This is very personal text…

**I wrote this last year in 2018 during my 10 day meditation**

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This is very personal text. I can only write about it because I have experienced it. It is neither positive nor negative information. Read this with an open mind. You might find some truth and be able to relate.

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Behind all happiness lies misery.

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Let me be frank with you. Life is full of misery! I’m not trying to sound pessimistic, but the moment we accept this truth we have the power to turn misery into happiness.

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We should all live a peaceful, happy, pleasant and optimistic life. From the day we are born, the birth starts with misery. Then the whole life full of misery. Misery of disease. Misery of hard labor. Misery of old age. Misery of hunger. Misery of things happening that you don’t like. Misery of things not happening that you do like. This whole life is full of misery and we try to run away from it. But there is nowhere to run, because wherever you go you’ll find yourself there too.

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These are my insights of why misery exists in the first place, and how to avoid it and live a fulfilled, happy, peaceful and harmonious life.

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It has been 10 years since I was re-born after a horrific motorcycle accident. The time passed so quickly. What have I learned during the past 10 years?

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It is day 5 of my 10 day meditation and fasting session. I am starting to feel the energy flow around my body. The sensations are constant. If I don’t react, I can observe them arising and disappearing. I can feel the changes taking place at a deep physical level. Soon, I will go deeper. My mind is steady, and reveals to me the seeds which have been planted. Without reacting I observe myself when a thought arises.

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Everything starts at the level of the mind. All vocal or physical actions are projections of the mind.

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The body can be a temple or a prisons. Take good care of your body and what you put into it. Mistreat your body, and you are bound to be miserable.

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To reach higher awakening one must start at the surface of the body. To understand the law of nature, one must turn inward.

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A mind can be a wonderful tool if used properly. Untrained and undisciplined mind is destructive; self-destructive.

Everything begins at the base of the mind, the entire law of nature dwells there. With the base of impure mind, misery will follow. With the base of pure and wholesome mind, happiness will follow wherever you go, like a shadow. All results in life are products of the mind. The fruits that grow depend on the seeds that are planted.

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..But I am not speaking about the intellectual mind.

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You are the master, and your mind is the slave. But for so long your mind has taken the master role that even the master believes the slave is the master.

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Every reaction creates a sensation. Reactions are like deep engravings. One or two reactions is like drawing a line into sand, it is easily wiped out and eliminated. But the more times we react it’s like engraving a deep line into a rock. It could take a life time to polish it smooth again. Do you have the right tools?

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It’s not about achieving this or that. It’s about being free. Free to dance like nobody is watching. Free to sing like nobody is listening. Free to express yourself without the fear of being judged. Free to love, to love freely and unconditionally. Freedom to just be.

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If you live 100 years, you have a chance to witness 36,524 sunsets and sunrises. How many have you witnessed recently? Sunsets and sunrises are full of prana (life-force-energy).

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We are given one chance to fully explore this beautiful life and make the most of the short time we spend on planet earth as human beings. But how to live?

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We lose ourselves in meaningless drama and useless material things. We lie to ourselves and chase broken dreams. We attach ourselves to situations, things, beliefs, and people and believe we are something which we are not. If we all stood naked next to each other, could you tell the difference between a doctor and a beggar?

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The power of letting go. The freedom of being free. The art of living. Isn’t it time we learn the art of dying? Shouldn’t we live in a way when it’s time to die we die with a smiling happy face. A man who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave.

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Change. Everything is changing. Nothing is permanent. Everything is impermanence. Stop resisting change! What we resist, persist.

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Attachments. The deeper the attachment the deeper the misery. The stronger the attachment the stronger the misery. Attachment are bound to bring miseries.

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What we attach to will eventually change. Break the chains of attachments. Attachments to I, me, my or mine.

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Thoughts. We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world. Thoughts are things, they have tremendous power. Thoughts of doubt and fear are pathways to failure. Thoughts crystallize into habits, and habits solidify into circumstances.

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The mind is the headquarters. Discipline your mind. When you say you are going to do something, do it! Otherwise you scar your character.

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The mind only knows two dimensions, the past and the future. The mind is scared, petrified, of the present moment. Untrained mind doesn’t know how to be in the present moment. If you try to be in the present moment, the mind will become rebellious. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, try being still and observing your breath for 20 seconds.
So? How’d you do? How many thoughts crossed your mind?

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We replay the history in our minds, over and over, unconsciously, not realizing these thoughts create all present feelings and emotions which are the source of our actions. Pay close attention to where your mind is going and why you feel the way you feel. Your actions will change when you learn to listen to the pattern of your thoughts.

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You are not what you think you are. Shape your thoughts just right, and you will fit into society perfectly. Think outside of the box and you might become ostracized, like a black sheep in a herd of white sheep.

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Anger, jealousy, greed and need for power are all diseases and delusions of the mind, and are very infectious. Do I need to say more?

