Loch Kelly - Shift into Freedom: The Science and Practice of Open-Hearted Awareness

To Paige, for all her love, support, and inspiration

A human being is part of the whole, called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the resta kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive.

ALBERT EINSTEIN, THE WORLD AS I SEE IT, 1934

CONTENTS

FOREWORD BY ADYASHANTI

A new spirituality is dawning in which old ideologies are being reexamined, familiar assumptions are being challenged, and a new birth of teachings and teachers is flowering. At times such as these, when there is a flourishing of spiritual teachings, we need great clarity and discrimination in order to navigate the changing waters and to remain oriented toward what is authentic and mature.

In so many ways our modern life is characterized by change, insecurity, and the opening of new and creative possibilities. Amidst all of this flux and change, our hearts reach out in yearning for deeper forms of connection and wisdom that speak to the human desire for awakening to the sacred dimension of life, not only in the form of transcendence, but also in the form of embodying the sacred within our own humanity as well as in the creative expression of our lives.

Awakening is no longer seen as the exclusive purview of cloistered religious adepts; it is now seen as available to every human being regardless of background, social class, or religious persuasion. And while this new open-mindedness is a great blessing for us all, we need to remain mindful of the challenges and demands that any authentic form of spirituality presents us with. The evolution of the old forms of spiritual practice into new forms is an extremely important matter that requires great spiritual insight and dedication to retaining the profound wisdom of the old traditions while embracing the ever-changing context of secular life. The possibility of democratizing spiritual freedom is upon us, but it is we who must remain faithful to assuring that this new opening of possibilities be grounded in authentic and mature spiritual insight.

We are in need of straightforward, direct, and approachable forms of spirituality that are firmly grounded in the ancient wisdom traditions of our ancestors, while at the same time fully embracing the modern wisdom of both psychology and science. And while good and useful maps of this inclusive terrain of liberation are important, we also need wise and loving guides and mentors who themselves embody the road aheadlest we end up staring at the map instead of taking the journey ourselves. This is no small task, but it is a necessary task if we are to continue to evolve our experiential knowledge of who and what we are, and to embody ever greater vistas of freedom and love in this ever-changing world of ours. For our human heart cries out for freedom, just as the heart of the world cries out for our wise and loving participation within it.

The book you now hold in your hands is, I believe, a great treasure of ancient, modern, and creatively new spiritual teachings uniquely suited to the challenges of awakening, embodying, and expressing in ones daily life, the deepest revelations of our true nature. In my many years of knowing and working with Loch Kelly, I feel that he is one of the clearest expressions of authentic awakened freedom and love that I know. His laughter and warmth always fill me with good cheer, and his vast experience and inclusiveness of all the dimensions of our shared humanity is a rare and welcomed aspect of his buoyant personality. This book is a shining gem in the modern spiritual landscape. One that invites you, challenges you, and requires you to fully participate in your awakening to truth and the embodiment of love.

The title of this book, Shift Into Freedom, hints at the immediacy and practicality of the teachings within it, as well as Loch Kellys desire to present these teachings in the most available and useful form possible. Shift Into Freedom is wise and loving medicine for anyone who is ready to take responsibility for their own liberation here and now, for the teachings in this book put all the tools for liberating yourself in body, mind, and spirit into your own hands. There is no teacher worshiping here, no belief required, no theology to ascribe tojust direct, immediate, and practical guidance that evolved from Lochs vast experience and deep commitment to the whole spectrum of human potential and his desire to awaken to spiritual freedom. The intricate commitment to clarity and practicality that went into writing this book is a gift to us all and I, for one, am grateful for Lochs lifelong commitment to the dharma and to his dedication to presenting these powerful teachings in such a contemporary and approachable way.

INTRODUCTION

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

MARY OLIVER, FROM THE SUMMER DAY

I remember it was one of those cold, clear winter nights. As my college library closed its doors, I began to trudge up the steep hill to my dorm. My body was exhausted; my heart was heavy with grief as my mind pored over the events of the past year. Id lost my father, whod been battling brain cancer for two years. My grandmother, who had been living with our family for twelve years, had recently passed on. And then a month later, one of my best friends died in a tragic car accident. Id been plunged deep into the river of old age, sickness, and deathand I was trying to swim or at least stay afloat.

Halfway up the hill, I heard a loud thought in my mind: I dont know if you can take this much pain. I stopped and stood still. Who was talking and who couldnt take the pain? I turned within and looked for who was talking, but to my surprise found open space. My thoughts quieted and my heart broke wide open. The weight of my despair lifted, and I felt not only relief but also pervasive joy, wellbeing, and love streaming through my being. Tears ran down my cheeks, and I laughed and cried at the same time. I looked up at the stars sparkling in the boundless night sky, feeling connected and supported.

As I stood there, breathing deeply, I noticed that my usual sense of self was gone, yet I felt fully embodied and alive. From that night onward I could feel the grief, but there was more space and compassion to help me feel my emotions without being overwhelmed. I even remember thinking that I, too, would die one daybut even that seemed okay. Something had changed and a new process had begun. I realized that I had the freedom to choose to do anything with my life.

The experience showed me the possibility that consciousness can shift unintentionally, but at that time I didnt yet know how to let go and shift into it intentionally. Now, my motivation for writing this book is to provide a clear guide to awakening, written in modern languagea guide I would have liked to read myself in the midst of my own journey. Writing has been a labor of love underlied by the intention to share these tools with you.

Back then, I shared my experience with a few close friends, but no one could relate. So I began to seek understanding by reading about other peoples similar experiences. At the time, Id just finished