Lesson 0 — Hold Your Camera Properly

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Welcome to the Learning Corner ! This is my first post in this photography learning.

Introduction

When people telling me that they do not know anything about photography, and want to learn it from the most basic thing, this is the first thing that I always tell them before anything else, regardless their cameras/lenses — Hold Your Camera Properly. This principle can be applied universally to every form of camera : handphone camera, small & compact camera, big DSLR camera, anything. Hence, it is a fundamental lesson in every form of photography..

I remember said this as the first lesson to someone when she got her first DSLR camera, then she was surprised and said to me : “ohhh, you’re kidding me..” and I said, “No, I’m not..” with a big grin on my face, he3.. :D

Sounds like a silly idea, who need a simple lesson about how to hold a camera ? just grab it, and press the button, that’s all, right ?! Right, but as simple as it may seems, the missing link is : grab it properly, and press the button properly.. and what I mean by properly is, as steady(still/stable) as possible..

The way you hold your camera and press the button will affect your image quality forever, especially your image sharpness.. so if from now on you really want to learn how to take / produce a sharper photo (and be a better / more skillful photographer also), using any camera, you have to be aware about this fundamental thing.. it is so important that I call it as Lesson Zero..  ;)

BASIC EXPLANATION

1) Every camera need time to record the light (called as : shutter speed) , this can be as fast as blink of an eye in bright condition (1/500 second, for example) to as slow as your breath in dark/dim condition (1/2 second (o.5″), for example).

2) In that duration of time, if there’s any movement (mostly from hand), it will introduce blur. The result is a less sharp photo than it potentially can be.

And getting stable/motionless hand-held shot is near impossible, due to human biology system (heartbeat, breath, internal vibration, etc).. and if you doubt, let’s do a simple experiment to prove this, seeing is believing, they say.. ;)

Experiment –> grab a laser pointer and point it to a wall.. you’ll see that the laser spot is not stable, but slightly vibrating.. or grab a pencil/ballpoint, point it above a paper but do not let the tip of your hand/pencil/ballpoint touch the paper, just slightly floating above the paper without touching it, and stop  !! tell your hand to stop.. try it again.. stoppp.. !! (kinda like a psychic concentration training !?) Observe your hand, try as you may, you’ll see that you’ll not be able to make it completely stop (at least while you’re alive )

Effect from this small hand movement is not obvious in bright condition (fast shutter speed) and wide angle shooting (zoom out shooting), but become obvious in dim condition (slow shutter speed) and narrow angle shooting (zoom in/telephoto shooting).. However, in each cases, it is better to recognize this small movement, and minimize it affecting our image quality (sharpness).. usually there are general cases related to this small movement blur..

a) You took a photo, it seemed fine/nice/good on your camera display (LCD review screen), but when you transferred the photo into your big computer screen (or upload it to a website in a size bigger than your camera LCD screen), you were disappointed to see your photo now looks slightly blurry / less sharp than you thought it would be (because it was good/great on LCD screen)..  and you were wondering why is that..???

b) Your friend borrowed your camera to take photo(s), and after he/she returned the camera to you, and you checked the photo(s), you were confused/surprised to see that the photo(s) your friend took are sharper than you normally can take/produce.. and you were wondering why is that.. ???

Well.. for both cases above, the problem is the man behind the gun.. :D
the difference can be between seems good to really good photo, seems sharp to really sharp photo..

Solution

Now we’re moving to solution part of this topic. The premise is, it is impossible to stop our hand completely. Right, so hand-held shoot is always less than ideal, you will need stable platform (such as tripod or table) do to that ideal shooting. So, the idea is to minimize the vibration / movement, as stable as one can.. There are many ways to do this, but the essential lesson is to be aware, to pay attention every time you take a camera and press the button..

There’s no absolute single solution to this hand-held shooting problem, what work for me maybe do not work for you, vice-verse.. so you have to find your own personal and most comfortable shooting style for yourself.. find the best for yourself, but do pay attentions to these things..

*. Be aware of your body gesture and hand position — is it more stable for you to use one hand, or two hands is better ? is it more stable if your elbow are floating, or your elbow are touching your body (chest) ? usually body contact is more stable way to do this.. is it more stable for you to hold the camera firmly and strongly ? or just hold it gently ? you can try it..

*. Be aware of your breath rhythm and your body vibration — is it more stable for you to hold your breath while pressing the shutter button ? or maybe during/after you inhale ? or during/after you exhale ? breath slowly and see what is the best way for yourself.. your awareness of your breath indeed will make a difference..

*. Be aware of your finger when pressing the shutter button — don’t use too much force to press the button, instead press it gently, as gentle as possible, because too much force will introduce unnecessary vibration to your camera.. while pressing the button, you also can leave your finger there (still on the shutter button), until the camera finish its job recording the light.. and check which part of your finger give you more stability, the tip of finger ? or slightly behind the tip ? or side of your finger ? slight vibration from your finger can ruin image sharpness..

“Special Homework”

not a homework actually, he3.. but you can spend some time (several minutes or hours perhaps) if you really want to have a better and solid understanding in great detail about this fundamental lesson.. for those who want to know more, I suggest you to do these things below..
1) google –> search image –> type “how to hold a camera”, you will find endless illustrations and explanations how to do this in detail, according to your type of camera (compact or DSLR), read it one by one..
2) take your camera, try it and practice it, and observe the differences in detail (important : inspect the photo using zoom feature in your review screen/computer)..

Closing Words

*) Do not ever skip this fundamental and foremost lesson (lesson zero, lol).. mastering hold-a-camera-properly is the best and cheapest way for you to get a sharper hand-held photo (≈ to be a better photographer) without buying new camera/lens/using editing program.. it is a way to get the most out of your camera and lenses, thus affecting your image quality forever..

*) The essence of this topic is all about awareness.. be more aware of your body, of your breath, of your mind, of your camera, of the result you will produce.. be authentic as you can be, you don’t need to follow other’s way, find the best way for yourself and master it..

