Presence as the Alchemist – Stepping out of the illusion of doing into the Truth of Being.
“Presence Allows Form to Transform”
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
“Tasya bhūmiṣu viniyogaḥ.” (“The power of practice is established through steadfast dwelling in Presence”.)— Yoga Sūtra I.14
The Geography of Being
“Where you stand is where you are seen by the Earth as the reflection of the inner Self.” — Eternal Act
Sat Yuga Is Here Now
In the ancient philosophical teachings, cycles of time are described in the Purāṇas. It is where humanity moves through four great ages — Satya Yuga, Tretā Yuga, Dvāpara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. Humanity is now entering Satya Yuga (Sat Yuga) from Kali Yuga.
Satya Yuga is also called the Age of Truth. It is the first and purest of these cycles. It is said to be the era when the principle of cosmic order comes into alignment — when truth and purity, compassion and awareness are natural expressions of Being.
But Age of Truth is not only a time in history — it is a state of consciousness.
The Higher Narcissus – Awakening of the Divine “I Am”
Narcissus looked into the water and fell in love with his own reflection, not realizing it was himself. His longing for the image consumed him until he drowned, falling into his own image in the water.
The story of Narcissus is not only about vanity —it is the drama of consciousness awakening to itself. The myth is often told as a warning against self-obsession, but its deeper meaning holds a higher truth. Narcissus symbolizes the soul’s reflection in consciousness – the moment the Self sees itself through the mirror of Creation.
The lower Narcissus is bound by image. It says, “I am this form, this name, this body.” It seeks and strives for validation, power, and admiration from reflection, forgetting that the reflection is its own light.
The Stillness Above – Hot Air Balloon Contemplations
I found myself in this vastness between earth and sky, watching myself cross from doing into Being. A light wind carried the vessel upward as my mind became quieter, not because I was trying to quiet it, but because the expansiveness of what was unfolding in front of my eyes demanded reverence.
I felt my heart awaken to this deep, primal calmness from which a knowing of creation appeared. It felt like the finite and infinite united, and I felt the true essence of awareness that comes before thought, sound, and movement.
It seemed we were being drifted by the invisible, an unseen current of the atmosphere. The cold air froze time, and I felt the abyss of timeless spaceless abode awaken in my heart.
The Trap of Spiritual Ego
Many fall on the spiritual path because the ego hides behind the appearance of spirituality. Its primary act is “healing the world” or “healing another,” and when practices are done to feel special, gain power, or prove worth, they lose their true purpose – to be the vessel of service. Spirituality becomes performance rather than surrender. The heart closes, and what was meant to free us instead binds us again to illusion.
The Language of Food Cravings and Addictions
Food cravings and addictions are not enemies — they are messages from the body, revealing where energy is out of balance. Each desire — for sweetness, heaviness, spice, or stimulation — reflects a deeper emotional or energetic need. When one listens consciously, the craving transforms from compulsion into communication. When one pauses before satisfying a craving and asks, “What am I truly hungry for?” — awareness begins to replace habit. Through this attention, food becomes a teacher, and the body becomes a sacred guide on the journey of balance and self-realization. Here is a simple roadmap for recognition of energetic imbalance:
Family and the Return to Self
“Sarvam khalvidam Brahma” — All this is indeed the Divine.
Family is the first mirror of the soul — where love and illusion are given the opportunity for recognition. Through them, one learns about belonging, identity, and the subtlety of expectations, both conscious and often unconscious.
In that same closeness, one can lose sight of the inner flame, mistaking duty for devotion and attachment for love. Detachment is not abandonment; it is remembrance.
Healing Family Lineage Through Awareness
Healing our lineage and changing the story begins with our awareness.
What we call “family patterns” are often saṃskāras — impressions carried in consciousness from those who came before us. It is slightly different from past lives, where the genetic line isn’t necessarily connected from lifetime to lifetime.
These patterns are not fate. There are opportunities to see clearly and to bring understanding where there was confusion and inaccurate judgment.
The Mind, Labels, and the Loss of Wonder
The mind, in its nature, grasps, clings, and labels. In Sanskrit, this is referred to as nāma-rūpa — “name and form.” The moment the mind labels something, it is no longer a pure mystery, but it becomes a concept. A flower becomes “rose,” the sky becomes “blue,” and the soul’s awe collapses into familiarity.
The Yoga Sūtras refer to vṛtti — the fluctuations of thought that obscure direct perception. When the mind races to categorize, the living reality is hidden beneath the label. As the Taoists emphasize, “The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.” Naming reduces the infinite into the finite, the sacred into the ordinary.