarding!wealth.!The!process!of!evaporation!and!precipitation!is!a!good!metaphor.!The!rain#bearing!giver#clouds!have!

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a!higher!stature!than!the!ocean,!which!receives!the!waters!from!all!over!before!it!is!evaporated.!!Hence,!reception!makes!me!lower!while!contribution!or!charity!makes!me!taller.!Intelligent!Living!being!contributory!will!naturally!increase!my!self#esteem.!!

!!Serenity!

Meditation!can!remove!stress,!but!it!cannot!remove!the!cause!of!stress.!Intelligent!Living!removes!the!cause!of!stress!by!exhausting!the!fears!and!desires!that!produce!the!stress.!If!you!analyse!any!emotional!problem!closely,!the!source!is!that!you!are!not!getting!what!you!want,!or!that!you!are!getting!what!you!don’t!want.!When!you!desire!a!particular!object!and!don’t!get!what!you!want,!this!obstacle!produces!either!anger!or!disappointment!that!can!lead!to!depression.!It!would!be!wonderful!if!you!got!what!we!wanted!all!the!time,!but!this!is!clearly!not!possible.!The!results!are!not!up!to!you.!If!the!results!of!your!actions!were!up!to!you,!you!would!already!have!everything!you!ever!dreamed!of.!Instead,!the!results!are!up!to!the!field!of!experience!that!surrounds!us!and!supports!us!24/7.!We!can!also!call!this!the!Universal!order.!Knowing!that!we!are!not!in!control!of!the!results!of!our!actions!frees!us!from!the!stresses!and!anxieties!that!we!normally!face!when!we!act.!The!key!to!emotional!maturity,!therefore,!is!to!want!what!you!have,!and!not!what!you!want.!When!this!mind#set!becomes!our!way!of!being,!the!door!opens!towards!inner!composure!and!peace!of!mind.!

!!Setup!harmony!

By!practicing!Intelligent!Living!I!offer!my!actions!to!the!entire!web!of!connections!that!supports!and!sustains!my!own!existence.!I!contribute!to!the!creation!in!the!form!of!the!infrastructure!of!the!micro!level!(i.e.!family)!and!the!macro!level!(i.e.!society!and!environment).!My!contribution!creates!a!ripple!effect!that!maintains!harmony!within!my!surroundings.!Intelligent!Living!reduces!the!mind’s!grasping!and!fearful!orientation.!This!unconscious!stance!is!what!underlies!every!impulse,!thought,!feeling!and!action.!By!acting!with!an!attitude!of!gratitude,!an!appreciation!for!the!entire!complex!web!of!life!develops.!One!develops!sympathy!and!compassion!for!

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others.!One!becomes!a!contributor.!Invoking!gratitude!with!every!action!in!this!way,!it!becomes!impossible!to!perform!self#insulting!actions!and!actions!that!are!harmful!to!others.!!

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!!Spiritual!growth!

FIR!decrease:!

•! F!–!stands!for!frequency!of!emotional!distress!•! I!–means!intensity!of!emotional!distress.!The!intensity!is!high!when!it!is!at!the!level!of!mind,!speech!and!body.!The!intensity!is!medium!when!at!the!level!of!mind!and!speech.!The!intensity!is!low,!when!at!the!level!of!the!mind!only.!!

•! R!–!refers!to!the!recovery!period.!The!time!that!is!taken!for!me!to!return!to!a!baseline!level!of!balance!following!a!distressing!event.!!!

CCC!increase:!

•! C!–!calmness.!•! C!–!cheerfulness:!expressed!calmness!is!cheerfulness.!•! C!–!confidence.!Self#confidence.!!

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The'Farmer’s'Lost'Watch'

Once!there!was!a!farmer!who!lost!his!watch!in!barn.!For!the!farmer!that!lost!watch!had!a!very!deep!sentimental!value.!So,!he!searched!all!over!to!find!watch.!

He!spent!a!couple!of!hours!searching!all!over,!among!hay!and!all!corners!of!barn!until!he!started!to!feel!that!his!search!was!futile!and!resigned!himself!to!an!abandoned!search.!Finally,!he!gave!up!and!asked!the!help!of!some!

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children!playing!outside!the!barn.!He!promised!to!reward!them!if!they!would!find!his!lost!watch.!

After!hearing!of!the!reward,!the!children!hurried!inside!the!barn!to!start!searching.!They!too!went!through!the!stack!of!hay!and!searched!all!parts!of!the!gloomy!barn.!!

After!a!long!time!the!children!returned!to!the!farmer!empty!handed.!They!were!tired!of!searching!and!so!decided!to!leave.!The!farmer!feeling!despondent!thought!about!abandoning!his!search!for!the!watch.!Just!then,!one!of!the!children!returned!and!asked!the!farmer!for!another!chance!to!find!that!lost!watch.!

