SOUL

Holymoly the measure decriminalizes the personal possession, use and growing of them. I have experience in the cultivation of them so maybe I should pack my bags and head for Denver hehe.

I changed the wording of my search to include 'passed' and then there were reports from local sources confirming it passed by a razor thin margin. I guess even search engines can't believe it to be true haha.

Every report I have read said the measure was rejected unfortunately. Does anyone have a link to a credible site that has the ballot results because in my search I haven't found one saying it passed?

Don't get green ones.........

Wait......if the past and future are an illusion then...... What future?

The irony of 'being', which is effortless as you accurately state, is the amount of effort it can take to cease chasing the incessant activity the mind wants to distract awareness with. So often many expend much effort just to effortlessly 'be' even though it doesn't require that effort to transcend the distraction. Instead of methods and techniques of practice the only 'effort' one expends in effortless being is in the nonactivity of not pursuing the mind's distractions. In that awarenese of effortless being our daily activities are an expression of that harmonious presence of being.

I don't think I said anything about ego so your point is an illusion @Inliytened1

It's for survival. The mind is always modeling reality in a virtual conceptual paradigm using past experience to assess and understand present experience as well as anticipate potential future experience. If the mind didn't do this we probably would be in a perpetual state of fear and confusion from a survival perspective. Even though the mind is constantly modeling experience in this way there is a part of our conscious experience that is always present in the moment which is observing the mind processing experience this way. We also have as part of our conscious experience an ability to be aware of the observer of the mind's processes. Being present can be understood as this awareness not being consumed by the mind's processes even if the observer of the mind is attentive to what is going on in the mind to sustain life. Don't let people lead you to believe that there is anything wrong or bad with the mind doing what the mind does or that the observer of the mind is doing what it does. That would be a limiting belief which can cause self suffering because it's virtually impossible to cease all mind activities and still physically function to survive. The simple approach is to be accepting of the natural expression of consciousness and the manifest existence and not allow it to cause self suffering by rejecting or fighting with it. Even though we're accepting of it we don't have to believe it and that is the way we don't attach to the content which can be a source of self suffering. The most challenging part of this is to act in a way that promotes well being and physical survival without creating a dogmatic belief system around our conceptual framework and behavior. The mind is a believer, the observer of the mind can decide on something but in awareness we don't have to believe to be present.

Prayer is a powerful psychological tool in harnessing intentional and emotional energy for personal work but if one will believe in what some suggest is possible in effecting the manifest to the degree asserted then that can be another source of self suffering.

The clearest assessment of your statement comes from your own words Well said.

The ego is exposed by awakening so it will conjure up anything and everything it can to discourage and distract us from being attentive to presence.

You talk so beautifully and eloquently about this life experience in integrated ways so what leads you to believe that the 'spiritual journey' is separate from living life? There is nothing to 'do' to 'be present' and even if things in life distract our awareness away from presence. Integrating presence with normal life of being a mom and wife is your 'spiritual journey'.....your mission impossible so to speak.,... If you choose to accept it. Being present will only blossom through your experience of the life you are living and the challenge is not letting life distract you from presence.

In a relativistic way denying suggests separation but accepting suggests unity.

Is it really a denying of the self or is it accepting a presence of being that transcends the sense of self? Hehe

Well, I said realize presence but to initially recognize presence can lead to making It real. Although presence is awakened as a direct experience when it is realized in us. Do you judge your judging? It's not about the types or amount of activity and content that happens in the mind, it's the attachment to it, the story can distract from being present. Even the narrative of not attaching to the story can be a distraction if we allow it. The mind doesn't want the simplicity of presence, it wants the complicated story and will generate it in everything.