Rational Nation USA

  "Buddhanature is the inn ate primordial freedom of the mind, which is naturally imbued with wisdom, compassion, power, and bliss."         Karl Brunnholzl "Seek first to understand, then to be understood."    Steven Covey

Open Awareness (OA) is an expansive perception that promotes a resourceful state and the following qualities: Introspection – metacognitive awareness in which we can mindfully observe mental activities, emotions and somatic  experience. Outrospection – heightened awareness of others and the ways that we relate to them, which cultivates empathy and  compassion. Envirospection – broad awareness of the space around us which connects us to everything in the environment and the  cosmos. SOURCE

  Awareness is the path of immortality; thoughtlessness is the path of death. Those who are aware do not die. The thoughtless are as if dead already. The wise having clearly understood this, delight in awareness and find joy in the knowledge of the noble ones. These wise ones, meditative, persevering, always using strong effort, attain nirvana, the supreme peace and happiness. If a person is awake, aware, mindful, pure, considerate, self-restrained, and lives according to duty, that person’s glory will increase. By awakening, by awareness, by restraint and control, the wise may make for oneself an island which no flood can overwhelm. Fools follow after vanity, are ignorant and careless. The wise keep awareness as their best treasure. Do not follow after vanity nor after sensual pleasure nor lust. Whoever meditates with awareness obtains great joy. When the wise conquer thoughtlessness by awareness, climbing the terraced heights of wisdom, free from sadness viewing the sad crowd bel...

In the interest of Reason... … which is not to say there is no such thing as ethical spirituality. Faith, believing in something for which there exists no direct proof, is indeed an INDIVIDUAL choice one makes. Or not. Spirituality is enhanced when one is in the present , free from discursive thinking . Which is to say aware. Thinking is not being aware. Religion, as it is generally understood and accepted in the west today turns ones focus away from being present and sets it squarely on what someone a couple millenniums ago (or longer) was hawking.