Inner suffering is not caused by what happens, but by our preferences about what should or shouldn’t have happened—the gap between reality and what we want it to be. Our entire preference system is built from the sum of our learned experiences, which compared to all else going on, is statistically insignificant. But we worship what we have experienced as “truth,” to be defended and fought for. When we stop fighting, we come to understand that everyone is driven by their own conditioned experiences and inner pain—so we stop judging and start asking, “How can I help?” We act from a place of clarity and compassion, not to get our way, but to raise the energy of whatever passes in front of us.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Reality is simply the unfolding of countless causes across time, and our problems arise when we resist what is, rather than accept it. Our minds become disturbed due to personalization, judgment, and the suppression of experiences we can’t handle, which results in inner energy blockages (samskaras).

Spiritual liberation means learning to handle reality exactly as it is, letting go of suppression and control, and allowing the natural energy of life to flow through us without obstruction. This leaves us in a state of clarity from which we can make decisions that are in harmony with life, rather than fighting with it.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Stress and suffering arise not from external events but from our internal resistance to them—based on our inner preferences, fears, and desires toward what is happening. The outer world manifests from vast cosmic forces beyond our control, while our inner reactions are shaped by past impressions we have held onto. The path to liberation lies in relaxing and letting go of resistance, allowing life to flow through us without obstruction, thus opening to inner peace, joy, and spiritual freedom.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Jnana Yoga is the path of wisdom through which one contemplates the vastness of creation until the personal mind dissolves into the infinite. God is seen as conscious energy (Chit Shakti) manifesting the entire universe. Interestingly, scientists see the entire physical universe as emanating from an omnipresent quantum field. Despite this knowledge, we suffer. The cause of suffering is that our individual rays of consciousness are distracted by, and identify with, the objects they are aware of. This creates the ego, the false sense of “I”. with all its personal struggles. Through the practices of surrender, witness consciousness, and letting go, one’s consciousness can rise again into divine union and eternal bliss.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

When we’re open, we feel joy, love, and inspiration; when closed, we feel heavy, sad, and lifeless. Most people try to fix these varying states by outwardly seeking what makes them feel good and avoiding what makes them feel bad. But spirituality asks, why we are not always okay inside?

The reason is that consciousness, the true self, becomes distracted by the objects of its awareness—thoughts, emotions, and external events—and identifies with them. This false identification forms the sense of “I” with all its likes and dislikes, causing the outer world to determine the state of the inner one. As we relax and release these stored preferences, our inner energy flows freely, restoring our natural state of joy, love, and union with the divine.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

There are two viable spiritual paths: one is reaching upwardly to touch your higher self, and the other is working inwardly to release the blockages that keep you bound to your lower self. The latter encourages radical self-honesty, acceptance of reality, and daily inner work to stop resisting life and start letting go of stored blockages that create suffering. Through this surrender-based path, the natural upward flow of energy is restored, leading to lasting well-being, freedom from disturbance and, ultimately, full spiritual liberation.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Spirituality is not about blind faith but about our deep understanding of the truth: suffering arises because we resist or cling to specific experiences and then struggle to avoid them or make them happen again. Our personal preferences are shaped by past events that could have unfolded differently, and liberation comes from recognizing this and ceasing to cling to past impressions. As we release these inner blockages, Shakti flows freely, revealing our true nature as divine consciousness, untouched by circumstance.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

At its core, right understanding means focusing on the difference between consciousness and the objects of consciousness—the one and the many. If we falsely identify with an object, we must deal with the inner energy generated by that identification. Resisting that energy causes stored impressions that shape our preferences, desires, and suffering. Permitting the energy to pass through allows us to accept reality as it unfolds and honor the pain, joy, and mystery of life as a vehicle for growth and liberation. This is the essence of self-realization and the path to enlightenment.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Consciousness is the most important aspect of existence, without which nothing has meaning. We suffer because we contract our awareness onto one small, self-centered point of creation—our own thoughts, emotions, and preferences—rather than letting consciousness remain open and expansive. Daily life becomes a spiritual path by using our relationships, experiences, and internal reactions as opportunities to stop focusing on our egos and begin allowing consciousness to remain open, free, and in harmony with all that is.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

The spiritual journey begins not with lofty mystical pursuits but with the practical, inner decision to handle reality as it unfolds. Most of our suffering stems from our inability to deal with inner energies that arise due to past events we have stored for years. By learning to stay present, let go, and work with these energies, we purify ourselves and allow shakti to flow freely, eventually reaching a state of inner liberation and wholeness.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.