Reviewing My Old Articles On Life Purpose

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I am a work in process. And blog is a realtime publishing. I write my truth, as I see it now, and post them here as I flow in life. This is fun, and I hope you are enjoying reading it, but there is also a risk — I may contradict what I wrote before.

With the realization of “The purpose of life is life itself,” I want to review my previous articles on life purpose. If I were only partially true (not because I was dishonest but because my understanding at that time was not as full as it is now), I’d like to give you updates. It’s also fun to see which part of me has stayed the same over the last three years.

It’s probably a rather boring post for you, so please feel free to skip if you must. I’m writing this mainly for my integrity.

Here is the summary of each article and my current thought about them, in chronological order:

True Life Purpose Goes Beyond The Illusion Of Self (March 2008)
Here, I am using the word “self” to mean the individual self, or the ego. And I wrote life purpose is the key to true happiness. I also wrote the true life purpose goes beyond the sense of self and connects us to others. I wrote it’s more than doing what you love, or following your bliss.

These days, I don’t see the line in me. Doing what I love and following my bliss is about connecting with others. Because we are all One. At the time of writing this article, I knew we were one, but my realization was limited. So my understanding was limited — everything I wrote is true, in one perspective, but wasn’t the whole truth.

Also, in this article, I valued the sense of direction life purpose provided. This is true — the sense of no purpose is extremely disturbing and I think many people try to numb this discomfort.

Since I got the “The purpose of life is life itself” and am releasing myself from the specific purpose I previously subscribed for, I do feel a bit disoriented. This is the area I am not completely sure about at this point. I’d like to think I can just sync with the natural flow of life (and I am not talking about Akemi’s life — I’m talking about the One Life that we are all part of) and therefore sync with the natural direction of life.

Having said this, this is a pretty good article. You might like to check it out.

I Have A Dream. . . (April 2008)
This is an article where I expressed my personal dream for the world, that everyone will realize their purposes. And I wrote this will save us from the inner emptiness and insecurities.

I just love how passionate I was about life purpose. I was in the early part of the journey when sincere passion for something mattered. Although my view has changed somewhat — and stayed the same in other aspects — I just love how I was. So I understand that if someone is enthusiastic about finding their purpose, that is great!

Embrace The Big Questions Worth Spending Your Life For (June 2008)
In this article, I first ridiculed the mass tendency to find answers quickly, even answers to big questions like, “What is the meaning of life?” This attitude disempowers you and steals joy and peace from you. The process matters just as much as the answers.

So I carried the question. . .

Living Your Life Purpose (Nov 2008)
Back then, I thought this was the definitive article on life purpose. I wrote, “In the most generalized level, we all come to live in the physical life form for one common purpose: to experience life in this physical world and to learn and grow through the experience.” I don’t believe in the “growing” any more, as I wrote in this article of spiritual growth paradox, but I also know seeking to grow is the phase we go through to realize there is no growth necessary.

The first part of the above statement is exactly what I am saying today. We are here to experience life.

In order for us to have various interesting experiences, each of us are made unique. I mean, think what it would be like if all of us looked the same, thought the same thoughts in the same way, felt the same, and acted the same. How can that help the Source, or the One Life, realize its wholeness and abundance? It’s like no one really exists. So expressing our unique gifts and strengths is another aspect of life purpose.

The article also discusses the life lessons each soul chooses. Life lesson is the core spiritual values we choose to learn prior to our incarnations. As you will see, part of my idea about life lesson has changed. I no longer believe learning the life lessons is the life purpose. Rather, it is like a preparation process so that we can experience life fully — which IS the purpose.

No More Life Lessons In The School Of Life (Feb 2009)
I wrote this article after I found Ascension soul shift. Learning life lessons is a major objective in life, but some of us are completing the old fashioned “learning” process, like graduating from school. This doesn’t mean we quit learning altogether, but it does mean the approach to life changes.

