By Sevaka Ishaya

The present moment can feel like uncharted territory, especially when we are so used to engaging with – and identifying as – our thoughts. From here, there is little or no recognition that we have a choice to experience life differently, or that there is something different to choose, let alone a mystery to embrace, to experience, to live.

Those familiar thought patterns can seem comforting. They feel safe, predictable, and easy to return to. Yet living life through them is not truly living; it is a kind of second-hand experience – a filtered version of life that lacks an appreciation of the depth, sacredness, and beauty of the present moment. When I live in thought, I miss the intrigue and the magic of what it truly means to inhabit Now.

To me, a mystery is something that inspires and fills me with wonder and awe. What is the present moment? What would it mean to experience it? What would it be like to live my life from there? Could it help me let go of some of the negative beliefs I hold about myself and life that prevent me from experiencing peace and happiness?

The mind constantly tries to label, understand, and explain what is happening. But in doing so, it turns the living reality of the present moment into an idea. Labels and concepts are not reality – they are, at best, mental representations. They can never replace direct experience.

Innocence Paves The Way For Exploring The Present Moment

This became clear to me when I learned The Ishayas’ Ascension meditation. My teacher invited me to be innocent – to let go of everything I thought I knew about meditation and to meet the practice with a completely open mind. Looking back, I can see that much of the magic of Ascension lies right here, in innocence. It is the willingness to arrive with a clean slate, because only from there can we truly embrace the Mystery.

So what happens when you pause and simply notice what is being presented to you right now?

At first, I found that this required courage. I had become so enamoured with my thinking mind that stepping beyond it felt unfamiliar, even unsettling. But each time I was willing to explore, something remarkable revealed itself – not as an idea, but as a direct recognition of who I truly am: stillness, peace, contentment, and love.

There was a time in my life when I was struggling with depression and anxiety. After practising Ascension meditation for a couple of years, I had the opportunity to attend the Mastery of the Self course – six months of meditation and tuition. I felt completely stuck. I knew I could not continue living the way I had been, but I was also afraid to commit to something new.

And yet, when I looked honestly at my life, the only thing that was truly supporting me was my practice of Ascension meditation.

So I made a decision: to embrace the Mystery. To be curious. To take a step into the unknown and trust, even without certainty about the outcome. From that moment on, everything began to change – and I have never looked back.

Loosening The Grip Of Judgement And Fear

What I have discovered since then is that curiosity transforms my relationship with the present moment. When I approach it with openness, a natural sense of wonder, and even excitement, begins to arise. And in my experience, it is impossible to be both innocent and judgemental or fearful at the same time.

This was a profound realisation for me.

Had I really found a way to loosen the grip of judgement and fear, and instead experience what it truly means to be alive? And, of course, I had.

There is something incredibly powerful about bringing innocence and gentle curiosity into meditation. Surrender begins to happen naturally – not as something forced, but as a by-product. Old habits and patterns that once felt so fixed start to fall away with surprising ease.

And if it is true that the way we do one thing is the way we do everything, then this raises a beautiful question: where else in life can we bring this same innocence?

I have found that it extends far beyond meditation – into relationships, into work, into conversations, into the smallest, most ordinary moments. The practice of The Ishayas’ Ascension has allowed me to witness life as it unfolds and to meet it without judgement – with a quiet openness to whatever arises. This is embracing the Mystery.

Walk Your Path, And Illuminate The Way For Others

I have always been inspired by explorers – people who are willing to walk their own path, to follow what lights them up, and, in doing so, illuminate the way for others. And yet, in a very real sense, this is exactly what we do each time we choose to meet the present moment fully. We step beyond the familiar noise of the mind and discover what is actually here: a pure, direct, unfiltered experience of Now.

What followed for me became a journey of self-discovery – not of the small, limited version of me, but of something far more expansive: an experience of stillness, peace, and Oneness.

When I stop and simply observe, I disengage from the time-bound patterns of the mind. In that space, I am free to receive whatever the present moment has to offer. Since learning to Ascend, my appreciation for life has deepened profoundly. There is so much beauty – in nature, in those around me, and in the countless expressions of the universe.

For me, the Mystery of the present moment feels like an invitation.

An invitation to discover the truth of who I really am. 

An invitation to experience stillness, peace, and joy. 

An invitation to truly embrace life – not as a nice-sounding concept, but as a living, breathing reality.