*) Anytime you forget or need to remember about this, you can always come back here.. feel free to put any comment / feedback, I’d love to have an open communication.. ;)

be aware of how you hold your camera and press the button

Thank you for reading, and my warmest greetings to you..
– Handoko Luo, Jan/2012

Memoir of Japan

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come.. come..
this is the place that you always dream of..
the place where you want to fulfill your dream..
the place where you want to know how far you can go..

you know you will face many challenges..
and you know you will be alone again..
but you say you have to keep walking..
because it is only a battle with yourself..

you sealed the past and run away from it..
start a new blank page might be better, you said..
with hope that the everything can be forgotten as time goes by..
and the new future will bring the happiness to your door..

what you do not know is..
inside your greatest pain, there is your greatest teacher..
and the future can be as flexible as wind..
and it is not a battle with yourself.. it is a reunion..

then there you are.. finding yourself disconnected..
as if you are on your own solitary path..
as if your screaming echo hit nobody but you..
and you are wondering if you should follow the crowd..

you are wondering where the road might lead you..
wondering is it a real road for you.. or just a fantasy..
but no one can tell you.. they do not see what you see..
and you keep hearing that gentle whisper calling you..

tormented between fear and hope..
between the sealed past and the promising future..
try as you may, you can not find the answer..
and you keep hearing that gentle whisper calling you..

you are afraid.. but you decided to go..
because you are tired guessing.. and struggling..
because you are tired fighting.. and slashing your sword..
without knowing the real meaning of your own journey..

and you do not know..
that the path that you have chosen..
is the path where you will meet me..
the path that will change you forever..

as you go, you are shocked to your core..
by your own discoveries and realizations..
you can’t believe it to be true..
but it hit the bell in you.. and it ring true..

it seems impossible and unimaginable before..
way beyond your reach to grasp it..
but you have grown enough through the journey..
enough for you to understand the whole picture..

so finally you found the missing pieces of your life..
the puzzle pieces that fit together in harmony one by one..
making a very beautiful weaving..
of the tapestry of life..

you found the light in the darkness..
you found the darkness in the light..
and you realized how they are just identical twin..
that keep dancing, playing, reflecting, loving, and together forever..

the beautiful things that you loved and treasured so dearly before..
the ugly things that you hated and fought so hard before..
now show themselves as projections and illusions..
when you have the realization.. the illusion of life has been broken..

as you do this, you heal the sealed past..
and realized there’s really nothing to forgive.. and be forgiven..
no longer your future is fixed on your sealed past..
the past and the future meld together in the now moment..

it fill you with the joy of life.. a feeling of complete..
so happy that you’d call it as a bliss..
because you can see how perfect everything is..
how lively and sacred everything is..

there is an explosion of joy inside.. to celebrate and to share..
for how can you do not laugh at the entire cosmic joke..
and how can you do not share it to other..
so you choose visual way as an expression.. and to tell that to the world..

at this point.. you have chosen a new way for your life..
filled not only with information, but also consciousness and feeling..
the philosophy is dead.. and replaced by experience and wisdom..
the old circle is closed.. and the new adventure is begun..

time goes by.. and here you are now..
it is time to say goodbye now.. and say thank you..
it is time to honor everything.. and smile at them..
it’s been a wonderful journey here.. isn’t it..

it is a place where we had our reunion..
it is a place that you will never forget..
who knows we will be here again..
to unfold another story of life..

so let’s cherish the moment now.. like a saying goes..
the music has ended.. but the melody is linger on..
everything here are gone.. but the melody is linger on..
honor and gratitude.. to those who have crossed the path together..

Welcome Home..

‘I Am’
– 2011/12/24

Finding Your “Photo-Groove” — Your Own Unique Style

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*A brief yet wonderful article from Digital Photo Magazine, August 2011. This article speak on a deeper level, and I do agree with it, such feeling is indeed true.. make us feel so alive, and free to express ourselves.. what we got in return : the photographs that sing of what we absolutely love to do.. when you lose yourself in your art, your photographs will reflect that undeniable feeling of shooting your bliss.. ;)

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Finding Your “Photo-Groove” — Your Own Unique Style

I got an email the other day asking me my opinion about how photographers find their own unique style of photography. Does one happen upon it eventually, perhaps even unknowingly after a certain amount of time behind the camera, or should one have a vision in mind and work to achieve it ?

It’s a really good question, one that has come up a number of times, and although I don’t think there’s any tried-and-true way to approach it, I do have my suspicions. I know that over the years I’ve gone in and out of phases with my own work. I’ve seen my own preferences and personal tendencies ebb and flow like a creative tide. I’ve been both thrilled by my work and terribly disappointed by it. That’s only natural. But one thing is for sure : I absolutely, positively know that my most favorite images are those that come from shooting what I really and truly love.

Allowing yourself to shoot whatever moves you, regardless of the reason or the outcome, can help you to focus on what your true photographic passions are. You can feel when it’s right, when you lose yourself in your art. And, most likely, your photographs will reflect that undeniable feeling of shooting your bliss. I’ve found this to be true in my own work.

And, yet, if I really thought it was that simple, I’d just tell you to shoot what you love, and the rest will follow. I know from years of doing this for both a profession and a hobby, it’s not always that easy. Being an artist of any kind takes more than just passion. Even amid great satisfaction and unspeakable joy, there are nerves and frustration, disappointments and self-doubts to battle.

Being a photographer takes time, energy, perseverance, patience, and internal force that drive you to want to keep going, keep challenging yourself, keep learning, and keep expressing your own point of view. That stuff never goes away, and it can be very tiring.

But, when we get down, we get back up again. We move from wanting to throw in the towel to using that towel to dust ourselves-and-our-lenses off and return to shooting again, even when we feel uninspired or disheartened. We love what we do. We couldn’t stop even if we tried. It’s that kind of determination that, along with our passion, can keep us capturing the kinds of images that matter to us and the kind that are ours alone.

When you’re in your “photo-groove” you know it. And when what you get in return are the photographs that sing of what you absolutely, without a doubt love to do, you can’t hide it. That’s when you see your imagery shine, and that’s when you notice your own photographic uniqueness emerge.

by Tracey Clark of Shutter Sisters

Happy 25th Year — a wonderful spiritual journey of life

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Another year has come, I really celebrate this day deep down inside.. this particular month always make me stop for a moment and do a deep contemplation.. this is also a beautiful reminder to myself in the future..

