Mary: Hi, James. Thanks for your email. I’m totally jealous that you are on the Mediterranean!

I don’t actually need any support right now, so no call is necessary. I just wanted to share with you that I’m back in Freedomland, which is not a location. Let’s say I truly know who I am these days. Your support over these last months has been really helpful. I could have easily slipped back into the old mindset.

I’ve been watching Swami Sudhananda’s DVDs most mornings and reading your book, and pay attention, and Mary-object just realized again who I really am. Mary still has to do self-inquiry every day. I can really see now why a quiet lifestyle is needed. I’m giving myself as much time as I need first and work gets whatever is left over. So I watch the DVD and do self-inquiry before I get around to working. And that has proven very powerful. So on one hand, there still seems to be “effort” involved, but it’s not a burden and that’s what Mary needs right now to know the self. I don’t journal anymore, because it feels like giving attention to what’s not real, but I am reflecting on self-inquiry/contemplation questions that come up in your book and Sudhananda’s DVDs, although I don’t do that every day.

And work is moving along even with such little attention. It is interesting to work daily now on something that I know isn’t important. Yet pretend I care. And on some level I do care and like getting kids out of horrible living conditions into a future of practical possibilities. I also think I might start writing movie scripts again because it’s fun to do and maybe I can make money out of it now that I am not going to be making much money doing what I am doing. I don’t feel bothered by the income, it just would be nice to have flowing fun money.

Anyways, gotta run. I have an unusual day with back-to-back meetings, the first time since I started working. So I guess I have to earn my paycheck today.

All my best, eat good food!