DROPPING BELIEFS
(Cause, Effect and Poverty)
February 6, 2013

(The following was written for an English Class Term Paper at College of the Siskiyous, Weed, CA.)

There is no such thing as cause and effect hence; no poverty.  This is very challenging to share in a world that demands that everyone do what everyone else does.  The challenge is that there is not much “proof” in this world that it is true.  All “proof” seems to point to poverty being real and true. 

So how does one begin to point one away from something that everyone else is agreeing is true? 

It was also once believe that the world was flat (Do you recall what they did to the guy that tried to point it out to them?) “The only things that show up for you are the things that are consistent with your beliefs.” (Austin, First There Is A Mountain, 46.)

Poverty is just a word that says one does not have enough and “enough” depends on the one saying it.  So one must ask; do they have everything they need to be in “life,” in the moment they are in?  This is not about keeping people from having everything that they need.  It is to reveal that what is needed always shows up, and that everything that is needed for the moment one is in; is there.  Excerpt from Siddhartha: “If you come from Samanas, how is it that you are not in need?  Are not all the Samanas completely without possessions?”  I possess nothing,” said Siddhartha, “if that is what you mean.  I am certainly without possessions, but of my own free will, so I am not in need.”  “But how will you live if you are without possessions?”  “I have never thought about it, sir.  I have been without possessions for nearly three years, and I have never thought on what I should live.”  (Hesse, 1951, p.52).

Remove the word “poverty,” and all the beliefs of what “enough” is; and one may begin to see that there is no cause, no effect, and no poverty; there is only “happening.” In spite of all the words that are placed around that happening; life is.  To have cause, effect and poverty they have to be believed in. The word “poverty,” is just saying there is not enough.  If there is a need that is not being met, something will come to meet it, not from cause and effect; but from life happening.   Look towards your own life, hasn’t everything worked out?  You’re are here reading this so it must have.  Life is constant change; no moment, no situation, no one stays the same.  No situation lasts.  There is just and only “happening.”  The goal is to help one to see that there needs to be a future or a past to have cause, effect, or poverty.  Each concept takes one out of the moment they are in.  (PAUSE.) 

This can only be seen (not by reading about it), but by direct investigation;  right NOW.  Stop what you are doing, stop reading this and look around you.  Do not pay attention to the thoughts that are going on, but to what is actually appearing right in front of your face.    You can do this in any moment.  Just STOP.  “You are not the effect and you are not thought, you are the quietness, that is noticing it all.”  (Austin, First There is A Mountain, 243).   You, the one reading this, are the only one saying there is such thing as cause, effect or poverty.

Simple “stopping” is the answer to all the drama of the mind/thoughts.  It is the answer to all questions, as one begins to just stop and allow the question to be answered in Stillness.  The only way for you to begin to see that this is true, is by direct-investigation; then it is truly up to the reader to inquire as to the truth of where they are being pointed.  Are you in poverty?  Do you not have everything you need?  Does not everyone you know have everything they need?

Dropping one’s beliefs; leads to dropping more.  Without “cause” there can be no “effect.”  Eliminating the first; eliminates the second.  Now that the idea has been inserted, one can begin to see if it is true.  Cause and effect are dependent on time; however, time is “man-made.”  There is no true thing as time, it is just a grid, a map placed upon space (vast empty space) so that people can agree to meet and categorize, but an agreement doesn’t make something real.  Remove the “grid/map” and there is nothing but vast space.  Where is past or future in vast space?  Without past and future; cause and effect disappear. 

Now back to the word “poverty.”  Poverty is a state of mind, a belief; neither of which (poverty, or a state of mind) are real.  If something can be changed or altered then it is not real.  In the world it “seems” there must be reasons for everything; however, what is being stated here, is that there are no reasons, causes, or effects, there is only what is happening, in spite of what it is labeled or believed to be.  Poverty is just a story to distract from the moment that one is in.  This is not to say that there are not people in the world that have very little.  This is to begin to point one back to the moment they are in.  The mind/thoughts are set up so that one does not see that the moment is perfect unto itself.  It needs nothing.  Nothing is missing to be in the moment.  You can begin to reveal this now to others.

Be willing to take an honest look around, one can see that everything that is needed to be in the moment is there.  Not what is wanted, but what is needed.  All needs are met.  If this is answered honestly, then there will be a seeing that it has always been this way.  In that recognition, the seeing of cause and effect and the belief in poverty, as not necessary, will begin to shine through.  If you are needed to provided something for another the opportunity will arise, not out of cause and effect, from life happening.  Cause, effect and the concept “poverty,” are all just distractions.  They are set up to keep the mind busily imagining that it can fix and do things, believing that it will create a different outcome.  However, there will be no different outcome, because things are the way they are, and life just happens. 