By Sanatakumari Ishaya

At the beginning of my story, I saw myself as a positive and spiritual person who valued harmony and the good things in life. However, my education had not prepared me to earn a living, and I felt I had been dealt a raw hand. I was depressed, burdened with a student loan and facing the prospect of 30 years of hard work to repay it. I blamed the school for my situation.

Weekends were particularly difficult. I struggled to get through them, searching for something to distract myself but often lacking the energy even to do that. At least the routine of going to the office on Monday gave me some sense of structure.

At the time, I did not recognise the disconnect between the way I saw myself as a spiritual person and the way I experienced my life. Then, during a Bright Path Ishayas’ meditation class, I learned that the first step of the practice was simply to watch the mind.

I began to notice that I was telling myself a story about the sad state of my life, blaming my education for where I had ended up. When I learned to step back from that story and see that I could choose whether to focus on it or not, it made a difference.

Even so, I sometimes returned to the story because, in a strange way, I got something out of it. Blaming the school relieved me of responsibility. But when I accepted the challenge to consistently use the meditation technique instead of immersing myself in that story, the change became much more significant.

By the end of the six-week trial period my teacher suggested for the meditation practice, I could honestly say that I had begun to enjoy the practice itself. Sitting quietly with my eyes closed and using the techniques as instructed left me feeling refreshed when I stood up just 20 minutes later.

A Change in Outlook on Life

Along with this, something else began to shift. I started to look on the brighter side of things. I took responsibility for what I did with my education rather than blaming circumstances outside myself. I also began to enjoy my work at the office, making more of an effort to interact with people and step out of my own head.

Weekends changed too. They became filled with outings with friends, creative projects at home, and walks with the dog who had recently come into my life.

The changes brought about by this meditation practice were so rewarding that when my meditation teacher moved away, I continued the practice. I even met with others once a week to meditate together. After about a year and a half, I decided to attend a retreat to deepen my practice.

And what an experience that was. Meditating day after day for 27 days, I noticed many concepts, positions, and limiting beliefs simply fall away (along with about 10 pounds of weight).

I began to see my work and my ability to serve others in a much freer way, no longer limited by my student loan or the fact that I lived in a small community. I started to experience myself differently—as someone who could be aware of the ground of being, pure awareness. From that perspective, everything looked different. I found myself worrying far less about life.

Embracing Awareness

During the retreat I shared my experiences openly, and the teachers confirmed that what I was experiencing was indeed pure awareness, not something my mind had invented. It was exciting to realise that the kind of world-class spiritual community I had once only dreamed about was actually real, and that authentic spiritual guidance was available without needing to travel to India.

My meditation practice deepened further during the six-month process of becoming a meditation teacher. Meditating day after day dissolved many judgements and limitations in my thinking. I became friendlier and more accepting of others. I also noticed that the people around me seemed increasingly beautiful, and I felt a growing sense of love and gratitude towards them.

On one occasion I had a deeply sacred experience of gratitude. As I felt overwhelming gratitude for the tradition of this meditation practice, I experienced an equally powerful sense of gratitude being returned to me – for being here on Earth and helping to ground this meditation practice in real life.

On another occasion, while expressing thanks for this meditation practice through song, my whole body and heart seemed to burst open with unconditional love. It felt as though love was not only coming from the divine to me, but that I myself was love – that everything was love.

These were the genuine spiritual experiences I had longed for and was never sure I would have.

They remain two of the most beautiful highlights of my life with this meditation practice. I carry them in my heart, and no one can take them away from me. They give me a deep certainty that pure being is grateful and loving, affirming that this is the true nature of consciousness.

Moving Beyond Physical Pain

A few years later I developed autoimmune arthritis after a bee sting. For months I tried a variety of natural therapies, which brought some relief but no cure. The pain affected every joint in my body, from my hips and shoulders to my arms and fingers. Even small movements hurt.

At times I wondered if I might have to live with this pain for the rest of my life. My Ascension practice helped me observe these thoughts as they arose and recognise the stories my mind was creating. Although the pain was still there, focusing on awareness rather than the fear surrounding it brought a sense of calm and comfort.

After attending a week-long meditation retreat, I returned home and developed a fever. Following the natural health practices I had been using, I allowed my body the rest it needed while the fever passed. When I woke the following morning, the joint pain had gone, which came as a great surprise and relief. I cannot say exactly what brought about the change, but the experience reminded me how important it was to care for both body and mind during difficult times.