This one year is really a processing and integration year for me.. started almost exactly from last year, it was totally amazing.. invaluable and immeasurable.. it started when I stop for a moment from absorbing-daily-activities, when I began to question things that I’ve never questioned before, when I felt all of the old beliefs didn’t seem to be so true anymore, when I had the feeling there’s a greater way, but I didn’t know what that is.. when I had the feeling there’s a whole new level of living and understanding but didn’t know how to get there, and when I gave a message totally from my heart, from the truest part of my being saying “I’m ready..” and yes it occurred afterward through synchronicity.. this process shifted my core beliefs about everything in this world.. during that process, my old world was totally shattered, it made me miserable and it brought me the fear of change, trembling alone from the core.. it was very emotional and at times very dramatic.. it was such overwhelming changes.. I’ve been trying to figure it out in my mind, and analyze it, but couldn’t.. the remained option was only to feel and experience it.. I didn’t know what was it’s going to be.. but there was a feeling, there was a voice of trust that I have to dare myself and to experience it.. it was like revelations of everything inside the dark room of my old world..

and in the end, I accepted and acknowledged the change as a real part of me.. it is no longer merely abstract concepts or words, but it’s integrated within me as a new way of life to stay on this Earth.. the way I experience my reality from now on.. I looked back, and I know it was like a change of new operating system of myself, totally new perspective of everything.. it’s a goodbye to my old consciousness as I have known it, a death of old consciousness.. it provided new space for new consciousness to come in..

within this 1 year, the most profound revelations were..

*. Duality / Yin – Yang — represent the understanding how natural order of things work.. represent interaction of two complementary opposite energies which cause everything to happen, that we’re experiencing everyday in our life, including every emotion.. what humans have been experiencing in their life, what they have been observing all around them has been duality of light and dark, right and wrong, good and bad.. I too have lived with this constant conflict of light and dark, good/bad, masculine/feminine, positive/negative, villain/victim, of dynamics of opposites.. this duality is really about separation verses unity.. on earth, it is when human beings divide themselves by applying term ‘a good person’/ light side, or ‘a bad person’/dark side.. by saying ‘this is good, that is evil.. I welcome this, I hate that..’ but then I realized that things are co-originating, intertwined, and mutually defining.. existence and non-existence co-create each other.. there’s no light without dark, there’s no happiness without sadness, there’s no friends without enemies, there’s no bravery without cowardice, there’s no pleasure without pain, there’s no love without hatred, there’s no life without death, there’s no creation without destruction, there’s no positive without negative, no ‘light’ side without ‘dark’ side.. vice versa.. the opposite aspects are not enemy, they’re always together.. they are not meant to fight and annihilate each other.. in order for one to exist, the opposite must exist.. they are reflection of each other.. what is called as negativity and darkness is an inseparable part of the reality, it is not a ‘cursed’ part, but it is a ‘blessed’ part that give a depth to the whole experience of a being.. this wisdom and realization brought me a feeling of harmony and appropriateness of life.. it was the first deep understanding about life and reality..

*. Transcending Duality / Nondualism / Christ Consciousness –  from duality to oneness.. oh, it was really hard for me to understand this before.. it was out of logic, and beyond the mind.. after seeing those opposite sides are reflection each other, then I realized they are two sides of a very same coin of reality, facets of the very same diamond, they’re two yet also one.. as a saying goes, “emptiness is form, form is emptiness”.. they are illusions of reality.. the opposite sides, light/dark – positive/negative – yin/yang, they are really not meant to fight each other, they are meant to be integrated together, to be melded.. they are like two lovers sharing an experience together, committing to be together forever, to be in service and love each other unconditionally.. they’re not only co-create each other, they’re same.. this understanding greatly changed my perspective about life, it really shocked me to see how I played this game of illusions on earth, without realizing that what I praised and what I cursed were the very same thing.. what I hated and loved were the very same thing.. the divinity that I looked for was located inside the darkness.. the answer to my prayers, has always been right there, hidden behind the things I didn’t like about myself and the world around me.. the darkness is my divinity, the divine is the darkness.. they emanate from the same source.. they are same.. it is the reality of what light and dark energies are.. it is just a game of duality.. this duality, illusions of reality, keep human beings from seeing who they really are.. oh, since this realization, I smiled and welcomed those opposite sides into my life.. the duality of life, they evaporated.. no longer there is separation.. now, they’re integrating and dancing together.. no longer term ‘good/bad’ can be applied.. no longer there’s a need to fight for one side.. there’s no reason to fight anymore.. there’s no reason to struggle anymore.. I put down my ‘righteous sword’ to fight for one side and become part of both sides.. that I am a Warrior of the Light, and Warrior of the Dark as well.. as I realized this, I felt the real beauty and the real art of the human experiences, the beautiful weaving of duality – the weaving of the tapestry of life.. now, it just is.. it was just a profound knowingness beyond definition.. this insight expanded to a feeling of oneness in all universe.. as inseparable part of universe, the consciousness within all universe.. this feeling of interconnectedness really amazed me.. long time ago, I thought it was a just an abstract concept.. but even until now, it’s still an ineffable realization, can’t be put into words.. all are connected.. all is one, all is different..

*. There’s nothing to forgive and be forgiven.. because there’s no bad things, there’s no mistake at all, no one made mistake, so there’s no victim or villain.. there’s no villain, there’s no victim, then who is apologizing and who is being given the apology? who is there to apologize to, and who is there to forgive?.. no one can be blamed anymore.. all is innocent, no matter what action is taken.. everything is just IS.. I understood that guilty feeling is not needed anymore.. anger is not needed anymore.. anger is imbalance, getting angry is not natural emotion for a human being, love is.. this is a matter of the heart and the heart alone.. this is, really a huge leap of understanding and consciousness for me, a direct practical result from integrated duality.. really a profound shift of perspective, shift of perception.. this realization suddenly made all of my emotional pains as a victim and guilty feelings as a villain disappeared suddenly, naturally and totally disappeared without struggling or affirmation or denial.. those bitter emotions were transmuted suddenly into big joy, and bliss.. what was a deep pain, now it is really a precious jewel of experience.. what was an undesirable trauma, now it is a laughable experience.. it’s like letting go of the past, free from burdens of the past.. it made me realized that emotional pain is really just an illusion.. I was the bad guy or the victim, but when I realized they’re actually one same aspect, that actually I was both of them, and that actually there is no villain and victim, then what is the reason to be angry or guilty ?! when the reason was lost, when the reason to blame (someone or self) was disappeared, guilty feeling and anger were naturally disappeared, they’re not able to be exist anymore.. the illusions are dissolving.. imagine, a day when you can’t see any fault at all in everyone, when you really fall in love with everyone you meet and think, no matter what they do they will never be able to make you feel down because you understand the illusion game, when everyone seems perfect in your eyes.. at that moment, I really wanted to hug all people without exception and share this art of happiness, actually more than happiness – it is a bliss.. this wonderful understanding alone was enough to make me remember this whole process of transformation.. but I also realized, without a deep understanding about integrated duality, many people will insist there’s still a need or a reason to hate someone or feel guilty, then indeed this concept become really difficult to be shared to others..

