When do we give up on our dreams? Somewhere along the journey, many of us give up on our childhood dreams. Remember when we were young and we pretended to be actors or super heroes? We were so excited about our future goals of being writers or even the president. And now what are we doing? At what point do we give up on our dreams ? Do they become unrealistic and just pie in the sky illusions far out of our reach?

I have asked myself these questions at many different points in my life. Of course we have to make a living and support our families and deal with life’s many challenges along the way. Sometimes we come to crossroads where we are given opportunities to make changes. It is at these moments where there may be space created to review our current life’s directions and where we are focusing our energy.

Where there is energy there is power. Take a moment to analyze where your energy is strongest. What gets you exited in life? Where is your passion? Is there any way to channel this energy into creating new oppurtinities for yourself? Can you take back your dream? Are we really as limited as we thought we were, or are we limitless and boundless spirits with the ability to create and live out our dreams?

I’m being drawn to open up a book that I once read, “Be as you are, the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi”, edited by David Godman. I don’t know, maybe it’s those peaceful deep set smiling eyes on the cover of the book, calling me in.

My brother-in-law, David Michelson, wrote a beautiful song about those eyes, “Ramana’s Eyes”.

I recall a time in my journey where I could not read enough spiritual books, could not listen to enough CD’s and tapes, could not obtain enough knowledge. I was always searching, searching for answers. I needed to know “The Truth”. I mistakenly thought that if I read that one sentence, then enlightenment would happen. I would miraculously awaken.

I finally realized that I was looking for truth in the wrong place. I was trying to find it in my mind instead of my heart. Here I was searching, going on this so called “journey”. And the truth was there all along. Staring me in the face, like Ramana’s eyes. The truth never left me. I left it.

I would read and read. Sit in meditation, waiting to wake up, trying to make myself silent. And Silence was already there. Awareness was always present. Awareness is always there. Awareness is, all there is.

I finally realized that there is no goal to reach, nothing new to obtain. All that was ever needed was a deep realization of what and who I am, what I always was and will be, what is always and forever. It finally sunk in. I am Awareness. How could I look for and try to obtain something that I already was, Awareness itself. It’s the big cosmic joke, trying to search for something that was there all along.

Now, as I look at those smiling eyes of Ramana, I can smile back at him.

I’ve been reading poetry from my favorite spiritual teacher, Adyanshanti, from his book, “My Secret is Silence”. He has such a beautiful way of speaking the Truth.

One quote of his, really hits home to me. I have actually heard him say this quite a few times. “You are not a walking mistake. You are not a problem to be solved”.

Whenever I feel really down on myself, I try to remember those words. It lifts the weight of the world off of my shoulders. It really does. These words help to remind me that I don’t have to Do anything. I don’t have to Be anything. I don’t have to Solve or Fix anything. Life is doing all of the doing through me. I just need to simply take my hands off of the steering wheel and let Life do the driving.

My daughter, Samantha, would call me and tell me about her woes. I would simply listen. And then, I would gently remind her that She was not a problem that needed solving. After these words were spoken, I could hear the sigh in her voice, a gentle releasing of all of the stress and worry that she was carrying around with her. She would then say, “thanks, Mom”. And she would hang up and go about her day.

These words are very powerful. You Are Not a Problem to be Solved!!!