The Eighth Mandala – Free Excerpt from the Responsive Universe by John C. Bader

My new literary effort, The Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices is now available for purchase. Within these pages are nine Mandalas or chapters that illustrate a new and authentic step forward on the path to self-discovery and enlightenment. Over the course of the next week I will be giving an intimate look at each chapter as well as a small excerpt from the new book. We have just looked at the Seventh Mandala

We continue with the Eighth Mandala…

The Eighth Mandala is the framework constructed on the foundation we have already built on our journey to Self-Actualization. The first Eight Mandalas build a strong base level to support us: An open mind, faith in God and creation, understanding our past, and comprehending the energies of the Universe, particularly how they relate to the nurturing of our True Nature. The Eighth Mandala deals with everyday situations. By living healthy lives, by eating well and exercising, we create immediate positive results. All of these factors pave the way to happiness. Music is one of the avenues most effective for me. It is a relaxing release and has been found to increase endorphins, the brain’s pleasure chemical. Love for life and love for others also reinforces positive physical and mental health. Without love, life may as well not exist. Living life in moderation is also important – to be aware of our bad habits and get into a routine of healthy living and understanding our needs in relation to our wants and desires. To be in tune with your body is to live outside your five senses. Every positive experience you nurture further aligns your body with your True Nature.

Eighth Mandala Excerpt

Some of us find it hard to love ourselves. What does that really mean to love ourselves? It can be easy to find faults in who we think we are. Maybe you think you are unorganized or have a couple of bad habits. Maybe you get stressed out easy or are taking a medication for depression and or anxiety. Maybe you wish you ate healthier or exercised more. Maybe you do not like crowds or being the center of attention. Maybe you love being the center of attention; basking in the glow of ego and self-absorption? We tend to look at ourselves in the mirror and not approve of what we see in the reflection. All of this self-loathing is rooted to our egos and false perceptions. It makes us want to be someone else or we mentally berate ourselves as if we are unworthy and unlovable. It is one thing to love who you are and it is a completely different thing to love what you are. There is a fundamental difference to be actualized. Our perception of who we are is rooted in societal pressures; what we see on television, in print ads, etc. Our happiness is regulated by a shallow self-esteem and the approval of others. But what about loving what we are?

This is another kind of love… In fact, it is a completely different way to love yourself; and this other kind of love transcends all the passive chaos that envelopes our busy lives. We are products of the Universe and thus are born from quantum positive energy. There is a quality to this that is pure and unfettered. We are the sons and daughters of vibration, light and love and that is something no one can take away from you. This is our True Nature; vast, boundless and reliable. It is easy to love yourself when you look at where the source of our being is rooted (True Nature). Look up at night and marvel at the stars. Appreciate nature and the love for a pet or child. This is a love that is all powerful and unchanging. Put your confidence into this type of love and soon you will realize all of your shortcomings in life; all of your bad habits and self-loathing are just products of a self-esteem driven by ego. Such worries and deceptions will seem trivial and unnecessary once you find empowerment from an inner source.

There is nothing confident and steadfast about our egos. Much like money, the ego comes and goes and for many it regulates our happiness and suffering. The more control we take away from the ego, the more we connect to the steadfast vision that is our True Nature. Love what you are (a product of the Universe born from love and energy) and happiness and confidence will root itself in your life. Once you have this unadulterated confidence of what you are, soon your perspectives in life will change. Soon you will make little changes in life, like eating better, exercising or getting more organized. Soon, very soon, you will connect that love of what you are and who you are as one – A quality of oneness bathed under the light of self-actualization and enlightenment.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com