Love in Action

After many more years of practising The Ishayas’ Ascension, I now experience a deep certainty that all is well. People around me do not always see things that way, and I understand why.

Yet I perceive love in action everywhere – everything in its place, unfolding perfectly. To me, everything is made of love and everything happens through love. This reflects the nature of the pure awareness I experience.

Someone once reflected to me that I seem to love myself completely now, and that observation resonated. I no longer censor what I say or do out of fear of judgement. What comes from me feels as though it arises directly from love.

For me, life is simply this moment, here and now, with pure awareness experiencing life as it unfolds. Boundless and full of grace, awareness delights in itself, alive with life.

This is the experience that the Bright Path Ishayas’ practice has brought into my life.

by Devi Ishaya

We have surely heard or read the word ‘surrender’ in many different ways and forms throughout our lives. But surrender to what? How? In what way? Or is it perhaps like in Game of Thrones, where surrender means seeking a truce in the midst of war, hoping that the conflicts will cease and peace will come?

We can create so many fascinating hypothetical stories in our minds about what surrender means in world history and in our own lives. However, true surrender came into my life in a different way, unexpectedly, leading me to experience a perpetually unshakeable peace that anchors me in this wonderful present.

Surrender, in my experience, is as deep and infinite as the eternity of the horizon itself, because it has to do with setting aside everything we ‘know’ or think we know—such as family and social structures and belief systems—to allow ourselves to arrive unconditionally, with open arms, to what is new, learning to live life from our highest potential in conscious and absolute recognition of who we really are.

I am really enjoying sharing my experience with you through this article, the intimacy that exists in every word filled with warmth and presence in this moment.

Likewise, being Emilio’s mum is the most beautiful experience I have ever had in my life, but being a ‘conscious mum’ and choosing to be present in my life has made a huge difference for me, because constantly experiencing unconditional love is, for me, living to my full potential.

Opportunities To Give More And To Love More

That does not mean that everything is always rosy. Surely there are many mums reading this right now, but every situation that arises in my daily life, no matter what it is or how it looks, has become an opportunity to get to know myself better, to give more, to love more.

Or I can also decide to argue or fight with the fact that I do not like that situation and prefer to change it, because that way ‘then’ I will feel better.

And it is precisely at that moment that the choice not to focus my attention on the ‘whys’ or ‘hows’ or ‘whens’ has given me the opportunity to discover that allowing myself to choose to be present means the same thing as surrendering the idea or belief that something has to change for me to be happy, or that something has to be different for me to be a better mum.

And the reality is that nothing has had to change outside of me or you for us to live and experience our full potential. Everything happens naturally and effortlessly. Or is there anything more wonderful than being able to discover yourself, living, discovering, exploring life in this moment?

The Ishaya teaching has given me everything. I live in constant devotion to my Ascension techniques, as they have led me by the hand to discover, from day one, when I took my initial course 25 years ago, that I have the choice and the power to continue living through old patterns and familiar thought currents, or to consciously choose to anchor my life to this moment through my Ascension techniques.

For me, this is true surrender: giving up the old and attractive habit of looking back at the past to relive it, or bringing our attention to a totally uncertain future that takes us away from the magic of life that we can only taste in this present moment, because it is the only moment that really exists.

The Courage To Experience More

It is a courageous choice to surrender or let go of old habits. It is courageous to recognise that we do not control the flow of life and its natural way of evolving and changing. It is courageous to dare to awaken to this reality by choosing to live in fulfilment and inner contentment, where everything is still, immovable, eternal, vast, totally present, and loving.

It takes courage to step outside our comfort zone and dare to jump without a parachute, because that is precisely where we learn not to cling on, to set aside the idea of who we think we are, and finally fly off into adventure.

Buddha said it very simply: “Stop forcing and you will see the magic.”

If you are reading this now, and each of these words resonates with you, leading you to experience that feeling of wanting to live your heart’s greatest desire, even if you do not yet know exactly what that is, then you are the one I am addressing in writing this article. You are the one who knows that there is something more you need to do to be happy and live your full potential.

Are you ready to choose to surrender control in order to experience who you really are? Are you ready to live a life full of appreciation, gratitude, and love? Are you ready to be free?

Are you ready to be brave?

I invite you to find out.

My sweet grandson is sleeping soundly beside me as I write; a perfect picture of gentleness.

A great sage once said, “If every morning for the rest of your life you say, ‘Today I will be more gentle than I was yesterday,’ you will never become too gentle.”

