Morning Compass Blog

The Deeper Level of Truth

Have you ever stopped to wonder who—or what—you really are? Not your name, your job, your roles, or even your feelings. Those things come and go. But what remains? That’s the deeper level of truth we’re exploring today.

Imagine your life as a giant bowl of soup. The body, the emotions, the thoughts—they’re all ingredients floating around. They interact, combine, and change. But none of them are you. You are the bowl. You hold all of it, yet you are untouched by any single flavor.

This idea may sound deep or mysterious, but it’s actually very simple. It just requires a little practice and attention. At the heart of it is discernment—the ability to notice the difference between what is real and what only appears to be real.

Living Without Attributes

Have you ever paused to wonder who you truly are beyond the labels and qualities you use to define yourself? We often think of ourselves through attributes like our roles, feelings, thoughts, or even our physical appearance. But what happens when we strip these attributes away?

Imagine a practice where you deliberately remove every attribute and quality from your sense of self. You’re left without any labels, feelings, or ideas. You’re neither happy nor sad, neither successful nor failing. You’re simply present, alert, aware—but completely unidentified with anything that arises within your experience. This is the essence of living attributelessly.

Practicing being without attributes is about staying empty yet fully mindful. When you’re in this state, you don’t latch onto any quality, thought, or sensation. You exist in pure freedom, untouched by the illusions of your everyday experiences. This state of freedom is not easily described because it exists beyond words and concepts. As the ancient sages put it, it’s “not this, not that,” or “neti-neti.”

Beyond Depression: Discovering Your True Self

Depression can feel like carrying a heavy weight. It can make everything feel slow, dark, and overwhelming. If you’re going through this, it’s okay. Feeling depressed is part of being human. But it’s crucial to understand that while depression can feel very real, it isn’t who you are. It’s just something you’re experiencing. Think of it as a cloud passing through your sky—not the sky itself.

When you feel depressed, your emotions are giving you valuable information. They’re showing you clearly what’s true for you and what’s not. Think of depression as a signpost, pointing out that you’re out of alignment with your true self. Your true self is always filled with peace, joy, and love. When you’re feeling anything else, it’s simply because you’ve moved away from that inner truth.

How to Achieve Freedom From Limiting Beliefs

We all carry beliefs inside of us, often without realizing it. Some of these beliefs help us grow and live fulfilling lives, while others hold us back, keeping us stuck in places we don’t want to be. These are known as limiting beliefs.

Imagine this: you’ve always dreamed of a relaxing trip to Hawaii. You picture white sandy beaches, warm sunshine, and carefree days. But when you check your bank account, reality hits, and Hawaii seems unreachable. You might feel disappointed or even like you’ve failed. However, even this situation isn’t truly a failure. It’s an invitation—a chance to understand something deeper about yourself.

Embracing Expansion: Navigating Peaks and Valleys in Life

Life is always changing, moving, and expanding, even during the quieter times we often call “valley experiences.” Many of us think expansion only occurs during moments of excitement, happiness, or achievement—the “peak experiences.” However, understanding how expansion also happens during quieter periods is crucial for personal growth and happiness.

We all enjoy those moments when life feels effortless, vibrant, and flowing. Yet, it’s common to become worried or doubtful when the intensity of these moments subsides. You might start wondering if something has gone wrong. Did you do something to stop the flow? Did you somehow limit your own joy or success?

Life often feels like a journey of peaks and valleys. Everyone loves those peak experiences—moments of joy, ease, and deep connection. But what about the valleys? Valley experiences can seem challenging or even frustrating because it feels like everything slows down or stops flowing. But these valley experiences are just as valuable for your spiritual growth.

First, recognize when you’re in a valley experience. Maybe life suddenly feels slower or quieter. Perhaps you’re feeling the need to withdraw from activities or simply rest more. Acknowledge this without judgment. The first and most important step is to give yourself love and acceptance during these times.

Understanding Purpose: Navigating Life’s Peaks and Valleys

Life often feels like a roller coaster with thrilling highs and challenging lows. On our spiritual journey, we experience these same highs and lows, often referred to as peaks and valleys. But why do these fluctuations happen, and how can we better understand their purpose?

Understanding these cycles can dramatically change our perspective and bring peace to our lives.

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to define exactly what awareness is? We know it’s there—we’re aware of being aware—but when we try to pinpoint it, awareness seems to slip through our fingers. It has no shape, no form. It’s intangible, yet deeply familiar. This subtlety is precisely why awareness is a powerful gateway to spiritual realization.

Awareness, at its core, is simply pure knowing—knowing that you exist. It doesn’t require thought, belief, or sensory experience. It’s always present, quiet, enduring in the background of every moment. But problems arise when awareness becomes tangled up with our thoughts, feelings, and sensations. We start to identify with these experiences, believing, “I am my body,” or “I am my emotions,” rather than recognizing that these things just appear within awareness.

Discovering Unity Through the Path of Separation

Have you ever noticed how life seems full of divisions? We often talk about good versus bad, right versus wrong, truth versus illusion. While this might seem like a normal way to make sense of things, in spirituality, this approach can feel confusing. Surprisingly, sometimes the best way to truly understand unity—our connection with everything—is by first experiencing separation.

At first glance, this idea might seem strange. How can separation lead to unity? Let’s explore this concept together.

Slow Down to Speed Up Your Spiritual Growth

In today’s fast-paced world, rushing has become the norm. We hurry to finish tasks, meet deadlines, and achieve goals. Surprisingly, this rush mentality has seeped into our spiritual journeys as well. Yet, spirituality isn’t a race. It’s a gentle, lifelong journey of discovering who you truly are.

Spiritual growth doesn’t benefit from speed. When you rush, you miss out on important insights and deeper understanding. Each step, no matter how small, has its value. Your spiritual path is deeply personal, deserving patience and care.

Moving to Oneness: Discovering Your True Spiritual Nature

In the hustle of everyday life, many of us seek something deeper—something that connects us with a profound sense of unity and peace. This search is the heart of spiritual growth. Yet, it’s important to remember that moving towards Oneness isn’t about speed or quick achievements. It’s a gentle, gradual journey toward understanding your essential unity with all existence.

At its core, Oneness is the recognition that everything is interconnected. Though your senses tell you that you’re separate—a distinct person in a busy, diverse world—spiritual exploration gradually reveals something different. Beneath appearances, everything shares a common ground. That common ground is pure awareness, or Oneness.

Beyond what we usually experience in life, there’s a journey we can take to truly understand ourselves and the world around us. It’s a journey to something called Oneness. This isn’t just a simple idea; it’s a deep dive into the very core of what makes everything exist.

What in the World is “Oneness”?

Imagine you’re looking at a huge, beautiful painting. You see all the colors, the shapes, the details. Now, imagine you could zoom out, further and further, until you’re not just seeing the painting, but the entire gallery it’s in. Then, you zoom out even more, seeing the building, the city, and eventually, the whole universe.

Oneness is like that final, complete picture. It’s not just seeing one part, but understanding that everything—every person, every animal, every star, every thought, every feeling—is connected. It’s all part of one big, amazing “thing.”

Our everyday lives are often about seeing things as separate. We think, “I am me, and you are you. This is my house, that’s your car.” But when we start to explore Oneness, we begin to realize that these separations are like tiny lines we’ve drawn on that huge painting. They’re not the full truth.