Life is the gift, the movie that you get to watch.  Your own private showing, with “others” appearing in their own private show to watch also. But they do not watch your movie and you do not watch theirs.  They may inter-mingle, but each has their own seat (the body) to this amazing movie called “Life.” (Austin)

Loosening the grasp on beliefs.  There is the ability to loosen the grasp of the mind/thoughts that say something “should” be different.  Begin to see things exactly as they are; perfect for the moment one is in (not your “beliefs” about what perfect is).  First, by not saying things “should” be some other way than what they are.  Do not go looking for proof of cause, effect, or poverty (you have enough proof).   At least in this moment, allow the possibility that there isn’t any.  With honesty, it can easily be seen.  Keep it simple and to what is only visible in the present moment; the actual present, not imagined (i.e. television, internet, etc.).   Pay attention to what is right in front of your face right now.   In this moment, where is the poverty, where is the cause and effect?  This is not about not helping others, if something needs attention it will show up, not out of cause and effect, but out of “life happening.”  There is no need to worry, if something needs to get done, it will. “You will progress when it is decided that the time has come to progress, and not because you desire it.”  (The Mother, Growing Within, 60)

All beliefs stem from one unanswered question.  If you would like to see through them all; you must begin to ask yourSelf “who am I?”  One has made the assumption that they know who they are by identifying with the body (hence, cause, effect, poverty). However, this has been the ultimate false assumption. Beginning with the question, “Who am I?” first person singular, will begin to place cracks in your belief systems.  Ask and challenge all the questions that come.  Just like you did with cause, effect and poverty.  In this moment do not assume that you know who you are.  Do not accept the answers that come as true.  Take each answer that comes to tell you who you are and investigate. If it is something that can be changed (just like with cause, effect, and poverty), it is not real, because if you can change who you are then who are you, really?  Who changes?  Therefore, begin again, because it is not who you are.  Even the body can be changed, so it cannot be who you are.  Who were you before you were born, who will you be after you die, if you do not know this then how can you know who you are in this moment?  Ask again, “Who am I?” and wait, write down what comes, and if you find it is something that can be changed, ask again and wait.  Process of elimination will lead you to the Truth of who you Are.  No one can do it for you.  You cannot ask anyone but yourSelf, who you are. 

It is up to you, whether this Gift will be received. If you refuse to give up your belief in poverty, then go and find someone in poverty and help them.  Go experience what you call “poverty.”  Maybe going and finding poverty is exactly what you need to begin to see that everyone has what they need to be in the moment they are in.

Ultimately, all beliefs appear because of the belief in the “I” thought.  You will begin to find there is nothing to pray for, no practices necessary, for all things are already handled (even if you don’t like the way they are handled).  Someday you may laugh that you thought you could do it better than the One that actually runs the Show.  The Greatest Show on Earth “Life.”

The following is a conversation between Sri Ramana Maharishi and a visitor to the Ashram on August 23,, 1936.  Visitor:  The world is materialistic. What is the remedy for it?  Maharishi:  Materialistic or spiritual, it is according to your outlook.  Make your outlook right.  The Creator knows how to take care of His Creation.  Visitor:  What is the best thing to do for ensuring the future?  Maharishi:  Take care of the present, the future will take care of itself.  Visitor:  The future is the result of the present.  So, what should I do to make it good?  Or shall I keep still?  Maharashi:  Whose is the doubt?  Who is it that wants a course of action?  Find the doubter.  If you hold the doubter, the doubts will disappear.  Having lost hold of the Self, the thoughts afflict you; the world is seen, doubts arise, also anxiety for the future.  Hold fast to the Self, these will disappear.  (Maharishi, Talks with Sri Ramana Maharishi, 202)

Ultimately, there is no such thing as cause, effect and hence; no poverty.  There is the ability to get off the mind/thoughts that say that they do exist.  To begin to see things exactly as they are; and watch as you act from the moment you are in.  This is the True Gift of Life:  That life shows up to Serve itself, in all it’s many forms.  You will See.  Namaste.  Word count: 1995.

“The greatest barrier to discovery is not ignorance … 
it is the illusion of knowledge.”  ~Wayne Austin

Works Cited

Aurobindo, Sri and Mother, The, Growing Within – The Psychology of Inner Development, 1992.  Print

Austin, Wayne G.  Dialogues With a Master, 1999.  Print. 

Austin, Wayne.  First There Is a Mountain, 2013.  Print. 

Austin, Wayne G., First There Is A Mountain, Reference Point, 7, 2013.
  http://www.ftiam.org/-9-reference-point.html

Hesse, Hermann, Siddhartha, 1951.  Print. 

Maharishi, Sri Ramana, Talks with Sri Ramana Maharishi, 1955.  Print 

     Austin, Wayne G., Fear and the Light of Truth, 2003.  Video 

(http://www.nothingtolearn.org/fear-and-the-light-of-truth.html)

     Watts, Alan, The Real You, 2012.  Video

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMRrCYPxD0I)