I love those words! You see, gentleness is one of my favourite words. It stirs something pure and innocent deep within me.

I have a sister who has always been very gentle. I wished with all my heart to be like her… but I just wasn’t. Even though I didn’t believe myself to be gentle, I tried my best to be so, cheering myself on and promising, “I can do it!” I followed the expression, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.”

Have you ever tried to be gentle? For me, it felt like an impossible task. There were so many thoughts running around in my head. Even though they were mostly negative, I truly believed they were there to help me – to guide me in coping with my unworthiness. Perhaps you have thoughts like that too?

At times, I was certain I was the worst person on the planet. “You are too loud, too obnoxious, too stupid, too fat, too ugly! You do NOT deserve anything good.”

Feeling Lost

Quite simply, try as I might, I didn’t know how else to live. I was convinced I lacked the required ‘goodness’ to be a gentle person.

Even so, I spent my life this way –  be in control, keep on trying anyway. It also felt vital that I hide this ‘ungentleness’. If others knew about this part of me, they would no longer love me – and that was my greatest fear: losing the love I worked so hard to earn. How exhausting! I began to lose my health.

On the surface, I was an extremely positive and happy person. My lifestyle was very healthy – eating well and exercising regularly. It never occurred to me that thoughts could make me sick. But there it was: I found myself with an autoimmune disease.

The doctors said I had Multiple Sclerosis, and that there was no cure. Still, I looked for the good. “Always smile and make others laugh,” I told myself. If I could just do that, I could get by.

Finding A Path To Authenticity

Thank goodness I found The Bright Path Ishayas and learned their meditation practice, Ascension.

Initially, I learned The Ishayas’ Ascension simply to better live with chronic fatigue and pain. I never expected anything more. However, more is exactly what I began to experience! My life became magical. As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t know thoughts could make me sick – especially when I hid them so well… LOL. Yet through practising this meditation, the thoughts began to disappear. It was as though they only existed because I believed in them.

You see, the simple techniques of Ascension are based on praise, gratitude, love and compassion. Using them felt really good – really gentle – to my mind and body, unlike the barrage of negative thoughts.

Quite miraculously, I began to notice moments of purity, innocence and gentleness arising within me. Yes!

In this practice, we are reminded again and again not to try, not to control. It really is that simple.

Although I would still notice thoughts, I found the techniques to be like tools I could use at any time I remembered – with my eyes open or closed. In doing so, I would find myself in the present moment.

Again and again, whenever I noticed thoughts, I would use an Ascension technique. It felt as though I was replacing thousands of thoughts with one simple tool.

Revealing Our True Nature

My health –  and my entire life experience – improved greatly through this practice. Yet it was never through trying or controlling. Learning this practice was the greatest gift.

It amuses me now that the harder I tried, the further away I moved from my goal of being gentle – of being ‘good enough’.

Now I experience that gentleness, love, happiness and pure joy have always been my true nature. I do not have to try to be what I already am. It is exactly like my little grandson. He is a bundle of love, joy and happiness – and somehow, I forgot that I am that too.

I am so grateful for Ascension. It is the most gentle return to who I truly am.

By Lilavati Ishaya

It used to cause me so much stress, not knowing how to be present. I knew there were things in my life I was missing, yet I felt I had no control over any of it.

Sometimes I realised that not being present could be seen as “being late” to what was happening right in front of me. I would drift off for several minutes and then ask myself where I’d been. Once again, I’d be “arriving late” to the many things unfolding around me, repeating the same cycle over and over. 

At times, unexpected glimpses of peace appeared, even when I was in my car, stuck in Mexico City traffic. What is this? These moments left such a strong imprint on me that ignoring them no longer felt like an option. I had to find my answers.

Taking responsibility for my own wellbeing was something I still needed to put into practice, rather than handing it over to external situations or other people. But where do you turn when you start asking questions of the heart and reflecting on your purpose in life?

Of all the methods and approaches that came my way during this search, whether to help make the world a better place or to find peace within, none seemed to have enough fuel to keep me fulfilled. Something was missing.

Learning About The Ishayas

In 2003, I came across the Ishayas’  teaching through a pamphlet an acquaintance handed me as she ran to catch a bus. She simply said, “You can’t miss this, the monks are wonderful.” It wasn’t the words themselves, but the energy and enthusiasm behind them that caught my attention.

