It's my life...and I want it back!

IT’S MY LIFE

... AND I WANT IT BACK!

A GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL FREEDOM

BOBBÉ

This ebook is published by Robert Quesnel at Smashwords.

Copyright 2011 by Robert Quesnel

For any information you may contact the author directly by e-mail at guidebobbe@gmail.com. You may also visit his website at: http://www.guidebobbe.ca

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to YOU, the reader. This book concerns YOU, regardless of your age, race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, social class or status, religious or political affiliation. You ALL seek happiness, you ALL have the same dreams and aspirations, and you ALL suffer from the enslavement that has been cast upon you from innumerable sources. You do not realize the extent of your enslavement for the simple reason that you remain deeply asleep. This book is about YOU, about the possibility for YOU to wake up, break the chains, and reclaim the freedom that is your birthright.

Life is like a bad dream.

You suffer,

You feel miserable,

You are plagued with problems,

You feel trapped.

It's a nightmare!

But there is a solution.

All you have to do is

WAKE UP!

And the nightmare is over.

Yes, It IS that simple.

- Bobbé

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Author’s note

Introduction

Acceptance

Ambition

Anger

Attachment

Authenticity

Authority

Awakening

Awareness

Beauty

Being

Belief

Cause

Change

Character

Chasing

Children

Choice

Comparing

Compassion

Competition

Completeness

Conditioning

Conflict

Consciousness

Consolation

Contentment

Control

Creativity

Crime and Punishment

Darkness

Death

Desire

Destiny

Different

Direction vs. Destination

Discipline

Division

Doing

Dreaming

Duality

Duty

Education

Effort

Ego

Energy

Enlightenment

Equality

Escape

Expectations

Experience

Fear

Fighting

Forcing

Forgiveness

Freedom

Future

Giving

Goals

God

Gratitude

Guilt

Happiness

Hate

Head

Heart

Heaven and Hell

Homosexuality

Humiliation

Idealism

Identification

Illusion

Image

Imagination

Impermanence

Individual vs. Collective

Influence

Insight

Instinct

Intellect

Intelligence

Intuition

Jealousy

Joy

Judging

Kindness

Knowledge vs. Knowing

Labelling

Laughter

Law

Let-Go

Life

Love

Loyalty

Marriage

Meditation

Memory

Mind

Misery

Mistakes

Monogamy

Mystery

Obedience

Offence

Past

Patience

Peace

Personality

Philosophy

Possession

Present Moment

Problems

Reaction

Reality

Reasoning

Regret

Reincarnation

Relationship

Relaxation

Religion

Repression

Responsibility

Rules

Scriptures

Security

Self

Selfishness

Separation

Shoulds

Silence

Sin

Slavery

Soul

Spirituality

Spontaneity

Success

Suffering

Tension

Thinking

Time

Transcendence

Transformation

Trust

Truth

Understanding

Violence

War

What Is

Wisdom

Witnessing

Worry

About the Author

AUTHOR'S NOTE

After having gone through an emotional and financial roller-coaster in the prior years, it was in early 2009 that I was finally inspired to quit my job, leave Canada and embark on a long-term spiritual journey. I did not know what to expect from this journey; all I knew was that it was going to be spiritual in nature, that my life would be transformed, and that I would never go back to my old way of living. This journey took me first to the Himalayas where I found peace for the first time in a very long time. As indicated earlier, this was going to be a spiritual journey. This meant that I would find peace and reconnect with what some might call my centre, and what I call the essence of what I am. Unbeknownst to me, spirituality was much more than that. It is through spirituality that I reconnected with Universal Wisdom. It is through spirituality that I finally understood the difference between reality and illusion. It is through spirituality that I gained an appreciation that awareness and understanding are an integral part in the awakening process that leads to personal transformation, transcendence and absolute freedom.

This book is not about spirituality; it is about freedom. Yet, absolute freedom is not possible without spirituality. I know from my own experience that awareness and understanding are crucial in the search for freedom. Freedom is not to be found outside; it is to be found within. That's what spirituality means: going within. And the best thing about all this is that no effort is required. No discipline is required. Just remember to be aware and stop thinking. Leave all preconceived ideas and prejudices aside. Just ask the questions that are presented to you in this book. Clear your mind and wait for the answers. You CAN have your life back. You CAN be free again.