Farmer!looked!at!him!and!thought!for!while!and!said,!“Why!not..!!!Sure!you!can!try!if!you!want.”!

So,!farmer!permitted!the!boy!to!go!inside!the!barn.!After!sometime!that!boy!came!out!with!the!watch!in!his!hands.!The!Farmer!was!happy!because!he!got!his!precious!watch!and!kid!was!happy!to!get!the!reward.!

The!Farmer!was!curious!how!the!boy!had!succeeded!in!finding!that!watch!when!all!else!had!failed.!So!he!asked!boy,!“How!were!you!able!to!find!watch?”!

The!boy!replied,!“I!did!nothing!but!sit!on!the!ground!and!listen.!In!the!silence,!I!was!able!to!hear!the!ticking!of!the!watch.!I!simply!searched!in!the!direction!of!ticking!sound.”!

How!many!of!us!run!around!life!on!autopilot,!in!a!frantic!search!for!some!meaning!and!purpose?!This!story!reminds!us!that!in!times!of!stress,!it!pays!to!slow!down,!pause,!and!breathe.!By!pausing!regularly!through!the!day!and!applying!Intelligent!Living,!we!can!find!that!priceless!gift!of!peace!within.!!

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Guided'Meditation:'Kaleidoscopic'Mind''Correcting!my!posture,!aligning!my!back,!neck!and!shoulders.!!

Relax!body!–!it!takes!no!effort!–!it!merely!takes!intention!and!attention.!We!have!the!intention!to!relax!the!body!and!we!attend!to!the!muscles!in!the!body,!which!are!tense.!And!by!merely!placing!our!attention!on!the!tenseness,!the!tension!goes.!Effortlessly.!So!let!the!body!settle.!As!the!body!quietens,!allow!the!breath!to!become!quiet.!No!effort!is!needed.!Take!three!deep!breaths!through!the!nose!and!out!through!the!nose!and!mouth…..When!the!body!becomes!quiet,!the!breath!can!become!quiet,!and!when!the!body!and!breath!become!quiet,!the!senses!settle.!The!limbs!of!action!and!the!organs!perception!are!not!busy.!Quieting!the!body!is!mindfulness;!quieting!the!breath!is!mindfulness;!quieting!the!senses!–!allowing!them!to!rest!without!engagement!is!mindfulness.!These!are!the!anchors!of!attention!that!lead!to!meditation.!!

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I!invite!you!to!take!a!stance!of!just!being.!How!can!I!‘do’!being?!One!might!say!‘just!be’,!and!what!is!meant!is!intention!and!attention.!Perhaps!at!first!I’m!busy!being,!but!in!time!the!verbal!action!aspect!of!being!resolves!into!the!substantive!of!pure!being,!through!intention!and!attention.!Place!your!attention!with!interest,!relaxation!and!acceptance!with!whatever!sensation,!thoughts!or!feelings!might!arise.!We!cannot!really!‘do’!being.!We!in!a!sense!back!into!being.!Attend!to!interest!and!curiosity!to!whatever!comes!your!way:!a!sensation,!a!thought,!a!sound,!a!memory,!a!feeling.!No!judgement.!I!may!have!a!feeling.!Notice.!I!may!not!want!that!feeling.!Notice!with!curiosity.!I!may!have!the!desire!to!do!something!about!that!feeling!to!get!rid!of!it.!Notice.!Agitation,!anticipation,!memory….the!sensation!of!my!hands.!Whatever!comes!your!way,!greet!with!attentive!curiosity!and!utter!non#resistance.!No!need!to!label,!no!judgement.!There!need!be!no!continuity!between!my!experience!now….and!my!experience!now….and!my!experience!now….there!need!no!continuity!between!the!modifications!of!the!mind,!which!are!informing!me!of!my!experience.!The!one!continuity!that!exists!among!all!passing!

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phenomena!is!me!–!simple!ordinary!existence.!In!the!silence!that!is!me,!all!thought#forms,!all!judgements,!all!desires,!all!conclusions!arise!and!go.!I!–!my!silent!presence!–!illumine!them!all.!Even!my!negative!or!limited!self#conclusions.!I!have!a!memory.!I!cringe!at!that!memory.!Notice,!I!judge!myself!by!previous!acts.!I!illumine!the!cringing.!I!illumine!the!self#condemnation.!I!illumine!the!regret.!In!my!silent!presence!all!desirable!and!undesirable!thoughts!and!feelings!come!and!go.!!