The pamphlet felt genuine. It offered a small glimpse of “how to expand your awareness”, and it was absolutely marvellous. No one had ever spoken to me about this before, and yet it resonated so strongly, as if a huge portal had opened in front of me.

The pamphlet stayed in my car, and I read it often. The words seemed to dissolve, leaving behind a sense of mystery and growing curiosity.

The next step was to pay attention and sign up for their next course.

That weekend, I not only learned techniques but also learned to recognise the wandering of my mind, constantly drifting from thought to thought. Now, I had the power to bring my attention back to the present moment, at will, for the rest of my life. For the rest of my life! And the best part was that it happened naturally. I didn’t need to change anything on the outside. I didn’t need anyone or anything to be different.

Gently Returning To The Present

Learning how to play with my attention, gently returning it to the present whenever I remembered, transformed my life enormously. With clarity and absolute trust, I began to let go of patterns, habits and relationships that no longer served me.

For the first time, I felt a sense of mission, purpose and direction, and, most importantly, I no longer felt alone.

The impact this had on my life was incredible. Opportunities began to appear, everything started moving more quickly, and it felt as though I had a green light to keep going and to reach for more.

The wonderful result of re-educating my attention and bringing it back to this moment has been the most valuable thing I’ve ever learned. Living in the present has become the foundation for many of my decisions, and it has allowed me to become a more playful, relaxed and friendly version of myself, enriching all my relationships, including being a mother, a wife and a daughter.

Although there were no teachers or meditation gatherings in my area at the time, my practice continued to grow on its own, wherever I went. It soon became a habit — something I made time for intentionally because it helped me reset my attention. And even now, after 23 years, it remains as present in my life as it was on the very first day.

Awareness – The Gateway To Wellbeing

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “What you focus on grows,” right? Well, through these techniques, a gateway to wellbeing opens wide. The practice of focusing your attention never ends. On the contrary, it becomes more refined, more subtle, more harmonious and lighter. It truly is the best game in town.

And do you know one of the great benefits of learning this? Qualified teachers are always available to bring clarity whenever a question arises. In fact, during the very weekend I learned these techniques, the teachers said, “We are here to serve, so make use of us!” As you become more present, certain filters may begin to fall away, and your clarity in each moment, precisely as it is, starts to deepen.

Would you like more harmony and lightness in your life?

Wait no longer. The fact that people around us are stressed and dissatisfied doesn’t mean that this is our natural state. We may think it’s normal, but it’s quite the opposite, and completely ineffective. Our natural state is one of deep, unmoving silence, just waiting to be discovered and explored. This is your mission, and only you can begin the journey.

Choose to refocus your attention on what you truly want, and in time it will bring you not only wellbeing but also a renewed relationship with the present moment. Like a line of falling dominoes, this alignment will bring harmony to all other areas of your life.

By Atmarati Ishaya

When I learned the Bright Path Ishayas’ techniques, I practiced with great commitment, never missing a day. It was easy to do as I began to enjoy an incredible peace, and wanted more. 

I also discovered that I experienced love for myself, for everyone, for everything. This love simply sprang from me without cause or reason. It was something that existed by the mere fact of being alive. I began to feel happy; joyful without the need for an external reason.

I began to be moved by the beauty of nature around me, which I had previously ignored or taken for granted.

I also realised how much time I spent entertained, distracted, thinking or going over things I wanted to be different from how they really were.

I became more aware of a “dream me” I had been living, that was different from an authentic experience I felt more and more.

A Path Of Discovery And Recognition

Ultimately, I began a path of discovery, recognition, and experiences that allowed me to become aware of what had been limiting me or holding me back –  beliefs that always seemed to confine my world to two columns: good and bad, right and wrong. I observed how I generally judged everything based on a belief system I had learned long ago.

But above all, I recognised that as long as I kept practicing the Ishayas’ Ascension techniques,  a kind of magic began to emerge – something beyond what I could imagine, something I couldn’t name, but that was unchanging, still, and peaceful.

Perhaps one of the discoveries that most marked my experience was realising that I had thoughts – and that sometimes there was even a voice, or voices, that I assumed were myself speaking to myself, with which I often had endless internal conversations about different topics.

They helped me recognise that I thought a lot – too much, I would say. I hadn’t seen it that way before; I hadn’t realised how much energy I spend endlessly  thinking until I truly saw it.