INTRODUCTION

A MESSAGE FROM THE VOICE OF UNIVERSAL WISDOM

Hi, I am the Voice of Universal Wisdom. Nice to meet you again. It's been a long time. In fact, you were only a small child the last time we talked. You have been so busy and distracted that you completely forgot about me. I hope we can get reacquainted. There is so much I want to share with you. Will you let me be your friend again? Can I be your best buddy? Like in the old days? I know that the Voice of Ego is your friend now. But I am so much better than him. You see, I am more of an angel and he is more of a devil. Of course, the choice is yours if you want to stay friend with him. But if you give me a chance, I promise I will not disappoint you.

Let me explain to you how you can get in touch with me. Ask questions. Question everything. Clear your mind. And wait for the answer. Your mind must be absolutely clear! Forget what you know! Be innocent! Start from scratch! Stop thinking, stop talking and start listening! Otherwise you will not hear me. I speak through your heart, not through your head. I speak through your intuition, not through your intellect. That is why this book is full of questions. I don't give you information. I don't give you advice. I don't tell you what to do. I just tell you that it is by asking questions that you will get answers. It is through asking the right questions that you will find the truth. But don't try to answer those questions yourself. No. That's where many seekers go wrong! Why? Because if you try to answer the questions through intellect, the answer will come from the Voice of Ego. The answer will come from without. And not from within. This is where your enslavement comes from - from without.

Let the answers come to you. That's what wisdom is all about. You see, you and I are not really separate. I, the Voice of Universal Wisdom, is not separate from you. I am you. I am the part of you that you have forgotten. I am within you. It is simply a matter of accessing me. But in order to do so, the Voice of Ego must be put aside. Do you think that some people are wise? Well, actually, there is no such thing as a wise person. If a person seems wise, it is because this person has chosen to listen to me, the Voice of Universal Wisdom.

SLAVERY HAS NOT BEEN ABOLISHED

Do you really think that slavery has been abolished? Do you really think that you are free? Or is slavery more rampant than ever? I, the Voice of Universal Wisdom, say to you: you are a slave. As you may have noticed from the cover of this book, you are a slave to the Ego, the Past and the Future, Vested Interests and Relationships. Let me explain them one by one:

The Ego

You are a slave to the Ego because it controls your life, in more ways than you can imagine. The Ego is more interested in its own survival than in your well-being. The Ego is the false you, the false self, and it does everything it can to stop you from listening to me, the Voice of Universal Wisdom, and also to stop you from finding out who you really are, as this would mean the death of the Ego. Ego-oriented activities include, but are not limited to: argumentation, attachment, comparing, competition, conflict, control, debating, division, duality, identification, judging, labelling, personality, problems, separation, incessant thinking, taking things personally, and war.

The Past and the Future

You are a slave to the past and the future. Some people more so to the past. Some people more so to the future. Do you always dwell on the past? Are feelings of guilt, remorse and regret always on your mind? Do you feel that you have a bleak future ahead of you because your past has not been good to you? Did something happen to you in the past? Something that you cannot get over? Someone that you cannot forgive? Is the past haunting you in any way, shape or form? If so, you are a slave to the past. Are you ambitious? Do you have all kinds of desires and believe that you will be happier and more successful in the future? Is your life filled with expectations? Is your life filled with fear? Are you always chasing after something? Are you always trying to escape the present moment? Is the future something you think about all the time? Do you worry about your future? If so, you are a slave to the future.

Vested Interests

You are a slave to vested interests. Vested interests are those who have a personal stake in the way you live your life. Vested interests will do whatever it takes to condition you in a way that makes it easier for them to control you. Vested interests do not care about you. They care about their own interests. This may not always seem apparent. It may seem as if they are looking after your best interest. And sometimes they sincerely believe that they are looking after YOUR best interest. But they are fooling themselves, and they are fooling you. It is time for you to wake up. It is time for them to wake up. So who has vested interests? Politicians, religions, media, corporations, all levels of government, justice systems, anybody who tries to sell you anything, anybody who wants you to believe in anything, anybody who tries to control any of your actions, anybody who tells you that you are not what or who you should be, anybody who gives you codes of conduct or morality. Yes, even parents have vested interests.

Relationships

You are a slave to relationships. A relationship implies two or more people who have something in common or relate to each other in some way. A very common relationship is a love relationship. Once you become a couple, you have lost part of your freedom. You become a slave to loyalty, faithfulness, monogamy, jealousy and possessiveness. And once you get married, you have lost all freedom. Society becomes your master. Religion becomes your master. Your spouse becomes your master. The law becomes your master. The justice system becomes your master. There are chains between you and society, between you and the law, between you and religion, between you and your spouse. You have lost all sense of identity. You are no longer an individual. You have lost the ultimate freedom. Relationships also include friendships, boss and employee relationships, brother and sister and all other family relationships.