*. Religion, it start to cease naturally when I realized there is no separation.. there’s no more struggling about human, religion/beliefs, and ‘the divine’.. some call it God, Source, Spirit, Brahman, the Intelligent Force, Cosmic Consciousness, the One, the absolute, the Tao, the Universe, and it doesn’t matter what it’s called by human.. there were the search for it through attendance, through joining, through worship, through doctrine.. but, ultimately there’s no separation between ‘lowly human’ and ‘divine all-that-is’, they’re one.. there’s self-awareness, human’s divine nature, and divine nature within all things, as trinity aspect.. this understanding has been achieved millenniums ago and misunderstood many times in the past, even until now.. there’s no sin or sinner or salvation, there’s no judgement at all afterlife, the day of judgement is not exist — no reward and punishment as most humans would believe, even for the most wicked one who killed millions.. there is only unconditional love and understanding, not a distorted love and limited understanding based on concept of good and evil, sin and virtue.. concept of good and evil is just the duality set-up within planet Earth for the sake of experience to be a human being and has nothing whatsoever to do with the divine culture.. heaven and hell is inner state of mind, not a place afterlife, it’s metaphor for reflection of inner state to the reality, it’s within self and can be experienced anytime.. even the fallen angel is the metaphor of a human being who falls from their mastery with choice.. religion is not an issue, for the core is all the same as given by the creators of every major religion on Earth, buddha(siddharta) – jeshua(jesus/isa) – muhammad, and others.. all have the same core message to share.. behind every their words, the core is same, it’s about unity, wisdom, and love for ‘the divine’.. and ‘the divine/creator-self’ doesn’t care how human-self get to that place of reunion, it is a loving ‘Source’ and it is beyond separation of races and beliefs.. human being often put ‘god’ in a box and separate themselves, but seldom look and realize that ‘god’ is in all the boxes, there have been miracles in all of them, there is the very same family there.. all is divine and pure.. everything is sacred when eyes see the sacred in all.. without words, without thoughts or rituals or worship of any kind, without the binding of ‘holy book’.. they’re no longer needed.. the way that all religious texts/scriptures on Earth were written is through channeling, by human beings and their natural connection with their spirit aspect, and it is without any label at all.. everyone is unconditionally loved, wholly and completely loved and will be forevermore, regardless any actions or beliefs.. this whole realization was the most difficult part of this process for me, it also made many people around me stay back in fear and be alarmed.. it shattered my world and it brought a great fear to the surface just to look every core beliefs that I had, and it made me stirred by great emotions and weep deep inside.. yet, I couldn’t deny the release and tremendous liberating feeling, the vibration that could be felt over and over again, the feeling of pure unconditional love that came along, and other indescribable feelings as this moment happens.. no longer can I put my identity into a particular religion.. no longer I search which path is true and which path is false.. it was the end of searching, the end of struggling about ‘human self’ and ‘divinity’.. it was like a revealed essence and made all of my conflicts about religion disappear, it was like the puzzles were connected each other and showed a big picture about journey of humanity in order to search re-connection with ‘the divine’..

*. Love – the essence of love.. in the past, I was puzzled by this feeling, I said it to other being with my limited understanding about it.. sure it is a concept that can only truly be felt and can never adequately be expressed in the written word..  but now, I understood it’s not merely a word that is associated only with a comfortable feeling inside the heart, or simple word that can be used easily without understand its essence.. in its core, it is the highest vibration and joy, the vibration of universe.. it is a vibration of peace when you totally accept the other person for what they are, when you totally accept yourself for what you are.. it is an acceptance of everything as they are.. it is a joy of being.. of Being Love itself.. it is the true nature, it is the divinity, it is the Oneness, the loving ‘divine’ and has no agenda.. it is an understanding.. it is compassion.. it is a wisdom.. it is a knowing from within.. Love need not be directed at anyone, is it the Source loving itself, emanate from within and permeate all things.. Love is more than just a word, it is way of Being.. and it begin within self, for without self-love, one can not know what true love can be.. love based relationship is not about gender or sexual preference or physical contact.. it is about sharing the divinity, the inner balance of masculine and feminine energy — not about gender but about consciousness and energy..  love based relationship is not based on neediness and lack, mutual exploitation of give and take, fear of future or worldly needs.. there is no agenda, there is no investment, no business or stipulation involved.. it is not about searching the fulfillment from another that will fill the void within, it is not about searching the other half.. because every human being is complete, there is soul-mate within.. the relationship is spiritual and heart-based, rather than physical attraction and emotional bonding.. it is based in feelings, compassion, connection, mutual respect and support.. love based relationship is not competitive, jealous, or possessive, if these feelings are there, know well there is not love, because the product of those things is pain, and it is not love, it is just misunderstanding about love, done in the name of love..there is sharing and caring, yet both partners will be independent and self-reliant within themselves, there can be no co-dependency.. there is commitment and trust, and trust has to be a state of your being that you are loving, that you are trusting, it has no relationship with your partner, that whatever happens your loving and your trusting will remain the same, that you trust his/her freedom, intelligence, loving capacity whatever he/she choose for himself/herself.. in this way there can be no word ‘deceived or betrayed by someone’, it can not be, because there is no control and agenda in love, yet there is deep compassion and wisdom.. the relationship will be deep and meaningful.. Love surpasses the duality, it is beyond the role of ‘the lover and beloved’, beyond ‘the masculine and feminine’..  This realization opened my heart to everything.. before this, I understood love up to a certain point, but this deeper understanding of love greatly remodeled all my previous thoughts about it and greatly changed how I view all my relationships, with my self, with partner, with everyone and everything.. this realization enabled me to experience what the unconditional love mean is.. the overflowing emotion that has taken place is really wonderful, it is beyond words..

