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 last 9 days I have been giving an intimate look at each chapter as well as a small excerpt from the new book. We have just looked at the Eighth Mandala.

We continue with the final chapter – the Ninth Mandala…

Self-actualization is the promise of the Ninth Mandala. It involves using your own power to transform the quality of your life. Quality of life affects how happy and satisfied we are in a world that is sometimes cold and cruel. A Self-Actualized person has a more productive perception of reality and has a comfortable relationship with his or her surroundings. This person is not frightened or threatened by the unknown. He or she has a superior ability to reason and to see the truth. His or her thoughts are unhampered by convention. This person accepts who he or she is, and accepts others, never reducing anyone to a common stereotype. Instead a Self-Actualized person sees with an open mind, and sees each individual around him or her in a fresh, new light. Living can be thrilling and transcending if one lives the present moment to its fullest. Self-Actualization aids our vision—clears it of convention, of the fetters from the past—and allows us to breathe the Quantum energy that fills the air around us. Feelings of limitless horizons open up with this vision, and the Self-Actualized person will at once feel both powerful and hopeless, and he or she will see the strength in the dichotomy. This is the essence of a Responsive Universe.

Ninth Mandala Excerpt

Non-duality describes a state of being that is void of ego. It is a state where we have settled into the quality that is our True Nature – the natural state of being handed to us at birth, free from outside pressures. When we settle into this state, we are living without the weights of social conditioning, personal history, or any definition of “self” defined by our culture or society. When we settle into this state, self-image disappears because we become aware that the identity we perceived as important before, the one attached to our job, possessions, and reputation, has no foundation. We associated that identity with things and ideas that were transient. Seeking identity from our True Nature, however, means attaching our self-image and esteem to something steadfast and dependable.

As we become awakened, we must be mindful of a new false-self that can develop. We discussed the inner fight we could feel as we shed our false-self and ego and embrace our new world of positive energy and responsiveness. As we continue to evolve, we may begin to see others suffering, mired in ego and fear. We must have compassion for them and support them on their journeys. If you feel superior to them, that is a trigger to you that you are letting your ego do your talking once again. As long as you are immersed in society, the ego will always exist. As you interact with people, remember to be humble. Be mindful of all of your actions and continue to ask yourself if they are rooted in ego or in True Nature.

It is also important in your personal evolution to never lose sight of your origination point. Where were you when you started your journey? Our road to self-actualization and responsive living allows us to move beyond our pasts and mistakes, but we cannot forget them. By remembering them, we ensure that we will not repeat them. Remembering them also helps continue to fuel our passion to create new positive reactions in life. Looking back on how our lives were before should fill us with gratitude for how far we have advanced. There is a great wisdom and responsiveness to this idea. Our pasts and mistakes, with our new level of reflection, no longer weigh us down, but allow us to ascend further towards our goals for happiness and fulfillment. They also reinforce the notion that your happiness and new healthy life you lead was created by you alone. Your past no longer makes you feel powerless. Your past is another source of empowerment.

The Responsive Universe is now available at Amazon.com, BN.com and Authorhouse.com – ebook versions include Kindle and iBook. I will be kicking off a 2012/2013 Book Signing tour that will begin in Chicagoland and then turn nationwide, eventually taking me to Canada and beyond. Details to come at www.responsiveuniverse.com

I hope to see you all soon.

John C. Bader
New Responsive Universe Promo Video

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