Do not despair. There are simple ways to break ALL the chains of slavery. You will find all the answers you need in this book, if you take the time to ask the questions and wait for the answers. Remember, those answers can only come from me, the Voice of Universal Wisdom. Don't listen to the Voice of Ego. It is not interested in your freedom.

HOW TO READ THIS BOOK

This is no ordinary book. It is not a book that you read from beginning to end. It is not a book in which you will highlight some passages, learn a few lessons and forget about the rest. Everything in this book is important. Everything in this book is relevant to your slavery. Everything in this book is relevant to your reclaiming your freedom. This book does not provide any advice. This book does not tell you what to do. This book is not meant to entertain you in any way. This book is not one in which you act as a spectator, like reading a story or watching a movie. To get the most out of this book, you must be a full participant in it.

The main content of this book is divided into 150 different subjects that relate to your life. Read the CONTENT section and start with the subjects that catch your attention first. Subjects are listed in alphabetical order. Each subject presents questions and only questions. You will get the best results if you clear your mind, forget all opinions, ideas or prejudices you may have, and read the questions slowly and carefully. Most importantly, forget what you know, or what you think you know. If you think you already know, you cannot be receptive to me, the Voice of Universal Freedom. At the end of each subject there is a See also section which refers you to other subjects that are directly related to the subject you just contemplated on. Moving on to those other subjects will certainly help you in deepening your overall understanding of the truth. And remember, the more you contemplate on all the subjects, the deeper your understanding, the greater your chances of transcendence and transformation, and the greater the possibility that you will break free from the chains of enslavement for good.

Do not underestimate the power of asking yourself whether something is natural, existential or man-made? Whether something is real or illusory? The answer to these questions could be the deciding factor as to whether you will keep them or drop them. That's why I have included those questions under every subject in this book.

Do not try to read through each subject as if you were reading a chapter in a book. You will quickly notice that this book is not designed to be read that way. Take your time and contemplate each question carefully. Let the answer come to you. Sometimes you will get the answer right away. Sometimes it will take time. If you don't get an answer, you can move on to the next question. Some questions will bring answers to you. Some will not. And that is perfectly OK. Pay attention to where the answer comes from. From within? Or from without? From me, the Voice of Universal Wisdom? Or from the Voice of Ego?

This book is not meant to be read all at once. Rather, it is a tool that is to be used as a reference, just as you would use religious scriptures, in order to understand what is happening to you or around you. Let this book be your own personal scriptures; an indispensable tool in your journey towards full liberation and absolute freedom.

Let me give you some words of caution – you may think that some of the content of this book is controversial. But is it really? Is anything controversial? Or does your thinking make it so? You may think that some of the content in this book is offensive? But is it really? Is anything offensive? Or does your reacting to it make it so? Any preconceived ideas you may have about this book or about any of the subjects discussed in this book, will surely limit your ability to hear my voice, the Voice of Universal Wisdom. Remember, the Voice of Ego loves controversy and all other kinds of conflict because that is how it keeps you enslaved. That is how it remains the master of your life. If you feel that a question touches a nerve, it means that the Ego feels threatened, and not the real you. Nothing can threaten the real you. So don't let anything get in the way of your freedom.

DON'T BELIEVE A WORD I SAY

I, the Voice of Universal Wisdom, speak from my own authority. This means that I know the truth of what I am talking about and only speak about things that I know. Reading this, you may be tempted to believe that everything I say is true, just because I say so. This is one of the greatest errors of humanity. You have been conditioned to believe. You have been conditioned to believe in others. You have been conditioned to look up to authorities and believe whatever they say. You have been conditioned to look for answers outside of yourself. Nobody has ever told you that the truth can only be found within. Yes, there are people who know the truth. People who understand the truth. And you can listen to them or read their books. But you are not to believe in them or in what they say. You are to see for yourself whether what they say is true or not. You cannot do that by believing. The only way to know for yourself, whether what someone says is the truth or not, is to ask the question to me, the Voice of Universal Wisdom, and wait for the answer. The answer will come to you in the form of experience or insight. You will see the truth. There will be no need to believe in it. There will be no need to believe in anything. Drop the word belief from your vocabulary, and you will have broken one of the chains that keep you enslaved.

THIS IS YOUR LIFE!