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We are slaves to fears and desires. These are two factors that control our life. When a fear arises in our mind we immediately react and seek for solutions. When a desire arises in our mind there is an immediate reaction of feel good hormones. We chase desires and run away from fears.

We fear death and we desire life. Yet we do things to support our fears and dream of things we wish to be in our life.

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Do I have the order right? Are you still with me? Does any of this make sense to you? Concentrate! Meditate!

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Without concentration there can be no success in life. Without the ability to meditate how can you enjoy life? What we call enjoyment is temporary. Vacations and parties will eventually end. The new car will not feel so new in couple of years. Seasons will change. People will come and go. Real enjoyment and happiness comes from within. Only then can happiness follow us wherever we go.

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Cause and effect. For every cause there is an effect. Remove the cause and the effect disappears. Are you still asking yourself why something happened? Don’t you remember your actions that led to all the reactions? For every action has an opposite and equal reaction.

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Observe your pain. Don’t react. Reacting will double the pain and become mental suffering.

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Observe your thoughts. Your habitual way of thinking is shaping your life. The pattern of your thoughts started at an early age. If you aren’t happy with where your life is going, change the way you think.

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Look at things from a different angle. Change the way you see things, and the things you see will change.

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Observe your mind. Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Even Hitler could have chosen to be Jesus, but he chose to believe the delusions of his mind.

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Observe your body. Feel the sensations. These sensations are always present as your body changes with age. If I took a picture of your face today, and I took another picture of your face 20 years from today, you would see an obvious change in the way you look. Could you feel that change taking place? Visually you can see it, but could you feel it happening? Be still and go deep within yourself. This is enjoyment, to be present with change.

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If you feel 2 sensations on your body, one is a big sensation, and the other is a small, subtle sensation, observe the subtle sensation. Your mind will become sharper and eventually you will go deeper to the roots of your true being, and begin to understand the law of nature.

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The power of stillness. We are always on the go forgetting to create stillness. Stillness of the body and stillness of the mind. Maintaining stillness is the route into the present moment and allowing for the birth of wisdom.

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The power of Simplicity. This is the key to happiness. Keep it simple man! Why complicate things. Ohhh you are looking for something special? You heard somebody talking about how you can feel this or feel that? Keep it simple! You can reach a higher level of consciousness beyond anything you have ever experienced by following an easy to use formula: simplicity and repetition. Chose one or two things that work for you and repeat it often. Don’t be scared of commitment, it will become natural in your life and life will become more interesting.

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Truth will set you free. Tell the truth! It’s better to hear the ugly truth then a polished lie.

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The power of acceptance. Acceptance can be difficult for many people. How can I accept something when I wanted a different outcome? We hold on to the idea of how things should be. We replay the story in our head and soon enough we begin to feel like a victim. This mental suffering becomes deep misery. Letting go of control sets us free. What we accept becomes a part of who we are and opens our life to new opportunities.

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The power of a hug. Hug often. When you hug, hold twice as long as you normally do. Be a risk taker and try holding 3 times longer. Hugging will activate something indescribable inside of you and the person you are hugging. Hugging is therapeutic and puts your body and mind at ease. If there is nobody to hug, go out and hug a tree. You will feel Mother-Earth’s love flow through the cells of your body.

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The power of friendships. Surround yourself with people that will help you grow. I once heard, ‘If you want to get to know somebody, take a look at their friends.’ Friends should challenge you and your beliefs. Friends should comfort you in time of need. Friends should motivate you to become all that you can be. Friends should make you laugh. After all, laughter is the best medicine known to man.

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The power of laughter. Be discipline but don’t be serious. Laugh often. It will make you feel good and you’ll attract people into your life. People like being around other people that make them feel good and relaxed. Laughter also strengthens your immune system and metabolism, helping you burn those unwanted calories J

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The power of now. Now is all we have. Be present. Be alert. Be aware. Live life with full awareness.

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If you ever find yourself standing at a crossroad and unsure which way to go, remember this. If You go left it’s not right. If you go right there is nothing left. If you go back there is nothing there. Put your bags down and empty-handed walk straight ahead into the unknown. Take the road less traveled.

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If you need to choose between an easy road or a hard road, always take the hard road. Taking the easy road will take you around a circle back to the starting point again. Taking the hard road will develop you and help you grow.

When you walk, walk 40% slower. Try it. You will immediately feel a sense of calm. You will see more, feel more, and enjoy more.

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Ground yourself often. Planet earth is your home. Take off your shoes. Shoes are the worst man made invention. They insulate you and separates you from oneness with all that is. Take of your shoes and walk barefoot on grass or soil in nature . It’s simple and the effects are awesome.

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Practice yoga. Your body is a beautiful instrument, learn how to play it. Your body is a tool, learn how to use it. Your body is a vehicle, maintain it. Your body is a shelter and your personal temple, live pleasantly with it. Your mind is the driver, learn how to operate it.

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Let go of the past. The past is history. Let go of the illusions of the future. The future is a mystery. The present is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.

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Denis Dronjić
Director of Bikram Joga Ljubljana in Rudnik