For you, right now, this is the beginning of the rest of your life. What will you do with it? All the wisdom traditions say that transformation is possible during whatever time remains for you, no matter how old you are or what you have done, good or bad, up to this point. What if the full meaning of your life is yet to be determined? If you assume this to be the case, how will you spend the remaining time and energy of your days?
What is it? – Transformation 1
All the wisdom traditions say that to arrive at fulfillment, transformation is essential. And all present stories of transformation as part of their central teachings. MORE
Something More – Transformation 2
As we get older, the great wisdom traditions say we are called to “something more.” How this “something more” is defined varies, but all the traditions say we are called to one or more further possibilities: to discover our True Self or Essence; to wake up with the Buddha and realize who we really are; to experience Nirvana; to find Salvation (“to be healed, made sound, made whole”); to put on the mantle of Christ; to enter the Kingdom of Heaven; to become one with the Clear Light; to enter the “deathless;” to be in harmony with the Tao; to become a person of “jen” (benevolence or humaneness as Confucius used it); to align with our Atman and recognize that this is to be at one with Brahman; to live from Love and make it the center of our being; to seek God; to align with the Good, the True, and the Beautiful; to “know ourselves” and act courageously from that knowledge; to gain deep Wisdom; to know the ultimate Reality, MORE
Who do you think you are? – Transformation 3
The starting point for transformation is identity—who you think you are. Most of the time, most of us are identified with one of the roles we play, with one of our feeling states, or with one of several reoccurring thought patterns about ourselves. At any given moment we might be identified with a professional role, our social self, our taking-care-of-others role, or a “being nice” persona. MORE
The great stories of transformation – Transformation 4
All the wisdom traditions of history began with the transformation of the founder, and the history of each tradition is filled with stories of those who went through a process of transformation on the path to fulfilment. Always this required a conscious decision—to make an effort to transform—and always it required commitment. MORE
Buddhism and Transformation – Transformation 5
Transformation has been at the heart of Buddhism since its beginning. There were two great transformations in the Buddha’s life. Initially, his “First Awakening” occurred when he was 29 years old and resulted in a conscious decision to leave his home and everything he had known up to that point to become a wandering seeker. During the next six years he had a clear and conscious goal and worked diligently to achieve it. He was ambitious. MORE
What is Transformation – Transformation 6
Transformation happens in all kinds of ways: suddenly; suddenly after a long period of preparation; slowly and steadily; over time with many twists and turns; out-of-the-blue followed by a period of consolidation. There can be many small transformations that add up, or it can happen in a single event that comes on like an explosion. MORE
Slow, Determined Transformation – Transformation 7
One of my favorite examples of gradual transformation is Abraham Lincoln. He also serves as a good illustration of someone who, rather than withdrawing from the world, underwent his profound transformation while engaged in the most intense in-the-world life that can be imagined. MORE
Transformations toward the end of life – Transformation 8
Many people have had one-time dramatic transformational experiences, and often their lives have been changed forever by these moments. Other people have worked slowly and steadily to transform themselves over many years, with the results appearing gradually. There is another group that merits attention: those who have had transformative experiences in old age or as they approached death. MORE
Understanding transformation – Transformation 9
There is only a limited amount we can accomplish toward transformation by thinking about it—it is more a matter of experience, of finding a “deep knowing.” This does not mean we should never think about it, however, or that there is no value in trying to understand intellectually. There is value. It is just important to remember that thinking is only one piece of the process, and not the final piece. MORE
The ultimate possibilities of transformation – Transformation 10
There are several stages in transformation, and a good model for thinking about this is the chakra system of ancient India. In this model, there are 7 levels of ourselves around which we can organize, 7 primary goals we can focus on.
The chakra system arose in India several thousand years ago, and with an apology to this rich and complex tradition, here is a greatly over-simplified version for thinking about the levels of ourselves. MORE