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I!see!that!I!naturally!rest!in!my!being,!in!the!conscious!presence!which!never!seems!to!go.!Now…now…now….I!am!happy!now…..I!am!unhappy….so!too!now!I!am.!I!conclude!I!am!a!good!person….Now!I!am.!I!am!despicable…is!a!belief!known!to!me….I!still!am.!Much!like!a!crystal!taking!on!all!colours!of!the!cloth!that!stands!behind!it,!so!too!I!seem!to!take!on!the!qualities!of!the!heart!and!the!mind.!Just!as!the!crystal!is!essentially!free!from!all!colours,!but!can!effortlessly!adopt!any!passing!colour.!So!too,!my!pure!conscious!takes!on!the!colours!of!the!kaleidoscopic!dance!occurring!in!the!heart!and!the!mind.!And!then!the!mind!jumps!in!and!says!“I!am!blue,!I!am!sad”,!“I!am!red,!I!am!angry”….I!am!here,!in!my!silent!presence!there!is!blueness….In!my!silent!presence!there!is!red!anger….there!is!green!jealously….yellow!happiness…..like!a!kaleidoscope,!the!colours!of!the!mind!change.!I!am!the!one!who!sees!the!changing!kaleidoscope!of!the!mind!and!the!heart.!And!with!each!new!colour,!I!can!appreciate!“I!am”.!I!am!free!of!any!presenting!colour.!How!curious,!I!take!myself!to!be!blue!or!green!or!red!or!white.!I!illumine!this!parade!of!dancing!colours!without!resistance,!without!identification.!I!remain!free.!Without!the!light!of!my!being,!the!colours!would!not!exist.!I!–!as!a!self#shining,!self#luminous!being!–!unfathomably!simple.!Unfathomably!pure.!Undivided.!Untarnished.!Existent#awareness!am!I.!As!I!go!through!my!day,!I!can!relax!into!my!being!and!enjoy!the!colourful!show!before!me,!no!matter!how!brilliant!and!flashing!these!lights!seem!to!be.!I!am!silent!presence.!Stillness.!Self#luminous!consciousness.!Just!notice!and!accept….notice!and!accept.!This!is!an!alert,!free!mind.!Notice,!without!resistance.!What!colour!will!my!mind!present!to!me!next?!I!am….I!am…..I!am….whole!and!complete!being.!

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The'Pillars'of'a'Mature'Mind''Discrimination'Discrimination!here!is!not!meant!in!the!negative!sense;!such!as!to!discriminate!against!someone!based!on!his!or!her!religion,!ethnicity!or!gender.!Rather,!we!instead!use!discrimination!in!the!positive!sense,!meaning!that!I!am!able!to!discern!what!needs!to!be!done!in!a!situation,!and!exercise!a!choice!with!reference!to!my!actions.!I!am!able!to!analyse!each!situation!and!exercise!my!free!will!in!order!to!respond!appropriately.!It!is!the!ability!to!decide!amongst!the!best!course!of!action!possible,!given!a!number!of!options.!Simply!put,!I!am!able!to!do!what!is!to!be!done,!in!a!timely!manner.!This!does!not!always!imply!the!most!pleasant!action!available,!but!involves!the!understanding!that!as!a!conscious!person,!I!make!deliberate!choices.!!!Dispassion''There!is!a!reason!why!dispassion!follows!discrimination.!It!is!because!dispassion!arises!naturally!when!you!have!done!the!appropriate!thing.!Doing!what!is!to!be!done!in!each!moment!causes!my!mind!to!become!calm,!steady!and,!unburdened!by!the!intense!pulls!of!likes!and!dislikes.!I!develop!dispassion.!A!dispassionate!mind!is!one!that!does!not!need!things!to!be!a!certain!way,!in!order!to!be!fulfilled.!For!example,!I!might!have!a!preference!to!be!around!a!certain!person!or!a!certain!object,!but!if!they!are!not!available,!I!am!still!content.!This!does!not!mean!I!am!without!desires,!but!that!I!am!not!distressed!when!they!cannot!be!fulfilled.!My!attitude!becomes:!when!things!go!my!way:!fine;!when!things!don’t!go!my!way:!also!fine.!!

The'Values'of'A'Mature'Mind!

'Absence'of'Conceit''A!healthy!amount!of!self#respect!is!necessary!and!desirable.!On!the!other!hand,!an!over#inflated!sense!of!self#respect!that!leads!to!conceit!is!undesirable.!An!exaggerated!sense!of!self#respect!manifests!in!a!demand!for!others!to!show!me!the!respect!I!feel!is!my!due.!This!can!result!in!feeling!hurt!and!interpersonal!conflict.!When!the!principles!of!Intelligent!Living!are!applied!in!full#measure,!the!need!to!demand!respect!from!others!will!vanish!from!the!mind.!To!this!end,!we!can!practice!having!the!same!attitude!to!our!abilities!as!a!rose!has!to!its!perfume!–!unattached!to!praise!or!blame.!!