*. Vanity of indulgence in worldly desires — the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing, thirsty for riches/money, indulgence in sexual desire, desires for fame, greediness for power will never be satisfied.. all is vain.. it always want to be fulfilled, but limitless.. indulgence in sexual desires can satisfy only the body and it’s temporary, but never pleases the soul.. power is addictive and exhilarating, but it is also an illusion, there is simply energy and it is not measured by how much of it we can contain or control, it is not to be used against another, not to be accumulated and stored, not to be used to try to show others that someone is grander.. there is a new consciousness where power is not needed or wanted.. for many, having money is a measure of worth.. it is not financial worth, but self-worth.. they search it in form of riches..  same like many desires above, attachment in those desires make them are easy to be controlled.. it’s a hidden string to control someone’s life.. and whenever humans think they’ll feel a fulfillment because of these external things, they will certainly feel empty when they lost it, then they will search these external source of fulfillment again only to be disappointed and feel empty again when they lost it, it repeat over and over again until they have realized the vanity and stop the pattern.. it also took me a very long time to really experience this realization, now it’s no longer just a theory from ancient wisdom.. furthermore, this realization brought me to a deep feeling of content and balance, and released me from many attachments to the world.. oh yes it’s still okay to get the abundance, see what I want to see – like beautiful things through eyes, hear anything, feel the sexual desire, enjoy delicious food or luxury, etc..  but those things won’t be a control mechanism anymore for my life.. there’s an awareness that I can enjoy them in a beautiful way, but with a deeper understanding.. indeed, they serve human experiences, to some extent..

*. Have no agenda — another direct practical result of integrated duality.. agenda is having a specific desired outcome of a situation (e.g. like a desire of the way others behave), regardless in the name of the light or the dark.. it is the core energy of duality, because when someone have agenda, it energizes one of the elements of duality.. it limit the experience and hide the whole picture.. it’s like boulders in the river of life, blocking the natural flow of energy.. it’s also stated in very first chapter of Chinese ancient text – Tao Te Ching (道德經) : “Free from desire, you realize the mystery. Caught in desire, you see only the manifestation”  have an agenda towards one thing, and it has an equal and opposite energetic reaction towards the other.. when you place all the emphasis on the light, that also builds the dark, there will be yin for every yang, vice versa.. that’s why there’s no one side will be able to dominate another side.. it’s about integrate them and have no agenda, it also mean to bless and give freedom to something or situation that has been created by self.. never control it.. and never has expectation of it.. just letting things be as they are – they will find their own way to freedom and resolution.. when you try to restrict or control others, indicating a certain direction for them that you consider appropriate, then it limit your understanding of them and their understanding of themselves.. this perspective was really challenging, but it also lead me into an another new consciousness and realization.. no longer can I say, ‘it should be like this, it should be like that, you should be like this, you should do that, etc”, even it’s for the ‘good’.. everything has to be free, let it find its way, love it and honor it.. this understanding released me from lot of great anxieties, conflicts, and worries in daily lives.. including when I had to really release someone who really dear to me..

*. Everything — every human, every life form –  is exactly where they choose to be.. all is well in all of creation.. everything is perfect.. how true is this.. everything is as they’re right now, even if it looks like it’s a big matter, disaster, or even the end of the world.. everything is appropriate.. love them and honor them.. accept things as they are.. everything is not what it seems, there is another layer beneath a layer.. there hasn’t been a single wrong turn.. nothing done wrong.. no mistakes.. it’s just the awareness hasn’t been there about the true perfection of everything.. anything can happens, and it doesn’t matter.. this understanding is another implication of integrated duality, when I can no longer lay any judgement anymore that based on right or wrong.. based on acceptable or unacceptable.. it brought me a flow of inner quiet and tranquility.. first and foremost it brought a feeling of compassion for self — compassion for every experience that I have ever had that I’ve made in my life; compassion for every person – an understanding that they are making decision based on what they want to learn, experience, and share with others; and compassion to everything in this world – an understanding that there is truly nothing wrong with it, that every human has planned their own path.. Compassion is acceptance, it is the wisdom and the understanding that everything is appropriate, no matter how it appears on the outside.. it is also about honoring humans’ choice and about smiling on the homeless person, smiling on one who is handicapped or crippled, smiling on those who are rich and powerful, smiling on all.. not trying to change them and not feeling sorry for them.. to be there with love no matter what, even when they’re thinking about taking their own lives – or the life of another.. some people will view this as a heartless perspective, or even cruel.. how can you accept and stand still when there are so many chaos or ‘wrong’ things.. but it’s otherwise.. it’s very deep.. it is an understanding that everything is being chosen and acted out appropriately.. it’s the ability to honor and love unconditionally.. what was a matter for me before became doesn’t matter anymore.. it doesn’t matter.. it’s perfect.. there’s no more demand, expectation, judgement, or struggle to/with myself, others, and the world.. outer struggles only mirrored my inner conflicts.. when fighting with self and with the world are stopped, struggling with the illusions are also stopped..

*. and many other deep understandings, either esoteric or practical wisdom, about connectedness of human being – lively Gaia – whole universe – all there is, about evolution of the spirit, about emotions and feelings, about existence and non-existence of time, about a cycle of energy repetition called ‘karma’, about life and cycle life on earth, about everything.. each can be explained in a great detail of length or just by realization without words.. but all of those ‘esoteric terms’ are not needed when wisdom, understanding, and integration is achieved.. it is matter not whether those things can be proved scientifically or not, since the understanding effects are real..

life is even getting richer and deeper.. now there’s a depth in everything in life.. suddenly there was a burst of creativity and perhaps it’s expressed in my sudden exploration of photography until now.. and there was a ‘creative knowingness’, it was going beyond what my mind can perceived before.. it’s somehow like sensitivity increase.. eyes no longer only see the physical appearance but also into the depth.. voice communication  is no longer only words, but there is a package of feeling and whole information beneath it.. especially music, it’s no longer just melody and notes, but there is capability to convey a very feeling energy and consciousness that can take somebody beyond the mind.. the very same thing with picture and other forms or art.. it’s a media to convey the consciousness.. here, I learned that communication can be done in a way that is more profound than limited words.. much more than what can be understood by mind.. the essence is consciousness, awareness, sensitivity and feelings..