I wrote, “From here, we are completely free and our life purpose is simply to be who we are.” This is basically what I am saying now. Be who you are. Live your authentic self. Life’s purpose is life itself. “Do whatever comes to us naturally and joyously.”

How To Find Your Life Purpose Through Your Life Challenges (Feb 2009)
I wanted to help people find their life lessons. I also wanted them to know there is no need to be bitter about “negative” experiences in life. These were my motivation to write this article, which turned out to be very popular.

Whether the learning experience is a pleasant one or not (what I used to call positive / negative learning experiences), it is, after all, about experience. Our “being” and “doing” are not two separate things. We realize who we are, our being, through experiences, by doing. The two are dynamically connected.

As I wrote above, I no longer think learning the life lessons is the life purpose, but this article is helpful nonetheless if you are having hard time in life.

Soul’s Purpose For Incarnation (Sept 2009)
“ . . . is to enjoy this physical world”, I wrote. In other words, to experience the love and abundance in a tangible way, using our creative power. So it’s also about authentic self expression.

In effect, this is the same with my recent claim of “The purpose of life is life itself.” I guess, however, some people get the hang-up with the word “enjoy”, saying there are unenjoyable experiences in life.

Acceptance Is The Key To Peace And Joy (Nov 2010)

This is where I got the “secret” of unwavering peace and joy from my spirit guides. If peace and joy are important to you, and yet eluding to you, please check it out. The secret is acceptance — to accept all experiences without judgment.

Summing up
Life purpose is not about your job. Your job is included in the purpose, but they are not connected with equation mark. Nor is it about volunteer work or hobby. Again, they are included in the purpose, but not THE purpose.

When you are clear with who you are (and you are not your ego, who always want to attach meanings, stories, etc.), the purpose is really simple. It is in the Now.

My previous articles all point to the same direction, but “The purpose of life is life itself” is the simplest, and the most comprehensive truth I can think of now.

The Purpose Of Life Is Life Itself

When was the last time you did something just for the joy of it? Or not even for the joy, but just because?

Doing things for the benefits

I’ve noticed we do so many things for the benefits that are supposed to come with doing it. For instance, some people run because they want to lose weight or because they think running is good for health. Same with eating healthy. How many people drink green smoothie just because they love the taste and the feeling within them when they drink it? How many people run just because?

And many of us work to get the paychecks and the benefits, not because they like what they do.

This way of living is so ingrained in our mindset that we hardly stop and question it. And we constantly compare and evaluate things and people for the benefits they are supposed to bring.

Even enlightenment

Some people even approach enlightenment for the supposed benefits of it, like bliss (or the right to boast about their spiritual development).

This is absurd. At least when you define enlightenment as clear seeing, as seeing and accepting things as they are. How can this kind of clear seeing prevent people from having so-called negative emotions such as anger or sorrow? Judging something as “negative” is the very thing that left with enlightenment.

Of course, events that bother us keep happening with or without enlightenment. I mean, if it’s something that is caused by your judgments and distorted worldview, then you won’t have that any more with enlightenment. But enlightenment doesn’t prevent your spouse to cheat. Your kids may still get into trouble. Your loved one might die. And you yourself will still do silly things, small or large.

The only difference is, with enlightenment, you are kinda “okay” with everything. It’s a feeling that is hard to nail down with words. How can a spouse cheating on you is okay? Because you quit judging something as good or bad. So you recognize the event as “it just is”. He (or she) did such and such. That is what is happening, and you don’t repress your feelings nor attach stories around it, like “I should have been nicer to him,’” or “He is such a jerk, I wasted my time with him” or “Cheating is morally wrong.”

It just is. Period.

What’s wrong with the benefits?

Enough about enlightenment. As I wrote in the linked article, I don’t particularly like discussing enlightenment because there are way too many misbeliefs and (ironically) ego investment there. (Like, who is more enlightened, or what is the best way to get enlightened, kind of discussions.)