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*Practice'tip:'If'you'are'prone'to'selfSinflation'try'considering'your'limitations,'and'the'fact'that'all'of'your'talents'and'abilities'are'gifts'given'to'you'and'depend'on'factors'other'than'yourself.'If,'instead,'you'are'prone'to'selfSdeflation'try'considering'your'gifts,'talents'and'glories'for'a'change!!

!Absence'of'Pretence''Where!conceit!is!self#glorification!based!on!real!achievements,!pretence!is!when!one!claims!achievement!that!are!false.!It!is!related!to!a!hope!that!others!will!be!impressed!by!my!abilities!and!arises!because!I!cannot!accept!myself!as!I!am.!The!result!of!pretence!is!the!need!to!be!ever!alert!and!have!a!long!memory!for!the!falsehoods!I!have!told.!A!lack!of!pretence!is!a!real,!simple!and!authentic!person.!Practice'tip:'Think'of'a'time'in'the'past'where'you'may'have'overSexaggerated'your'talents'and'achievements.''Now'answer'the'following'questions:'1.!Why'did'I'claim'to'have'these'qualities'I'did'not'possess?'2.!What'was'the'result'of'this'pretence?'3.!Why'is'it'difficult'to'accept'myself'as'I'am,'warts'and'all?'

! !Absence'of'a'sense'of'ownership!!That!I!possess!certain!objects!for!use!and!enjoyment!for!a!length!for!time!is!a!fact.!This!attitude!creates!dispassion!and!objectivity.!However,!the!sense!that!I!own!any!person,!land!or!thing!permanently!is!merely!notional.!I!cannot!claim!lasting!title!to!anything.!Consider!a!house,!for!example.!You!did!not!create!the!land!around!the!house,!nor!the!materials!that!went!into!forming!the!structure,!not!the!crew!of!architects,!planners!and!builders!who!helped!manifest!the!house.!It!is!reasonable!to!say!that!you!are!a!temporary!custodian!of!the!house,!assigned!as!a!trustee!to!manage!it!during!the!time!you!happen!to!inhabit!it.!!*Practice'tip:'Make'a'list'to'the'top'5S10'material'possessions'that'are'important'to'you.'Now'rate'each'one'between'a'scale'of'0'(nonSattached)'and'10'(attached)'and'consider'how'you'would'feel'it'if'it'went'away.'The'greater'the'intensity'of'emotion'towards'it’s'loss,'the'greater'your'sense'of'ownership.''!!

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' ' ' Integrating'Mindfulness'Practice'•! Consider!picking!one!new!practice!tip!per!week!!•! Establish!a!‘daily!routine’!of!meditation,!reading!and!mindful!movement!in!the!world!

•! Periodically!read!the!course!material!and!books!•! Continue!to!create!‘islands!of!mindfulness’!!•! Consider!joining!a!meditation!class!or!meeting!with!like#minded!people!regularly!

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Surround'Me'With'Your'Presence'

The$sky$abounds$with$suns$and$stars,!The$world$with$life,!

I$have$found$my$place$in$the$midst$of$it$all;!So$in$amazement$my$music$blossoms!

And$I$sing$my$song.!The$rhythm$of$timeless$time,$with$which!

The$universe$swings,!Runs$in$my$veins$too,$pulling$me$through,!In$amazement,$I$wake$up$and$sing$my$song.!

I$have$tiptoed$on$grass,$on$my$way$to$the$forest,!Surprised$by$flowering$scents, !

Elated$to$see$these$joyous$gifts$strewn$around,!In$amazement$I$wake$up$and$sing$my$song.!

I$have$put$my$ears$to$the$ground,!I$have$heard$the$music!

I$have$poured$my$soul$into$the$earth’s$bosom,!I$find$The$Unknown$in$the$midst$of$all$that$is$known,!In$amazement$my$mind$awakens$and$I$sing$my$song.!

#! Rabindranath!Tagore!

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Living'Insights'Teaching:'A'5SWeek'Mindfulness'Course'

My!email:!mattmorganis@gmail.com!

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Artwork'

Thanks!to!Anne!Löper!for!the!beautiful!sand!artwork:!

Website:!http://www.gesandet.de/!

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Book'Recommendations'

Mindfulness!/!Personal!Growth!

5!Step!Formula!To!Mastering!Mind!Control:!Your!Key!To!Contentment!book.!

By!Chrisian!Leeby.!

Website:!https://www.chri! stianleeby.com/ebookveda!

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Traditional!Vedanta!/!Spirituality!

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!! ! ! Living!The!Vision!of!Oneness:!Exploring!Realities!and!Growing!As!An!! Individual!

By!Neema!Majmudar!&!Surya!Tahora!!

! ! ! Website:!discovervedanta.com!

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The!Essence!of!Enlightenment:!Vedanta,!The!Science!of!Consciousness!

By!James!Swartz!

Website:!shiningworld.com!