In the end, I had to release all attached labels to myself.. with the things that I used in the past to define my identity.. the identity of who I thought I was is leaving, along with it leave all of the energies and symbols of the old me.. the human name, yes I’m called by it, but that’s just a label given from my biological parent, that is the label to call my male physical body right now on Earth, that’s not me.. there’s a consciousness that I can’t identify myself anymore with family, job, religion, citizenship, ethnic, etc.. I will become ‘follower of a belief’ when formality need me to fill in the religion, I will become ‘a son from a particular family’ if people need an answer about my biological relative, I will become ‘someone with a job’ if they ask me my job, I will become ‘someone from a specific land, country, with specific ethnic’ if they ask me about my citizenship or ethnic, but those are just labels.. in deep within, my sense of belonging increased, from a part of biological family, to a part of an ethnic or belief or country, to a part of whole humanity and earth, to a part of everything.. no longer can I use labels to identify myself.. I will use them to explain myself to other people who still need it to identify someone, however I am not them.. no longer bounded to any separated labels.. it is a profound answer to a simple yet wonderful question, “Who Am I ?” furthermore, when I see all of this, it also greatly changed my view about humanity on earth.. now it transcends gender, belief, country-ethnic-language, or any labels..

for myself, I acknowledge this whole process as Awakening process.. the name or term is not important though, the experience and realization is important.. the process is challenging, can be deceiving, and can be beautiful all at the same time.. “Am I crazy?” is often the top question of a person who’re going through this process.. it’s also really difficult to explain this to others.. so people can say I’m being delusional or getting off track, some of them are worry or afraid, and it doesn’t matter.. it’s full nature can’t be analyzed, defined, and dissected by mind, it is beyond.. the mind cannot ever grasp this whole concept of ‘divinity’.. the mind puts ‘divinity’ outside of itself to try to understand, but it really doesn’t work well.. it must be undefined, undone, then and only then, its true nature can be understood.. there will be ‘a-ha’ moment or realization moment and the whole concept suddenly can be understood without words.. it takes a good going out of mind – a good mental breakdown – to really understand that there is something outside of the mind.. it takes that shattering of the illusion of the mind, the total meltdown of that old way basis for understanding life.. I realized how limited I was before, always using mind – ratio or philosophy – to analyze the universe and to ponder everything and put it into words, by definition and systematically, to go very mental and discuss with someone else.. but after this whole process, I acknowledged the mind is a beautiful thing, but it’s limited, and there’s so much more, so much more precious.. there’s something much grander.. beyond it are new frontiers of consciousness.. it can be felt and known in heart.. it’s not about being intelligent or smart.. it’s about being the self.. the philosophy is dead, it’s replaced by experience and wisdom..

Nevertheless, this whole process make my life on Earth become deeper, simpler, clearer, grounded, and has more freedom.. so many revealed wisdom and it made the total basis of all my thinking changes.. I left the old perspectives and welcome the new self in every aspects.. These transformations have led my human aspect to reconsider the way it acts, not only with my partner, but also in relationship with others – and most importantly, in relationship with myself.. everything was affected and changed, there were relationships that left or came or refreshed.. I’m really grateful for that and regret nothing.. Indeed, this inner transformation greatly change my life.. it is a major turning point.. and from now on, I will keep improving.. the consciousness will always evolve and grow, it will always want to express itself, and move itself into levels never realized before.. the old circle is closed. The new adventure has begun, to live a life without a mission, where the only purpose is to Be That Life.. being in this state is not about being superior or have more authority in any way, it is not about to be a super human, it is not about knowing more than any one else, it is not about preaching or evangelize, it is simply about being grounded and integrated in all situations.. it is about re-melding of the masculine/feminine – light/dark – up/down aspect.. it is about back to the simplicity of life.. it is also about accept the blessings of life.. simply said, it is about compassion for everything, balancing-expanding-expressing the energies, and embrace life.. every breathing moment of life..

Life is here to serve everything and filled with blessings — blessings from Gaia, blessings from other humans, blessings that occur in every moment.. every person on the street, every person that I have a relationship with, every animal, every bird, every breeze that caresses face is a blessing. It’s about accept each and every thing as a blessing. Not as an accident, not as something that just happens to happen, but as a synchronous event and blessing in life.. this made me start to appreciate life in a whole new way.. maybe I will miss the old way and do it sometimes, but it doesn’t matter.. there will be ‘the best of times’ and ‘the worst of times’, but it doesn’t matter.. from now on, it will be a wonderful time on earth to integrate everything..

now I understand why some people would spend the rest of their life to devote themselves in the search or worship of ‘god/the divine’ until they die.. why ancient masters always told humans to understand the inner self foremost over and over again like it is a very very important thing to do, and why humans were told to love ‘god’ with with all heart, all soul, all strength, and all mind, with everything 100%.. now I understand, because it is unavoidable and undeniable, in the deepest and truest part…  it is ourselves.. the creator who is also the created..

You’ve been a wanderer many times, and you’ve asked yourself, “where could that source be?” And then you’ve said to yourself: “Well, I’m gonna find it. I know it is there”. So you started your journey. A difficult journey full of paths that leaded in all directions. A journey with many different and colorful beings. And you continued your journey, even if you didn’t know where you are anymore. You even got scared at a moment to continue the journey. And sometimes, you even believed you couldn’t see which way you were taking. You’ve tried to ask some that you’ve met. But you couldn’t understand yourself, or the ones you were talking to. And still, a voice from deep within your heart whispered to you to continue : “Don’t stop. The source you are searching for is close”.

* 知人者智, 自知者明.. (Knowing others is wisdom, Knowing the self is enlightenment)

* Man ‘arafa nafsahu faqad ‘arafa rabbahu..

* Aham Brahmasmi…

* Manunggaling kawula gusti..

*  I and my Father are one..

Am I evil? Am I good? Does it matter?  It is an old game of duality that humans keep playing – separation, division, light, dark. At the core of all things, at the core of all things..  there is no light and dark.. there isn’t..

– There will be a time for a human, when the seeds of truth began to make sense to him/her and grow accordingly, in his/her own time, with his/her own logic, with his/her own heart.. it can’t be forced and there’s no judgement at all..

– Your journey is unique to yourself.. Your understanding will come to you when you are fully ready to receive it.. There are those who are gently helping you to gain knowledge and move forward with your understanding.. But no one can learn your lessons for you..

-* If something does not ring true to you, you do not need to decide if it is right or not according to anyone else. Decide for yourself… If you don’t believe it, then let go of that and find one that resonates for you..

-* Follow your own truth.. following the truth of others leads to a dead end, anxiety, depression, and confusion within yourself. But when you follow your own truth, it is clear, apparent, pure..

welcoming the 25th year..

April 2011

Handoko Luo

The Wisdom of Pain

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This note is about the emotion called pain, not a physical injury one, but something that can be felt inside. Especially intended for those who want to put an end to their deep pains.. because only when a human want to be helped, a help can be given.. take your time and read this slowly..

Purpose of this note..

Oh, by the way, finally I made another note in English again, lol.. usually in my native language, since it’s easier to have a deep communication without language barrier at all, but I will try my best to deliver the information in this common language (please inform me if you find some word-mistakes).. And why I write this topic, it’s due to cumulative events in the past that bring me to this topic.. especially some time ago, a friend of mine showed me the attempt to kill himself/herself.. couldn’t bear the pain, he/she said.. but luckily ended up in a hospital and still alive.. so at its extreme point, this feeling can affect your life entirely..

