Our Philosophy
NowHaus is “a place to play, be, and see [for] your self.”
Our ethos centers on cultivating mindfulness and response ability.
What is mindfulness? Presence, sensitivity and awareness to what is going on, externally and internally.
What is response ability? The ability to respond, instead of react. In responding, we are present, we breathe, we have command of our attention and we choose our truth to make the most effective response.
What is truth? That which cannot be simpler, cannot further be reduced. Truth is not something to be achieved or sought, it’s what’s already here when all false layers are removed.
What is a false layer? Any [limiting] belief. No belief is true, think about it. We are emotional beings however, who take action based on our beliefs. So from what beliefs are we living? What beliefs lead us to our highest expression and contentment?
We create who we are through the truths we choose!
Perception of reality is perception of self. And perception of self is socially negotiated.
That is, the self does not exist in a vacuum; it is co-created with the people around you who influence and condition your beliefs about what is true. This isn’t just your friends and family, it’s the whole culture at large! And everywhere you look, everyone’s trying to “be someone” and make you do the same. In Buddhist theory though, there is no higher self to attain; rather there is only exposure of what has always been true but unacknowledged: that the self in its entirety is false.
This idea of self, that we are “someone”, is a product of our attention. When our attention has been conditioned by others, we get caught up in the agenda of “becoming someone” and thus are no longer sovereign in it. Then we actually become something we really are not, the contrast is felt and so the “seeking” perpetuates. This self, this agenda, also only exists in the conceptual past and future, not the present. When we practice mindfulness and unconditioned attention, we step beyond the limiting confines of who we “think” we are (“I am this” or “I am that”) and open into a higher existence (“I am”).
Why be “someone” when you could be that which can be anyone?
You don’t need a “self” to create the life you want.
You just need your sovereign attention.
“It is not down on any map; true places never are.” *
— Herman Melville
*although to be practical, the NowHaus does have an actual physical location
Society’s beliefs are full of paradoxes, and as you learn and grow, it’s difficult to know when to listen and when not. What is right? What is true? While we are constantly fed messages about self improvement and idealized goals, we are also sold and marketed to with the undertones that we have more to do, more to try, more to achieve, and this unrest perpetuates our “seeking.”
The endless searching is mirrored in the way society at large is constantly obsessed with growth, achievement and “progress.” Yet if we look closely, we see no clear understanding of where exactly we are trying to go. What is really the ultimate goal here? The further we get, the more there is to do; overcoming one hurdle just leads to a dozen more.
There will always be people and media influencing you to do more and be more, to move to the next level, to reach the next peak, and just when you think you’ve figured something out, there’s something new telling you that you’re still not there yet. Well, that’s exhausting. And the reason why is simple: there is no such thing as “there.”
You’re already here. Now. You’ve always been here. You’ve got just an unconscious “self” in the way.
“Finding yourself” is a difficult process and there’s a whole industry dedicated to every possible way you could go about it. Take this class, take that course, attend these ceremonies, get your certification, etc. But all these endless possible accomplishments suggest that you have to do something to be yourself (which you already are), and so they tend to only further aggrandize the self resumé and ultimately still leave you feeling unsatisfied. So the saying is misleading; the actual process you want is shedding your self.
The idea of “self” is just a mental construct in the way of your clear channel of focused attention. Spending so much energy trying to “find” or “heal” yourself only strengthens what’s in the way. You could spend a lifetime studying the words and works of others and experiencing countless peak experiences, but if you truly want lasting contentment, you already have what you need to do the real work.
Only you know your self, so only you can deconstruct it. You are not who you think you are.
The deconstruction process is the same used to design, problem solve, tell stories and innovate, one that strips away all that is false to uncover the core essence of what is true. It requires the most disciplined of scrutiny and honesty, openness and imagination, care and empathy to look at everything without judgement, without fear, and with complete love and possibility. It’s not easy and it’s not always fun, but it’s undoubtedly the most valuable attention you can give. Once you “wake up,” you can do whatever you want.
NowHaus is a sanctuary designed from and inhabited with this very mindset. We offer the space, education, experiences and guidance to assist you in engaging in this process effectively.
Come here, get clear, create from a true place. The time is now!
“There is no true self to perceive; there’s only false self and no-self. No self is true self.”
— Jed McKenna