My point is we are so conditioned to seek benefits in all areas of our life that even enlightenment has become the means to an end.

And what’s wrong with the benefits, you may ask? Nothing is wrong with benefits themselves or receiving benefits. The problem is our attitude, or the mindset, of doing things as a way to get benefits.

Here are some of the issues when you live to get benefits:

1. We devalue the life experience
When we do things as a way to get benefits, we devalue the experience itself. When you run for the benefits of weight loss, the experience of running is devalued. You see it as a means to an end. It could really be any other form of exercise, and your heart is not in it.

When you work for the paychecks and benefits, you devalue your work. The work experience, in such a case, doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t have to be that job.

2. We forget the love for the experience
And when you devalue your life experience, you forget the love you may have had for it. It’s possible you actually love running — but got so overwhelmed with all the information of the various benefits of running that now you see running as a means to the end.

When you forget (or never had) the love for the doing, life’s unique experiences are treated like commodities, something you can comparison shop or trade.

3. We devalue the Now
And what do you plan to do with all the benefits you collect? See, when you live this way, your attention is not in the Now but in some future time. When we are focused on getting benefits, we devalue the Now and live in our mind, the fantasy land of the future.

4. The benefits may be a lie anyway
And, of course, in many cases, we don’t receive the benefits anyway. Many benefits are only mind constructs or sales strategies.

The purpose of life

It’s time we realize the unhappy nature of this approach. Do things, anything, just because. Quit doing things for the benefits.

This brings us back to the experience of doing, in the Now. For the sake of experience itself. And when you do that, you notice a simple truth: Life’s purpose is life itself.

It’s so simple and self-evident. Life is not a means to an end. The “end” includes some nice-sounding “purpose”. Nay, the meaning of life is living it. I’m afraid so many people are in the search of life purpose because they think it comes with nice benefits. Turn around — what you have been looking for is right here.

Life’s purpose is life itself. In other words, life’s purpose is Now. Whatever you are doing. Whatever you are experiencing.

Why I am writing this

So you know why I am writing this blog? Because I love writing and sharing. If I am not blogging, I am writing basically the same things in my journal. That’s fine, but I also like sharing. It’s fun to get some feedback.

But if reading is not your thing, please feel free to close the computer. I don’t say this in a mean way. I myself have reduced the amount of time I spend on reading blogs and books these days. I still like reading, but I like doing other things, too. I want to read only when I feel like reading, and read only what I enjoy reading.

Enjoy your life today. Live just because.
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Who Am I? The Self Inquiry Process

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Since I read Ramana Maharshi, I’ve been meditating more on the question of “Who am I?” in his style. His answer is “The Self, which is identical to the Source and God”. However, memorizing someone else’s answer does no good — I need to know for myself.

Here is my personal report of this self-inquiry.

The premise

First, I understand that I am always I am. There is never a moment when I am not who I am, never was, never will be. I may pretend to be someone, but it’s impossible for me to be not me. This is not spiritual — it’s a basic logic.

So from there, I assume who I am is something constant, something that doesn’t come and go.

The problem of neti-neti

Some nondualism teachers use “neti-neti” approach to explore who I am. Neti-neti means “not this, not this”. It’s a way to explore who I am by identifying who I am not.

I see a fundamental issue here. Neti-neti is a form of inductive reasoning and therefore has the same issue of induction. Just because it is true that I am not A, B, C (or D, and E) doesn’t mean I am something that is beyond A, B, C, D, and E. I may be F.

I agree with nondualism teachers that I am not my thoughts, not my mind, not my feelings, not my history and personality that was formed by the history, not my body. Typically, at this point, the nondualism says, “But there is this awareness that is aware of all these. So you are awareness.”

To this I wonder: Ah, but what about the soul and the Higher Self?

Perhaps because the idea of a soul was nonexistent in Asia, where nondualism started, they don’t check if I am a soul / Higher Self.