About this note, some people will do not need this revelation about pain and unhappiness at all, because they already understood it or even do not recognize this feeling.. but perhaps some others really need this information as they feel the pain and unhappiness deep inside and don’t know what to do.. However, please understand that only they who want to help themselves that can be helped, those who don’t need help can’t be helped at all.. (related to the previous note, “The Teaching Begins”)… furthermore, I will share what I capable to share, so if after you read this note you found out that this information is no longer serve you, which is mean you already know the contained wisdom, then just smile and honor everyone that are still in their path of journey of life..

so let’s talk a moment about this feeling called pain.. I will start with my own experience. To some extent, I know this feeling very well. I felt this pain, and I’m seeing it now everywhere. In the past, I struggled with this thing called pain. I felt it, experience it, and I wanted to get rid it. I wondered why this pain is seems so real.. so many questions was asked at those moments..

“what is pain.. this uneasy feeling..; why there is pain.. why it feels so uncomfortable.. ; why it often come with another uneasy feelings, like anger-sadness-sentiment-unhappiness, etc.. ; why it can rob my energy, make me lost control of my self.. ; in some cases, why it can make my eyes full of tears instantly..” , and so many other can’t-be-answered-at-that-moment questions..

.. but is it real ? is the so-called ‘the art of happiness’ even real ? so this thing called pain.. I experienced it, I pondered it, and I learned it.. through several first-hand experiences of pain, deep sadness and deep depression, finally I could figure out some essential aspects about it..
*during the moment we are feeling pain, it seems so real.. the effects are very real and everyone can see it..
*in some cases, the pain can stay several days, or weeks, or months, or years without any clear solutions..
*the pain can be a light pain..and this can be erased or forgotten easily.. or the pain also can be a serious one.. this will create deep wound, so deep that someone can lost his/her will to continue the life..
*it seems there is an instant way to heal the pain, through outer substances or activities or even love from others..

Is that what are you going through.. !? or ever felt like that before ?! different people will have different feelings and stories.. but if you have deep wound in the past, and you still have someone that you’re afraid/dislike/make you remember your trauma/don’t want to meet with, then this reading is suitable for you..

There’s an old story about this pain..

“A Wood and The Hole”

There was once a young boy with a terrible temper. His wise father told him that every time he got angry and do a bad thing he had to hammer a nail into the wood fence in the backyard. The first day the boy hammered many nails into the fence. The next day, he tried to get angry less and hammered less nails into the wood. By the end of a few weeks, the boy proudly went to his dad and told him that he able to control his behavior and had not gotten angry at all that day.

So, the boy’s father told him that now he could start removing the nails from the wood, if the boy apologized sincerely to someone whom he had hurt through his anger/bad acts. So, the boy began to apologize to people whom he had wounded and slowly, slowly, the nails began to get pulled out of the fence. One day, the boy proudly went to his dad and told him that all the nails were out of the fence. He told his dad that his anger and bad acts was “a thing of the past.”

His dad then led the boy by the hand to the wood and showed him how the fence was now riddled with hole. It was no longer the wood it once had been. It was now weakened and damaged. “Do you see that?” The father asked the boy. “For you, anger and bad acts is a thing of the past. Yet, this wood will never recover. Every time you throw your emotion or do bad things at someone it is like driving a nail into them. You may later remove the nail, but the hole is still there. The effect of your acts can not be removed.”

It’s a nice story.. when you put yourself as the little boy, it reminds us to be careful with ourselves.. It consider point of view from the boy, the main actor of this story, and here the wood is only the receiver.. so as the boy, we have to be careful and we have to control our behavior so we won’t hurt anyone.. it will be not good if we hurt someone else.. to some extent, this is appropriate and make you be a better human with good social skill, according common expectation..

but, unnoticeable by many, this story also has its illusive side.. Because, consciously or unconsciously you will also have a tendency to put yourself as the victim ! as the one who get hurt because of someone else’s bad acts/words/emotion, you as the wood that’s fragile and ready to be nailed anytime ! What happen then, you will have a duality, dual case where you are the victim and the other one is the villain, you will consider that the pain is something that can be given from someone to someone else, hence if you have the pain in your heart, deep inside yourself, it must be because of someone else, or from outer side ! This is the common consciousness of humanity, where you can find someone to be blamed, you can think how bad is someone, and how he/she/they inflicted the wound in your heart. Even if the villain already apologized and stop acting bad, you still justify the pain in your heart by associating it with the holes in the wood, the pain and the effect is still there.. you’re feeling the pain and still believe that the hole will never ever can be recovered as before, and it will leave traces that remind you of his/her/their bad acts, for the rest of your life..  so you still find it’s really hard to give true forgiveness, and become the old you who have no wound at all, which mean be your true-self without pain and restrictions.. and here you are, have a pain in your heart now.. oh you tried to hide it, but sometime, someday, it will show up in the surface and you’ll suffer again.. do you see how you play this wonderful game of villain and victim, as the bad boy and the fragile wood ?!

let’s slow down for a moment and see another wise story about this..

“Salt, Glass, and Lake”

A master grew tired of his apprentice fretting about the many complications of his life, and so, one morning, sent him on an errand to gather a small portion of salt. When the apprentice returned, the master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it. “How does it taste?” the master asked. “Bitter,” spit the apprentice.

The master smiled to himself and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake. Leaning carefully over the edge, the apprentice cast his handful of salt into the water. After a few seconds, his elder friend said to him, “Now drink from the lake.” As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master asked, “How does it taste?” “Fresh,” remarked the apprentice. “Do you taste the salt?” asked the master. “No,” said the young man.

At this, the master sat beside this serious young man who so reminded him of himself and took his hands: “The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same, but the bitterness we taste depends on the container we choose to receive our pain. So when you are hurting, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things . . . Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”

by now.. maybe you have realized something.. you can see how yourself manage the pain, are you really a fragile wood or limited glass ?! yes, the pain is there because you’re a wood or limited glass, understand this basic concept.. you can’t blame the nail or the salt, being given from outer side to yourself, that responsible for the pain that you have in your heart.. you can change yourself, metaphorically, into a liquid.. where no nail will be able to leave the hole.. into a vast lake, where no small amount of salt can make your life bitter.. and the transformation needs internal change at how you view yourself and other..

