Astrology's Present Moment by Barry D. Cowger - HTML preview

The 3 Semi-Septile @ 77.14 Degrees of Separation, or 17.14 Gemini

Review and Consolidation

Chapter 1 is about experiencing an unexpected awakening realization experience, that may not have happened to any one yet, but will be an obvious and unmistakable experience. For those actively engaged in this direct experience and wanting to continue, it's best to move forward and not clutter the mind with too many ideas about what may come next. They redirect their energy, but not towards becoming contexts, or on questions like, "Who am I" for example. In Chapter 2, awakening is the awareness that passes through the so-called real or solid Earth element and survives it. This can be shocking and entirely unexpected because the physical body is just one body of many interconnected bodies. It's not the only body. Awakening for these individuals involves realizing that the physical body is not fundamentally or elementally real. Earth is just one stop, a pause, and a rest in a much larger universe of fundamental Consciousness. Through this aspect portal, it is not the final word or the end of the road for awareness. As their non location-specific sensory awareness deepens, it will inevitably begin to redefine or reveal any number of "bodies" one of which is composed of an essentially mental nature. In this chapter, any state of mind or thought is also joined at the hip in awareness. And awareness is not entirely confined by any thoughts that happen "within" it. This aspect portal has qualities "like" finite mind states, but is not entirely bound by them and exists separately from them. Awareness is unique quality of mentality that occurs without thinking.

I Think, Therefore Everything's Cool

My contemporary version of the well-known statement is not incorrect, as far as it goes. But it quickly runs out of local highway. I avoid using the word "mindfulness" because it is unintentionally misleading. The antidote is not to simply travel down yet another local highway in a different manner or direction. This quickly leads to thoughts that I may not be evolved enough or good enough to get where I need to go. This is when we expect a local highway to be our Interstate or a galactic fundamental highway, when it cannot. On this road or path, it is a short dotted line to the thought that I may not be good enough at this moment, or that I need to do something to be okay or "cool." Greater awareness does not occur any more in any direction. Awakening realization experience occurs for these individuals when being is happening without thinking. The only doing, going or action that begins to happen on its own is the awareness of breathing. Some studies have suggested that even this may not be necessary. But that's another highway or path that we will leave for now. The awakening awareness here is that the highway of "now" is as short as conceptually possible.

"Kansas"

Activity is the core principle that brings their intensely curious nature and finite mind to life. Their curiosity and activity are virtually unlimited. Their natural curiosity is excited and propels them towards the unknown or unexplored. Awakening is not a skill or a state of mind, although those with a spiritually oriented mindset may be curious about it and strive to achieve for it. For example, someone says, "Let's go to Kansas. I hear it's a lovely state, much like awakening." However, once the curious aspirant quickly crosses the conceptual border into a different state, they realize that "Kansas" exists in awareness, not as a result of traveling on a local highway. It seemed true enough as a curiosity, complete with the idea of state officials in uniforms and badges, but these things do not exist because that's just another state. This awareness does not require physical or mental travel, as mentioned above. Their curiosity is meant to take them to the border to where they want to go, but not beyond. While not technically a desert, Kansas experiences dust storms, crosswinds, tumbleweeds, and jumping jack rabbits that cross its centerline road, similar to many other states. This is all part of the mind's journey unfolding within the fundamental Consciousness of "Kansas" as its constant activity of movement. But its likeness as awareness is what continues as its immortal existence across all states that are, in reality, none of them – including Kansas.

Reversed, Emptied, or "Real" Non-States

The nature of this aspect portal is not rooted in the spacetime brain. Even though awareness experiences it, it is not bound by it. Thoughts in spacetime are seriously real, but they are not fundamentally real. Awakening does not happen through thinking because the finite mind does not create it in any state. This means that there is no non-dependent existence that makes up thoughts, brains, neurons, physical bodies, or nearly anything else. Consciousness as fundamental awareness suggests that awakening will happen for no reason to the thought of "me" that's just another state. Sometimes this notion is suddenly reversed, or turned on its head, emptied, washed away like a road closure, or even left for dead like roadkill. However, their immortal twin in any non-state will suffer no such seasonal or changeable fate on any highway or at any border. In awakening, motion is just a state of mind.

The Breath of Awareness

This aspect portal is designed to enhance the experience and pleasure of breathing with awareness. Like many things, they can develop a liking for it and look forward to it as a key milestone in their journey. It serves as a direct path to present-moment awareness. They can find comfort in it and don't want to be anywhere else. Initially, they may not learn much about it, but there is a breathing experience beyond simply mechanically inhaling and exhaling. Some studies suggest that advanced practitioners use more than just oxygen to fuel their brains. For the rest of us, the point is simple: consciously breathe until a steady rhythm or a natural feel for it emerges. This is the breath of awareness, not just the brain-mind in the act of breathing. This may be one step beyond enjoyable. It just is. These individuals have an open invitation to explore fundamental Consciousness through breath and breathing. It is an invaluable resource that makes perfect sense to them, and from which they can benefit greatly. There are short journeys in the universe, like the breathing cycle or any form of local travel. And even though they can physically reach the local state of Kansas by simply traveling there, they are also aware of its non-state border that the brain-mind cannot cross, but that breathing in awareness most definitely can upon its arrival.

Changing Present Moment Sense Awareness

There are at least five ways to maintain present-moment awareness, and each one can be used in rotating succession to keep the mind engaged in a consciously employed and often entertaining "bait and switch" process. This strategy is effective because the finite mind is forever curious and changeable. It is not wise to try to anchor the mind to the present moment, as it is like asking the wind to stop blowing. Instead, let's have some fun with a different approach. The goal of this game is to prolong the experience of present-moment awareness by using multiple sensory inputs in any order. Experiment with different combinations to find what works best. Switching from one sense to another is natural for the finite mind, and with five variables, there are countless possibilities to explore. Start with the eyes as they are well-connected to the brain. Look at objects in your immediate environment with a soft focus, avoiding analysis. This may be difficult to experience in the beginning when the brain-mind is in thinking mode. Thus, learning to soft-focus is essential. It doesn't go beyond immediate sensory experience or any additional associations to them. Soft-focus awareness remains in the local present-moment. After a few seconds, allow awareness, not the brain-mind to shift to another sensory input. This takes practice. This allows awareness to stay engaged in the experience that is not short-circuited by the thinking mind. Awareness may switch to another body sensation, such as the chair or seat you're sitting on. Notice the transition between the two sense awarenesses and follow that. Be aware of the sense of smell. It can trigger memories that may disrupt present-moment awareness and launch the brain-mind into powerful memories. Experiment with sight, sensation and sound without attaching labels to those immediate sensations. This is also difficult because the brain-mind wants to grab the experience and tell you what it thinks about it. A goal is to maintain unbroken awareness for a minute or longer. Let awareness naturally guide transitions between senses, without forcing the mind to switch just because it thinks it should. This multi-sensory exercise can also be done while walking, which can be challenging for some, but natural for others. Walking in natural environments can enhance the present moment experience by connecting with the Consciousness of nature which exists nowhere else but in the present moment. Play around with different sensory inputs to discover what works best for you to remain present within any changing atmosphere or internal environment.