One of the most wonderful days of my life was when I realised how much time I spent believing I was the voice in my head. This voice always seemed to have an opinion about everything. It seemed, at times, to be my best cheerleader and, at other times, my worst judge or executioner. I saw how much I was always being subjected to or directed by these internal conversations or opinions.

I had spent so much of my life listening to the voice and believed that I was a character dictated and, in some way, enslaved or directed by an internal dialogue in which all the sentences revolved around an “I” that always seemed to be the center of everything – for whom everything was personal, against me or in favor of me. 

That character seemed to dictate when I was doing well or not. What’s more, this character was determined to fight to defend my ideas, beliefs, concepts, and expectations.

It was this character who was bothered when someone made a true observation, or who expected praise or rewards – and if I didn’t get them, I would get angry, sometimes even to the point of throwing a tantrum.

Simplicity And Ease Open The Door

Even while maintaining my regular practice of Ascension, I struggled for a while with the simplicity that the experience seemed to offer me. Surely, it couldn’t be possible that it was so easy to be at peace? But that was my experience.

Sometimes I even resisted accepting that I didn’t have to change anything about myself to deserve this incredible experience of freedom that being in the present moment gave me.

There were times when I even had clear experiences that I was consciousness itself – I was everything, light, free, and infinite. There was no self, no character, and nothing needed to be changed, improved, assimilated, or understood to exist, since that consciousness already existed. It simply existed in the present moment, aware of everything.

And of course, out of habit or simply because attention shifted, thoughts would return, and I would begin to think, listen, or converse with that voice again. It happens to anyone, but I still believed I was doing something wrong – that there was something I needed to improve to “achieve” awakening.

Then one day, I recognised that I had been engaged in, and even had a close relationship with, the thoughts, feelings, emotions, beliefs, concepts, and voices that seemed to be happening inside me. And then I just stopped. I let go. I allowed myself to rest in the stillness of the moment.

I surrendered my attention to the presence that exists now – to the infinite field in which everything exists now, to the underlying reality of everything, to free observation, to the source that loves everything just as it is. And there I found myself. There I remembered; I woke up.

Giving Attention Fully To This Moment

I discovered that I could only be awake now, and that what we call “the dream” was what I had been experiencing for so long. The dream seemed to have certain characteristics: there were always thoughts, voices, or content from the past or future. There was always a point of reference, a location, or a place. In other words, the dream always seemed to be happening in a field determined by time and space. 

In comparison, when I was simply present, there was nothing – and everything simply existed in a timeless field. In short, the dream was always happening on a mental plane, and waking life was not. From then on, the choice became infinitely simpler: simply resting now, being aware now.

The most brilliant thing of all was realising that now, by simply being fully aware, there was nothing about me that needed to change. I didn’t need to believe I should deserve or be anything more. I didn’t need to adjust my beliefs or modify my concepts. Simply by fully surrendering my attention to the conscious presence of everything, I was free.

In other words, by surrendering my attention to the awareness of this moment, it was like letting go of everything I thought I could never let go of – and all I had to do was choose to be here and now. The liberation was such that I recognised I had no need to control or force anything in my life to be as some thought, concept, or idea dictated. 

By surrendering to this moment, control ceased. I recognised that by going beyond the mental plane, where I had long been, I experienced something different – something much more wonderful than constantly thinking. 

And how did I do it? I stopped, I paused, I surrendered my attention to this moment instead of following the stream of thought. By fully surrendering my attention to the consciousness that realises everything, I woke up. I stopped dreaming.

Now I live, work, and enjoy. I am simply who I am, in the most wonderful existence I could ever dream of – honored to continue giving more of myself in every area of my life, to achieve goals and objectives, to spend time with my family and friends unconditionally. I am open to all that I am, willing to be aware now, in ease and in recognition that I am much more than I once believed – and that we all are.

Dare To Remember

All that is required is to give our full attention to this moment, to stop now, to surrender ourselves fully now, to dare to go beyond what is known, to what already is and is patiently waiting on the other side of thinking.

Awakening is realising or remembering that you are already what you are seeking. How could you not be that, if it has always been that way from the very beginning, or seen in another way, why would you have to change something in your life to now be what you already are from the very beginning?

You got distracted, you thought you were something other than what you already were. So what? Who cares? Now is when you have the opportunity to see it, to experience it, to remember it. Now is when you have the opportunity to stop dreaming, now is when you have the opportunity to awaken.

And how did I “achieve” all this? Well, I learned the Bright Path Ishayas’ meditation techniques. I practiced as instructed, and maintained a constant and disciplined practice.

