If your commitment is to being present, then there will come a time when being present becomes your natural state. The present moment becomes your home. You will have short excursions into the world of the mind, but you never go so far into the mind that you get lost there.

The very essence of your Being is infinite, eternal silence. It is your true nature. It is the essence of all existence.

Me, me, me! Mine, mine, mine! I'm right, I'm right, I'm right. What's in it for me? How do I use this? How do I take advantage of it? This is the way of the ego. Own this within yourself and you will begin to release yourself from it.

The underlying motivation that drives all addiction is our insistence on avoiding pain. However, the pain you are avoiding is based in the past, and has nothing to do with the present moment.

Each new moment presents an opportunity for conscious choice. We can choose to let go of the past. We can choose to be here now. We can choose to accept responsibility for ourselves. . . . We can choose to awaken. Or we can choose to remain asleep and unconscious.

When you become present, your mind is silent. There is no agenda. You are not holding onto anything. You are not seeking anything. You are just here with what is, and it is enough.

Awakening is not something you achieve. It is something you relax into.