Awareness is the nature of the soul

In my understanding, awareness and the soul / Higher Self are the same. Awareness is the nature of the soul. Souls come to this world to experience, to be aware.

So my conclusion is really not different from their teaching (although personally, as the Akashic Record Reader, the minor difference of perspective is important).

As I wrote in my first article of “Who Am I?”, there is really no individuality at the Higher Self level. The individual soul is as real as the individual body — and just as illusionary. (If you are wondering the difference between the soul and the Higher Self, please check the linked article. When the distinction doesn’t matter, I use the words interchangeably.)

I am essentially my Higher Self exploring this strange and interesting world using an avatar called Akemi’s soul in Akemi’s body. It’s like playing a virtual reality simulation game.

The answer to “Who am I?”

I’ve seen many answers to this questions such as:

• I am energy taking the form of my body.
• I am a higher dimensional being.
• I am the extension of God’s love.

Well, to me, these (and more) just sound like mental constructs. They certainly sound nice, or even noble, but what do they really mean?

When I contemplate this question “Who am I?”, my honest answer is “I don’t know.” I sense I am here. Here is me. But I cannot explain who I am just as I cannot see the back of my own eye. I don’t know who I am — I just exist here. Well, let’s find out what I am like by experiencing various things in this world, shall we?

You want to know the meaning of life?

And that’s the meaning of life, meaning of existing as physical being here. I don’t know who I am. I just am. Well, that’s okay, but why not engage in a game to get to know myself by experiencing so many things?

Here is a passage I wrote for myself:

I am what is looking at the world through Akemi’s eyes (for now, at least), feeling in Akemi’s body, thinking with Akemi’s poopoo little brain. Akemi really doesn’t exist in the way she thinks she does — that’s just her belief, her ego’s belief.

When I look through Akemi’s eyes and see, say, a tree, I recognize it — hey, that tree feels familiar. I know that tree. In fact, I was that tree before (if you believe in linear time). So this is how that tree looks like from Akemi’s viewpoint!

I guess people are the same way, too. We play the game of the offender and the offended, the lover and the beloved, the stranger and another stranger, to see how it all feels. For the sake of awareness.

At this point, a strange thought came up in me: Does the Higher Self even care about me?

To this, the answer was:

Well, I am more Akemi than Akemi (that is, Akemi as Akemi thinks she is, as a limited and separate entity). I mean, of course I care for Akemi — by that you mean, Akemi’s body, right?

But then, if Akemi’s ego insists on acting out in a certain way, I (Higher Self) play along with it to see and experience what happens. I am all for experiencing. I am awareness.

All experiences are great. Even what people call bad experiences are great in the same way watching a play of tragedy (like Hamlet) is great.

And nothing is “same old.” I can only experience the present. Nothing is ordinary — I have no standard to judge things against. Everything is interesting. I love everything.

And experiencing doesn’t have to be about running around to do more. The “I” seem to like just watching the sky, for instance.

The awareness and the body

I think the Higher Self / awareness is more closely connected to the body than to the mind because the body is our tool to experience. The Higher Self is not interested in the commentaries of the mind — that is like indirect, secondhand experiences. So the feelings (both the emotions and the kinesthetic kinds) are more directly connected to the Higher Self than thoughts, memories, and beliefs.

In the end, it doesn’t matter what we call it. I’ve been using the word “Higher Self” because this was the term that was often used in the corner of the world I used to be familiar with, but because I never talk about “lower self”, I might just call it “Self” (as opposed to self, which is an illusionary reflection of Self). You might call it spirit, awareness, the “I am” or A to Z. (Um, yes, I imitated Jesus, who said, “I am the alpha and the omega.” He didn’t mean he alone is such — each and every “I” am the alpha and the omega.)

What do you think? Have you read Ramana Maharshi or other nondualism teachings? What is your heartfelt response to the question, “Who am I?”

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