Live Like a Window: Work Like A MIrror: My review

Open your mind and thoughts to a new way of viewing the word and creating your own understanding of the higher levels of consciousness called enlightenment. A window can have many panes that we look through with the images that are seen beyond it as we look through the glass at the outside world painting different images for each person. Take those same images and place them within the glass of a mirror and the images reflected will be quite different as the reflections of a person’s face or life changes with time so will the level of consciousness or enlightenment change within that mirror or panes of glass that will eventually help you to “Work like a mirror,” and “ Live like a window that when opened leads you to vast opportunities you never knew existed before.

Instinct is something we all have or hope we have. It is being able to understand certain innate thoughts or actions from birth or “Witness consciousness at work as the involuntary “knowing”. When a bird migrates at just the right time or even a simple blade of grass turns toward the sun. When a person slips out of one state and into another whether during an operation or in a coma these are different levels of consciousness. In other words, these abilities that the author defines as “Habitual behavior,” are produced or acted upon as “ unconscious behaviors after thoughtful deliberation as conscious behavior.” For example, a person lighting a cigarette when stress does it without thinking or fights that started within families years ago and no one remembers why but the hate and fight linger one in the present. Before creation and the introduction of time and space according to the author no relationships existed or were possible. “Enlightened awareness and expressing it is why we are here,” as author Mark C. Brown. PH.D. takes us on a journey to helping everyone find his or her own inner peace.

Creating is where the author begins. He takes he reader on the many areas and definitions of Creation consciousness including the form of instinctive sexual attraction, and the part evolution plays. He moves on to cycles, materiality, the self and ego leading up to the second chapter Higher Consciousness. He begins by explaining the idea that like the blades of grass in a lawn people are not as unique as they think they are. Comparing the leaf or blade to an entire tree or being part of a whole lawn or in our case an entire family unit is what makes us feel like an individual. He continues by explaining how evolution comes into play even further and the definition of “rule of existence.” A great example given on page 28 states that it does not matter what religion you are or whether or you a conservative or liberal, it is what we feel is unique about us, which is what others like our neighbors feel is unique about them, too. Elaborating on this statement even further and how evolution is the pathway by which “ consciousness has progressed from the first molecule to the complex human mind where we locate our sense of self. The chapter then moves to a discussion about God, religions and how they continue to be our direct route “ to the reigning deity,” followed by the inclusions of ego, awakening and Eros. This is another basic motivating force in reproduction and survival. It is desire that has great influence as fear in “Ego’s efforts to promote the self.” He asks the reader to remember the first time you fell in love and that the mirror would reflect a smile, a sigh and in many of us a faraway gaze or something else. What do you think?

Defining higher awareness as the place “ on the awareness continuum where we recognize the influence of Ego, desire and all the elements” comprising our identities and how we work within the framework of the world. Reminding everyone the importance of cycling and how it is necessary to the development of consciousness in present time as in creature leading to the future. Going back in time and revisiting our past or second cycle is important in order to learn and remember where we come from. Finally he discusses the third cycle and cycling back in order to learn where we are in the present. Life is really one huge observation and by looking at yourself in the glass of a mirror we hope to realize that we do not always need context and how to step out of it. Followed by personal journeys beginning with Siddhartha.  Stepping out of his comfort zone and realizing that he might we missing out on life itself he decides to leave the compound and safety of his parent’s home and protection to find his own way in the world. Opening his eyes to the world and the many possibilities he realized that he need to break away from tradition and his parent’s way of life. Going out on his own he learned many things and became quite disillusioned as he sought his own students and followers.

Next he explains Eternity Consciousness and how a person can do two seemingly incongruent things at once in other words you are a participant in an activity and het your observe yourself in that activity and action having no sense of fear, desire, need, judgment or goal as the preferred outcome. He continues by giving an example of how you can let events in life happen and living live like a window letting things happen, flow and blow out through the open pane of your window hoping that you will be able to work like a mirror by focusing on your, your friends, workers, family and hoping that you can help that deal with their own noises and commotions in life. Imagine handling situations in a calm way and not overreacting and getting something as two animals apart in a smooth and effective way. There are no emotional upheavals, letdowns and no distress to deal with or come back from. You just did what had to be done, intervened sorted out the situation and then moved on as if the entire situation never happened. Interesting to say the least! But, as the author goes on to describes the incident between the dog and the kitten you learn that you were part of the situation and handled it but you watched it happen and unfold as if you were a disinterested party. Later one you realize that you cannot state or describe what you witnessed. This is called as he states “Witness Consciousness.” He sites many other examples that the reader can read for himself or herself as you take the journey to enlightenment along with this reviewer.

Sharing his views and thoughts on how we can reduce mental and emotional stress that we all endure everyday in our lives, dealing with money factors, jobs, pressures and just plain family life, he hopes that after reading his book, Live Like A Window, Work Like A Mirror you will understand how we view life and change the way you deal with stress.

He explains why things happen, how we deal with bad things and how we can find a way to release our stress, deal with other people and hopefully find unconditional love. Mediation, highly effective therapy for this stress related feelings and situations are all described in this book. How many people do you know that just as we say Go with the Flow and never let things get to them? Can you imagine being that kind of a person? He describes this in detail in the section titled Like A Window. It means that you do not try and control the outcome of a situation, or fight the inevitable and you are at peace with whatever happens. The rest you need to read pages 80-83 to learn for yourself and continue with non-attraction. We move to the second section the definition of Eternity Consciousness, the Quiet Mind and leading up to living eternally everyday.

Equanimity: all thoughts and emotions have the same impact on awareness meaning: none at all. Can you deal with situations without feeling any form of emptiness, no distractions, no need or desire that you are missing something and hopefully no discontent, which will help you, achieve a quiet mind. The rest you need to read as the author continues by helping the reader understand how all-mental states that cycle through our conscious are transient. The author continues with his definition of enlightenment on page 101: Enlightenment is consciousness escaping the gravitational field of Ego. The explanation follows and how we can become window-like and practice eternity consciousness as the path to our most evolved state is reflected and explained in this section titled Meditation. How can we achieve this pure-observer status: Meditation. It is described in detail and how the process works on pages 102-110. 

He concludes by explaining how we can put cycling to use. Special cycling issues are included: finding, identifying and altering what cycles through our minds is difficult to do even under the best conditions or circumstances. Dealing with addictions, how to rid you of them, drug and food addictions are described as well as many disorders are included in this section as the author explains how to deal with them. At the end of the journey we come to Living Eternally preceded by relationships which focuses on becoming mirror like. What does this mean? Simply: looking at a spouse, parent or anyone not by what role they play but as whom they are. It means reflecting him/her as the individual he/she is and “Promoting their autonomy in the process.” The chapter concludes with a discussion of tranquility, humility, non-attachment and unconditional love. How do you find Eternal Consciousness? Read the book and find the meaning for yourself. Try and look at situations and instead of having to have your own personal significance focus your awareness on “ the highly evolved billions of years old progression of consciousness and then ask yourself: Can I do better than that?

This book will help the reader understand how to deal with everyday stress; your own feelings towards yourself and how to work like a mirror and live like a window. Let the bad things flow out of the window and let the strong wind take away the bad and be gone. Mirrors are made to help deal with reflections and if you look real hard and real close you just might see a true difference in yourself. An interesting book which is very thought provoking and really makes the reader look deep within himself/herself to find their inner you and let go of the baggage we all have weighing us down.

Fran Lewis: reviewer