The moments of remembering began to happen, and becoming conscious was the natural result. Without realising it at first, I had entered into the most wonderful adventure of my life. Without even knowing it, I had begun to take steps on the path of awakening. And one day, I experienced the ultimate simplicity: I could only be awake  now – there was absolutely no need to struggle with thoughts.

Being awake “from the dream” now is not a process, but everyone has different paths to come to that realisation; it requires different experiences and/or recognitions, but everything, everything, everything is where it needs to be now.

Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation),
here is one elementary truth,
the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans.
That the moment one definitely commits oneself,
then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one
that would never otherwise have occurred.

By Maharishi Krishnananda Ishaya

The average human spends just under eighty years on Earth. To the mind, that sounds generous — a long story filled with chapters yet to be written. But look closer,and those years dissolve into fragments: twenty-six of them asleep, seven more struggling to fall asleep, thirteen at work, eleven staring into glowing screens. Even eating — that ancient ritual of sustenance and pleasure — quietly claims four and a half.

When we subtract all that is required simply to sustain the body or fulfill society’s demands, what remains? A handful of years, perhaps, that could be called truly our own. The hours of wonder, of laughter, of deep conversation and quiet reflection —these are the rare coins of consciousness amid the currency of habit.

And yet, to the awakened mind, this arithmetic does not depress but clarifies. For life is not measured by its duration but by the depth of awareness within it. A single minute lived in full presence outweighs a year sleepwalking through routine. The tragedy is not that we sleep, work, or eat — these are sacred acts when done consciously. The tragedy is that we so rarely inhabit them.

Time is not our enemy but our mirror. It shows us what we value, what we repeat, and what we postpone. Perhaps the real task is not to escape the ordinary, but to infuse it with presence — to awaken within those twenty-six years of sleep, those thirteen years of labor, those eleven years of distraction.

Then life ceases to be a countdown, and becomes instead a continuous unfolding —not of years, but of awareness.

Don’t Postpone Your Peace

We spend our lives waiting — for the right time, the right person, the right conditions. We imagine peace as something to be earned, achieved, or stumbled upon once the chaos subsides. But the truth is far simpler and more startling: peace is not a future event, it is a present recognition.

The mind thrives on postponement. It says, “I’ll rest when things calm down,” yet it is the very movement of thought that keeps the waters stirred. Peace does not arrive after the storm; it is discovered in the eye of it — the still point untouched by the winds of circumstance.

Look closely, and you’ll see that postponement is a habit of fear — the fear that if we stop striving, life will collapse. But life doesn’t require our tension to continue. The breath flows, the heart beats, the earth turns — all without our anxious effort.

To not postpone peace is to stop insisting that something must change before we can be whole. It is to allow this moment — imperfect, incomplete, and beautifully alive —to be enough.

The invitation is not to add anything new, but to remove the delay. Right here, before the next thought, peace waits — not as a reward, but as your natural state.

By Para Ishaya

You know that feeling when there’s something you don’t like, something that repels you, and you’d want to change everything completely? Perhaps you’ve already thought about a situation?

When this happens, what usually appears is resistance: a kind of internal confrontation, a contraction that does not allow us to live life fully as it is.

In this article I want to talk about “Resisting Nothing,” a topic that has transformed the way I relate to life.

Let me introduce myself: I am Para Ishaya, Ascension teacher since 2023. I began practicing this meditation in 2019, looking for a tool that would ground people in the present moment, so they could reach their full potential—their 100%—no matter what circumstances they might be going through.

One of the greatest discoveries on this path has been experiencing peace in the midst of existential chaos. I learned to stop fighting against the tide and to live from a much more permissive, loving, and devoted place.

Recognising Resistance

Let me give you a simple example: imagine you are late for work – the rush, the sweat, the stress, the realisation that you forgot something important… you might even trip. Suddenly, everything seems to get complicated. And then that loop of frustrated thoughts and emotions that we all know begins.

This may seem like a small thing, but there are experiences that are much more difficult to accept. In my case, there was a time when I suffered from severe back and neck pain. This caused me constant headaches, and I went from having a very active life—hiking in the mountains, cycling, doing yoga inversions, and multi-day treks—to spending much of my day lying down because it was the only way to relieve the pain.