As the title of this book suggests, this is YOUR life! Why let others control it? Why let others influence you? Why let others decide for you what or who you should be? Why let others decide your future for you? Why let others tell you what to do? Why let others tell you how you should behave? Why let others tell you what you should buy? Why let others tell you what you should believe? Why let others decide for you what is right and what is wrong? Why let others tell you how to live your life? Why should you look up to anyone? Why should you believe in anyone?

Break all the chains and take your life back. Absolute freedom is your birthright. Freedom is the highest value.

IT’S MY LIFE

... AND I WANT IT BACK!

ACCEPTANCE

Do you easily accept the way things are? Or do you resist? Is it easier for you to accept or resist?

Where does acceptance come from? Is it natural? Existential? Or a man-made concept?

What is acceptance? What is implied by acceptance? That you simply accept that things are just the way they are? That you accept the things that people do without any judgement? Without any condemnation? Without any criticism? Without any disapproval?

If you don't accept something, does it mean that you reject it? That you resist it? Do you think in terms of acceptance or rejection? Acceptance or resistance? Is true acceptance the absence of rejection? The absence of resistance? Or is true acceptance the absence of both acceptance and rejection? Acceptance and resistance? Is true acceptance the simple knowing that things are the way they are?

Why do you reject anything? Why is it so difficult for you to accept everything the way it is? Is it because you have a vision, an idea of the way things should be? And you have difficulty accepting anything that is not in line with your vision or idea? Is it because you have been conditioned that way?

Does acceptance mean that you cannot change anything? Even when it is possible to make changes? If it is something that you can indeed change, what would happen if you first accepted the fact, and then went about making changes? Would your acceptance make a difference? Would it have an effect on the changes that you would make?

Do you think that it is reasonable that we try to change something that already is? Would acceptance be more reasonable? For example, let's say that you feel miserable today for some reason. Which would be better: to try and fight this feeling or to just accept it? What difference does it make if you accept it or not? Is there any difference? Will the misery you feel today come and go or will it last forever? If it comes and goes, then is it really a problem? Does it help if you fight with it and wish it away? What will happen if you just accept that today you feel miserable, knowing that this too shall pass?

Do you curse yourself and wish you were different? Perhaps more beautiful or more intelligent? Or do you accept yourself just the way you are? Do you accept the fact that you will grow old one day? Or do you try everything in your power to stay young and beautiful for as long as possible? Is growing old inevitable? Is death inevitable? What would happen if you accepted the inevitability of old age? And stopped worrying about it? What if you just concentrated on the present moment instead? Would your life turn for the better? Would you be happier? Would you feel more at ease? At peace? Free?

What would happen if you lived a life of total acceptance? With no reluctance? No unwillingness? No subtle condemnation? Would it mean the end of frustration?

When nothing can be done about it, is acceptance the only way? What happens if you deny or reject something? Will you stay relaxed? Or will this cause tension in you? What happens if you are tense all the time because of your inability to accept things? Will this create stress? Will it have any effect on your health?

Is awareness the answer to a difficulty in accepting the what is? Can you expect even better results if you add understanding to awareness? Are awareness and understanding the key to transformation? To transcendence? To absolute freedom?

See also: AWARENESS, CHANGE, CONDITIONING, DEATH, FIGHTING, FREEDOM, JUDGING, MISERY, PRESENT MOMENT, SHOULDS, TENSION, TRANSCENDENCE, TRANSFORMATION, UNDERSTANDING, WHAT IS

AMBITION

Are you ambitious? Do you think that ambition is a pre-requisite for a successful and happy life?

Where does ambition come from? Is it natural? Existential? Or a man-made concept?

What is ambition? What is implied by ambition? Is ambition a strong desire to achieve fame? Success? Power? Does ambition imply that you want to be this and that? That you want to possess this and that? That you want to be somebody significant? Is ambition a goal? Something to aim for? In the future? Does the future exist? Is the future real? Or an illusion? Is ambition real? Or an illusion?

Why are you ambitious? Have you been conditioned to be ambitious? Have your parents taught you that to succeed you need to be ambitious? That to make it in this life you must be ambitious? Is this true? Can a non-ambitious person live a truly fulfilling life? Do the ambitious ones who truly make it financially and in terms of power have a truly fulfilling life? Once they have arrived, do they feel complete? Or is there always more to do?

Who is ambitious? You? Or your ego? Does ambition strengthen your ego? Do you take pride in the fact that you are ambitious? Do you like it when others recognize you as ambitious? Does ambition make you intelligent? What is the point of becoming ambitious? Does ambition mean that you have to prove to others that you are superior? Does having the need to prove your superiority show that you are intelligent? Or stupid?

Does your ambition affect only you or does it affect other people's lives as