Ordinary awakening

It was within my family that I first met spirituality, through a classical approach in the Christian tradition. I went on engaging myself in the Buddhist way that I followed for many years. Shaken by health problems, I realised the urgency. I decided to leave my busy life of spiritual practices and meditations in order to devote myself to a more intuitive heart-related approach.

For all those seeking a profound change through spirituality, I would like to share what finally transformed me and led me to write this book dealing with awakening and its “ordinary” aspect. I wish to report this discovery as good as I can, as it so thoroughly threw down a whole misconception that I had of Awakening and the “spiritual adventure” inherited from folklore and the traditional speech. It was when I was far from temples, rituals and spiritual Masters, in a hospital bed, without a method and with a simple prayer in my heart as my only inspiration, that through the healing of the body and mind, it happened.

It was in the days following my transplantation, while I was still in hospital. I was intensely expressing my gratitude, thanking heaven and all those who contributed to my healing, when to my surprise I felt that “everything was offered”.
At this instant, I felt like a deep relaxation along with a profound and intense opening of the heart. Sitting in my hospital bed, plugged to a host of tubes and machines, I found myself fully happy, and taken by an unconditional love. I was living the nicest hours and what would then turn out as the nicest days of my life without understanding what was happening to me. I was satisfied. I felt like an abundance, an infinite gift. An universal generosity unfolded through everything and I was part of it. Every morning after awaking, I was doubtfully looking in myself and it was still there, seemingly waiting for me. How marvellous was this goodness, natural and flowing, that I received! Everything was finally so simple and full of humour in the generous light of the heart, and through this love feeding me. Everything got clear and fell into place concerning my life, life in general, and of course the spiritual research I was engaged in for so many years.

The awakening is a shift from what we believe we are, to what we truly are. It is a total demystification, the overthrowing of the illegitimate reign of the conceptual mind, which is replaced by a direct and spontaneous view actualizing itself independently from the constructions of the mind.
To speak about “reaching” enlightenment has no meaning. What characterizes it and attests it is the total exhaustion of any concept of path that it implies, as well as the collapsing of the idea of “becoming” and of distance. Actually, there is nothing to join that is not already there. Consequently, any perspective, any method directed towards a goal proves to be null and void. If we agree fully to be here, at the heart of the present instant, we can realize that naturally we rest in the awakening and that there is no distinction between it and us. (…)

(…) There is a life which is there, already in us, in our heart. Like a forsaken child, who awaits us and calls for us. A simple way to regain our heart is to formulate an aspiration, a wish. From the bottom of our heart, with a deep and sincere motivation, we express our request. There is not really a word or a magic formula; the main thing is our authenticity, the faith in life and the hope that we put in it. We do this with our whole being, so much so that suddenly, by this aspiration, space is created again in us. Then, we are reborn in an unconditional opening, which leaves us without words, suspended… At this moment, we can feel touched in our Being, just like a single spark can start a fire. Our heart is full with contained love, like a treasure only waiting to be discovered. From a simple spark, a blazing bonfire can be born. (…)

(…) The first look has the spontaneity of silence. It is the reflexive and cognitive aspect of our Nature, which is similar to the reflective quality of water. Being so, it does not depend on a conscience, or a will. Recognizing this innate quality in us, we “See”, and we are not limited anymore by a discriminating and dual vision imposed by our ordinary conscience. Staying in the first look is seeing from the heart. Seeing that everything is perfect does not only make us a spectator of this perfection, but also includes us in the perfection. It delivers us from doubts and brings certainty. When we do not See, we seek and we doubt. (…)

(…) Seeing makes us understand that there is nothing, no separation, no goal to reach, nowhere else. There is not an ounce of spiritual practice to do or even one problem to be elucidated. There is no concept of a second one, another, an unknown to be solved. Any division or construction is only symbolic and only occurs within the same base, the same space. Observe how we always cling to a thought, and are being held and captivated by the plays of the mind. To be in the Source and to See it naturally allows to prevail over our own cinema and to cut its attraction short, and to answer the profound call of our heart. To realize the Truth we do not need the thinking mind, because the Truth knows itself and is enough for itself. The Truth is whole and omnipresent. It is like the light which shines on everything, without strategy or judgement. We can allow this light to complete its work in us by illuminating us. Our eyes see and our ears hear because it is their nature. In the same way, the Truth in us knows and illuminates naturally, without intention, nor any particular effort. (…)