If you still in pain now and want to release it, you can see yourself change from a fragile wood that can be nailed and leave a hole afterwards, into a liquid that still can leave ripples when something big is thrown to it, or even to a flexible and transparent gas where no nail or arrow or spear can hurt you or make a hole..  Here, we’re just using simple analogy, so don’t make it complex..

OK Finish.. you can finish reading this note if you get the understanding through those stories.. if you can get that ‘a-ha’ moment, a moment of realization, then further explanation is not needed.. :)

below this is a reading for those who still confuse and want to know the meaning.. even want to get the wisdom beyond those stories.. a bit deep though..

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so after the basic concept from two stories above, next questions might arise, how can we transform ourselves like that ?! those are only in stories and metaphors, how can we apply that practically in our live ?! is it not easier said than done ?! we’ll continue our talk.. but until this point, if you believe that pain or suffer can not be erased..then you can stop reading.. if that is your belief, then literally it will be your reality.. the world and reality only mirror from your belief.. if you like to believe that pain is inseparable from human life, then shall it be, it’s your choice.. for those who believe otherwise, we’ll try to answer those questions above.. is that self-transformation real !? how can we do that.. ?

Take a deep breath…slow down..

Welcome Every Aspect of Yourself..

First, recognize your pain and unhappiness.. don’t run from it, don’t hide from it.. so usually, you run or hide from your feeling, you’ll cover it by another activity, another substances like foods or medicine, love or attention from another people, or anything that come from outer side, but my dear friend, it’s really a temporary solution and that deep sadness will appear again in another similar situation.. you’ll see the repetitive pattern in your life and you’ll wonder why this kind of situation always disturb your life..  you will say, am I so stupid understanding myself that I can not find the resolution from this situation ?! so, if you found yourself, in the past perhaps, in this very moment perhaps, feeling the pain and you immediately want to discard it by instant way, please stop.. this will bring you to nowhere except a circle of seeking pleasure and hiding pain..

humans are taught for always thinking positive and ignoring the negative side.. so they always run and hide from their pain.. but don’t deny yourself by saying you’re fine only because you don’t want another people to see your weak side, or you try to manipulate your mind by ignoring the pain and trying positive thinking.. well, that denial is good up to an extent, but by doing that you literally suppress yourself and it will explode in another time, it will arise again to the surface..

so, welcome it.. accept it.. feel it.. breathe it.. live it.. it is part of yourself.. it is you ! you feel it.. by recognize it, you make a choice to see the pain, no longer hide from it.. it just need your attention.. the pain is like an alarm in yourself that something need to be taken care of.. especially deep pain or trauma, it’s something crucial for your life.. do you still have one ?! if yes, then it’s time to look at it.. oh actually you can choose any time you want, this day, this year, next years, whenever you want, because it’s your choice and freewill.. you can enjoy the pain until you’re tired of it and want to go beyond it..

there is a wisdom about this part, an important one.. usually human always pursue externally derived pleasure and avoid pain.. they like pleasure, they open their eyes to pleasure, and close their eyes to pain.. they consider one as a good thing and one as a bad thing.. this is one the duality, if you notice.. always chase the good thing, and always stay away from bad thing.. however, if you do this way, whenever you get the pleasure you will be happy, but as a packet with that you will get the possibility to lose the pleasure and be sad.. and when that happens, then the pain will appear again and you will run away again from it, seeking another pleasure to cover the pain..  hence, you repeat the same pattern over and over again.. Here, pleasure is an interval between two pains, vice versa…

so, you might ask, what should I do, it seems whatever I do it will repeat over and over again !? but, the story will be different if you take a look at your pain whenever you feel it.. don’t run from it, but look at it.. you usually hide your uncomfortable feeling deep inside your heart, and have tendency to lock it and never look at it again..  metaphorically, you put it under your carpet or bed and consider it as something that you do not need at all, something that has to be discarded or something that the its existence is considered as bad.. but if you really want to finish the repetitive circle of pain, is it time to look at it closely..  take it from your hiding place and ask it why is it there..

live with it.. it is part of yourself, your aspect.. not to be ignored or denied.. stop for a moment and take time to look at your pain.. why you have pain, ask it to yourself.. why you have the hole in your heart and it taste really bitter.. are you really the victim ?! and who is the villain ?! who give you this pain !? and why is feels so hurt ?!

and I share you this word.. that nothing can be labeled as “bad” or “good”.. everything is just an experience, it just is.. it is just a matter of time when something “bad’ change into something “good” and change again into “bad”.. it really depends on how you look at that label.. you are the one who give that label to a totally pure experience.. every experience that you took will enrich your life.. you put label called ‘victim’ to you, and you put label called ‘villain’ to others.. then you get the product of it as the victim, it is pain..

so, go to the realization that no one is the villain and no one is the victim.. you can’t demand any apology from someone else since there’s no victim and villain.. go beyond the duality and understand that you don’t have to feel this feeling called pain.. it is only yours when you choose it.. be an observer and try to see the whole situation behind the short wall, metaphorically.. let go your expectation of how things should be, because this is also one of the main root of suffering.. with this perspective, you will realize that pain is not something that another can give to you, it is something that you can give to yourself, truly it is something that only you can give to yourself.. much like another bitter emotion.. as you understand this important realization, you will have much compassion and you will be able to release your pain and prevent yourself to play with it anymore.. you also will be able to feel heavy emotions from others, even the harshest words, but you don’t take it as yours..

if you are reading this, however, you should also understand that this reading is about your peaceful heart.. if you say in your mind, “so if there’s no villain and victim is not it better to be the bad guy so we can do whatever we want without any care, because it is better than to be a victim”, then you are not getting the core message of this reading..

the pain is really only an illusion, it is really only an illusion.. it is a projection of how you perceive the reality.. if you still can find a reason to blame someone else for your pain, that means you consider the pain as something that can be given to other, and you are playing ‘victim-villain’ game once again.. If you see the world is really like this, then you really see and live in your illusive world.. that why the pain, as an illusion, will appear to be real, because you choose it to be real.. so take it from your hiding places, look at it, understand it, transmute it, and integrate it into your life.. go beyond duality.. and when that time come, I assure you will be full of love, regardless what is the outer condition.. you will fill yourself and give thanks to the pain for its existence in your life .. it will propels you to new levels of consciousness and self-knowledge..

perhaps now, perhaps later, you will understand all of this..

inside every deep pain there is profound wisdom waiting to be discovered..

every pain is a potential of self awakening..
and so it is..
Love and Peace, One Humanity..

Handoko Luo
February 2011

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