This situation was deeply challenging for me: my idea of ​​myself was that of someone active, energetic, always on the move. And suddenly, I had become a couch cushion (it makes me laugh to put it that way now). The funny thing is that the more I resisted this experience, the more pain I felt. The more I refused to accept that my body needed rest, the more it contracted and the more tension it generated. It was totally counterproductive. Until I realised something very simple: the first thing is to recognise. Recognise that “I am resisting what is happening.” And that simple gesture of awareness already opens a different door.

Make A Different Choice

When you stop for a moment and observe, you discover that there is always a choice.

You can continue to resist, cursing what is happening, or you can pause, breathe (or if you practice Ascension, you can use your favorite technique) and look at the situation with different eyes.

That moment is golden: that’s when you choose to allow.

Magical Signs Of Resistance

I’ve always loved playing, so I invite you to a game: every time you recognise that resistance, take it as a sign to kindly return your attention to this moment.

Here’s a list of “magic signs” that can help you identify it in your daily life:

• Rejection → when you don’t like something and you wish it were different.
• Internal conflict → that shock inside you that makes you feel uncomfortable.
• Contraction → your body tenses and you feel like everything is squeezing you.
• Struggle → fight with reality, go against the current.
• Denial → not accepting what is happening, resisting seeing what is.
• Attachment → feeling trapped in the constant struggle.

Allow And Accept

Allowing doesn’t mean we like something or that we don’t want to change it in the future. It means that, in this moment, you choose to stop fighting reality as it is.

Acceptance is recognising that not everything is under your control. And, magically, in that acceptance, you find enormous freedom: the freedom of not being tied to the constant struggle.

Embrace Life

When you allow and accept, something even deeper emerges: the possibility of embracing what life brings you.

What once seemed like a problem becomes an opportunity to be more present, lighter, more at peace with yourself and with others.

“Resisting nothing” It’s not giving up, but opening up. It’s not resignation, but freedom. It’s choosing to relate to life from a place of trust, not struggle. And there you discover that true power lies not in controlling what happens, but in embracing life itself.

By Arjuna Ishaya

My life used to be all about the outdoors – guiding adventures, teaching in wild places.

I chose that career because it offered an incredible gift: an immediate, rich present moment where my problems simply melted away. For a few blissful hours or days, I’d find reprieve from my mind’s endless loop of worry, frustration, and anxiety about outcomes or what others thought. I’d feel deep gratitude for simple meals, shared campfires, and the true rest that followed a long physical day.

But that silent mind, that simple joy, never lasted.

After the high of a trip faded, my complaining mind would inevitably resurface. I realised then that it wasn’t more time in nature I needed, but a new relationship with the thoughts in my head – the head I carried everywhere.

It could be my best friend, and my worst enemy. I had glimpses of that profound truth: “In life, pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional”.

But how could I capture that? Make it my life attitude?

This became my burning question, one I suspect many of you share: how do we find something more, live something deeper and more authentic, when our own minds often stand in the way?

The Bright Path Ishayas taught me a few critical realisations about this very challenge:

Thoughts Are Opinions And Commentary, Never Reality

Watch your mind, and you’ll see it constantly changing. How tired, hungry, lonely, or even how others have treated you, will colour the character of your thoughts.

Treat these with a pinch of salt – they aren’t the truth. Whatever they’re telling you, you don’t have to listen. The permission to ignore these alone will bring you a great deal of peace.

Your mind is a mercurial, ever-shifting bundle of voices: sometimes encouraging, sometimes damning. You never know what you’ll get, do you? Go on, try and predict your next thought … I’ll wait. And if you’re sitting there thinking, “What voices?” — that’s precisely what I mean.

Do see them as personalities, as voices that might show up. You don’t have to like them, but realise – point two – they aren’t you.

You Are Not Your Thoughts

Watch these voices do their thing – at some point, you’ll realise you are not them. What a revelation! You are the awareness that watches, not the voices themselves.

These characters that pipe up are just like the weather. The weather isn’t personal; it’s not your fault, you didn’t cause it – it’s a force of nature.

These voices are internalised caricatures of your history – your attempts to navigate the world, avoid pain and seek pleasure, influenced by parents, family, friends, and teachers.

We’re rarely taught structured thinking for a good life. Even with enlightened guidance, we seem to prefer learning through direct experience – crashing and burning.

So, what you’re seeing is history, probably harsh and risk-averse, but never now.

But if you assume, and rightly, that these voices aren’t you, then you can let them pass like any storm, watching without being lost.